The Best Speakeasies & Secret Bars In Austin (And How To Get In) - Austin - The Infatuation

"Stepping through Trona’s metal gate in an alleyway off 12th and Chicon might as well be a portal to somewhere that looks an awful lot like a speakeasy in Marfa, Texas (there’s even a mocktail called Don’t Judd Me). The smallish bar seats 49 people, inside and out, and it’s full of desert plants, adobe tiles, and the smell of palo santo giving the whole place a warm, cozy feeling. The cocktails clearly watched a lot of Westerns growing up, from the Rattlesnake Sour (bourbon, blackberry and sage reduction) to the Mezcal Blossom (a margarita riff made with agave spirits, dehydrated peppers, and lime juice). Grab a reservation online or through Trona’s semi-secret text-only line, or show up on Monday and Tuesday when the bar is reserved for walk-ins. If the light is green, ring the doorbell. Otherwise, try again later." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs