Christmas Day Drinks

These are the best Austin bars open on Christmas Day

Enjoy a drink at one of these local bars on Christmas Day.

The Driskill/Facebook

If you're looking for somewhere to have a good time when the rest of the city shuts down, we've rounded up the best bars open on Christmas Day. Because, let's face it, at some point you'll need to step away from the footie pajamas watching a 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story.

Elephant Room
This intimate bar is a cool place to wile away the hours. There's always great jazz music playing, and during Christmas, you'll feel nice and cozy underground with saxophones playing holiday tunes.

The Driskill Bar
The Driskill Hotel goes all out for the holidays with a beautiful tree and other holiday decor that make for a great photo op with your family, friends, or significant other. If you're feeling festive and fancy, get dressed up for a night out at one of Austin's most legendary hotels and have a cocktail or two.

BD Riley's Irish Pub
For a change of pace, head down to Sixth Street and get in touch with your Irish side this Christmas. There's never a shortage of stellar live music at BD Riley's. Grab a cold Guinness and travel to the Éire without ever leaving downtown.

Crown & Anchor Pub
Who doesn't love a bar that never closes? This North Campus staple is open every day, including holidays. Drink specials on Christmas Day include $3 pints and $11 pitchers of Real Ale.

Ego's
A dive bar with karaoke and cheap drinks could be a pretty dangerous combination, or a pretty great one, depending on how you look at it. If you're willing to take a chance on a pretty unique family holiday activity, Ego's is definitely the place to do it.

Alamo Drafthouse
It's just not Christmas if you don't go see a movie, so why not go see one at the best cinemas in town? Great food, great drinks, great movies ... you can't go wrong at Alamo Drafthouse. Just remember to snag your tickets in advance.

Canapé Club

Luxe Austin cocktail bar becomes a fun country club for the summer

Photo courtesy of Prélude

Prélude is inviting Austinites over for guest chefs, live music, and games this summer.

Austinites who'd like a taste of country club living — without committing to hitting the links every weekend — can stop by this summer restaurant pop-up at Prélude. The swanky new cocktail bar and restaurant on West Sixth Street is hosting a four-month event series called Prélude Country Club, bringing guest chefs, live jazz, all-night happy hours, a Kentucky Derby party, and more from May through August.

Chef Matt Peters is at the helm as usual. Best known for winning the coveted Bocuse d'Or in 2017, the chef is bringing even more prestige to Prélude's culinary program by inviting some of Austin's best chefs to stop by: a press release lists Evan LeRoy of LeRoy and Lewis, Kevin Fink of Emmer & Rye, and Fermín Núñez of Suerte among the participants.

Each chef will visit for a single night and collaborate on a one "a tasting of canapés and small plates," according to the release., together. Canapés (hors d'oeuvres served on a cracker) are a big part of Prélude's regular menu, so this will likely be a fun opportunity to get experimental with them.

Increasing the country club ambiance, there will be lawn chess and cornhole on the mansion's lawn and table games inside, including mahjong. Those who don't know how to play the Chinese tile game can learn from Austin Mahjong Social each Tuesday evening while snacking on charcuterie and cocktails. Groups even even sign up for a league on Wednesday evenings.

On Thursdays, live jazz will fill the back lawn from 6-9 pm; on Fridays and Saturdays, guest DJs will stop by to transform the main bar indoors into a walk-in lounge from 9 pm to 1 am.

That's all available to anyone who books a space, but some short-term memberships ($200 for the duration of the country club) will also open up some summer possibilities. Most importantly, a membership gives first access to the guest chef dinners and any special events, plus a "country club concierge" to assist in making reservations.

In addition to booking perks, members will also get an exclusive cocktail menu, all-night happy hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and discounts from the award-winning Spa Sway at The Domain and pickleball spot Other Racquet Social Club in East Austin.

Prélude Country Club's first event will be held Saturday, May 3, to watch the Kentucky Derby on the back lawn. Of course there will be mint juleps, plus more canapés and live music. The regular food and beverage menu will also be available for purchase. Guests are encouraged to dress as if attending the derby. Tickets ($100) are available at prelude-austin.com.

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