by J P.

Fun little spot. Love being outdoors in Austin. The sound system is lagging and the people are a bit much. The music line up needs some help as well. Not a spot I would frequent but nice to get outside once in a while.

by Nic F.

Pretty good drinks.  Decor by IKEA which is both funny and innovative I guess.  But we did notice right away the IKEA shelving and what not... But the bird cage seating and amazing views totally make up for it.  Fun place.

by Christena R.

Went to Lanai for the Grand Opening party on Thursday night, and had an ok time.  The space was pretty, but I'm not sure it looked as nice in person as it does on their website.  However, the scenery was pretty obstructed by the ten million people there getting their free drink on.  The specialty drinks were creative, but poured awfully strong.  Now, I'm not one to judge free cocktails, but they were really too strong to even enjoy.  The DJ and crowd were good, so we'll see.  I didn't love it, but I'll definitely give it another shot.  I'm sure on a regular night when customers are actually paying, the crowd will be smaller and a lot more tolerable.  Only horrible note:  SMOKING!!!  Is this even legal here???

by Carrie W.

A night on the town with the girls started at Lanai.....I totally expected to hate this place...as a general rule, I avoid the "Bottle Bars" downtown, I guess I feel I have outgrown the bars where the "pretty people" hang out, but I ended up really enjoying myself.We had a big party and reserved a corner of the patio which was draped in curtains and surrounded by padded benches/couches.  It was a beautiful night and Lanai's rooftop deck seemed to be a perfect place to enjoy it.  Our waitress was very friendly and very attentive, making sure the champagne and cocktails were flowing.  We chose not to go for the bottle of vodka after seeing the $225 price tag....  Even if all 15 of us decided to buy a bottle together, it still wouldn't have been worth it at over $10 a drink.....I would just assume grab a bottle at Specs and hang some curtains on my own patio and save $200.All in all, Lanai was a very nice spot to start our evening.and if anyone else was wondering, as I was last night, Jeans are perfectly appropriate! :)

by Kathryn P.

I am actually quite impressed with Lanai.Located at 5th and Congress it is an outside patio bar that has a somewhat decent view of downtown. On a nice night it is great! The staff is wonderful and the drinks are decent.I've heard Sundays are a fun day to go to Lanai but I have yet to check that out.For an Austin far, it gets a passing grade

by Erin B.

I'm generally the last person to hear about the hippest coolest nightspots let alone actually check out the scene.  It was purely by accident that I stumbled across this place on Wednesday.  Turns out that was only the second night the place was open -- it was so new it still smelled like sawdust (at least the seemingly unending staircase did).  I'm not saying that Lanai has suddenly supplanted The Ranch as the hotspot du jour, but Lanai does have a lot of potential.  Give this place a couple of weeks and there'll be a line down the street to get in.The decor is has kinda of a Middle Eastern feel.  There are hugely oversized, impractical padded benches masquerading as sofas.  There are more pillows and bolsters than you can count.  And on this particular night the many superfluous curtains were flapping in the breeze.    Hookah pipes would not look out of place here (note: there are no hookah pipes here). I ordered sparkling wine which came in a cute little can to which an adorable little straw was attached.  It's worth checking out Lanai for this bubbly little treat alone.  I can't say much about the scene because the place was too new, it was a Wednesday night and I left before Midnight.

by justin l.

Lanai is one of my new favorite places in Austin - at least it was until it got super popular.  When the crowd is light in there, it's a phenomenal place to meet people.  There are lots of big comfy tables, and the couches around the perimeter were a good place to relax.  The open-ness of the whole place, though, really made me comfortable.The crowd is one I'd call "uppity", and is the folks that you'll probably find other favorite spots of mine like Qua, Six, and The Marq.  Good people, just don't under-dress...I've now been on a Thurs, Fri, and Tues night, and my favorite night was the Thursday.  Friday was too full and last night was too empty.The music on Thurs and Fri was pretty solid, too, which is pretty great.

by Stephen T.

Pro's: -Innovative birdcage style seating overlooking 5th and Congress-Outdoor patio with covered (although clear) roof and plenty of shades/curtains in case it rainsCons-The usual d-bag bar crowd-Gets kind of overcrowded-Bartenders tend to be slow in my experience

by Alex B.

Great views, great music, great atmosphere, and great crowd, in a "we're unattached yuppies with cash to burn, so let's do some coke, some whores, some coke-whores, and maybe cap the evening off with a little Patrick Bateman-style posedown in my downtown condo while I practice my chainsaw moves and listen to Wagner" kind of way.

by Alon B.

