Carousel Lounge

Oh man what a wonderful piece of old Austin! Lovely bartender and doorman. Had a lot of fun seeing my friend play here last night. Good prices and an overall fantastic vibe.

Unique vibe. Pretty low key as well as great prices. They also have some unique props. Music is decent as well. Fun Fact: This place has been around for 60 years!

I went here two days in a row because it’s just that great! Fantastic music, super staff , fun!!

Old school vibe dive bar, bartender was wonderful. Only serve beer but they allow you to bring your own liquor bottle! they also have live music!

Vintage, eclectic, weird, simple, home to cheap happy hour prices and live music!

One of the last Bastions of Austin. The owner will not sell out to the corporate bar conglomerates and I am damn glad she won’t! Great happy hour at $2 beers and $3 rest of night. A classic Austin dive bar that was the Austin before Californiacation. Not to be missed!

They don't serve food. This place has been here for 60 years, so it was awesome to be there for the birthday. Slow and soft, but a great place to grab a drink. Sooo historic. I took so many circus pics and the have a working phone booth. One of the last places in Austin with BYOB and set ups.

Circus themed bar with live music and byob, the Carousel Lounge is a sick visit, but not the place to stay all night. The drinks are moderately priced. On a Tuesday night, a Truly hard seltzer was $4. Not terrible, not amazing. Very unique spot though!

I've loved Lucy's since my first trip to Austin with my partner. We recently visited this location (first thing we did when getting into town because duh) and had a great time. Everything on the menu is delicious. The atmosphere is fun, the air conditioning was cold!

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.

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

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

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.

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

As I walked through the doors, excited to join the circus at Carousel, the strong odor of urine hit my nose harder than an elephant trying to snatch a peanut out of my mouth. Woo! And, then I started to take in all of the historic dive bar goodness that Carousel Lounge has to offer - the place has been around for over 50 years by the way! The décor is what the name implies. Circus circus. You're greeted by a huge giraffe, there are murals everywhere (fire eating sex pistol anyone?), a dancing pink elephant, and of course a carousel behind the bar. There is also a bit of OG diner charm with a row of booths that have mini jukeboxes on the wall at each one. I just LOVE picking tunes from my table. Brings back a lot of memories from more simple times. On certain nights, CL has live music (no cover!). Not a bad seat in the house. Even from the far reaches of the bar near the front door you can see the stage. Experienced a great rock-punk chic band the night we went - that gal could really grind that ax! And, as if you need more incentive ladies and gentleman, Carousel is one of those rare Austin gems that still has the BYOBooze advantage - i.e., take a bottle of your choice and they will provide the "set-up" for a small fee (they sell beer and wine). Talk about a fun and cheap date...I'm all in! TIPS: *Don't let the initial smell scare you away. The ladies room was actually tolerable. *BRING CASH - no CCs accepted at this joint. *They have parking out front; even on a Saturday night it was not a problem. *If you CAN'T see the pink elephant, you need to Uber your ass home...just sayin'.

Bars are comin and agoin all the time in Austin. Five pop up a week it seems and many disappear quickly and seem to really have no heart or soul coughRockRosecough. There are probably less than 10 old school, Austin iconic bars still around and most of those are honky tonks. If you want a piece of old school Austin and are lookin for a little something rockier, then I would definitely recommend Carousel. Ages ago, in our salad days, Hubby and I came here often mainly to see Jay Clark. There's just something magical about seeing an old, white blind lounge singer playing keyboards in front of a pink elephant in a dive bar in a shady part of town and all the folks, young and old ballroom dancing in the round. Back then they served their beer with a bottle and a tiny little glass that you could lift your pinky to drink from. I still have one in my glass altar to various bars around town. I was a bit of a sticky fingers back then :) This time around we got the opportunity to visit for my friend's 50th bday party. I am so glad she picked this spot. We hadn't been in 20 years and it felt and looked like it'd been yesterday. We brought our own vodka in and paid $3 for soda or Topo Chico set ups. Super cheap date, and we tipped the hard working bar ladies (one of them in a shoulder sling!) well. The murals are the same, Hank Williams is still presiding over one wall and the pink elephant still dances behind the stage. All so familiar, so comfortable. What really rocked me out of my shoes was the band we saw. Completely unexpected to fall in love so fast. If you get a chance to see Churchwood, do it. They brought their A+++++ game on a Thursday, leaving nothing on the floor but pools of sweat. Blues, horns, a growly singer, and enough get up to make us all get up and dance. And this is what I love from living in Austin. The unexpected bliss you can find around any corner. Sure, the Carousel may be a bit dingy but it has a dingy soul. I guess that makes us kindred.

