The Common Interest

The bar is very good. The place is nice, clean and safe. Parking is plentiful. The food is reasonable bar food but not the reason to go. And prices are very good! The problem is that the karaoke rotation is LONG. Like two hours... Also, social groups are somewhat closed off... To be clear, I will go again, but it is just not 5 stars.

Here on Wednesday. Gotta say Dj Quintina knows her craft. Very great entertainment. You got to check this place out. Fun night! Bartenders were great also and made drinks quick. Very pleased

We had a fantastic time at Common Interest Karaoke Bar! It was a fun night out with the family. However, the karaoke sign-up process could be improved. The system of texting the DJ to queue up wasn’t very effective—in our experience, we texted at 10:45 PM but only got a response at 10:58 PM, and we never got to sing before we left at midnight. A more streamlined system would ensure everyone gets a chance to perform. Additionally, while the drinks were a bit watered down, our waiter added to the enjoyment with his humor. Despite these issues, we’re definitely looking forward to coming back!

It’s actually a fun spot for karaoke. I thought the staff were fun and it kept the atmosphere light. I went on a Sunday and it was still well attended. Food was also surprisingly good. I just got fries but I was still impressed

The common interest is one of our favorite haunts. Good drinks for cheap. Food isn’t bad. Bartenders are pretty attentive, we like Flor a lot! Always plenty of laughs and singalongs.

Had a great time( my 1st visit). Met so many great people. Out of respect for the patrons , I won't post video without permission, but just know karaoke was so fun. There are so many talented people. Nice selection of beverages and food ( Ally, who works in the food area, is the absolute sweetest & most attentive waitress). Glen, the DJ, was great at keeping the vibes and list flowing. Will definitely be going back.

This place came highly recommended to us by friends and we were looking forward to the karaoke but when we showed up we were told to wait a few minutes and then they would set us up. We ended up waiting for 15 minutes before sending someone back up to the bar to check on things. It took them another 30 - 45 minutes to be serviced at the bar and we found out they forgot we were even there waiting for our karaoke room. I get that they were short staffed but when we’re sitting up at the bar and can’t even get a drink for 30 - 45 minutes that’s just insane. Don’t bother and just go to the pool hall next door, great bartenders there and great service.

My favorite Karaoke Bar Awesome KJs Fun and Amazing Bartenders Lots of people really enjoy being here Great Food too ...I especially like the Vegetable Quesadillas!!! Karaoke happens here seven days a week! Some Extraordinary Talent mixed with Enthusiastic Singers, All having a lot of Fun!!!! Really a Fun Place and the best place to go to for Karaoke... Come on Over and Enjoy!!!

The CI website states that they have been in business for 50 years and I recall attending a birthday party there ~2000. When it was proposed that I visit recently for a weekday HH I was in! This is my kind of joint. Regulars abound, the beer is cold and there is a good selection of bourbon and ryes. I don't Karaoke but this a great venue to have a cocktail, eat some good pub grub and enjoy the karaokers. If you are a karaoke fan this is the place for you, No, then enjoy the show while enjoying a libation and some good pub grub.

Its a bar and grill with karaoke. I don't sing, don't want to sing and don't want to hear random people sing. So the karaoke part does not move me. But as a bar and grill this place is just fine. Me and another Yelper partner in crime had good Maryland ryes, decent beers and multiple platters of bar food/junk food. You know the deal: chicken wings, mini-corn dogs, fried pickles, jalapeno poppers. Health food. The room was nice, the pours were generous, and the bar snacks were just what we wanted them to be. I would go back. * * * And for the record, the karaoke room had one girl singing multiple numbers for her friends. She was actually pretty good. No guarantee she will be singing when you get there ... But the karaoke room does have pleasant surprises.

