Flamingo Cantina

Flamingo Cantina is a magical venue in Austin, Texas! One of very few venues that still feel like the original Austin Music community vibes. The best Reggae & Hip Hop shows in downtown Austin take place here. Get out to a show & support the historic Good Vibes Club.

Drink prices are fair $10-$16 a drink. Super chill vibes, think Boho.

Flamingo Cantina is a great venue to see some amazing bands perform! Saw Etana here for the second time and it was just as amazing as the first time! Fun, friendly people and a great atmosphere!

The place is right next to the SXSW festival main venues around Austin convention center. So... everyone is around here in March and they have 3+ gigs each day during spring break, all with the good selection of South by Southwest. Underground-ish place of east 6th street (dirty six).

Really chill music venue right on 6th street. Plenty of space to sit, stand, or dance. The upstairs viewing patio was also super rad. Amazing show put on by Los Skarnales from Houston.

The Flamingo Cantina show was an unforgettable experience! The energy was through the roof, and the reggae vibes were in full effect. From start to finish, the performance was a showcase of talented musicians and captivating vocals. The venue was the perfect setting for a night of lively reggae music, with a cozy and intimate atmosphere that allowed the audience to fully immerse themselves in the sound. I highly recommend checking out a show at the Flamingo Cantina for anyone looking for an electrifying evening of reggae music. 🎶🔥 #kmiloDrumSenpai #dubtrine

Awesome Reggae club. If u want awesomeness inayabones then go here The best artist perform here. Mykal Rose played with Jah 9 the true Queen of Sheba, Richie Spice and many more. Excellent sound quality for about two thousand square feet is the entirety of the Cantina. Cbd friendly. Smoking in loft. These artists pack stadiums in Europe!!!!! Too Blessed to have them as guests although there shoulda been a coronation.

Small nice venue for any band! I had so much fun! There's No food.

Amazing show!! La Santa Cecilia was so amazing !!! I've loved this venue for many years and was one of the first spots I ever came out to when I first moved to Austin. Awesome reggae shows , chill ambiance and staff. You're sure to find free spirits and great music as well as cheap strong drinks!

Would the last and best O.G. clubs on dirty 6th. Great reggae music, friendly bartenders and staff and a nice vibe always. The cocktails are cheap and good for the price averaging at $6-$7 each. There is an upstairs patio that's open to the sky and is great with another but upstairs as well. Come out for a good show in which they have one almost every night. Don't skip on this place if you're in the area!

Heard a couple of awesome bands here while visiting Austin. One of the band was 9-piece and super loud for that small space. Other than that all great though... bands excellent, drinks good too, rooftop patio overlooking the stage is a plus. 6th street is crazy. Flamingo has an entryway, meaning the music and fun can't be heard or seen from the street like other clubs. Too bad, because there was room for a much bigger crowd.

Live music/band, small intimate setting, and roof top area with an industrial fan that saved my life lol

I came here a few weeks ago for a small concert. The featured music artist was Dee 1. Check him out!! This place is right off 6th Street close to all the other bars and establishments. Anyway, the staff were friendly. The place looks to be a bit dated and, a hole in the wall, but I wasn't bothered. The bar had some specialty drinks. Prices were very reasonable.

Purchased tix for a comedy show. nobody showed up to the comedy show and it never happened. I spoke to the manager about a refund and he claimed he was sending it to me on cash app but they never happened. all of the reviews talk about a Jamaican vibe - the dj was awful! we waited about 30-45 minutes and there was not a single reggae song played during that time. definitely not what I was expecting and would never go back.

Phenomenal music!! It wasn't busy at all on Wednesday night when they have a live band playing. During breaks the dj played a great set too. Lots of seating and a good dance floor right in front of the stage. Bouncer is super chill and patrons are kind and judgement free. A friend showed me this place while I'm in town, I hope to eventually make it back to this place. 100% recommend checking out this spot. A gem.

A great Austin favorite for Ska, punk or reggae. The high alcohol rum is great. The Friday nights are often free. I really liked this bar slash live music venue.

I've been in Austin for over 5 years and never found this diamond in the rough. Real roots riddims in a special environment. Take a break from the college hi jinx of 6th Street to bless the spot. Good vibes with an island feel. The bands play live and the stage has been greats by many reggae legends include Beenie Man, Luciano, and Yellowman. This the truth! Lik-a-shot!

I look forward to Wednesday nights at Flamingo Cantina. The talented all-Star house band plays originals and covers of reggae with dub effects and nice dance grooves. Good vibes always.

