Bar Lamar @ Whole Foods

I have been a regular here and have come to know every other regular and every person who works at the bar/​beer section. They are usually knowledgeable but the staff can sometimes be less then friendly. Guys like Nathan and Michael Ferrari are exempt from this review because they are the best employees there. The bartender Peter lacks a sense of urgency and was busy talking to a coworker for about 10 minutes as my selected can of beer was getting warm. Since he didn’t acknowledge me I opened the can myself (after waiting) and Peter called security and had me banned for life for opening my own can at the bar. I always drink a couple single bottles and cans at the bar and pay at the end so it was nothing out of the ordinary. I always tipped well and considered myself friends with the staff. I came here almost every day for 2 years and they banned me for no reason. Every other regular that I was with was shocked. If you want a decent craft beer experience, go to bangers or wright bros brew & brew. Although I don’t agree with server minimum wage, it gives incentive for waitstaff to treat you well. Since they get hourly pay around $ 15 an hour they see no need to please. This place is a tourist trap anyway

I have your afternoon planned out in Austin, people. And it involves walking.
But first, it involves sitting. That’s right, the flagship Whole Foods at 6^th and Lamar has a bar. A real bar. Where they serve wine and stuff. How «Austin». So here’s The Plan:
Step One: You come to Bar Lamar at Whole Foods and sit down.
Step Two: Order some wine. Or a snack.
Step Three: Drink wine (eat snack) while doing:
Step Four: Laughing a little with your friends (but not too much, this is Flagship Whole Foods so you need to ‘stay cool’…oh who am I kidding laugh as loud and often as you like)
(Optional) Step Four: Bring a book and read
(Optional) Step Four: People watch
Step Five: Order more wine. Go ahead and just get shitfaced. The wine is affordable (ironic, being Whole Paycheck, I mean, Whole Foods)
Step Six: Scratch Step Five, we don’t want you getting arrested for public intoxication
Step Seven: Stand up, stretch, and walk. Walk down the miles of aisles in Whole Foods and get some greens. Peruse the chocolate bar. Shake up a bottle of Kombucha for the poor sucker who is going to purchase and open the bottle next.
Step Eight/​Nine/​Ten/​Ect: Walk some more. Walk to Bookpeople (it’s next door). Walk to Waterloo Records (it’s across the street). Walk to buy some overpriced furniture, or cute clothes. If you are really ambitious you can walk down to the douchey bars of West 6^th street and see some Lacoste polo shirts on people and take in a swim at Rio’s Rooftop Pool (don’t actually go there). Walk down to Lady Bird Lake and do some stand up paddle board, as that’s still hip (I think).
All in all the wine bar at Whole Foods is great fuel for your walking-​in-​Austin adventures. Welcome to Austin. Even if you are from here. Welcome.

I think drinking while grocery shopping is the best idea ever.
People might think happy hour at Whole Foods is a little strange but I think it’s perfect! There are plenty of little tables to sit and chat with friends. They have a pretty great selection and beers and wine.
I think the wine flights are the best deal. You can buy a bottle of your favorite when you’re done and take it home.
They also have bar snacks like cheese plates, nuts, and grilled cheese sandwiches. You can also pick up food in the store and bring it to the bar to enjoy.
Our bartender/​server, Liz, was super helpful and sweet. I couldn’t pick a third wine for my flight and let her do it. Her pick was perfect. It was my favorite one of the bunch!
This would be a great place for a unusual date. I’m guessing a third or fourth date would be perfect here.

The legend of bar lamar is only whispered among other citys’ WFM shoppers.
«I hear Austin has a bar…»
«No! Tell me more»
«There are $ 10 flights of wine… and you can just buy wine and drink it right there!»
«Fake lie! Go on…»
All the rumors are true. Cheap flights, wine on tap, delicious local beers. One time we got a bottle of orange juice and two bottles of prosecco, got drunk and wandered the ready foods sections making the best brunch known to man. Bar Lamar is everything you want in a bar and now they have an entire menu of grilled cheeses. That’s right — grilled cheese sammies and cheap wine. It’s like a dream come true. *
*Our sandwiches were actually not cooked all the way through — the cheese was still noticeably shreddy — and were really greasy. I’m going to assume that was a fluke due to remodeling and get right back in that game.

Seeing as the guy who started Whole Foods in the beginning is actually from Austin he decided to build a new flagship store 2 years ago downtown right next to the up and coming and rapidly developing Warehouse District. This place is huge — 80,000 sq foot to be precise, yep it has everything that any discerning tree hugger could ever want out of a supermarket — and more. Put it this way, if you died and went to food heaven, this is exactly what it would look like!
Not only is there every fresh organic produce imaginable abundantly available at this store, they then present it like it was food of the gods. Walking through this place is one hell of an experience, as after you have got over the shock of what is to offer to buy round one corner, you then realise they offer to cook it all for you round the next! There are no less than 30 food stations with all types of ‘take home’ options to choose from. I always make sure I have a napkin in my handbag when I go in here just incase I have a involuntary drool attack from staring at all the amazing food on offer. You think I jest — sadly I don’t. This place is a ‘must be seen to be believed’ kinda place.