Cancel

Open app

Search

Cactus Cafe

4.5 (57 reviews)
ModerateBars, Music Venues
Closed • 2:00 pm - 11:00 PM

Cactus Cafe Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Cactus Cafe

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Photos of some of the artists who've played at Cactus Café. Put these on a big screen, and you'll be able to see 'em better.
Larry W.

FOUR PICTURES? THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN: 50,000 Graduate & Undergrad students 25,000 Faculty & Staff AND Cactus Cafe is open to the General Public, in a city of approx population of 750,000 inside the City Limits, about 1.5 Million total in Travis County. And FOUR PICTURES of the Historical, Legendary, Irreplaceable Cactus Cafe; that's ALL? What's wrong with this picture? NO pictures, that's what! So I 'm gonna help out a little, but not nearly enough; I NEED HELP OVER HERE! When I first moved to Austin, many moons ago, one of the first places I got taken to was The Cactus Cafe. The drummer of the band I was playing with at the time was a Professor of Musicology at UT (though not much of a drummer, to be honest), and we went to see another (band) project he was involved in. I LOVED THE PLACE. I was young, had never been to a College music venue before, and I was impressed. I never attended UT, which is why I probably didn't go to Cactus as much as I would have, had I been a student. You students, you are very lucky to be in such close proximity to such a wonderful place. I know you frequent the place, probably "frequently". SO TAKE SOME PICTURES, PLEASE! Actually, the entire Student Union complex is remarkable, and the Cactus Cafe is the crowning jewel of the whole thing, if you ask me. OK, OK, nobody did, nobody ever does, but that's what I'd tell 'em if they ever asked. Tonight, I THOUGHT I was going to Cindy Cashdollar's CD release party; slightly mis-informed by a friend of mine, I was (channeling Yoda now, I am). But in essence I WAS attending a "Cindy release" party. Tonight, Cindy performed with an all-female Country / Folk act called THE CARPER FAMILY. Cindy co-produced this, their second full-length CD, "Old Fashioned Gal", and performs on it as well, along with some other very talented sidemen. This review is about Cactus, so I won't delve into how talented a group The Carper Family are, with their perfect instrumentation, and precise three-part harmonies filling up the entire Universe, it would seem. But they are a PRIME EXAMPLE of the caliber of talent you'll get EVERY TIME you attend a performance at The Cactus Cafe. My cheap, stupid camera won't take good low-light pictures at all, and they weren't allowing flash to be used. My cell phone camera's even worse, they ALL are. Wouldn't have mattered anyway; I was too far back for the flash to carry in the first place. So the pictures I took inside the venue were not fit to post; sorry. What I DID capture are several framed groups of POSTERS from past shows, which are only a teeny, tiny FRACTION of the legendary musical acts that have graced the stage of the Cactus over the years and years and YEARS. You may not be able to see all of them in great detail, as Yelp doesn't allow very high-resolution pics to be uploaded. But you get the idea. Anyway, THAT'S what I'm posting, and it's a DAMN SIGHT BETTER than the pictures of empty chairs that are there right now. "Is this picture HELPFUL?" No, it's a CHAIR! But my additional shots are just a start; we need LOTS MORE PICTURES. I haven't been to Cactus Cafe in a long time; I'm ashamed to say how long. But every time I go, it's always been a wonderful experience. Last time, it was a Django Reinhardt Festival, several years back. I don't know if they've held it again, but if they have, I wasn't aware of it; I would've gone. And to any "Jaywalkers" out there: NO, Django Reinhardt has NOTHING to do with the recent "Django" movie. In fact, although I like Tarantino's movies (this one included) I think he's a real PUTZ for naming the movie that, unless it maybe gets some younger, uneducated, uninitiated individuals to stumble upon Django Reinhardt's music. That would be a GOOD thing. So c'mon Students; I KNOW there are some Yelpers among your ranks. Please start fillin' up the Cactus Cafe photo page with LOTS & LOTS of HELPFUL stuff, such as the myriad of performers that are playing there all the time. Start promoting one of UT's most wonderful features. And no more "empty-table-and-chair" pic's, PLEASE? And a total of only 42 reviews (not including mine) is pretty lame too. Any JOURNALISM MAJORS reading? You budding journalists do read and write? Right? So WRITE. Right now. It's your God-given RIGHT. OK, I think we've worn THAT out... The Cactus Cafe is an awesome place, one of the best Live Music venues in all of Austin. And oh yeah, UT's curriculum's nice too. WOW, THAT WAS SHORT! Or at least, SHORTER. Maybe the "Bet-For" treatments ARE working after all... larrythediner .

