Sometimes you need a place where you can really let your hair down and kick your shoes up…way up, like a honkey tonk! Dive Bars are where it’s cool to be uncool. Relax, rewind, wear that messy bun and your comfy sneakers and hit any of these Austin area gems for a guaranteed good time.
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The Year round Christmas Bar, LaLa’s Little Nugget, is perhaps one of Austin’s most popular Dive bars. Their trendy cocktails like Grandma’s Boozy Eggnog and the Grounded Flight steer this adorable stop away from the dive bar category, but it’s so cute and perfect for a respite from this July heat, so I had to include it! 2207 Justin Ln. Austin, TX 78757
Known as “The East Austin Honky Tonk”, The White Horse offers live music, two step dancing and “Bomb Tacos”. Nervous to kick your boots up without a little refresher course? They offer Two Stepping Classes every Saturday. 500 Comal St. Austin, TX
3. Knomad Bar
Known for their $2 Modelo Mondays, this bar and lounge offers a comfortable worldly hang out in the Muller-Windsor Park area. Previous winners of the Austin Chronicle’s BEST Neighborhood Bar award, they invite you in for their Signature Bloody Mary, live music acts, and Sunday Brunch options. 1213 Corona Drive, Austin
You’ll know you’ve arrived at a true dive bar before you even enter the Carousel Lounge thanks to the colorful painted exterior. Inside, you’ll be delighted by their abundance of “instagram worthy” kitschy circus animal displays and nostalgic retro items. They serve wine, beer, and setups to go with your liquor. 1110 E. 52nd St. Austin, TX
5. Giddy Ups
Giddy Ups invites you to “The Biggest Little Stage in South Austin”. Cool off with a “Boots & Spurs” or a refreshing “Tweety Bird” cocktail. Happy hour runs 4-7pm and if you’re brave, you can take the stage for open mic night on Thursdays or Karaoke on Sundays. 12010 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX
6. Pardners
Round Rock’s oldest bar, Pardners, offers karaoke 5 nights a week! They’ve got Dive Bar worthy cheap drinks, 3 Pool Tables, 2 Dart Boards and a collection of sweepstakes machines. Happy hour is ’til 7pm daily. 1110 E Palm Valley Blvd #110 Round Rock, TX
7. The Little Longhorn Saloon
“The honest Tonkiest Beer Joint in town,” The Little Longhorn Saloon is offering live music six nights a week. Their Bloody Mary mix is house made and they offer Chicken Sh*t Bingo every Sunday from 4-8 PM. 5434 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas
8. Donn’s Depot
Donn’s Depot is hard to miss with its signature rail car outside. When walking in, you may be greeted by the sound of love piano music, see honked Toni dancing or be told to BE QUIET!! If it’s Jeopardy hour. Speaking of Jeopardy, the regulars and the bartender take it very seriously, but if you’re into trivia smarts, you could win a free beer for your knowledge! Bonus: the ladies bathroom has an instagram worthy surprise.
9. Barfly’s
Foosball anyone? Climb the stairs to Barfly for a dark lit drinking establishment complete with foosball and pool table. There is also an outdoor patio area. This dive bar checks the box that everyone seems to know each other’s names and the motto “Our drinks are so cheap, so you don’t have to be.”
10. Casino El Camino
Where else on 6th street can you order a monster sized-burger with beer braised pork belly while watching a cult classic like “Attack of the Killer donuts”? casino El Camino has a nearly all day Happy Hour from 11am-7pm. There’s plenty to look at between the colorful characters frequenting this bar to the walls covered in retro comic book art. There’s an upstairs lounge area and an outdoor almost tiki themed patio.
