Met friends at the Common interest for some chill time after dinner. We were mainly there to chat and to support one of our friends who is a karaoke enthusiast. They kicked me out of the church choir decades ago and I've never looked back. Smile. The Common interest is a long‑standing Austin neighborhood sports bar known for comfort food, live music, and karoak. It is and frills and laid back place. read more

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We went to Common Interest after the UT game on Saturday and had a really confusing experience. One of the people in our group was suddenly asked to leave, but no one would give us any explanation as to why. We were completely willing to comply and did not want to cause a scene, but we were genuinely confused about what had happened. I even politely asked if they had the wrong person because it was so unexpected. What made the situation even more frustrating was that we had literally just purchased another round of drinks. Before our friend was asked to leave, he handed the drinks to the rest of our table, which was sitting right next to the bar, and then signed off on his tab. Shortly afterward, he was told to leave and was being escorted out. We simply wanted to understand what had happened. If he was too intoxicated, if someone had complained, or if there was some other issue, we would have respected that. But when we asked on our way out, we were essentially told, "My boss said so," and were told to leave without any further explanation. We weren't looking to argue or challenge the decision. We just wanted a basic explanation, especially after having been allowed to continue ordering and spending money there. Being asked to leave is one thing. Being given absolutely no explanation and being left with drinks we had just paid for and couldn't use was incredibly frustrating. The whole experience was unnecessarily confusing and left a very bad impression. The staff was incredibly rude and if anything seemed to escalate the situation with threats and yelling. First and last time we'll ever go as this seems to be a common occurrence after reading other reviews. Obviously an establishment can kick anyone out as they have that right and we complied, it's just the no explanation that left us feeling frustrated and confused. Not to mention the wasted money on drinks we never got to have. read more

The Common Interest is the only karaoke bar in Austin. Not true, obviously. But it might as well be. Seriously, don't bother going anywhere else. I guarantee you can't find any other karaoke joint in the area with all of the following: Great sound system, huge catalog (and if they don't have it already, the KJ's will download it for you!), nice drink selection, quality food, friendly servers, competent management, both private rooms and a public show, and a fun, safe crowd. Are they a Bears bar, too? No, they're a Seahawks bar. Nobody's perfect, and I forgive them. read more

The end of a great karaoke bar. Upon walking in yesterday and going to the bar, a man got in front of me so fast and was very aggressive about telling me to leave. Upon trying to ask questions I was met with him cutting me off mid sentence and telling me no. It took a moment for me to convince him that I'm just curious on some things and to talk with me. No men without sleeves. Cutoff. Tank top. None of it. As of about a month ago. 0 exceptions. Reason he'd give me: because the owner said so. Amazing that their pictures on their website still depict otherwise. I don't know what form of bigotry is happening here, but it's disgusting to see happen. read more

I love this place! Daniel is the best KJ ever! I love (almost) everyone that works there and Lindsey runs a tight ship. I think there are nights where it's super busy and the wait to sing is long and the wait at bar is a little longer but I really think this place is a gem. If you are cool enough to become a regular they will know your drinks and food preferences. They treat you like a family or good friends. I enjoy that that Lindsey does listen to peoples feedback and actively works to make sure that everything goes smoothly for guests. I even had my birthday here and rented a room! It was so much fun! read more

Such a fun local spot. Oscar is THE best bartender and has awesome karaoke skills! My friends and I decided to pop in for some midweek fun on a Wednesday night. Jell-O shots are $4 and whiskey is $3. A whiskey sour for $3!? Yeppp! And made very well too! The vibes were immaculate. There was a list of people waiting to sing and the songs were all genres. You can text your request for the dj to add you to the queue or if you're a little shy, you can rent a room and have a private karaoke experience! I wasn't hungry so I didn't check out the menu but the table next to me ordered hot dogs and French fries and they smelled pretty tempting! If you're looking to have a little fun during the week or plan to have a weekend banger, I highly recommend this place. It's located at a shopping center with a billiards bar, and other small businesses so you can easily find parking up front. The mic is always on for you, go check them out! read more

The Common Interest - Jell-O shots ! - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

