Sputnik

i have been here twice. on both occasions the bartender and kitchen people were very welcoming. the food is good. a nice little hole in the wall bar with good food and great drinks.

I understand that many people are fans of rare/​medium rare burgers. I am not one of those people. I specifically asked for my burger to be well done. What I received was a very rare burger. In addition, my food was borderline cold. A few weeks after my time there, I learned via a bank statement that I was charged almost double what my order cost, which means someone gave themselves a very very large tip. It took me over a week to get that settled. Eating at this establishment was such a headache, and I do not intend to ever go back.

My husband just brought me home a hot dog. I didn’t expect it to be hot but I sure didn’t expect the bun to be too hard to eat… like it had been microwaved. I thought bread got softer, even soggy when wrapped up with chili on it!

The food is fine and the service was quick and friendly. The décor is titties. Yes I did say titties. Photos of topless women and dark lighting left me wondering where the dj and loud music was. Not for families.

Just happened upon this place… it is the quintessential dive bar (salty bartender; pinups on the wall; some beers on tap) with RIDICULOUSLY good burgers! I cannot emphasize enough how good the burgers are. I can’t even begin to describe how good the burgers are. The burgers are so good. The burgers are so good. The burgers are so good.

It’s rare that I find a burger so repulsive that I won’t eat it. The bottom bun was soggy and greasy, like completely unable to hold it. The patty not only smelled of frozen nastiness while being cooked, it tasted just as it smelled. I took 2 bites and threw it out. The bacon ranch fries weren’t bad, good enough for me to eat all of them. The place isn’t very clean either, I’d love to check the kitchen for cleanliness. Avoid for food.

Had the UFO (chili cheese dog), Fireman’s 4 onion rings, tried my boyfriend’s bacon cheeseburger and fries. My first time in the place, it made me think of a cooler Huts with better food. The chili cheese dog was perfect, the fries have to be handcut, and the onion rings were as good as the name suggests. Boyfriend apologized for eating most of them. The lady bartender was super nice and accommodating, and I was relieved there was no sports on the t.v., cozy quiet bar setting. I will be back to eat more from that menu. Bonus points for having my favey cheap beer, PBR!

Sputnik serves up a good burger and fries; juicy, tasty and it hits the spot. The fries are really good as they are flash fried, similar to pan fry where the tater is slightly crispy but tender. I had the chili fries and the chili was really good but the serving was a bit much for the order of fries. My only problem with Sputnik is that they only serve sodas by the can. They even have a dispenser behind the bar so I don’t get why getting a couple of tanks of syrup is an issue. Other than that I’d still go back.

SO good. If you’re craving a delicious burger minus the pretension that some burger joints have these days, Sputnik is your place. Dive bar for sure, but i actually quite like the ladies on the walls.

Great burger and great fries! I had the Altered Beast which I thoroughly enjoyed. The inside is pretty dark but it is a bar so hard to complain about it. I’ll definitely be back.

I was drawn in here when I saw the sign advertising their whiskey of the day, i enjoyed a strong daiquiri at the bar and ordered some French fries to share with my sister but they were soggy and disappointing. This place seems like a good fit for dudes night and a burger.

I travel to Austin often and I ALWAYS make sure to swing by the Sputnik for a burger and fries. Nothing fancy about it, they just get the staples right. The toasted buns make it 5 star

Tried out sputniks because I was at a food truck and it suddenly started pouring so I had to run into the nearest restaurant. I ordered the corn dog, beast fries, and frito pie. The chili was great and the beast fries were definitely something special. The flavor was unique and very comforting. Minus one star because the corn dog’s corn bread to hot dog ratio was horrible. There was way too little breading, and the sausage was very salty. I wasn’t a big fan of the naked ladies either but oh wells.

This is my new favorite burger joint in town. I was skeptical first. For some reason the image and location of the place made me think it wasn’t going to be as good.
I got the Altered Beast burger. Flavor was amazing. Patties were a bit thinner than in other places I’ve been to, but they made up for that with excellent flavor. I can’t speak for any of the other items on the menu, or any drinks, since I only had a burger.

I love a good burger just as much as the next guy. My girlfriend was pretty hungry for a burger and she wanted to try somewhere new. Basically drove all over downtown Austin when she came across Sputnik on 6^th. After finally finding parking, we walked down to an open door. It looks like a bar at first glance but seeing those burgers made me order just as fast.
We both ordered the same thing (2 Bacon Cheeseburgers and fries) and I had a coke and she had this drink that had jalapenos in it. Get our food and its a pretty good sized burger. Bun was soft, veggies were crisp and then I had that first bite. It was like heaven on a bun. Never have I ever experienced a burger this good. Fries were seasoned well and were a good portion too. Our total came up to roughly $ 30 but it was worth every penny and more. Definately coming back here again

When Joe C. rated this place a couple months back, I bookmarked it because burgers are my jam.
I missed the last burger of the month club gathering so Joe C. and I hit up this place before a Unilocaltastic evening at Texas Performing Arts.
I ordered the Altered Beast. Joe C. ordered a burger as well and the chili cheese fries to split. I was super hungry so I gobbled my burger up and possibly scared poor Joe C. I don’t think he’s ever seen someone my size eat quite so fast. What can I say? The burger was good for sure. The fries were also very yummy.
This place is a definite dive bar but don’t let the appearance fool you — they can churn out some good food.

