The White Horse is the best East Side spot to do some country dancing or just listen to some good…read morecountry music. They have the bands who play the latest, so if you go somewhere else first, you can always finish your night at WH. My only gripes at the WH are the stuffy dancers who are sometimes jerks to people who don't dance the exact same way they do and that tables are so close tor he dance floor that it gets so crowded. There could be more of a dance floor if those tables were scooted back and people didn't have to stand in front of them to try to get a dance. Fun spot though and definitely somewhere I take/send out of town guests for an Austin experience.

White Horse is the quintessential Dive bar! It is located on the East Side in what appeared to be…read morean old house. White Horse also has an outside patio. This is the second time that I visited White Horse. During Zumba class on Friday we learned that our Zumba instructor's brother plays the drums in a band and that he would be playing at White Horse on Friday night. So I met our Zumba instructor and friends at White Horse to listen to the band. Let me just say I am not a huge country western fan, but I do branch out every once in a while to listen to country. Please note the twangy country is not for me. The Shinglers were playing on Friday starting at 8 pm. I really liked this band and was drawn in by their addicting sounds. I even managed to dance a couple of times. Needless to say, my two stepping is pretty rusty. However, dancing is always fun! The cover charge was $10 cash. Cash is such a rarity any more. Fortunately, I had $12 with me. Drinks were $9 for top shelf, which is quite cheap. The bartender was friendly and fast. We stayed for the first of three sets and then departed for home.

A fine club with a decent bar and an eyebrow raising toilet…read more Obviously your interest in Elysium depends on who they book. I came during SXSW, when clubs usually book bands that are different from what they usually book. So my Japanese showcase would not reflect what you would usually hear at Elysium. But the performance space is attractive. The club is divided into two rooms with just a divider and no wall between the rooms. So you can hear the music from anywhere. If you want to be right next to the speakers at the edge of the stage, you have to be in the main room - not the room with the bar. As I get older, I sit down more. But for most of my life, I was a stage-edge-next-to-the-speaker kind of guy. Only the only thing that would remove me from my favorite place was mosh pit action (Or a sucky band). As I get older, I also look for some kind of wall support to brace myself with one hand while I dance with the rest of me. The Mohawk is ideal for wall support upfront dancing. The Elysium not so much because one wall is mirrored. But you can get in position to do some major dancing. When I was there last, I did just that. * * * Seating options are superb. Both in the stage room and the bar room there are comfy leather sofas that hold three people and a number of other soft seating locations. Unlike many other Austin clubs, it is easy to find a space to sit down and still get the music full blast. At the Mohawk, in contrast, for an indoor concert, if you go to sit down you leave the room with the music, and you only get vague overtones coming through the wall. * * * The bar is pretty good. Their options are limited but their options are well chosen. I was introduced to a George Dickel rye by the bartender that was absolutely first rate. George Dickel is definitely going into my home collection. Outstanding beverages and fine seating allow you to have a fine time at the Elysium Even on a night when the bands are terrible. * * * Your fine time changes if you have to go to the bathroom. * * * If you are a guy, peeing is merely tacky. You go into a semi-gross room where there is a multi-user tank. All the guys pee into the tank. * * * Pooping is another story. The club does not want shenanigans going on in any of the toilet stalls. So they remove the door to the toilet stall. The men's room toilet is fully visible from the front door to the men's room. You are literally pooping in front of the entire world. This is barely one step up from India. In India, many people poop in the streets. Here, you are essentially pooping in the streets Except when you are done you can flush the bad stuff away. I personally am very shy . I definitely do not want to do my business in public. * * * There are people in Austin who love to sh** in public. Put four of them together and you have a band. Bands like that perform all over town, Including at the Elysium.

Always a fun night here, and I don't just say that since I dj here sometimes :). If you love…read moreindustrial music you'll find great concerts here and 80s night on Sundays is usually fun and crowded. Get in the FB group to get the password for free entry on Sunday nights.

Went here for my friend's birthday and had SO much fun dancing on the rooftop!! I think the cover…read morewas $5 to get in. I heard there are multiple rooms or spaces, but we just went straight to the rooftop. The menu was silly and Shrek themed. Everyone got "swamp water" basically a ranch water. Drinks were reasonably priced. We danced for hours and had so much fun. It was so hot of course because it's Austin, but everyone was just there for a good time. The dj played mostly Latin music and it was just great vibes. Can't wait to go back!

