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219 West
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants American (Traditional) Bars, American (Traditional) [Edit]
612 W. 6th StreetAustin, TX 78701
Neighborhoods: Warehouse District, Market District, Downtown
(512) 474-2194
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
267 reviews for 219 West
Review Highlights
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"I'm a big fan of the fantastic happy hour." In 164 reviews -
"Try any of the sliders or the chipotle mac and cheese." In 22 reviews -
"Shallot french fries: a very impressive fry." In 12 reviews
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267 reviews in English
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Review from Leila M.
5/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
[Transcript of an actual conversation]
219 West: 219 West.
Me: Hi! Can I please order a Bombay Gin & Tonic for pick-up?
219 West: [long pause] I'm sorry ma'am, but this isn't New Orleans.
Me: Just kidding, I'm outside on your patio because I have my dog and can't come in. But, I haven't seen any one to serve me.
219 West: Oh! Ha ha, right, okay, I'll have someone right out.
Me: Also, I had left my credit card here on Friday night and they were unable to find it Sunday afternoon. This is the main reason I'm here.
219 West: I'll have that squared away too, just give me your first and last name.
This seriously happened. And kudos for her great sense of humor. The only reason I'm ducking a star is because I had to come here twice to pick up my credit card. They hold on to it once they charge you and when I returned the next day, they were unable to locate it. I had to go to the bottom bar, then the top bar, then ask another lady to search the office, then back up to the top bar. Good stairmaster workout! And all this was AFTER they confirmed it was in their possession on that previous Saturday over the phone.
I just wish they'd add to the ambience, friendliness of staff, cool decor, and gorgeous second story view by being a tad bit more organized. Other than that, I like this place and will continue to frequent them, as long as their entry area is dog-friendly!Listed in: Dog friendly places where my…
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Review from Nathanael B.
Austin, TX
5/11/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Dare we say best Happy Hour on West 6th. Not only do they have an all star menu with every food genre represented and even a few made up ones. ie tilapia nachos, chipotle mac and cheese.... But they really earn the Happy Hour of Power award since their happy hour goes 2 hours longer than everyone elses' in the area. (Half Priced Apps until 9)
Somehow this isn't the same 219 as it was on Lavaca. Upgrades include: Dining area, Rooftop Terrace, Even the food tastes better.
That being said, It still doesn't make up for loosing the boom boom room when it was Union Park. But now I digress... -
Review from Kelly S.
You know what I love? Working remotely... because sometimes that means I can post up at bars. My job allows me a measure of freedom and when the weather's pretty and I'm feelin sassy, I enjoy bellying up to a bar with a bev and some wifi. It's not my first rodeo at 219 so I grab a barstool, order some asparagus and carpaccio (no carbs FTW) and some vodka (what? still no carbs!)
I realized that my laptop battery was low so I scouted about. No plugs that I could see. I asked the servers and they were completely stymied. "You're plugging in your what?" "A laptop?" Okay so apparently no one works from home and/or knows what a plug is. "That three pronged thing is the devils work!" Just kidding. No one said that to me.
My asparagus were undercooked, the crab on them had shellz and the beef carpaccio was anemic at best. My drink was A Ok but I think maybe I was bothering the bar staff by being in there. I looked down at what I was wearing... okay, that's reasonable. I sniffed a little. Nope, don't smell. My hair looked great, I confirmed in the mirror. So I'm not sure what was offputting about me but I felt like I was bugging them by sitting at their bar on the internets at 3:30 pm on a Thursday.
The new 219 is bigger, it's fancier but I kind of hoped they'd bring it on the service side of things. I'll definitely be back (I'm looking at YOU crab dip) but I'm not totally sure why they moved if everything else was kind of the same.Listed in: Five Star Studs, High Five For Wi Fi(ve), Burger Mania, Martinis In Austin, Happy Hours You Want To Go To
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/3/2010
What is the trump card for my bar going decision?? Happy hour. Yes, thats right. I am one of THOSE… Read more »
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Review from Monica A.
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service - 4 stars
Ambience - 4 stars
Food: here's the breakdown:
Southwest sliders: 2 stars. Nothing that exciting about these.