This was possibly the best discovery on my recent trip to Austin. Carousel lounge is on many lists of great things to do while in Austin and I'm so glad we picked this as the way to close our Saturday night. We walk in really having no idea what to expect around 9-10pm and ended up seeing a great show including the Lewd Dudes performing their spooky Friday the 13th set dressed up in Halloween costumes. The bar serves the coldest canned beer I've ever touched but you can also BYO. We saw several people come in with their own wine bottles. The vibe is pretty fun. Huge pink elephant behind the stage and circus murals everywhere. Loved the music too. Definitely on my list of places to return on my next trip!

My friend's band was playing here and since I have a lot of time on my hands these days, I was finally able to come see him play. The vibe of this place is definitely uniquely Austin, not in the forced Keep Austin Weird sense, but the actual Austin Vibe. The bartender was sweet and informed us that they are no longer cash only and they still do have an ATM on site should you need it. We took a seat at the bar and they do have a decent beer selection and had some good tall boy specials going on. The patrons were friendly and they had a few tables and chairs outside. Grab a booth or a table closer to the "stage" area and enjoy the show. This is a fun place that I hope doesn't disappear.

While I appreciate a bar with no cover charge putting on live music, this place is not so inviting. The lights are on full blast which just isn't the right atmosphere for a concert. There's also a bunch of tables set up cafeteria-style, which also wasn't my scene. I didn't stay long. I'm supposed to go back next month for another concert, so we'll see if I change my mind!

If you want to know what "Keep Austin Weird" refers to, the Carousel Lounge would be a good place to start. Located slightly east of IH35, this dive bar is the everlasting 1963 pet project of an older Austin couple who just wanted to own a cool place to hang out with friends and dance. The fact that it persists should be a hint that they succeeded. The ironic circus theme is apparent from the street, but you'll be certain you're in the right place when you come face to face with the doe-eyed giraffe sculpture just inside the front door. Everything is vintage here, from the early cafe furniture to the parque dance floor to the sweetheart bartenders. Original personal juke boxes remain perched at each booth across from the bar, and you can scroll through and see songs your parents liked to dance to. A large modern replacement electronic juke box sits nearby, in case there isn't a live band or singer-songwriter playing that night. I walked in recently to a guy playing mournful tunes on a piano, surrounded by tables full of serious, attentive listeners. He was replaced afterward with a rock band that brought in a full house. Drinks (beer, wine, & set-ups only) are cheap, so you can imbibe freely without breaking the bank. There's a liquor store nearby, so you can bring a bottle and purchase set-ups from the bar. Plan on bringing cash or using the ATM next to the bar (which I only noticed on my way out--but now YOU know), because they are that old school--they don't take plastic. If you start seeing a pink elephant in the room, it's not necessarily that you've had too much to drink. It's because there IS a pink elephant in the room, a huge pink 3-D baby elephant, standing just behind the stage. All the walls are painted with circus murals. My friend called it a "weird clown-themed bar," but really I think it's more about the animals and tight-rope walkers. There were a few hipsters hanging out the night I was there, but really it's a mixed crowd and a pleasant place to hang out and get in touch with the random creativity and neighborliness that used to dominate the Austin scene. Go soon, go often. We need to keep this Austin treasure around for another 50 years.

This is my favorite bar in Austin. It's so genuine and fun. I love the colorful murals covering the exterior and interior of the space, and of course the pink elephant is fantastic. The space is totally non-pretentious and full of cool, earnest people and musicians--and the live music is impressive! The decoration is inspiring and kaleidoscopic; the history of the venue is palpable. The prices are fair, the energy is groovy, and I can't recommend this place enough!!!

Local bands, older crowd, bring your own liquor or buy a beer or glass of wine there. They have inexpensive "set ups" (all the fixings) to make a margarita or lots of other things with the liquor you bring. There's a liquor store next door. Cash only, one drink minimum if you BYO. Happy hour daily until 7pm. There's a real wood dance floor for two stepping. I saw a gospel group and an old time country band there that I would have paid a lot more to see at the Continental Club. Paintings of Hank Williams and clowns on the wall should tell you all you need to know: it's been holding down the fort since 1963.