This review is specifically for the private reserved room experience. I celebrated my birthday with some friends here and had reserved a small room which is $30/hr for 10 people maximum which was perfect for our group of 7. The room came with 2 mics, plenty of seating area with tables, and several screens. One of them was the touch screen we used to operate the machine and play songs (can be queued). The sound came in crisp and clear - there was no concern about outsiders hearing or us hearing the public karaoke that was happening. We did not order food since we'd already had dinner beforehand but we did order drinks. Our waitress saw that I was celebrating my birthday and brought complimentary Jell-O shots for all of us! We were a little confused towards the end because we would have liked more of a heads up that we were almost out of time. We didn't get to have a last hurrah, but overall it was a great time and very affordable - would definitely recommend as a fun outing with friends!

I'm giving only four stars because the food isn't good at all. It's the vibe for me. I had a fantastic time in this place. The drinks are not bad at all, either. So after one or two drinks, the singing gets better or funnier. You pick. The services were excellent as well. I can't recall the female name who waited on us, but she was great if this review was based solely on the venue and not food; absolutely a 5.

If you're into karaoke, this is the place to go. Right nextdoor to Austin Guitar School. Lots of people to cheer you on and a nice stage with great sound where you can actually hear yourself sing and not be blasted by the speakers. The speakers are pointed out into the bar instead like they should. The karaoke deejay shows no favoritism, so if you sign up, you will get on. I'm not sure the order he chooses because several of us signed up one right after another yet we didn't go in that order. You can even say what key you prefer to sing your song in. The display shows two people lined up to go next and when it's your time, he calls your name. We got a private room and our own personal karaoke machine as it was my friend's birthday. Two mics and two screens in there. I think it was 60$ for 3 hours. The waitress would come in and check on us and bring drinks and help if we needed the machine to reset because one of us pressed the wrong button. The bar was a bit quicker with drinks but we also utilized her service. We were going out to each sing on the big stage as well, so I'm thinking that she may have gone in to find only one of us in there because we wanted to cheer on someone from our group. They also serve food there which is typical bar food. I've been there a few times and haven't tried the food but I've seen others eating and seemed to enjoy it. Perfect for not drinking on an empty stomach. When it got to 2AM they practically threw everyone out. My friend (birthday girl) needed to use the washroom and that was a big no. They actually said to go find a bush outside but wouldn't let her head back that direction to the washrooms. The doorman cards everyone who walks in. Which makes me think they had trouble in the past with TABC with serving after or too close to 2AM and that they've had minors slipping in. So many people continued conversing outside and hanging out in the parking lot. Lots of regulars go and a wide variety of people. It has a friendly neighborhood bar type feel, except at closing time. LOL.

Years ago I put Karaoke on my bucket list and I finally got to check it off at The Common Interest. I had the time of my life!!! It has a neighborhood bar feel so it's very casual and people are friendly. They serve food but I was there to perform and have a few drinks so I didn't try any of the eats. You sign up to sing using a provided link. There's tons of songs and artists to choose from in every genre of music (I chose Bruno Mars). The TV screens will display your name when it's your turn to perform. People were really cool to cheer you on, dance and even sing with you. This is seriously one of the most exciting and entertaining spots in Austin.

Reserved a karaoke room and was not greeted or welcomed with any service! Waited over a hour just for them to say they forgot about us! Crazy part was that it wasn't busy when we arrived.

great for singing, but why god does it smell like poop. had to get a shot to try and shock the smell out of my face.. from one restaurant worker to another, maybe check the bar drains?

Great vibes, loved it! Definitely will be coming again soon! Had so much fun and the karaoke was great

Great energy here for all karaoke enthusiasts whether in private rooms or the big stage. Supportive, lively crowd made a perfect Saturday night. What makes this spot different is - A raised stage - A smoke machine! - Great service - A large screen smartly lists upcoming singers and first timers. After renting a room with friends, the fun continued in the main room and bar area. Plenty of seating and tv screens showing sports if you're more into that. My only dings: one of two mics had a broken part that kept slipping, too many versions of one song, all listed as the same, and they oddly didn't have Prince's "1999". Room rates and drink prices are fair. $20 an hour for the small room which fits 8-10 people. Bonus that lyrics are on opposite walls. Would definitely come back!

