Alcohol
Draught House
A neighborhood pub that features 78 taps with an ever-changing selection of unique self-brews in a classic English pub environment that doesn't come off feeling cheesy. Locals bring folding chairs and dogs and tailgate in the parking lot. Check the website for great specials. Often crowded. Homebrews are $2.25 on Thursdays before 11PM.
The Ginger Man
Dark and warm warehouse with 79 drafts at last count. Pool table and darts and a nice patio out back. Noted for its wide array of craft and local brews. Go on Mondays after 6PM for pint night - buy a pint of the beer of the day and you get to keep the glass.
Barfly's
Dark and dive-alicious. Great juke-box, super-cheap and STRONG drinks. Guaranteed interesting crowd of locals. Excellent bartenders.
Austin's main strip is on 6th Street downtown. But like most entertainment districts that get raves in the media, it's a little overhyped. Check out the nearby Warehouse District and Fourth Street if you don't want quarter wells and million-dollar sorority girls.
Opal Divines Freehouse
This place serves great pub food and has an excellent beer menu. They have an enormous wrap around patio that affords an excellent view of drunk Austin staggering past.
Maudie's
Austin as Austin can get. A staple Tex-Mex favorite with five locations around town. Great salsa and better margarita's. If you crave cheese enchiladas get the Hernandez Enchiladas.
Trudy's
Known for its 'Mexican Martini'. Great place for decent Tex-Mex and great frozen margaritas. Close to campus, so watch out for the frat crowd on weekends. Relaxing patio overlooks a city park.
Gay and lesbian
Chain Drive
Most gay and lesbian bars and night clubs are located downtown with the highest concentration in the Warehouse district.
Coffee
Pacha
Green Muse Cafe
Try the Middle East plate, even if you're not a vegetarian, you'll enjoy the hummus with the warm, toasted pita bread squares. There is free wi-fi too if you'd rather surf the net somewhere else other than your couch. Perfect for writing on a Saturday morning. M-F 7AM - 12AM & S-SU 9AM - 12AM.
Progress Coffee
Best Iced Toddy in town!
Little City
Ruta Maya
An Austin tradition. Located at the Penn Field complex in a cavernous space with classes, entertainment, and events. Be aware that the service can be haphazard, but always friendly.
Teo
Halcyon Coffee Bar & Lounge Cafe
More of a bar than a coffee house, serves smores.
Spider House
A lovely place to spend a night out on the patio by yourself or with friends. Table service available. The Chai Milkshake is a dream; the Sangria pitcher is pricey but a fun way to unwind. Decent food as well. Hosts a poetry slam every Tuesday night at 8pm in an annex.
Flipnotics Coffeespace
Lava Java
Trianon the Coffee Place
Mozart's Coffee Roasters
Texspresso Cafe
Austin is coffee mad. The coffeehouse culture is strong and growing here in Austin, and you can hear poetry and live music at quite a few of these places, as well as getting light eats. Coffeehouses are where the liberal heart of Austin beats for all to see. Free wireless Internet connections are very common and available at many other businesses as well.
Austin is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are familiar with this city.