Austin Nightlife

A quick, but very encompassing, guide to Austin once the sun goes down.

Austin is as laid back as the Texas rivers that our downtown streets are named after, but one thing that Texans know how to do is have a good time. When it comes to hot food and cold beer, Austin is the place to be. Diversity is the word of the day every day, making it easy to find a wide variety of food, drink, people, and fun to fit whatever mood you may be in. Whether you choose to check out one of the live music venues that are everywhere you look, go clubbing to hit the dance floor, kick back at a pub, or do one of the 50,000 other things this city has to offer, get to know the lay of the land a little; pick a district, any district and you can have a great night—you just might want to know what you're getting yourself into first.

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

If you are looking for a night of drinking, dancing, and flirting, but don’t want to rub sweaty elbows with the college crowd, the Warehouse District is for you. Leave your flip-flops and cargo shorts at home, though, because the door guy will certainly scoff at anything less than 3-inch heels. This district also hosts some great restaurants, so make an evening of it with a late, leisurely dinner around 10:00 (hitting the clubs before 11:00pm will certainly give time to get to know the bartender…but no one else). Waiting until midnight is playing it even safer. Although at that point, paid parking is inevitable; but isn’t it worth the $7 to avoid being unfashionably early?

If you’re navigating the evening in your best Steve Madden’s, Grüv, Prague, Vicci, and Pangaea are the best places for you. Seating is not too readily available in these spots, but most of them offer table reservations and bottle service, so call ahead. You can also take in a little celebrity culture while you’re in the area, as "The Bachelor’s" Brad Womack often works the door of his club, The Marq. And you can see plenty of racing paraphernalia at Six, Lance Armstrong’s club, although he is rarely there.

For a bit more laid back scene, try Beso for some good music and full crowds. The name is certainly not a misnomer, as it is a great spot to pick up members of the opposite sex. Hip-hop fans pack the floor at Whisky Bar on Friday nights, where both local and national DJs pack the house.

Getting freaky at Vicci

The Warehouse District also offers up the opportunity to take in a little culture with your nightlife. Cuba Libre has a (surprise!) Cuban food and drink menu, and offers both dining and dancing. Thursday nights also play host to "Martinis and Manicures," where patrons can have their nails done while enjoying a drink. Red Fez is a local favorite for getting a little rowdy on the dance floor with hot DJs and a diverse crowd. They also offer hookah rentals Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and catching one of their “Arabian Nights” events is always a treat, complete with free food and belly dancers.

RED RIVER

While the vibe on Red River Street is typically more akin to a rowdy biker bar, it is as full of diversity as every other district in Austin. The four blocks that make up this area are lined with varying music venues that appeal to both the stodgy rocker and the coifed hipster. Venues like Headhunters, Room 710, Red 7, and Red Eyed Fly keep your ears bleeding with speed metal, prog pock, and AC/DC cover bands. Hipster havens Club DeVille and Mohawk keep the Lone Star coffers full while playing host to local acts, movie nights, karaoke, and touring artists.

Outdoor concert at The Mohawk

If you think that goth is dead, then Elysium is the place to witness some resurrection magic. Children of the ‘80s are always welcome here (think Robert Smith rather than Bon Jovi) for evenings of industrial, dance, and goth. Don’t be too scared by the pervasive all-black attire though, as Sunday’s ‘80s night unites crowds of people you’d never expect to see together, all clamoring to be charmed by Billy Idol anthems.

Two of Austin’s musical strongholds are part of the Red River district, as Stubb’s Amphitheater and Emo’s are within a few blocks from one another. Stubb’s, a world-renowned BBQ joint by day, transforms into a bustling music venue by night, hosting some of the largest touring acts to come through the city, as well as smaller local acts on their indoor stage. Nothing says Texas like a Shiner in 103° heat while enjoying an amazing band and salivating over the lingering smells of BBQ in the air. Emo’s, which acts as a bridge to Red River from its corner location on 6th Street, has managed to create a perfect storm of music venues by offering an indoor stage, an outdoor stage, and a lounge in a very small area. You can catch indie, rock, local, electronic, and various other acts on one of those stages on any given night. Emo’s also has the distinction of being one of the few venues in town where you can catch great mainstream and underground hip-hop.

For the softer side of Red River, head a little closer to 6th Street. Beauty Bar will make you think you’ve gone to hipster heaven (or hell, depending on how tight you wear your jeans), as it hosts nightly dance parties with local DJs and bands, and occasionally manages to pull some great touring acts. Local entertainment groups like to host parties there, too, so there is usually a little something extra in the works. Creekside, Side Bar, and Mugshots are great places to run into familiar faces, as they have good drink prices and a more laid back atmosphere that includes outdoor patios for the smokers.

