XL COVER STORY

50 great party bars

Drink and be somebody, with plenty of company

By Jeff McCrary
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Wednesday, August 23, 2006

In the past year, XL has published three Central Texas bar guides: 100 places to hear live music, 100 places to sip and chat and 50 places to dance.

But what about a guide for people who just want to party?

It took nearly the entire summer to sort through the candidates (some of which also appeared in other guides). Each candidate was judged according to its service, friendly drink prices and overall rock 'n' roll atmosphere.

So let loose, have a drink and celebrate the fact that you're over 21.

At these places, you won't have to fight for your right to party.

1. AQUARIUM
403 E. Sixth St., 499-8003
There's something fishy about this place besides just the massive tank of sea life. At first glance, you might see this popular hangout as just another frat bar with an aquatic theme. But climb the stairs to the second balcony and look down and you'll see frenzied schools of popped collars and low-cut jeans. In addition, a two-way mirror gives patrons in the men's room an observational window into the aquarium of college life.

2. AUSTIN KARAOKE
6808 N. Lamar Blvd. Suite B-120, 323-9822
If it's your first time at this place, don't be surprised by the awkward silence when you walk through the door. There is no main stage, but behind the closed doors are private rooms with karaoke machines that can be rented hourly for parties ranging from two to 50 people. And it's BYOB, so if you forget to bring your bottle of sake, you might find yourself among an inebriated group of Korean vocalists (a popular crowd), singing for your drinks.

3. BARCELONA
209 E. Sixth St., 236-0900
Some of you rump-shaking, light beer-drinking, sideways hat-wearing hip-hop dancers out there might consider this underground pad to be your own, but nothing gives us T-shirt-wearing frat boys more pleasure than rubbing elbows (nay, beer bellies) with Austin's hottest bodies in a new-age club like this one. Your drinks certainly cost more than they would at a place where a 6-foot bottle of Jack Daniel's is considered artwork, but the see-through sinks are well worth the price.

4. BAYOU LOUNGE
500 E. Sixth St., 499-0863
Open Thursday through Saturday, Bayou brings an African American flavor to Sixth Street three nights out of the week. The steamy bar often has five or more DJs on site, which can lead only to nightclub excellence. But when you're dancing amid masses of people who have far better moves than you could ever dream of, you suddenly realize how uncool you really are. Drink all you want — you'll never move like that.

5. THE BEST WURST
Sixth Street and San Jacinto Boulevard, thebestwurst@yahoo.com
OK, so this sausage vendor doesn't sell Budweiser. But it does sell the best late-night munchies on Sixth Street. When last call is history and the bouncers have shoved you out the door, the mouth-watering aroma acts as both appetite enhancer and a beacon for an after-after-party. The line stretches all the way to New York, the source of inspiration for this business, but many stand in line for the simple pleasure of an intoxicated parley.

6. BLIND PIG
317 E. Sixth St., 472-0809
Even if you've had a few at the Blind Pig, it's easy to find your way to one of four bar areas, all of which are in close proximity to one of three music stages. Start off with an Irish Carbomb on the first-floor bar while Joe Vega plays behind you. Move on to the outdoor patio area and order a quick shot before climbing up to the rooftop level, where you can relax and enjoy your blurred view of Sixth Street, downtown and beyond.

7. BONE DADDY'S
11617 Research Blvd., 346-3025
Think of it as a Hooter's restaurant with more class and better food — the half-pound cheeseburger is worth the drive by itself. The beautiful waitresses, wearing skimpy white tops and tight cutoffs, are quick to flirt, which makes ordering a thick mug of brew and a quick shot of whiskey all the more enjoyable. Sections can be reserved for bachelor parties, divorce parties or any other parties for large groups of men who want to feel like big shots with nothing to lose.

8. BOURBON ROCKS
508 E. Sixth St., 236-1707
The main attraction in this rock 'n' roll warehouse is the stage that regularly features a cover band playing anything from AC/DC to Zeppelin. And just as the band onstage performs renditions from a classic era, Bourbon Rocks re-creates Austin's version of a classic New Orleans dive. After spending time cramped in Sixth Street's narrow bars, it's comforting to find a joint with room to dance, room to order drinks (albeit expensive drinks) and room to behave like a wild tourist on Bourbon Street.