A real place thst is weird and filled with clown stuff. Untouched and weird with grit The place is poorly maintained which adds to the charm It is rare to find a bar with live music that seems from another time god bless it

Carousel's vibe is likably weird in the north Austin freak dive tradition of Ginny's, Lala's, and (RIP) Poodle Dog. I mean, not everyplace has a giraffe statue immediately inside the door and a giant pink elephant on stage. The concept of this ancient and quintessentially ramshackle place is pretty austere: beer/wine license only, so you can buy bottles and cans (no draught [and Yelp's text editor can do terrible things to itself for thinking that "draught" is not a word]), or you can bring your own liquor and buy ice and mixers from the bar. What this means in practice is that you are now paying cocktail prices plus tip without any of the traditional benefits (convenient facts like the establishment having purchased, received, stocked, and mixed the cocktail ingredients for you) of being in a bar. If you are like me, you will wonder from time to time why you are, in effect, making a donation to the Carousel so that you can consume something that you already paid for. But that's all okay: there are usually free (very loud) bands, the people watching is choice, and the sheer oddness of the place makes you forget about the inadequate parking, barely working heat, or other factors recommending that you just stay home with your purchase from Twin Liquors. Carousel probably wouldn't work for me as a regular, as the novelty would likely wear off and I'd get annoyed that I'm splashing out for such a minimal service concept, but as an occasional getting-out-of-the-house excuse, it provides a fun diversion and a change of scenery at a reasonable cost.

If you're looking for an authentic dive bar and not a bullshit "we're a dive bar" dive bar, then this is your place. A friend and I were in from Louisville and wanted to go somewhere where we'd likely be the only tourist. Our 'Ride Austin' driver recommended this place as it was close to our hotel and it was PERFECT! Trough style urinal? Circus motif? Live punk music? Giant concrete pink elephant? Note: Only serves beer so BYOBourbon.

Yes, I am coming out there with five big stars for the Carousel. I have Andrea C to thank for helping me find a dive bar in Austin that was off the beaten path and was appropriately quirky and fun. This is the type of place I was talking about. First off, we get in the cab and tell him where we are going and he knew exactly where it was and said it was a good bar. He was pretty quirky so I had high hopes. The area was indeed a bit sketch as well, but it just added to my excitement that this was not going to be your run of the mill bar. Note the halfway house across the street as well. We rolled up and went directly into the liquor store next door to get a fifth of Bacardi. As we were walking up to the Carousel I noticed the circus characters on acid painted on the building and got really excited. Walked in the door and BAM we were there at 6pm with exactly 6 regulars and the bartender. Yes, the record skipped and we got the "what the hell are these two doing here?" stare. It's cool, I understand, this is your bar. But I also knew I'd win them all over since I love this type bar. This is a set-up bar, so you buy set ups for your liquor for $2 each. They give you a glass of ice, a little plastic tumbler of your mixer of choice, and a stirrer. And then your favorite bartender - YOU - can make your own drink as strong as you want it. If you don't want to down a fifth of Bacardi, you also have the option to buy beer or wine. Prices were pretty reasonable (Harp $3, Miller Lite 2.75) and nothing was more than $6. We sat at the bar and got set up after set up after set up. A band played early - from 7 to 10 - and another from 10-12 - and both were pretty good. You must look around and enjoy the atmosphere. The handmade carousel behind the bar was both charming and creepy at the same time. The murals on the wall were more of the circus gone crazy on hallucinogen drugs. The pink elephant behind the band playing - well, that is just genius! Bathrooms: if you are sitting at the bar you see a door that says "MEN" and no matter how long you try and figure it out for yourself, you cannot find the "WOMEN" door. The BF went to the men's room and told me it most definitely wasn't back there since the guy's bathroom is just a room with a trough in it and no door on it. Good thing I didn't go investigating back there!! The women's bathroom is behind the stage where the pink elephant is. There are two back there though, so none of that legs crossed why the hell do they only have one women's bathroom stuff you get at other bars. I only found one bad thing about this bar: they close at midnight on Friday and 1AM on Saturday. As the night went on and the Bacardi disappeared we made friends with the bartender and some other patrons standing outside smoking. They gave us dive bar recommendations as well and made the evening more fun. We had our bartender call us a cab and we gave our last two drinks worth of Bacardi to a cool dude at the bar and went out into the night in search of another dive bar hoping it could be half as great as the Carousel.

