CU29 Cocktail Bar

After a visit to the Firehouse Lounge with the girls, we decided to come check out this spot since it’s right down the street and Firehouse Lounge was a bit too crowded for our taste. We got there about 12:30 and there was barely anyone there. However, the drinks were pretty on point and the live band that was playing was pretty awesome. I had the Mexican Coffee (The Best thing EVER!) and my friend had something that taste like butterfingers. I really like the place for it’s cocktails and ambience. I don’t like loud cocktail bars where I have to shout to talk to my friends and this place was perfect for a girls night out.

Holy crap! I haven’t had a real Hemingway in a long time. It just engages the senses.

We took a cab downtown town on a rainy Saturday night. When the cab dropped us off in front of CU29 my wife slipped on a wet grate and twisted her ankle badly. Rather than take a cab back home/​to the hospital, she decided to power through and try to make something of the night. As we entered the bar I helped my wife up to the bar, the bartender «Belle» accused us of being drunk. We tried to explain to her very coherently that my wife injured herself outside, however she only wanted to know what our transportation home would be. I asked her for an ice pack and she rolled her eyes and walked away. When she finally took our drink order, she made a horrid unbalanced bourbon cocktail with an aggressive amount of bitters. From that point Belle distanced herself to the far corner of the bar. We had another excellent cocktail made by another member of the staff who actually provided some ice to my wife’s ankle. My wife was visibly upset by the treatment from Belle. I approached Belle when she was not busy and tried to explain the situation. She was dismissive and wanted nothing to do with us. As long as someone like that is employed at this establishment we will never be back. There are many fine cocktail bars within a block radius (i.e. the Townsend, The Firehouse, and the Driskill). Working two blocks away from CU29, I had high hopes for the bar. Unfortunately, the wait staff made our visit a nightmare.
Edit: The date was ¹²⁄₂₆.

My brother, sisters and I were in town for the holidays and decided to head downtown for a drink in a nice lounge setting on a chilly night. The reviews for this place seemed good so we came directly here. Big mistake.
As soon as we walked in the bartender gave off an irritated «why are these people bothering me» vibe. We came in from the cold and sat at a table for her to yell that we all needed to get to the bar so she could check our IDs (she could have been nicer about this). It seemed very inconvenient for her to have to give us menus and she made sure to uninvitingly add that there was no table service (which she again, could you have been nicer about). The 5 of us all felt the same unwanted feeling and immediately decided to leave.
We walked over to Firehouse hostel and lounge which was the best move we could have made (see my review for them, they also checked IDs at bar and didn’t have table service but were much nicer about it). Basically, CU29 has terrible service, i reccomend you GO TO FIREHOUSE INSTEAD! Cheers!

Excellent drink but the service was horrible. So sad because I really wanted to come back… Probably won’t now…

I found this place on Unilocal before I went on my trip to Austin. Browsing through the pictures I was instantly hooked before I even came down. If there was one place I couldn’t bare to leave Austin without trying, it was this one.
And my experience, was just as good, if not better than I thought it would be!
It is about one block up from 6^th street.
This bar is special because it is so different from all of the other bars in the area.
A rustic sophisticated bar that serves unique, fun, classy martinis and cocktails.
Cocktails are a little pricey, but are honestly worth every penny.
The inside is pretty big. I went on a Wednesday night when it wasn’t too crowded which was very nice.
My boyfriend and I took a seat right at the bar and a bartender named Bell served us. She was extremely pleasant and professional. She was also nice enough to point out some places I need to go before I left Austin. Even better? She can make some delicious and beautifully crafted cocktails and martinis!
I started with the crème brûlée martini. The bartenders here whip and foam the egg whites by hand and torch it right in front of you. It was just as delicious as I thought it would be… Absolute heaven.
My boyfriend wound up getting the Girl Scout Samoa martini and also love this beautifully decorated delicious drink. I had a sip of his too and also felt that it was very good.
After my dessert martini, I was a little full… so Bell suggested I try the Friendly Stranger since I was a fan of Manhattans. It’s almost like a Manhattan, but had a egg white topping and was lite on fire! So delicious… so smooth… Just pure perfection.
Throughout making the cocktails, Belle was nice enough to take her time so my BF and I can stop and take pictures.
At night they also have live music which was also a nice addition to the establishment.
The only thing I think this place should have that they don’t is spoons! I wanted to literally dive into my martini with one and was held back because all I had was a straw.
But overall, an easy 5 star experience and it is now easily my favorite place in Austin! I can not wait to return!!!

