Austin

The Jackalope 404 E. Sixth St., 512-472-3663, jackalopeaustin.com. Set on famed Sixth Street—that miracle mile of liquid courage and live music—the Jackalope is a place where the drinks are big and pretense is nonexistent. Velvet pictures of nude women line the walls. Cult movies flicker on three different screens. A bust of the titular mythical creature is mounted for all to see. And, unlike some of the student-heavy bars on this stretch, the Jackalope draws a crowd that's as diverse as it is lively. Patrons are treated to great food—the bar has a full menu, and on Wednesdays there are two-for-one burgers from the wood-fired grill. Lone Star Beer and Jameson whiskey are also staples here, as is the signature Helldorado. When asked what was in this Jackalope exclusive, the bartender simply replies, "Magic."

Creekskside Lounge 606 E. Seventh St., 512-480-5988, thecreeksidelounge.com. If you're looking to break away from the Sixth Street vortex, head to this haunt in the Red River district. A true neighborhood bar filled mostly with regulars, Creekside features the best of both worlds—laid-back lounge and lazy outdoor oasis. Inside, two-dollar Lone Star tall boys as well as pool and pinball are always available. The outside deck, lined with lights and canopied by trees, offers a view of the creek below. Stop in for DJ on the weekends, and look out for the live music venue that's opening soon. Or, for something a little different, visit on a Tuesday night when games of Guitar Hero become larger than life on a projection screen.


Lala's Littttle Nugget 2207 Justin Lane, 512-453-2521. Take a look around this roomy bar—wood paneling, wagon-wheel chandelier, pool and foosball table—and you immediately think you know what you're dealing with. Look closer, and the picture gets more confusing: cigarette smoke fills the place (Lala's was grandfathered out of the local no-smoking ordinance) and there's year-round Christmas decor, complete with impish dancing elves and a bedecked tree. This is not an ordinary neighborhood dive, it seems, but an ongoing experiment—an epicenter for the trenchant Keep Austin Weird movement. The small menu offers basic food like burgers and dogs, and beers actually still come in pull-tab cans. It's also cheap—happy hour well drinks can be had for $3. And in its strange, North Pole-meets-Twilight-Zone way, Lala's is pretty cozy, too.

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