Watertrade

Do future you a favor and make yourself a reservation at Watertrade. I showed up without one on a Friday night and was lucky to only have a 30 minute wait! The weather was warm-ish so I didn't mind just waiting in the courtyard at the bottom of the stairs. The vibe of this place is dark and mysterious speakeasy with a smoky smell.I was seated at the bar in between two groups, though I felt like my bartender did a great job giving me attention and making sure my drinks were filled. I started off with Heaven +Earth because I live mezcal based drinks. It was Negroni adjacent with the Campari. The smoke made for an impressive show. In the mix, I somehow forgot that gusano is the worm in mezcal and thus Sal de gusano meant that the salt on the rim had ground up worm in it! No worries though cause the bartender asked me how I was enjoying the worm salt, which was a funny reminder. I asked the bartender for the opposite of that cocktail for my second drink and he delivered by recommending the Summer Samurai. It was quite the show between lighting the alcohol soaked sugar on fire, adding cinnamon and then putting it out. It was so good that the lady next to me got one too!Highly recommend this place for an elevated cocktail experience.

Super cute bar next to otoko! We came Saturday night around 9:30 and were able to get seated at the bar top - overall it's very cute inside but on the smaller side. Service was great - drinks are super intricate to make and there are 31 cocktails on the menu!! I ordered the tongue cut sparrow - tequila and pineapple flavors - very refreshing and crisp! I loved it and would definitely order another one! My fiancée ordered the heaven and earth - whiskey based I think and had the whole smoke show going on! Unfortunately my fiancée didn't love it but the flavor profile is rich - complex - and smokey I think - definitely for someone who loves that. Overall we had a good experience and would try other drinks from the menu next time! I think the description really helps find what you'll like.

The ambiance, drinks, and service were outstanding! This hidden gem on South Congress is ideal for a date night. The bartender was well-versed in various spirits and flavors. They crafted me the perfect drink! I would definitely recommend this spot!

Wow!! This place is a hidden gem. Very cozy upscale vibe inside with only a few table/couch areas, then seating at the bar too. The bar is really pretty and love all the decor. When you first get there they offer a welcome drink of sake, sparkling wine, or an N/A option. We opted for the sake and it was very good! They offer a ton of N/A cocktail options too. We only came for drinks but tried the fries which were fried eggplant and surprisingly delicious, loved the sauce to dip them in. The Goma Fashioned (their version of an old fashioned) was one of the best I've ever had. The summer samurai was also great, and has a cool fire aspect to it when they serve it. Impressively everyone loved their drinks! Very great service and will definitely come back here for drinks and to try the restaurant Otoko next door!

Oh Watertrade, you sexy seductress of a cocktail bar. Tucked away in the walls of South Congress Hotel behind an undisclosed metal door, you can discover an intricate cocktail menu that'll give you a small taste of Otoko. They have limited bites available but their cocktails are no joke.This place is pretty intimate so I don't recommend coming with a large group. Maybe 3-4 people max at that in my honest opinion. My favorite part of Watertrade is their extensive list of Japanese whiskeys and sake. The bartenders are really creative and you have to try at least one of their signature cocktails. This is the place to come to for a date night or to have genuine conversations without the loud ambiance and music. Highly recommend!

Fav bar in Austin!! Amazing selection of drinks and small bites. The wagyu, hamachi, and ocean trout were so good and plated nicely. The bartenders were all very nice and had great recommendations!

Officially my favorite cocktail bar in Austin!! The best part of Watertrade is that you get to sample some bites from Otoko, which also pair very nicely with their lovely selection of cocktails. Watertrade is located in the South Congress Hotel, and can be found up the stairs. They have validated parking. When you reserve online, you pay a 10 dollar deposits, which also covers the welcome drink. The welcome drink was bright, refreshing and great way to start the experience. For cocktails we ordered the double rainbow surprise and the risshun spritz. The Risshun spritz was well balanced and smooth! The double rainbow surprise came with a cute strawberry pocky that surprisingly elevated the drink experience! The cocktail menu was almost like a poetry book, which helped bring each cocktail alive.For food, we started with the Nasu Fries. The crème fraiche dip complimented the "fries" perfectly. The texture was something I was not expecting, but it was really good. We also tried the ocean trout and sea bass crudo which were both very fresh and delicious. We also tried the hamachi and Wagyu nigiri, which were both the highlight bites of the night! Watertrade is definitely up there in the top cocktail experiences in Austin!

I went to watertrade as part of the ticket for going to Otoko. They give you a "free welcome toast" glass of either wine or sake when you buy the ticket to Otoko so I had a glass of sparkling wine, and I also ordered a cocktail. The bar itself has a low light, sexy ambiance - it would be excellent for a date night. The bartenders are helpful and check in often, which is always very appreciated. The bartender recommended a cocktail to me because I asked for something a little bit more sweet/fruity so the one I got was the tongue cut sparrow. It was very flavorful and I really enjoyed it, it's a little pricey at $17 (and that's on the cheaper end of the cocktails - most others were more), but it was clearly very high-quality alcohol they were using, and it tasted really good. It was actually a really lovely addition to my dinner as well since I didn't get any of the other add-ons that areavailable at Otoko (eg the sake flight add on). I would actually really like to come back to watertrade at some point either with friends or maybe on a date to try some of the other cocktail since they/the ingredients are all seasons of Japan themed, but again just need to be mindful that they're a bit on the pricier side so, so buying several drinks would add up. The other thing to be mindful of is that parking is kind of a nightmare in that area; if you're eating at Otoko they do validate parking in the south Congress hotel garage so that makes it free but if you're just going to watertrade, I don't believe you get validated parking. You can park on one of the side roads for free if you get lucky but even those areas tend to fill up. There is some parking on the street as well but also can fill up during busy times. Ideally if you're going to eat one of the restaurants on South Congress that has a lot then you should just park in whatever lot that is and walk to watertrade. To get in, I walked inside the courtyard at the hotel, and went up the staircase on the left just behind Maieday restaurant. You'll get to the top and there's just a single brown rustic door that says Otoko and when you go inside and the first area you'll see on your left is the watertrade bar. Overall, I can really only knock off a star because the cocktails are a little bit pricey and parking is a little bit cumbersome, however, everything else about the experience of watertrade is exceptional, and I would absolutely come here anytime and give them a five star review if it was just a little bit more accessible

THEE sexiest place to get amazing drinks in Austin! A very small room with dim lighting, an impressively stocked bar, gorgeous seating arrangements, cool bartenders, and attentive service. We've only visited Watertrade once but we reminisce about our experience on an almost weekly basis and plan to come back as soon as we can. One of the things we remember most is feeling very connected to the staff who took the time to get to know us, welcome us into the space, and invite us back. Being present and curious to know people on a human level seems small, but it really left an impression on us (as well as the perfectly crafted and curates drinks). At a time when we're collectively experiencing an epidemic on loneliness, these moments of human connections matter the most. Even in a bougie little bar in SoCo.If you're looking for the nudge to go, then this is it! You won't regret it.

Cozy curated atmosphere in a beautiful small room tucked within the South Congress Hotel. Experienced either as a stand-alone reservation to the Watertrade, or as the welcoming experience ahead of dinner at Otoko.Note that Watertrade specifically refers to the bar space. It's well worth a visit in itself, and offers a menu with some bites that are all about super delicious quality over quantity -- including several that are in common with the menu at the adjoining omakase counter, Otoko.Libations are wonderfully and whimsically concocted, with a comprehensive and descriptive menu -- or for the more adventurous, let the bartenders craft something to your liking. Presentation is often low-fi spectacular...