Neon Grotto

It is a lively, multi-level bar located right in the heart of downtown Austin. It offers three distinct experiences across its levels, making it a versatile stop depending on what kind of vibe you’re looking for. The rooftop is the highlight – a breezy, open-air space perfect for enjoying views of the city while having a drink. It’s laid-back and social, ideal for casual conversations or just taking in the downtown energy. The second level feels more private and intimate, with stylish decor that gives it a slightly upscale, tucked-away lounge feel. It’s a nice contrast to the livelier spaces above and below. The ground floor is where the party really happens – DJs, dance music, a bustling bar, and a lively crowd. It’s energetic without being overwhelming, making it a fun place to stop for a drink, dance for a bit, and continue your night exploring the city. Overall, it is a great place to spend an hour or two while walking through downtown. Whether you’re looking for a chill rooftop, a stylish lounge, or a lively dance floor, this spot gives you a little bit of everything in one place. Definitely worth a visit if you want to catch a slice of Austin’s nightlife.

If I can leave no stars I would. Very disappointing. Vibes were off, servers are nasty as they look. Bounces were very aggressive and demanding. I stopped here for a quick drink but that didn’t last long. Would not recommend even if it was the only place open!

One of the first place I visited after becoming an austin resident.. The bartenders were rude. The drinks were good though and fairly well priced. I was attracted to the pictures from the Google reviews which was my whole reason to visit. It was giving very 80s vaporwave vibes... I was a little disappointed as the place could use a good scrub down and some touch ups here and there. They are connected to the coconut club which is a bonus. The music is hit or miss and the atmosphere is inclusive.

Not pleased that I can hear the DJ yelling into the mic 30 floors up two blocks away. This place is ridiculously loud for no reason - folks can hear just fine if you turn it down to a reasonable level. Still, would love if the rooftop bar was not used past 12 or better yet, 10. I've lived here for a while and can't sleep half the time till they close. Please have courtesy for the folks that live here. This is a residential area.

Such a vibe, I came when SUPERMCNASTY, HYPERFEMME, and another DJ and the set KILLED!! The space is very vaporwavy and the vibes are lit. Staff is semi rude but what bar staff isn’t. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Just went for the first time last night, and was pleasantly surprised by what they’ve done with the place. They didn’t disappoint with the neon decorations and tropical plant theme. I ordered a couple drinks from the friendly staff and was happy with the quality. The second floor wasn’t complete or open yet, but the rooftop looked great as well. I can already tell this place is going to be a great asset to the 4th street district. I can’t wait to see the finished product soon!

I see so many reviews about watered down drinks and this has NEVER been the case in my experience. The music quality depends on the night, which is to be expected from any club. The decor is top notch. The bartenders are friendly and make great drinks. As a local, this is my most frequented spot! This club is for everyone- straight, gay, queer, trans…it’s an awesome vibe and have never had a bad experience here in 5+ years. Thanks for all the good memories, neon grotto 💜

Don't waste your money. On vacation and this was our first stop last night. We started late, so I paid the cover and ordered a double vodka sprite at the downstairs bar to kick things off. $19 later and I was sipping on what tasted like straight up sprite and water. When I asked the bartender if he'd poured a double and told him it tasted like nothing, he said nothing he could do about it. We ended up ordering shots on the roof before bailing to go to Highland across the street instead, where the music, drinks, and vibe were way better.

Neon Grotto is a stark reminder I don't party like I used to. (#1) It's a unique combination of a dive bar meets lounge meets rooftop bar meets hipsters meets tourists. There's no shortage of nightlife venues within the Warehouse district / downtown, but none quite as visually stimulating as this one. It is one of several bars merged together that is part of the Coconut Complex and is as neon'd out as one would expect. The lights are a mixed bag for me. On one hand, it stands out and makes it an easy find for anyone on the outside. On the other hand, it also highlights some of the more nasty elements of the club (#2), especially if one looks a little closely. When they're at their peak, this is a place to get down. Every floor has a different scene with a different DJ. The brightest area of the venue is downstairs, where they're spinning hip hop and will occasionally change things up with a drag show. The rooftop is more chill than the rest of the place, but offers nice views of downtown. During the weekends it is so packed that it's practically body to body at times. I've had drinks on every level of this place and can attest that it's affordable. They're not the most well made drinks, but I think the quality of the adult bevs are not the focus here. Security is understandably tight with the amount of youngins here (#3) and the ventilation is surprisingly decent in the bottom floors. I would avoid bathrooms if at all possible, but given the amount of drinks likely to be consumed, it's not realistic. __________ (#1) I party harder. Please. (#2) Keep the black light away. (#3) Underage UT kids can keep on walking.

Very fun very queer bar, they had a drag preformance and i loved the neon artwork they had. Beautiful roof in downtown, with djs and a roof top bar.

Not sure why this place has mediocre reviews but we had a great time here! My friend was raving to her other SATX friends that this place was cool because of all the different themed rooms, vibes and music. I loved exploring the different areas and was excited at all the details they put in. There are 3 different entrances. We entered through a general dance vibe room with unicorns hanging from the ceiling and plants around the lounge. The other leads to an EDM room and Perreo/Reggaeton lounge. Be sure to check out the rooftop area! It was a cool vibe with a beautiful view. Crowd was mixed age and vibes all around. Cocktails were simple at around $7 per pre-tip. My friends asked for a Long Island and the bartender downstairs made a non-Long Island drink that wasn't good. It depends what drink you're doing but just go for simple things here. All in all, a cool place.