9. BUFFALO BILLIARDS
201 E. Sixth St., 479-7665
When you feel the need to flex your muscles at a pool table, foosball table, dartboard or shuffleboard, Buffalo Billiards is where it's at. Your competitive nature will strike you like a cue ball upon entering the 22,000-square-foot double-decker. If you're the type of person who normally stays away from such barroom scrimmages, find a partner on the Orbit Lounge dance floor or order something at the Lodge and take it outside to the New Orleans-style balcony.

10. CAIN & ABEL'S BAR & GRILL
2313 Rio Grande St., 476-3201
It's easy to tell when it's a Tuesday at this West Campus joint. On a regular night, you can find an empty table and have a conversation without having to yell. On a Tuesday night — thanks to the dollar-beer special — Cain & Abel's is one of the most popular places in Austin, even during summer. With half the University of Texas blowing off steam, the place can get pretty wild. Just don't wear maroon.

11. CARLOS'N CHARLIE'S
5973 Hiline Road, 266-1683
If Sixth Street is the playground for college students and twentysomethings, then this lakeside escape is the ideal stomping grounds for middle-age tomcats and frisky soccer moms. Affordable restaurant and music venue aside, Carlos'N Charlie's has more than a gorgeous view of Lake Travis at sunset. It has that Jimmy Buffett philosophy rarely seen so far from salt water: no shirt, no shoes, no problem. Have a couple margaritas on the Tadpole patio. You'll see.

12. CHEERS SHOT BAR
416 E. Sixth St., 499-0093
Needless to say, this is not the ideal place to order a beer. Although Cheers has the basic selections available for a reasonable price, it is far more satisfying to order a specialty shot ($2.75) such as the Jolly Rancher, the Woo Woo or the Panty Dropper. Although the front entrance gets clogged with people waiting on their Woo Woos, you can bypass the crowd quickly by taking the stairs and crossing the second level to a less-crowded area.

13. CHUGGIN' MONKEY
219 E. Sixth St., 476-5015
Not even a fire earlier this year could extinguish the spirit of the Chuggin' Monkey; it's simply too wet. This boozy, multilevel jungle gym hosts some of the screwiest shenanigans on Sixth Street, such as a short-shorts social, a white-trash bash and an old-school hip-hop party. The DJ plays loud, chaotic music for those swinging on the chimp-size stage/dance floor while their chummy bar staff serves cocktails strong enough to make a gorilla swagger.

14. THE CO-OP BAR
400 E. Sixth St., 494-0639
Sometimes you can't see what makes a bar special until you close your eyes and hear the difference in its sound system. Perhaps trying to compensate for its lack of theme, the Co-Op blares music so loudly that its management probably receives regular complaints from the senior citizen community in Georgetown. Don't come here expecting to buy textbooks and orange sweaters. Instead, expect to scream for your sugary $1 well drinks — the nightly special.

15. COYOTE UGLY SALOON
501 E. Sixth St., 236-8459
Known for its dominatrix bartenders and ugly attitude toward water (it costs $5), Coyote Ugly is an absolute junkyard of bawdy entertainment. On any given night, the waitstaff might give you: A) a body shot so acrobatic it could be called sex, B) a spanking with your own belt, C) a shot of whiskey from one of their boots or D) all of the above. Side note: The bar is used as a dance floor more often than as a place to set your beer.

16. DARWIN'S PUB
223 E. Sixth St., 474-7399
I couldn't figure out the theme here — or the significance of the name — until I stopped looking at the bicycles hanging from the ceiling and started examining the crowd. They weren't old, just mature enough to understand that pirate themes, sugary drink specials and discordant music don't necessarily denote a first-class atmosphere. Sitting at the bar, square in the center of the place, I watched with envy as these delicate few — these survivors of the fittest — got systematically saturated.