This joint had everything I've ever wanted in a reggae bar: -The Mau Mau Chaplains (a great band that floated between 6-19 members). -A hippie hula-hooping barefoot on the filthy dance floor. -Reasonably priced drinks. -No cover. -Plenty of seating. -Nice staff that tactfully escorted a kid passed out on the ground out of the bar. And one thing I never want, ever: -A homeless man that followed us inside and brought the lovely aroma of piss along with him.

This place ain't bad at all. Seating's kinda limited on the floor near the stage, but if it's a good band, you'll be standing anyway. There's also a rooftop patio where you can look down onto the stage. The bar's kinda nice, they serve Caribbean Hurricanes, which aren't bad but WAY too damn strong lol. They're about 4 bucks apiece. Plus, being as it's a Jamaican themed place, they have big ass bottles of Red Stripe aplenty. I went here a few nights back to see Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, and it was tight.

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am not a fan of jam-band or world-beat type music, so in general, I do not like to go to Flamingo Cantina. Because of the fact that they do seem to represent a rather international music scene, however, we got to see a rock band we'd seen a flyer for in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon: Genitallica. It was really neat to see a club on Sixth Street crowded with young, hip urban Mexicans. I don't know how old the venue is, but it reminds me of old Austin institutions like the Liberty Lunch, and that brings a nostalgia for the old days (um, like, the late 90s!). I appreciate the bleacher-style seating for those who don't want to stand on their feet for 2+ hours. I'd go back, for the right band.

Keep Austin weird! I had a blast last night :) Bartender had a good attitude all the time.

We wanted to see the ADVERTISED Mau Mau Chaplains. I believe the start time, as listed in the Austin Chronicle, was 10 pm. We were there early, so we could get a good spot. The place was shuttered, barred and silent. We walked along 6th Street, tried Garbo's. Got back at 9:45. Another guy waiting. He says maybe they'll open at 11. We hear people inside. A couple comes out. We ask when the place will open, show will start. Guy is dismissive, rude, even when we say, but the ad in the Chronicle.... It was just so obnoxious. This is exactly the reason we rarely go hear music in bars -- not because we don't like live music (we do), or that we're not willing to pay for it (we are) -- but because so frequently it seems that the club owners have no respect for the patrons. It's flat out rude to treat people that way. And we would really have liked to see the band. We saw they were playing there again this weekend and we laughed about how we would not even consider it. Your loss, Flamingo Cantina. Sorry it affects Mau Mau Chaplains. Maybe they will play somewhere else some time.

This is a neat little place. Its definitely a hole in the wall but as a cool rooftop patio, great stage for live music and the bartenders pour some strong and cheap drinks. My friends band was playing here so I stopped in to see them. Otherwise I would have never run across this place. It was a sunday afternoon so it was pretry quiet crowd wise. Not sure how it is on other nights!

Jamdown Thursday! So much fun! There is a house band, but they switch up the players depending on what musicians or singers show up. It makes for a great variety of style. Cheap drinks, friendly bartender! The green tea shot is my new favorite. Don't be shy, give it a try. No cover!

Went this past Friday night with my husband got there around 9 pm to see a band, the start time stated 9 pm but we figured that would be later since there was really nobody there, decent drinks, decent prices but by 10:30 the place was still empty and the only sign of a band was a dude doing sound checks........hmmmm, just not much fun.

Reggae. I wish they would do some other world music but the reggae is solid. Also the monthly meet up spot for Texas NORML (first Wednesday of every month). Bar is essentially cash only. If you pay by card you have to close your tab after each order. Staff is nice and super patient. Love the upstairs patio. As of the writing of this, 10/22/2015, local up and coming band Sip Sip is doing a weekly rotation here on Thursdays. They alone are worth seeing. They can have anywhere from 13-18 members on stage at one time and will play everything from Hip Hop to Reggae to House. Crazy stuff for sure. Small bar on the end of 6th and I hope it never leaves.

