A friend asked me was I interested in listening tosome live music tonight. Absolutely! First stop…read morethe Continental Club on S. Congress. This place is an Austin institution and one of the best places in the city to experience live music. This historic venue has been a local hangout for great music since the 1950s. The club was dimly lit with lots of stickers, graffiti, neon signage, paintings and interesting artifacts. While it has been a long time since I have been to the Continental club, it still felt truly Austin and very unpretentious. In the Continental Club you are literally I feet away from the live music. A dog was sleeping on stage, which made the place feel homey. The club is small and intimate, exuding a super personal persona. In addition, the sound quality is excellent for such a small venue. Tonight we listened to Hot Club Cowtown...they sounded folksy and a bit country western yet enjoyable to listen to. Folks were boot scooting, so maybe more country western. Mike the doorman was super personable and helpful. He happily provided the WIFI password and was super engaging. In addition, it is important to note the cover was free until 9 pm. The crowd was a mix bag...locals, tourists, and musicians who love live music. Austin is affectionately known as the "Live Music Capitol of the World". Great music...great time!

Came here randomly for the 4th of July to a free cover band show. This is probably one of the only…read morefew bars in the small vicinity of south congress. Other things will be a longer walk away. Service here is fine. Expect drink prices to match the area. This is more of a bar with a stage than a club. Good to see some rock and metal in the area.

We reached our final destination in music venue hopping...Nica on 4th. We landed at this new Jazz…read moreclub, a sister club to Parker Jazz club (literally steps away). The club has clean architectural lines and a New York bar feel. The lighting is dim and sultry creating a laid-back and relaxing vibe. The jazz was mellow, mellow, mellow. The environment is conducive to having an engaging conversation as the music is not overpowering. If you truly want to chill and be in a low-key environment, Nica on 4th the place for you. The bar offers both adult beverages and food. Nica on 4th Jazz Bar is such a great spot in Austin. The live jazz sets the perfect vibe, and the overall experience feels genuinely authentic. A fantastic place to relax, enjoy great music, and absorb the Austin jazz scene. Definitely worth checking out...

Peeps. This is not a bad review. Not much to really say. The bartender was cool. Drink was basic…read more And they had snack food. The band playing was just okay. Pianist was great. It's a dive bar type spot. But kind of vanilla.

Still my favorite small live music venue in Austin, seats for almost everyone in the audience and a…read morequiet bar at the back of the room.

The Cactus Cafe is such a cool bar on the UT campus! It is only open during shows. I came here for…read morejazz night, and my friend and I were the only college students. Everyone else was very old. The venue is very intimate with chairs surrounding a tiny stage. It was a fun time, and I had a delicious ruby drop cocktail for $9. The bartenders were really nice, and mine helped me pick a drink that I would like.

I've walked by here a millions times and finally went in. The entry way is fun with a lighter…read moretunnel to get you into the vibe. Opens to stone steps down and this large open lawn area. There was a food truck, the bar and then a few smaller vendors. Seating consisted of picnic tables and these beautiful black velvet couches. We were waiting for a reservation nearby and with the live music, the time flew by.

Looking for fun on 6th Street we decided to stop at Austin Garden & Studio and were not…read moredisappointed. If you're coming here definitely do yourself the favor and Uber as parking is incredibly difficult to find there. Getting in is very quick and efficient and once you're in you're greeted by live music and a fun open space to get drinks and hang out with friends. There are multiple different places to get drinks from which is nice as you can choose how long you would like to wait in a line. Drinks are not unreasonably priced and they were good as well. The ability to sit throughout the area, get up and dance, or just listen to music makes this a great spot to stay entertained for a while. We came when there was an event being put on by Zyn where they were giving out free drinks to nicotine users which was funny because why not get you hooked on nicotine AND alcohol. But seriously, there are typically food trucks and more things going on here but the Zyn trucks took up those spots which was a bit of a letdown but we're assuming that's just a one off event. Between a good band, decent drinks, and a good amount of seating options, this is a good spot to sit down with some friends and just vibe out for the night. We'd give it a recommendation if you're looking for something fun but not too much fun on a night on East 6th.

This church on S Lamar also doubles as a music venue during non-church hours. The acoustics are…read moregreat, chairs are comfortable, and the parking is plentiful and FREE. There is a bar with adult beverages to add to the enjoyment. Will definitely return!

