Sans Bar — Restaurant in Austin

Taken from my Yelp:

I walked into Sans Bar after following Chris's mission for 6 years. There was a trivia night going on but they waved me in.

I immediately felt an overwhelming sense of calm. Audii was behind the bar and asked me what I would like from the menu. She has a warm energy that would invite anyone into this type of space. She made me a non-alcoholic margarita which was absolutely delicious. The night only got better.

Chris Marshall, the brain behind this operation, is one of a kind. In theory, he's heaven sent, but in reality Chris is just like all of us sober curious, sober, or allies to those in recovery: he's unapologetically human. From his website, he mentions Sans Bar's mission is "to prove socializing can be vibrant and enjoyable without alcohol." This has been executed with near perfection. He has crafted something so beautiful that words cannot even express the waves of impact he is making.

Chris is also extraordinarily attentive to those who attend Sans Bar. A lot of people stumbled in and I was surprised at how many stayed after hearing about how the "all you can drink for $28" was strictly non-alcoholic mocktails & beverages. One couple did leave but there was no judgment at all.

Chris and Audii made me well over 10 drinks and I took 3 shots. I was in a safe community with likeminded people and couldn't have felt more at ease or relaxed. I'm stoked for Chris and his continued development (he offers mocktail classes as well as an academy for those looking to start pop ups or businesses with similar goals).

I now have a Friday spot & I'm sooo looking forward to next Friday! Check this place out & say...

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a great experience! When you walk in there are menus on the bar with everything they offer. The two non-alcoholic mixed drinks I tried were both delicious, though they also have non-alcoholic beer and wine. It's great to have a bar experience without the negatives of going to a bar (i.e. there weren't people spilling drinks or letting drinking be an excuse to act inappropriately, etc.). Everyone I interacted with was really nice. My friend and I had planned to meet up to check in out, and I was glad she had checked Sans Bar's Instagram ahead of time so we knew that there would be speakers. The speaker series was great, and is apparently a monthly event. It was perfect because each speaker shared for 15 mins and then there was a break between each speaker with live music so we could talk. The owner Chris also encouraged people to meet each other, and it was nice to have that opening to be able to talk to speakers and other patrons, though if you wanted to just talk to a person you came with or not mingle, that was totally fine too. It feels like a bar where everyone could know your name if you wanted, though people pick up on and respect if you don't want to talk (i.e. it's a paradise for extroverts and introverts alike). I look forward to...

Ok. I thought this over and added one more star and decided to give a thorough review. I visited Sans Bar back in early November. My first impression of this sober "bar" was not a good one at all. There was a "single mingle" scheduled this night, which was not mentioned on their website, and was quite awkward considering I was there, with my date. I felt as if the owner was going for a classy wine bar theme, but without class or wine. The lighting was dingy, there was no music, and no entertainment. The majority of patrons were very young and not in any type of recovery; just minors looking for a bar experience. My date and I were only here for about half an hour, so this review is still based on a very short impression. The only reason I added a star to my review, is it is indeed a safe, alcohol and drug free environment for our...