On the eve of the end of SXSW I found myself searching for $5 to get into this place. Not a bad cover price considering the other places we had tried to get into. Immediately when I walked in, I thought "Wow this place is small." Turns out, its a lot bigger than I thought. The balcony hovers above the stage and behind it, with a great view still of all the action and people watching below. This was my favorite spot to hang out here. Mock carpeted bleachers downstairs on the side of the stage for those who are too lazy to stand the entire night. One very long bar downstairs that accepts credit cards, the bar upstairs is cash only as I found out the hard way. Some of the best things about this place? Firstly, this is a "hipster free zone." Which was definitely non-existent during SXSW. The people who come here are quite the variety and thats a good thing in my opinion. Secondly, every Wednesday they have live reggage bands playing here FREE COVER. On the weekends there may be cover but its never more than $5. And thirdly and most importantly : RED STRIPE is a must. And the fact that they carry 24 oz. Red Stripes here is truly awesome. Its one of my favorite beers, if I'm drinking beer that night. And if you're with a group of people, its still easy to converse over the music on the balcony above. On a more random note, they have someone making jerk chicken plates and whatever else Jamaicans eat downstairs. And most importantly, don't ever sit a full 24 oz. Red Stripe on the ledge that overlooks everything downstairs and not expect someone to accidentally knock it over and onto an unexpecting person below. Party foul! Great bar with an awesome vibe, with live reggae music regularly!

Here's what I've learned from the Flamingo Cantina: 1) Never set a full 24 oz. beer bottle on a ledge and not expect someone to knock it off and onto someones head. Seriously, saw it happen this weekend...if you're on the 1st floor make sure you're not standing directly below the deck. Kinda dangerous. 2) Red Stripe? Yah mon! This clubs irie but don't eat the jerk chicken in the back it's bumbaclot. 3) Hipster ratio is slim to none. Finally, a club in Austin I'm cool enough to go to!!! hahaha :) 4) White people can play reggae too! Walked in at about 9pm and the band playing was nothing but old white dudes but for reals knew how jam. 5) This place has some great vibes going on, so good in fact it can make a stick in the mud have fun. This is my new go to club in Austin. LOVED this place!

So dad stayed home with the baby and it was my night out, woo! I arrived a Flamingo Cantina with a friend at around 10ish on a Saturday night and we were the *only* people there save the bartenders and a really cute dog roaming around. We were told it was the sound person's dog. I liked the ambience, especially the open air patio above the stage. But, it was a little weird that no one was there nor did they start to trickle in until around 11. Or has it been that long since I've been out that I just don't know the rules anymore? Could be. Anyway, I was impressed by their extensive drink menu full of fun fruity drinks that reminded me of my tropical honeymoon. Unfortunately they were 6 ouncers that averaged around $8, so about $10 after tip, yikes (there I go again showing how often I get out of the house). They weren't very strong either, and mama needed to get her buzz on. Once the place filled up the crowd was cool and laid back, and the reggae bands playing were a lot of fun. There still didn't seem to be a very large turnout, so it's somewhere to consider if you're not into the other packed live music venues. It was too loud for that poor dog though. I think she would have rather been home sleeping.

This is my muthafucken church. My weekly dose of fuck it all,from the bullshit of the week.

The greatest place for Reggae in Austin! Good selection of alcohol, the bartenders and owner are stellar, love the vibe! If you haven't been, you have to go out back and have a jerk chicken burrito. 100% authentic and absolutely delicious! I love nothing more than new experiences. This place deserves to be on your bucket list!

Standard dive bar, I got the dragon blood shot which was pretty tasty, and then the happy meal deal, which is a well shot and a lone star for $8, maybe a little pricey for the type of bar it is, but could be worse, they have a rooftop area which is cool, and a stage for live music, with tiered benches to watch (the only type of seating on the main floor) it was pretty quiet and sparse for a Friday night, so if you're looking for less crowded places this is for you

This place is the place to be on Tuesdays! Great music, and great people at the second-floor balcony. I received a tip to come here from a bartender and this place does not disappoint. They have a decent dance floor on the first floor, with stadium bleacher-type seating and a live band playing reggae and ska. The drinks here aren't too bad either.

Went on Wednesday because they play raggae . The band I think are talented enough musicians, however their version of raggae is extremely watered down. The music wasn't enjoyable or relaxing. The place itself is a small dingy neighborhood bar, not a problem. The location is on a street full of bars, but they maybe the only raggae spot. They could be pack, unfortunately between the lack of customer service from a bar tender and off beat band it is what it is. I wish them well.

I can't wait to come back here! I have no clue when that will be, but hopefully soon! We came here to check out a great local reggae band, Axis Unity and they did not disappoint and neither did the Flamingo Cantina! Super nice and funny bartender, decent drink prices and strong enough drinks. It's not a huge place, but that's OK. We went to a couple other places that night and I was worried I was going to lose track of my group. But this place was just big enough you didn't feel crowded yet not so big you needed GPS to find your way around. The stage is pretty tiny and there aren't too many seats; like another reviewer said just some carpeted bleachers along the wall. But there is a roof top deck and that's where we headed. The sound system was really good as well. Sometimes the smaller places don't have great sound but I was pleasantly impressed that night. The only thing that was funny to me, and I'm not sure if it was on purpose or not, was that there were no lights in the girls bathroom. lol They must have known about it because there were candles on the sink and in each stall, but the candle in one of the stalls went out while my friend was in there. So, if the lights went out and they didn't have time to replace them, great way to improvise. If they wanted to be cool and just didn't fix them, not so fun. But otherwise a really great place that I would not hesitate to come back to!

