Your Trip to Austin: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next The Best Breweries in Austin Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Best Hotels Neighborhoods to Know Public Transportation 48 Hours in Austin: Itinerary Day Trips From Austin Tours to Take in Austin Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Things to Do With Kids Things to Do Outside Best Parks Hiking Near Austin Top Museums Theater Guide Live Music Annual Events The Best Food to Try in Austin The Best Bars in Austin Your Trip to Austin: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Texas The Best Bars in Austin By Robert Macias Robert Macias Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Robert is a sixth-generation Texan who has lived in Austin for more than 20 years, leading editorial staffs at Citysearch, Hispanic Magazine and Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 01/24/20 Bars in Austin have evolved into much more than simple drinking establishments. At any given bar, the focus may be on whipping up fancy custom cocktails, presenting live music, brewing craft beer, hosting trivia, or offering games such as ping pong and cornhole. Whether you’re looking for an activity-packed evening or a quiet date night, one of these bars will meet your needs. 01 of 13 Best Bar for Country Dancing: Broken Spoke Bongarts/Getty Images / Getty Images The most reliable sign of a high-quality dance hall in Texas is the presence of elderly folk, particularly old people who skillfully dance and spin and are blissfully unaware of anyone other than their partner. On some nights, the Broken Spoke is bursting with lively seniors who dance circles around the youngsters. Usually, there's a mix of young and old, cowboys and hipsters, Austinites and tourists. The rectangular wooden dance floor splits the room in two with seating areas on either side. The bands, whether they’re young or old, play mostly traditional country music. Because that’s the kind of music owner James White likes, he’s been doing things this way since 1964, and he has no intention of changing. Another fan of traditional country music, Willie Nelson, has been known to drop in here when he’s not touring. 02 of 13 Best Gay Bar: Cheer Up Charlies Featuring an intimate and colorful indoor space plus a sprawling outdoor patio against a limestone cliff, Cheer Up Charlies is just plain fun. Expect themed dance parties, live music, drag shows, film screenings, and karaoke at this Austin gay bar. Arlo’s vegan food truck offers a delicious way to refuel after a long night of dancing. And if your digestive system needs a little boost, there’s even freshly brewed kombucha on tap. 03 of 13 Best Cocktail Bar: The Roosevelt Room Courtesy of the Roosevelt Room If you want to learn about the history of the cocktail as you imbibe, The Roosevelt Room can take you to school. The menu is broken up by era based on when the drink was created. In the elegant main level, customers are seated by a host either at the long bar or one of the slek booths. Reservations are recommended. Upstairs, you can belly up to the long bar, or have a more private experience at one of the sleek booths. Also, don't forget to grab a seat on one of the plush couches or a barstool on the balcony overlooking the Main level. Snacks and light meals are also served, ranging from spiced nuts to spinach and arugula salads. 04 of 13 Best Whiskey Bar: Seven Grand Seven Grand Austin Whiskey connoisseurs will find 700+ premium selections to choose from at Seven Grand. Even if you’re not an expert, the bartenders are, and they can help guide you to just the right whiskey for you. Whether you prefer your whiskey straight or as part of a handcrafted cocktail, this is a classy spot to hang out or enjoy a game of pool. Also, free live music is performed inside on Fridays and Saturdays. Check out their cigar selection if you're a fan which you can smoke on the outdoor patio. Continue to 5 of 13 below. 05 of 13 Best Bar for Casual Friend Meetups: Shangri-La Kylie McLaughlin / Getty Images A dog-friendly bar on the east side, Shangri-La features a slightly divey indoor space with pool tables and a large outdoor patio. In addition to standard cocktails and beer, the bar has an extensive selection of frozen drinks, such as the Dmango Unchained and the Tangri-La. The Baton Creole food trailer sells crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, and other Louisiana delicacies. 