Drink Well

Small but very good foot and great beer and cocktail selections. If you can get there when there is no line? Go right on in!

I really wish this place had a patio … it doesn’t. I had been wanting to check this place out ever since my friend raved about it. It was ok. I met another friend here that was in town for work. I arrived a bit early and found the only two seats in the place, which were at the bar. I sat down and started watching the bartenders do their thing. The friendliness could definitely be improved. It took awhile for them to acknowledge my presence and to take my order. I sipped on the Stone Fence cocktail. It was good. When my friend arrived she ordered a different cocktail from the drink menu. She said it was ok. The atmosphere here is intimate and small. I would come back here maybe if I was in the area, but would probably not go out of my way to come here again.

Another fantastic cocktail experience here. I got their seasonal mezcal based cocktail with apple butter. Sweet smoky Jesus was it delicious! My wife had a scotch based floral drink that was perfect for the cold rainy night. One of our go-​to cocktail bars!

If you want a pricy, upscale place to hang out, this is it. The specialty cocktails are expensive, but youre getting what you pay for here. These cocktails are great. The service is good. When I suggested to manager/​owner? Michael that the place was too small and easily crowded, he said that was better than not anyone. Good point. Ive not yet tried the food. This would be a good local place to grab a couple drinks before going somewhere more intimate to eat if youre on date. Not your corner bar for slamming drinks.

Too loud. I came to meet some friends on a Saturday night and when we couldn’t find a place to sit or hear ourselves talk to each other, I didn’t get a chance to experience much more.

We didn’t really like it, compared to Salty Sow. for a Gastropub, they have a very small menu and not a wide variety of drinks. Disappointed in their veggie pizza and meat tray. They have a rotating menu so maybe we will try again

I’ve lost my love for drink well after visiting this week. Honestly, our drinks were just sub-​par. I thought we might have just ordered the wrong cocktails off the list, but then my husband ordered an Old Fashioned. The ratio of bitters to orange to rye was off. There was so much citrus in the drink we just couldn’t taste the rye. Perhaps it wasn’t a great night, but we doubt we’ll be coming back.

There’s something intrinsically satisfying about drinking on a Sunday afternoon with friends. And doing it in a cool bar where the bartenders are really good at making drinks is even more satisfying.
We put this to the test a while back when we met some old friends at Drink well. A few things you should know about Sunday cocktails at Drink Well are:
* It is small. Like Rhode Island small. So get there early
* It opens at 4 PM on Sunday and by 4:30 it’s very hard to find a seat, let alone 2 together. See item 1. More than a few people still in their church clothes. Personally I’m all for a post sermon shooter so I agree with this concept.
* Not all bartenders are mixologists. But Drink Well’s are. Their drinks are uniformly well made and reasonably timely considering how packed the place gets.
* The apps are delicious. Really. The deep fried chickpeas and the home made fries were top notch. The cheese plate was very good if a bit light on cheese for the price.
* The entrees are good, but not quite as good as the apps. The short ribs got a universal round of hell yeah’, but the kimchee Rueben and the burger were just OK. And the home made Twinkie was not my fave. Not really a Twinkie (see Tallahassee’s Twinkie description in Zombieland, then tell me I’m wrong).
* They have a few items marked vegetarian and vegan friendly, as well as some gluten free stuff, so they’ve clearly listened to the critics. I’m an omnivore so I had no problems.
We had a group of 5 and we took the only high top in the place, a 6 seater that is positioned well, with a great view of the bar and the street and next to the water dispenser, which comes in handy on a boozy Sunday afternoon. We started with Negronis, and then tried all they had to offer. Palomas and Old Fashioneds as well as Manhattans were in evidence and all were very well made and reasonably priced. That didn’t suck. Since it was the only table that could seat more than 4 we were watched by other groups with the hunger shown by teenage boys at their first strip club. It made me feel a little dirty, but I like that feeling so it was cool. The whole vibe was Sunday laid back cool and relaxed, and that was just what we were looking for.
This is a cool place to meet for drinks and while away a lazy Sunday afternoon. Just what we were looking for.

drink.well. (a lovely play on words) is one of my favorite bars in Austin for three reasons: 1. slightly upscale, but still casual enough to wear shorts/​flip flops, 2. their food menu is small, but everything is done exceptionally well, and 3. they whip up some excellent cocktails.
It’s a small place, though, and pretty popular – so you may have a hard time getting a seat. Sit at the bar if you can – the chairs are super comfy and it’s fun to watch the bar staff work their magic. Happy hour starts right when they open at 4pm and the place will be pretty full by 5 – 5:30. Great cocktail, beer, and food specials.
In addition to delicious, creative, and carefully-​crafted cocktails, and a really nice selection of draft beer, their food is also great (and it changes seasonally). Crispy ancho chickpeas are little bundles of highly addictive crack. The flatbreads are perfect for sharing and have lovely layers of flavors and textures. The burger is pretty great as is the kimchi rueben.
Order at the bar. No table service (but they will bring you your food/​drinks when they’re ready). it’s the perfect spot to have a few drinks, have a snack, or eat dinner. It’s perfect for a first date, drinks with a couple of co-​workers, or a romantic dinner with your boo. It’s not particularly suited for groups (any more than four and it’s not comfortable).
Hope you love it as much as I do!