This my favorite bar. So laid back and fun. I'm glad Flamingo Cantina is part of Austin. It really is a fun friendly place to catch reggae!!

I give Flamingo 5 stars because it's like stepping into another land - away from anything TX country, sorority chicks, or queso dip. Not that these things are necessarily bad, but common and overplayed characteristics of my hometown, Austin, TX. I love reggae so maybe I am biased. But, if you like a laid back scene where people aren't shoving you around with great music, then you must try this place. I disagree with the expensive drinks - I was getting loading on $2 mexican beer....it was awesome! And when you get the munchies, they usually have a Jamaican jerk stand in the back which hits the spot. You can get fresh air on the roof top and still see and hear the music. Bottom Line: If you're looking for some trendy Austin bars go try some cheesy ass bar on West 6th...if you're into an authentic, classic music venue come check out the Flamingo Cantinaaaaa!!!!

Came back to Austin after 18 years in San Diego. Still happy to see the Flamingo is still opened. The place is just great. Back in the day it was fun to go upstairs to take a smoke break and not worry about the man. Haven't been there since I got back but can't see that it changed that much. Great live shows, dance floor butts right up against the stage. Can't really complain about the drinks due to the fact that my one hitter gets me by. Very cool vibe and a great place to dance. Can't say enough about the place. See you there.

Here is a pint-sized place for fun on E. Sixth. This dingy, one-room bar is perfect for local bands and a bottle of cold beer. There is mainly standing room only, although they have a block of riser-like seats against their west wall and a loft-like area on the second floor. I've never been in a band, but my guess would be that this is a comfortable spot to get started. It's intimate and does not intimidate, with plenty of room for family and friends. Plus, it has a cool name. Four Stars for the Flamingo.

I didn't sign on to Yelp to bash on places, and perhaps I should give this place more of a chance, the music was good and the space was fun. The thing is, 16 dollars for two well drinks and a crown and coke? Holy crap! And after drinking the most expensive rum and coke on sixth street, I had to pee so I went to the bathroom and was immediately walked in on the second I got my skirt up-no locks on the stalls, huh. I put my drink on a table, the table tilted and the drink slid off. I'm doing 2 stars because perhaps I was the unlucky patron that day. It happens.

Went to a Reggae concert with the boyfriend one Friday night. Keep in mind it was only about 100 degrees outside and this place does not have air condition and is open air to hide the fact that most patrons are regular marijuana smokers. In fact, while I was sitting on the deck a young Rasta gentleman to my right was rolling a joint. I am not a person who fares well around a plethora of marijuana smoke, which poses quite a quandary as I do enjoy reggae music and marijuana comes with the territory. Despite the contact high, I did have a nice time and the reggae music was great.

Memories of Liberty Lunch come to mind when I walked thru this place. They had pictures of Retarted Elf and other bands that rocked their walls. Boy, does that date me. I hadn't seen them in light years. My boyfriend and I ventured here to see Plena Libre (http://www.plenalibre.com/). While waiting for 2 hours for the band, we imbibed in some interesting concoctions. The drinks were fairly decent. $3-5 a pop. They have turf green bleacher seats and an area where most people stand in front of the staging area. FC also has an upstairs balcony for smokers. It's an interesting place where you can see all walks of life. FC rocks out as a true Austin live music venue. WARNING: The women's bathroom is not the best in the world.

I came here on a Saturday night to see this reggae band that was playing at midnight. When I got there I was surprised but it was pretty darn empty, but I wasn't looking for a big crowd so I was fine with it. They have $7 happy meal specials which is a tall boy lone star and a well shot. They've got neat stadiumish seating with a dance floor to watch the band. You can also go upstairs to the patio that overlooks the inside too. If the weather is nice, this place is pretty enjoyable. The band was great. I would definitely come back again to start off with a chill reggae night then pop on anywhere next door!

Good venue to check out your favorite bands. small place always for up and personal I saw Los Skarnales here last Saturday and it was too much fun!! $4 wells, not too bad. only thing that sucks like always is parking.

