Canary Roost

A local bar in every sense, Canary Roost sits right on Metric Boulevard and offers a quick, cheap, yet fun experience for those who enter. Parking is very convenient as it’s in a shopping area with ample spots. Once you enter you get a pretty strong dive bar vibe, but the karaoke hitting your ears soothes that. There’s a lot of seating available and the place is frequented by locals who come in groups just to sing their favorite tunes. Karaoke here is very popular so you have to queue up to get a chance, but once you do you can often hear people clapping along and singing with you. The servers are very friendly and the drinks are pretty good. We usually order the Dammit Janet and it’s always been a nice sweet drink for us to enjoy. Besides karaoke there’s also plenty of TVs to show any games as well as pool tables in the back. Pool does cost about a $1.50 per game and they have a cash to quarters machine to help that process. It’s very easy to go in there for a quick drink or two then look at the clock and realize you’ve been there for 5 hours. We would definitely recommend this place to any locals in the area looking for a fun, very laid back place to hang with friends.

Hopping on a Friday night. Karaoke is amazing and bubbles on display. Bartender was a tender cutie with pigtails and very accommodating. Super stoked about the experience. Sweet little gem!

My favorite neighborhood bar! We’ve been going for over a decade. We’ve seen the staff change over time, but Kodiak & Brittney are our faves so incredibly kind and make us feel special! 10/10 we recommend!

It is a upper style dive bar. The chairs are old school, but comfortable. I believe they only served drinks. I loved the nightly karaoke. The KJ & bartender were so nice and they crowd was too. We love whiteclaw & they had a good amount. Will go back!

I love a good hole-in-the-wall bar, and Canary Roost really hits the mark. It’s unpretentious, welcoming, and just has that “local hangout” charm. The drinks were a little watered down, but honestly, I didn’t come here for craft cocktails — I came for the karaoke, and it was so worth it. The karaoke setup is fantastic, with tons of fun props to really get into character, and the crowd’s energy made it even better. Everyone was supportive and just there to have a good time, which made it feel comfortable to jump in and sing no matter your skill level. If you’re looking for a laid-back, budget-friendly place to laugh, sing, and enjoy a night out without taking yourself too seriously, Canary Roost is perfect. I’ll definitely be back for another round of songs and silliness!

Canary is THE karaoke locale - great drinks at a good price, incredible staff, and rotating Karaoke DJs that are always on point. Love coming here whether it’s gameday, a weekday, or for a birthday group. Come on over from the Domain and sing your heart out!!!

Unsafe. Exclusionary. Racially hostile. After closing my tab, Sasha (the bartender, who was professional and blameless) gave me a to-go water. The moment I stepped outside, two white men with no connection to the bar cornered me, claiming I couldn’t take it and even misusing Sasha’s name. Inside, the accuser hid while his friend shielded him, changed names when pressed, and even tried to pivot the situation into me buying him a drink. The crowd — overwhelmingly white — circled up, treating me as the problem. The racial dynamic was obvious. Two Black women saw everything. They stayed silent, understandably, but one gave me the unmistakable nod of recognition when I called out the “white power” atmosphere as I left. And the “law” excuse? False. I went to another Austin bar immediately after and was handed a to-go water with no issue. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission confirms: there is no law against this (TABC FAQ). As an Indian professional helping fuel Austin’s tech growth, it’s telling that even people building this city are treated as outsiders here. I chose restraint instead of escalation because I have more to lose than they do — but no one should have to make that choice just to leave a bar with water. Bottom line: Sasha did her job. But the culture around her is unsafe, biased, and unworthy of Austin.

I pretty much love the Wednesday night karaoke here. The bartender Flor is amazingly sweet and the KJ Brigette is a born entertainer. The happy hour drink special is $5 any whiskey drink until 11 👀 I will say the vibes are very much hit or miss. Sometimes, the crowd is into the karaoke and people are mingling and dancing in front of the singer. And those nights are the ones you forget because you drank a bit too much. But the ones when people are disinterested, standoff-ish and boring make you want to leave unless you're a karaoke fanatic. It feels a bit depressing in there on those nights. It feels like a dive with its eclectic decor and a bit dingy because of the lighting but it's got some real character to it. They do let you bring in food so that's a big plus. The regulars are a friendly bunch.

My husband and our friends went to the Canary Roost on Halloween. It was our first time going, but our friends had been previously. The Karaoke host was fun, and drinks were good. However, the speakers were so incredibly loud and poorly calibrated. I understand that not every place with a karaoke option is going to have great speakers, but this was rough and often physically painful to the ear. We will likely go back, but knowing how the sound system works will definitely give me pause.

