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A plate of shrimp, black rice, and crackers.
Shrimp and rice at Olamaie.
Olamaie

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Downtown Austin

Where to find decadent dining, tacos, coffee, cocktails, and more all in the heart of the city

by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
View as Map
Shrimp and rice at Olamaie.
| Olamaie
by Nadia Chaudhury Updated

The epicenter of Austin is its downtown area. It’s where the stately Capitol building resides, marking the city’s political hub (it is the capital of Texas, after all), where office buildings, high-rise buildings, and hotels continue to open, where tourists flock and locals frequent their go-to spots, where office workers congregate during daytime hours, where locals let loose in the evenings, where tourists hang around to see the Congress Avenue bats swarm around for food (wait for hot weather).

Downtown Austin contains multitudes within itself: the entertainment districts of Sixth and West Sixth, the residential areas of the West End and North Side, the concert venue-filled Red River, and the lovely trails along the Colorado River. The neighborhood even connects to other nearby locales: (South Congress, East Side, Clarksville).

Eater presents this guide to the essential restaurants and bars of downtown Austin. This means drinks and snacks at Small Victory, soup dumplings from Wu Chow, casual pan-Asian dishes from Koriente, tacos from Veracruz All Natural and Asador, excellent Malaysian food at Wee’s Cozy Kitchen, and fantastic sandwiches from Walton’s and Austin Rotisserie.

For the purposes of this guide, the map covers the area bordered by Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, I-35, and North Lamar Boulevard, and excludes Rainey Street (which is covered elsewhere). Check out Eater Austin’s other neighborhood dining guides too.

Looking for more downtown eats? Here are Eater’s picks for the best restaurants and bars along Rainey Street and the best downtown lunches. In the search of other vital Austin drinks and eats? Turn your attention to the Eater 38, restaurant heatmap, and essential bars.

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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. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Olamaie

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Yes, the biscuits are great, and there are other modern Southern dishes to check out at the downtown restaurant, like smoked cabbage, Gulf shrimp and red rice, peppery butter beans, and more, alongside beautiful desserts and a strong cocktail list, all for dinner. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1610 San Antonio St (17th St.), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-2796
(512) 474-2796

Also featured in:

Prélude

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The high-end cocktail bar in downtown is a perfect destination for fancy drinks and New American canapes in a pretty house setting. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

707 West 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Also featured in:

Saturn

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The cocktail bar closer to the Texas Capitol offers a nice little getaway from downtown proper. Find fun cocktails and good hot dogs. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

906 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

Also featured in:

Small Victory

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Tucked away above a parking garage entrance is Small Victory, one of the city’s best cocktail bars around. Owner and bar veteran Josh Loving and lead bartender Laura Maddox are passionate about their crafts and it shows with their classic drinks. Plus there are snacks. There are indoor dine-in services.

108 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701
(737) 701-0500
(737) 701-0500
A bar with a bar top on the left and blue seating on the right.
Small Victory.
Robert J. Lerma/Eater Austin

Also featured in:

Sammie's

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The downtown Italian American restaurant brings New York red sauce joint vibes to the city. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

807 West 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78703
(512) 474-2054
(512) 474-2054

Also featured in:

Dirty Bill's

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The absolute best West Sixth bar is this tiny spot. There are indoor areas.

511 Rio Grande St (6th St), Austin, TX 78701

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Walton's Fancy & Staple

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Solid sandwiches and breakfast dishes can be found at the downtown deli. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

609 W 6th St (Nueces St.), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 542-3380
(512) 542-3380

Also featured in:

Cheer Up Charlies

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The LGBTQ bar with plenty of outdoor space often hosts concerts and dance parties while offering up fun juice-based cocktails in a festive atmosphere. There are indoor and outdoor spaces.

900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 431-2133 LGBTQ
(512) 431-2133 LGBTQ

Wu Chow

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Soup dumplings and other modern Chinese dishes can be found over at this restaurant for lunch, dinner, and Sunday dim sum. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

IBC Bank Plaza, 500 W 5th St #168, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 476-2469
(512) 476-2469

Wee's Cozy Kitchen [Downtown]

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Downtown is a lucky neighborhood because chef and owner Wee Fong Ehlers reopened her fantastic casual Malaysian restaurant within the Congress Avenue location of Royal Blue Grocery. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

609 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

Also featured in:

The Roosevelt Room

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Satisfy the search for west downtown cocktails with this other stellar downtown bar, with a robust drink list and a surprisingly filling food menu (the grilled cheese is good). Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

307 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-4094
(512) 494-4094
A cloudy yellow cocktail in a daiquiri glass against a very black room.
The Poet’s Muse cocktail at the Roosevelt Room.
The Roosevelt Room

Also featured in:

Asador at Las Perlas

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Bars and food trucks are a tried-and-true Austin combination. The best downtown iteration of this can be found near Red River with mezcal bar Las Perlas and taco truck Asador. Taco takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

405 East 7th Street, TX 78701

Also featured in:

Parkside

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Chef Shawn Cirkiel’s New American restaurant is back in action, offering up first-rate evening meals with great happy hour deals. There are indoor dine-in services.

