The Vortex

This is a very quirky, keep austin weird vibe bar. They had open mic when we went and there was good energy all around. Lots of college age students. I got the Griselda drink and it was a very fruity sweet choice.This is also the location of the Italian food truck Patrizis. I didn't get to try but would like to come back next time to!

BUTTERFLY BAR!! Where?!? Didn't see a single butterfly but had a shit ton of mesquitos. Had a SOLID French 75. Need to try the pasta place next time I come!!

This is a terrific community venue. I've seen some good productions (plays and other performances) here and attended some merchant/fair events. Their courtyard is designed perfectly for events like that, as it's not a flat, square space. The Butterfly Bar is on-site as well, which can add to the Vortex experience you are having. I look forward to seeing what is happening here.

Nice bar next to cute little private theater. Watched the Muttcracker - cute little play with rescue dogs.

We were visiting my daughter who lives in Austin. We happened upon Patrizi's when my youngest wanted to pick dinner. Long story short, there was a mishap with the meal (daughter's allergies). Our fault for not asking!!For a really bad situation the waitstaff were the most kind and caring folks we've encountered!! We will come back on our next visit!! The food that we did enjoy before the mishap was out of this world good!! Thank you to the 3 guys who were so helpful to our family during this crazy experience. My daughter is ok now and even said for a bad experience (7 hours of illness in the ER) she really appreciated the kindness of the people who helped us at the restaurant!! Y'all are The Best! We hope to see you on our next visit to Austin!!Sincerely, The bunch from south of Houston!

I was actually pretty excited to come here because it looks like such a cute outdoor space with nice lighting and seating, but I was disappointed by the lack of communication and service. Pros: - Cute lighting and seating for small groups- Multiple bathrooms, relatively clean- Patrizi's!! It's a delicious Italian food truck, must get- Decent parkingCons:- It is "recommended" that you buy a drink if you take a seat; that's not unusual but we were unaware that it wasn't really a recommendation but rather a strong suggestion otherwise you'd be shamed into it. We had just come from a brewery so weren't really in the mood for more drinks, but we got some for the heck of it because we were uncomfortable. - The drinks server will come around to you personally so you WILL buy a drink, and she may be rude about it. (But if you want food... it's a QR code and online order... so can't really be making the argument that its for social distancing)- The metal chairs are very uncomfortable- Prepare for mosquito bitesOverall was not impressed by the experience at The Vortex. My friends and I wished we had just gotten takeout Patrizi's inside of "dining in". We could have saved time, money, uncomfortableness, and avoided mosquito bites.

Support the arts! This place is a gem. It was my first visit and I felt unsure of where to go. Luckily, the staff are friendly and helpful; they were all willing to explain things and point me in the right direction. I didn't arrive in time to eat from the Italian food truck in the beer garden, but I did get to sit at an outdoor table with my drink from the Butterfly bar (beer, wine, full bar + mocktails). Ten minutes before showtime, the manager rang a bell and announced it was time to come in. The play was awesome -- a mono drama carried by an actor who was a force of nature. It's incredible what one person can conjure up for an audience. I will be back!!

Edit Annie was fantastic! I'm so glad my partner and I came here for our first visit to Austin and we can't wait to come back for another show. The venue was very cool as well. Delicious house made pasta at Patrizi's. The intimate theater was indoors adjacent to the Butterfly Bar, really loved the vibe of the whole venue. Enjoy live music outdoors before the show. The only downside to the theater seats was that they were a bit uncomfortable. My arms were falling asleep from resting on the metal arm rests. There was a reclining feature at least, so just scootch forward for some extra seat space. Tips: - Come early to eat Patrizi's delicious pasta beforehand, give yourself 1.5 hours, maybe even longer for larger parties of 4+. - Theater doors will not open until 15 minutes before the show, so you can relax and grab a drink until then. - Get tickets and all other theater rules and details on The Vortex website. - ENJOY!

Cool venue. But only come here if your thing is spending 30+ on objectively shitty cocktails....

I worked here years ago as a host making $9 an hour and got fired because I made 3 mistakes: I didn't place the ketchup on the table properly to signal the busser, I misquoted a party, and one other small thing I can't quite remember. Your food is great but your compassion and treatment of your staff was ridiculous then, not to mention the people who let me go all smoked cigarettes in the office and didn't wash their hands when going back out onto the floor and claimed they had "high standards" and that's why I was fired. Now I make 4x as much working at somewhere where I'm treated way better. Again great food but I hope the ownership/management has improved since your 2015/2016 era, downtown Vortex!