This place has to be one of the most inviting places in all of Austin without a doubt without a question from the staff to the customers it's just that warm, southern friendly place that you can be yourself, no matter your race, creed color, ethnicity religion orientation this place seems to have acceptance of everybody. Candidly I am not one of the people that go looking for inclusive places, but this one I just have to say exudes, warmth and kindness. The drinks are fairly priced and absolutely unquestionably delicious!! They don't skimp on the alcohol and yet wrap in the flavors so that you are able to enjoy the night they never make any negatives about asking for water or anything like that. Now let's talk about the karaoke they have a number of regulars that have great voices and they cheer each other on in a positive receptive manner. I heard rock 'n' roll, Latin music gospel, cover band music music from the 60s 70s the 80s the 90s and all the way through to today. I cannot recommend the place more highly. It is just a wonderful, joyous location to go to.

This is place is a nice vibe. I went here at night and the karaoke was great. Had a couple drinks and they were okay. This place is great to go with people for sure. Service wasn't a problem because we kept going back to the bar but we didn't have anyone come to us either. But that was okay. Nice place, nice vibe. Nice hangout spot.

Favorite bar ever! Best Karaoke stage in Austin, best wings and apps, and the bartenders are always fast and kind.

A neighborhood classic and possibly the best karaoke in town (and believe me, I've graced the stages of every single karaoke place in town whether the crowds wanted me to or not). Yes, it's in a strip mall on Burnet and yes it looks like a run-down sports bar - I'm honestly surprised they don't allow smoking inside (thankfully) because it seems like the type of place that would. They've got main stage karaoke 7 days a week and private karaoke rooms for those too shy to take it all the way. You come here to drink a large quantity of alcohol, for cheap, and sing karaoke. That's it, don't ask questions and don't overthink it. You can get some greasy bar food if you need it (emphasis on the grease), don't expect too much and you'll have a great time. The staff is always super friendly and attentive!!! PS: a Jell-O shot is a Common Interest rite of passage.

I had a great time with a group of friends singing karaoke until a bartender ruined the night and made us all leave with a bad taste in our mouths. My husband had ordered our first round of drinks and when I went to the bar to order another round I told the bartender with the big beard my last name for the tab (my husband and I have different last names and I wasn't sure what card he used) he came back very annoyed saying there wasn't a tab with that last name. I apologized and explained it was probably just under my husbands last name and told him that name, mind you my husband has a really unique last name. That's when he got aggressive and told me there was no way there was a tab under that name and started to MOCK my husbands last name and accused me of giving him fake tab names. I was really taken aback and stated that was in fact his last name and if he checked he would find it to which he did. As I was leaving I said it was inappropriate to make fun of peoples names and that's when he raised his voice and threatened, "don't you dare start with me". I walked away feeling so shook, embarrassed and uncomfortable that we all immediately left. I understand I should have confirmed the last name on the tab before going up to the bar and how that can be an annoyance for a bartender but I can't understand how that is grounds to make fun of someone's name and be so aggressive. I left feeling like I had just been bullied for trying to order a drink.

Friendly staff, clean, tons of song selections, and slot machines. Private rooms for karaoke and a main stage to embarrass yourself in front of everybody. 10/10

fyi if you're here even 1 second past 2am you will not be able to use the restoom. It doesn't matter if you were at the bar closing out your tab, If you were on stage singing karaoke, nothing. they do not care. I could see if they stopped patrons at the door at 130 so they won't abuse bathroom privileges, but to deny paying customers the opportunity to use the restroom before they get on the road, that's pitiful and inconsiderate as hell. I won't be back any time soon. They'll call security if you try to take a piss.... Horrible

Wow! This place is still here and a really great time. I hadn't been in years but the fun times continue. The bartender and staff are so friendly, the food is good and my ability to sing still sucks. Ha! Plan your next happy hour, birthday party or engagement party here for memories that will last forever.

DJ only plays favorites, and the people who are his favorites advertise the idea of tipping the DJ. And he deleted me off wait list for wanting to sing. If planning on coming here for karaoke, and if you want to sing go somewhere else. If want you come here just order water and nothing else. Pregame before coming here. Don't tip the DJ.