17. DILLINGERS
127 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos, (512) 392-1111
If you're a sly pool shark looking to check out the hotties at Texas State University, dive into Dillingers pool hall and pick your game with a San Marcos local. Its well-lit back room fits 10 tables (charged by the hour) with enough space to make those extra-hard shots without poking your neighbor. Located on the downtown square, the building also is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. But don't worry: The beer is fresh, cheap and ice-cold.

18. DIRTY DOG PUB
505 E. Sixth St., 236-9800
This place has a tendency to attract trouble, yet I can't see why. The bartenders, with their sprightly mohawks and colorful neck tattoos, the 'Dirty Photo Booth,' the padded arm-wrestling table and the general attitude toward extreme sports that teeters between obsession and morbid complex — it all seems perfectly innocent. Yet, for some reason or another, cops are regular fixtures here, along with the pool tables and monuments dedicated to Absolut vodka.

19. THE DIZZY ROOSTER
306 E. Sixth St., 236-1667
From the same drunken animal lovers who brought you that silly Chuggin' Monkey comes an affordable college bar where it's OK — nay, encouraged — to act a little cocky, especially while strutting up and down the bar like a runway model. (No wonder it was the favorite hangout of the 'Real World: Austin' cast.) Like its sister bar, the Rooster displays party pics from its dizziest nights on its Web site (www.dizzyrooster.com). Clearly a bar that takes pride in its rowdy patrons.

20. DOC'S MOTORWORKS BAR & GRILL
1123 S. Congress Ave., 448-9181
It's the perfect party place if you're in the mood for 'Keepin' it Weird.' Located in the corporate-free area on South Congress Avenue, this garage-turned-restaurant/bar has plenty of colorful outdoor seating, 31 types of beer and an eclectic, Tex-Mex-influenced pub-grub menu. The shuffleboard, pool table and flat screens suggest a standard sports bar, but the jukebox, washer-pitch tournaments and hubcaps on the walls affirm that this peculiar pub is anything but traditional.

21. THE DRINK
325 E. Sixth St., 236-0050
Some bars post pictures of their wildest parties online. The Drink posts movies (www.thedrinkonsixth.com). Consequently, clients tend to act like they're on a 'Girls Gone Wild' video. The end product is intended for mature audiences only. But judging from the action on the dance floor and the fact that Johnny Knoxville drinks here, it's obvious that acting mature is the last thing on anyone's mind. (Perfect.) No wonder this is the downtown Austin hangout for San Marcos students.

22. EXODUS
304 E. Sixth St., 477-7523
Perhaps because it doesn't discriminate against 18-year-olds, because its high-tech lighting and sound system explodes on every level of the 20,000-square-foot establishment or because its nightly drink specials are considerably low for a dance club, Exodus moves with propulsive expression and sexual vigor. Whether you shake your junk on the dance floor, on the catwalk or while ordering refreshments, you can't help but feel sorry for those poor saps sitting at the tables who don't know what they're missing.

23. FOX AND HOUND SMOKEHOUSE & TAVERN
401 Guadalupe St., 494-1200
If sports bars had muscle, Fox and Hound would be the heavyweight champion. Forty-five TVs are scattered throughout this triple-story stronghold, capturing more than six channels of blood, sweat and tears. I have seen some of the most gruesome rivalries form between tables supporting different teams. As a result, chairs were thrown, bottles broken and curses exchanged over a mere call. Then again, it was a pretty intense golf game.

24. FUEL
607 Trinity St., 472-8557
NASCAR memorabilia and bottles of cheap whiskey aren't the only things that line the galvanized steel walls of this loud and heavy bar. Frequently decorated by Miller Lite promoters, drunken sorority girls and the type of guys who are into this kind of scene, Fuel is an explosive, two-story powerhouse of dance, debauchery and hard-core DJs. You can find this caged animal by following the trail of broken heels, torn shirts and noxious fumes of hard liquor.