Ahi tuna tartare: 2 stars. I didn't really like the flavor.
Chipotle Mac & cheese: 3 stars. Other than the chipotle sauce drizzled on the top, the Mac and cheese didn't have much flavor.
Lamb chops: 4 stars. Super flavorful, perfectly moist.
Barbequed pig platter: 2 stars. This just did not taste good and my date kept trying to pawn it off on me and take my lamb chops!
Overall, a really fun place with a good happy hour but I would skip the appetizers next time and go straight for the lamb chops. -
Review from Nicole P.
Austin, TX
5/24/2012
Great place to hang with friends, enjoy super yummy snacks, and relax with wonderful wines! It's the perfect Girls Night Out, just don't expect great service and you won't be disappointed. I will go back!
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Review from Cammy G.
Austin, TX
5/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great happy hour! The sliders, mac n' cheese, tilapia nachos, asparagus w/ crab meat... basically I am a fan.
Good drinks, good food, good atmosphere! You need to check it out :) -
Review from Lauren T.
4/2/2012
I came here on a Saturday night with a large group of ladies, and it was my first leisurely trip down to ATX from Dallas. 219 West was AWESOME! I have to say that visiting this restaurant was my favorite time during our whole weekend in Austin. The host told us it would be an hour wait, but surprisingly we were called back to a table within 10 minutes. SCORE! The ambiance is dim lit, fantastically trendy and "Austin weird", so it is a great spot to grab dinner before a night out on West 6th street. It manages to pull off an upscale, yet laid-back vibe neatly wrapped in one lovely package with a red bow on top.
The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS and the cocktails were grand! The huge menu is very creative and eclectic, and it reminded me of a cross between Victor Tangos, Nick & Sam's Grill and Tillman's Roadhouse (all in Dallas) with a whole bunch of options tacked on and a freaking amazing dessert selection included. My friends and I took forever to decide on what we wanted to order, because all of the dishes looked SO delicious!!! Any person could find something here that appeals to their taste buds... And I mean anyone.
Another thing that surprised me about this place is the pricing! 219 was surprisingly affordable, and one could easily enjoy an appetizer and/or entree and dessert for around $30-$35 (excluding cocktails, of course). I would have paid more money for the amazing meal I was served, but who would argue with great pricing! I was highly impressed all around.
The best part of 219 is that my friends enjoyed every single dish we ordered. From the appetizers to the incredible desserts, we all left agreeing that it was the best restaurant we could have possibly chosen for our night out in Austin. I said goodbye to 219 wishing that Dallas had one of these in uptown, and I am super jealous that Austin gets this wonderful gem all to themselves!
FIVE STARS! -
Review from Holly S.
Forest Grove, OR
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here about 10pm, thankfully they were serving dinner. sat within the bar area, sat there for at least 15min with nobody coming to help us although there were 3 people behind the bar doing not a whole lot (apparently they dont leave the bar). Finally a waiter came around and helped us, i had the highlands beef tenderloin, dont remember exactly what my hubby got some sort of flank steak, we both ordered medium but my husband ask the waiter to have them error on the side of med-rare.
food came out, mine was fabulous, my husband cut in to his to find it Done Done.
waiter said the kitchen had closed and it could not be remade but said he would take it off the tab.so at least that, he was actually a really pleasant guy.
Pros: really nice and roomy inside, pretty good service, good food & drinks
Con: steak was over done, BUT was comped:) -
Review from Jennifer S.
Austin, TX
5/7/2012
Great wine bar and place to have some good dinner/apps before going out. The seared ahi tuna is amazing. There is a great selection of wine and a full bar. There are two areas you can reserve for larger parties. One is up a few steps with it's own bar and the other is down a few steps with its own bar. The second is actually it's own private room and great for parties. The sliders are good and so are a number of other apps on the menu. I like the hard wood floors and lighting. It can get crowded and is a great place to do happy hour. You are also close by many options for bar hopping afterwards. I actually just suggested this place to a friend of mine for this upcoming weekend, there is going to be a good amount of people and it is a starting off place, I think it will be perfect!
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Review from Wanting H.
