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    Swan Dive

    3.4 (90 reviews)
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    Swan Dive Photos

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    SWAN DIVE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Hipster
    Classy
    Casual

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    Recommended Reviews - Swan Dive

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    Reviews With Photos

    Randi's Candy
    David D.

    An Austin institution! So many amazing events here! My fav, is the Tongue in Cheek night, where local lgbtq comics can work on their material free from the homophobic, transphobic hack stuff you sometimes see elsewhere. Drinks are always on point, creatively crafted and changed up regularly. Staff is friendly and the atmosphere is wonderful for a date night or a night out with the gang.

    For Haunted Tavern
    Greg H.

    My wife and I came here for a special haunted cocktail pop up event. I had never been here before so I can't speak on what they are like under normal circumstances. The event started at 6:30 pm on a Saturday. We took a lyft as we usually do going downtown. Realized how close this was to Mohawks and Beerland as places we used to go to more often. We got there a decent time before the start yet all the booths and tables against the wall were taken already. We took seats in the folding chairs. Finding recently this is another reason I don't get out as they are so uncomfortable. Not the bars fault but if you are like me you may want that info. The event was fun. It had several people telling various horror related stories while 4 different shot/drinks were supplied at start of each story as well as a contest that Shana was picked to compete in. She came in 2nd! This was all through a company called Fever. The drinks were all pretty good. I had my favorites of course. It opened with a shot, Conchita's Revenge, then Humiliated and Hammered, Headless Squeeze, and Tavern Martini. All were named for the stories but you should go to hear that for yourself. Shana approved of the drinks calling them "so creative and yummy". The Tavern Martini was my personal favorite with Humiliated being 2nd. The atmosphere for this was dim and smokey. Their was a stage up front and bar in back. The bathrooms are down a hallway past the bar. They brought each drink to you but no idea if they have waitstaff normally It was only about an hour. It was unique and fun, especially if you enjoy stories or story telling. I would suggest checking it out.

    Person

    It pains me to write this review. Swan Dive and its counterpart Barbarella are amazing bars. Unfortunately, their bouncer staff are blood hungry, power thirsty people. I like to give bouncers the benefit of the doubt when it comes to conflicts, but when a bouncer bumped into my friend (attempting to walk through him.) I thought "wow what a rude thing to do". My friend said " that was disrespectful" to this bouncer. The bouncer's response was to grab my friend, heave him to the door. My friend, of course, tried to regain his balance and pushed into the bouncer by mistake. The bouncer's reaction was to throw him to the floor, beat him, and not only was this bouncer beating him, all the bouncers in the vicinity joined him. Resulting in two lacerations of the scalp. Needless to say, a hospital trip with 6 staples in the head later, we will not be returning to this establishment. I truly hope these people are held accountable for their actions

    Some awesome live performance
    Belly G.

    I really only came to Swan Dive because I wanted to use the back patio to get into Barbarella next door. However, when I was taking a breather from dancing at the Barbs, me and my friend came out here to watch whatever band was performing. The band was awesome. The crowd was into it. I was into it. The place wasn't too packed. Pretentiousness wasn't found. I liked it. And, if all the bands that play high are as awesome the band that was performing when I was there. This place is definitely worth checking out.

    Bart Harley Jarvis 12/26/19
    Denise P.

    Totally awesome small venue off Sixth Street, a little bit away from the craziness. It's very cute inside with some booths and tables. The bartender was great and drinks were cheap. We went to see our daughters band play on a bill with small local bands. The crowd was fun and respectful- not like in NYC, where they yak the whole time - and sounds was decent. There is a bigger club attached but it was closed the night we were there.

    Zee stage
    Danielle D.

    LOVE this place!! Love the rustic white interior and classic cocktail!. Love that the bartender was super friendly and helpful and made AMAZING drinks! I had the Moscow Mule and the hubby with a great Sidecar (the barkeep for sure knows his bourbons). I feel thrown back to the 1930's. We showed up early and were the first one's there (well practically and as you might know from other reviews this is quite common for me) so we could totally pick our spot! It filled up a lot after 9:30 or 10. Around that time the band came on (I lost track of the time since I didn't have my phone)...so very amazing and they fit the venue so well! Then these great perfomers - who we met and were super sweet - came on and did some aerial performances! What a great night! I will be back!!

    www.vintagevivant.com

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    5 years ago

    Sad that I waited three hours for karaoke, but didn't get to go because people can pay $20 to cut the line.

