Shangri-La — Restaurant in Austin

Shangri-La is one of the original bars which transformed East Sixth Street from a working-class neighborhood to the hipster paradise it is today- a mixed blessing, depending on whom you ask, but it's hard to deny the friendly, relaxed vibe which made this place a success. This is a dive bar, no question about it: the decor consists largely of painted brick walls, and the cocktails are solid but lack the artisinal flair that's becoming more and more common in these parts. The appeal here lies precisely in its no-frills nature. Prices are reasonable, with daily happy hours and $2 drinks on Tuesdays, and there's a decent selection of local and regional craft beers on tap. The expansive back patio is dog-friendly, houses the obligatory food trailer (formerly East Side King, but that's been replaced by a gourmet burger and grilled cheese trailer I'm dying to try), and, in my humble opinion, is one of the best spots for people-watching in all of Austin. Everyone seems to drop in here during a night on East Sixth, which can lead to spotting some interesting characters (and overhearing snippets of very amusing conversations). There's also a pool table and and jukebox, although good luck even hearing what's playing. Shangri-La isn't doing anything new, but it does offer everything you'd want out of a bar, done right. A staple of East Sixth for hopefully...

Extremely Disrespectful and Discriminatory Behavior Last night, my friends and I went to Shangri-La expecting to enjoy a fun night out, but we were instead met with shocking rudeness and discriminatory behavior that left us deeply disappointed.

The person at the entrance, a man with two braids, was particularly hostile. When we were trying to understand how the place worked, he treated us with unnecessary aggression. His comments, including saying, "I'm grateful I never have to see you again in my life," were not only unprofessional but blatantly racist. It was clear that our accents were the reason for his behavior.

Everyone deserves to feel welcomed and respected, regardless of their background or how they speak. The treatment we received was unacceptable and showed a total lack of decency.

If you value diversity and respect in your social experiences, Shangri-La is not the place to go. It’s disheartening that such attitudes are tolerated, and I hope management takes immediate action to address this unacceptable behavior—starting with their...

Do you like to party?

I'm not going to follow-up that question with any type of intelligent statement because of course you do, this is Austin, Texas man. You know it's Friday night and you just have that party hankerin' that you cannot fight. So get your fiesta pants on and step up to the greatest first/last bar you visit in a night for a raucous good time. The beers are great, pretty affordable (compared to what your best friends in New York City pays when he's not wallowing in his 8x10 closet of an apartment), and the space is electrifyin'.

Step outside and you get to lounge with some of the coolest cats this side of Guadalupe River. It's often best just to interrupt any ongoing conversation to grab a seat among the bad kids at their designated lunch table. You may encounter a pretentious rascal in your midst, but do not relent my friend! Just offer a morsel of your yummiest plate from East Side King, and all bread shall be broken.

Only real downside to this establishment: not enough early 90's electro hullabaloo in in...