Sarah M.

Cactus Cafe and Bar is a great music venue and watering hole based out of UT. Open since 1979, this acoustic music house brings in folks from all over the world, while still catering to local interests. Cactus is partially to thank for jump-starting many a music career. Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, and Ani DiFranco are listed as performing here early on. Alison Krauss and the Dixie Chicks have also visited. The Cactus is located in the Texas Union on the UT campus (23rd or 24th and Guadalupe). Not the most ideal location, especially when students are in town (ha), but this space makes for a nice evening out if you're looking to avoid the nuisances of downtown. I've seen a couple of shows at this spot, and the Cactus provides an intimate experience with open table seating and a small stage. Not really room for dancing, but the mood isn't right for shaking your groove anyway. Really chill and enjoyable all-around. Buy tickets at the door 45 minutes before show time (unless otherwise noted). Good luck parking. Cactus Cafe is good-natured...not prickly.

Shawn Mullins - 3/23/17

See all

14 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Katy M.
84
36
0

15 years ago

Most delicious vodka tonic in town. $3 wells during happy hour (4-7PM on weekdays).

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Happy T.
44
140
9

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Joe S.
2
97
2

17 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Pius W.
103
31
7

15 years ago

I really like the atmosphere here for small concerts and talks, good wine & beer for its size. I'm a sucker for the nerds who come there.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of S H.
5
73
0

15 years ago

Every time I see a show here I am up close and personal with a performance is sure to please! I love this place-----

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Great place for sitting down with a coffee and a laptop. Atmosphere is good during the day, but it can get a bit crowded at times.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Hands down, the best indoor music venue in Austin.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

17 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

16 years ago

One of the best places to grab a drink and get up-close and personal with some quality music.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

17 years ago

Great place for live music - it shouldn't be closed. Let the director of the union know how you feel: andy.smith@union.utexas.edu

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

17 years ago

THE BEST place for live music in Austin if you want a place where everyone really pays attention to the musicianship. SAVE CACTUS CAFE!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

19 years ago

Best place to catch an acoustic show or singer songrwiter...hands down

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 2 of 2

Ask the Community - Cactus Cafe

Review Highlights - Cactus Cafe

“. I never attended UT, which is why I probably didn't go to Cactus as much as I would have, had I been a student”

Mentioned in 12 reviews

Read more highlights

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Bars 12,860 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

Verify this business

The Roosevelt Room

The Roosevelt Room

4.4(938 reviews)
1.3 mi•Warehouse District, Downtown
•$$$
Full bar
Takes reservations

Atmosphere | 5/5 I…read moreLOVE this place! The ambiance is absolutely beautiful. The dim lighting, intimate setting, and overall atmosphere make it one of my favorite spots in Austin for a date night. It's romantic without feeling overly formal, and everything about the space feels thoughtfully put together. Drinks | 5/5 The cocktail selection is EXTENSIVE! And I mean extensive! There's so much variety, and I love having so many options to explore. The drinks are consistently well-made, and you can tell there's real attention to detail behind them. Definitely one of my favorite places in Austin for cocktails. Light Bites | 5/5 They have a great selection of light bites to enjoy with your cocktails. The charcuterie is delicious, and their cheesecake is AMAZING! I appreciate that the food is just as thoughtfully prepared as the drinks. It's the perfect amount of food for an evening of cocktails and conversation. Service | 5/5 The servers are always wonderful! Friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The service really complements the atmosphere and makes the entire experience even better. Overall Experience | 5/5

It's a really nice cocktail bar with interesting cocktail options and finger foods. I went here…read morefor my cousin's birthday. I had an old fashioned and the hummus plate. One of my cousins had the charcuterie board. Both were delicious. Our waiter took good care of us. I like that they have an assortment of drinks from different decades. There seems to be a drink for every palate. If alcohol isn't your thing, they have mocktails. The ambiance was nice. The lights were warm and low. Old movies played on the wall from a projector. Walls are lined with vintage books. Overall, I think this is a cool place. I look forward to returning.