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    7 years ago

    Poor control over content. Do not attend on 5/18 to be entertained with our content.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Swan Dive

    Review Highlights - Swan Dive

    not sure when I'll be back but plan to make it a first or last stop to the many a nights I spend at barbarella.

    Mentioned in 18 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Dirty Bill's

    Dirty Bill's

    3.8
    (158 reviews)
    0.8 mi
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    What Five Stars? because this place is exactly the kind of dive bar that makes Austin weird in the…read morebest possible way. Dirty Bill's is gloriously unapologetic. You walk in and immediately know you are not in some polished Instagram cocktail lounge. It is loud, a little gritty, and full of people who are clearly there to have a good time and not pretend otherwise. The beer is cold, the Lone Star flows like Texas water, and the vibe is pure old school Austin. And yes, the legendary bathroom situation deserves its own paragraph. The men's room features a giant ice filled trough for a urinal, which feels like something out of a 1970s roadside saloon documentary. Somehow it is both ridiculous and perfectly on brand. It actually becomes a conversation starter because you walk out laughing and immediately tell your friends they have to see it and go pee. The crowd was friendly, the bartenders were quick with the beers, and nobody was taking themselves too seriously. I ended up staying longer than planned, drinking Lone Stars and talking to random people like we had known each other for years. If you want craft cocktails served with a rosemary sprig this is not your place. If you want a hilarious, slightly chaotic, authentically divey night in Austin with cheap beer and great stories, Dirty Bill's absolutely delivers. Five stars and I would go back in a heartbeat.

    Dirty Bill's (gotta love the name) is literally right next door to J. Carvers where we had dinner…read more Dirty Bill's was on and popping!!! We were drawn in by the music. They were spinning some popular tunes. The place was packed with a very fun crowd. It appears to be a bar you come to have drinks and chat. There was a small area where dancing could take place, but no one was dancing at the time. The staff including the general manager was super friendly. It felt like a wedding reception as you came into the club where you were greeted...very warm and welcoming. We had a drink and stayed a short while. It looked like a place you could come for a girls or guys night out or celebrating a fun occasion. Will definitely consider Dirty Bill's for a future fun evening...

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    Cold beer and Dirty Bills Hat!
    Cold beer and Dirty Bills Hat!
    Dirty Bill's
    Dirty Bill's

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    Nickel City

    Nickel City

    4.4
    (234 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    One of my favorite bars in Austin. Some people might see it as a little divey, but that's honestly…read morepart of the charm. The atmosphere is always friendly, relaxed, and easy to settle into whether you're there for a quick drink or hanging out for the night. The drinks are consistently great, and they also have really solid weekday food specials. The sliders and tots are definitely the go-to items on the menu and always hit the spot after a few drinks. One thing I especially appreciate is how much effort they put into the themed décor during Christmas and Halloween. It really adds personality to the space and makes coming back during the holidays feel fun and memorable every year. Just an overall great neighborhood bar with good vibes and a lot of character.

    I realize I haven't updated this review since relocating to Austin two years ago. As you may have…read morenoted from my previous review, I'd come here twice a year when visiting from the east coast. One of my stipulations for relocation was to be within walking distance of my beloved Nickel City. Guess what? I am! Less than a five-minute walk. I love this place so much. It's not always about drinking. In fact, quite often I'll do mocktails, water, or soda. It's about community and friendship. The vibe at NC can't fully be expressed in words. It has to be experienced. The staff treat locals and tourists like friends. And, if you're lucky enough, you actually become friends. They're like a family. Same can be said about patrons, whether regulars, sometimers, or tourists, everyone feels the love. Everyone just gets it! They have some of the best cocktails around. The frozen Irish coffee is incredible. Espresso martinis on tap? Yes, please! And if you want the best bar/comfort food ever then order from their food truck, Delray Cafe. Crinkle cut fries A+ Smashburgers A+ Hot Dogs A+ Grilled Cheese A+ Pizza Logs A+ Tater Tots A+ Everything on the menu A+ Be sure to give the gang in the kitchen (food truck) some love! They're putting out the real deal. Oh and let's not forget Steak Night! Much love to my fave neighbor, Nickel City!