First time here (on a Sunday) and I had so much fun. I love karaoke. I do not drink alcohol. I hate karaoke rooms. This place filled my karaoke void and also has NON ALCOHOLIC spirits and MOCKTAILS! Yes!!! A place for me to have fun and sip something without feeling the guilt or left out. They had a good selection of songs. The app is easy to use! Myra the bartender informed of the mocktail menu! Kristen the KJ was super nice and has an amazing voice!

I've had a good time here in the past, but having only two bartenders to serve a holiday weekend crowd and having a KJ allowing the same people to sing duets and group songs back to back AND bumping new singers ahead of the rotation just plain sucked. I waited four hours and I didn't even get to sing my second song. Will think twice before returning.

Fun karaoke spot. If you enjoy singing into a mic into the wee hours of the night - this is your jam. Fun people. Solid drinks. 10/10

Best place ever! Great for birthdays and any time! Service was impeccable! Brittany is the bomb!!!! Matt was fantastic and hardworking! Kodiak was very attentive! This is the best place ever in Austin! I visit from Houston and this is the only place I feel super included and comfortable!!! Best place to sing and have a blast!!!

I LOVE this little dive bar. I originally met Britany (?sp) at another bar and was such a fan I started coming here. The service was just so good I keep coming back.

Dj Brigid was awesome. I sang celebration for my friends birthday and the place was very cozy . It was a lot of fun. Then she had me sing happy birthday to my friend. Then she sang love is a battlefield. She has a gorgeous voice. The personality is perfect for Karaoke. I just like the old style books where you used to flip to find the songs. I am very old school.

Love this neighborhood bar with karaoke on some nights. Uber friendly service and crowd, with reasonably priced drinks. Karaoke is a blast with a guaranteed number of fun regulars!

Wow! Just had an amazing time at this bar. We were celebrating my daughters birthday and everyone was so friendly. Not too busy so we were able to get up and sing four times. The karaoke DJ was just the best. This is listed as a dive bar and maybe it qualifies as one, but I've been to divier bars so don't be put off by that description. Drinks were reasonably priced. Bathrooms weren't terrible. Highly recommend. Go and have fun.

Are you looking for the epitome of a dive bar in north Austin? Look no further friends, you have found it at the Canary Roost. I enjoy a good dive bar from time to time, because you get to meet a lot of eclectic characters, and that is certainly the case here. The bartender if very friendly and welcoming to the non-regulars, and they have a very decent selection of craft and local brews on tap, cans, or bottles. I wasn't there in the evening, so I didn't get to experience the karaoke crowd, but was told it was quite the scene for karaoke. They also have a couple of pool tables, and a couple of TVs. I think what really sold me on this place, were the regulars that were in there during my visit. Very friendly, very eclectic, and very funny. It was almost as if I was watching a TV show!

Unprofessional!!! my friend passed away and came to this bar. The owner couldn't get past our differences and had the audacity to not allow me to come say goodbye.

This is a place that's always singing. I don't think there's been any part of the week that people aren't crowded in ready to sing. Great weeekday location, and lots of friendly people. Even had a dude show up on roller skates dancing to those singing.

Visited The Canary Roost last night for the first time to check out the karaoke. There were a lot friendly faces that were probably locals and the vibe was pretty great. The bartender was so sweet and I loved that they had a good IPA in tap (a lot of other options in cans). Karaoke was so much fun and it ended up being one of my favorite experiences making a fool out of myself. If you enjoy karaoke and dive bars, check this place out.

Definitely a little divey but it literally says it in the name. Not dirty divey just not really updated. Staff if really friendly and karaoke was fun the host can really sing too! Definitely a fun place to hang out with friends. They also do a drink of the month and donate money to a good cause!

Hands down my favorite bar in Austin. Why not 5 stars you ask? Well it's kind of hard to give an establishment 5 stars when it's so incredibly divy, you have to search through busted chairs to find one that's level, the drinks are consistently mediocre, and the wait staff are typically a bit surly. Then why do you love this bar so much, you might ask? I love that it's not in a crowded area like the Domain or downtown, karaoke every night, and the regulars definitely serve up a healthy portion of people watching. If you've been, you know what I mean. Despite all the negatives, the positives definitely win out. It's also cool that you can have food delivered inside the bar, and there is always free ample parking.