Photos
The Roosevelt Room
The Roosevelt Room - BUCK TO THE FUTURE
 rye whiskey, manzanilla sherry, strawberry-basil purée, nardini amaro, ginger syrup, lemon, barrel smoked black pepper

BUCK TO THE FUTURE rye whiskey, manzanilla sherry, strawberry-basil purée, nardini amaro, ginger syrup, lemon, barrel smoked black pepper

The Roosevelt Room - ZOMBIE
 rr tiki rum blend, donn's mix, falernum, lime,
 grenadine, angostura, flamed absinthe, served in a skull with flamed cinnamon powder

See all

ZOMBIE rr tiki rum blend, donn's mix, falernum, lime, grenadine, angostura, flamed absinthe, served in a skull with flamed cinnamon powder

Back Lot

Back Lot

4.4(40 reviews)
1.1 mi•University of Texas
•$

This is a cute little dive bar right off of Guadalupe. It's very dark inside and cool which is the…read moregreatest escape from the heat. There's a pool table and darts, as well as several booths to sit at in addition to the bar. The bartenders are friendly and they have a large selection of beers on tap. They also have a covered patio area if you want to sit outside.

Decades ago, I used to live in this neighborhood, but this bar was not here at the time. This is…read morewhat can be considered a local neighborhood dive bar. After reading through all the reviews, I noticed there were hardly any photos so I added 10. Parking can be an issue and you need to be careful because you could get towed or booted in this neck of the woods. They do have about a dozen or so spots behind the bar. The interior reminds me of a burned out home with a dirty concrete floor below and scorched, black exposed rafters above. Plenty of old car license plates on the wall and a jukebox off to the side. Bring a picture of your dog, because they have a large corkboard for customers and their pooches. They have plenty of good craft beers on tap and a decent full bar. This is a great place to bring your own darts or pool cue and since there are two dartboards and a pool table here. There's plenty of four top tables, seating at the bar or five booths to sit at. There's also an outdoor seating area that allows smoking. If you are hungry, they do have a food truck out back that serves up tacos, ramen, nachos, etc. On our visit, the truck was not open after 4:30pm. As a result, we just had one beer and left. It's your overall decent local neighborhood dive that has its regulars, but not worth driving across town for.

Photos
Back Lot
Back Lot
Back Lot

See all

Parlor Bar - One sitting area by the bar

Parlor Bar

4.7(3 reviews)
0.4 mi•West Campus, University of Texas

I came to parlor bar for happy hour after work on a Thursday because I was interested in trying a…read morecouple cocktails on their menu. It seems like it might be a relatively new place cause I wasn't able to find reviews online for it, but the descriptions on the menu sounded pretty good! First of all, the bar itself is quaint but there are lots of little coffee tables with chairs, and a couple larger sized tables (like to seat 4 people), as well as a couple individual chairs with spaces good for working or just sitting and reading etc. The hotel that it is inside of is very cute as well, and has an old Austin feel to it. Something that I wasn't aware before I came was the happy hour menu is actually shorter and the regular menu. There are only three cocktails listed on the happy hour menu actually, at a lovely price of seven dollars each from 3-6pm. The regular menu does have other drinks as well. The drink I tried was the gimlet on the happy hr menu which was very strong, and refreshing with a lot of lime taste to it. There is a complimentary valet for up to two hours if you're coming to the bar, in fact you aren't allowed to self park (it's valet only). The staff at the bar, valet, and at the front when I came in were all very welcoming. :) All this said, I only took off a star since i think the happy hour menu is a bit limited. Otherwise the staff, vibes inside, and the drink I had were all lovely as was the hotel itself!

Very cool spot and beautiful house! Max the bartender was the best and made it a very fun time.read more

Photos
Parlor Bar - Walking inside the hotel from the valet

Walking inside the hotel from the valet

Parlor Bar
Parlor Bar - Happy hr menu

See all

Happy hr menu

Cactus Cafe - bars - Updated November 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...