The best things we had were the jalapeno poppers and chicken nachos. The jalapeno poppers were freshly fried and piping hot. The chicken nachos were delicious. The burger was overcooked, dry and flavorless, the only good thing on the burger was the bacon I had added. We rented a private room for a birthday party and the waitress was great but she didn't remember everything about our order. (I ordered sweet potato fries and got regular fries.) read more

Dive bar meets karaoke bar meets neighbor hangout. Cheap drinks, cool bartenders, chill vibes all around. Absolutely stellar place to go and waste a few hours with friends or alone. There's plenty of parking out front, natural window light during the day, and private rooms if you want to sing your heart out, minus the audience. Lots of TVs for you sports fans too. It's a little bit of everything without trying to hard; absolutely a gem and a rarity out here. read more

The Common Interest - Specials - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

This review is specifically for the private reserved room experience. I celebrated my birthday with some friends here and had reserved a small room which is $30/hr for 10 people maximum which was perfect for our group of 7. The room came with 2 mics, plenty of seating area with tables, and several screens. One of them was the touch screen we used to operate the machine and play songs (can be queued). The sound came in crisp and clear - there was no concern about outsiders hearing or us hearing the public karaoke that was happening. We did not order food since we'd already had dinner beforehand but we did order drinks. Our waitress saw that I was celebrating my birthday and brought complimentary Jell-O shots for all of us! We were a little confused towards the end because we would have liked more of a heads up that we were almost out of time. We didn't get to have a last hurrah, but overall it was a great time and very affordable - would definitely recommend as a fun outing with friends! read more

The Common Interest - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

Awful experience, rude staff. Harassed my friend with a disability. When we explained the situation they didn't believe us and proceeded to kick us out. read more

Common Interest Karaoke Bar used to be my favorite place to be. This used to be one of my favorite bars in town -- a place I genuinely enjoyed coming back to, and even brought family along to support. On my last visit, I came in with my mom and she spent a significant amount of money here. Instead of gratitude, what I got in return was one of the most insulting experiences I've ever had at a business. Without warning, I was told I wasn't allowed back for *three months* because they accused me of emailing waitresses and "harassing" them. Not only is this accusation completely false, but it was delivered in a way that was both humiliating and offensive. I have never in my life been accused of something like this, and to have it happen at a place I once recommended to friends makes it sting even more. A kariokie bar is supposed to be about atmosphere, community, and hospitality. Instead, I left feeling disrespected, judged, and unfairly treated. After years of loyalty, I can't imagine returning to a place that treats GOOD paying customers this way that came in with their mom to show them a good time the last time I was there and then only to get unfairly judged upon return. ---this is the worlds worst kariokie place, even more insulting after making me wait forever for them to find the proof they couldn't and they just decided to let the doorman make the call on whether or not I am the guy that harassed their waitresses. Do yourself a huge favor and never come here. Meanwhile, there's an army of people smoking a whole bunch of pot outside their door but that's A-OK because they're busy hassling some guy that they decided to mistake the identity of. And this isn't the first time I felt the prejudice nature of that bar of that doorman. I said I get that you don't like me and he said I don't even know you, but for some reason, he sure as heck is able to spot me a mile away and confuse me with whoever the heck he wants to tell lies about Or conflate with a sleezebag. Worst experience ever imo. I had a video of the whole thing too, but the file was too long because they made me wait forever to try to find proof that they never produced. I am also filling out police paperwork and looking into the legal ramifications for suing for slander. Additionally, I have already talked with many usual customers. I am friends with that will no longer be appearing at this establishment read more

I've been coming here for a while just not consistently but have friends that do. If you like karaoke, this is the place. You can reserve a private room or sing on the big stage. In the private room, you get service and can order food as well. They actually have really good bar food too. The equipment is easy to figure out and can find your song on it. Also if you download songbooks online an app, it lists the extensive library Common Interest has. So you can know if your obscure song you like to sing is available. If you're a Seahawks fan, this is also the bar to go to when they play. A nice wall display of all things Seahawks. Lots of regulars who come and are really good at singing and supportive of people who get up on stage. The DJ is awesome and will ask what key you'd like it in and isn't clickish. So if you sign up, you will get your turn. Tipping is encouraged but not like a lottery of who tips the highest will get on stage type thing. I've had that experience at other bars but Common Interest is all inclusive. read more