SOCO

Downtown is not the only place to have a good drink and experience what it is to be in Austin. Spots for shopping, dining, and relaxing can easily be found just a few minutes from downtown on South Congress Avenue. Spending time in “Old South Austin” is certainly different today than it was five years ago. Recent construction and store changes reflect the yuppie/condo set during the day with high-end boutiques and posh restaurants nestled into some of the more eclectic independent businesses that have been around for decades. You can find everything in the stroll down SoCo from organic produce, overpriced leg warmers, and unique handmade jewelry, to bins full of strange candy and wacky toys that adults can get excited about (no, not that THOSE kind of toys).

Hot rods outside the Continental

At night is when you can see the true personality of the old neighborhood, with rockabilly and roots rock shows at The Continental Club, Mexican beer and live music under the giant oak grove at Güero’s, and for a true South Congress dive bar experience, a Lone Star at Trophy’s. Ego’s, an old live music staple, has recently become a controversial venue, as it is now a karaoke bar; but if the evening calls for a Billy Joel medley, then that’s the stop for you. Good, casual eats include a stop at Home Slice for some of the city’s best pizza, then on to Amy’s Ice Cream for strolling dessert.

If you feel like getting a little more dressed up, dinner and drinks at Mars is among the many favorites, especially sipping their specialty drinks on the expansive patio. A few blocks north is Vespaio, one of the most acclaimed Italian restaurants in town. In between is Hotel San José, a laid-back oasis where you can grab a nibble and a drink from their small menu, but the garden is so cozy that you’ll never notice the limited options.

The appropriately named First Thursdays draws huge crowds as most shops stay open late (10:00pm-ish) and added street vendors and musicians galore add to the already festive avenue.

cont'd top right

WEST 6th

If the evening is leading more in the direction of a good beer in a cold pint glass, rather than a shot or wildly expensive martini of some kind, West 6th is the spot for you. With a great mix of bars, restaurants and a few late-night shopping spots, it’s not hard to find something to do.

Little Woodrow’s is the perfect happy hour spot to grab a few beers before heading home or to start the night outing. A large patio with plenty of room to mingle makes it very inviting, but if you are not a fan of beer, you’ll have to stick to their wine list or the frozen mimosa. Nearby pubs also make great places to meet for after-work drinks. Opal Divine’s welcomes with open arms as you sit on their patio sipping from a pint glass filled with one of their many draft beers, or from a scotch glass containing something from their impressive array of single malts. Opal’s also has an extensive pub menu, with some of the best fries in town. For more pub action, hop over to Mother Egan’s, across the street, where you can usually find a game on their outdoor big screens, or a trivia tournament for the brainy folks. For additional entertainment, Joe’s offers the best in bar/lawn games, with free darts, pool, shuffleboard, and bocce ball, alongside their full bar. Notably, Momo’s (above Katz’s all-night deli) has become an incubator for up-and-coming music acts; South Austin Jug Band, Band of Heathens, Dan Dyer and more have gone from no names to breakout national acts from this stage.

The rooftop deck at Momo's

West 6th also offers the opportunity to do a little more adult mingling, with some of its nicer bars requiring more of a fashionable effort. Union Park, Molotov, Key Bar, and Star Bar are all places you can find a more upscale but still laid back experience. Some of them also have some cozy, hidden spots just in case you get a little lucky on your love search.

If you’re brave enough to do a little shopping after you’ve been imbibing, walk a couple blocks to the intersection of South Lamar and 6th. There you will find the perfect trifecta of Austin shopping. Book People is an independently owned, two-story bookstore that often plays host to such huge national authors as David Sedaris and Chuck Palahniuk. Waterloo Records, a nationally recognized, independently owned music store, meets all of your CD, vinyl, and Texas trinket needs. Follow that up with a stop at Amy’s Ice Cream for a frozen treat and some entertainment, to boot. All stores stay open until at least 11:00pm. Oh, and you’ll probably notice the Whole Foods Market flagship store/world headquarters—a foodie’s nirvana.

SOUTH AUSTIN

This sign points to the best shuffleboard table in Austin.

Horseshoe Lounge

Until recently, South Austin was a dry, desolate place for anyone looking to wet their whistle, until some much longed-for watering holes popped up. Little Woodrow’s and Waterloo Ice House in Southpark Meadows, as well as Doc’s Motorworks are all popular spots with multiple locations in town that have been well-received on the South Side. Old standard dives G&S and Horseshoe Lounge are still flourishing both with their old crowds, as well as gathering new converts to their no-frills ways. The newest oasis, Bender Bar, is a welcome hideaway for those who love Creekside and Mugshots but don’t want to pay $7 for parking downtown.

