Austin's South Lamar has experienced a Bar renaissance over the last year. What used to be a long stretch of car repair shops and oddball stores, now contains a bevy of relaxed watering holes. Below five newcomers that are making SoLa a great place to eat and drink after hours....
3508 South Lamar
512 440-7337
If it weren't for the over-sized street sign, average passersby would never know Red's Porch existed. Tucked behind a banking center, the multi-story venue has perfect and stunning views of the greenbelt. Red's has a relaxed vibe and offers mainly beer (the list is expansive), mixed drinks and a limited wine list. It also has a great bar menu full of southern-edged comfort food classics such as Onion Rings, Wings, Po-Boys and Tacos (not to mention chicken-fried chicken). Check it out if you're looking for a great way to unwind after work (just get there early - the place fills up fast!)
2108 South Lamar
512 707-2744
This beer cum grill - joint is squeezed into the middle of a shopping mall (parking can be a bit of a pain). It has a bit of a rough urban edge with a small porch out front and an interior designed for informal gatherings (lots of stools and small tables). The beer selection is excellent - when I've gone I've come across beers I've never even heard of and I've heard of a lot of beers. They also have a menu offering a pretty complete selection of noshes - I hear the burgers are some of the best in town. Overall, this is a great place to grab a beer, watch a game and catch up with friends.
2050 South Lamar
512 326-8742
Recently rechristened, this wine bar is fun but a little confused about its identity. The space seems to serve as an outdoor biergarten of sorts (replete with live music), as a wine bar inside, as well as a coffee shop and a purveyor of Greek foods. I'm curious to see how it evolves. The space is pretty-ish with a large tree-covered patio in front and a ramshackle interior (with hastily stuck up Greek god busts, etc.) I enjoyed checking out the wine selection, which is extensive and inexpensive. Rather than produce some kind of wine list, the wines are lined up along the bar. Patrons have to wander around the bar looking at all of the bottles to make a decision. This is not so bad as long as the space is not crowded. Check out the Greek wine selection and relax into the comfy, coffee shop-esque seats inside.
1142 South Lamar
512 383-8309
The Highball is the largest SoLa addition. It is a multi-purpose facility that has been mobbed by hipsters since the first day it opened. Think retro bowling lanes, skeeball, karaoke and then add a well-stocked bar and gourmet-ish menu and you have the Highball. The interior is very reminiscent of a '50s diner replete with plush banquets. The bar selection is fantastic. They make some amazing mixed drinks with fresh fruit and mixers - I love the Thai One On and the Roseberry Fizz. They have the representative beer and wine menu as well. The food is pretty tasty - they've already tweaked it a bit since opening. I thought the spicy quail wings were fun and the onion wings were well-prepared. I'm dying to try their Thanksgiving Sandwich when I'm really hungry. Overall, this is a fun place to go if you're looking for drinks and entertainment - just remember to reserve a bowling lane, they book up far in advance.
The Gibson
1109 South Lamar
512 386-1345
The Gibson is the newest addition to the SoLa scene. It is housed in an imposing, all-black, building, which is pretty minimalist, but actually airy inside. There are plenty of comfy booths to slide into. They have a decent beer list and make the usual mixed drinks. Oddly enough, they do not yet seem to offer wines by the glass, so you have to order half or full bottles. The selection is slim. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed, but it can get a bit loud at times. The really cool part is the food trailer - that's right, they too have their very own Austin airstream. This trailer churns out some pretty interest fare - you can go healthy, but it is mostly of the artery-clogging variety - they have a burger on a doughnut! All in all, it's a fun place to hang out and grab a beer before heading onto other things for the evening.
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