This club was so fun! I was here last weekend and although it was super busy the line for drinks…read morewent QUICK. The music was fun, the lights are a vibe, the viewed of downtown buildings are so pretty. I'd definitely recommend this place!

Volstead Lounge is the entry way for Hotel Vegas. This where identification cards are checked,…read morei.e. carded. If you make it pass being carded, you're in! It is interesting that the Volstead Lounge has a different name than Hotel Vegas. If you were drinking, I can see how you could be completely turned around. The outside signage states Hotel Vegas and as you walk through the door, you then see Volstead Lounge signage. It is basically a lounge area with a bar. There is a lounge hour to sit in while chatting. You could also drink at the bar. All in all, there was almost no one at Volstead lounge. The bartender was ready to make you a drink. We opted out drinking at Volstead Lounge. There was not much going in the lounge, so we into the next room, which was the start of Hotel Vegas.

Just like Hotel Vegas, I've never reviewed Volstead. Don't ask me why, sometimes I forget. Started…read morecoming here even before relocating to Texas (during bi-annual family visits). Volstead is connected to Hotel Vegas and the bar has some great prices if you want a beer or even a cocktail. Good & gritty spot for live music, deejays, and more. Same vibe as Hotel Vegas, pretty much. Back patio area is more spacious if you need breathing room from the indoor crowd. Service is always spot on.

Awesome dance club where you'll not break the bank but actually get to see legendary electronic…read moreproducers/djs that are even better than the overhyped guys booked at Concourse Project most of the time (which is just a headache or expensive to get to and from as well). But Kingdom is downtown where there is plenty of public transportation, cheap parking, and no wait for that Uber home! I've seen members of LCD Soundsystem, Jody Wisternoff, Gabriel & Dresden, and my even my old friend Kim Ann Foxman here. You can always go to Kingdom completely alone and you'll make new friends to hang with all night if you're a friendly person. Its not pretentious like another club by the airport. They also do open deck nights so you can dj on their killer sound system. That's next on my list to do, since I've been DJing over 30 years and would love to thump some tunes from that dj booth.

Great sound. Techno music in downtown Austin. I'm more of a house enthusiast though…read more Clean bathrooms.

I'll go back to Barbs again, maybe on a busier night. One of the dance floors had a good amount of…read morepeople on it. Not crowded in, but enough people to let you dance freely instead of self-consciously. Music was 80's and fabulous! Super fun place to dance. So many bars! Didn't wait to get a drink at any of them. I drink bourbon on the rocks, so it's hard for me to comment much on their drinks. A single was a slightly heavy pour but not crazy.

Bad Bartender Experience…read more Trevor is extremely rude. He's tall, lanky, and has long blonde greasy hairy, and facial hair. I went to the bar with my friend to order a drink, we waited in line while he served only his friends and chatted for at least 20 minutes which kept the line completely stagnant. When we finally got up to him to order, he still took his time to do everything but serve us then when he finally spoke he started being condescending and made fun of me for "not knowing what I wanted" despite me literally telling him exactly what I wanted. Fast forward a couple hours, we go back to order another drink. The other bartender is busy handling another customer, so we go back to Trevor, who is not helping anyone and his side of the bar is empty. We walk up, he looks at us both, turns away with his phone in hand, asks the other bartender something, and then proceeds to ignore us. I could understand being busy with something that I'm unaware of as a customer, I've worked customer service. What I don't get and refuse to tolerate is blatantly ignoring someone who tipped you nicely despite you being a d*ck the first time around. It costs nothing to say "sorry just one sec while I figure this out" or something. Normal customer service. As we're standing waiting, a couple other people come up beside me and he begins taking their orders immediately. I pointed out that we had been waiting longer than them, and he just responds with "ok I'm just going down the line, I'll get you next." And when I explained what happened he interrupted me and said "ok well now you're just wasting time on something that's not important." I tried finishing my point about him ignoring us and he ignored us again and continued talking with the person next to me. I think this man is allergic to customer service and accountability. It could've been so easy to say "I'm sorry, I didn't see you" or whatever. I wish 100 years of stepping on a lego daily on him. The other bartender, we think his name was Nick, did a great job and was very kind. He delivered basic customer service and it was unfortunate that they split tips as I wished I could only leave him something nice. Still tipped of course. Trevor's behavior definitely lessened the enjoyment of Barbs. I don't recommend this place any night that he's working.