Maybe I came on a bad night... The husband and I decided to check this place out last night. We live in the neighborhood and were excited to try the neighborhood bar. Unfortunately, that excitement was short lived once we began our order. Popular drinks that I mentioned were unknown to the bartender and she did not look happy to have to take the time to wait on us. There was a look of disdain on her face as we ordered and she made us feel as if we were bothering her. I finally ordered a drink she knew how to make, a vodka martini, dirty. My husband ordered a bottled beer - you cannot go wrong with that. When we got our drinks, I took a sip and was immediately disappointed. The olive juice was rancid! That is the most accurate word I could use to describe this drink - absolutely rancid! Between the unwelcoming customer service and the rancid drink, we will not be returning here.

As far as dive bars go, this one is pretty tops. The drinks are good and plenty of beers on tap. The karaoke is fun to watch. While I haven't karaokeeed myself, I am tempted, because the KJ is great at masking an off key voice...which would be me! It's definitely scary to go up against some of the singers here as most seem like pros. The only downside is that it's not a place you are gonna chat with your friends. All in all, great fun.

Anyone who is expecting a huge karaoke bar on a weekend with every song that's currently on the radio--this place just isn't your place. If you like eclectic, fun, completely unexpected karaoke and great drinks? Cone on in to the roost. I've seen quite a bit of peoples reviews negatively speaking about some of the bartenders or even claims of racism/bigotry. I can't speak so much for the day cried but most certainly the night cried is always warm, welcoming, and ho eat my want anyone new to have a good time. It's a dice karaoke bar with a pool table, jukebox, and Christmas lights. Mayra is the GM and she stays on top of her bar and staff. Flor is amazing as a new bartender. I recommend coming during the week. Tuesdays or Wednesdays are the best nights. Drinks are cheap and like I said before you treat those with respect you get the same. It's like cheers, before you know it "everyone knows your name."

One of the best bars in all of north Austin. Drinks are very well priced, the staff are great, the vibe is legendary. If I lived closer it would be my go to bar.

I came here on a glum Monday night. I wasn't sure what to expect. It had been almost 5 years since I've last been. I had moved further south so it was no longer a stone's throw from me. I figured it would be uninviting, but the adventurer I am, I marched on... and boy was I in for a treat. The place hasn't changed a bit. I even recognized some of the regulars. It was like I traveled to a time before masks (though I strapped two on my face, mind you). Anyways the service is great, and the Mayra will fix you up anything you'd like. It's not the fanciest gem you'll find, but it does have on trick up its sleeve. Remember I said I came on a Monday? Well, this place has Karaoke 7 days a week! Monday is no exception. The people who come here are also warm and inviting. You'll sometimes get random people who have never been there but they tend to be open and talkative. Heck, I even networked here with other professionals from my line of work, which I thought was pretty cool. Everybody has a story, so many walks of life. I saw a review of this place saying it's like Cheers - so spot on. On to my eclectic night, because that's why you're still reading. I came here with the urge to belt out "Rebel Yell" and I'm not the greatest singer but as a musician I can at least ensure I'm somewhat in tune. It just so happened to be New Years for some of my friends in Vietnam so I decided to call them in a video call mid-drunken stupor - after all they agreed to have a toast 10am their time (now that's a friend!) - in the end it was great! Even a few of the people I met at the bar clapped for me and I felt like a boss. My Vietnamese friends enjoyed the show too, there's a small table perfect for setting your phone - I just wish I had recorded it, maybe next time! I love this place!

I love this bar! Excellent bar staff, wonderful karaoke DJs, and fun patrons! If you're looking for a great time with friends (and making new ones!), this is the place to check out! Good prices and good beer/booze selections. I always have a fantastic time when I'm there. It's way more than a dive bar with karaoke, it's a family of fun and friendly regulars.

Great crowd. Very friendly and welcoming. Bartenders were on the ball and serving tasty drinks. Highly recommend coming here even if you don't want to sing karaoke.

You gotta be here to experience the ambiance that is The Canary Roost. I'm told it wasn't always like this. But now it's like ... bare with me folks ... a warm hug from a friend. Legit. Can't recommend it enough. Mayra commands the culture that resonates as immediate as your first step in the door. it sounds ridiculous but man.... unbelievable. Great service, great vibes and a good time whether you're wandering alone or want to show your favorite group how amazing our town can be. You are missing out if you don't make a stop here - at least one time!!!

Austin has such amazing, unique venues! Canary Roost is right up there with the rest of them. You can show up any night of the week and find a ton of regulars belting out contemporary, classic, and obscure hits. I appreciate that the bar often had a food spread. Really let's you know they care about their clientele. They have a lot of unique and tasty cocktails and a large beer selection. This place is quickly becoming one of my regular spots.