YEAH!
Without a doubt one of my favorite bars in Austin. Impressive craft cocktail creations, one of the best burgers in the city, a cozy atmosphere, and usually some good movies on the TV’s too. Helpful staff, dedicated parking spaces… what’s not to like? It can be busy at times but it’s definitely worth it. Not nearly as loud as you’d expect either even when it’s very busy. TRY THE BURGER!!!

Parking is a little tight, but we snagged the last spot!
Tiny inside but everyone can get a seat which is a huge plus! I like the ordering style– queue up at the side of the bar– no fuss, no muss. Wish more bars were like this instead of always having to try to flag someone down.
Also impressive– they remembered who we were and what we ordered without any physical markers like a table number.
Drinks– awesome. They know their shiz. Green lantern was my favorite– soooo delicious. Egg whites and gin together, yes please mama! It was just as they described it in the menu too– silky, smooth, a little by tart. Loved it. They got tiki theme going on too and they had tons of throw back cool tiki cups. Very fun!

Awesome craft cocktails. Great bar food. Vegetarians, feast on: crispy ancho chickpeas (vegan), housecut potato chips and dips, black-​eyed pea fritters, Antonelli’s cheese board, smoked cauliflower & arugula salad (vegan), grilled spice-​rubbed cantaloupe (vegan option), golden beet risotta, and cauliflower gnocchi.
I wish I was there right now!
Only cons? Small place, street parking.

I absolutely love Drink Well. It’s location on North Loop makes it the perfect drinking spot for where I live. This place has a great layout but is a victim of its size. This can lead to a somewhat crowded situation on busy nights due to a lack of seating and only a few place to comfortably stand. I recommend coming on a weeknight when the crowd is a little thinner.
They have nice array of strong drinks including your typical cocktail fare. My favorite drink is their rye whiskey old fashioned. A perfect sipping drink that will get you fairly buzzed if you don’t pace yourself. The bartenders are always friendly and accommodating. Prices can be a bit steep on their liquor, so sticking to the reasonably priced beer can be in your best interest if you’re on a budget.

The only reason I have to give it four stars is its size. It’s so tiny, going with a group of three or larger wouldn’t be recommended. There’s no outdoor seating as far as I could see. you may be standing for a bit waiting for the large table to open up.
Other than that, it’s a very cool place. The food was delicious and the drinks well presented. it’s in a cool Austin-​y part of town. In walking distance of other great places.
The waiter was great with suggestions, prompt with service and did not rush us.

I love that North Loop is its only little mini district. Been out drinking in this ‘hood plenty, and now it was time to get some dinner out here. Walked into Drink. Well and I was a little surprised at how small this place is. Dim lighting, seat yourself, order at the bar. This place is cute and quaint, but don’t expect to come in with more than a few people.
They have a pretty limited menu, and I think this is much more of a bar (hence the name). I ordered the Butternut Squash Risotto, which although the portion was small, it was so delicious. Creamy Pumpkin, butternut, and toasted nuts on top, I was in love with this dish. Hubs ordered the Roasted Pork with root Vegetables. He said it was really good, too. We split a $ 3 Twinkie, which was topped with cool whip and strawberries. Yum.
My only complaint is that they brought my husbands meal ~7 minutes before mine… So he was almost done by the time I got mine! You have to order at the bar, which is a slight pain. Nice beer selection and totally reasonable prices, though.

I had been spending the day with a friend and we decided to go to happy hour. We got their right at 4PM which is when they open. The place is small and it’s counter service but it’s so cute! I love the decorations and the chairs at the bar were surprisingly comfortable. I was even more excited when I found hooks in the bar so I could hang my purse. I love a place that has hooks for purses.
We sat at the bar and were greeted by a lady and guy. They were pleasant but not really friendly or involved… that’s the only word I could think of. They were attentive enough. We told them that we needed a few moments to decide on what to get. I was still pretty full from our lunch a few hours ago so I had no intentions of eating. Looking through the drink list nothing came shouting out to me. They have a whole list of Cocktails but only a few of them were on special for Happy Hour. I finally decided on the Pear Pressure — Tequila blanco, pear-​soaked maple syrup, fresh lemon, cardamom bitters. All their cocktails are really involved and there’s care and precision in making them. I saw the bartender making all the drinks and there’s lots of measuring, concocting, shaking and stirring. It wasn’t to crazy busy at the bar but it seemed that we had to call the bartender for our second round of drinks and she didn’t ask us. Come on we were sitting right there. One detail that I did notice that was cute was the numbers they give to you when you order food were UNO cards.
The atmosphere was really chill and nice. It started to fill up when we left about 6PM. I definitely want to come back and eat and five their drink menu another chance. Maybe it was my mood, it was a gloomy day and I was still full from lunch. I have to come back and give it a redo. The drink menu wasn’t very exciting for me and I didn’t try any food so I’ll have to come back and check everything out.