The Common Interest - My group in the private karaoke room. - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

The CI website states that they have been in business for 50 years and I recall attending a birthday party there ~2000. When it was proposed that I visit recently for a weekday HH I was in! This is my kind of joint. Regulars abound, the beer is cold and there is a good selection of bourbon and ryes. I don't Karaoke but this a great venue to have a cocktail, eat some good pub grub and enjoy the karaokers. If you are a karaoke fan this is the place for you, No, then enjoy the show while enjoying a libation and some good pub grub. read more

Its a bar and grill with karaoke. I don't sing, don't want to sing and don't want to hear random people sing. So the karaoke part does not move me. But as a bar and grill this place is just fine. Me and another Yelper partner in crime had good Maryland ryes, decent beers and multiple platters of bar food/junk food. You know the deal: chicken wings, mini-corn dogs, fried pickles, jalapeno poppers. Health food. The room was nice, the pours were generous, and the bar snacks were just what we wanted them to be. I would go back. * * * And for the record, the karaoke room had one girl singing multiple numbers for her friends. She was actually pretty good. No guarantee she will be singing when you get there ... But the karaoke room does have pleasant surprises. read more

Have been going here for years, recommend people all the time, have had private parties, and am a semi-regular for heavy karaoke nights. The atmosphere is always "meh", KJs don't seem to know how to queue songs in a way that either follows a logistical pattern or pays tribute to crowd management/entertainment value. Recently got kicked out for accidentally having my friend's glass bottle not make it into the trash. Cleaned it with napkins by myself (OSHA hazard), and some barback acted like the world was ending while I tipped double my tab. Pathetic service, food is always mediocre, and atmosphere severely depends on more beloved bartenders. Overall, Austin has significantly better karaoke joints. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would I came in with a group of friends and I get seizures and have a service dog for this purpose. I have the proper paperwork and his service dog card and they denied me lol Some girl at the bar came up while he was verifying everything and said no they can't come in unless he has a service vest on didn't even look at my paperwork for my condition! Like girl anyone can order a service dog vest they need the paperwork which I had Do not go here super fucked up and disrespectful and discrimination at its finest! read more

Great energy here for all karaoke enthusiasts whether in private rooms or the big stage. Supportive, lively crowd made a perfect Saturday night. What makes this spot different is - A raised stage - A smoke machine! - Great service - A large screen smartly lists upcoming singers and first timers. After renting a room with friends, the fun continued in the main room and bar area. Plenty of seating and tv screens showing sports if you're more into that. My only dings: one of two mics had a broken part that kept slipping, too many versions of one song, all listed as the same, and they oddly didn't have Prince's "1999". Room rates and drink prices are fair. $20 an hour for the small room which fits 8-10 people. Bonus that lyrics are on opposite walls. Would definitely come back! read more

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I'm giving only four stars because the food isn't good at all. It's the vibe for me. I had a fantastic time in this place. The drinks are not bad at all, either. So after one or two drinks, the singing gets better or funnier. You pick. The services were excellent as well. I can't recall the female name who waited on us, but she was great if this review was based solely on the venue and not food; absolutely a 5. read more

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Best karaoke bar in town. Just barely divey. Communal atmosphere. Decent food. Quesadillas and burgers are some of my favorites. Fries have good flavor but the texture is lacking. I've heard the quail and wings are good and the tacos are disappointing. Lots of the singers are seriously talented. I wish it was a little goofier so people like me felt more comfortable singing. There's a text based platform to sign up to sing. Edit: I tried singing again, and proved why I don't usually sing. Still, everyone is friendly and encouraging to the bad singers like me. Edit, again: Their chairs are so uncomfortable! They are just wood with no padding. My friend even offered to bring in a blanket to serve as a cushion but I didn't want to be awkward. After a long evening out, my rear end is killing me! read more

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Years ago I put Karaoke on my bucket list and I finally got to check it off at The Common Interest. I had the time of my life!!! It has a neighborhood bar feel so it's very casual and people are friendly. They serve food but I was there to perform and have a few drinks so I didn't try any of the eats. You sign up to sing using a provided link. There's tons of songs and artists to choose from in every genre of music (I chose Bruno Mars). The TV screens will display your name when it's your turn to perform. People were really cool to cheer you on, dance and even sing with you. This is seriously one of the most exciting and entertaining spots in Austin. read more