301 E 6th St (at San Jacinto Blvd), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-9898
(512) 474-9898

Also featured in:

Koriente

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Easy pan-Asian fare can be found at the restaurant near the Red River district. There are call-ahead takeout orders and third-party deliveries (Uber Eats and DoorDash). There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

621 E 7th St (at Sabine), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 275-0852
(512) 275-0852

Also featured in:

Hestia

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The higher-end downtown restaurant from the team behind Emmer & Rye focuses on live-fire dishes, alongside expertly crafted desserts. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

208 Nueces St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 333-0737
(512) 333-0737

Also featured in:

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Casino El Camino

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Head to the downtown dive bar and restaurant for messy good burgers and easy cheapish drinks. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

517 E 6th St (bt Red River & Neches Sts), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 469-9330
(512) 469-9330

Also featured in:

Houndstooth Coffee [Downtown]

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Coffee fans should head straight to this downtown cafe for a perfect cup of joe. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

401 Congress Ave (at 4th St), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 531-9417
(512) 531-9417

Also featured in:

Mort Subite Belgian Beer Bar

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The downtown beer bar is all about Belgian brews, with all sorts of drafts, bottles, and cans. There’s a tapas food truck, Austhentico, too. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

308 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 861-5044
(512) 861-5044

Also featured in:

La Condesa

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The downtown Mexican restaurant offers up a very reliable and nice menu, full of masa-y dishes like sopes, tacos, and tostadas. The chicken mole is quite good as well. The space is fun and there’s a really good happy hour deal, which means all the margaritas. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

400 W 2nd St (Guadalupe St.), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 499-0300
(512) 499-0300

Also featured in:

Patika [Downtown]

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Now this is Austin’s sole location of Patika, so get excellent sweet lates and daytime brunchy foods from this lobby cafe. Takeout orders can be placed in person or online; there are indoor dine-in services.

100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 535-3955
(512) 535-3955

Also featured in:

Fareground Austin

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The downtown food hall features French chicken and baguette sandwich shop Austin Rotisserie, which makes for an easygoing meal. There’s also street-level pop-up New Texan restaurant Y Comida plus a location of coffee truck Desnudo. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

111 Congress Avenue, TX 78701
(512) 465-2107
(512) 465-2107

Also featured in:

Arlo Grey

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Top Chef winner and now host Kristen Kish’s first solo restaurant landed in Austin with elegant dishes stemming from her already-storied past. Its indoor dining room is also a prime location for bat-watching. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

111 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-2991
(512) 478-2991

Also featured in:

Veracruz All Natural [Downtown]

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Yes, the city’s best taco restaurant can luckily be found in downtown Austin. Veracruz’s Congress Avenue location within the Line Hotel features its amazing menu of tacos (yes, get the migas), quesadillas, and weekend brunch. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

111 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Also featured in:

Forthright

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For easy, simple, quality breakfasts, lunches, and brunches, turn to this daytime American restaurant. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

35 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 387-3370
(512) 387-3370

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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Olamaie

1610 San Antonio St (17th St.), Austin, TX 78701

Yes, the biscuits are great, and there are other modern Southern dishes to check out at the downtown restaurant, like smoked cabbage, Gulf shrimp and red rice, peppery butter beans, and more, alongside beautiful desserts and a strong cocktail list, all for dinner. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1610 San Antonio St (17th St.), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-2796
(512) 474-2796

Prélude

707 West 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78701

The high-end cocktail bar in downtown is a perfect destination for fancy drinks and New American canapes in a pretty house setting. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

707 West 10th Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Saturn

906 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

The cocktail bar closer to the Texas Capitol offers a nice little getaway from downtown proper. Find fun cocktails and good hot dogs. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

906 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

Small Victory

108 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701

Tucked away above a parking garage entrance is Small Victory, one of the city’s best cocktail bars around. Owner and bar veteran Josh Loving and lead bartender Laura Maddox are passionate about their crafts and it shows with their classic drinks. Plus there are snacks. There are indoor dine-in services.

108 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701
(737) 701-0500
(737) 701-0500
A bar with a bar top on the left and blue seating on the right.
Small Victory.
Robert J. Lerma/Eater Austin

Sammie's

807 West 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78703

The downtown Italian American restaurant brings New York red sauce joint vibes to the city. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

807 West 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78703
(512) 474-2054
(512) 474-2054

Dirty Bill's

511 Rio Grande St (6th St), Austin, TX 78701

The absolute best West Sixth bar is this tiny spot. There are indoor areas.

511 Rio Grande St (6th St), Austin, TX 78701

Walton's Fancy & Staple

609 W 6th St (Nueces St.), Austin, TX 78701

Solid sandwiches and breakfast dishes can be found at the downtown deli. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

609 W 6th St (Nueces St.), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 542-3380
(512) 542-3380

Cheer Up Charlies

900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701

The LGBTQ bar with plenty of outdoor space often hosts concerts and dance parties while offering up fun juice-based cocktails in a festive atmosphere. There are indoor and outdoor spaces.