This place has been on our «must do» list for months. MONTHS. We finally were awake and sober enough at the right time to visit on the Sunday following Valentine’s Day. That last part is important because Valentine’s Day ruins everything, including the day after it apparently.
First, totally didn’t check the route of the Austin Marathon, which went right past drink.well. Wasn’t too bad maneuvering around it and we found a parking spot pretty close by. The badness didn’t start until we were inside … and found out that they were doing a pre-​fixe «love hungover» brunch. I guess they announced this on social media, a place I do not check before deciding where to eat (except maybe Unilocal sometimes).
The pre-​fixe was a cinnamon roll, yogurt parfait, and fried chicken and waffles. The cinnamon roll was decent, didn’t bother with the yogurt, and the fried chicken was the best I’ve had in a restaurant. The only part I didn’t like about the last dish was the chipotle honey sauce.
SN: I get that chipotle is a big thing in Austin, but I hate that shit. If I tell you I don’t want it or request to have it on the side, just say ok. Please stop trying to convince me that your restaurant’s chipotle sauce/​dressing/​vomit is better than other places. I don’t like chipotle, I don’t want to like chipotle. Like «fetch,» it isn’t going to happen.
The service was pretty darn slow, all things considered. And before they brought over one of our cinnamon rolls, they did an impromptu photoshoot with it. Watching this happen then having it served to us was a bit unsettling, in ways I can’t describe.
Look — everyone was really nice albeit annoying, the food was ok, and the drinks were good. But we were there for nearly an hour and a half and it wasn’t because we wanted to be. Such a disappointment after looking forward to this place for so long.

I enjoyed this place quite a bit. We popped in before dinner for some cocktails around 6:30 on a Friday and while it was mostly full, we were able to get a spot at the bar. The cocktail list is nice, covering a range of base spirits and unique items. The bourbon list is top notch and they had a great lineup of bourbons I’ve never had and even have a Pappy Van Winkle sampler along with a Buffalo Trace antique collection sampler, both of which came at a serious premium but was very cool to see on the menu.
I tried the Sloe and Unsteady cocktail first, which was a sloe gin based drink with fernet branca and it was a cool combination of rich tart berry flavors alongside the minty, herbal bitterness of the fernet. I liked this one more than the 2^nd one I had which was the Worthy Park Swizzle. Both well made drinks, and when trying new things you’re not going to pick favorites every time, but I loved the inventive options. My wife’s drink, Old Fox, was possibly my favorite, and I’ve added Belle de Brillet to my liquor wishlist and homemade lime cordial to the to-​do list to recreate this one at home. Ambiance is dimly lit, and intimate and service was friendly and thoughtful.
The food menu looks promising as well, and I’ll be sure to try it out in the future.
Not a great spot for a group of people at all, but this is perfect for a nice date night out, and in a fun location as well.

Delightful cocktails and not downtown? Yes please.
Drink well reminds me of the coziness of the original Alamo highball. Excellent nibbles, craft cocktails, funny bartenders, and a strong dose of glam. This is where you want to come on date night. Maybe bump it up to 4 folks, max. I’d never heard of most of the cocktails (maybe they make up all the names?), but the ingredients were quality.
Happy Hours means a few are discounted, so we started there. But I also asked for a custom herbal cocktail with gin and bitters/​botanicals, so Justin made a «Bijou» — a blend of gin, dolin sweet vermouth and chartreuse. Delicious. Next time I’ll get his twist on a Bee’s Knees.
We shared a scotch egg (came with very greasy onions), toasted chickpeas, and a cheese plate. The Antonelli’s cheeseboard came with pickled-​cloved plums and spicy-​pickled cauliflower. A nice contrast but order wisely if you were expecting honey and nuts.
I’m really glad we finally tried them out. A great place to hide away for a few hours. Not cheap, but not cheaply made either.

Work came here to do a cocktails 101 event and it was a really nice event! We were each greeted with a glass of Chatham Artillery punch and flatbread with kimchi hummus. Yum and yum! The Chatham Artillery punch was strong and well balanced.
We then listened to Jessica share with us the art of cocktail making. She definitely knew her stuff and provided us some recipes to take home. For the event we also received simple syrup party favors to inspire us to make our own cocktails at home. Nice touch!
After the presentation we were served French 75’s and duck salad on toast. It was a good pairing and once again the cocktail was well made and strong.
The group wanted to continue to hang out after the event and enjoy happy hour at Drink Well. It was about 5:55 and we had asked that since it was 5 ’til could we place a happy hour order, and the waitress rudely told us its past 6… it wasn’t. But we weren’t going to argue about that. Was sad to see our event end on such a sour note. The group did go ahead and order a couple of non-​happy hour bites. Like the other reviews stated, the food menu is pretty limited, as is parking and seating space. So this is primarily a good spot to meet with a few of your friends for a cocktail and girl talk.