45 Best Dive Bars in Austin

“This show in the Gallery is on of the GREATEST experiences listening to Live Music. Sue Foley was absolutely stunning covering old County Blues artists from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s!!!! Highly recommended!!!“

“Great little bar with live music“

“Fun place to have a drink and start the night for some east austin fun!!“

“Great bartenders. Everyone was super friendly and welcoming“

“Badass bar with good vibes, cheap beer, and delicious grub.

I love this place for a lunch. I always get their monthly burger special with one of their $3 beers, which they have listed on their menu.

For vegetarians id recommend the portobello sandwich, the old way.

This place always has a great vibe at night and the kitchen stays open pretty late. Its a must go for the area.“

“Favorite bar in Fort Worth!! Great staff great bartenders and always great live music“

“This is a really cool bar. Everyone there is friendly and explains where to order drinks and/or food. It’s self service but the drinks are incredible and reasonably priced. I really enjoyed the outside lounge. The burgers are some of the best I’ve had in town.“

“Such great barbecue! Great Dive Bar atmosphere!“

“I asked about smoking rules and feel like I was over stepping boundaries, but it's better I ask then do, but felt like the bad guy don't know why, but I will be going back despite that because one bartended smiled and said I should come back!!! :)“

“A must see during an Austin trip. Best service in town thanks to Tammy! Donn is a legend!“

“Best neighborhood bar in Austin. The service is exceptional if you know what you want. It's too crowded at times for boneheads that don't know how to order. The food is from Pool Burger downstairs which has an exceptional veggie burger if you have one of "those" in your group. Go there and share a pitcher with friends. Plus, they have White Claws.“

“This is literally one of my happy places! Staff is friendly and warm, atmosphere is cozy, and food is unparalleled. The amount of care and thoughtfulness that goes into every component of every dish is just amazing and hard to find. A really unique and fun concept that doesn’t take itself too seriously but you can tell there is some serious talent in that kitchen. Yellow ranger is a warm hug on a rainy day!“

“No frills, low tech, Austin institution that's still fighting gentrification by not giving in.

You walk in and you're taking a step back to the late early 70s. Here, you'll find cheap, no frills beer and limited seating. For a change, try their Arm-Modelo: tabasco, lime and salt on the rim. Open, mix and kick back.

This is a a place where you go can have actual conversations with persons sitting next to you without music blasting in your ear. It's so small, it's hard not to make friends.

Dont expect fancy drinks, just a good time.“

“Wow great atmosphere an great service, live band definitely coming back soon“

“Fun Honky-tonk road house dive… good music…“

“Definitely a friendly spot.“

“I don't get out often and I'm not much on being around large groups of people. But for being my first time here I was definitely impressed and I will definitely be coming back . Great service staff is very helpful and attentive food is good and reasonably priced. And the atmosphere is phenomenal and that's coming from an introvert lol. If you're in Austin TX you should stop by.“

“coolbar . Great drinks and service“

“Very cool neighborhood bar. It seems like a “dive” bar from outside, but it’s a very classy and well-kept bar. The music they had on was so relaxing and chill. We really appreciated the ambiance and ability to comfortably visit with the bar tender. He was very personable and made great drinks. The happy hour goes til 7:00, which is hard to find in Austin. We don’t live on the east side, but will definitely be back.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This place is such a hidden gem. Everyone talks about the bar, but do NOT sleep on the food in the back — it is next level.

Everything I ordered was insanely fresh, flavorful, and beautifully plated. The dishes were rich, perfectly balanced, and honestly some of the best bites I’ve had in Austin in a long time. You can tell real care and intention goes into the food, not just cocktails.

It feels like you stumble into this secret restaurant tucked behind a cool, intimate bar, and suddenly you’re eating something that tastes like it belongs in a top-tier spot. Soooo delicious — every bite.

If you go here, absolutely order food. This is not just a bar… it’s a full hidden culinary experience. Can’t wait to come back.“

“Fun times and great music.“

“Love this place! Spicy chicken samich is the *ish!!!“

“We had great burgers and Brunch food. Recommend the onion petals and cheeseburger. The atmosphere is "Austin Weird" ! Service is friendly, but very slow. Will be back soon.“

“Had a nice stop over at Twin Creeks just off FM 2469 in North Austin recently. They have an indoor bar with outdoor seating next to a small creek. Bring a slice of bread and you can feed the fish in the clear creek waters.

Bartender was very friendly. Interesting mix of patrons from different walks of life, came in during the afternoon hour we were there, most just enjoying a beer in the great spring weather on the day.

