A Tavern’s Comeback {Murray’s}

Words Tejal Thakkar | Photos Baptiste Despois

Travis Tober, the mastermind behind Nickel City, opens his dream bar a decade later, an ode to his grandmother and her favorite drink.

Murray’s Tavern opened in December to a waiting crowd ready to enjoy delicious drinks, yummy food, and the bustling atmosphere of the vibey evening spot. Co-owner Travis Tober named the bar after his grandmother, whose maiden name is Murray. He loves that, when you walk in, you “get a grand reveal of the really soft yellow lighting” and that the space feels cozy and well thought out like stepping into an old NYC brew pub.

Travis had the idea for Murray’s in his back pocket for over a decade but has been waiting for the perfect space to execute his vision. The idea behind the bar is that “it’s an all-encompassing place that used to exist in places like New York City before we had these theme bars and Instagram kind of stuff,” according to Travis. He elaborates, “It’s a cocktail bar. Yes. It’s a great restaurant. Yes. It’s a neighborhood bar. Yes.”

The level of service his team provides is important from the moment guests walk through the heavy double wooden doors into a warm inviting space. Travis explains with a smile, “We are super service oriented; we want everybody walking through that door to feel welcome. We hire people who feel happy making other people happy.”

The food menu is short and simple. Travis says his team aims to “do a few things very, very well.” The cocktail menu has all the classics as well as a few special drinks, including the Rob Roy and Brandy Alexander, both of which are in honor of his grandmother who loved both of those cocktails. A crowd favorite has been the miniature cocktail flights offered at Murray’s that are “made for sampling,” notes Travis.

“The space is transformative. People should walk in and forget they are in Austin and almost walk out expecting it to be cold outside. Austin has a lot of transplants, and people miss where they are from.” Travis admits, “I miss New York, so I stuck that in, but we still carry Topo Chico and Texas beer.”

Be In the Know
In early March, Murray’s plans to open a “patio bar called Half Moon,” according to Travis. He plans for it to be a relaxed patio space with a looser atmosphere and will be open Thursday through Sunday. He says that it will be “agave and rum focused, and all cocktails will be on draft for quickness, accuracy, and as a bit of fun, they even plan to do a pig roast every month!”

Contact
2316 Webberville Rd.
murraysaustin.com
@murrays.tavern