Downtown Austin Happy Hours
For more information on the experiences at these locations, tune into our Podcast on Downtown Austin Happy Hours.
Downtown Austin is flooded with high end restaurants with steep prices. However, we have researched the best happy hour menus that will allow you to have an upscale experience for a fraction of the cost. These are some of our favorite restaurants (and happy hours) in the city!
Trulucks
Sit at a cocktail table by the window, get the shrimp cocktail and the Pretty in Pink!
Genre: Seafood
Location: 5th and Colorado & Arboretum
Time: Every day, 4:30–7 p.m.
Special: Half-off cocktails, select wine and appetizers, nightly entertainment (pianist & soloists)
Favorites: Shrimp cocktail on dry ice, oysters, meatballs, tuna tartare, Kung Pao Cauliflower (not on HH, just delicious), and the Pretty in Pink cocktail
Light seafood dishes not enough? Grab a nice dinner at Ruth Chris for their $9 HH Menu. If it’s a Wednesday, end your night by seeing the Spazmatics play at Cedar Street Courtyard.
Eddie V’s
Sit at the bar when Gary’s working, get a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives and the east coast oysters!
Genre: Steakhouse & Seafood
Location: 5th and San Jacinto & Arboretum
Time: Tuesday-Saturday, 4–7 p.m., Sunday & Monday, all night
Special: $1 Gulf Oysters, $2 East Coast Oysters, Cocktails & Wine $8
Favorites: East Coast oysters—these are some of the cheapest in town! Asian fusion oysters and broiled Parmesan oysters with parm and horseradish
If you’re still hungry after oysters, pop over to Lonesome Dove for Texas Tuesdays.
Polvos Downtown
Sit on the patio, split the fajitas and a margarita pitcher—you won’t be sorry! Also featured in our favorite margaritas in Austin post.
Genre: Mexican
Location: 3rd and Nueces
Time: Monday-Friday, 4–7 p.m.
Special: $2 off House Margaritas
Favorites: Fajitas (huge, you can share), house-made tortillas, salsa bar, great patio, frozen margaritas are like slushies and they are super strong.
Check out our favorite dog-friendly bars and restaurants, here.
La Condesa
Get the spicy marg—these are our favorite margaritas in town! If it’s too packed, Lambert’s is across the street and an Austin staple.
Genre: Mexican
Location: 2nd and Guadalupe (Check out our post on 2nd Street District!)
Time: Monday-Friday, 5–7 p.m. in the bar area
Special: 1/2 off Drinks, Snacks $4–7
Favorites: Elotes, Street Tacos, Guacamole Tasting – (4) chipotle, seasonal, traditional, crab and apple; and a huge selection of margaritas!
Pop over to Cru for their Thursday night Champagne HH after!
La Condesa is also featured on our other best happy hours post here.
OP
Sit on the patio and split the HH wine special and Mushroom & Truffle Pizza amongst friends—it makes it a very affordable option!
Genre: Italian
Location: 2nd and Brazos, In the JW Marriott
Time: Monday-Friday, 4–6 p.m., daily 8 p.m.–close – Bottles & Boards (free charcuterie or dessert board with wine bottle purchase), Sunday all day $5 Rosé
Special: Two Glasses of wine and one appetizer for $20, additional glass $5
Favorites: Meatballs, Burrata, Mushroom & Truffle Pizza, Short Rib Gnocchi
Walk over to Mohawk after for BYO Vinyl HH.
Wu Chow
Sit at the round table near the bar, and get the soup dumplings—that’s what they’re known for and it is an experience! Wu Chow is probably our favorite spot on this list.
Genre: Farm to Table Chinese Food
Location: 5th and San Antonio St.
Time: Monday-Friday, 5–6:30 p.m., Bar & Patio Area
Special: $5 Wine, $5 Cocktail of the Day, $7 Select Cocktails, $3–5 Appetizers, $2 off Beers
Favorites: Dry Fried Green Beans (trust us), Soup Dumplings, Spicy Wontons, Chicken Taro Eggrolls, Sichuan Deep-Fried Chicken, Honey Pecan Gulf Prawns
Pop over to Devil May Care afterward for a nightcap.
Swift’s Attic
Get the Cuidado spicy tequila cocktail, and make sure you ask for Jonas as your server!
Genre: Asian Fusion
Location: 5th and Congress
Time: Monday-Friday, 2–6:30 p.m.
Special: $5 Wine, $2 Mickey’s & Miller Lites, $4 Cocktail or the Day, $7 Rose ($26 bottle), $6-8 Cocktails, $5-13 Food, including their amazing burger for $13
Favorites: Edamame with chile oil and Pop Rocks (so cool), Shishito Peppers, Brussels, Squid Fries, and the Akaushi Burger with Fontina, house B&B pickles, and fancy-ass special sauce
Maiko
Go on a weekend night before you go out on West 6th, get the Sake Mac & Cheese, Avocado Kani Salad, tons of sake bombs, and the green dragon roll with a side of ponzu. You’ll be set!
Genre: Japanese/Sushi
Location: 5th and Guadalupe
Time: Everyday, all night! (3 p.m.–close M-F, 5 p.m.–close Sat & Sun)
Special: The menu is a novel and everything is $3–10.
Favorites: Sake Mac & Cheese, Avocado Kani Salad, Peach Sake on HH menu, Lychee Martini’s (sweet), Green Dragon Roll
Blenders & Bowls
Pop in after a class at SoulCycle spin class or Wanderlust Yo Strong with Gustavo and grab a healthy dinner!
Genre: Healthy & Non-Alcoholic
Location: 5th and Brazos
Time: Monday-Friday, 4 p.m.–lose
Special: $5 OG Bowls (12 oz. size)
Favorites: The OG has acai, strawberries, bananas, and apple juice blended and topped with hemp granola, strawberries, bananas, and local honey.
Still want to be healthy but need more than a smoothie? Check out Picnik’s HH on Burnet Road.
Clark’s
Sit on the patio (limited seating inside), split the burger with shoestring fries, drink a Pisco Punch, and get an oyster shooter!
Genre: Seafood/Oyster Bar
Location: Clarksville—W. 6th and Blanco, next to Outdoor Voices
Time: Monday-Friday, 3–6 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 3–6 p.m. 1/2 off bottles of wine
Special: 1/2 off burgers, $5 martinis, oyster shooters, and draft beers, 50¢ off oysters (so about $3.50/piece after discount)
Favorites: Steak Tartare, Shoestring Fries with Rosemary, Shells & Cheese with Lump Crab, Black Angus Cheeseburger with Gruyere, Lobster Roll, Grilled Octopus, Mussels with House Baked Sourdough
If Clarksville is your jam, check out Jeffrey’s all night HH on Mondays.
For Rainey Street favorites, click here.
To see your restaurant featured on this list, please contact erin@365thingsaustin.com.