Just seemed like a really good, local watering hole in north Austin, a place worth checking out if spending a bit of time in the area.“

“Christmas all year! Fun people and a fun atmosphere!“

“Fell in love with this place. A group of girlfriends and I were just stopping in for a quick shot but it ended being the funnest part of our whole night! We ended up staying for a couple hours singing along to every song this tall cute cowboy of a bartender played for us. We would request songs and he’d play anything we wanted to hear and it turned into a big party. No place ever does that! Unexpected hugging, singing, drinking, dancing, laugh fest. Thanks for making our night Cowboy Barry“

“What about this place? What do you all suggest?“

“Excellent food but the bar kinda leave some things to be desired! Stopped in on a weeknight to have dinner, it’s a dive bar with just a few tables, there weren’t many patrons but the music was blasting so loud we could barely hear eachother. No drink menu, just a list of shots on the board.

The food however was delicious, the fried rice really stood out.

Definitely worth a try, might recommend take out!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hotbox Pizza & Rolls absolutely delivers on flavor and quality! The pizza is delicious — with a perfect crust, rich sauce, and fresh toppings that hit the spot every time. The wings are packed with flavor, cooked just right, and definitely stand out from your average takeout. Mozzarella sticks? Golden, crispy, and full of gooey cheese — the kind you crave. And don’t even get me started on the pizza rolls… they’re on another level! Hot, cheesy, and stuffed with flavor — they’re easily the best I’ve had anywhere. Try their house made ranch with literally everything. So good. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite or feeding a crowd, Hotbox is a winner across the board. Highly recommend!“

“Cool little dive bar. Good and friendly bar service with a mix of different xmas themed cocktails and Christmas decor. We appreciated the $5 special which includes a small high life and a shot of whiskey.

I'm pretty sure the pepperoni pizza we got there was digiorno though which I find a bit unusual.“

“Corner bar - if you know one you know them all. Only ding on service was the good ole assumption that until you say stop they will keep pouring beers and poping them down in front of you. Overall not a bad spot - just know it is the local corner hang out spot and you'll be good to go.“

“This place is amazing. The drinks are affordable, the bartender was friendly, and the regulars were welcoming. If you don't like welcoming, inclusive places, keep walking, but if you enjoy a safe space to have a drink and sing a song, you've found it. Fair warning, I understand that the Younglings show up around 11, and they, as they will, will often suck (as it was when I was a Youngling).“

“Met some really nice people and had great food and drinks along with playing pool while on vacation.“

“The burger was amazing and great onion rings.“

“Always my go to place. Great service with a nice neighborhood atmosphere.“

“Very cool spot to hang out and have some drinks. Lots of games including pool, ping pong, Jenga, foosball and probably others.There's a bar but also tables to kinda hang out in, and a juke box that you can choose all kinds of music from. I was really happy with the tunes they picked out - an eclectic mix that was nice for all people in our party (all ages).They also had a nice selection of taps of beer and normal well drinks from the bar. I was from out of town and just looking for a cool place to hang and have a few drinks. This place executed that perfectly. Would definitely recommend. :)“

“Great dj! Great vibe! Went on a Sunday! Fun and the mood is right! Also, Sweet bar tenders!“

“This place is GREAT. I’ve read the reviews and I simply don’t care. We came in here, received a warm welcome, a cold beer, and an amazing vibe. There’s 30-some-odd years of history in this building and I’m here for it. Fantastic establishment.“

“This is a great spot for friends and family or the serious pool player. They have 6 pool tables and even during their fun cheap pool tournaments they have table available for others. The two ladies Fay and Liz were amazing attentive bartenders with bubbly personalities that will keep you wanting to come here!“

“Saw a great band called Dena Hope. Cool vibe!“

“We found this Pub while driving in Austin. The bartender was awesome and the drinks too! The place looks like an old movie. Love it!“

“I love Caci’s she is the best bartender. Dog friendly and very friendly.“

“Pizza was OK, but i'm a new jersian so I really wasn't expecting much. Slices are big, which is all that mattered. $5 cocktails and the bartender was lovely, great atmosphere (my bf won me two rubber ducks, don't even worry). Delicious drinks and cool patio bar out back to have a smoke at. Loved it!“

“Dear the Grackle,
You are a fantastic space. You can tell someone cares about the plants on the patio. A person in the food truck outside called me momma and then, I thought, yes, I am momma. I am momma at the grackle and I am momma eating a cheesesteak. I am momma and I have no children but I am
Here at The Grackle being momma.“