CU29 was one of my favorite bars in Austin, and not just because it was stumbling distance from where I was staying. No, it’s because of how awesome the bartenders are and the interesting drink concoctions they’re able to come up with.
Eric was super cool bartender who knew what he was doing and was quick with the recommendations. He mixed me two off-​menu items (Elijah’s Railcare and Negroni’s Cousin). I also tried two of their more famous cocktails (the Friendly Stranger and the Yoshimi). Everything was great, especially the two house cocktails with the egg fizz (which the bartender was adamant at not calling a fizz, as it wasn’t shaken and was layered egg foam).
They also do a ton of crazy infusions. Their sign board was incredibly outdated, but I was able to try a shot of their house Bloody Mary vodka. Tasty and very dangerous. They’re doing interesting things here.
They also had open mic night the other time I was here. Good times all around.

Chris, our bartender, was very friendly and made some custom cocktails based on feeling out our preferences. That was nice of him. I got a hot toddy which was just fine, not memorable though. I’m also pretty sure he neglected to give us the 20% off discount for our Unilocal check-​in but I was too tired to deal with it.
The space itself is wide open with a really nice long bar and copper detail which makes it warm and cozy feeling. I’d come back and order something off of their specialty cocktail menu and consider whether this is a place I want to frequent.

Bella, Chris and Kristen are awesome! They never fail to make the best cocktails and recommendations possible. My colleagues and friends (myself included) always jump at the opportunity to relax while enjoying a delicious libation from CU29.
DISCLAIMER: If you’re ready to enjoy yourself with a delicious quality drink, at the right price, this is the place to go!

Samoa girl scout martini… Enough said!
Super knowledgable and creative bartenders who love to tweak and create new concoctions on the spot. They also take their trade seriously and want to make sure you’re getting the best cocktail you can get rather than just whipping anything together.

Run, do not walk, to this bar if you want the most delicious cocktails in town! The atmosphere is great and the bartenders are super friendly! I had concoctions here last night that were unbelievable! Discover it for yourself-​I highly recommend the Hawaiian Flower (with real bacon!) and Key Lime Tini!

CU29 is a fantastic place for drinks after work, and the beginning to any great evening. The bartenders here know their craft and are always amazing at suggesting a drink you will love! Kris and Belle are amazing service professionals.
If you have not been here yet, you are missing out. If you see me here, which is very likely, come over and say hi.

Just a few steps from the hectic craziness of dirty 6^th street is this cozy craft cocktail bar, where you can enjoy a unique drink and have a conversation with your friends. I liked the speakeasy like feel with the dark copper and brick tones. Similar to other craft cocktail joints in Austin, they have fresh ingredients, fresh whipped crème, talented friendly bartenders, and in house infused liquors. The cocktail menu is uniquely different, and I had a hard time picking one. I watched as my neighboring bar patrons were getting drinks served with bacon on top, torched crème Brule caps, and cucumber chunks floating around with the ice. It’s not often that you sit down at the bar and have a basket of cucumbers to greet you. There are many deconstructed creamy desert drinks, but just as many savory, and herb focused concoctions as well. I decided to try a Maker Frisky, and my friend took their version of a Moscow Mule. The Mule is served in a copper mug, but otherwise was not your standard mule as they use an infused tequila that has a delightful kick to it. My drink was well balanced in flavor, and refreshing.
The prices were on average per drink about $ 12, which is similar to other spots. On Saturday night, they were setting up for some live music. They are open daily until 2am, and have happy hour until 6pm. Note: They do not serve food.

I ventured over to CU29 on a Friday evening around 9pm to meet with some friends for cocktails.
At first glance I decided the place was a perfect spot for a first date or friends out for a chat (you don’t even have to yell over speakers to hear each-​other). Once seated we were approached by a bartender who walked us through some drink options. I chickened out and went with a $ 10 glass of white wine.
Around 10pm a live band came on, slow jams/​reggae mix, but really great vibe.
Overall the service was good. If you are into creative drinks w/​o the 30 minute wait you get over by Rainey Street then this is your spot.