06 of 13 Best Bar for Infused-Liquor Lovers: Rio Rita Kylie McLaughlin / Getty Images The interior looks a little like Pee-wee’s Playhouse with overstuffed chairs, mismatched loveseats and multicolored walls. It’s a coffee shop during the day, but the focus turns to infused booze in the evening. The bar’s specialties include drinks with a variety of infused liquors. Don’t miss the espresso-infused whiskey. Those with a sweet tooth will love the strawberry-infused vodka. Adventurous drinkers might want to try the habanero-infused mezcal. Also, the large outdoor patio is dog-friendly. 07 of 13 Best Bar for the Over-50 Crowd: Saxon Pub During happy hour at the Saxon Pub, a 50-year-old would be considered a young whippersnapper. However, most of the old folks head home around 9 p.m., and the clientele comprises a mix of ages, depending on the bands playing that night. Presenting a mix of roots rock and country, the Saxon Pub is the musical soul of south Austin. Bonnie Raitt sometimes pops in when she’s in town. Bob Schneider plays a wildly popular show almost every Monday night, and The Resentments anchor the Sunday night lineup. 08 of 13 Best Hipster Country Bar: The White Horse The White Horse The White Horse features an eclectic mix of country, bluegrass, Cajun and conjunto music. Regardless of the musical style, the dance floor at this hipster honky-tonk is always buzzing with activity. House bands include Conjunto Los Pinkys, Rosie & the Ramblers, and Two Hoots & a Holler. Two-stepping lessons are offered before most weeknight shows. Continue to 9 of 13 below. 09 of 13 Best Small Music Venue: Continental Club Occupying a long, narrow building, the Continental Club feels intimate but not too cramped. When it gets crowded up front, there’s a pool room in the back that offers a little more breathing room. The musical acts are often some variation of rockabilly, blues, or straight-up rock ’n’ roll. Frequent performers include the gravel-voiced Jon Dee Graham, deadpan storyteller James McMurtry and country crooner Dale Watson. The bar's annual tributes to Elvis Presley and Buck Owens are truly special nights, attracting some of Austin’s best musicians. There’s a dance floor in front of the stage that’s either tiny or medium-sized depending on where they decide to put the chairs for a given show. 10 of 13 Best Singer/Songwriter Bar: Cactus Cafe Located on the University of Texas campus, the Cactus Cafe is an excellent place to see major stars and up-and-coming artists in an intimate setting. The cafe/bar is easy to miss if you’re not familiar with the UT campus. It’s tucked inside the nondescript Texas Union building near Guadalupe and 24th. Singer/songwriters such as Darden Smith and Sara Hickman perform here regularly for attentive audiences. 11 of 13 Best Blues Bar: Antone's After many relocations, Antone’s has finally found a (hopefully) permanent home in downtown Austin. Nationally renowned blues/rock star Gary Clark Jr. is a part-owner of the club, which is continuing the late Clifford Antone’s commitment to featuring blues artists. The ground floor has a simple layout with the band at the back and a long bar on one side. There aren’t many chairs, but that’s not a problem if you’re dancing all night. 12 of 13 Best Bar for Fans of Loud Music: The Mohawk Mohawk Austin For those who prefer their music with a little more of an edge, Mohawk presents everything from rap to punk to heavy metal, plus several bands that just can't be categorized. Expect a heavily bearded crowd and offbeat events such as wrestling and drunken spelling bees. The multilevel layout is perfect for restless roamers during mild weather. You can wander inside and out and enjoy different views of the band as well as always-stellar people watching. Continue to 13 of 13 below. 13 of 13 Best Mid-Sized Music Venue with Barbecue: Stubb's TripSavvy / Austen Johnson For an unbeatable combination of BBQ and music, head directly to Stubb’s. The multilevel historic building has a relaxing, rustic feel with exposed-brick walls and high ceilings. The outdoor amphitheater attracts major musical acts while the indoor stage often presents local artists. Stubb’s brisket and pulled-pork are also works of art. The Best Breweries in Austin Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email