If PT Barnum and John Waters concepted a dive bar together, it might well be this one. Thanks for the reminder, Steven: I'm not exactly sure how it is that I've managed to write reviews about Austin without penning something on the Carousel: this joint is a memory waiting to happen. When I first moved to town lo these many moons ago, the Carousel was close to close to home, and that's pretty much how it felt: easy + quirky, and not much has changed in the intervening time between. Gaudy circus features, all the way to proprietor Stella, who the last time I was in promenaded in a glittering sequined dress back and forth from the stage. (Update: my understanding is that Stella is no longer with us as of this writing, so too the same fate with the Carousel's octagenarian organist, but still -- ) It's one of a kind, flaws and all: a shiny, neighborhood snow globe that you'll want to shake up, over and over again.

This is one of the few venues in Austin that is open to all musicians. You can see everything from surf, punk, rock 'n' roll, and metal. I think they may even have a folk night. This intimate circus themed bar will make you comfortable, you'll feel like you are in a time warp. Welcome to Austin!

Dropped by the legendary Carousel tonight for a friend's show. We rolled in with a handle of vodka since it's BYOL, bought a couple of setups from Glenda and marvelled at the ridiculous and sublime carousel murals that surrounded us. Scary clowns, ladeez on horseback, a giant elephant. What this place lacks in sound quality for bands (realllly lacks), it makes up for with some seriously kitschy decor. Drop in for a cheap beer and bring some board games. It's perfect for that kind of casual night.

The other reviews are accurate: This place is Austin-weird, in all the best ways, and that's getting harder to find these days! They do have a tiny parking lot in front, but finding street parking was easy, and drink set-ups (rocks glass with ice + small soft drink) costs $3.50. Whether that's a great value or a rip-off depends entirely on your perspective: it's pricey for a soft drink, but way cheaper than buying cocktails in a regular bar! And they DO ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS, now, which is convenient! Bonus points for having a working phone booth inside... so retro! If you get a chance to see Luna Tart perform there, don't miss it! Her quirky ukulele cabaret is not to be missed!

What a creepy place....in a good way if that's possible! lol It is a total dive bar and not one I would go into by myself. But I came down from Houston to see a band called The Kissing Club (Jake Miller who is amazing on guitar btw) and his friend Shawn Fernando (local ATX boy who just sings his soul out for you) play and was so glad I did! We did get the "who are you stare" as we walked in but everyone was pretty nice although not overly friendly. But that's ok we came to see Jake and Shawn not hang out... :) The sound system was pretty good; they were missing some equipment that I guess was supposed to be there but being the great musicians they are the guys still played a brilliant set. There wasn't a cover charge, and the bartender told us it was a one drink minimum; not a problem! We all just drank soda as most of us were driving and they were $3.00. That's a total bargain, even if the soda was flat and weak!! But, it's a bar not a fast food restaurant so I'm not complaining! ;-) All in all it was a great place to see a small, intimate show, and I would go back for sure....just not by myself! lol

This place is a good place to drink beer. The booths are comfy. I'm surprised no one mentioned them. Only real problem with this place is that it closes at 12. I'm reminded of that every time I go because then i have to go somewhere else. If it weren't for that it'd get 5 stars.

This is a unique dive bar, which often has live music. It is small and comfortable. Although It is an older establishment, it is clean. They only accept cash; however, there is an ATM inside for your convenience. The staff are friendly and work as quickly as they can. They only sell beer but you are permitted to bring your own liquor. Parking Is a little difficult/limited but we ended up getting to park right in front if the venue. I would go back and definitely bring visitors to Austin, so they could experience keeping Austin weird.

Now this is yet another reason why I love Austin. I get a call from a friend letting me know that his accountant's son's band is playing at this place. I ask what genre of music they'll be playing and the answer is "indie". Sounds good. He also mentions that they do set-ups here. Now, in my experience, bars that do set-ups tend to have a bit more personality than those that don't. Carousel Lounge is no exception. So I grab a plastic bottle of Soju that I brought back from Korea and head on over to this fine establishment. I learned a few things about this bar. 1. It has a really cool vibe. - There were people of absolutely all types here. The age range was breathtaking. Proving once and for all that everyone can get behind a little indie rock with a creepy circus backdrop. 2. So. Cheap. - Seriously. If you're looking for an inexpensive evening, this is it. Some might say "you get what you pay for", but I'd disagree wholeheartedly. It''s dive-tastic in every way. 3. Setups are great! - I can't say i've had orange juice soju drinks anywhere else in Austin. Perhaps soju importing is a new business worth starting. Bottom line - If you live in Austin, you NEED to check this place out. "Keep Austin Weird" will have new meaning to you afterward.