A neighborhood classic and possibly the best karaoke in town (and believe me, I've graced the stages of every single karaoke place in town whether the crowds wanted me to or not). Yes, it's in a strip mall on Burnet and yes it looks like a run-down sports bar - I'm honestly surprised they don't allow smoking inside (thankfully) because it seems like the type of place that would. They've got main stage karaoke 7 days a week and private karaoke rooms for those too shy to take it all the way. You come here to drink a large quantity of alcohol, for cheap, and sing karaoke. That's it, don't ask questions and don't overthink it. You can get some greasy bar food if you need it (emphasis on the grease), don't expect too much and you'll have a great time. The staff is always super friendly and attentive!!! PS: a Jell-O shot is a Common Interest rite of passage. read more

The Common Interest - Jell-O shots - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went here for a friend's birthday and it was a blast. Highly recommend the private rooms. I really hope they update some of their music catalog to include some of the bigger hits right now, for example, they didn't have any Chappell Roan which was a bummer. The service was good and the drinks were yummy and not too expensive. Will definitely be back. read more

Common interest is a North Austin staple. I've never left this place in a bad mood. ExExcellent vibes 8/10

We had an incredible evening, complete with singing, cocktails, and a wonderful communal experience with the other patrons. I want to give this place a 6/5 for the fun time we had. I can't wait to go back. That being said, every part of the experience would have been great, except that we had an impossible time getting our waiter to give us the bill to leave. It involved an hour of reminding him multiple times, him keeping our friend's credit card in his pocket the whole time so we couldn't ask anyone else to help us, him forgetting to return her card after finally giving us the bill, as well as rude comments from him about how "pretty girls are always so impatient"?? Honestly, we sat and watched for an hour as he flirted with other patrons instead of giving us our check, and it was past midnight, and we just wanted to go to bed. So basically, check this place out because it's awesome, but don't expect good service. read more

Absolute GARBAGE establishment, from the rude bartenders all the way to the disgusting smell of feces in the air! They were absolutely rude to me, there were at least three or four bartenders bullying me out the front door because the person I was with was drunk. How unnecessary is that, please explain. I'm 5 ft 2 and these behemoth bullies were towering over me when all I wanted to know was what I had done? They kept saying "your friend is drunk" , OK so that causes for me being bullied out the door. I've already reported this to other websites, my fellow Latin communities and turns out a lot of people have experienced racism and unnecessary bullying from the horrible workers here. If you have any sort of dignity, please don't spend your money here read more

The Common Interest is the karaoke place you end up getting invited to when you tell your Austinite friends you want to pair singing with your drinking. Quick drive up to north Burnet area and you have arrived to the place that will embrace you singing whatever song you got from your personal karaoke list. Don't worry or be shy about singing in front of a forgiving and encouraging audience - you are going to be great and will nail it! After 20 years of living in Austin the Common Interest is super fun with a group of friends any day of the week or weekend. Weekends get packed but nothing like singing along to all the songs without feeling you are bothering the table(s) next to you. They crank the music up here and bust on every single LED light to enhance your performance. Food here is good and will come out fast so be ready to eat bites in between your belting and singing or just waiting for your turn to sing next. We always get their syringe shots filled with colorful jello as a starter drink for ourselves. Plenty of beers to choose from both in bottles, cans, and on draft. If beer isn't your thing no worries they have great cocktails as well. Friendly service and great staff including the DJ! There are also plenty of tv's here to watch whatever sports team you love. read more

This is place is a nice vibe. I went here at night and the karaoke was great. Had a couple drinks and they were okay. This place is great to go with people for sure. Service wasn't a problem because we kept going back to the bar but we didn't have anyone come to us either. But that was okay. Nice place, nice vibe. Nice hangout spot. read more

I've been coming to this karaoke bar since moving to Austin over 6 yrs ago. Tasty drinks, interesting shots, hot, greasy delicious food---and KARAOKE of course. They are clean and Cv19 "safe"--you request soongs via your phone, and if you need to charge? no worries--there's a wall of plug ins... This is pure fun. read more