Bit of a burger snob. Love the counter order, dim booths and the menu overall.
Burgers on brioche, usually these are great and review pics looked like they were toasted. Was really greasy to the point where mildly toasted bun fell apart.
Got bacon cheese fries and chili on the side due to grease concerns. It was a good call. Fried wee very good, but salty. I got jalapeños and ranch on the side which took it to another level.
Onion rings, not very flavorful and were cold.
Moscow mule was not very gingery.
Those that compare it to casino el camino are missing the mark. Hate the crowds at casino but food is a star above.

Oh, Sputnik. Know your role.
You’re just supposed to be a small/​cramped dive bar on East Sixth. You’re not supposed to be serving me food that I crave. You’re supposed to be serving me lame, tasteless bar food! You’re not supposed to be giving me a deliciously sloppy burger with house-​smoked bacon from your sister spot Live Oak BBQ, plus garlic ranch, and battered jalapeño slices. The bite I shared with my wife (sans bun for her) made her regret her Via 313 order. Your menu isn’t supposed to have words like «duxelles» or «dijon aioli» on it. You’re supposed to have one burger option, with or without processed sliced cheese food product on top.
You’re not supposed to have a delightful bartender, who was cheerful and helpful (she had only been there like five weeks, so maybe she wasn’t jaded yet!) who strongly recommended to NOT do my order «to-​go», so it would be fresher (yes, she is correct… the burgers have SOOO MUCH MOIST). She wasn’t supposed to offer to let my wife bring in her already ordered food from a nearby food truck so we could eat together, instead of having a cold burger lacking in structural integrity by the time we got it home. And she certainly wasn’t supposed to suggest (and provide a good pour of) a not-​majorly-​upselly bourbon for me.
As we were leaving, someone walked up and ordered the «chili cheese fries»… substitute sweet potato fries for the regular fries, add the house-​smoked bacon, and drop a fried egg on top. Random beardy customer guy in a ski cap: You are my hero.
It really is a great burger. I’d rather go here than Casino El Camino any day.
Minus ½ a star for not having amaretto for the wife. Add back ¼ star for having Dr. Pepper for the wife. 4.75 stars
[Editor’s note: If you find any of the artsy pinup pics hanging around to be offensive, yet probably have no problem with the «boner pills» commercial playing with subtitles on the television mounted on the wall next to said pinup pics, you should probably just stay home. Honestly, I’m more offended by the two-​way mirror in the Men’s Room at the Mighty Fine than a drawing of something beautiful.]

So I really love this place. Its one of the places I like to go to just relax and talk. Its a very dim bar/​lounge with kitschy vintage décor.(dim, kitschy, vintage? yes please!) The bartenders here are just really, really awesome and down to earth. The burgers here are A++++! Be warned though that you are in for the juiciest, greasiest experience of your life. If you go to Sputnik, you pretty much HAVE to get a burger. Last time I was here I got the Hamburger Duxelles and my boyfriend got the J. Edgar Hoover, both were pretty amazing.
I would also recommend getting any one of their vodka drinks here. I’m not sure if organic vodka is really all that better for you, but it certainly tastes great. My favorite drink to get here is the Moscow Mule. Which sounds like a simple enough drink, but this place makes it great!
The only thing I would change about this place is that I wish it was open just a little later. I know, I know. I just personally feel that they close a bit early.
I recommend going here with folks you are close to, or people you would like to be closer to. Sputnik is such a great low key place to relax, chat and enjoy some great food/​drink.

S-​P-​U-​T-​N-​I-​K!!! Yeahhhhh I finally tried their hamburger! This is what I call a BIG ASS HAMBURGER! It is juicy, delicious and very fattening! (Hahah it is my cheat day, no diet day).
Ok, I ordered the Altered Beast Burger with regular fries. Huge, huge burger. I usually don’t rave about burgers but this one is one of a kind. Definitely worth trying! Price is about $ 10.
One thing is, the place looks kind of scary… I mean the inside of the restaurant is so dark! We actually thought we were in the wrong spot and I thought we entered a club/​bar in the middle of the day LOL! On the other hand, the service was great!
Someone told me that their Chipotle Ranch Chicken sandwich is the bomb! I am so ready to try that next time!