Best karaoke bar around! Great staff, great atmosphere, great time overall! I'll be coming back when I'm in town again! Had the best time here!

Great little karaoke spot but unfortunately the most rude and mean bartender I've ever encountered anywhere (the blonde one). Vegas bartenders are nicer... and also 10x as busy. Group of friends and I were there for one's birthday and he's a regular. Once the bar cleared out I went to order my second beer and said "when you have a sec can I please get another Dos Equis?" She responded "I don't have a sec and I'm not going to" . This is when I asked to close out with my one beer and she didn't even acknowledge me just yelled across the bar to another bartender (who was very nice) and told him to close me out. He ended up quickly serving me another beer because it was not at all busy but then we all began to cash out and leave due to her horrible, unprovoked attitude. Won't be back, sadly and have told everyone we know how bizarre that whole experience was. Y'all would sell a lot more drinks and in turn, make a lot more tips if this woman could even just act like she gave a sh**. Unfortunately, she drives a lot of business away though. Lot of others around said "she's always like that." Which sucks because she completely destroys the cool atmosphere there with her terrible energy.

This place is crazy!! Skareoke diverse crowd - regular people of types having fun and forgetting about their problems. Make sure that you say hello to the Admiral. This place is a must!!

Remember the name Mayra. She runs the joint and her imprint is prevalent in this neighborhood karaoke bar. Everyone is super friendly and knows your name (cheers) and the environment is conducive to a great time. Always feel welcome, never feel judged and every once in a while sing a song. The crowd will appreciate it.

The Bartender was rude and there was a weird smell. We came in for karaoke and it smelled bad like throw up. Then the bartender ignored us when we tried to order.

I have held off writing a review in fear people may crowd the place :( Let me paint the picture for you..... You approach the strip store building and see the only lit up sign by this time in the evening. But wait! The windows and door is blocked out and you start wondering if you just may get shanked walking into this building. But alas, you press on because you've heard it's great. Once in you see some shitty TVs and one U shaped bar. The second you get the first smile and "hi!" Though you know you made the right choice. The singers are beyond talented. Tattooed "hooligans" singing Sinatra better than Sinatra and shy folks blasting disturbed. It's truly amazing. The best part? Everyone is nice. AND you get drunk for like $40 lol where does that happen in Austin?!?! Go, just go.

The Canary Roost is an excellent dive bar located in a strip mall with an energetic crowd in the evening. I'd suggest most are here to get their drink on, and there is nothing wrong with that. I walked in alone and walked out knowing the names of three people that I'd never met, sharing multiple shots with a gay man sitting next to me at the bar (he volunteered this information). It's that kind of place, you will find all different types of people, all of whom are friendly and want to have fun. Though I likely won't be in this part of Austin again, I'd definitely recommend The Canary Roost if you are in the area and want to have fun. But don't expect a casual atmosphere in the late evening.

Definitely your local karaoke bar, a few strangers here and there, but an amazing environment with amazing people working there!

Cute local place! Friendly staff and awesome at home feel. Will be coming back to check out the karaoke nights!

I laughed reading some reviews - first of all they do not have unisex bathrooms, there is a men's and women's room. They are not racist, hell the lead karaoke guy is black, and so aren't many patrons. Hate gays? Jesus - I've never seen someone treated poorly being gay, it's gay friendly. Weak drinks? Lol ok let's keep going ... and yes if you are a dick you will be asked to leave (and perhaps never come back) nobody, whether a bartender or customer should put up with your bullshit. I walked in there one night as a complete stranger - Janet was my bartender and greeted me with a smile. Drinks are poured well and priced right. Jewel is a shitty tipper *ducking* and everyone is pleasant. Pool tables, jukebox, karaoke, and a dive bar feel. If that's not your standard, the Domain would be happy to take your money. To each their own. Actually, yea this place sucks lol GO AWAY there is nothing to see here

Cool place to sing. Enjoyed and would definitely return. Not too long of a wait which is good especially if you have a song on your heart to get out.

Such a fun dive bar! We love going here and highly recommend it to people who live in the area!

Great dive bar! Clean, cold beer, golden tee, juke box and the friendliest bar tender! Mayra was awesome. She remembered our names, was engaging and was on the spot when our beers were low. U could tell the regulars loved her, too! There are pool tables and on January 10th they're having a groovy band. Try it!