Main attraction: BYO - Liquor. $2-$3 "set-ups" for your liquor, and $2 domestic beers. Okay, what part that sentence didn't make you say " I'M IN!!???" Carousel has been around so much longer than I've been alive. The circus decor is unlike anything else in town and luckily I don't find it scary, just creepy. I agree that the location is in a slightly seedy part of town. Pre-hipster eastside nightlife. Gentrification has not reached this part of town yet, but I can't say it's bad since we live incredibly close and walk here. I first came here for a friend's birthday gathering. I'm quite certain 85% of the people who came that night were for her. I couldn't possibly imagine how one could begin their birthday celebrations at 5:30PM here and expect to last all night at a BYOL spot. PS - I'm having my next birthday party here. The patrons vary greatly and have the "Keep Austin Weird" vibe going on. Sure, you might occasionally see a cowboy arm in arm with a female escort in an animal print skin tight dress, or someone old enough to be your grandparents on a date. There's also frequently live music, practically every night. It's also one of the few bars that actually has a real life, old school dance floor. If you live in Austin, or have ever lived in Austin, you NEED to check this place out. This is Austin, and this is as real as it gets.

Great place great service at a place made for a great time. Make no mistake - if you walk into this establishment and think it's a dump - leave immediately and go to any nearby national chain like an Appleby's and drink your Miller Lite in peace. If you think it's cool - your absolutely right. Sit back and enjoy the show. Drink an extra one for me please....

Old Austin Dive Bar. A lot of things are broken. Has a ton of charm. We came here to see a friend's band and we arrived early to hear some of the other acts. We heard a folk/country band with a stand up bass. A punk band with a ton of energy. And a band that I could only say bordered on a Satanic Death Metal band. The bartender was sweet. The crowd was interesting. The best part about it? This seems like a normal night at the Carousel Lounge.

I don't know if this place deserves stars exactly... I wish I could just do a description because I can't really rank Carousel Lounge against any other bars I've ever been to. The decor was weird, really weird. The location is a neighborhood where I wouldn't particularly want to live. Some unsavory characters yelled at me when I was trying to find a parking spot. (I later found realized they were offering to "protect" my car). This bar is not set up well for live bands because women had to walk through the band in order to get to the ladies' room, and speakers sat precariously on some wobbly looking tables. Notwithstanding those factors, I had a pretty good time here! I heard Quiet, Lovely and Death and Texas (both bands of Waco origin) for free on a Saturday night. The patrons, who represented a variety of demographics, were friendly. The bartenders, who were also friendly, gave me beer in exchange for money. The bathroom smelled bleachy, but I'm counting that as a positive thing in this case. I won't be coming here to hang out or dance to the jukebox music, but if a decent band were playing, I'd check it out.

Hit or miss as far as the music here. Can get crowded....bathroom could use a facelift. Bottled beer or bring your own liquor....the liquor mixers are flat and overpriced. Te interior decor is pretty cool....it's carousel oriented. Worth a visit.

This. Is. It. The only real f*cking neighborhood bar in north Austin. The kind of place where the bartenders will front you a couple of beers if they know you've been laid off. The kind of place where I've witnessed women in their 70s tipping the band with homemade pies. The kind of place where film crews hang out after work down the street at Austin Studios. The kind of place where I can pound beers with old friends, hang out with a book, watch a game if I feel up to it, or tear up the dance floor...all the while Austin's greatest musicians who are still honing their craft and having fun doing it. It's basically the only bar I go to. I've been going for over 10 years but I'm still about half the age of most of the regulars.

