Austin cocktail lounge Papercut has been named one of Esquire’s 14 “Best Bars in America” for 2026. The bar, which opened at 908 E. 5th St. in December 2024, previously earned a nomination for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar at the 19th annual Spirited Awards in 2025.
San Francisco-based Esquire writer Omar Mamoon reminisced about chatting with an Austin bartender named Dragan who had a Serbian accent and made “an unforgettable clarified concoction” at a different fancy cocktail lounge in Austin. Years later, he found out that Dragan had helped open Papercut.
Cocktails with a side of art
“As soon as you step into Papercut, you realize you’re not in just another dimly lit drinking den. The space doubles as a sleek contemporary-art gallery that features a rotating roster of artists — mainly local. When the art changes, so does the menu,” Mamoon wrote.
Every two to three months, Papercut revamps its cocktail menu to pair with the contemporary artist whose work is currently on display. The bar has featured eight artists so far: Andrew Smenos, Nathan Burgess, Nate Szarmach, Jieun Beth, Adreon Henry, Emi Tomita, Kaelin Palcu and currently, Karen Offutt.
The bar’s namesake cocktail is one of its staples — Rosaluna Mezcal, tangerine liqueur, Aperol, pomegranate, pineapple and lemon. Mamoon described it as a “bright but boozy mezcal cocktail spiked with Aperol and homemade tangerine liqueur,” likening it to what a Paper Plane and a Naked & Famous might taste like if they had a boozy baby.
Cocktails and sushi at Papercut
Papercut has also launched an “Expressions” series that uses aged seasonal ingredients to craft limited-edition cocktails. “Expression One” is made with a three-month aged kumquat infusion, Hendricks gin, vanilla pods and yogurt whey. The location is also home to a late-night sushi bar, Kobini, which serves nigiri and sandos. It also offers smaller bites such as house pickles, tofu crisp, cucumber salad, aguachile and caviar service.
Papercut is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, and it is closed Tuesday. The bar is open from 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday and Thursday, and closes at 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit papercut.bar.