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Where to Drink in Austin to Avoid the SXSW Crowds

Booze up in peace

by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
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Butterfly Bar.
| Butterfly Bar
by Nadia Chaudhury Updated

Drinking is as necessary as eating during South by Southwest (SXSW) craziness, and no Austinite wants to walk into a bar full of badge-wearing people shilling their start-up, film, or band when all you want is to throw back a familiar cocktail or beer and pretend nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Get away from all of that noise and drink up with Eater’s updated guide to the best bars not participating in the festival.

Find an extensive beer list) at Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery in Crestview, opt to stay south at patio haven the Little Darlin’, or embrace the casual and familiar vibes of Nickel City. From dives to pubs to wine bars, there’s something for everyone.

Looking to avoid SXSW with food? Eater has you covered over here. For other drinking needs, scope out Austin’s essential cocktail maps, hot new ones, iconic drinks, and places for margaritas. If you are SXSWing, check out the rest of Eater’s coverage for more dining and drinking ideas.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Austin Beerworks

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One of the best Austin breweries is thankfully very far away from SXSW up in North Austin, plus there’s its food truck for eating purposes. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

3001 Industrial Terrace, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 821-2494
(512) 821-2494

Also featured in:

The Violet Crown Wine Bar & Coffee Shop

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The Crestview wine bar and cafe is a nice little getaway with wines, coffee, and spritzes. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

7100 Woodrow Avenue, TX 78757
(512) 215-0085
(512) 215-0085

Also featured in:

The Aristocrat Lounge

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The neighborhood-friendly bar in Brentwood is a safe not-SXSW bet with excellent food from Indonesian truck Yeni’s Fusion in tow. There are kegged and frozen cocktails but none of the accompanying pretension. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

6507 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78757
(737) 742-1894
(737) 742-1894

Also featured in:

The Long Play Lounge

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The Highland bar is about cocktails, beers, and records so you can listen to music without the SXSW nonsense. And even better: food truck Paprika is doing a residency there for all of your taco needs. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

704 W St Johns Ave, Austin, TX 78752

Also featured in:

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

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This Crestview cooperatively owned pub pours a fine selection of craft beers, both from its own brewers and across the country. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

7020 Easy Wind Dr, Austin, TX 78752
(512) 452-2337
(512) 452-2337

Also featured in:

The Tigress

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This small North Loop cocktail bar gives new meaning to "attention to detail" when it comes to cocktails and beers. Every pour is precise, every pint perfection. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor areas.

100 W. North Loop Blvd., Austin, TX 78751
(512) 600-3232
(512) 600-3232

Also featured in:

Workhorse Bar

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The North Loop bar has a tap wall crammed with well-priced craft beers, plus super-affordable well drinks and well-made cocktail classics. Go for a margarita, and stay for a brew you’ve never heard of before. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

100 N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78751, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 323-5700
(512) 323-5700

Also featured in:

Drink.Well

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The cocktails at the North Loop bar are poured by knowledgeable bartenders who love to talk about their process in fun ways. Beware: it is a small bar that fills up quickly, but it's a great place to bring a small group of friends. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

207 E 53rd St., Austin, TX 78751
(512) 614-6683
(512) 614-6683
A bar
Drink.Well.
Drink.Well

Also featured in:

Barfly's

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Now is the time to drink at North Austin dive bars. Might as well start with the best one. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

5420 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 452-6455
(512) 452-6455

Also featured in:

First Light Books

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Browse for books while sipping on wine and coffee doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend the day. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

4300 Speedway, Austin, Texas 78751

Also featured in:

B.D. Riley's Irish Pub

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For Mueller-area needs, head to the Irish bar for beers. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

1905 Aldrich St #130, Austin, TX 78723
(512) 580-3782
(512) 580-3782

Also featured in:

Crown & Anchor Pub

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SXSW thankfully (or not so thankfully) overlaps with spring break for the University of Texas at Austin students, so now is the time to head to the north campus bar for a beer on the patio and/or a game of darts inside. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

2911 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 322-9168
(512) 322-9168

Also featured in:

The Butterfly Bar

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The Butterfly Bar at the Vortex Theater in Cherrywood features a dark cozy interior, but the real draw is the outdoor beer garden, perfect for sunset drinks. Bonus: one of the city’s best Italian trucks, Patrizi’s, is parked on the patio. And there are two roaming cats. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

2307 Manor Road, Austin, TX 78741
(512) 478-5282
(512) 478-5282

Also featured in:

Nickel City

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The friendly Central East Austin neighborhood bar offers something for everyone. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

1133 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 987-4294
(512) 987-4294
A bar.
Nickel City.
Robert J. Lerma/Eater Austin

Also featured in:

Apt 115

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Take the time to explore many many wines at the East Seventh Street wine bar. There are indoor dine-in services.

2025 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
(737) 333-0780
(737) 333-0780

Also featured in:

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Holiday

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The Govalle bar’s cocktail menu is so fun and just outside of the SXSW vicinity. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5020 East 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

Also featured in:

Frazier's

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The East Riverside bar is the perfect dive to hole up with food and drinks. It’s even from a co-owner of the famed Austin honky-tonk White Horse. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

2538 Elmont Dr, Austin, TX 78741

Also featured in:

Bender Bar & Grill

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No-nonsense sports haven Bender Bar features affordable drinks and solid service with a neighborhood feel. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

321 W Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 447-1800
(512) 447-1800

Also featured in:

St. Elmo Brewing Company

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For South Austin beer needs, head to the appropriately named brewery in the St. Elmo neighborhood. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

440 E St Elmo Rd G-2, Austin, TX 78745
(737) 300-1965
(737) 300-1965

Also featured in:

The Little Darlin'

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Family-friendly and super casual, this bar has a great patio and low-priced drink specials deep in south Austin. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

6507 Circle S Rd, Austin, TX 78745
(512) 814-0999
(512) 814-0999

Also featured in:

Nadia Chaudhury is an editor for Eater Northeast and Eater New York and was the former Eater Austin editor, who often writes about food and pop culture.