San Antonio, TX
3/29/2012
I love this place for late night hang-out or happy hours. They have great ambiance, live music, and great crowd of people. Sometimes it may get loud but it's fun to have a full house and enjoy happy hours!
We love their happy hours!!! Their fries is awesome!! I tried nearly all of their tapas and all of their happy hour dishes are very very good! Their mini-burgers are great, esp. Mini shroom & swiss burgers. Their tapas are all great and can be shared with friend. We typically just ordered one tapa per person and shared the food. We always got so full when we go to 219 West. I will recommend to go early if you have a large group because they can get filled quickly during happy hours. Also highly recommended their martinis, esp Jamaicatini.
You will definitely enjoy your time in 219 West. -
Review from Liz F.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
They aren't kidding that 219 West has the best happy hour. I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best happy hours I've ever encountered.
The martini shakers were good and packed a punch. The food was fast, delicious and interesting. We got some tilapia nachos which I thought was pretty unusual and delicious. We sat on the porch which was really beautiful with some great people watching. The inside is huge and seems very new and nice. The service was fast and attentive. No complaints at all about 219 West! -
Review from Claire A.
4/11/2012
219 west has an awesome happy hour with great drink specials and half priced appetizers. We split a few apps and call it dinner! Theres quite a selection of food choices and the patio faces west 6th so you can take in the hustle and bustle of downtown.
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Review from Nicole W.
Pflugerville, TX
2/12/2012
We came to 219 West for my friend's birthday last night. She called to reserve a section of the patio and to make a reservation for 25 three weeks ago. She was told that they didn't take reservations, but they took her credit card number to reserve the patio. Flash forward to last night. We get to the bar only to find out that they do take reservations for groups of 20 or more, but because we were told no, they gave us a 2 hour wait. Additionally, the rooftop patio was closed due to inclement weather, but the event planner (I think her name was Jennifer...either way she looked a hot mess and should do better with her clothing) told us that it "slipped her mind" to call my friend to tell her that they wouldn't be able to accommodate our party which would grow to 40 post dinner. So needless to say, my friend was almost in tears on her birthday.
Magically, we got seated within 30 minutes and the food was good...the only problem is that it took forever for us to order. The waitress was also ridiculously slow in bringing our checks. Post dinner, the DJ SUCKED and there is only 1 bar and there were two bartenders for a packed place. I was considering holding my party there next month, but after this experience, I'll pass. I miss Union Park being here...it was so much better and less pretentious. -
Review from Scott T.
Updated - 2/10/2012
Great upstairs patio and bar staff. We had a large group hanging out upstairs but had no problem getting drinks. Great atmosphere and a beautiful austin night.
This would have been 4 stars easy if the hostess didn't give away our table! When we went to check after an hour or so they just looked at us and said sorry. Good for us there is an awesome steak house across the street!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/4/2012
Great upstairs patio and bar staff. We had a large group hanging out upstairs but had no problem… Read more »
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Review from LJ L.
Austin, TX
2/8/2012
Wow, people really love this place but I've tried it a couple times now and had a bad experience each time. The hostesses are rude and it has taken anywhere from 30 minutes one time to an hour the next to get seated...with a reservation...yes they took our reservation on the phone....then showed up and I guess they don't really take them....confusing.
Then, when seated, another twenty minutes to find a server, more time to receive a drink, food orders showed up wrong both times and auto gratuity added on for a party of four! That was an insult since one person never got food so the meal ended up being comped.
The food was nothing to get excited about. Prices are in line with other bars and most of the food tasted like it can right off the Sodexo truck, to the microwave and then the table.
The atmosphere also seems to be confusing.....are we a club with the boom boom room, are we a restaurant (no way to loud) or are we a 6th street bar. Probably the latter is the best option....its just so choppy.
Oh well, I guess I'm just one less person to prevent you from getting your table on time. -
Review from Kate W.
