East End Ballroom Brings Cocktails, Music, and Late-Night Fun to East Austin | Eater Austin

"Built for an adventure, this East Austin newcomer tucks into the former Koko’s Bavarian space between Justine’s and Central Machine Works and blends dinner, drinks, and a rotating cast of DJs and bands in a setting that feels part retro lounge, part courtyard party. Inside, soft lighting, vintage touches, and a long stone bar with plush stools sit behind pinkish‑taupe velvet curtains that reveal hidden TVs for game days, while oversized leather booths, skylights, and a custom pool table frame an airy, moody room; outside, a covered stage (with an LED wall planned) anchors a linger‑friendly courtyard. Music programming leans quality‑first under Grammy‑winning producer Jacob Sciba: East End FM dinner sets on Thursdays, live bands rolling into late DJ sets on Fridays, rotating DJs on Saturdays, and a Sunday residency from local rockers Nether Hour. Chef Colter Peck backs it up with approachable comfort and polished bistro fare—beet hummus with feta and naan, vodka rigatoni, blackened maitakes, a Nori Caesar with optional chicken or steak, and a staple double smashburger—though the standout is the $29 steak frites, a prime Akaushi cut from Artesian Ranch with McDonalds‑esque fries and sauce Diane. Weekend brunch stays playful with brioche French toast draped in brown‑butter caramel and pistachio mascarpone, Benedicts topped with prosciutto or maitake, a balancing grain bowl, and Swedish Hill pastries. The bar skews casual but intentional: natural wines, local beers, and cocktails like the East End Cooler (clarified apricot and watermelon) and Puerto Punch (mezcal, blackberry, ginger), plus a large‑format Pimm’s Cup for groups. The sleeper hit is a weekday petite‑martini happy hour from 4–7 p.m., serving three‑ounce $5 classics—a Ketel One dirty, a Still Austin Manhattan, and a Cosmo—poured into vintage glassware. Beyond the weekly rhythm, expect monthly supper clubs, sports watch parties, and one‑offs like a Peck four‑course dinner with a DJ set by Cold War Kids’ Matt Maust, or a vinyl cumbia night led by Truncha Soul’s Omar Lozano with guest DJ Adrian Quesada. Open Wednesday–Thursday 4 p.m.–midnight and Friday–Sunday 10 a.m.–2 a.m., it delivers the flexible, casual‑yet‑dialed‑in vibe that makes it easy to drop in without a ticket or reservation (walk‑ins encouraged, Resy for groups of four or more)." - Darcie Duttweiler