900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 431-2133 LGBTQ
(512) 431-2133 LGBTQ

Wu Chow

IBC Bank Plaza, 500 W 5th St #168, Austin, TX 78701

Soup dumplings and other modern Chinese dishes can be found over at this restaurant for lunch, dinner, and Sunday dim sum. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

IBC Bank Plaza, 500 W 5th St #168, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 476-2469
(512) 476-2469

Wee's Cozy Kitchen [Downtown]

609 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

Downtown is a lucky neighborhood because chef and owner Wee Fong Ehlers reopened her fantastic casual Malaysian restaurant within the Congress Avenue location of Royal Blue Grocery. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

609 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

The Roosevelt Room

307 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701

Satisfy the search for west downtown cocktails with this other stellar downtown bar, with a robust drink list and a surprisingly filling food menu (the grilled cheese is good). Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

307 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-4094
(512) 494-4094
A cloudy yellow cocktail in a daiquiri glass against a very black room.
The Poet’s Muse cocktail at the Roosevelt Room.
The Roosevelt Room

Asador at Las Perlas

405 East 7th Street, TX 78701

Bars and food trucks are a tried-and-true Austin combination. The best downtown iteration of this can be found near Red River with mezcal bar Las Perlas and taco truck Asador. Taco takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

405 East 7th Street, TX 78701

Parkside

301 E 6th St (at San Jacinto Blvd), Austin, TX 78701

Chef Shawn Cirkiel’s New American restaurant is back in action, offering up first-rate evening meals with great happy hour deals. There are indoor dine-in services.

301 E 6th St (at San Jacinto Blvd), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-9898
(512) 474-9898

Koriente

621 E 7th St (at Sabine), Austin, TX 78701

Easy pan-Asian fare can be found at the restaurant near the Red River district. There are call-ahead takeout orders and third-party deliveries (Uber Eats and DoorDash). There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

621 E 7th St (at Sabine), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 275-0852
(512) 275-0852

Hestia

208 Nueces St, Austin, TX 78701

The higher-end downtown restaurant from the team behind Emmer & Rye focuses on live-fire dishes, alongside expertly crafted desserts. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

208 Nueces St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 333-0737
(512) 333-0737

Related Maps

Casino El Camino

517 E 6th St (bt Red River & Neches Sts), Austin, TX 78701

Head to the downtown dive bar and restaurant for messy good burgers and easy cheapish drinks. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

517 E 6th St (bt Red River & Neches Sts), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 469-9330
(512) 469-9330

Houndstooth Coffee [Downtown]

401 Congress Ave (at 4th St), Austin, TX 78701

Coffee fans should head straight to this downtown cafe for a perfect cup of joe. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

401 Congress Ave (at 4th St), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 531-9417
(512) 531-9417

Mort Subite Belgian Beer Bar

308 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701

The downtown beer bar is all about Belgian brews, with all sorts of drafts, bottles, and cans. There’s a tapas food truck, Austhentico, too. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

308 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 861-5044
(512) 861-5044

La Condesa

400 W 2nd St (Guadalupe St.), Austin, TX 78701

The downtown Mexican restaurant offers up a very reliable and nice menu, full of masa-y dishes like sopes, tacos, and tostadas. The chicken mole is quite good as well. The space is fun and there’s a really good happy hour deal, which means all the margaritas. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

400 W 2nd St (Guadalupe St.), Austin, TX 78701
(512) 499-0300
(512) 499-0300

Patika [Downtown]

100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Now this is Austin’s sole location of Patika, so get excellent sweet lates and daytime brunchy foods from this lobby cafe. Takeout orders can be placed in person or online; there are indoor dine-in services.

100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 535-3955
(512) 535-3955

Fareground Austin

111 Congress Avenue, TX 78701

The downtown food hall features French chicken and baguette sandwich shop Austin Rotisserie, which makes for an easygoing meal. There’s also street-level pop-up New Texan restaurant Y Comida plus a location of coffee truck Desnudo. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

111 Congress Avenue, TX 78701
(512) 465-2107
(512) 465-2107

Arlo Grey

111 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701

Top Chef winner and now host Kristen Kish’s first solo restaurant landed in Austin with elegant dishes stemming from her already-storied past. Its indoor dining room is also a prime location for bat-watching. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

111 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-2991
(512) 478-2991

Veracruz All Natural [Downtown]

111 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Yes, the city’s best taco restaurant can luckily be found in downtown Austin. Veracruz’s Congress Avenue location within the Line Hotel features its amazing menu of tacos (yes, get the migas), quesadillas, and weekend brunch. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

111 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Forthright

35 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701

For easy, simple, quality breakfasts, lunches, and brunches, turn to this daytime American restaurant. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

35 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 387-3370
(512) 387-3370

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