A lot of reviewers were saying this place had a creepy circus vibe, which is understandable, as circuses are intrinsically creepy. However, I did not find this place creepy, per se, at least not in a creepy circus kind of way. Admittedly, there was carnival crap painted all over the walls, and a rather large plastic wall elephant at the back of the hall. But what struck me the most was the fact that this place looks like the rec hall at the old folks home, with about 100 bucks worth of crepe paper ornamentia from Party Barn thrown up all over the inside. Plus circus stuff. Inexplicable really. Got to hear a pretty cool band, for no cover. Beers were less than $3 for bottles, and they let you bring in your own liquor, which I did not take advantage of. I looked around at the I dunno, 30 people in there on a Sat. night, and wondered how this place stays in business. Maybe it's a tax writeoff. I guess I would probably give this place 3.5 stars, because I ended up having a pretty good time really. But would I go back? Hmm... That's the real question. I guess if I'm ever in the area, and need to use the john, maybe... But would I ever be in that area again, by choice? Unlikely.

Amazing place to play. Amazing, divey spot to drink with a gigantic pink elephant. Amazing management. Did I mention this bar is amazing?

The Carousel Lounge is a place I feel very qualified to weigh in on. I've been a regular there since the mid-90's and have seen it go from "Swingers" era dance spot to Honky Tonk Hideaway to it's present mash up of wide ranging musical styles. Although the music scenes have come and gone the Carousel has not changed one bit and that's perfect. My favorite reason for loving the Carousel is because it's a set up bar which means you are welcome to bring in your own bottle of liquor and buy set-ups from the bar for your mixers. Austin, there is nothing cooler than that. For the price of 3 cocktails anywhere else you can mosey over to Chris' Liquor and get a fifth of whatever and be set for the night for a party of four. On top of that the music is usually free, lately it leans more indie and experimental and a lot of good bands still play there. The Mad Cowboys have a regular Friday happy hour that's been very popular for over 10 years, the Greatest American Heroes play instrumental TV themes all night on the last Friday of the month, not to mention the Coffee Seargents, Lil' Cap'n Travis and a lot more. Also, for you musicians out there who want a gig the Carousel is a place where you can get in more easily than most and they have a house PA to make it that much easier. The regulars are friendly, the bartenders really kick ass, and the vibe is a cool mix of chilled yet surreal. So, if you want an alternative to Happy Hour at Baby A's come on down to to the Carousel and get your drink on with me!

Bizarro circus murals and mini-carousel? Count me in. Its weird, for sure - so it passes THAT Austin test. It gets all the bands I love and can't get a decent gig anywhere else in Austin (I'm a sucker for New Orleans folksy-rock-punk-jazz, is no one else?). Sweet trait: Bring Your Own Liquor? They have beer in bottles, but people brought their own booze and got the mixings from the bartender (Shaz S. says its called a "set up bar." Sadly, I've never heard of that. BUT, as I've said in many-a-review before, I'm a beer girl). It has a chill vibe, a friendly crowd, and its cheap! CASH ONLY. ATM on site, though. Its hard to get to if you're coming from the South on North-bound 35. That whole area is poorly planned. I work at the Children's hospital, so I know my way around that area. Figured I'd share the knowledge: -Take the top deck. -Exit 51st St. -Immediately go over to the right lane and turn right at Mueller Blvd (before the Home Depot). -Turn left at the first intersection (soon to be light but currently has stop signs - there should be a Starbucks to your right). -Turn left onto 51st St. -Turn right at Cameron Rd. -Turn right at 52nd. You can't miss it. Its on the left and the name is painted in large lettering on the building. (If you're coming from the north headed south its easier. Just exit 51st, do all the turns to head north on the access road, and turn right onto 52nd.)

When it came time to divvy up my folks' genes, I was given all the science/math nerd DNA from my mom, while my little sis got tons of art and music talent from my dad's side. I am not bitter, no not at all. She now sings in a do-wop band*, and the S family reunion in Austin this weekend happily coincided with a gig at the Carousel Lounge, which is a very, very strange place, especially for parents. The bar occupies what I imagine to be an abandoned Knights of Columbus Hall that sits on a deserted corner next to the interstate. Both the interior and exterior have been covered in circus- and carousel-themed murals, so if you find clowns, etc creepy or scary, you'd do best to do your drinking elsewhere. These are nightmare-grade, horror movie-appropriate clowns, and they're everywhere. And speaking of drinking, this bar is BYO booze. I'll give you a moment for that to sink in. Apparently the "set-up" bar, in which the bar doesn't sell liquor but charges you for ice, glasses, and mixers, is somewhat common in TX, but I was unfamiliar. Fortunately, Carousel Lounge is flanked on one side by a liquor store. Unfortunately, it closed at 9, so I sadly didn't get the full set-up experience. Next time, for sure. Other Carousel features include individual jukeboxes in the front booths, a pinball machine, a walk-in telephone booth, and an almost life-sized plastic pink elephant that watches you from the back. There were also a couple of children running around. I can't decide if Carousel Lounge is ridiculously awesome or just plain ridiculous, and that confusion...well, that seems just about right. *She is too good for this band. If any of you are a producer looking to sign a super cute and talented white soul singer, PM me.

