November 9, 2007
Austintoxicants: The Peacock Lounge
Location: 515 Pedernales [map]
Phone: (512) 276-8979
Cost: Specialty Sips ($6-$8)
Atmosphere: Don’t be fooled by its somewhat dingy exterior. From the outside, the Peacock Lounge is an innocuous East-side building, but the interior is a funky-glam surprise. Retro white leather club chairs, stately teal walls and Cinderella chandeliers make the Peacock a perfect place to sip and be scene. As in scenester.
This fancy-pants watering hole (with interiors dreamed up by Oslo, Uchi, Real World Austin House and Bird's Barbershop designer Joel Mozersky), has been criticized for its la-di-da hipster clientelle and so-so service, not to mention its teeny-tiny space. Depending on the night, this complaint has some merit. We went early to enjoy the happy hour specials and chat it up with the bartender before the late night noise level erupted. We received more chit than chat. The Peacock staff is generous in the smile department, but seems a little too busy to form long-lasting relationships. Our recommendation: order your decorative drink and seek stimulating conversation from the bubbly bunch in the back corner (there’s always one of these in every bar). Because it was early, we were able to spread out and sip with ample elbow room, but this changed in an instant once the DJ arrived. A cliquey clientelle entered en masse and it became very clear: we were no longer the belles of this ball.
Drinks: Here’s a sampling of what makes The Peacock distinctly unique and fashionably old-school:The White Peacock (Stoli Vanil Vodka, coconut nectar, simple syrup and a cherry); The Dark and Stormy (Gosling’s Black Seal Rum with a splash of Barritts Ginger Beer, garnished with a fresh lime); The Pimms Citrus Cup (Pimms, citrus juices, and soda, garnished with a slice of cucumber); The Sazerac (Makers Mark Whisky, Pernod, bitters, cane sugar, soda, and a twist).
Of course the less adventurous are free to order the old standards: beer and wine. The Peacock hosts a respectable list of beer selections, but their wine lists could use some TLC. To be fair, they don’t pimp themselves as an old-world pub or snooty wine bar, so if that’s your thing, we suggest you just go for the lovely interior or else just take it to the west side.
Food: don’t expect to get a meal here. The Peacock is strictly a nibbling establishment. We ordered the Mixed Nuts (which arrived in a cute Chinese take-out box) and Hershey's Kisses. Both are available in single or double portions.
Hours: Saturday-Tuesday, 8pm-2am; Wednesday to Friday, 5pm-2am with Happy Hour from 5-9pm
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Last time I went to The Peacock I called the already snotty bartender on going waaaay too light on a $6 Jaeger shot. She spent the rest of the evening ignoring me.
Also, the decor reminds me of the set for Kubrick's The Shining and blood comes out of the walls in the men's bathroom.
Everyone I know that has been more than a time or two has a tale of service that is bad to outrageously horrible.
In fact, It's become almost a game with us. When we are with a group of new people, we sometimes see who can recount the worst experience at the Peacock.
It's like telling ghost stories, but more frightening because they are real.
You would think that service at a bar would be fairly straightforward. You walk up to the bar and order a drink, it is handed to you, you pay and walk away. For some reason, this is not how the Peacock operates, and things never changed in my 10 or so visits. My last (and final) visit to that crazy carnival went something like this:
Walk up to the bar. One or two people in front of me - cool, shouldn't be too long.
Observe both bartenders having conversation with two people in front of me. Cool, they're friendly.
Conversation carries on for about 5 minutes. Wow, I'm kinda thirsty.
One bartender walks away, the two people in front of me leave the bar and the second bartended turns around and wrestles with a gigantic jar of olives. Who these olives are for is yet to be seen, as I am the only person waiting and haven't ordered yet, much less ordered anything with olives.
Bartender number one returns, no greeting whatsoever, just a "what the hell do you want" look on their face.
10 minutes into our relationship, I finally get my Lone Star, which only requires one hand to serve.
Seriously people, I worked in the industry, and if you don't like people, then you should probably find another cash source. I would go to freakin' Pangea before I would go to the Peacock again.
I know that the owner of the bar posts on eGullet - if you guys are experiencing bad service, you should note it over there.
I had a really great vodka martini there, but I have to say, night time is not the time to go. It is PACKED full of hipster dicks.
hello my name is slim I am the general manager at the peacock. I would like to have you return as a customer. Also I have a few questions for you about your past visits when these incidences occured. If you would take a small amount of time to email me back I would appreciate it. Thank you Slim
Whoa. You don't see that every day. How nice of you to respond to the criticism, slim.
Smack and Slim - thanks.
I did go check out the eGullet post from Mr. Michael Capochiano and it does appear that there have been some improvements since I was there last. I guess it wouldn't hurt to give you one more chance....break out your ice skates, kids, Hell is about to freeze over.