As students of alcohol history know, the production and importation of absinthe was illegal here in the United States until very recently: December 2007. Thanks to the Prohibitionists (seriously, thanks guys), the stuff had been banned Stateside since 1912, due to health concerns that its high alcohol content and compositional character caused madness. But who's madder than a drunk Austinite? No one, that's who. more ›

Despite a bottle service that started at $150 and attempts to expand their demographic, the club failed to weather the current economic crisis and shuttered its doors in mid-July (coincidentally, the same weekend as East Austin's Peacock Lounge). There's no word yet on what new bar or club will take over the space, or, more importantly, whether they're planning to auction off the stuffed zebra heads. more ›

Earlier today, someone on Chowhound quietly leaked some design-oriented details of the new restaurant that's taking over the former site of Starlite in the Warehouse District. more ›

Kiss and Fly, the new gay nightclub in the Warehouse District, was packed to the gills on opening night. Despite the signage inside attesting to the contrary, the lines outside were massive—not surprising, given that legendary drag queen RuPaul was in attendance to kick things off, which she did with her trademark flair. Though not much actual dancing took place in the space where VICCI used to be—save for the nearly-naked hired dancers (boys and girls), whom guests were happy to ogle—we're attributing it to the standing-room-only crowd and resulting long lines at the bars. more ›

In its place is the new Kiss and Fly, a ritzy multi-level gay nightclub that, to quote the press release, "promises a level of international style and jet-set sophistication rarely seen in dance nightclubs." The 13,000-square-foot club will offer the requisite bottle service that's become a standard fixture in that neighborhood, plus outdoor patio, projection screen, and smoking area. Owner Mike Yassine is the same fellow behind Qua Bottle Lounge, which features the famous—or infamous, depending on how you look at it—shark tank dancefloor. Judging from the comments storm in this post, it appears that there's already a little controversy brewing over the new establishment. more ›

Starlite first opened in Hyde Park in 2000, relocating to its current space four years ago. A new bistro-style menu had just been introduced a few months ago, along with an update of the restaurant's interior to reflect its more casual style. For now, the restaurant will remain open with reduced hours. We recommend calling in advance (512-374-9012) if you're planning to drop in one last time before their excellent duck confit is gone forever. more ›

Mid-March, or SXSW rather, is a time when Warehouse District bars turn into rock venues and 6th St. meat markets become home to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see that next big thing at a smallish venue. We’ve never made it to Ninety Proof Lounge but all that might change when Zizek comes to the hotspot that is “upscale without the attitude” on March 13th. Zizek is a regular shindig in Buenos Aires that provides artists an opportunity to display their genius -- reggae, hip-hop, cumbia, folk, dancehall, electro, you name it, they got it. The intent is to provide an Argentine slant on the various genres and showcase the talent that lies within the country. And of course, party hard, dance the night away, and take the show on the road! more ›

Flyer distributed by Pangaea AustinFor better or worse, Austin's new safari-themed nightclub in the Warehouse District will host its (doubtlessly) over-the-top grand opening next Friday, November 16. Pangaea, a so-called "ultra-lounge," takes over the former Alamo Drafthouse space. It was originally scheduled to open on Halloween, but evidently the tribal accoutrements didn't show up in time. Here's what you guys had to say when we first posted about it: "I think they want to go... more ›

The ritzy new Qua Bottle Lounge in the Warehouse District opened this month to much fanfare, thanks in large part to the club's fancy choice of flooring: a 19,000-gallon aquarium filled with reef sharks and stingrays. The 25-and-up nightclub boasts that its giant acrylic tank—the "largest ever installed in a nightclub"—is perfectly suitable for marine animals, citing a 3" barrier between the tank and the dance floor directly above as well as some impressive-sounding technology... more ›

And you thought hipsters tried too hard. Soon taking over the space vacated by the Alamo Drafthouse is Pangaea, Austin's very own safari-themed nightclub in the Warehouse District. The so-called "ultra-lounge" will come decked out with various and sundry adornments meant to evoke visions of the Dark Continent and intrepid desert expeditions — we're guessing mounted zebra heads, tribal hunting gear, and the like. Unabashedly exotic and — if its London sibling is any indication... more ›

Downtown Austin played host to a minor car chase this past weekend, when a man who'd approached several people at gunpoint attempted to flee in his SUV. A some point around closing time early Saturday morning, a 9-1-1 caller alerted police that a man waving a gun had been hassling a group of folks in the Red River District, between Sixth and Seventh streets. Police later tried to flag down his Ford SUV after they... more ›

A prominent official at the Austin Museum of Art (AMOA) and his wife were arrested this weekend, after the two were caught trying to make off with paintings from the Fine Arts Festival. Austin Police Commander Michael Jung was on patrol near Republic Square Park early Sunday morning when he found a suspicious-looking Alexandra Sheppard, wife of former AMOA finance and operations director Nathan Sheppard, wandering around the Fine Arts Festival tents. In the process... more ›

Hot on the heels of Emo's being listed as one of Playboy.com's top rock clubs, Nightclub & Bar magazine today published their annual Editors' Choice Top 100 rankings of bars and clubs in the country. VICCI and Stubb's BBQ both made the list. The two venues couldn't be more different: the former is a ritzy, bleached-blonde dance club in the swanky Warehouse District, while the latter serves up Texas-sized helpings of rock and roll... more ›

It took an official study paid for by the Downtown Austin Alliance and City of Austin to conclude the obvious: East Sixth Street has an overabundance of bars. Washington, D.C.-based consultants at ERA/Downtown Works, already working with the city on other downtown retail strategies, recently conducted a survey of the college-friendly span of Sixth Street from Congress Ave to Red River. According to their findings, the five-block-long area has a whopping 57 bars -- most... more ›

Restaurant Report
After Saturday night, Mezzaluna will close its doors after 16 years of serving Austinites. The restaurant, which is located in the Warehouse District, hasn't been able to recover from September 11 and the technology bust, owner Reed Clemons said in the Statesman . Capitol Brasserie will replace Mezzaluna, serving French cuisine in November. We'd like ours snail-less, please. more ›

What happens when people stop being nice and start getting real (real obnoxious, real drunk, real lazy, real coddled, real melodramatic, real self-conscious, real drunk and real drunk)? Well, we will all find out soon, as The Real World: Austin premieres tonight on MTV at 9PM. more ›