SOUND GARDEN

Former South Congress Cafe patio becomes wine and listening bar

A charcuterie spread and natural wine service at Only the Wild Ones showcase the bar’s approach to casual, shareable dining and seasonal pairings.

Photo by Ashley Randall

Only the Wild Ones, a natural wine garden and outdoor listening bar opening May 1, is reworking the former South Congress Cafe patio from its longtime brunch destination into what founders describe as Austin’s "first dedicated outdoor listening bar." And in the late summer or early fall, the space will also welcome The Butcher’s Daughter, a well-known bi-coastal vegetarian restaurant.

The new concept pairs small-production natural wines and agave cocktails with vinyl-driven music in a shaded outdoor space built for lingering, transforming the familiar courtyard into a wine-focused gathering spot. Designed around a sunken courtyard and a 20-foot Cypress wood bar, the space features limestone walls, reclaimed wood decking, a live oak, and what founder and creative director Heather Tierney called in a press release an “old-world oasis."

Only The Wild Ones Patio The patio bar at Wild Ones utilizes Mediterranean-inspired design.Photo by Ashley Randall

The Butcher’s Daughter will take up the restaurant space, adding to its existing locations in Venice and West Hollywood in Los Angeles, plus Williamsburg and Nolita in New York City. The restaurant describes itself as a “vegetable slaughterhouse,” with a 100 percent vegetarian menu built around plant-forward dishes, fresh juices, and vegan and gluten-free options. The Austin restaurant will mark the brand’s first Texas location.

Tierney and founding partner Sarah Meyer Simon developed the concept of Only the Wild Ones around what they describe as an analog approach to both wine and music.

“There’s a lot of correlation between the two — it’s the analog version of both wine and sound,” she said in the statement on the bar's opening. “Because there is minimal intervention, the art can be expressed in its truest form.”

Long listening sessions at Only the Wild Ones are designed to be part of the experience rather than background noise. Local vinyl selectors will play their picks on a custom hi-fi sound system.

On the "analog" side of wine, natural wine refers to those made with minimal additives and less intervention during fermentation, often using organically farmed grapes and wild yeast rather than heavy processing or manipulation. The wine program is led by Austin native Kate Harrington, formerly of Emmer & Rye and Oseyo, with a focus on small-production wines, emerging winemakers, and classic grapes expressed in new ways.

The list includes wines from Italy’s San Fereolo, Serbia’s Bikicki Winery, and Hill Country producer Domaine de la Vigne. Harrington said the goal is to offer both familiar bottles for guests who know what they love and more story-driven wines for those looking to try something new.

Cocktails come from DrinkWell’s Jessica Sanders and The Treasury’s Antonio Matta, including a White Mezcal Negroni and Honeydew Margarita, alongside zero-proof options like the Grilled Lemon Spritz with kanna flower extract.

Executive chef Dimitri Voutsinas, formerly of NYC’s Red Rooster and Bar Boulud, designed the food menu around snackable small plates meant to pair with natural wine. Guests can start with toasted almonds with lavender, local cheeses, and charcuterie, or house-fermented pickles, then move into plates like pan con tomate with burrata and smoked prosciutto with cherries.

Only the Wild Ones will be open at 1600 South Congress Ave. from 4 to 10 pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and from 4 pm to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

wine natural wine vegetarian openings listening bar vinyl bar music

The Dog Days Are Over

Austin bar for people and pups Yard Bar to close after 11 years

Photos courtesy of Yard Bar

Dogs are the intended customers at Yard Bar, not an afterthought.

Many dog playdates will have to be relocated after May as Yard Bar, a bar designed specifically to cater to canines and their people, closes. The bar's last day will be May 30, a press release confirms.

Yard Bar opened in 2015, when founder Kristen Heaney Clark decided it was time to upgrade how dog owners socialize. It created a new category in Austin: hospitality for dogs and people, with a membership model.

According to the release, the membership model was not something the business could keep up with. Yard Bar closed because "it has found it impossible to sustain operations while also keeping up with rising property taxes, cost of labor, insurance, cost of goods, and more."

A statement from Clark clarifies the message: “I want people to understand that we're not closing because Yard Bar failed. We're closing because the economics of this location have grown faster than what any business at our scale can reasonably absorb. She also explained, “There's a ceiling to what you can charge for the experience we provide, and we've been bumping against it for a while now.”

May will be packed with ways to say goodbye, from special pricing and flexible passes for the final month (starting at $5), to Thirsty Thursdays ($5 draft beers) and savings on Yard Bar merch like baseball caps, dog collars, and leashes. There will also be two events to attend.

On May 9, the Dog Mom's Day Party will bring together partners Grillo's Pickles, Tito's, and Double with pickle-themed food and drinks, custom embroidered bandanas, and more to check out for dogs and people. Finally on closing day, May 30, Last Call at Yard Bar: One More Round for the Hounds will serve as a "final hoorah." All that's revealed so far are the date and the name.

As Yard Bar winds down, its service hours will change. Starting May 4, it'll be open from 3-9 pm Mondays through Fridays, and 11 am to 9 pm Saturdays and Sundays.

“This is a bittersweet moment. I’m so proud of what we built here—not just a business, but a community. People came here to play, to work, to relax, and along the way, real friendships were formed. That matters,” said Clark. “Right now, I’m most focused on closing this chapter with integrity and taking care of our team and our members. I know this moment will naturally lead to conversations about what’s next for me, and I’m open to that. I’m listening for the next opportunity that gets under my skin the way Yard Bar did—the kind of thing I simply can’t say no to.”

closings dogs pets bars