Anderson Mill Tavern
Highlights: Karaoke, pool, other games, outdoor seating, serves food and liquor and has live music
Pegged by owners Mark Alger and Coe Kennedy as a live music venue, the stage at Anderson Mill Tavern boasts a mural of the Austin skyline. Live music starts at 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
The venue has been open for more than 20 years. Bartender Lindsey Demars recommends coming for open mic night Wednesdays at 9 p.m. On Tuesdays, karaoke also starts at 9 p.m. The bar also offers pool, shuffleboard and darts. Anderson Mill Tavern serves bar food, including pizza, poppers, cheese sticks, chicken fingers and wings.
10401 Anderson Mill Road, Ste. 121 | 512-918-1599 | www.andersonmilltavern.com | Hours: Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sun. noon–2 a.m. | Happy hour: Mon.–Fri. 4–8 p.m.
C. Hunt's Ice House
Highlights: Pool, other games, outdoor seating and allows food delivery
First opened as Hunt's Meat Market, the property has been owned by Chester Hunt for years. In the late 1990s, Hunt turned it into C. Hunt's Ice House and uses an ice trough or buckets of ice to keep the beer cold, bartender Jesika Riggins said.
The ice house has a vine-covered beer garden, pool table and washer pits. Riggins said C. Hunt's doesn't offer a happy hour because "it's happy hour every hour."
9611 McNeil Road | 512-836-0558 | Hours: Mon.–Thu. 3–11 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 3 p.m.–midnight, Sun. 3–10 p.m. (opens at noon to air football games)
Canary Roost
Highlights: Karaoke, pool, other games, serves food, allows food delivery and serves liquor
Located across the street from Austin Community College's Northridge campus, Canary Roost has been serving the North Austin area for more than 13 years. Bartender April Roberts said the bar sees a lot of students when school is in session as well as many residents from the numerous apartment complexes within walking distance.
The bar serves snacks such as cheeseballs for $1, and customers may also order delivery from nearby Caf Java and DoubleDave's Pizzaworks. Canary Roost offers karaoke daily starting at 10 p.m. Sun.–Thu. and 9 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Trivia starts at 8 p.m. Thursdays.
11900 Metric Blvd., Ste. D | 512-836-6360 | Hours: Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sun. noon–2 a.m. | Happy hour: 2–7 p.m. daily
The Hideout Pub
Highlights: Darts, outdoor seating, serves food and liquor
Owners Marcos Canchola and Brian Hyde opened The Hideout Pub in April 2006 with a goal of becoming a neighborhood bar that serves cheap drinks and tasty food.
The bar has a large outdoor patio, darts and jukebox, which Canchola said he and Hyde take pride in for their collection of eclectic music. The Hideout also serves burgers and daily specials such as tacos, pasta and seafood.
12164 N. MoPac | 512-821-9093 | www.thehideoutpub.com | Hours: Mon.–Fri. 3 p.m.–2 a.m., Sat.–Sun. 5 p.m.–2 a.m. | Happy hour: Mon.–Fri. 3–7 p.m.
Parmer Lane Tavern
Highlights: Pool, other games, outdoor seating, allows food delivery, outdoor area pet friendly, serves liquor and has live music
This neighborhood bar, owned by Danny Stephens, has been a North Austin staple for more than 23 years.
"Everybody here is a regular," bartender Lauren Flores said. "We know everyone's name."
The bar has four pool tables, a shuffleboard, darts and poker night. Local bands take the stage around 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and Flores said many customers enjoy dancing to the music.
2121 W. Parmer Lane, Ste. 101 | 512-520-9136 | Hours: Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sun. noon–2 a.m. | Happy hour: Until 9 p.m. daily
Riata Bar & Grill
Highlights: Pool, outdoor seating, serves food and liquor and outdoor area is pet friendly
Located across the street from the Riata apartments, the bar is a hotspot for Riata residents and Apple employees. The establishment, which opened in May 2005, features a pool table and large circular bar. The owner is a graduate of The University of Texas, and the bar also airs UT games.
Riata Bar & Grill also serves a full menu with burgers, sandwiches, salads, fajitas and quesadillas.
Customers can play pool for free between 4–7 p.m.
12221 Riata Trace Parkway, Ste. 100 | 512-336-3838 | www.riatabarandgrill.com | Hours: Mon.–Fri. 11 a.m.–midnight, Sat. 11 a.m.–1 a.m., Sun. noon–midnight | Happy hour: Mon.–Fri. 4–7 p.m., Sat.–Sun. noon–7 p.m.
Shenanigans Night Club
Highlights: Karaoke, pool, other games, outdoor seating, outdoor area is pet friendly, serves liquor and has live music
The club typically has a packed calendar of karaoke, "Name That Tune" bingo, live music and beer pong and darts tournaments. Live music starts around 9 p.m. on Fridays, and Shenanigans has karaoke four nights a week. Many patrons stop by to play free pool, and bartender Sarah Hunter said there is a pool league most nights of the week. She said Shenanigans has a lot of regulars, most of whom live nearby and stop by in the afternoons.
"It's a different crowd at night," she said.
13233 Pond Springs Road | 512-258-9717 | www.shenanigansnightclub.com | Hours: 11 a.m.–2 a.m. daily | Happy hour: Mon.–Fri., 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | Super happy hour: 2–4 p.m.
Texas Bar & Grill
Highlights: Karaoke, other games, outdoor seating, serves food and liquor and has live music
Owner Jerry Berman, who has owned the establishment for the past eight years of its 30-year lifespan, recently reinstated serving food in the bar about four months ago. Berman said customers love the Reuben sandwiches on Texas-sized marble rye and build-your-own burgers.
The bar has karaoke at 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and two Texas Hold'em tournaments daily at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Live music plays Friday and Saturday on the stage.
Because the bar is in Austin's extraterritorial jurisdiction, it still allows smoking indoors.
14611 Burnet Road | 512-255-2229 | Hours: noon–2 a.m. daily | Happy hour: noon–7 p.m. daily