Carousel Lounge is the ultimate dive bar! Walking in the door is more like entering portal to a WEIRD WEIRD alternate universe. The place is decked out in timeless circus themed decor and pink elephants! Snuggle up with your sweetie in one of the little red booths, or enjoy some music with your friends in a table closer to the stage. The Carousel is a "set-up" bar, so you can bring your own liquor and they will sell you the mixer & ice. The staff is friendly and waiting to welcome you to the party. I love this place!

I know! I know! What's not to love?!? That's what I was thinking. Then, I recently had the opportunity to see this Carousel Lounge of which everyone speaks. I guess I just don't get it. I don't get the location and the decor and the weird band playing and ... it just ended up feeling kind of sad to me. The whole place needs a fresh coat of paint and a phone in the phone booth and... *shakes head* I just don't get it.

Carousel Lounge is always celebrated as a great Austin dive bar. I agree that the location itself is just that. It is located in a slightly seedy part of town. The circus decor is unlike anything else in town. The bartender and the regulars are great. The drinks are easy and cheap. It is a perfect place to come and relax with friends. As a music site, though, the place is just a little too casual. Their website lists shows as starting at either 7 or 9. I guess those are just suggested starting times. I went to a show there that was supposed to feature two bands starting at 9. Instead, it was four bands starting at 10. The band I wanted to see didn't even go on until after midnight. Normally, that is understandable in the music world, but when there was a long lull in the music, the band members were all just sitting around drinking beers instead of getting ready to play. To me, that is a little frustrating. Especially since it has happened on previous occasions as well Once the music started, it sounded great and it was worth the wait. I just wish I didn't have to wait as much. Of course, as a free show, I certainly got my money's worth.

Cash beer bar, setups for bring-your-own boozers, old time circus motif and the craziest mash-up of live acts. What could be better? This place is raw, dirty and draws a mixed crowd--some rough, some trendy. The bands aren't always good and often mismatched, but I always have a great time. The atmosphere just works on so many levels. The crowd often changes with each act. Fans file in to watch their pick, changing the mood with their presence, matching the band's flavor. As the next band carries in their equipment and their fans shuffle in, the atmosphere begins to shift again. Those who stay behind can get swept up the transition, picking up the crowd's vibe. That's why I love this place.

Yeah... I was aprehensive at first, but I'm pretty sure I like this place. Alex M. said they have pinball, so I needed to check the place out. A Thursday night visit had some funky (local?) bands playing. The first act was a guy on guitar and a woman playing drums. Odd sounding and not quite my thing... So I worked my way over to the Pinball machine to get settled in. Pinball at this location (updated 10/27/07): - No Good Gofers (Williams 1997) http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4338 Machine plays well. During my pinball games, the bands switched and a group called Attic Ted came on - Extremely weird stuff - just up my alley! Woman on Cello + guy at Hammond Organ + guy with effects boxes + Crazy Masks (think - dia de los muertos) + blind guy dancing like no one's watching = Excellent Fun! More visits are in order.

This Bar is awesome. Where else can you go and drop your bottle of Makers on the bar and drink till you hearts content. If you like dive bars then the Carousel is worth a visit. All domestic beers are $2.00 till 7. They open at 2:30 for those of you who like to get an early start.

King of Austin dive bars. Speaking as a musician, the venue's vibe is top notch. Rough that you've gotta bring your own crowd (it certainly isn't a late-night hotspot), but you also get to bring your own liquor. I dig it.

I can say I have only been once, but those before me inspired me to write a review. I went to see a rockabilly band, whose name I can't recall, a billion years ago. It was completely seedy and with sterile, hospital floors, and I had the best time. If you take the pretension from a bar, you take the pretension from the people. All that leaves is a medium for a good time. The beers were cheap, and I danced all night with people I didn't know and would never meet again. At least give it a one-shot deal. You only live once; mark it off the list.