I honestly thought Speakeasy had the most annoyingly long staircase in the city of Austin. Speakeasy, hand your crown over to Lanai.After searching for a Sherpa to help me ascend the staircase I finally gave up and made the ascent on my own. Lanai has a very nice rooftop patio with a very nice view but it really felt unfinished. The music was good and the 5 bartenders they had in their small bar area were friendly and nice but the bar seemed to lack an overall identity. It felt to me like it would have been a much better place if it had a downstairs as well just as an option but clearly the Marq occupies that space and Prague the space under the Marq so that won't happen any time soon.Overall I give it a ranking of 3 stars. I personally wouldn't choose it as a primary destination but if friends wanted to meet there I wouldn't complain. Pros - great view of congress, nice bartenders, good drinkscons - Any area other than the bar and the railing overlooking congress can be a little meh.

by Mike F.

Lanai is not the kind of place I'd usually choose for myself, but I went recently to meet friends and overall it was a good time.  The crowd is the run of the mill club scene - whose sense of balance and politeness both seem to diminish as the night goes along - but it makes for fun people watching once in a while.My main annoyance was the service.  I don't expect prompt table service in a bar that's this crowded, but I do expect the waitress to come back eventually with my drink instead of having to track her down only to be told she *thought* she had already delivered our drinks.  Not so much.I'd go back again with a group of friends.  The setting and view are nice, the music was good, and I'm willing to chalk the service issue off as a memory lapse on a busy night.

by Amber D.

Now, the grand opening cupcake and queso celebration (complete with tropical cocktails and jelly belly beans) made me really set on liking this place...Taking turns with a friend grinding on a cougar in a velveteen leopard dress last night...  ehhh... it was suddenly less cool.They got my champagne-in-a-can for about $6 but pour it out of the can in a fancy-flute complete with plastic-toothpick speared strawberries.If Playmate-wanna-be's (no seriously, this isn't a dig, there were lots of hot, blonde, and REALLY TAN women), dudes in blazers, and that one cougar in the tight dress appeal to you, I say go.  They have really great drinks (I'm not kidding on the drinks), it's a super cozy rooftop lounge that they manage to keep toasty in the winter, and I actually will go back (for the cougar and some Sofia).

by ZestyRed T.

GREAT sangrias, fabulous laid back attitude where anything goes, Island feel, pleasant bartenders, comfy corner couches.  Not bad on the DJ-in..... heck last Friday night we couldn't STOP dancing.  The fans and misters are divine!  Plus the fact that my grandfather was born in Hawai'i, it makes me feel like I'm there if even for a moment.

by Andrea C.

I planned a bar crawl a few weekends ago, and I went here at the suggestion of another yelp member (Alon B). I emailed ahead to make sure we could get in if they were busy and if it was okay we would be dressed in golf attire. Erin emailed me back the same day and said they'd be happy to have us drop in. We stopped here at the point in the night where a bar goes from slow and empty to buzzing and beeboping with people within about 20 minutes. The drinks I picked for the group were a Key Lime Martini (for the girls) and a Michelada (for the guys). The Michelada was not a hit, but the Key Lime Martini was a huge hit. It's not something you'd want to drink a lot of, but if you're looking for a fun dessert like drink, it's amazing, and I highly recommend it. The bartenders were great. Having 12 people rush the bar at once and order the same thing I'm sure can be annoying, but they had a lot of fun with us. We also got some strangers* there to play the drinking hole with us. We ended up staying longer and ordering shots and other things. The point of the bar crawl was to check out new places, and out of those we visited, I think this was one of my favorites. For comparison's sake, it's cozier than Union Park and the Ranch's rooftops and didn't feel like as much of a meat market as the Ranch can feel at times. They also have some pretty strong heaters, so don't let the cold keep you away from Lanai because it's a rooftop lounge. The only problem I have is there wasn't a lot of unreserved seating. *I hate saying strangers about people in Austin. I'll just say, yet to be acquainted friends.

by Jennie C.

The Good: Women's bathroom - This bathroom is set up perfectly for the size.  The stalls have full doors so you get complete privacy for phone calls, and the placement of the soap and towel dispensers assures that there is little soap mess.  The dispensers are on each side of the sink, large stone with wide set in.  Instead of having soap and water drips all over the counter, it falls right into the sink.  There is a raised glass platform in the center for ladies to put their purses where they won't get wet.  The view from the rooftop is nice.  Good for people watching.  The Bad: Expensive drinks.  $6 for a drink?  I don't like paying more for a drink than I do for a meal.  $6 is easily the salad bar at Whole Foods, a footlong Subway sandwich, 4 small chili's at Wendy's, or the 1/2 lb burger with fries at McCormick and Schmick's happy hour with iced tea.  The Ugly: The crowd, not that the people themselves were ugly.  But the crowd were people that I probably wouldn't hang out with on a regular basis.  I got the intersexual and intrasexual competition vibe.  No thanks. Leopard print skin tight dress.  Enough said.

by Kayla Z.