I thought the place sounded unique and had some rave reviews of their sweet cocktails and figured it’d be a good night cap to a long day of food and activities. We ordered 2 drinks, the Somoa Girl Scout Cookie and the Key Lime Pie-​Tini, I believe it was called. I read a few reviews detailing that even though they are sweeter cocktails, they were very good and not too sweet so I thought we’d give it a whirl.
I didn’t find that to be the case with ours. My Somoa cocktail looked cool and was super manly *cough cough* and was heavily rimmed with coconut shavings. I was pretty disappointed in the flavor though as it was both overly rich, cloying and boozy tasting at the same time. Just an unbalanced mess to me, and I can’t say it tasted much like what it was supposed to mimc. I wouldn’t recommend it.
My wife’s drink was slightly better tasting, was very rich and creamy and key lime pie like with less booziness, but still became overly sweet after half of it. Neither of us could finish our drinks and for nearly $ 30 after tip for a few sips that is highly, highly disappointing.
It didn’t really help seeing the smuckers syrup bottles laying out on the bar, thinking that we were just drinking processed, pre made artificially flavored sugar and chocolate goop at $ 12 a pop in a fancy glass. Generally, dedicated cocktail bars make their own syrups, infusions, etc… and you can taste the difference in quality I find, which may be why the drinks were completely sugar overkills. A big miss for me.

After about 3 days of walking downtown during SXSW my dogs were barkin, my sweat was straight up Lone Star, and my hearing was Helen Keller. Needless to say my geezer ass needed something more on the chill side and CU29 definitely delivered.
The perimeter is lined with booth style seating and small tables. It was perfect to kick our feet up and be comfortable for an hour or so. We had some almond Old Fashions that were an amazing twist on what’s become one of my go to drinks of late. Sometimes you feel like a nut and well… I think I’ll always feel like a nut after this variation.
I’m not sure if they always have music, but during SX there was a chill little acoustic set that was so perfect for our situation. Don’t get me wrong, I Iove loud music, but after about 3 days of it not needing earplugs was an extremely nice change of pace.
Overall I loved this place for about any occasion, but I especially loved it after roaming 6^th street the few days prior.

Fantastic, creative cocktails… they are pricey but worth it. Tell the bartenders what you like and they won’t steer you wrong; there is an impressive array of decadent dessert cocktails that are sweet and rich without being cloying, and there are plenty of options for fans of more straight up boozy drinks as well.
The vibe is chill, and there is live music on the weekends. Tucked away just north of the sixth street mayhem, this is a great spot to get a real drink.

WOO MIXOLOGY!
So the Crème Brûlée drink is amazing.
Not only it tastes amazing, but the way they make it is amazing. They actually foam the egg whites by hand! Which is NOT easy, I must tell you. I have tried. And I have failed.
In addition, the top of the cocktail made its way to the top of our «favorite dessert» list. And this is coming from two girls that would have dessert for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, if calories didn’t exist.
The Violet Drink was interesting. I couldn’t figure out what was in it or what it tasted like to me, but it was good. Also foamy :)
You can pick a category: dessert cocktails, strong, refreshing, etc
Minus a star for the music. I get it, Austin is the live music capital. But please get someone who’s actually good. And no reason to play it so loudly!

We stopped here on a recent trip from Dallas. It is downtown, but not in the midst of all of the craziness. It was early on a Saturday night, maybe 8:00, and we found a place to sit easily.
One of the bartenders came to help us, and he was really friendly. He asked me what kind of drinks I liked rather than expecting me to order off of the menu, which was unique. He ended up making me a peach cobbler martini, and it was soooo good! It even had whipped cream on the side of the glass with something that tasted like pie crust.
I also saw quite a few great drinks being made, and even witness a woman’s face light up with excitement as her husband brought her a crème brûlée cocktail.
A guitar/​sax duet started playing a little later.
I loved the ambiance. Cool lighting, leather booth chairs, and dim lighting. I plan on returning.

Meticulous handcrafted cocktails.
Hand whipped creams with a whisk.
Blow torch on hand for crem brûlées finishes.
Gleaming copper everywhere.
You must find this inconspicuous gem and indulge.
I had the Crem Brûlée tini with caramel. It takes a moment to make because it is spectacularly and carefully concocted and finished. This place is a show when you sit at the bar.
If you’re from south Texas, Corpus or the Valley especially… Get the fruit cup martini. It tastes exactly right, just like you remember, down to the chile lime salted rim.
XoxoxoX