Like I mentioned, last weekend I made a quick trip to Austin for some girl time. While highlights from the weekend included enjoying lunch at the super cool Elizabeth St. Boulangerie {thanks to a tip from the lovely Ana of Grown-up Shoes} and a leisurely afternoon of wine tasting at Stone House Vineyard, perhaps my favorite Austin outing was our evening spent sipping mezcal by candle light.
Friday night we went in search of a little fun {and a few drinks} off Rainey Street, and upon the recommendation of another friend, decided to start the evening at Clive Bar. Though Clive in itself was fun and boasted a fabulous patio area with plenty of seating and space heaters, the best part hands down was the “secret” bar located out back. Established in a renovated stone shack from the 1920s and serving nothing but mezcal & beer, Bar Ilegal is a rambler-gambler-influenced cantina. And I gotta say, it’s pretty freaking awesome.
I’m not sure exactly what it is that makes drinking at Bar Ilegal seem so… special. Maybe it’s the extremely tight quarters {12-15 people tops} and stone walls, or the moody candle light and handful of slightly off decor elements {like a bunny mask & wooden statue of the Pagan saint Maximon – god of gamblers and drinkers}, but it certainly feels different than your average evening out. Exciting, intriguing, and a bit forbidden. I could try to go into more details, but frankly, it’s one of those places you just have to experience. And I highly recommend you do.
Bar Ilegal
609 Davis Street
Austin, TX 78701
I vanna goooo
Patios in January? Space heater or not, I’m jealous!