Austin, TX
12/14/2011
Really disappointed in the "new" 219 on W. 6th. Some friends and I tried to go there for dinner last Friday. When we arrived, it was super busy and we were told there would be a 30 min to 1.5 hr wait. Potentially a long wait, but we were totally cool with that and decided to grab some drinks while waiting. After about 40 min., we went to check on our wait status. This time, we were told it would be another 2 hours! Um, excuse me? How did the wait suddenly jump to a total of 3 hours? Needless to say, we immediately packed up and headed out (grabbing some super excellent tacos at the taco stand next to Little Woodrow's, btw).
I used to love going to the former 219 on 4th Street, having celebrated many birthdays and enjoyed many happy hours there. If anything, I found the staff to be overly accommodating and helpful. Apparently, that got left behind in the move. Too bad. -
Review from Jenifer W.
Austin, TX
4/6/2012
Great place to hang out on the patio after a long day.
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Review from Alexander M.
Richardson, TX
1/6/2012
Great food.
219 West recently changed location and the new venue is very ascetically pleasing to the eye, it looks very intimate and modern. Also there is an up-stairs deck to drink on. The deck was close when I went there since it was one of the opening nights but it looked very cool.
The beers during happy hour were a dollar off I believe but the food there is soo good. I had a BBQ burger but they have a different type of bread they use that is great. Food in general there is expensive though that's why I stuck with the burger but i'm sure that if they took there time with that burger then they will do they same with the rest of the food.
Good place. Not cheap, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. -
Review from Mark M.
Ashburn, VA
1/31/2012
I was there on a Friday night last week around 8pm - at the bar to the right.
Place has a great vibe - restaurant was full, bar was busy, not too crowded - lots of little groups of 4 or 5 - I noticed the cool bartenders - quick, talkative. I'd explore the restaurant the next time I go back. -
Review from Tanner D.
Austin, TX
1/12/2012
Just like everyone else who has reviewd this place, the Happy Hour here is Fantastic!
Its still a neat place, and still in a great location. The new location is really nice, and a little bit bigger than the old one. But the food and cocktails have stayed delicious!
Pros: Half off appetizers at happy hour our incredible! Most of them are filling and delicious! Also Its still very nice ascetically and a great place to pregame before hittin the town.
Cons: it gets busy!!! and every time it does service seems to become very sub par. It wouldnt be so bad if it didnt ruin my buzz....
Overall: i like it, ill go back. But really only for happy hour, other than that it can get kind of pricey and for the student budget, thats not the greatest.. but all in all its a great place to party, or even bring a date, i would definatly reccomend.. -
Review from James M.
10/28/2011 8 Check-ins Here
219 West has the best happy hour in town, and I've been telling everyone I know about it. So why not say it here too!
Whereas most happy hours are just beer specials, or discounted cocktails and appetizers, 219 West basically puts the whole place on sale. The beer and cocktails are all discounted, there are $12 wine flights, $5 martinis, and half-price appetizers. Those last three require a bit of further explanation so you can fully comprehend their awesomeness.
The $12 wine flights let you taste 5 different wines, a mix of reds and whites. You get about 2 ounces of each wine (usually a bit more, actually). It's a great way to try out some new wines on the cheap.
The $5 martinis include the shaker, which is enough to refill the martini glass another 2 or 3 times. So for $5, you're basically getting 4 martinis! And these aren't just plain martinis either. It includes a variety of really tasty, flavorful martinis. My personal favorite is the Hawaiian martini.
The half-price appetizers are amazing. They call them "American Tapas", but they're way bigger than tapas, and definitely enough to share with a couple friends. At half-price, they end up being about $5 each. I highly recommend the mini corn dogs, which have some super-delicious awesomeness in the breading. Also, the BBQ sliders, tilapia nachos, and the tater tots are also downright tasty.Listed in: Nightlife, It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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Review from cheyenne k.
Austin, TX
1/5/2012
I love their menu and happy hour.
I would've given 219 West 5 stars but I called to make a reservation and left my phone number. They never gave me a call back (which probably should've been a red flag) and when I got there with my party, they didn't have my reservation. We ended up waiting an hour and a half for our table, and happy hour was over by the time we sat down, which meant no half price apps. It wouldn't be a big deal but my friends are on college-student budgets.