I wish all venues were this intimate, this clean, this easily accessible and this perfect…read more I saw a phenomenal indie pop/R&B artist named John Splithoff here and they couldn't have picked a more perfect venue. -Venue location was easy to get to and not along a crowded street -Parking was SO easy -Check-in was a breeze -Venue snack & drink prices were so affordable -Acoustics were amazing -Restrooms and all areas were very clean and comfortable -Staff was so funny and friendly -Performance felt intimate I could go on and on and ON. This church turned part time music venue is amazing. They knocked it out of the park. I wish I could experience every artist's performance here.

I went to listen to a friend (Jane Rundquist) and her band Too Blue here last weekend. I've been to…read morethis very cool Austin original dive bar a few times over the years and always enjoy the unique decor. It is definitely a classic Austin location that I hope will be around forever! I don't drink beer but they had some great drink specials for those who do. One of my friends was able to get a non-alcoholic beer, the other had a beer, and I had a couple of topo chicos. I think you can also order food there, but we didn't order anything. They also have decent parking options if not in their lot, on the street so we didn't have to walk too far. And I appreciated that Jane was playing at an earlier time. Her band's songs were oldies but goodies and they got several people out on the dance floor! I hope to find myself at Carousel Lounge again soon!

Throw back to the 70s! Awesome Austin dive bar and music venue! We went to see a friend's band…read moreplay. While I've been to many local dive bars, somehow I've missed this one! Shouldn't be overlooked! Not sure anything has changed in 50 years! One man was bartender, cook, bubbles blower, popcorn maker, and friendly welcomer to all who entered or wanted to chat. Very spacious inside. Drink prices are of a bygone era- they only sell beer and wine for alcohol options. Sound equipment was good I'm told. A classic spot.

Solid venue especially the outdoor area. Solid section of drinks that aren't over charged like…read moreother places. The main stage outside gets pretty good sound. It was the first time I've been to Ute small stage inside. Not as good sound but it still works. It's good to come a bit earlier to reap street parking. Looks of food and places to play pool nearby..... if you want to skip the first band

I've been coming here since my first SXSW in March 2010 while i still lived in NYC and i continue…read morecoming here all the time, like tonight when I saw Big Freedia for my 4th time here and 7th time total. While I don't like the venue as much these days since the staff downstairs is overly aggressive if you aren't "within the lines", it's still a great place to catch bands in a tiny outdoor venue (just don't drink so much that you fight back like I saw someone do tonight). Tonight was a lot of fun but that one staffer kept pushing people back out of the walkway if they didn't listen after the first time he asked them. Unnecessary. Luckily they don't do that on nights when it's less crowded, but honestly they should never be putting their hands on patrons. As far as food...i think they have a hot dog thing on July 4th weekend and a pancake party during SXSW but otherwise you won't get food here. But they have in and outs if you are over 21 . And the beer prices aren't horrible if you're here on a night with a good band. They are high though any other night for just hanging out (and you should drink elsewhere).

We came to lowdown lounge for the World Cup. We were hoping that they were going to be showing both…read moregames of the World Cup since Mexico and South Africa were playing at the exact same time and we were sure that all the bars on East. We're going to be playing Mexico instead of South Africa so we went there and it was so much fun and they were playing both games and we got a bunch of beers and we ended up playing the buzzer game that I had to videotape for my work and it ended up being just so much fun where every other bar was so unbelievably packed that you could barely walk, low down lounge was so chill and such a vibe we took a table. We ordered drinks and it was just a relaxed, relaxed vibes.

Low Down Lounge is one of those East Austin bars that makes you feel like you've stumbled onto…read moresomething cool--but not in a try-hard way. The vibe is effortlessly retro, with warm lighting, vintage stripes, cozy booths, and a playlist full of R&B and soul that sets the tone for a laid-back night. I came in for happy hour (which goes until 8pm--major win) and had the Tropical Depression, a passion fruit hurricane-style cocktail that was way better than its name implies. Their frozen drinks are also a hit--flavorful, strong, and dangerously easy to sip. They also do Jell‑O shots if you're feeling nostalgic (or just want something cheap and fun). The bar is small but super welcoming, with a good mix of indoor and outdoor seating. The patio is shaded and breezy, perfect for summer nights. There's even a pool table and a big screen outside if you're into low-key games or catching part of the game. Staff was friendly and efficient--shout out to the bartenders who kept the drinks flowing without any attitude. That said, it's a small space, so depending on the night, it can feel either perfectly mellow or a little too quiet. Not a party bar, but a great pre-game or chill hangout spot. If you're looking for a low-key lounge with strong drinks, good tunes, and an easygoing crowd, Low Down Lounge should definitely be on your East Side rotation.