Neon, like the lights. The frozens go pretty hard and make the lights look even cooler. I think the bar service here is normally speedy and attentive which is important to me. Lol. There are gender neutral bathrooms & dancey music. A lot of dancey music on its handful of different floors with more bars and djs usually playing good mixes of techno r&b and other dance music. It's like you get to take your pick. If you can make it all the way to the top floor there's a rooftop bar with a green space, tables, more music and a city view. I think this place serves the austin community well and provides great service, and space to socialize, and dance. This club I think is a nice highlight of what Austin night life has to offer. So many people here use this spot for a night to get more creative with their outfits and generally a nice crowd!!

For our last stop of the bar hop, we decided to check out this new joint. It is a cool spot, apparently it's a newer joint. After entering, we trekked up the three floors to the rooftop for an open-air drag experience that was awesome. Ms. Diamond Dior and Ms. Amber Nicole Davenport turned it out and let everyone HAVE IT! Kudos to Babiboi for keeping the energy up and keeping the tracks going. I was living for their performances. Just wish it wasn't so warm but that's to be expected for summer down in TX. After their set, we decided to head back down to the first floor to enjoy some Reggaeton and Top 40/Hip-Hop/R&B. We were reliving our best lives on that floor. I completely lost my mind when the dj, Sleepy Joe, remixed Selena's "Como La Flor". My homegirl was feeling her oats when Don Omar, Pitbull and Daddy Yankee came on. It was an awesome evening to say the least. Definitely check this place out when you're in Austin!

To start from entry, the cover fee wasn't bad-only $10 per person. Got in and the music was all over the place, went on 2/24 a Saturday, rhe DJ must have been drunk which was shocking considering the drinks I ordered tasted like water. The bar tender does not have drink knowledge and I don't know if they're taking advantage of drunk people but it tasted like water and lemon aid. I ordered two lemon drops and was so disappointed. ESPECIALLY because two disgusting lemon drops were $26. They charged a gratuity fee of %20 for no reason, only two drinks were ordered. This bar truly takes advantage of intoxicated people. The only good thing is that it's connected to coconut grove.

I was in town for SXSW and had the time of my life here. I went in 3 consecutive nights because it was so good. Every space within the venue is its own vibe, the food is fantastic, and the DJs they bring in are top notch. I wish there were more NA options for non-drinkers but I'm not docking anything for it because the folks who work there are so lovely & it's not their fault that NA beers/wines are just starting to get good. 10/10

While the ambience is fun the drinks are lacking and expensive! I was charged $23 for a side car served in a plastic cup with bottom shelf cognac. Music was good, bathrooms needed touching up and the service was less than. If you're not down for climbing stairs to the rooftop don't attempt it (it's a long haul up). Overall if you want good photo ops it's cool. The district has much better drink service for way less so save some money and time and just skip it.

We spent about $200 on drinks. Had a super fun night. While we were finishing our last drinks, ( we just ordered them) the bar proceeded to kick us out of the bar. Physically, kicked us out of the bar. Removed the drinks from our hand and were yelled at for being comp'd our cover. Super sad experience and would never recommend anyone go here.

New bar in town!! Neon lights everywhere (ofc) friendly staff and covid conscious! The bartender with the neon nails on the rooftop (who also works at Coconut Club) is the best!! The house music loveeeeee. Such a vibe. Cute and spacious areas everywhere, give them some love!

THE LAST WAS SOME OF THE MOST FUN IVE EVER HAD HERE! The DJS were sooooooo c**ty!!!! The songs were sexy and silly!!! Lavender Thug and Babi Boi killed it!!!!!! B2B should have a residency TB100%H

This place was "meh." Pics looked cool, but it feels pretty divey inside, and not really in a cool Austin way. Automatic gratuity of 20% added to ALL CHECKS. They don't tell you this, they just do it. Always check your itemized receipts, people!Entertainment/event tonight was a little strange. Went from EDM to solo acoustic stuff, kind of a weird vibe... not what we expected. Probably won't be coming back.

We spent $200 on the bar - loved the vibe upon arrival - bought a last round around 1:50 and were physically kicked out at 2:03 (drinks ripped out of our hands and were yelled at including verbal insults). It was sad, I would not go again but only because of the last 15 minutes.

My 22 year old daughter tried to go here last night and was turned away because of a "fake ID". She doesn't need a fake ID, being 22, the woman checking it was mistaken. She was also rude and laughed about it. Sounds like they enjoy being bullies and turning away paying customers.

Just had a super chill friendly time there with a lit dj on the upstairs patio. What's not to like? Diverse crowd. Loved it.

Bar service kept forgetting what drinks I ordered. Then they brought me the wrong drinks. I closed my tab immediately and provided a 20% tip and signed my receipt for a specific m amount. Then 2 days later I see they decided to fraudulently charge me another $15 for no reason. I understand times are hard, but performing an unauthorized charge like that isn't a great way to bring in business. Loved the music and the decor. Just wish the bar service was attentive and not trying to overcharge you even when you tip.