25. GLASS
422 Congress Ave., 391-0500
Glass is either a club pretending to be a bar or a bar pretending to be a club. A swanky, one-word name that has nothing to do with its theme, orange panel lighting, dark privacy booths and a strict rule against wearing hats all suggest a certain snootiness that might repel your typical party animal. But throw in a live DJ along with a drink special or two and watch as the shot glasses are drained and the yuppies give in to their many vices.

26. HOLE IN THE WALL
2538 Guadalupe St., 477-4747
A famous shot called 'The Vernon' originated at this antique dive. Don't ask what's in it, don't watch the bartender make it and, most important, don't hesitate too long before drinking it — the Vernon has a tendency to congeal. All curdling aside, Hole in the Wall is an historic Drag institution established in 1974 that acts as both a nightly music venue and a sizeable dive bar where nearby students escape from class and the West Campus frat scene.

27. J'S BISTRO AND PIANO BAR
202 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos, (512) 392-3031
If Austin students have the Elephant Room, Pete's Dueling Piano Bar and Texas Showdown Saloon, then the kids in San Marcos have a combination of the three. Located in a remote corner on the San Marcos Square, J's Bistro is a dimly lit basement with a full bar, billiards, dart board, an impressive kitchen menu (don't leave without burning your mouth on the jalapeño chicken tender basket) and a regular piano band covering anything from 'Margaritaville' to 'Wonderwall.'

28. THE JACKALOPE
404 E. Sixth St., 472-3663
This is the dive bar where grungy coffeehouse types find themselves upon realizing that Flipnotics doesn't sell White Russians. Crimson drapes hang over the leather booths, nude paintings decorate the brick walls and a rotund bar sits in the middle, dividing the caffeinated inferno into two different personalities. The lively scarlet lounge with red pool tables, TVs and well-lit booths juxtaposed with the black, secluded area on the other side combined suggest a gothic relationship similar to that of Jekyll and Hyde.

29. LA BARE
110 E. Riverside Drive, 586-2273
This first-class male revue club is for ladies only, but if you're a male dancer with an elaborate wardrobe, zero flab and an avid enthusiasm for bachelorette parties, Austin's La Bare just might find a place for you. The club has been a Texas tradition for more than 30 years, specializing in birthdays, corporate events and strip-a-grams where the performers make house calls dressed as cowboys, firefighters or cops. Oh, and ladies can bring their own booze.

30. LAVACA STREET BAR
405 Lavaca St., 469-0106
It's probably the most regular bar in the Warehouse District: moderate size, moderate prices; not even the name leaves any room for the imagination. Yet, despite Lavaca's just-another-bar syndrome, it keeps the house packed with its drink specials — especially on Tuesday nights, when Tecate only costs a buck. Throw in free pizza and lasagna on Fridays along with a few shuffleboard tournaments, and you have yourself a magnet for college students looking to pre-party before Sixth Street.

31. THE LIBRARY
407 E. Sixth St., 236-0662
Practically an architectural mirror image of its next-door neighbor, Aquarium, this double-decker pandemonium has the most misleading name on Sixth. Even if you're the valedictorian, there's no way you could get any studying done at the Library. That is, unless you're studying for Partying 101. When Professor Budweiser writes your textbook and Mr. Jack Daniel's is your tutor, the real exam takes place the morning after, when the hangover serves as a motivational tool to pass your classes.

32. LOGAN'S
200 E. Sixth St., 236-0300
Partying here is like partying in your granddad's private study: dim lighting, old books and 32-ounce mugs big enough to make you feel like a little kid again. Yet despite the bar's aesthetic sophistication, the regular crowd at Logan's consists of frat boys and . . . well, more frat boys. Thanks to the bar's layout, entire pledge classes can have both privacy and access to the centrally located bar. On weekends, the back room is opened, which allows for as many as 350 mug-chugging lugheads.

33. LUCKY LOUNGE
209 W. Fifth St., 479-7700
You're always kissing something at Lucky Lounge: your significant other, a random stranger or the rim of your drink. The designer for this aggressive singles pad must have been inspired by Austin Powers. A neon-blue bar glows in the center of the room filled with modern decor from the 1960s while local favorites such as BoomBox and the Everyday People flavor the stage. Mingle with the slow-moving crowd or perch yourself at the raised back bar, and you might get lucky.

