Hush-hush

Stylish reservations-only speakeasy debuts in historic downtown Austin hotel

Despite the grown-up cocktail revolution that has hit Austin this decade, much of the local drinking culture is still stuck in its early twenties. For every watering hole offering cushy sofas and curated sips, there’s many more whose circus-like environments disguise a host of bad decisions.

But increasingly, the city’s bar professionals have been carving out more space for adults, offering intimate environments, lower decibels, and — most importantly — drinks that don’t resemble anything that can be found on a grocery store candy aisle.

The latest concept to provide a little hush to the Capital City’s deafening party comes courtesy of the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel at 701 Congress Ave. On October 26, the historic property will debut The Whisper Room, a tiny, reservations-only cocktail lounge tucked away in the hotel’s bar and restaurant.

According to a release, the bar will take inspiration from the hotel's heritage, which opened during the height of Prohibition on May 19, 1924. To help set the scene, the designers have brought in swanky details like a vintage crystal sconce, ornate glassware, and Limoges porcelain.

That’s not to say that the designers took a wholly period approach. With dark contemporary sofas, pops of white, and heavy crimson curtains, the space gives off some serious Red Room vibes. But unlike in Twin Peak’s famous extradimensional lounge, the only spirits you are likely to encounter are safely poured in a glass.

Those spirits were chosen in partnership with renowned mixologist Justin Elliot, whose career has included stints at The Townsend, Juniper, and now Southern Glazer’s. They will be given a pride of place on a bar cart from Aldo Tura — a highly coveted midcentury Italian furniture designer — which will be used to build drinks tableside.

In keeping with the speakeasy theme, the curated menu reworks classics like the Old Fashioned, Sazerac, and Manhattan. All can be made with selections from The Whisper Room’s extensive whiskey list, featuring bottles from Texas and across the globe. Whiskey’s natural pairing, cigars, will also be available from Bobalu Cigar Co.

For snacks, executive chef Brian Gibson used a 1929 hotel restaurant menu as inspiration for canapés and bites like roasted garlic charred olives, guajillo hominy crisps, shrimp and chorizo arancini, deviled eggs, and bacon wrapped figs. (If all that sound entirely modern, check out this sophisticated Stephen F. Austin menu posted in the University of North Texas’ digital archives.)

As easy as it might be to hide in the bar’s ‘20s glamour, the lounge will offer at least one portal to the party beyond the walls. A private terrace looks out to the hubbub on Congress Avenue, where guests can peer down on downtown nightlife and perhaps get a glimpse of one of the Hollywood stars scheduled to appear at the Austin Film Festival during The Whisper Room’s opening weekend.

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Reservations for The Whisper Room can be made by calling the hotel at 512-721-4230.

Small bites like charred olives give guests something to snack on.

Photo by Kirsten Kaiser

Small bites like charred olives give guests something to snack on.

cocktails openings drinks

More sushi, more seats

Famous Austin omakase restaurant moves into bigger space with new bar

Photo courtesy of Sushi | Bar Hospitality

Sushi | Bar is moving into a new spot. (Photo from a Sushi | Bar location in another city)

Another day, another update from a sushi restaurant in Austin. This is a big one: Sushi | Bar Austin, a prestigious omakase spot with other well-known locations in Dallas, Chicago, and three other U.S. cities, is shaking things up with a move into the center of downtown. It'll also debut a new cocktail lounge concept in January of 2025, with help from some celebrated mixologists.

Sushi | Bar is currently located at 2600 E. Cesar Chavez St., and it's moving about two miles to 419 West 2nd St. The move places it across from Local Foods, Numero28, and the Violet Crown Cinema. A press release says it "represents an evolution for the Sushi | Bar experience," which includes more seatings.

This sushi counter has a very upscale reputation thanks to its exclusive accommodations — originally only 10 seats — as well as the intrinsic formality of omakase, which is a service style where the chef chooses what a diner will taste. In the new space, there will be two rooms that each seat 12 guests, more than doubling the chance to snag a reservation.

There, they'll enjoy 17 courses featuring imports from Japan, New Zealand, and California, among other markets. Nigiri options (sliced fish on top of rice) will change with the seasons.

$\u200bSushi | Bar$ This nigiri gets some texture sprinkled on top.Photo courtesy of Sushi | Bar Hospitality

Most notably, the new location will be connected to the cocktail lounge Golden Ace. According to the release, the idea to extend the experience past the omakase portion came from customer feedback. It'll be bigger than Sushi | Bar — about 1,400 square feet compared to 1,100 — and seats 35-40 guests.

The cocktail program will be led by Christian “Suzu” Suzuki-Orellana, who competed on the Netflix show Drink Masters and also draws in partners from Middlehouse, the group behind luxe local cocktail bars Here Nor There and In Plain Sight. He'll have the help of lead bartender Brett Esler, who co-founded Murray’s Tavern and was a nominee for Best Bartender in CultureMap's 2019 Tastemaker Awards.

They'll focus on "elevated yet approachable cocktails" with Japanese influences that "seamlessly blend tradition with modern mixology," the release says. Although Golden Ace is connected to Sushi | Bar, it will have its own unique atmosphere.

“This was a location that we came across moments after it became available on the market,” said Ryan Stock, co-founder of Adept Hospitality, the group behind Sushi | Bar, in the release. “We knew it was the perfect fit for the next iteration of Sushi | Bar in its hometown. It’s a premium experience, and this is a premium location, right at the center of Austin’s exciting downtown development. We’re thrilled to bring our elevated omakase experience to such a vibrant area."

$\u200bSushi | Bar$ With 17 courses, there will be lots to try.Photo courtesy of Sushi | Bar Hospitality

The release traces this Austin history back to 2020, in a collaboration between Ryan Stock, Josh Tohl, and Jonathan Husby of Adept Hospitality and Steve Michaels of Asylum Entertainment Group. Phillip Frankland Lee was also part of the business as a chef and minority stakeholder, it says, until leaving in 2021.

Sushi | Bar also highlights some of its current team members: lead sushi chef Bryan Williams, director of culinary strategy at Sushi Bar Hospitality Anthony Martin, hospitality group vice president Justin Sanford, and the new general manager, John Sizemore.

Now business relations extend to the family behind Terry Black’s BBQ, which Stock explains came out of a mutual culinary admiration with Mark Black and his family. So far, the release does not detail what the collaboration will entail.

“An organic love for each other’s operations turned into a friendship, which ultimately led to this collaboration," he said. "Sushi | Bar’s DNA certainly begins in Austin, and Terry Black’s is the staple and standard when it comes to Austin BBQ. A new project in downtown Austin was the perfect opportunity for the two great Austin names to finally collaborate together.”

Reservations for Sushi | Bar open on the first of every month.

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