Where to find Austin's cheeriest holiday pop-up bars
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A bartender makes a Christmas-themed cocktail at Miracle on 5th Street. Photo: Nicole Cobler/Axios
When it comes to happy hour in December, we're searching for lights, festive cocktails and cheery decorations.
Austin has a lot of options that meet that criteria, so we've wrangled up a few:
Miracle on 5th Street
Head to this pop-up bar that transforms The Eleanor at 307 W. Fifth St. each year.
If you go: Make a reservation.
- Admission during happy hour — before 6pm — is free, but tickets are required to enter the venue after 6pm.
- Tickets, which start at $5, include a featured "Miracle shot."
What to order: The "Elfing Around" featuring gin, mulled wine reduction, dubonnet rouge, grapefruit and brut cava. Festive, bubbly and so tasty.
- For the sober curious: Try a spiced hot cocoa or "yuletide buck," with cranberry sauce, cinnamon, clove, allspice, nutmeg, lime, ginger beer and mint.
Kitty Cohen's
Starting today, this patio bar at 2211 Webberville Road transforms into its annual "Get Lit" Hanukkah pop-up experience.
Details: Through the month of December, Kitty Cohen's will be decked out with an inflatable menorah, blue streamers and a cocktail menu with Hanukkah-inspired drinks.
What to order: You know the holidays are back when Kitty Cohen's breaks out the frozen egg nog.
- Sip it by the pool while you wish that Austin would get just a little colder in December.
- Their regular drink menu is still available, but why would you do that when you can order an "Oy Fashioned," "Latke Punch" or a "Mezcal Mitzvah?"
Gibson Street Bar
Gibson during Halloween or Christmas? An impossible choice.
What you said: "Gibson's has to be the best, right? Great staff, fun vibe and they go all out," Diego writes.
Details: First-come-first-serve Christmas bar at 1109 S Lamar Blvd. Get ready to stand in line on the weekends.
What to order: A "Ho Ho Hot Toddy" will warm you right up, with bourbon, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and lemon.
Lala's Little Nugget
What you said: "Nicole, is there any other answer to your query than Lala's?" Laura M. writes.
Details: This year-round holiday bar at 2207 Justin Lane will take you back in time to old Austin, with an old-school jukebox and, yes, a cash-only bar.
What to order: Try their secret recipe, "Grandma's Boozy Eggnog." Limited availability, so you'd better get it while it's hot.
Donn's Depot
An Austin staple for more than 50 years, Donn's Depot is a must.
Details: Experience old Austin at 1600 W. Fifth St., featuring live music and dancing. There's plenty of holiday decorations to get you in the spirit.
What to order: Skim their holiday menu for cocktails, festive shots and seasonal beer.
- Try the "Gift of the Magi," with gin, Walker's Texas honey syrup, lemons and rosemary.