Here's a look at the best new Austin restaurants, hotels, party rooms, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open this winter. These new and renovated Austin venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, meetings, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
The highly anticipated Chavez opened in February in the Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin Downtown. Helmed by chef Shawn Cirkiel, the restaurant offers three private dining options: the 40-seat Lady Bird Lake Room, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake; the 24-seat Cava Room; and the Pool Deck, a covered terrace with an infinity-edge pool. Cocktail menus and a full bar are available.
After a major renovation in November, Sullivan’s Steakhouse now features a larger dining room that holds 850 guests, a massive wine wall, and a wraparound copper bar. Other options for groups include three private dining rooms and a semiprivate wine room.
Located next to the Austin Convention Center, Crave offers locally sourced fare, including sushi and beer. Options for the private dining room, which opened in February, include the executive room, which holds as many as 50 people, and the governor’s room, which holds 80. The patio and side bar area are also available for private events.
Odd Duck, which began as a food trailer, opened as a restaurant in South Austin in December. The space offers rustic fare using local ingredients and cooked in an open kitchen, on a wood grill, and in a wood-burning oven. The restaurant is available for buyouts for 110 people, including on a heated covered patio.
Located in the Hill Country north of the capital, the Mansfield opened in February. Its 16,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor space holds as many as 800 people. The space, which overlooks Lake Travis, will also house the Oasis Texas Brewing Company later this spring.
Named after a Johnny Cash song, Porter Ale House and Gastropub opened in January, serving pub-inspired dishes and a large beer selection amid wood-inspired decor. The space includes bar stools, a 40-seat communal table, banquettes, and a 30-seat patio.
The North Door expanded its balcony in December, adding a V.I.P. section with theater-style seats. The 4,500-square-foot venue includes two bars, a private lounge, a greenroom, and a patio for 50 people. The main room includes a stage, a 22-foot high-definition projection screen, light rigging, and sound systems. The venue holds 300 people.
The Hightower, an East Austin restaurant and bar, opened in January and is available for buyout. The 70-seat space features a large bar and patio space, as well a mural painted by a local artist.
Opened last winter in downtown Austin, Trinity Hall is a music venue that includes five private dining rooms. It seats 413 or holds 866 for receptions. A greenroom and sound equipment are available.
The Travis Heights-based inn Gateway Guesthouse offers indoor-outdoor space for cozy gatherings of as many as 80 people. The main building holds 40 people and includes a parlor room, entryway, and dining room. Outdoor spaces include the South Garden, which includes a deck, pool, and spa, and the North Garden, which has a covered porch and front yard space that can be tented.
