Travel-Inspired Cocktails & All-Day Ambiance
Words Janine Stankus | Photos Baptise Despois
If you’ve enjoyed buzzy days or less lucid nights at Eastside staples like Kitty Cohen’s or High Noon, then you’re in good hands at Daydreamer. The partners behind this classy-casual cocktail bar have deep industry accolades and a knack for getting the vibe—and the drinks—right, every time.
Jessica Tantillo is Daydreamer’s wine director and co-partner alongside her husband Jeremy Murray. In 2019, Jeremy knew the house on East 6th Street was the ideal location for a bar and convinced the owners to rent to them. After a pandemic-imposed pause, Daydreamer opened in 2023 with a local dream team. With Jessica at the helm alongside cocktail director and general manager Amanda Carto, Daydreamer has a team of seasoned veterans who come from many Eastside favorites including High Noon, Busty’s Jukebox, The White Horse, Kitty Cohen’s, and Nickel City.
Taco Pairings: Local purveyors of authentic Mexican cuisine, Qué Sazón and Cuantos Tacos, have teamed up to open a food truck at Daydreamer. Open Wednesday through Sunday, they offer savory staples like tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and more.
The vision was to create a cocktail bar with an elevated hotel lobby feel, inspired by the teams’ travels, but also welcoming. “ We call it ‘high-low,’” explains Jessica. “You can come and get champagne, but you also can get a Coors Banquet. It’s got the best of everything that Austin has to offer.”
The cocktail menu highlights classics like the beautifully balanced Paper Plane, a creamy, verdant Grasshopper, and a bright Aperol Spritz. Imaginative originals include Summer Camp—a Mezcal drink with Guajilo, sherry, Dolin, and yes, mole. “Beet it. Nerd” is a vegetal concoction of rum, beets, ginger, pineapple, and grapefruit. You can also get made-your-way martinis with an optional caviar bump or pickled bites. The throughline, according to Jessica, is “knowing that you can get that cocktail you really like, and it will be made perfectly.” She’s also hand-curated a mix of low-intervention wines, bubbles, and champagne for sipping on the sunny patio or celebrating with friends.
Designed to be a low-key and intimate space, Daydreamer shifts readily with the demands of its clientele. It’s a perfect spot for a weeknight date or a day-hang on the patio. And when East 6th comes out to party on the weekend, the bar accommodates with tasteful programming like DJ nights and vinyl sets. “Like lo-fi, world music things that go with a space,” assures Jessica. Two years into their opening, the team is leaning into perfecting their daydream while catering to the local community. She smiles, “I think you just have to learn to roll with it.”
