Day Trips: The Sip Yard, Port Aransas

photos by Gerald E. McLeod

The Sip Yard has elevated casual dining in Port Aransas.

The centerpiece of the al fresco dining, drinking, and entertainment establishment that opened this summer is a three-story steel tower. The top deck of the tower offers views of the marina and the building-boom that has taken over Port A since Hurricane Harvey devastated the beachfront town in 2017. There is no relief from the sun up here and you can’t see the water, but it might be one of the best places in town to see the sunset.

The second floor is a child-free bar shaded by the upper deck with a good breeze. It’s a nice place to watch the game on the big screen TVs while sucking down piña coladas, margaritas, or Nueces Beer from Corpus Christi.

The bottom floor is the heart of the Sip Yard. Five independent restaurants (a sixth space is for rent) offer a wide selection of foods. There’s pizza and Asian fusion. The seafood at Bayou Bistro has a Cajun accent. The tacos at Vibe Taco are top notch, but save room for a fried Twinkie or fried Oreo. Or drop by the window at Coffee Waves for a big bowl of gelato.

And that’s not all. There’s a big yard filled with picnic tables around an outdoor stage. On weekend nights country music fills the air of the once quaint fishing village.

The Sip Yard is at the corner of Alister and Cotter streets. The restaurants open daily at 11am, but you can get caffeinated at Coffee Waves beginning at 7am.

In other Port A restaurant news: The Lubbock burger joint, Bier Haus, has moved into the building formerly housing Shell’s Pasta and Seafood at 522 E. Ave. G. After 20 years, Moby Dick’s Restaurant, reputed to have the largest dining room on the island, called it quits in September.

1,725th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.