Carousel Lounge

Man, I forgot how amazing this place is!!! Went Friday for a happy hour. No cover, saw two great bands. Bartender (Yvette?) was the sweetest, most welcoming person I've come across in years!!! She was so kind and went above and beyond to make me feel welcome. Beers were ice cold, all the patrons were very friendly and zero pretension to be had! No muddled drinks with exotic herbs and salts, no mustachioed sleeved bartender doing key bumps in the walk in, no bridal parties shrieking Journey and guzzling White Claw. Used to come here all the time when I lived in the hood 25 years ago. Been way too long. I can't recommend this place enough.

2$ happy hour, cool, weird circus themed place, live music! Sign me up, Bar tender was friendly and even drew me a cool little portrait! Officially on my favorites list!

Attentive service, $2 happy hour, live music that isn't too loud, and a fun setting, definitely coming back

It's a set up bar but it's an Austin classic. If you're looking for weird and authentic, look no further.

Bring your own liquor?! Awwwwyea. They'll sell you a setup to accompany any bottle you bring in if you so choose. This place is funky in all the right ways. Come here on the right night and you just might be serenaded by band of masked surf rockers. Cheap beer, quirky staff, timeless decor. Hope this place sticks around another 50 years.

We got to check out the Carousel Lounge this afternoon for a line-up of different local bands raising money for music lessons for kids in the Foster Care program. Judging by their Facebook page, the Carousel Lounge opens for fundraising events quite frequently on Sundays. I think it's great of them to do that! And thank you to the staff that was working that day.The Carousel Lounge has a very fun and whimsical decor, but nevertheless, it is still just a dive bar. Meaning, no beer on tap, cheap tasting wine, tiny parking lot, and subpar bathrooms (men's is just a long trough and women's had a tiny bit of toilet paper left and no paper towels to dry hands).You can bring your own bottle of alcohol and they will sell you the setup for it (glass with ice and lime and separate small glass of your mixer to add). They do take credit cards. The sound system seemed good on the day we were there. There is no actual platform or stage though, so on a crowded night it may be hard to see the actual band. There are approximately 15 4-person tables but they are a very tight fit (there are also stools around the bar and 5 booths in the bar).And warning, if you have a secret fear of clowns... There are pictures of creepy ones everywhere here! LOL

Unprofessional staff, the venue itself is very dirty. The odor in the building is horrendous. No food, only bottled beer that is incredibly expensive. Would not recommend.

This is quite possibly the greatest bar in Austin for music, people, and ambiance. Fantastic food, service, and general weirdness.

Fun hole-in-the-wall bar. BYOL and they set you up. The bartender was a super sweet woman who told me she's worked there for a long time. They also have a fun, working, free pay phone.

One of my top two or three bars in all of Austin. 'Nuff said.A little slice of the old Austin I once knew.