GO HAWKS! The Common Interest is the ultimate Seahawks bar in Austin, where 12s gather to watch the game, and there's even an inflatable life-size Blitz greeting you when you walk into the place. It basically was the best Sunday in Austin for me. We came here to watch the game during the Seahawks game and it was a super fun place, with solid bar food. The space is large enough with a main stage, as The Common Interest is a karaoke bar. There was a small Seahawks-themed food menu, in addition to the full menu they have with draaanks. I ordered the lemon pepper wings and added fries and had a mango cocktail (it was hard for me to find a Texas IPA while I was in town). The lemon pepper wings were solid, and loved how much of the lemon flavor there was. It's worth getting if you're a lemon-pepper/sour wings fan. The fries were awesome, as they were beer-battered and had a thick texture, kind of like jojos that curl. The mango cocktail was not something I would recommend, as it was way too sweet with the mango and coconut liqueurs. Stick with a classic cocktail here if you don't find a beer. Overall, I had a great time at The Common Interest! It was especially fun to watch the game with locals 12s, while having some good bar food. I imagine this place to be a fun time during karaoke, which maybe some day, I'll be back for. read more

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This place has to be one of the most inviting places in all of Austin without a doubt without a question from the staff to the customers it's just that warm, southern friendly place that you can be yourself, no matter your race, creed color, ethnicity religion orientation this place seems to have acceptance of everybody. Candidly I am not one of the people that go looking for inclusive places, but this one I just have to say exudes, warmth and kindness. The drinks are fairly priced and absolutely unquestionably delicious!! They don't skimp on the alcohol and yet wrap in the flavors so that you are able to enjoy the night they never make any negatives about asking for water or anything like that. Now let's talk about the karaoke they have a number of regulars that have great voices and they cheer each other on in a positive receptive manner. I heard rock 'n' roll, Latin music gospel, cover band music music from the 60s 70s the 80s the 90s and all the way through to today. I cannot recommend the place more highly. It is just a wonderful, joyous location to go to. read more

Reserved a karaoke room and was not greeted or welcomed with any service! Waited over a hour just for them to say they forgot about us! Crazy part was that it wasn't busy when we arrived. read more

This place is incrediballs for fantastic local karaoke rockstars! I thoroughly enjoyed everybody that performed late Sunday night and I really liked that everyone is super supportive here. The bartenders are super nice and super fast and make hella strong drinks for hella cheap! They even get up and sing every once and while in the rotation. Speaking of, the rotation here moves pretty quickly, so even though it may say there is about an hr wait for your song, it is well under that, especially the later in the night when a lot of people seem to abandon their place in the queue. They also have a pretty decent late night menu and I was not mad at the corn dog nuggets! read more

Wow! This place is still here and a really great time. I hadn't been in years but the fun times continue. The bartender and staff are so friendly, the food is good and my ability to sing still sucks. Ha! Plan your next happy hour, birthday party or engagement party here for memories that will last forever. read more

Arrive very early to order drinks and food if renting a private room. We reserved the large room and had 20+ people. There was one bartender for the entire bar and we had no server. It was at least an hour by the time we each had a drink and some food. Once we got that sorted we had a good time and the equipment worked great. read more

Favorite bar ever! Best Karaoke stage in Austin, best wings and apps, and the bartenders are always fast and kind.

Friendly staff, clean, tons of song selections, and slot machines. Private rooms for karaoke and a main stage to embarrass yourself in front of everybody. 10/10 read more

I'm not a big karaoke guy myself but I have to admit I actually had fun when we went here. Yes there was a huge group, yes we were were there for a while, yes we sang our hearts out till our throats were sore and we couldn't speak the next day. read more

Best karaoke spot in Austin. I have been coming here since I moved to Austin 10 years ago. It's popular, so if you go on a Friday or Saturday night get there early if you want to find a good table and get your name in early enough to sing without having to wait too long. Regardless, early or late, you will have a great time. The bartenders are the best around, the Dj's keep it upbeat and the crowd is always positive. read more

The service at this place is horrible. Me and my wife went to watch a football game there(Seattle Seahawks) and was treated rather rudely by not only the bartender but the wait staff in general. I guess since we are not regulars we were treated as such. Would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Great vibes, loved it! Definitely will be coming again soon! Had so much fun and the karaoke was great