Rock On
East Austin club deemed No. 1 music venue in the nation
The people have spoken: When it comes to concert venues, Austin has some of the best.
Yelp has compiled a list of the top 50 small and midsize music venues across the U.S., based on number of reviews and overall star rating on its site, and the Austin area scores big with four, including the No. 1 spot.
That honor goes to East Austin's Skylark Lounge. Concert-goers praise the old-school music club's dark and dingy "dive vibe," along with its pretty decent pizza.
The Cactus Cafe, the intimate listening room on the University of Texas campus, comes in at No. 27, and The Little Longhorn Saloon, everyone's favorite place for Chicken Shit Bingo, squeaks in at No. 50.
"Texas' oldest dance hall," Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, is No. 38. It makes a major impression for its history (originally built in 1878 and largely unchanged since), lack of air conditioning (the side walls open up), and cash-only bar (history, y'all).
Two Dallas venues round out the Texas representation. Oak Cliff's Kessler Theater, once owned by country star Gene Autry, is No. 11. The Granada Theater, in Lower Greenville, lands at No. 42. Next-door neighbor Sundown at Granada is a huge plus for those looking for a nosh before or after the show.