Saw Ivory Ghost opening for the Meditations (vocal trio from Jamaica) at the end if Feb. Ivory Ghost was tight, original, and well worth seeing. The club is great; has a friendly vibe. Carpeted bleachers along the walls and a standing/dancing area in front of the bandstand (which is large enough for a 10 or 12 member band). If you want to actually sit and talk, there is an outdoor patio behind and above the band -- go up the stairs near the restrooms. Bars upstairs and down. Shiner for 3 clams.

Garbage. Y'all had a featured DJ and y'all shut that down when y'all have the power not to. GARBAGE. I will not patronize this spot.

It's unfortunate to report a bad review for flamingo today. I've been going to this place as the only real reggae spot in Austin for 9 years. There are other places that play some reggae vibes in town but nothing so consistent. I show up and dance weekly and I regret to say that a member of Lion Heights exposed his ass to me and one of his "buds" threatened to slam me on the front sidewalk. What a sad day that I have to resign my support of this establishment. Dirty sixth has apparently caught up to you flamingo and a hard vibe is what you have in my very honest opinion. I'm not impressed. And I'll no longer be advocating this establishment. One bad experience is all it takes to taint an entire legacy. Fake Fake Fake. Fail Lion Heights, fail. The sad part is that these people know me to be consistent and upholding of positivity. Even one of the usual door guys acted in favor of this ass hole and said "that's what I'm waiting for" when this child threatened to "slam" me. Crisp up, that's all i said. And now it's time to really be crisp. . Hmm, where to go..... Cause this is really all I had in town. What a sad loss on both ends.

Went to a concert there & had to wait forever for them to come out! The drinks are pretty crappy but cheap. The place is very 'rustic' looking.

The only reason I've been to the Flamingo was to watch some less-than-famous local bands play. It's a rather small hole in the wall with a decent selection of bottled beers, full bar, and some "island" inspired shots. There's also a rickety upstairs patio if you need to get away from the noise below.

Flamingo Cantina is one of my favorite venues downtown. Granted I listen to a lot of reggae and ska bands, so this place is right up my alley. Cover is usually minimal, on average about $10. The inside has a neat setup. It's open-air so you can see the night sky from the dance floor. I think one of the reasons I like Flamingo so much is because of the stage. You are up close and personal with the band. The only thing dividing band from crowd is a row of amps on the stage. Ice cold Red Stripes complete the vibe. They even sell "Big Stubbys", a 24 oz Red Stripe for $6. For some of the better known bands, get there early. Flamingo only holds 300-350 people I think. Even if the main act doesn't go on til midnight, there is usually a line forming outside by 10:30 and then you have to wait until people leave to get in.

I love this place! On Wednesday nights this place host the NORML meetings and there is a live band playing reggae music. It's on 6th street but it feels like your somewhere tropical and like your about to walk out to a beach. Maybe I was drunk when I felt that but the upstairs is the place to be when looking to chill and enjoy the music.

DO NOT VISIT THIS BAR! The business ethics are absolutely terrible. I just made this yelp account because i had to complain about this TERRIBLE institution. I went into this bar at midnight on December 27 to see my friends band play. I opened up a tab at the bar and continued mingling and having fun. about 1:38 AM I was smoking a cigarette on their porch and when the music stopped, I went to bar bar to close my tab. The bartender was gone. The bar was shut down, and I was very confused. There was no call for last drinks, nobody said anything about the bartender leaving early. nothing. The reason i am so upset about this is because it was my birthday, and well still is as i am writing this. My whole birthday was ruined because of the negligence of this bar. I was going to take a trip out of town that day, but could not because they had my debit card with ALL my funds. I was out $400 for a hotel in Houston I couldn't stay at. On top of all of this I called them ALL DAY LONG, I stopped by there twice, and nobody wanted to help me "because it was not operating hours." When i finally was able to get my card 18 hours later, they VERY rudely brushed me off and said it was my fault I was not more vigilant. So, thank you. Thank you The Flamingo Cantina for ruining my birthday, losing $400 of my money, and not giving a crap that you totally screwed me over. I hope your bar burns down with your insurance policy in it. With much lament, Zachary Taylor

If you like good music this seems to be the place you wanna be! I saw the slackers and the toasters here! Great shows and Great drinks, they make a mean Hurricane! Check it out!

Ive seen some of the craziest shows and the most chillest at this venue. Great place for Reggae bands. Dubtonic played here and it was awesome!

Love this bar! Great live music, chill atmosphere, good drinks, and cool people! If you love reggae, you need to check it out!

This place always has a good reggae, Latin or any other culturally influenced band playing. The set up is nice with indoor and outdoor above the stage seating. Drinks are cheap and staff is friendly.