South Austin certainly contributes to the “Live Music Capital” title. The Saxon Pub on South Lamar is a favorite spot, showcasing multiple acts every night of the week, covering rock, blues, Americana, country, and more. It’s also a great place to get a good drink and watch a Longhorn game on one their big screens Saturday afternoons. One of Austin’s hometown heroes, Bob Schneider, has a standing Monday night gig there. Hill’s Café is another venue with a rich past and a very Texas menu. Country music fans can always find a quality lineup, as well as the KVET free Texas Music Series on Wednesday nights during the summer. But for the ultimate boot scootin’ outing, step into 1954 at the Broken Spoke, the quintessential Austin country bar that even people who don’t like country music want to go to for a little two-stepping and Southern hospitality.

CAMPUS AREA

Though most of the younger crowd heads to 6th for a night out, Austin wouldn’t be a college town without a few great campus bars. The only bar you will find directly on campus is the Cactus Café, a great, tiny spot inside the student union building. During the day, you can catch grad students and professors sneaking off for a beer and a break, while at night it transforms into a very intimate music venue that supports folk, acoustic, and the occasional world musician. There’s not a bad seat in the house, and its national reputation stems from fostering the early careers of Townes van Zandt, Robert Earl Keen, Shawn Colvin and more.

For some laid back pubs, try Crown and Anchor in north campus, or Dog and Duck to the south. Both have nice patios, extensive selections, and a pub necessity: dart boards. If you prefer coffee (and wi-fi) with your alcohol, Spider House is a popular campus hang out, with a dog-friendly patio and the occasional DJ spinning on a random night. Speaking of DJs, you can find DJ Mel, one of Austin’s most popular turntablists, at Nasty’s almost every Monday night. He fills this campus dive bar, a favorite amongst the striped-shirted rugby crowd, with hip-hop and R&B.

For two very Austin standards in dining, try breakfast at Kerbey Lane, where the only thing that rivals their creativity with pancakes is their queso, or Trudy’s for dinner and their famous Mexican Martinis. Other popular dining spots include Dirty Martin’s, serving burgers since 1926, and Pluckers Wing Bar for massive quantities of hot wings and beer.

EASTSIDE

Some call it urban renewal, some call it gentrification, either way you rub it the fact remains Austin’s Eastside is rapidly transforming. Historically, the area east of I-35 adjacent to the downtown corridor has always been a cultural haven for Austin’s African-American and Latino populations. As time thankfully erases racial barriers, the melting pot has expanded to include all cultures, colors, and creeds. The big draw, in addition to location, focuses on the lively art, food, and music bonanza blossoming in the Eastside.

Inside Queen Lola's

The region is still heavily dotted with countless Mexican restaurants (as well as Latin and South American) and Spanish-speaking bars and dance club. Listing favorite Mexican restaurants is next to impossible, as you’ll get a different answer (all passionately so) from every person you ask. Soul food is another mainstay, from the upscale Ms. B’s, to the down-home Nubian Queen Lola’s Cajun Soul Food and the New Orleans-inspired Gene’s.

The Victory Grill—the oldest blues bar in Austin—continues to be a beacon in the African American community. Opened in 1945 and a major stop on the famed Chitlin’ Circuit, the Victory’s stage hosted James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Billie Holiday, B.B. King and more. A look at the pictures on the walls is a blues-lover’s jackpot, one reason the Victory was inducted into the U.S. Register of Historic Places in 1998. You can still get truly home-cooked meals at the kitchen in the front, but it only serves as a music venue sporadically throughout the month, often for fundraisers and community events, sometimes including the adjacent park, Kenny Dorham’s Backyard.

The Longbranch Inn across the street has been open since the repeal of Prohibition, though the current owners have had it only since 2003. They also own Scoot Inn on East 4th (formerly Red’s Scoot Inn), which has been serving hooch in some form (legally or otherwise) since the 1870s. In their current incarnations, both establishments have full bars that serve a pretty unpretentious crowd, even though most of that crowd is made up of migrating hipsters. Artsy meccas that combine booze and coffee with art openings, like Rio Rita, Café Mundi, and Progress Coffee, are beginning to pop up on the Eastside as well.

Speaking of art, the East Austin Studio Tour is a twice annually event in which hundreds of artists open their studios in an unprecedented bonanza of creativity showcasing paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, mixed media and more. The high concentration of artist studios and warehouse in the Eastside is a result of the once-cheap rent, which is fast disappearing. Luckily, the art scene continues to thrive.