We had an incredible evening, complete with singing, cocktails, and a wonderful communal experience with the other patrons. I want to give this place a 6/5 for the fun time we had. I can't wait to go back. That being said, every part of the experience would have been great, except that we had an impossible time getting our waiter to give us the bill to leave. It involved an hour of reminding him multiple times, him keeping our friend's credit card in his pocket the whole time so we couldn't ask anyone else to help us, him forgetting to return her card after finally giving us the bill, as well as rude comments from him about how "pretty girls are always so impatient"?? Honestly, we sat and watched for an hour as he flirted with other patrons instead of giving us our check, and it was past midnight, and we just wanted to go to bed. So basically, check this place out because it's awesome, but don't expect good service.

Best karaoke spot in Austin. I have been coming here since I moved to Austin 10 years ago. It's popular, so if you go on a Friday or Saturday night get there early if you want to find a good table and get your name in early enough to sing without having to wait too long. Regardless, early or late, you will have a great time. The bartenders are the best around, the Dj's keep it upbeat and the crowd is always positive.

Best karaoke bar in town. Just barely divey. Communal atmosphere. Decent food. Quesadillas and burgers are some of my favorites. Fries have good flavor but the texture is lacking. I've heard the quail and wings are good and the tacos are disappointing. Lots of the singers are seriously talented. I wish it was a little goofier so people like me felt more comfortable singing. There's a text based platform to sign up to sing. Edit: I tried singing again, and proved why I don't usually sing. Still, everyone is friendly and encouraging to the bad singers like me. Edit, again: Their chairs are so uncomfortable! They are just wood with no padding. My friend even offered to bring in a blanket to serve as a cushion but I didn't want to be awkward. After a long evening out, my rear end is killing me!

The Common Interest is the karaoke place you end up getting invited to when you tell your Austinite friends you want to pair singing with your drinking. Quick drive up to north Burnet area and you have arrived to the place that will embrace you singing whatever song you got from your personal karaoke list. Don't worry or be shy about singing in front of a forgiving and encouraging audience - you are going to be great and will nail it! After 20 years of living in Austin the Common Interest is super fun with a group of friends any day of the week or weekend. Weekends get packed but nothing like singing along to all the songs without feeling you are bothering the table(s) next to you. They crank the music up here and bust on every single LED light to enhance your performance. Food here is good and will come out fast so be ready to eat bites in between your belting and singing or just waiting for your turn to sing next. We always get their syringe shots filled with colorful jello as a starter drink for ourselves. Plenty of beers to choose from both in bottles, cans, and on draft. If beer isn't your thing no worries they have great cocktails as well. Friendly service and great staff including the DJ! There are also plenty of tv's here to watch whatever sports team you love.

Drinks weren't that good. But we put a song in at 8:20 and had to leave at 9:45. After tipping the DJ 15 dollars never went on AND the DJ put them selves on when there was that long of a line. Go somewhere else unless you want to tip a huge amount to sing ONE song.

Love the private rooms! They even have special pricing during off days/hours. Get your practice in! Great bartenders! I did not try the food; the atmosphere here is grand which was unexpected in a strip mall!

Food and atmosphere is good but the Karaoke DJ is not great. Weird atmosphere from that.

I've been coming to this karaoke bar since moving to Austin over 6 yrs ago. Tasty drinks, interesting shots, hot, greasy delicious food---and KARAOKE of course. They are clean and Cv19 "safe"--you request soongs via your phone, and if you need to charge? no worries--there's a wall of plug ins... This is pure fun.

I'm not a big karaoke guy myself but I have to admit I actually had fun when we went here. Yes there was a huge group, yes we were were there for a while, yes we sang our hearts out till our throats were sore and we couldn't speak the next day.

Huge place with a big ol stage for karaoke. My husband spent a lot of time here living in Austin so he recommended we visit last year. Let's say he (we) had a pretty good time! Loud music , tvs games and a crazy mix of different types of people. I wouldn't say this is a dive but i think it can be pretty fun for any types of crowds. With karaoke you can't really go wrong right !