Moral of the story, GREAT food and GREAT drinks, perfect happy hour, but a little lacking on the host-service. I suggest calling at least once after making the reservation in order to make sure they actually got it. -
Review from Dawn C.
9/10/2011
One of the best HH in town!
Drinks = great selection, strong and unique (Berry Martini was to die for)
Appetizers = large variety and great serving sizes, NO skimping here!
Service = Great, we sat in the upper bar area and I believe it was Monica who took care of us. She was a real delight, smart, attentive and gorgeous!
Parking = not too bad if you can find street parking, if not park at City hall and hoof it.
Price = Very reasonable -
Review from Brad F.
Austin, TX
Updated - 2/14/2012
The new location on West 6th is louder and more infested with the popped collar crowd, and, sadly, the sliders have gone down in quality. They are decent at best now, though the wine is still good. A very sad decline.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/4/2010
The best sliders ("mini burgers") I've ever had in my life. No exaggeration. Truly gourmet burgers.
… Read more »
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Review from Sara B.
1/14/2012
I was so excited for the new location, but I was disappointed that they didn't do a better job dealing with the noise-factor. When this place fills up during happy hour, you can lose your voice yelling at the person across from you at the table. Nevertheless, the food is still incredible and super cheap during happy hour, so I'll be back again and again and again, I'm sure.
Listed in: Best Happy Hour
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Review from sarah w.
Austin, TX
2/24/2012
Super chill, laid back atmosphere...LOVED the wine flights and the appetizers. The prices were fantastic as well.
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Review from Sara P.
Austin, TX
7/9/2011
Happy hour here is awesome! Huge martini shakers for around 7-8 bucks? Half-off delicious appetizers? Sign me up! My friends and I will sometimes just come here for dinner and order 3 appetizers or so and split them all. I highly recommend the beef carpaccio and the brie... Not to mention their bread pairs nicely with both. Also, the bartenders here are really funny and personable.
It's great for group events, or even if you just want to meet a girlfriend after work for a drink or two. I highly recommend 219! -
Review from Sullivan J.
Austin, TX
1/20/2012
Needs some SERIOUS reconsideration in the business plan.
I visited 219 West back in October with a group of 7 people. I called earlier in the day to make a reservation at 8:00- for originally a party of 3 but later called to increase it to a party of 7- none of which seemed to be a problem. We were not seated until 9:20. I had my sister in town from New York City, excited to take her to a place with such rave reviews...I am completely baffled by where those reviews came from at this point. I do realize that this was a very busy Saturday night but the unwillingness of the hostess to accommodate us was unacceptable and unprofessional.
Upon being seated, our waitress promptly came to the table to take our drink orders and then took our food orders; however, a member of our party did not receive part of her order and by the time our waitress came back around to check on us, we were nearly through with our meal, ergo a cancellation in my friend's dish she was excited to try. The food we did receive was certainly tasty, however, the poor service and nonchalance of the 219 business is appalling. Also, midway through our meal, a rambunctious crowd of bizarrely dressed people came running and screaming through the restaurant, disturbing diners and ultimately interrupting what is supposed to be a relaxing event. They continued to hang around the bar and even mingle around tables, which in my opinion, is tacky and should not EVER be tolerated in any sort of dining venue. I know that the restaurant business is an unpredictable, ever changing and hectic arena, but there are some things that should just never have reason to occur.
I immediately sent an email (on October 15) addressing my bad experience. Now, I have re-sent the same email 3 times and even left 2 voicemails...all to no avail. Not only was my experience in the actual restaurant extremely unsatisfactory, but they do not even have the decency to reply.
219 West: Have you ever heard of the rule of ten? If you haven't, I would highly recommend looking it up because if your business continues this pattern, I foresee a dull future for 219 West. Oh, and since I'm Yelping this, let's make that "the rule of thousands". Good luck........pshhhhh -
Review from Barrett D.
Austin, TX
12/9/2011
219 on 4th Street: 4.5 Stars
219 on 6th Street: 1 Star
Did you ever know somebody that was really, really cool before they knew they were cool? Then, suddenly, they realize how popular they are and it ruins their entire personality. 219 West is that person.