34. MAGGIE MAE'S
323 E. Sixth St., 478-8541
Some might make a beeline to this bar with the intent of seeing a headliner musician; others might have the intent of seeing double. Because of its five bars — one long, narrow pub with a fiery attitude downstairs, two near the downstairs stage and two on the vast rooftop patio with a breathtaking view of downtown — I consider myself the in the latter category. An added bonus: the rooftop screen that projects the band playing downstairs.

35. MIDNIGHT RODEO
2201 E. Ben White Blvd., 443-2623
At this cowboy hullabaloo, you can buy mini-pitchers of beer for a buck-fifty, partake in a time-honored line dance known as the 'electric slide' or place bets on who will win the wet T-shirt contest at the end of the night. But don't step on anyone's boots while doing so — the fight factor is high, and there are few places to hide in this wide-open dance hall. The best resolution: Tell the angry cowpoke you're related to Pat Green.

36. MOOSEKNUCKLE
406 E. Sixth St.
What's great about Mooseknuckle is the same thing that's great about the Alamo Drafthouses: you can order a beer while watching a movie. Rather than being fixated on sports, this party lodge uses its plasma screens to play such movies as 'Walk the Line' and 'Reservoir Dogs' (subtitles included) while music plays for those more interested in mingling. The elevated bar area, although closed on weeknights, is an ideal place for playing a drinking game to Will Ferrell's 'Old School.'

37. NASTY'S BAR
606 Maiden Lane, 453-4349
Maybe all the good names were taken when proprietor Jack Bloom spawned Nasty's in 1985. Or maybe he just wanted his neighborhood bar to stand out. Appealing name or not, this boozy dive has become more than just a nasty habit for local residents. Its wooden plank floors are weathered from years of hip-hop parties, rockabilly riots and nights when teams of rugby players would exchange old war stories with the man in charge over a few (dozen) pitchers of beer.

38. NEPHEW'S
100 N. Guadalupe St., San Marcos, (512) 558-2337
Last call in San Marcos is usually at midnight, which can be a drag for late-night Austinites. But that shouldn't stop you from taking Interstate 35 south to see why Texas State University is considered one of the best party schools in the country. Nephew's, along with other bars on the San Marcos Square, hosts some of the booziest cowboy hat-wearing students in the Hill Country. Also on the Square: Green Parrot, Rocky LaRue's and Draft Choice.

39. PETE'S DUELING PIANO BAR
421 E. Sixth St. 472-7383
Centered around a stage with two pianos facing each other, Pete's is a place where customers are encouraged to yell out requests — even from the second level — and sing along as some of the most clichéd rock 'n' roll songs are chewed up, gargled and spat out by some of the most unrefined singers ever to grace the 88 keys. Warning: These pianists get their kicks out of embarrassing shy audience members and hitting on your girlfriend. Please, don't feed the musicians.

40. R-BAR
409 E. Sixth St., 343-9600
This is the most flexible bar on Sixth Street. Some nights, it's a hangout for college boys. Other nights it enforces a dress code and gets packed with a multiracial crowd looking to bust a move on the dance floor next door. The basement pub, with its dim lighting and private location, has a secretive underground feel to it. It's a frat bar, a dance club and a speakeasy. Maybe this is why everyone feels comfortable calling it 'Our Bar.'

41. RINGERS SPORTS LOUNGE
415 Colorado St., 495-1558
This upscale sports bar boasts more than just Austin's largest no-limits Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament every week. Whether you're sitting at the long, curvaceous bar, comfortably lounging along the fiery-lit wall in an extended booth large enough to pack a dozen of your fanatical friends or even washing your hands in the restroom, the number of plasma screens ensures that every nanosecond of your televised sporting event will be seen with high-definition intensity.

