All Nightlife - Critics Picks

Best Bar That Treats Cocktails Like Art

Papercut

Browsing a few galleries before a night of bar-hopping is a tried-and-true East Austin date activity ... but what if the gallery and the bar were one and the same? And what if the cocktail menu was inspired by the gallery exhibit and changed every time a new collection of paintings arrived? That’s the vision achieved at Papercut, an East Fifth Street cocktail lounge helmed by skilled bartenders from San Francisco. Take a walk through the space, enjoy the art, order a drink influenced by your favorite piece, and duck into the back bar Konbini for excellent Mexican-Japanese sushi.

Best Found Well

The Lost Well

When the drinks dried up on Webberville (or rather, a landlord’s goodwill), the Lost Well co-owner Marcello Murphy went wandering in search of a new watering hole. What he found on Airport was the bar he couldn’t let himself believe in before: “It’s like we never even closed,” Murphy told the Chronicle in August 2025, when the new location opened right in time for the rock venue’s 12th anniversary. Bigger, better, and punk as ever, this beloved club may be lost in name, but certainly not in status.

Best Day-to-Night Latin Fusion

Coquito

Behind Coquito’s little neon sign is a lot of energy. Decked out with relic-inspired decor and a chic Kelly green accent color, this festive day-to-night haunt on East Seventh shares a name with Puerto Rico’s traditional Christmas drink. During the day, signature tortas and their Loquito, a cold brew made with coquito, bring Latin American flavors together. At night, the Spanish-speaking fusion becomes a musical one, as DJs pack the patio and dance floor inside the cafe-gone-bar with house favorites and Latin party beats à la the spot’s co-owner, Sussie Ramirez aka DJ Suxxy Puxxy.

Most Chic Spot to Split the G

Parley

Parley isn’t exactly what you’d picture when you think “Irish pub” or “neighborhood bar,” but Irishmen and co-founders Terance Robson and Jack “Slim” Hogan are making the argument that a third space can be both chic and reliable. In the dimly lit East Cesar Chavez barroom, the screens are ready to show the big game or an arthouse film. The pool table and barstools get crowded with chatter and laughter from guests in stilettos and sneakers, and comforts in between. Most importantly, the drinks, strong and steady, complement the comfort food-inspired bites, all updated with a global fusion twist.

Best Way to Win at Stand-Up

Scratch-Off Comedy

Tuesday nights are tough, entertainment-wise. Weekends are chock-full of activities, but event calendars often leave much to be desired on those early-week evenings. Luckily, Austin comic Mickayla Jay tirelessly curates a local comedy lineup that’s fortunate in more ways than one. Every Tuesday at Knomad, you can catch half a dozen stand-ups and be entered in a drawing to win a lotto scratcher. Could all your dreams come true in one night? Laughs and lottery make for one lucky evening at the neighborhood watering hole.

instagram.com/scratchoffcomedy

Best Midnight Movie Programming

Jazmyne Moreno’s Lates Series at AFS Cinema

Few folks program a freaky film better than Jazmyne Moreno. Her intuitive sense of what’s cool, creepy, and totally off-the-wall crazy makes her a prophet of alt-cinema about to get “rediscovered” by cinephiles seeking Letterboxd clout. Yet the true genius with Moreno is her truly uncanny ability to intro a flick. Nary a single feature the Austin Film Society programmer introduces gets less than the best context through which to view it, but she’s not holding the audience’s hand. Think of her late-night prologues as a firm shove in the right direction for your midnight viewings.

austinfilm.org/series/lates

Best Bar For Mezcal Nerds

La Mezca

Austin has no shortage of bars that carry a great selection of agave spirits. But if you really want to dive in and learn about mezcal – or just let loose with an impeccably balanced mezcal margarita – La Mezca in Mueller is exactly where you want to be. This newish tequila and mezcal “speakeasy” from the Veracruz All Natural team is a prime destination for people who get very in-the-weeds about mezcal, but it also offers approachable tastings and cocktails for those who aren’t as knowledgeable (but are still curious and enthusiastic). And Veracruz’s involvement means that you can soak up the spirits with boldly flavored taquitos.

Best Place to Dance Like No One’s Watching

Africa Night at Sahara Lounge

The drinks are flowing, the buffet is popping, the bands are rocking – the pool is free! A $14 cover doesn’t even begin to describe the value of this long-running Saturday night residency, where Austinites from all walks of life – and we mean that; this has got to be the most diverse dance floor in the whole city – load up on spiced meatballs and bean stew made by musician/cook Ibrahim Aminou, then get down to his Afro Jazz quartet, house band Zoumountchi, and a myriad of local acts in between. Protect this Austin institution at all costs.

Best Dating Event That Lets You Show Off Your PowerPoint Skills

Pitch-A-Friend Austin

Dating in Austin isn’t for the faint of heart, and it never hurts to get a little help from your friends (especially the ones who know their way around a corporate presentation). That’s the idea behind Pitch-A-Friend, a quirky monthly pop-up at East Austin bars that invites attendees to “pitch” their single friend to potential dates by creating a PowerPoint about said friend. The vibe is playful, the stakes are low, the event has a sense of humor about itself, and meet-cutes really do happen here.

pitch-a-friend.com/austin