Staff I dealt with at our private party tonight was uppity and rude and I attribute that to the move from out-of-the-way 4th Street to the limelight of 6th street.
Seriously 219 West, get the fuck over yourselves. -
Review from Ashley S.
6/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
My first time here we had just finished having dinner across the street at Malaga (has since moved locations) and the place was completely dead! Had a couple bottles of wine between the families, which was nice. This place has changed so much since then!
Present day, this might be the best happy hour downtown. Recently we ordered a ton of food and the bill was less than $40 for 4 appetizers and 3 drinks. I really like that the happy hour goes until 9pm, which is so rare! The 1/2 priced appetizers get me coming back, because if it weren't for that I probably wouldn't order any food seeing as how I don't think it's quality is worth the full price. We ordered a couple flavored mojitos (only $5 during HH) which were really tasty and certainly not lacking alcohol.
The fried calamari steak fingers with chipolte remoulade dip was everyone's favorite. A huge portion and only $5! Also got the mini bacon cheeseburgers, which lacked noticeable bacon and flavor. We didn't even finish all of them. The spicy cheese tater tots were not spicy, and excessively cheesey. I didn't like the way it was heated up. I was the main one that ate them because I like tater tots, but they were something you can also order at Sonic. We also ordered the chipolte mac n cheese. Now I love me some mac n cheese, but I've definitely had better. But it was do-able.
I'd definitely be back, but need to try some different items. They've got great, cheap deals. I do wish they had a better selection of wine by the glass though.Listed in: Downtown Austin, The Woes of MEH, Wine ~ All about it
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Review from Elisa D.
Hutto, TX
9/3/2011
This is a great place for happy hour. I especially like the fact that happy hour goes on pretty late. The drinks are fairly priced, with 1/2 off tapas. They can still be pretty pricey, but it's a lot of food. It is a nicer place to have happy hour, and better quality food.
I ordered the fried calamari steak fingers, which was fried perfectly and it wasn't rubbery. The sauce it came with was very tasty! I highly recommend it! The cheesy tater tots were good. My friend ordered the grilled chicken lettuce wraps and said they were good. It was a lot of food!
I would definitely come back here. -
Review from alicia k.
Loud, crowded and a meat market last Friday night. Definitely a great for singles to see and been seen. Drinks are decent. Food is quite good for a bar and portions are huge.
The drawback----I feel like the whole happy hour is a scam. Here is the reason, it goes til 9 and all the bar tables (in the bar area) are considered dining tables, which means that you have to be waitlisted (45 mins) to get a bar table at the bar. What was on happy hour special was a bit confusing. My slider burger sampler (was not on happy hour prices, because it is happy hour prices all the time WTF?)
We decided not to wait, so we ordered directly from the bartender and used the railing to put our plates on. The food came quickly and the bartenders were very efficient. -
Review from Suzanne F.
Prairie Village, KS
10/10/2011
We arrived at 8pm on a Friday and they were able to seat our party of 9 almost immediately. Perfect timing for happy hour! Apps were half price and they had $5-$8 martinis. Everyone had a couple cocktails and shared food for $20 a person. Can't get better than that.
I recommend the Mexican martini and tilipia nachos. The tuna tartar and mac n cheese were great, but a little spicy for most of our group. Then again, none of us are from TX. Everything down there seems to have a kick! -
Review from Stephen F.
Austin, TX
6/16/2011
Bait and switch!!!
The sign up front on the street says HAPPY HOUR in giant letters, with a time frame relating it going till 11pm. on Mon. Tues. and Wed. But we get inside...NOPE, not exactly the deal. Being Wednesday we get $5 3 olives flavored vodka and a loud, boring piano bar with drum to listen to...
The place may seem high class to some, but for a guy who'd rather be drinking a beer in a lawn chair that's ripe with tetanus traps....this place is just tacky.
I've had a lot of food in the past here and do very much enjoy everything I've tried, but even an order of fries can take a really long time...are they hoping I'll order another beer while I wait for my fry's?
If you're cruising the warehouse district and looking for something more interesting, grow some balls and hit up oil can harry's or head to the gingerman. Fado, and Ghost Room are all right too. -
Review from Liz B.