Get your karaoke and beer fix. Fun little neighborhood bar. Good place to kick back and have a nice time.

GO HAWKS! The Common Interest is the ultimate Seahawks bar in Austin, where 12s gather to watch the game, and there's even an inflatable life-size Blitz greeting you when you walk into the place. It basically was the best Sunday in Austin for me. We came here to watch the game during the Seahawks game and it was a super fun place, with solid bar food. The space is large enough with a main stage, as The Common Interest is a karaoke bar. There was a small Seahawks-themed food menu, in addition to the full menu they have with draaanks. I ordered the lemon pepper wings and added fries and had a mango cocktail (it was hard for me to find a Texas IPA while I was in town). The lemon pepper wings were solid, and loved how much of the lemon flavor there was. It's worth getting if you're a lemon-pepper/sour wings fan. The fries were awesome, as they were beer-battered and had a thick texture, kind of like jojos that curl. The mango cocktail was not something I would recommend, as it was way too sweet with the mango and coconut liqueurs. Stick with a classic cocktail here if you don't find a beer. Overall, I had a great time at The Common Interest! It was especially fun to watch the game with locals 12s, while having some good bar food. I imagine this place to be a fun time during karaoke, which maybe some day, I'll be back for.

This place is incrediballs for fantastic local karaoke rockstars! I thoroughly enjoyed everybody that performed late Sunday night and I really liked that everyone is super supportive here. The bartenders are super nice and super fast and make hella strong drinks for hella cheap! They even get up and sing every once and while in the rotation. Speaking of, the rotation here moves pretty quickly, so even though it may say there is about an hr wait for your song, it is well under that, especially the later in the night when a lot of people seem to abandon their place in the queue. They also have a pretty decent late night menu and I was not mad at the corn dog nuggets!

If I could give this establishment 0 stars, I would. Literally we had a reservation for a private karaoke room and they gave our reservation to another group. Instead of admitting they messed up, they told us that our group was "too drunk" because they saw us doing Jell-O shots OUTSIDE of the bar. We did not litter or do anything inside of the establishment. Ruined two peoples birthdays. Ridiculous.

I'd love to give the CI a 5 star review, but the wait staff has a LOT of room for growth. The food is good, prices are pretty decent, and as a Pacific NW transplant I love that they are a Hawks bar! But I've found the waitstaff to be EXTREMELY lacking. I went in at 5 pm on a Friday evening there were a small group (4-5) regulars seated at the bat who the bartender doted on. I was the only other patron in the bar. The bartender did take my first drink order but that was it. She did not even send another glance my way, even after the regulars left.

This is such a fun place sometimes. However I have been trying for three weeks to book a karaoke room for a work event! I filled out the online form and got an email back from somebody and when I replied I have never heard back. I have followed up several times via email. I have called and spoken to somebody on the phone who gave me a phone number to call or text. I have texted multiple times and made phone calls To that number and the actual number listed online. This is so frustrating as my coworkers were excited and I am sure that spot is probably gone already. I understand places are understaffed and busy but three weeks is not good.

This place was pretty wild, lots of people from different walks of life & age groups, food was alright, drink prices were good, service was alright

Came here with a group, we had a disgruntled employee kick us out of the bar for standing by handrails and watching other perform, it was very odd. I've lived in austin for several years and never have been treated this way in a bar. He grabbed the wrists of women in the group and began yelling at us. Seemed liked he was on a power trip, We asked him to refrain from grabbing people, another employee actually tried to pull him aside to calm him down but he refused and acted belligerently towards our group. Other staff were great but this employee ruined the experience. There are other many great karaoke locations in this city and I will not be coming here again.

The service and ambiance was amazing here. Karaoke on a Thursday night was great, not very crowded. Drink prices very reasonable. Plus my drunk buddy got cut off for being inebriated, got pissed and punched a hole in the wall at the bar and the manager was very understanding and didn't call the cops. Two thumbs up, highly recommended!