42. SHAKESPEARE'S PUB
314 E. Sixth St., 472-1666
This is the hole in the wall where students find refuge when the other bars are too packed, too expensive or just too full of themselves to have fun. Shakespeare's has the atmosphere of an old English pub (extensive beer selection, soccer hooligans) with the attitude of a Sixth Street dive (Jägermeister machine, hoochie hooligans). Open windows frame the sidewalk, where suckers scuttle by in search of something louder, forgetting about this highly accessible escape.

43. SKI SHORES WATERFRONT CAFE
2905 Pearce Road, 346-5915
This establishment does not have a full bar — just expensive beer. And it doesn't stay open until 2 a.m. However, if you're in dire need of a quick shot of lakefront atmosphere, Ski Shores is the hot spot for a daytime party. Teetering on the edge of Lake Austin, this 1954 establishment specializes in burgers, pizza and folksy live music with an audience ranging from wet wakeboarders to old sailors. It can be accessed by land or by water, but either way, you're in for a scenic trip.

44. TEXAS SHOWDOWN SALOON
2610 Guadalupe St., 472-2010
There are no drink specials at the Showdown. Just cheap beer, always. Cherished by many University of Texas students (raucous frat boys and reserved art students alike), this West Campus hangout has a cast of regulars with 'Cheers' status, where everyone knows their names. As a reward, they are granted personalized beer steins on hooks behind the bar. These glorified mugs serve as bragging-rights icons more often than as containers for the sweet nectar of the gods.

45. TOUCHÉ
417 E. Sixth St., 472-9841
I arrived at Touché trailing three 'firefighters' brandishing extinguishers. There was no fire, but someone had ordered a pyrotechnical concoction known as the 'Flaming Dr Pepper,' where the bartender spits a ball of fire over everything that goes into the final creation. The bar is quite narrow, so patrons were asked to stand aside. Everyone did as they were told except for Don Juan Antonio, a young bachelorette's unfortunate blowup date for the night.

46. TREASURE ISLAND
413 E. Sixth St., 476-4466
A bar designed to look like half of a pirate ship? A private galley downstairs? Tables made from fake barrels? Argh, matie. Despite walking the plank by employing the cheesiest of cheesy themes, this buccaneer bar hooks patrons with nightly drink specials that even the dingiest squiffy can afford. By the time you've clipped through your third cocktail, you'll understand how hard it is to pull in your anchor and say goodbye to such a sweet trade wind.

47. TROUBADOUR SALOON
503 E. Sixth St., 499-0350
This is the story of Troubadour, the wild rebel child of the Red River district who wanted to get as far away from home as possible. Sadly, though, little Trou never made it past Sixth and Neches streets, where he was visited by emo kids and angry musicians. Despite his rebellious nature, Trou remained true to his Red River upbringing: dark lighting, deafening music and the belief that a $2 Lone Star is a drink special. Consider him the black sheep of downtown.

48. WAREHOUSE SALOON & BILLIARDS
509 E. Ben White Blvd., 443-8799
It's a Thursday night, and what seems like hundreds of motorcycles are parked outside. The biker convention wrapped up weeks ago, but on Thursdays, this South Austin joint gives preferred parking to anyone on two wheels. With 25 pool tables, a karaoke night and a happy hour that lasts as long as an eight-hour workday, this billiards playground isn't just for bikers — although it couldn't hurt to wear leather.

49. THE WATER TANK BAR & GRILL
7309 McNeil Road, 331-9831
Welcome to the Tank. If you're a regular at this neighborhood bar, tucked away in Northwest Austin, then you already know about the highly personable service, the digital downloading jukebox, the weekly Texas Hold 'Em night and the music stage that supports local artists, karaoke and open-mike events. If you're a newcomer, on the other hand, then it's likely that your first drink will be on the house, although I promise you it won't be your last.

50. THE YELLOW ROSE
6528 N. Lamar Blvd., 458-2106
Even if the illicit nature of the strip club doesn't sit well with you, it's hard to imagine someone who couldn't sit well at the Yellow Rose. You might find that Austin's most popular cabaret is well worth the price of parking, cover charge and an average of $4 per drink. It features three stages, a surprisingly tasty food menu, plenty of seats and a few HDTVs. But when women are this sizzling hot, do you really care about what's on TV?