Regardless of their specialties, this group of bar superstars showcases the best of our local cocktail culture.

The scene inside Prelude. PHOTO BY WEN FITZGERALD

BEST BAR HISTORY

If there is one particularly iconic drinkery in this town, it has to be The Driskill Bar. Rumored to be the site where President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson went on their first date, this leather-and-carved wood sanctuary in the historic Driskill Hotel hosts live music performances every night. It also boasts three takes on the Old Fashioned, best enjoyed with an appetizer and hearty entree. 604 Brazos St., thedriskillbar.com

Order a Negroni on Steak & Vinyl night at The Betty. PHOTO: DANIEL NGUYEN PHOTOGRAPHY

BEST UNDERGROUND SCENE

Those who wish to appear truly in-the-know partake at Here Nor There. Getting into this experiential cocktail bar/ speakeasy requires uploading an app for making reservations, and then using a provided code to get in the door, but the effort pays off. Inside leather apron-clad, bartenders serve up curious concoctions guests likely have never tried before—and might never get to try again. 612 Brazos St., hntaustin.com

BEST SOUNDS & SIPS

Touting itself as “Austin’s Hi-Fi Vinyl Sanctuary,” Equipment Room is known as much for its record collection, “guided listening experiences” and Klipsch speakers as its cocktails. The drink menu is broken up by A-Sides (classics) and B-Sides (their riffs), plus the bar serves sake and snacks that satisfy even the weirdest cravings (chicken fried tofu, anyone?). 1101 Music Lane, equipmentroom.com

MOST SWANKY SPOT

Dress to impress at The Betty, as patrons have done since its founding in 1921. Thursday Steak & Vinyl nights are the best occasions to see and be seen, where the fashionable (and primarily carnivorous) crowd comes to partake in dinner with two sides and a classic cocktail or two while guest DJs serve the beats. Those with teetotalers in tow also have a great selection of Betty Ford Mocktails for sipping in style. 510 Rio Grande St., thebettyatx.com

Enjoy the beats from the DJ at The Betty. PHOTO BY DANIEL NGUYEN PHOTOGRAPHY

BEST VARIETY

With a collection of awards as impressive as its drink list comprising more than 80 options, The Roosevelt Room quite literally has something to quench every palate. (Thankfully it is undoubtedly quicker to navigate the food menu, offering items ranging from avocado toast to giant charcuterie boards.) Determining where to imbibe is easy: downstairs at the main level bar and dining room or at an upstairs mezzanine. 307 W. 5th St., Unit B, therooseveltroomatx.com

BEST BAR FOR CONNOISSEURS

Not every bar has a Bocuse d’Or winner as its canapé chef and the Best Bartender in Texas creating its cocktail menu, but Prélude does. Now that the concept has taken over the second and third floors above its original location and revamped its offerings for the season, guests have myriad reasons to return. 707 W. 10th St., prelude-austin.com

BEST WHISKEY SELECTION

Though it was named after a Manhattan gang formed to protect Irish immigrants, The Dead Rabbit has become a haven for Austinites of all stripes since it opened in July. Knowing it takes more than a U2 cover band to attract customers, the bar offers a variety of live entertainment, along with two-ounce pours of more than 70 Irish whiskeys (including a $290 Bushmills 25), five different Irish coffees (one nonalcoholic) and substantial pub fare. 204 E. 6th St., thedeadrabbit.com

MOST CHIC ENVIRONS

The lightning bolt on the door announces to guests they have found Trona, Austin’s Oaxacan/Japanese-inspired cocktail bar with only 49 seats—but lots of swank. Intimate and tastefully decorated with its wood furnishings and finishes touched by ambient amber light, Trona’s cocktail offerings, primarily highlighting mezcals and Japanese whiskies, are equally seductive. 1812 E. 12th St., tronaeast.com

BEST PLACE TO CONNECT

Most of us need a break from our cell phones, so Powder Room takes them away and places them under lock and key. Imagine: Instead of frantically searching the stock ticker or (even worse) TikTok ad nauseam, guests make eye contact and have an intentional conversation here. Tableside mixology, live music and artistic performances, and a smart-looking crowd help to supply lots of conversation cues. 301 W. 5th St., loboshospitality.com