I attended karaoke last night and was thrown out because a friend that I invited (who happened to have traveled all the way from Killeen, TX) was 20 making 21 next month. I do understand policy however; the club did not consistently card everyone. We felt targeted and singled out. There was another white female sitting at a table next to us who was clearly less than 21 years of age but was not carded and when it was brought to the manager's attention, she still was not carded. If you are going to enforce policy, please enforce it across the board and not make it seem to be hidden racism. It was quite humiliating to be put out and have everyone looking at us like we were criminals. AGAIN, ENFORCE YOUR POLICIES ACROSS THE BOARD. CARD EVERYONE!!! BTW, mostly everyone at the table hated their food orders. From loaded fries with cold (unmelted cheese), fries tasting freezer burned, and breakfast tacos with water down-downed salsa. No one ate their food!!!

Savannah, wow, just the customer service and attitude in this bar. Professionalism and nice, meeting her and Kelli was amazing and taught me how to order. This place is the place, when it comes to Karoke.

I finally gave this place a second chance after a few years away. I went outside to smoke a cigarette, and when i tried to come back inside they denied me and my boyfriend. It was weird because we had only had 2 beers. If i had known this place would be unfriendly to LGBT people I wouldn't have given them a second chance.

The drinks were cheap( I'm talking $2.75 well drinks cheap!) and the bartender gave us just the type of service I like. She was friendly, attentive and made a great drink - nothing fancy but exactly what I requested As a former bartender, I know ALL of my options and sometimes I like what I like AND I'm not shy in asking. I'm a firm believer in making a customer happy, so give the people what they ask for! Craft cocktails aren't always the way to go, especially during a karaoke escapade! I definitely loved the the divey, averageness of this bar, the only major turn off of was thefunky bathroom smell. However the amazing private karaoke room that are pumped with ice cold A/C feel amazing and OMG -- DO NOT SKIP THE FRIES. Cheese fries or not, literally some of the best French fries I've ever had! Ever. Fries!!!

We recently had a girls trip to Austin and were looking for a fun karaoke place and we are so glad to have stumbled upon The Common Interest. This is the best place to karaoke hands down! The staff is so friendly and the DJ is awesome, we had the best time. They have a fun stage with lights and a great selection of songs, they also have a private room in the back that is great for a big group or event!

Visiting out of town on a girls trip and wanted to find a place to karaoke. The Common Interest exceeded all expectations! The staff is so nice and accommodating and the DJ was really fun! There is a stage that you perform on and there seems to be a lot of locals that come there to perform that are incredible! Such good vibes here that were are going to go again on our last day of the trip.

Wonderful 12th Fan Seahawks Bar! Good customer service and great food. They have an Austin Seahawkers Booster Club that is a whole lot of fun. Added bonus they even have Guinness! I really enjoyed the chicken nachos which is a fan fave according to the waitress, and it makes sense as it was good. Definitely come here if you want a loud and fun experience cheering on the best football team in the NFL! GO SEAHAWKS!

This is the worst place ever. I gave $60 to the manager Lindsay and she gambled my money without my consent. Then when I wanted to cash out my $76 earning she told me I could only come back the next day to redeem. This place is a hoax and they steal your money. Not shocking...I can't even report them to the better business bureau. Go figure.

This is a great setup for Karaoke! They have a great stage setup and the sound is not overpowering in this setup for a bar. Simple process to pick your song and get up to sing, even if you have to wait a bit. The servers are very attentive and friendly which added to a great first time experience here.

Karaoke you say?? If you wanna get down, sing loud & proud...then come check out Common Interest! The crowd is always Fun & Outgoing. Bartenders know how to pour a decent drink, and the restrooms are reasonable clean...what else do ya need!?! I suck at singing, but I'll do it with enough Liquid Courage, peer pressure, and shots! But if singing ain't yo thing, that's cool; it's still a fun place and big enough to bring a your own crowd.

I don't know where to start. The service sucks. I have been here for an hour with trash on the table before anyone noticed the threw of us. I feel the patrons are fun. The variety of karaoke songs was good. Pros: karaoke variety of songs was good cons : service