Last night we headed to LANAI for my mans birthday and it could not have gone any better. We got there just before the crowd and it was beautifull- the flowing white drapes, the misters, the huge comfy ass sofas, it was like a dream! We had reserved the vip sofas for our shindig and honestly I would go with a different area next time. Here is my advice if you are going with a small group of 12 or less it would be perfect! There is a really cool swing and drapes all the way around for a little extra privacy or just for looks - so everyone has to say "whats going on over there?" -- "Oh, thats VIP ; ) " If you have a large group which we did, (I counted 46 of our friends that showed), the opposite corner would for sure be the best option. Anyhooo, back to last night. . . The service was outstanding and I was NOT expecting that! A bar that packed I figured it would take 30 min just for the cocktail to get it back to us. That was not the case we had, Adriana, and she was the shit for sure. Every time I turned around she was ready with our next round.. She was super attentive, and not in the annoying always asking questions way, she would just use her eyes take a quick glance and take care of whatever it was we needed. Drinks were strong and delish. Booooo, they did run out of Mojitos at 9:30 pm but YAY, their Palomas were divine and not to mention stiff as morning wood.. Erin, their star manager is a delight. She mingled thru the clumps of people making sure everyone was having a splendid time and that they were taken care of. I have never seen a manager work sooooo hard. I even saw her CLEANING! I know my managers never emptied an ashtray or bussed a table. ;) The bar is just beautiful, I have to say even if the service sucked I would still drag my chunky culo up the 2 or 3 flights of stairs to enjoy LANAI Rooftop Lounge. When we build our house I will be duplicating this small piece of heaven. You should also check out Shiner Saloon, it is downstairs from LANAI, it is another cool little bar you that will be happy you stumbled upon.

by S C.

Atmosphere: awesome!  Great place to relax and enjoy the view from the rooftop.Drinks: too expensive  and it takes at least 15 minutes to get one drinkSummary:  Go here after you've had some cheap drinks somewhere else.

by Jessica A.

First time here my friends and I were the only customers in the place, so at least we approved of the clientele! The martinis were well crafted and the large comfy couches make this lounge legit. But obviously we couldn't get a true feel for the vibe of the place when it was as empty as a Pizza Hut in Italy.So last night we were walking by on our way to somewhere else and were instead lured into Lanai by the beats pulsating from the rooftop (ala Daetron Vergas). Austin is sorely lacking in the house music category so we were pumped to get our dance on. The crowd was a mixed bag and there was definitely some Dbaggery going on. One guy actually had the nerve to tell my friend, who was cutting up the dance floor bare foot and fancy free that her fun lovin' sprinkler and lawnmower moves were "not cool"!  Meanwhile most everyone else was dancing as though they were listening to the Barry Manilow in their head or too-cool-for-school to even attempt anything other than sipping their cocktails with a disdainful expression. Fortunately we had enough in our group to own the floor and truly had a blast. Of course the true measure of a bar is in its women's restroom, and Lanai takes the cake with their pretty stone sinks reminiscent of a babbling brook and glass platform on which to rest your drink. They put the "rest" back into restroom! I'd totally hang out in a room like this even if it wasn't necessitated by the fact that my bladder is apparently the size of a kidney bean. I'd bring a book and a floaty.

by Glen F.

This should be a fantastic place. I would love to love it. Open-air, right downtown on Congress, great views, comfy couches, stylish decor.But it's not. Smokers, you kill it for me. (And I'd bet I'm speaking for a *lot* of Austinites when I say that.) The lanai isn't so open that it doesn't get choked with cigarette nastiness, as it will every night once enough cancer-lovers have arrived. And they apparently never take the night off. Also, it gets so crowded that the waitresses get overwhelmed, and you can have a frustrating wait at the bar too. I think the staff are trying their best but, at least on the nights I've been, they just couldn't keep up.

by Anna S.

