Daisy — Restaurant in Austin

3.5 out of 5 stars

We decided to check out Daisy Lounge after hearing about its speakeasy vibe and unique location between two restaurants in South Austin. Here's the review below.

Pros: Friendly staff Parking is abundant Relatively easy to get reservations Creative menu Fair prices vs DT Austin

Side Notes: Closed on Sun + Mon Hours: 5 PM until 10 or 12 PM Takes reservations

What We Got: Two drinks Daisy Old Fashioned ($17) Goodnight + Goodluck ($18)

Design/Space: The space sets the tone for a cozy, intimate evening. The space is stylish, with moody lighting and a three-story layout that feels both inventive and the "speakeasy" vibes most would understand (books, hidden doors, etc). We sat on the first floor, and the ambiance felt great. The green and gold accents were tastefully done.

Drinks: The drinks are playful in names, from "Ol' Dirty Bastard" to "Spresso." I love how many people contributed to creating the drinks at this place, giving it a great communal feel.

However, the drinks were average. For a speakeasy and specialty cocktail bar, we expected a lot more. I preface this by saying my partner and I have been to Here Nor There-type places from LA to NYC, so we're comparing to top-tiered locations, so even a 3 is an excellent rank.

I was hoping to get more out of the OF, mainly because they use Okinawa Black Sugar, but it was good, but not amazing. The other drink was good, but again, not incredible. The ice was on the smaller side, and I would have loved to have the bigger block of ice (2.25") stamped as well (most places have stamping and larger ice cubes as a standard).

Staff: The staff is very friendly, and the bartender has experience from other places around Austin. I have no complaints here at all.

Opportunities To Improve: If it were me, I would invest in higher-end OF glassware, work with Kwik Ice or similar to get the larger chunks of clear ice, stamp the ice, and widen the selection of whiskies and scotch you can't find anywhere else. Also, the down-tempo LoFi music was good, but it made it feel too much like a library instead of feeling more upbeat. Also, perhaps invest in coasters vs. black napkins to elevate the experience.

Summary: This is an excellent bar for that area and is likely the perfect setting for the demographic there. It's quiet enough to hold a conversation without yelling, and if you are in the mood for a cocktail before a movie or dinner, it's worth checking out. Coming from up north, it took 45 minutes to get here, so I'll likely go to my go-to...

First off, the place is super cute! It has a charming vibe that's perfect for a casual night out. The decor is inviting, and it really sets the tone for a fun evening. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made our experience more enjoyable. It's always nice to be greeted with a smile! 😊

However, there were some hiccups during our visit. The wait for drinks was a bit too long, and unfortunately, they kept forgetting what we ordered. Since we all had a minimum of two drinks each, it became a bit frustrating. It's tough when you're all set to unwind and enjoy, but you're left waiting for your beverages!

On the food front, we had the cornnuts, which were tasty, and the shrimp cocktail that also hit the spot. The charcuterie board was good as well, though the mixed nuts we ordered were marketed as saffron lime with salt, but they were plain. Plus, they ran out of olives for drinks, which was a letdown.

Another minor detail was the sunlight streaming in when someone walked in from outside. It wasn't a dealbreaker, but it was a bit irritating at times.

Overall, The Speak Easy Daisy has potential with its cute atmosphere and warm staff, but they could really benefit from tightening up their service. I’d recommend checking it out, and hopefully we caught them on...

Really, really trying hard to give Daisy Lounge chances. We have learned now that walking in and seeing the place 1/2 empty does not mean they have room for you and that there are apparently reservations holding them. I understand this, but if you don't have a reservation for an hour, at least let us know and we can snag a quick drink without turning business away. We visited again this past weekend, with a reservation. A gentleman, came up to us after sitting for a bit and told us he would be right back to get our drink order, there were only 2 of us and could have given him our order in 30 seconds. He then proceeded to take the table next to ours order, bring them their drinks and take a 2nd round of orders for them without actually taking our order at all. We sat there for 20 minutes without ordering a drink, so we decided to just head home and make our own cocktails. I had visited the week prior and although the server was attentive and knowledgeable with our cocktails we had to ask him repeatedly to please refill our waters. The water is in beautiful carafes, wish he would have just left it so we could have refilled ourselves as needed instead of...