When the festivities run late, satisfy those cravings with our guide to eight hotspots in Downtown and East Austin serving up delicious eats past midnight. From food trucks to bars and restaurants, we've got you covered for those post-party munchies!
LessLate-night tacos feel like a very Austin-appropriate snack, and Velvet Taco in the heart of downtown will be ready to offer bold global-fusion versions to revelers until 12 a.m. every night. Spice fiends shouldn’t miss the Spicy Tikka Chicken taco with chicken tenders, tikka sauce, buttered cilantro basmati rice, raita, and Thai basil on a flour tortilla, and plant-based taco fans will love the Mediterranean Mushroom.
For huge, juicy, legendary burgers in one of Austin’s most beloved dive bar spaces, be sure to visit Casino El Camino on Sixth Street. The ¾-pound burger patties are made with Angus beef and are cooked to a flawless medium temperature, so you’ll get a nice exterior crust and a tender pink inside. As for toppings, you can opt for classics like cheese and bacon or you could try one of Casino El Camino’s signature burgers, like the Amarillo Burger or the Madison Burger.
A stylish coffee shop/cocktail bar on West 4th Street, Halcyon Downtown is a reliable all-day stop. Comfort-food dishes with fresh ingredients that pair nicely with both coffee and booze are Halcyon’s wheelhouse, and during nighttime hours (6 p.m. – 12 a.m.), you can get satisfying snacks like hummus and grilled pita, spinach artichoke dip, and tuna salad sandwiches with cucumber, fresh herbs, tomato, and rye bread.
Asador has you covered with brisket, carnitas, breakfast, and veggie versions. Their outpost at The Drafting Room on Rainey Street stays open until 12 a.m. on weekends, and in addition to stellar tacos, they offer quesadillas, chips & guac, and queso.
Many best events and parties happen on the east side of I-35. That’s why it makes sense to pay attention to the late-night dining landscape in East Austin, and one of our favorites is Delray Cafe, the Detroit-style food truck taking up residence at Nickel City. Coney dogs, hot wings, crinkle-cut fries, and sliders can all be found here, along with perfectly-crisp onion rings.
From the great mind of Aaron Franklin comes Uptown Sports Club, a recently-opened cocktail bar and restaurant that specializes in NOLA-inspired bar food with plenty of Cajun flair. In true Louisiana fashion, Uptown Sports Club has a late-night offering of seasonal oysters at market prices, ideal for refreshing yourself after a long day and gearing up for nocturnal adventures (and they go great with Uptown’s cocktails, too).
If your wanderings bring you over to Whisler’s in East Austin (which they should, as Whisler’s is among our most celebrated cocktail bars), don’t forget to grab a bite at Golden Tiger, Whisler’s’ on-site food truck. The Golden Burger with double smashpatties, American cheese, lettuce, pickles, red onion, and special sauce is Golden Tiger’s best-known dish, but their Tofu Sandwich with lettuce, pickles, onion, and gochujang mayo is also a delicious option. Golden Tiger serves food until 1:30 a.m.