My whirlwind of a Saturday night took me and a group of 6 other friends to Lanai (one of 6 or 7 places that night?). I had been here a while ago and was happy to re-visit. Our group was a motley crew of preppies, hipsters, and people that just wanted to DANCE. Lanai was the first, if not only place that night that we all had a good time. The music was fabulous-all of us were dancing. Had my 4 inch heels not been on for hours already, I'm sure I would have been busting even more moves out. The crowd was a pleasant mix of styles, ages, and people in general. It was nice to be in a plce where it wasn't SO mainstream with everyone dressing/talking/looking alike. It seemed more fitting of Austin where it's more of a melting pot of people. Highlights-- great location- beautiful ambience complete with flowing drapes, misters, and pretty glassware (sounds dumb, but that made me happy)- the staff was efficient and cordial at the same time--very appreciated with how busy (and hot!) it was up thereSo thank you, Lanai--for being one of the high points of my crazy Saturday tour de Austin.

by Sasha T.

Oooh Lanaiiii, if you were a person, I'd claim you as one of my newest BF's. :)HUGE rooftop patio, very loungey feel to it. I like the vibes this place gives. It's not insane, and it's not lame. It's just perfect, and the music is a huge plus. Sometimes the bars don't go hand in hand with music and atmosphere. This place kinda pulls together all in one. Bartenders were SUPER cute and sweet. ;)I shall return. This is a great place for meeting grounds...things like birthdays, and whatnot.P.S. Even though I claim to love, love, love this bar...just be aware, that there seem to be an awful lot of people who think they're VIP here..when they're really not. C'mon, Austin..this is AUSTIN...Not some yuppie club in Hollywood. K, Thx!

by James L.

This place is located in a good area I think, but then it's kinda far away from other locations people frequent. I think Lanai's tries to be high class and high standards.... I approach the place on a Tuesday night because my friends didn't want to chill and wanted to be at a place with dance music. The bouncer asks, "is your name on the list?" Of course not, it's a effing Tuesday night! "it's ok, go on in."Then you climb like two flights of stairs and you approach the rooftops. Everybody is dressed nice... some a bit douchey, but that's cool. Some people like that. The prices weren't outrageous, but higher than I'd expect on a Tuesday night, but not bad. I think if you're really wanting to dance... or roll, you can totally hit this place up. The music was techno/dance/beat/electronica. Kinda fun to dance to at first and much more fun to dance to if drunk. Also, they let you smoke because it's technically outdoors. So that's a plus for the smokers.

by James L.Sasha T.Anna S.

This place is located in a good area I think, but then it's kinda far away from other locations people frequent. I think Lanai's tries to be high class and high standards.... I approach the place on a Tuesday night because my friends didn't want to chill and wanted to be at a place with dance music. The bouncer asks, "is your name on the list?" Of course not, it's a effing Tuesday night! "it's ok, go on in."Then you climb like two flights of stairs and you approach the rooftops. Everybody is dressed nice... some a bit douchey, but that's cool. Some people like that. The prices weren't outrageous, but higher than I'd expect on a Tuesday night, but not bad. I think if you're really wanting to dance... or roll, you can totally hit this place up. The music was techno/dance/beat/electronica. Kinda fun to dance to at first and much more fun to dance to if drunk. Also, they let you smoke because it's technically outdoors. So that's a plus for the smokers.Oooh Lanaiiii, if you were a person, I'd claim you as one of my newest BF's. :)HUGE rooftop patio, very loungey feel to it. I like the vibes this place gives. It's not insane, and it's not lame. It's just perfect, and the music is a huge plus. Sometimes the bars don't go hand in hand with music and atmosphere. This place kinda pulls together all in one. Bartenders were SUPER cute and sweet. ;)I shall return. This is a great place for meeting grounds...things like birthdays, and whatnot.P.S. Even though I claim to love, love, love this bar...just be aware, that there seem to be an awful lot of people who think they're VIP here..when they're really not. C'mon, Austin..this is AUSTIN...Not some yuppie club in Hollywood. K, Thx!My whirlwind of a Saturday night took me and a group of 6 other friends to Lanai (one of 6 or 7 places that night?). I had been here a while ago and was happy to re-visit. Our group was a motley crew of preppies, hipsters, and people that just wanted to DANCE. Lanai was the first, if not only place that night that we all had a good time. The music was fabulous-all of us were dancing. Had my 4 inch heels not been on for hours already, I'm sure I would have been busting even more moves out. The crowd was a pleasant mix of styles, ages, and people in general. It was nice to be in a plce where it wasn't SO mainstream with everyone dressing/talking/looking alike. It seemed more fitting of Austin where it's more of a melting pot of people. Highlights-- great location- beautiful ambience complete with flowing drapes, misters, and pretty glassware (sounds dumb, but that made me happy)- the staff was efficient and cordial at the same time--very appreciated with how busy (and hot!) it was up thereSo thank you, Lanai--for being one of the high points of my crazy Saturday tour de Austin.

by James L.Sasha T.Anna S.Glen F.Jessica A.

