Canary Roost

My favorite neighborhood bar! We’ve been going for over a decade. We’ve seen the staff change over time, but Kodiak & Brittney are our faves so incredibly kind and make us feel special! 10/10 we recommend!

I love a good hole-in-the-wall bar, and Canary Roost really hits the mark. It’s unpretentious, welcoming, and just has that "local hangout" charm. The drinks were a little watered down, but honestly, I didn’t come here for craft cocktails — I came for the karaoke, and it was so worth it. The karaoke setup is fantastic, with tons of fun props to really get into character, and the crowd’s energy made it even better. Everyone was supportive and just there to have a good time, which made it feel comfortable to jump in and sing no matter your skill level. If you’re looking for a laid-back, budget-friendly place to laugh, sing, and enjoy a night out without taking yourself too seriously, Canary Roost is perfect. I’ll definitely be back for another round of songs and silliness!

Canary is THE karaoke locale - great drinks at a good price, incredible staff, and rotating Karaoke DJs that are always on point. Love coming here whether it’s gameday, a weekday, or for a birthday group. Come on over from the Domain and sing your heart out!!!

It is a upper style dive bar. The chairs are old school, but comfortable. I believe they only served drinks. I loved the nightly karaoke. The KJ & bartender were so nice and they crowd was too. We love whiteclaw & they had a good amount. Will go back!

Unsafe. Exclusionary. Racially hostile. After closing my tab, Sasha (the bartender, who was professional and blameless) gave me a to-go water. The moment I stepped outside, two white men with no connection to the bar cornered me, claiming I couldn’t take it and even misusing Sasha’s name. Inside, the accuser hid while his friend shielded him, changed names when pressed, and even tried to pivot the situation into me buying him a drink. The crowd — overwhelmingly white — circled up, treating me as the problem. The racial dynamic was obvious. Two Black women saw everything. They stayed silent, understandably, but one gave me the unmistakable nod of recognition when I called out the "white power" atmosphere as I left. And the "law" excuse? False. I went to another Austin bar immediately after and was handed a to-go water with no issue. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission confirms: there is no law against this (TABC FAQ). As an Indian professional helping fuel Austin’s tech growth, it’s telling that even people building this city are treated as outsiders here. I chose restraint instead of escalation because I have more to lose than they do — but no one should have to make that choice just to leave a bar with water. Bottom line: Sasha did her job. But the culture around her is unsafe, biased, and unworthy of Austin.

I pretty much love the Wednesday night karaoke here. The bartender Flor is amazingly sweet and the KJ Brigette is a born entertainer. The happy hour drink special is $5 any whiskey drink until 11 I will say the vibes are very much hit or miss. Sometimes, the crowd is into the karaoke and people are mingling and dancing in front of the singer. And those nights are the ones you forget because you drank a bit too much. But the ones when people are disinterested, standoff-ish and boring make you want to leave unless you're a karaoke fanatic. It feels a bit depressing in there on those nights. It feels like a dive with its eclectic decor and a bit dingy because of the lighting but it's got some real character to it. They do let you bring in food so that's a big plus. The regulars are a friendly bunch.

What an amazing place to party in Austin! The bartenders are top tier, the patrons are here to have a good time, the karaoke is amazing, the slots are loose. No cover charge for the best vibe in town- what more could you ask for?