Lots of good shows here including this residency by Gary Clark Jr currently. I've seen blues, pop,…read moreelectronic, and country shows here. I've been to great SXSW parties here and great discussion panels. Apparently they have legendary hot dogs too. And the bartenders are usually really nice.

Found an event on FEVER for a Jazz Room show and grabbed a ticket. You can def tell this place has…read morehistory and the inside is quite quaint. Seating for the event was tight, made me wonder what the capacity code is as even I, under 5'5, had little leg room. Think airplane rows, very tight. Felt bad for taller peeps. The band was great, all had solos throughout the performance and gave their own version of each song. You could feel the energy in the room and I wish the show was longer than and hour. Didn't partake in any drinks, so I can't speak to the bar service.

This was my third time visiting Retail Therapy, and it honestly just keeps getting better. The…read moreboutique-inspired decor is absolutely stunning, complete with chic fashion touches like Tom Ford shoes on display. We went later in the night when the deejay was spinning, so the lounge was totally packed and full of energy. Despite the busy crowd, the overall vibe was perfect thanks to the welcoming staff and the incredible mixologists behind the bar. The drinks are always amazing, and on this last visit, I shared the Dancing Queen cocktail with my boyfriend. Spot on! Can't say enough good things about this place. A+!

Went here for date night. It's dimly lit and good romantic vibe in here. They had a live dj. Drinks…read morewere very good but service was slow. Waiting 10-15 minutes for our drinks to arrive and took a while for the server to close us out. I recommend trying the New York Sour.

We had the best time at Cheer Up Charlies on Red River Street in Austin, TX! This bar has indoor…read moreand outdoor seating. While they feature Live music on their outdoor stage, a DJ was available while we were visiting. Charlie's embodies the "Keep Austin Weird" vibe. The bar is bright, colorful and quite eclectic. The vibe was "don't worry...be happy." Relaxing Caribbean music was playing the background, giving an island feel. There is a nearby food truck should you need to nibble. It is important to note that all drinks come with a 20% forced gratuity, which is not bad if you have one drink and the drink is inexpensive. You do not have buy a drink and can seat outside on the patio and converse. I used to work in the next block, so our entire team would visit Charlies and staff is always friendly and helpful..

Cheer Up Charlies is a colorful bar and music venue located on Red River St. It has a cute cabin…read morewith a large outdoor area in the back with a stage and tables. The back patio is covered by a shaded parachute. They host a variety of events. When I visited CUC, they were partnering with Nike for a 5K Pride run. After the run there was a variety of drink options to choose from. They have kombucha on tap, they serve amazing organic juice blend cocktails, local beers, biodynamic wines. I tried several of the organic juice blend cocktails and they were able to add my spirit of choice. I tried the Rosie Cheek with vodka, watermelon, rose water and raspberry, Valley Girl with tequila, pineapple, banana and coconut, and the Golden Ticket with mezcal, kombucha, ginger and lavender. They had a drag show on the patio after the run. It was a very fun and engaging experience.

We've been to Speakeasy a few times over the years and it never disappoints. The bartenders are…read moreefficient and pour a mean drink. We enjoy the downstairs for dancing to the Spazmatics, but like that the upstairs has different games to play and cozy seating areas. You can also go way up to the rooftop if you're a smoker, or want to look at the stars.

The Spazmatics perform every Wednesday in June at least and so we got tickets (BOGO). It's…read moreentertaining and you can dance to the best of 80's and 90's or head up to the second floor that has a pool table, ping pong table and listen to the music while overlooking the band and crowd. There's also the rooftop but it's too hot to be out there even in the evening. Like the space, enjoyed the band and drinks weren't too crazy. A can of corona was around $6 and their frozen prickly pear marg was around $15.