Austin is synonymous with breakfast tacos, watering holes (for drinking or swimming) and an obsession with patios. Triple-digit temperatures may slow us down, but never stop us from rounding up human and furry troops for ice-cold local craft beers, juicy burgers, ooey-gooey queso and the simple pleasures of fresh air, friends and frosés. Get in on the goodness at one of Austin’s best (and locals-approved) patio bars.
Courtesy of Banger's.
Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden
The universal appeal of their German-inspired comfort food and a jaw-dropping selection of over 120 beers has earned Banger's the honor of being Rainey Street’s most bumpin’ venue. Channel Oktoberfest any month of the year. Bring your crew to the massive dog-friendly patio and grab a seat at one of the many communal tables for a beer-drinking, sausage-eating good time.
Chalmers
Spread out under a shade umbrella and sip cold brews and frozen cocktail at Chalmers, where there’s plenty of room to kick back on the deck for day drinking or night noshing. Order a burger, crack wings or fry bread tacos to round out your visit to this East Austin bar.
Lefty's Brick Bar. Credit Brittany Bosworth.
Lefty’s Brick Bar
Grab an ice cold cocktail and a “sammich” at Lefty’s Brick Bar, the laid-back, street-level patio bar in the heart of East Sixth Street. Lefty’s is completely open-air, so your happy hour hangs just might turn into stargazing and sips.
Kitty Cohen’s
Kitty Cohen’s is the east side patio bar that drips with a '60s-era Palm Springs retro-cool vibe, from flamingo decor to the dipping pool and tropical plant perimeter. Enjoy a frosty frosé, a Dreamsicle or a Frozen Swirl combo of them both. Add a floater for extra oomph.
Courtesy of Scholz Garten.
Scholz Garten
For a taste of old-school Austin, head to German biergarten and local institution, Scholz Garten. Established in 1866 as a meeting place for Austin’s German community, Scholz Garten is also a hot spot for politicos and a favorite gathering place for University of Texas at Austin football fans.
Hold Out Brewing
In the mood for tasty craft beer and a killer burger? Then head to the patio at Hold Out Brewing, from the folks behind Austin favorites Better Half, Wright Bros. Brew and Brew and Little Brother Bar. Try the house brew, a crisp pale ale or dark lager.
Central Machine Works Beer Hall. Credit Jenna Krackenberger.
Central Machine Works
Central Machine Works, a hip east side brewery, beer garden and live music venue, is a sprawling space with lots (and lots) of indoor and patio seating. Forged from the bones of a former machine shop, Central Machine Works is a conversation piece, as well as home to one of the best patios in town.
Whisler’s
Whether your go-to cocktail is a 14-ingredient work of art or a Tito’s-and-Topo, Whisler’s is a top pick for cocktails and people watching on the patio. Whisler’s has a prime location in Austin’s uber-hip east side, but the real stars are the talented bar staff who painstakingly develop cocktail menus seasonally.
Idle Hands
Idle Hands brings all the island vibes to Rainey Street, slinging Caribbean- and Latin American-inspired cocktails made to classic standards. Sip on a boozy Idle Paloma, Painkiller or Mezcal Old Fashioned on the spacious, string light-illuminated patio.
Zilker Brewing Co.
Along popular East Sixth Street, Zilker Brewing Co.'s helpful beertenders serve their popular mainstay craft brews — IPAs, lagers and stouts — and a lineup of seasonal flavors. Sit at a picnic table on the end of the shaded patio or sip your beer in the taproom. Love their brews? Buy a four- or six-pack to take home.
Looking for more ways to hang al fresco? Check out our guide to outdoor concert venues in town.