Nickel City wants to believe it’s a dive bar, and at one point it almost was. But the servers at this East Side spot are too friendly, the cocktails are too developed, and the whiskey selection is too extensive. It’s one of our favorite bars in Austin, toeing the line between just about every category a bar can fall into. There’s also a great food trailer out back, Delray Cafe, serving up some of the best burgers and wings in town.

Housed in an old Clarksville train depot—complete with former railcars and all—Donn’s has been the spot for drinks, dancing, and live music since the late ‘70s. In that time It’s become one of the most iconic institutions in Austin, attracting both a younger crowd and people who have been there since the beginning. There are two dance floors, and you can expect to hear live music nearly every night—sometimes a full band, sometimes just tunes on the piano.

When you want to try classic cocktails from any era, head to The Roosevelt Room downtown. Here, the menu is broken up into time periods, spanning everything from the pre-1880s to modern times. And while the bar does have plenty of its own inventions, this is one of the best places to try classic cocktails as they were meant to be enjoyed. It’s dark inside, with an open, industrial space that feels surprisingly intimate.

Stepping into the South Shore bar Frazier's Long & Low feels like stepping into a movie about a bar set in the 1970s. On one end of the small building, you’ll find a jukebox, pool tables, and a long shuffleboard, while the other end plays host to a handful of semicircle booths. And all of it is outfitted in Coors lanterns, “Cold Beer” signs, and a retro color scheme. Frazier’s is also home to one of our favorite burgers in town—basically a McDonald’s cheeseburger that went to culinary school.

When we were kids, we looked to places like Rainforest Cafe for an immersive, tropical experience while living in Texas. These days, we just head to Tiki Tatsu-Ya on South Lamar. From the street, you’ll see a sign advertising a fictional travel agency. But inside is the bar equivalent of a tropical resort—with a beach house upstairs, and a mysterious cave downstairs, both equipped with full bars shaking up hyper-potent rum-based potions.

With three full acres, a massive bar, and more activities than you can count, Armadillo Den in South Austin isn’t just a great bar—it’s one of the best places to spend an afternoon in Austin. Expect to find the standard suite of bar games (giant Jenga, anyone?), but the main attraction is the ax throwing lane in the back that you can rent by the half-hour in the evenings. Thankfully, Downtown drink prices haven’t quite made their way this far south, which means drinking here won’t break the bank

Here Nor There is located in a basement under an alleyway in downtown Austin. Make reservations through a dedicated app, which will reveal a secret code before your scheduled time that will let you through the gate. It’s worth it once you walk through the front door and are greeted by a life-sized stuffed bear holding a tray of champagne. The cocktails are pricey, but with liquid nitrogen-cooled olives, clarified punches, and hand-stamped ice at play, it all feels like part of the show.

It’s no secret that the East Side gets busy on Friday and Saturday nights, but even the busiest bars in the area barely hold a candle to the crowds at Whisler’s, home to some of the best cocktails east of I-35. Fortunately, with two full bars—plus a rooftop mezcaleria—Whisler’s is equipped to handle whatever the city throws at it. It’s built into an old warehouse that feels more like it belongs in Brooklyn than across from a hotel in East Austin.

Things we look for in a good neighborhood bar: comfortable volume levels, ease of parking and/or seating, and good (but still affordable) cocktails. And The Aristocrat Lounge near Burnet and Koenig Lane checks off every box. Come here to unwind, grab a house cocktail—they’re all under $10—and play some pool. The Aristocrat is also home to Yeni’s Fusion, an Indonesian food trailer out front that’s worth the visit alone.

There aren’t a lot of bars that blend generational lines quite as well as The White Horse, one of the most popular venues on the East Side. Expect to find gray-haired couples showing off their moves next to first-timers. There’s live music most nights, and a floor with people two-stepping. There are a few beer options here, though this is probably one of those places where you’re drinking Lone Stars or Shiners. It’s also one of, if not the only, place in town with a wall of whiskeys on draft.