The Most Delectable Lounges in Austin

Hideaway Kitchen & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (876) • $$

"Been here twice in the last three years. Food here is GOOD! What is off and could be better is the service. The wait time has always been long and once seated you won't be greeted by a waiter/waitress. You scan a QR code and order everything from your table so if you have questions or need modifications...GET UP and go ask them up front. You can also order at the front which means you get seated and once you know you have to go back and place your order with the workers up front. While ordering, it also asks you to leave a tip which bothered me so much. Once the food came they dropped it off and that's when I remembered you have to go get your own utensils and water. They also only have plastic "to-go cups" which is a big waste and so bad for the environment. Would I come back? MAYBE. I just don't like not having a server so probably not."

Zanzibar

★★★★☆ 4 (551) • $$

"My daughter and I were visiting Austin from California, and our friends brought us to Zanzibar so we could get a 360 view of Downtown Austin and also check out the lake. From the moment we stepped into the elevator from street level, I could tell we were going to walk in to some very nice paradise themed interior decor and food/drink offerings. Zanzibar did not disappoint! It was a muggy, hot day, and they had their ceiling fans on full blast. Aside from the bar seating, everything was set up in an outdoor patio style setting and flanked by lots of plants and greenery. We ordered an assortment of food: banh mi, cubano sandwich, crab tostado, and their pupu platter, which consisted of jerk wings, shrimp skewers** - these were my fave!, duck egg rolls, pineapple salsa, and chips. We also ordered a Feels Like Summer (#1 ordered alcoholic beverage), cider, and the Clean Wave (non-alcoholic). Feels Like Summer was surprisingly smoky and spicy. Not my favorite, but not bad either! I love a place that does mocktails and non-alcoholic alternatives, and Zanzibar hit the nail right on the head.I took off a star for service; they were really busy and some things were missed. Otherwise, great experience overall. Zanzibar encompasses the vibrant energy that is Austin. I would highly recommend anyone from out of town to drop in here!"

Yellow Jacket Social Club

★★★★☆ 4 (447) • $

"Why have I been sleeping on the Meze platter all these years? It's the perfect thing to eat slowly while sitting at their picnic tables under string lights. It's light enough you can keep grazing for a long time, but also flavorful enough to satisfy. My favorite part combination was topping some pita with hummus and the carrot mint salad. The pickled jicama was a little spicy, so the cool tziki complemented it well. This isn't my usual type of order, but I highly recommend this dish!"

Zest Indian Kitchen + Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (151) • $$

"Solid Indian food for this area. Modern decor the light fixtures need to be dusted. Ordered 3 main dinner entrees, garlic naan, and 3 orders of Samosa appetizers.Chicken Tikka Samosa was greasy and lacked flavor. **Potato samosa is worth it and very tasty**We ordered "Very spicy", we could have used even more heat. Not sure if the entrees include rice but having two saucy dishes plus the other meat entrees we needed more rice. Service was good. Maybe we'll try the buffet sometime. The server highly recommended it. Overall a nice experience."

Azul Rooftop

★★★★☆ 4.1 (125) • $$

"Our large group went to Azul Rooftop for drinks after having dinner downstairs at Stella San Jac. We did not have reservations, but we managed to walk in and get a cabana because some of the people in our group were staying at the hotel.I don't know if the bar has an age restriction at night, but when we were there (around 10 pm on a Saturday night), there were children swimming in the pool with their parents. It sort of killed the vibe for me. The views of the skyline helped at least.Our server Britney was very nice and attentive. I ordered a drink called the Lavender Haze which I enjoyed. When last call came, Britney informed us that we could take our drinks back to the room or the hotel lobby. Azul was nice, but I wouldn't pay for a pool pass to visit."

Carpenter Coffee Bar

★★★★☆ 4.1 (79) • $$

"Staff was incredible, the vibe was perfect for a rainy Sunday, and the matcha was delicious! I recommend stopping in at Carpenter Coffee Bar. Just be sure to stop in early if going in the morning, or just be on the lookout for seats, since it can get packed quickly. There's also tons of easy street parking available."

Otopia Rooftop Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.1 (53)

"Great rooftop pool and views of the city; attentive staff, nice shareables; highly recommend the pina coladas."

Valhalla

★★★★☆ 4.1 (49) • $

"When you absolutely, positively need cheap beer, a battered pool table, live music, and a killer jukebox in your life? Accept no substitutes. Valhalla sits in the Red River District, offering up a laid back vibe and a handful of brews on tap. Sit and stay for a show or just groove to some vintage Iron Maiden and idle the through the night"

Meridian 98

★★★★☆ 3.7 (55) • $$$

"This place has a great view - sunsets here are pretty if you get the right spot (where the balcony wraps around the bar).Service - slow but friendlyFood - subpar. The fries here were great- crispy and full of flavor. It could have been elevated if they had any other dip other than ketchup (truffle aoli, chipotle mayo...anything). The pizza was lacking in flavor except for screaming fig butter in each bite. Overall just ok food.Drinks - they were generic, bar drinks. I would have expected them to be better. Neither Manhattan or lemon drop stood out, and I switched over to their dry wine rose which was a good choice.Parking - free and in the garageAmbiance - its lovely. Great views, and I liked the interior decor as well. This place has the basics down. If they added hanging plants, lights, better dips and drinks I think they would be a lot busier."