7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yay! I am a fan of 219 West, but only during happy hour.
The happy hour is great: all day Monday, 5-9 Tuesday to Friday, and 5-8 on Saturday. It's so nice that you don't have to battle 5pm traffic (which starts at 3:30) to get downtown-- just show up at 7 and you still have two hours of drinking time (or longer on Mondays).
The appetizers are half off (plus 50 cents) during happy hour with a $5 purchase. Lucky enough, the Georgia Peach martini, shaker included, is $5.
Food: spicy cheese tater tots, chipotle mac and cheese, spinach and artichoke quesadilla, shallot french fries, tilapia nachos, and the triple cream brie. All were good. However, the tilapia nachos are messy!
Drinks: I love the Georgia Peach and that is usually what I get because it's a $5 shaker. I have also had the chocolatini (no shaker), the blackberry martini (always a hit or a complete miss), the jamaicatini, and the $12 wine flight.
Atmosphere: It's either loud and super crowded or empty with an average noise level. I have never seen this place in an in-between phase in the 20+ times I have been here. So, get ready for a wait and yelling at your friends to talk or an empty restaurant.
Service: I've never experienced bad service, but I've never had really good service here either. Meh.
Recommendation: Go here during happy hour for cheap, good drinks and some A-OK food. -
Review from Matthew W.
Austin, TX
8/14/2011
Great Place. One of the higher class venues in Austin.
Pros:
Large Groups
Small Groups
Night-Time 1on1 Dates
Social Atmosphere
Good for Meeting New People
Good for Networking Events
Parties
Mixed Seating
Cons:
Avg Service
Avg Food
Pricey for Quality of Service and Food received. -
Review from Joe V.
Austin, TX
1/19/2012
I have four friends flying in from out of state, with my date that makes six people. I called, but they will not take reservations. So, go, if you want to stand in line. We had the intention of dinner and having drinks for a couple of hours and probably spending nearly $1,000. But their loss, we'll find somewhere that takes reservations.
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Review from Shelly L.
5/5/2011
I like this. I mean, I REALLY like this place. Of course, my approval rating went through the roof when the band started playing a cover of Lady Gaga's, "Poker Face," but that's really beside the point.
I don't usually do bars in this area...but then we met up for a friend's birthday and enjoyed $5 martini shakers and tons of delicious appetizers that were dirt cheap. And, happy hour goes all the way till 9 p.m., which is totally awesome for my friends who work north and are always struggling to make it before the usual 7 p.m. end.
Anyway, that's all the review I can muster right now...I think I had one too many $5 martinis last night. My point is...Go. Now. -
Review from Allison J.
Austin, TX
3/4/2011
I came here with a group of 5 people for a HH. Let's just say this is a perfect spot for HH.
I adored the waiter and he was quick and attentive and I'm sure he was just loving the attention from us ladies.
Everything I sampled was delicious. I ordered for myself a side salad Tilapia nachos and a split of sparking wine. It hit the spot, albeit a little pricey but I could of easy split this with someone and still would of been full.
You will definitely not leave hungry at 219W.
The atmosphere is dark and has the essence of cozy sophistication.
When a bar has good food, you know you're in for a treat. -
Review from Bailey B.
Cedar Park, TX
2/3/2011
This is a hoppin' kinda bar, yet relaxed. Believe the hype about the happy hour - it's a good deal. On this particular occasion, there was a group of us and we tried several appetizers....all satisfying. The one that really stood out was the calamari - hell yes. Good stuff. We also tried the mini burgers, brie, crab cakes, etc. and all of it was delightfully and decadently delicious.
A friend of mine fancies their Mexican martinis. I'm not sure how many he ended up having, however judging from the look of extreme satisfaction on his face, I'm certain they are quite good. I'm a beer and wine kind of gal, so I opted for a Fireman's 4, which one of the servers turned me on to. In fact, she and I ended up chatting it up off and on much of the time we were there -nice staff indeed.
There was a mix of people there, some that were there simply to enjoy themselves, while others were there to "see and be seen."
Cool music, yummy food, groovy wait staff, good deal = future visits.
