Austin's dive bars

poptart cat's Avatar
Which ones are your favorite?

I can be spotted at Rack Daddy's on Riverside, usually in the daytime. Night time it gets a little, uhhh..... ghetto. Ego's, Buddy's, Aristocrat(former Poodle Dog), 04 Lounge, Sweetwater(formerly First Down), Shakespeare's on 6th, all cool place.

I would include the Grand on Airport but I got permanently banned from there!
Been to poodle dog before, it was fun. I liked Emo's on Red River better, saw a lot of good bands there.
NipLover's Avatar
Egos is too expensive. For the type of club that it is, anyway. I like Barton Springs saloon.
poptart cat's Avatar
Barton Springs Saloon is pretty cool! Been a while since Ive been there.

If youre way out 290 west, Boomerz is a good place to pick up girls for rawdog action.
Miss Valentina's Avatar
I've certainly skulked in the Grand, but it is posh digs compared to the noxious fumes of bodily ordure one can experience at the 04 Lounge and the Pood (aka Poodle Dog) which had the singular merit of smelling like generations of amalgamate piss. Even more so than the 04. I have yet to experience it in it's new phoenix-like resurrection as The Aristocrat but I'm sure to go. And likely to hate it for its fanciness.

Sunday late afternoons have found me and my friends Norwegian Death Metal-ing our faces off in the back bar of the Jackalope because nothing heals a "gueule de bois" quite like three Lone Stars for $3 and a few shots of Jamison with the gore served in the form of Japanese horror playing on the screens quite like the Jackalope. It's good for what ails ya. Unless you're a pussy. Then you stay at home and listen to Ann Murray and convalesce over a cup of coffee and whinge about your sciatica.

My friends play quite a bit at the Gypsy which is really nice when it's 110 outside and they don't have air conditioning and the low ceilings force the furnace heat over your body causing it to sweat like a water buffalo in the Death Valley. It's not pretty but if you don't mind being covered with the perspiration of your favorite local musicians and totally random people then it's fine. Obviously I don't have a problem with it seeing as that I do this shit for a living.

Then you rail on down to LostWell where the bartenders formerly known as the bartenders from the Jackalope do their best to get you drunk off your tits for 10 bucks. Thanks dudes.

Then to Justine's for a fancy champy before jumping to the Sahara Lounge in the deep east. I never have more than one cocktail there as its a long and frightening gauntlet from the Sahara to my house when one is hoping to avoid the local constabulary. If I am to be arrested, it sure as shit better be in front of a bigger and rowdier crowd than that which frequents the Sahara.

Buddy's. Jesus Christ don't be any shade of brown and go to Buddy's. Last bastion of the tremor-addled old Texas white boys in Austin. Heard a lot of stories about Waylon there. Every regular there was on a first name basis with Waylon.

LaLa's off of Burnet is my go-to dive bar. Has the best jukebox with the shittiest acoustics anywhere in Christendom. Until last year you could smoke inside, which I'm not a smoker but I like the whole "fuck the government, smoke in here if you wanna" thing. I appreciate irreverence in my dive bars.

I spend too much time in Ginny's. Not really a dive bar but like dive bar lite. They let me bring in my set-ups, and no-one has yet complained of my shitty two step. They've never kicked out my rowdy friends, and once a very famous actor borrowed one of my err, vehicles, laid down a bit to heavy on the gas and came a snatch-hair from wrapping it around the closest pole directly across the street in full view of the patrons and we all laughed and laughed.
sue_nami's Avatar
jeez it's a wonder i never run into y'all. i hang at the lost well to see bands, I'm at saxon at least 2 happy hours a week, lalas is awesome, but my main dive is the skylark lounge. I don't drink so my hang outs have live music. the skylark is the best bar none for a dive bar with character and atmosphere and killer bands. ya gotta try the skylark y'all!!!!!!!!!!
there's a few faves, but the Jackalope has the right balance of sleaze and service.
Miss Valentina's Avatar
Yeah, the backbar of the Jackalope is my fav.
Slotgoop's Avatar
Yellow Jacket Social club on East fifth is pretty good, as are a bunch of the clubs in that area. Hard to get more "divey" than that area.
Bob McV's Avatar
I've certainly skulked in the Grand, but it is posh digs compared to the noxious fumes of bodily ordure one can experience at the 04 Lounge and the Pood (aka Poodle Dog) which had the singular merit of smelling like generations of amalgamate piss. Even more so than the 04. I have yet to experience it in it's new phoenix-like resurrection as The Aristocrat but I'm sure to go. And likely to hate it for its fanciness.

Sunday late afternoons have found me and my friends Norwegian Death Metal-ing our faces off in the back bar of the Jackalope because nothing heals a "gueule de bois" quite like three Lone Stars for $3 and a few shots of Jamison with the gore served in the form of Japanese horror playing on the screens quite like the Jackalope. It's good for what ails ya. Unless you're a pussy. Then you stay at home and listen to Ann Murray and convalesce over a cup of coffee and whinge about your sciatica.

My friends play quite a bit at the Gypsy which is really nice when it's 110 outside and they don't have air conditioning and the low ceilings force the furnace heat over your body causing it to sweat like a water buffalo in the Death Valley. It's not pretty but if you don't mind being covered with the perspiration of your favorite local musicians and totally random people then it's fine. Obviously I don't have a problem with it seeing as that I do this shit for a living.

Then you rail on down to LostWell where the bartenders formerly known as the bartenders from the Jackalope do their best to get you drunk off your tits for 10 bucks. Thanks dudes.

Then to Justine's for a fancy champy before jumping to the Sahara Lounge in the deep east. I never have more than one cocktail there as its a long and frightening gauntlet from the Sahara to my house when one is hoping to avoid the local constabulary. If I am to be arrested, it sure as shit better be in front of a bigger and rowdier crowd than that which frequents the Sahara.

Buddy's. Jesus Christ don't be any shade of brown and go to Buddy's. Last bastion of the tremor-addled old Texas white boys in Austin. Heard a lot of stories about Waylon there. Every regular there was on a first name basis with Waylon.

LaLa's off of Burnet is my go-to dive bar. Has the best jukebox with the shittiest acoustics anywhere in Christendom. Until last year you could smoke inside, which I'm not a smoker but I like the whole "fuck the government, smoke in here if you wanna" thing. I appreciate irreverence in my dive bars.

I spend too much time in Ginny's. Not really a dive bar but like dive bar lite. They let me bring in my set-ups, and no-one has yet complained of my shitty two step. They've never kicked out my rowdy friends, and once a very famous actor borrowed one of my err, vehicles, laid down a bit to heavy on the gas and came a snatch-hair from wrapping it around the closest pole directly across the street in full view of the patrons and we all laughed and laughed. Originally Posted by Miss Valentina
And Boys .. that's just her normal Tuesday!
Bob McV's Avatar
I would list my haunts, but then y'all would be trying to track me down wanting to verify that I am not Miss Val ... I want to keep a little mystery about me.
FoulRon's Avatar
Do ice houses count? If so, C.Hunts on McNeil Rd.
And I've always wanted to try Mickey's Thirsty I Lounge on N. Lamar near Ross', but have always been a little intimidated about walking in the door.
David.Douchehurst's Avatar
AH AIN'T TELLIN' NOBUDDY WHAR AH GIT MAH DRINK ON! Fukk thet shee'yit. Tha last thing Ah need is fer all y'all ta sidle up ta meh an' try ta borry munny offa meh 'r try ta put yore dang drink on mah tab. Ah, fer one, values mah privvacy. 'Less yer a randy filly lookin' ta take meh home an' lemme stick it in yer butt.