Let's play a game. Give me your first reaction to the following phrase: "This restaurant is very social media-friendly."

Are you smiling or scowling?

My guess is that a fairly equal number of you fall into each camp. That's because social media's power in our current culture is as undeniable as it is polarizing. Which brings us to Swim Club, a poolside concept at the Downright, a Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Austin that just might be the most Instagram-oriented restaurant in the entire city.

Before you assume that I'm using "Instagram-oriented" in a negative way, I'll openly admit to finding Swim Club's decor scheme very charming. The aesthetic goes hard on vintage Miami-meets-Palm-Springs vibes with pink pop-art line murals on the walls and a sunken indoor dining room with teal furniture, pool ladders, and an underwater view of the outdoor pool, as well as a beautifully landscaped outdoor patio with retro patio tables and umbrellas. Of course, there's the outdoor pool itself, a chic area with cabanas, beach chairs, and round pink-and-white pool floats where restaurant guests and hotel guests alike can lounge.

There's a cheerful sense of nostalgia to the space that makes it something more than just a pretty background for social photos and videos. But because Swim Club is so sprawling, the service - while friendly and informational - can feel disjointed. There was originally no server assigned to the outdoor patio during one of my visits, so I agreed to order at the bar ... but when a server did eventually take over the patio section midway through my meal, it would have been nice to have the option to transfer my tab (or at least for the patio server to offer to refill my water or clear my discarded plates).

Swim Club's beverage program is the work of Travis Tober, the acclaimed Austin cocktail maestro behind local hits like Nickel City, Murray's Tavern, and Half Moon. Tober's menu seeks to combine ambitious sophistication with approachable fun, and I'm impressed by how well his drinks bring those themes together. Tober draws upon old-school pool club trends and takes those inspirations to create exciting beverages that feel entirely new. The Performance Anxiety, a frozen twist on the Porn Star Martini, bolsters the vodka-and-passion fruit standard with a citrus aperitivo and is served with a "tooter" tube of Prosecco, allowing guests to add their own as they see fit. I also loved the Skinny Dippin', a deeply flavored mezcal cocktail with sweet Aperol, herbaceous Strega, and a spicy hint of ginger and turmeric. If you're visiting during the day, the Old Austin is a smart move; aged rum anchors the drink, aloe lends some aromatic sweetness that's not heavy-handed, and lime and Prosecco deliver brightness. Based on what I've seen from the cocktail list thus far, we can expect great things from Swim Club's bar program.

Although Swim Club opened its doors only a few months ago, its food menu has already experienced a complete overhaul. Executive Chef Mitch Austin originally launched Swim Club with a menu driven by a "flashback" concept, and it was loaded up with pizzas, fried snacks like French fries and chicken wings, tacos, a signature burger, and ice pops. All of this evoked memories of the somewhat ramshackle snack bars I used to frequent as a kid at my town's local beach or rec-center pool ... but I couldn't help but feel a disconnect between the very polished look of Swim Club and its fairly basic food offerings. A venue that presents as a Barbiefied twist on a Slim Aarons photo may call for something more elevated than burgers and fries. In any case, Swim Club's food suffered from a lack of perspective, and the wide gulf between the culinary offerings and the excellently crafted cocktail list was a tough one to cross.

Luckily, Chef Austin quickly noticed this dissonance and introduced a new menu with a focus on Mediterranean ingredients and flavors. However, a few items from the original menu remained like the Chips N' Dips trio, which came with tortilla chips and house-made queso, guacamole, and salsa. The already well-balanced guacamole included a wedge of lime alongside, but after using my lime wedge to also add some juice to the smooth and savory queso and the so-so salsa, I found myself wishing that Swim Club had just given me a full ramekin of lime slices, as all three benefited from the addition.

But once I dug into the more Mediterranean-accented dishes, I was pleased to discover bolder and punchier flavors and more elegant execution. The labneh spread boasts a silky texture and delicate tanginess, and the honey and pistachio garnishes make for a well-rounded mouthful. Swim Club gently toasts its pita, which brings warm taste notes and an appealing bite to the pillowy bread. Swiping these rolled pitas through the labneh makes for a memorable drinking snack or pre-dinner appetizer.

The salad section of the menu plays off of classic American themes like Caesar and wedge, but with some cheffy touches that reflect the Mediterranean influence. For instance, the chopped salad features mixed greens, Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, banana peppers, feta, and an oregano vinaigrette. Swim Club doesn't hold back on the feta, so those who prefer limited cheese on their salad might not be fans, and the oregano vinaigrette could use a bit more acidity and some extra oregano oomph. But the banana peppers bring some of that tanginess, the tomatoes offer sweetness, the perfectly crunchy cucumbers are fresh and clean, and the olives provide an earthy undercurrent that plays nicely with the salty feta.

As far as entrées go, Swim Club keeps its pizza section, but trades in the former menu's stylistic parallels to the frozen Mama Celeste pies of millennial childhoods for more carefully selected ingredients. The Margherita pizza benefits from creamy fresh mozzarella and a lively tomato sauce, while the zucchini & burrata pie features briny olives and capers and sharp, sweet red onion. But the biggest menu reinvention comes in the form of the Skewers section. From fire-roasted prawns to braised short ribs to marinated chicken shawarma, the choice to serve the main proteins on sticks brings a sense of whimsy that fits in with the overall Swim Club energy. I enjoyed the juicy and well-seasoned lamb kofta served over a nutty and mild eggplant baba ganoush. Pickled shallot brought some pleasant tartness, although tzatziki or another bright dipping sauce would have been a welcome addition.

Does a Mediterranean menu make total sense for a Miami-inspired poolside restaurant? Not quite. But the flavors are harmonious, the energy is bright, the surroundings are photo-friendly, the service is pleasant, and the cocktails are killer. Most of all, I'm thrilled that Swim Club's chef and management embrace the trial-and-error process and have the courage to make big changes. Their minds, eyes, ears, and taste buds are open, all of which bodes well for their future in our city's cutthroat and ever-changing food scene.