The Stay Put

One of the newer (opened in 2022) additions to Rainey Street, Stay Put is reminiscent of the old historical homes that once lined Rainey Street in its heyday, but with a modern rustic twist. Stay Put is the go-to spot for those looking to escape the rowdy crowds and blaring music (even though Rainey Street isn't as vibrant as it once was). It's got a solid selection of beers and offers plenty of room to meet up with friends. The space is open and sleek, with lots of wood accents, but the vibe can feel a bit sterile, including the service.

The Stay Put is a picobrewery that suffers from below-average beer quality and consistency, compounded by lackluster service, an out-of-date website, and a confused identity.A picobrewery differs from a microbrewery in that its products are limited-production specialty beers brewed and consumed exclusively on site in a single location. They are often social gathering spots with a diversity of customers young and old and high-quality service that reflects the bespoke product. When on travel, I will often seek out picobreweries, as if implemented properly they often provide a superior experience than more commercial venues. This was not the case with The Stay Put.I was allowed to visit the brewery three of four days (more on that below) and in those three days, I had the same two beers, a Hazy IPA and a West Texas IPA. I am unable to provide the names as the website does not list the current beers on tap (more on that below). The appearance and aroma met expectations, however the flavor fell short of expectations and paled in comparison to competitors on the same street. Consistency was an issue with the hazy as it changed flavors between the first and second day (as if it were a different beer) and carbonation dropped noticeably. The quality and consistency of the beers are on par with home brew beer, starkly below average and inconsistent in flavor and mouthfeel.Service varied from impersonal to cold with limited customer engagement. There were no smiles, greetings, or checkins on quality. Foam was an issue across all three days and the height of the head varied notably between 5 cm (2 in) to a fill to the top (flat Hazy). I was made to feel less than special when a bartender took the extra time to bring the head down to 2 cm (1 in) for a couple at the bar but did not for my pour, leaving me with a monstrous 5 cm (2 in) head. This left me wondering if I might not be welcome, a feeling that would be compounded on the fourth day when I was turned away at the sidewalk. An individual turned me away, stating sheepishly that the venue had been booked out. The establishment appeared relatively empty and his delivery was nervous and unconvincing, so I left with the concern that I was turned away due to my age. Turning a customer away is one of the most difficult challenges in customer service and thus should be handled with much greater care than it was. On the bright side, I went two doors north and had a significantly better beer/service experience with great BBQ, so I was honestly better off for it.The service and quality issues are mirrored online as well. As of this writing the website is out of date, with the events listed being months old. There is no beer list on the website. On the second day, I was pleasantly surprised by a (great) puppy party, which consisted of two puppies in a tiny pen and what looked like locals with a couple of dogs. On the fourth day however I was unpleasantly surprised by the aforementioned booked out venue. Either way, it would be nice for customers to know about events in advance. More importantly, it would have allowed me to verify that the venue was indeed booked out on the fourth day, so I wasn't left with concerns of ageism.As such, I felt that The Stay Put has a confused identity. Is it a picobrewery, a local hangout, or a party spot? I think the answer to all is yes in theory and no in practice. Moreover, of the many picobreweries I've visited, this one is at the bottom of the list. The Stay Put simply does not embody the culture of brewing. They are not crafting and serving beer with pride. There's are no bespoke logos, stickers, or coasters. There's no bartenders actively seeking feedback on their new craft beers. There are no beer lists online because it's not important to them. The middling beer simply feeds the taps of a bar with a confused identity.

Lauren is absolutely the best! I'd come back just for her incredible service. Her smile lights up the entire room, making every visit so much more enjoyable. I loved Stayput's homemade Pilsner--so smooth and refreshing--and their lemon drops are a perfect pick-me-up! The ambiance is equally impressive: a clean, welcoming space with great vibes all around. Definitely a 5-star experience!

This was our very first stop on Rainey. It was a cute spot and bright and open, but I didn't really feel super welcomed or wanting to "stay put" for very long. Granted, we only got one drink here, but the bartender didn't introduce himself or talk through anything with us like he did some other folks who came in after us. That's okay, lots of other spots to check out in the area.I got the spicy watermelon margarita because once I asked him about it, the bartender said it was one of the more popular drinks. Nate got a specialty paloma. Both drinks were good, and they also have their own beer. TVs were on and like most places in Austin, there was an outdoor area with more seating. Not a spot I'd run back to, but I'm not mad we checked it out.

This is your spot. Good vibe and good beer. Relaxing as hell. Always good music without it being overbearing. And excellent ginger beer.

A nice stop at the beginning of Rainey Street's house district to...Stay Put...at!We were here during the beginning of Mardi Gras, so we weren't sure what to expect on this street. Walking into here, it was pretty wide open inside, which it didn't look like it would be from the outside. We sat up at the bar and ordered a couple of their specialty cocktails that they had available during Mardi Gras. Daniel, our server, recommended a drink on special at the time called Saturday Cartoons. It had cognac, lemon and something else in it. It was really delicious though!

Had to make sure I was first to review this absolute gem of an establishment that we happened to find last night. My friends and I were in town for my birthday bash and for our final night, we were hitting the food trucks on Rainey Street. Peeped this adorable spot that looked like a log cabin so we went there after stuffing our faces and I'm pretty sure this ended up being the fan favorite for all 5 of us during this trip! Everything about this spot screamed good vibes! There was a nice beer, wine, and cocktail selection and the bartenders were great at creating some drinks for us when we wanted to try some different stuff but not sure what. The layout was adorable, long wooden community tables inside and more seating with heaters outside. Plethora of bathrooms with big community sink in the middle. And can we talk about the 90s playlist they were bumping because man were we jamming! Like GOOD 90s, I can't remember the last time I heard Busta Rhymes while out at a bar lol.I googled the place while we were there to find out more about it and what luck we had because they literally just opened days ago and their official opening party is in a few days! You should definitely check this spot out for hangout vibes amidst the craziness of Rainey Street! Mucho thanks to The Stay Put for closing out my birthday weekend in Austin wonderfully!

Popped in for a quick drink before dinner to check it out. Super cute.Was definitely disappointed though during a normal HH type time on a Wednesday and was charged $12 for a glass of BOXED wine that all I got was the crud.

The Stay Put was a fun time. I started off with a pour of the thicc ripp (a hazy IPA) followed by the mad dog marg. The cocktails were on tap but the one that I tried was good. Check it out if you are in the area.

Very cool bar. They brew beer on site and it didn't disappoint. It was great to see a foosball table and steel tip dart boards out back. Also, the bathrooms were top notch. For the area it's not super pricey which was a relief. Can't wait to head back.