This place is located in a good area I think, but then it's kinda far away from other locations people frequent. I think Lanai's tries to be high class and high standards.... I approach the place on a Tuesday night because my friends didn't want to chill and wanted to be at a place with dance music. The bouncer asks, "is your name on the list?" Of course not, it's a effing Tuesday night! "it's ok, go on in."Then you climb like two flights of stairs and you approach the rooftops. Everybody is dressed nice... some a bit douchey, but that's cool. Some people like that. The prices weren't outrageous, but higher than I'd expect on a Tuesday night, but not bad. I think if you're really wanting to dance... or roll, you can totally hit this place up. The music was techno/dance/beat/electronica. Kinda fun to dance to at first and much more fun to dance to if drunk. Also, they let you smoke because it's technically outdoors. So that's a plus for the smokers.Oooh Lanaiiii, if you were a person, I'd claim you as one of my newest BF's. :)HUGE rooftop patio, very loungey feel to it. I like the vibes this place gives. It's not insane, and it's not lame. It's just perfect, and the music is a huge plus. Sometimes the bars don't go hand in hand with music and atmosphere. This place kinda pulls together all in one. Bartenders were SUPER cute and sweet. ;)I shall return. This is a great place for meeting grounds...things like birthdays, and whatnot.P.S. Even though I claim to love, love, love this bar...just be aware, that there seem to be an awful lot of people who think they're VIP here..when they're really not. C'mon, Austin..this is AUSTIN...Not some yuppie club in Hollywood. K, Thx!My whirlwind of a Saturday night took me and a group of 6 other friends to Lanai (one of 6 or 7 places that night?). I had been here a while ago and was happy to re-visit. Our group was a motley crew of preppies, hipsters, and people that just wanted to DANCE. Lanai was the first, if not only place that night that we all had a good time. The music was fabulous-all of us were dancing. Had my 4 inch heels not been on for hours already, I'm sure I would have been busting even more moves out. The crowd was a pleasant mix of styles, ages, and people in general. It was nice to be in a plce where it wasn't SO mainstream with everyone dressing/talking/looking alike. It seemed more fitting of Austin where it's more of a melting pot of people. Highlights-- great location- beautiful ambience complete with flowing drapes, misters, and pretty glassware (sounds dumb, but that made me happy)- the staff was efficient and cordial at the same time--very appreciated with how busy (and hot!) it was up thereSo thank you, Lanai--for being one of the high points of my crazy Saturday tour de Austin.This should be a fantastic place. I would love to love it. Open-air, right downtown on Congress, great views, comfy couches, stylish decor.But it's not. Smokers, you kill it for me. (And I'd bet I'm speaking for a *lot* of Austinites when I say that.) The lanai isn't so open that it doesn't get choked with cigarette nastiness, as it will every night once enough cancer-lovers have arrived. And they apparently never take the night off. Also, it gets so crowded that the waitresses get overwhelmed, and you can have a frustrating wait at the bar too. I think the staff are trying their best but, at least on the nights I've been, they just couldn't keep up.First time here my friends and I were the only customers in the place, so at least we approved of the clientele! The martinis were well crafted and the large comfy couches make this lounge legit. But obviously we couldn't get a true feel for the vibe of the place when it was as empty as a Pizza Hut in Italy.So last night we were walking by on our way to somewhere else and were instead lured into Lanai by the beats pulsating from the rooftop (ala Daetron Vergas). Austin is sorely lacking in the house music category so we were pumped to get our dance on. The crowd was a mixed bag and there was definitely some Dbaggery going on. One guy actually had the nerve to tell my friend, who was cutting up the dance floor bare foot and fancy free that her fun lovin' sprinkler and lawnmower moves were "not cool"!  Meanwhile most everyone else was dancing as though they were listening to the Barry Manilow in their head or too-cool-for-school to even attempt anything other than sipping their cocktails with a disdainful expression. Fortunately we had enough in our group to own the floor and truly had a blast. Of course the true measure of a bar is in its women's restroom, and Lanai takes the cake with their pretty stone sinks reminiscent of a babbling brook and glass platform on which to rest your drink. They put the "rest" back into restroom! I'd totally hang out in a room like this even if it wasn't necessitated by the fact that my bladder is apparently the size of a kidney bean. I'd bring a book and a floaty.