    Photos
    Frozen Irish Coffee
    Frozen Irish Coffee
    From left Nui nui new year and holiday on ice, loved both, but holiday on ice was my fav.
    From left Nui nui new year and holiday on ice, loved both, but holiday on ice was my fav.
    Nickel City

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    The Little Longhorn Saloon

    The Little Longhorn Saloon

    4.3
    (272 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $

    It's a cool place with mostly friendly people and 2 pleasant for the most part, bartenders the last…read more3 times we went in there. My boyfriend and I will go to Bike Farm next door for bike service. We've have a few beers at Little Longhorn etc, but this one time (4:30 pm on a Wednesday) we went in recently. NO ONE was in there and I set my bag on a barstool, of maaaaaany open barstools. An older man walks up and says' "I MADE THIS BAR WITH HOOKS so you can put your purse underneath. It wasn't what he said, it was how he said it with a condescending attitude and tone. I was apparently a menace or "youngin" being rude. I removed my purse from the stool and put it on the way too tiny hook for anyone's bag and then LITERALLY NO ONE sat there the next 40 minutes until we left. I'm always thoughtful, that if it's a crowded place, that I wouldn't take up a stool with my bag . Him, his comment and attitude were unnecessary. Whether he "built" the bar or not. You're running customers off by having a shit attitude. See you never LLS and crappy attitude old man "who built the bar"

    The Little Longhorn Saloon is famous for its Chicken Shit Bingo that occurs on Sunday nights. We…read moreactually visited twice a few weeks ago. Once during the week when friends brought us to some authentic Austin dive bars and then again on Sunday for bingo; which was really fun. The beer is basic domestic and imports. Drinks are more less standard cocktails and shots of "something." There was a band playing both nights we went and both were great. And, I was a winner at Bingo on Sunday when we went. Again, it was really fun and authentically Austin.

    Photos
    The Little Longhorn Saloon
    The Little Longhorn Saloon
    The Little Longhorn Saloon

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    Lala’s Little Nugget

    Lala’s Little Nugget

    4.1
    (324 reviews)
    5.3 mi
    $

    How can you not like a bar that celebrates Christmas all year round? I discovered these guys on…read morethat Texas Bucket List back in 2024. I thought it was so cool beans and had to go check them out - and I did on Christmas Eve last year. Yeah, so last year Christmas Eve I was getting my last swim in. And spoke to a couple of buddies who I met there about what they were planning to do over Christmas. Well, both of them said not much and I told them I was gonna head over to this bar called Lala's that celebrates Christmas all year round. They also never heard of it, but we ended up meeting up there later that night. The place was packed, and everyone was dressed up in their Christmas sweaters, and there was a countdown clock to Christmas Day, which I thought was really cool. We hung out there until the clock past midnight and to a shot for Jesus's birthday. I don't think Jesus does shots on his birthday so we figured why not, it's a really big deal, and so we'll do a shot in his honor. Amen. My friends really liked the place and I enjoyed it. A few few months later, a friend of mine came in from out of town and I told her about this bar and she got excited and I took her there and she really enjoyed it too. It looks like it does have a few regulars, but the people there are generally very friendly and I always have a good time here. It can get very loud if there's a crowd, but there's also outdoor seating.

    A place for just all year Christmas vibes. The indoor and outdoor space is a bit limited. Mostly…read morecause it does get packed on weekends. Theres a pool table inside that takes quarters. Cocktails are a bit pricey for basic items like old fashions and White Russians. But it's a place to check out after browsing through records next door

    Photos
    LaLa Love
    LaLa Love
    Only 26,103 hours 'til Christmas!
    Only 26,103 hours 'til Christmas!
    The countdown is on.

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    The countdown is on.

    Swan Dive - musicvenues - Updated June 2026

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