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Austin Beerworks

3001 Industrial Terrace, Austin, TX 78758

One of the best Austin breweries is thankfully very far away from SXSW up in North Austin, plus there’s its food truck for eating purposes. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

3001 Industrial Terrace, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 821-2494
(512) 821-2494

The Violet Crown Wine Bar & Coffee Shop

7100 Woodrow Avenue, TX 78757

The Crestview wine bar and cafe is a nice little getaway with wines, coffee, and spritzes. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

7100 Woodrow Avenue, TX 78757
(512) 215-0085
(512) 215-0085

The Aristocrat Lounge

6507 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78757

The neighborhood-friendly bar in Brentwood is a safe not-SXSW bet with excellent food from Indonesian truck Yeni’s Fusion in tow. There are kegged and frozen cocktails but none of the accompanying pretension. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

6507 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78757
(737) 742-1894
(737) 742-1894

The Long Play Lounge

704 W St Johns Ave, Austin, TX 78752

The Highland bar is about cocktails, beers, and records so you can listen to music without the SXSW nonsense. And even better: food truck Paprika is doing a residency there for all of your taco needs. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

704 W St Johns Ave, Austin, TX 78752

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

7020 Easy Wind Dr, Austin, TX 78752

This Crestview cooperatively owned pub pours a fine selection of craft beers, both from its own brewers and across the country. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

7020 Easy Wind Dr, Austin, TX 78752
(512) 452-2337
(512) 452-2337

The Tigress

100 W. North Loop Blvd., Austin, TX 78751

This small North Loop cocktail bar gives new meaning to "attention to detail" when it comes to cocktails and beers. Every pour is precise, every pint perfection. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor areas.

100 W. North Loop Blvd., Austin, TX 78751
(512) 600-3232
(512) 600-3232

Workhorse Bar

100 N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78751, Austin, TX 78751

The North Loop bar has a tap wall crammed with well-priced craft beers, plus super-affordable well drinks and well-made cocktail classics. Go for a margarita, and stay for a brew you’ve never heard of before. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

100 N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78751, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 323-5700
(512) 323-5700

Drink.Well

207 E 53rd St., Austin, TX 78751

The cocktails at the North Loop bar are poured by knowledgeable bartenders who love to talk about their process in fun ways. Beware: it is a small bar that fills up quickly, but it's a great place to bring a small group of friends. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

207 E 53rd St., Austin, TX 78751
(512) 614-6683
(512) 614-6683
A bar
Drink.Well.
Drink.Well

Barfly's

5420 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751

Now is the time to drink at North Austin dive bars. Might as well start with the best one. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

5420 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 452-6455
(512) 452-6455

First Light Books

4300 Speedway, Austin, Texas 78751

Browse for books while sipping on wine and coffee doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend the day. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

4300 Speedway, Austin, Texas 78751

B.D. Riley's Irish Pub

1905 Aldrich St #130, Austin, TX 78723

For Mueller-area needs, head to the Irish bar for beers. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

1905 Aldrich St #130, Austin, TX 78723
(512) 580-3782
(512) 580-3782

Crown & Anchor Pub

2911 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78705

SXSW thankfully (or not so thankfully) overlaps with spring break for the University of Texas at Austin students, so now is the time to head to the north campus bar for a beer on the patio and/or a game of darts inside. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

2911 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 322-9168
(512) 322-9168

The Butterfly Bar

2307 Manor Road, Austin, TX 78741

The Butterfly Bar at the Vortex Theater in Cherrywood features a dark cozy interior, but the real draw is the outdoor beer garden, perfect for sunset drinks. Bonus: one of the city’s best Italian trucks, Patrizi’s, is parked on the patio. And there are two roaming cats. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

2307 Manor Road, Austin, TX 78741
(512) 478-5282
(512) 478-5282

Nickel City

1133 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702

The friendly Central East Austin neighborhood bar offers something for everyone. There are indoor and outdoor areas.

1133 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 987-4294
(512) 987-4294
A bar.
Nickel City.
Robert J. Lerma/Eater Austin

Apt 115

2025 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702

Take the time to explore many many wines at the East Seventh Street wine bar. There are indoor dine-in services.

2025 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
(737) 333-0780
(737) 333-0780

Related Maps

Holiday

5020 East 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

The Govalle bar’s cocktail menu is so fun and just outside of the SXSW vicinity. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5020 East 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

Frazier's

2538 Elmont Dr, Austin, TX 78741

The East Riverside bar is the perfect dive to hole up with food and drinks. It’s even from a co-owner of the famed Austin honky-tonk White Horse. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

2538 Elmont Dr, Austin, TX 78741

Bender Bar & Grill

321 W Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

No-nonsense sports haven Bender Bar features affordable drinks and solid service with a neighborhood feel. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

321 W Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 447-1800
(512) 447-1800

St. Elmo Brewing Company

440 E St Elmo Rd G-2, Austin, TX 78745

For South Austin beer needs, head to the appropriately named brewery in the St. Elmo neighborhood. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

440 E St Elmo Rd G-2, Austin, TX 78745
(737) 300-1965
(737) 300-1965

The Little Darlin'

6507 Circle S Rd, Austin, TX 78745

Family-friendly and super casual, this bar has a great patio and low-priced drink specials deep in south Austin. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

6507 Circle S Rd, Austin, TX 78745
(512) 814-0999
(512) 814-0999

Related Maps