I live in walking distance and I love kareoke so I thought I'd walk on over and have a fun time. Unfortunately the bartender refused to serve me anything but water, but I happily drank the water anyway and continued the conversation I was having with other patrons there. Nobody was having any issue with my presence there and we were having a delightful conversation until the bartender decided that she didn't like it and told me I had to leave for no reason that I could surmise. I asked her for her name and she refused to tell me her name. If I were rightfully asking someone to leave I'd have no problem telling them my name as I would stand for what I believe is right. She couldn't do that apparently and absolutely refused to even identify herself but insisted that I leave regardless of the fact that I was doing nothing to warrant such an attitude. I was just chatting with people and probably would have spent at least $50 at your establishment and had a great time if not for the snooty bartender. I have no idea why she had such a negative attitude. Maybe she prefers that the establishment stay quiet. No talking allowed. Lame. That's too bad. Hopefully in the future y'all will hire bartenders who decide who not to serve based on actual reason instead of some personal preference having nothing to do with the actual situation at hand.

Started visiting canary on my lunch breaks when working on Metric. I absolutely love this place. Very quiet....Great service. I recently found out about Karaoke night....loved that as well. Cheap beer, nice drinks. Highly Recommended!!!!

Every h time I have been here the staff have great however I do feel they have a rigged Karoake system where the regulars come and chat up the DJ and get bumped up the line. Not worth it.

Dirty, dingy and smelly. The wait for karaoke was 1 1/2 hours at 9 pm. The crowd was very much my junior, but I stayed anyways for a couple songs. No, I repeat, no non-alcohol beer selection. The bartenders wasn't particularly friendly or prompt. I may have tipped. I probably shouldn't have.

This is a dive bar and I'm sure they arent trying to be anything but that. WE came in here on a Saturday afternoon/early night and the place was so quiet felt kinda like a library. However once you went toward the West side of the bar (you could hear the 70s/80s music which I really love that old school rock. This was the plus to the night. We played a few games of pool on the one table that worked, you know how that goes. Every bar has one table that just doenst work and you know odds are it probably never will again. WE ordered one drink each and were out. It was due to the shift change over. one girl was leaving *(the normal one) and the 2nd girl showed up in her pj/s and was cussing out so many people in the bar and cussing whilst retelling a story about how she cussed out someone during a previous encounter there in the bar and how she threatened to fight her etc. OHHH ok. so its that kinda bar. or maybe she was trying to look hard? who knows. Either way I felt uncomfortable because we were obviously not regulars and were never asked if we needed a new drink.. we were out . We went to Specs and got some supplies there and made it a Ghost Adventures kinda night...without being cussed at.

Honestly I recently discovered this place and I've been there 4 times. I love it. There are so many different types of ppl here and everyone is so friendly and cheerful especially when anyone sings. It's awesome. And it's not too crazy crowded but I have made friends every time I have gone. Keep up the good work. I'll def be a new regular.

I always end up having a great time at Canary Roost! Myra, Tia, and April are THE bartenders! The atomsphere is just comfortable-- nobody cares what you are wearing as long as you've come to sing, laugh, and have a good time! Don't walk in with any snooty attititude or the regulars will make fun of you. =) Seriously folks, it's a local non-downtown karoke bar. You wanna get treated crummy and be pushed and shoved for a drink, then go downtown. Since it's located near ACC, there is a great mixture of students and locals. It's bring your own food, which is so awesome that Double Daves is next door! The bathrooms can run out of paper towels, but just give one of the AWESOME bartenders a heads up and they'll take care of it. Love Canary!!

Canary Roost is one of the hidden gems of north Austin. Full of characters, great prices and one of the best Karaoke bars in the city!

I've been a regular at the Roost for several years. There's karaoke every night, and the drinks are cheap. It's true that high tippers (like me) get faster service, and I don't blame the bartenders for it. These girls work hard and they're great to hang out with. I meet the best weirdos Austin has to offer here, and they don't make fun of me when I drink too much or when my singing sounds like mating season at the zoo. It's the best dive in North Austin.

One of the best and fun dives I've been to in Austin, very chill environment and good drink prices.

Avoid this place, the mngr Janet (some of the regulars had a nickname for her but cant remember atm)the rudest person ever.. Not to mention you'll have to wait for your drinks until they feel like it, they'll go right by you and ignore you.

Bar is nice enough. But the karaoke is not organized well. I sang once last night at 9:15 and never again appeared on the list. I was in the line at around 10:30. She said it would be another 38 minutes unless someone else new enters a song. That's not how the rotation should work. Seriously...one song in two hours? That's not fun. It wasn't even that busy. I'm less inclined to go back for karaoke after my experience last night. Water Tank is much better value for the time spent. You get to sing a lot more because the line is organized more efficiently.