The Roost

Really great music venue & good atmosphere. I ordered a non alcoholic spritzer which was not stellar and the bar area smelled really sour. Too many spills and not enough cleanup. The irony in that is that the bathrooms were clean. If i was a beer drinker I would have given it 5 stars easy.

Great Local Venue.

As a fervent music lover living up north, I was excited to see (finally) the emergence of a real music venue attracting real artists north of 183. When BandsInTown notified me that Mingo Fishtrap would be there I jumped online and immediately purchased a «VIP table» for two at $ 40 a seat. We were seated at a small, cozy table in the back right on the 50 yard line. It’s a small venue so being «in the back» is not a bad thing. It’s a raised area and you’re still within 50 feet of the stage, but you feel somewhat separated from the bustle and noise around the seats further up. In any case, there truly is not a bad seat in the house, and there is room to dance right in front of the stage.
I have to say that there were some challenges to our evening. There was confusion and disorganization regarding our seats. We had to deal with a couple who were given our seats when we got up to go to the bar, but after assistance from management we were able to clear that up. The wait staff seemed to be either overloaded or a bit unaware and for a while we could not get a waitress’ attention. At one point in the evening we were asked to share our table — really only big enough for 2 and supposedly «VIP» seats — but again I was able to straighten that out.
Overall I would have to say that while the folks at The Roost have some things they need to clean up, I hope they keep attracting top talent and drawing big crowds. Success will only breed more success and we might actually have a diamond in the rough up north right now. I’ll be back for sure. I admire these guys for going out there and trying to do what others have been unable or unwilling to try. As more and more people move to the outskirts of the city, we need to make sure that all Austinites get to experience being in the live music capital of the world.

If you live north and find the trek downtown or south for live music a bit daunting, then this Roost is for you. Settled in the most unlikely of places, a strip mall in Wells Branch, just between north Austin city limits and Pflugerville.
The club owners have been around the Austin music scene for years, and came in knowing what they wanted to create. They’ve spent a fortune on this huge venue to make the sound system and stage one of the biggest and best in Austin, and they book some of the same local talent you’ll find downtown. Currently, WC Clark appears weekly on Mondays. Ruthie Foster, Monte Montgomery, Malford Milligan, James McMurtry, Gary P. Nunn, and Guy Forsythe also are on the venue calendar at the end of this year.
It’s dark with nice accent and stage lighting, seating, and a dance floor, and has two full bars. You can roost for happy hour or all night, and it’s not even hard to find parking, because this is Wells Branch and there’s a huge parking lot out there. I remember when you could park free right off 6^th street and walk to the clubs, but that was forever ago and I digress.
The Roost’s walls are adorned with memorabilia from Austin’s musical past, and I particularly appreciate seeing the old Steamboat sign from my favorite 6^th street club hanging there behind the stage. The music may have moved to the north and the south of central Austin, but it’s still here. Happy hours are usually free and cover charges other times are reasonable. You can buy tickets ahead of time for high-​interest shows, and they’re reasonably priced (usually $ 12 – 28) so check their website before heading out.

Saw a show last night at The Roost. Who knew that there was such a great venue this far north in Austin. Don’t be put off that its in the middle of a strip mall surrounded by apartments and subdivisions… once inside you’ll feel right at home. The acoustics are good, the bathrooms are clean and the service is excellent. From the owner to the bartenders to the guys working the sound and light boards — everyone was friendly and helpful.

What a great venue for live music! This is what Austin is all about.
Reserve a spot or get here early because it fills up fast. With that being said there isn’t a bad spot (of course some are better than others) and the sound is really great.
Conveniently located and parking was no problem.

Had a great time here. I haven’t been to Austin in YEARS and we went down for Labor Day weekend to visit some friends. Got in late on Friday so we decided to Unilocal some spots. The Roost came up. The great reviews give a very accurate depiction.
First thing that stood out was the lighting and the sound. It looked like we walked into a concert. There were at least three bars with lively bartenders. After the band finished their set, they came down and hung out with us. The band is called Suede, and upon further research, I believe they tour with George Lopez. They played everything old school and new school, from rock to funk. The lead singer was a-​freakin-​mazing. They were all very cool and even invited us to come see them later in the weekend. The managers and owner greeted and asked if we enjoyed ourselves and spoke to us at length, more than just a courteous hi and bye.
The crowd was lively and everyone was having so much fun. We seemed to be the only ones standing around since we were new. Several random people came from the dance floor and invited us to come dance, making us immediately feel welcome, not only to The Roost, but also to Austin. If you’ve ever been on I-​35, then you know that driving from Dallas to Austin for Labor Day weekend was a big commitment, so to have The Roost be our «first impression» when we arrived, that set a great tone for the rest of our weekend in ATX.
Unfortunately, our schedule didn’t allow us to go back that weekend, but this will definitely be a Friday night spot when I come back to Austin. I highly recommend The Roost, but I can’t give five stars on the first visit. I’ll have to go back so they can earn it, which I have no doubt that they will.

OK. This place is good if you’ve got the money to spend. $ 25 per person for a table, at the door, and $ 15 for standing room. The host is one New York Joe, who provides a nice straight-​laced foil to the live music atmosphere. The drinks are pretty decent, the stage is really nice, with a projector background. Nice seats, decent place, just not too… unique, I guess. And maybe a bit overpriced, in my opinion. Really I’d give it 3.5 stars, but whatever.

Great spot for live music up north. Great sound, and plenty of seating. We went for the first time on a Monday night, and while the crowd was extremely sparse, Roxy Roca put on a great show and we had a great time. There were $ 2 beers on special and drinks aside from that weren’t cheap, but reasonable.
Definitely glad to have a nice, clean, new and legit music venue nearby and we’ll definitely be back.

Five stars to the Roost for making my Case of the Mondays feel like a Cure of the Fridays.
I’d had a lousy day, I was tired and grumpy, and I entered the club from the sweltering evening heat to plummet into cool darkness. Then, like the light at the end of the tunnel, I spotted the bar off to my left, and tending the bar was an angel. No, really. Tall, gorgeous, smiling, with aquamarine eyes… he smiled at me and asked, «Whatchoo want Baby?». Oh honey, the list is too long, I thought dreamily. Anyway, I ordered my usual Ruby Red and soda, and this angel made it *almost* the way I make em at home… that is to say, eye burningly good :)
I stumbled my way in the dark over to my friends as WC Clark laid down the funk… playing such classics as «Georgia on my Mind», «Rock Your Baby», and «My Baby Don’t Wear No Drawers». Before I knew it, before I could even help myself, my ass began to wiggle and I began to giggle.
I got a full hour and a half of WC and a few trips to see my future cabana boy at the bar before Roxy Roca took the stage. By then, I couldn’t see or think about anything outside that venue. Their lead singer was moving and sliding around in his wingtips and suit, singing about his girl «having too many cooks in her kitchen» at which point Mike C and I had to put up our Zippo lighter apps and wave side to side.
A small contingency foraged about for food and brought back tacos and gorditas from the neighboring taqueria. All was right in my world.
So, thanks again to the Roost (and Chris the bartender) for serving me up great drinks and music. It’s not often that my Mondays end with me dropping it like it’s hot. YOU made that happen.

I’ve been there two times. I really like the place — and it would be the best ever if only the sound person would turn up the vocals and turn down the other instruments a bit. I end up having to wear earplugs to keep my ears from hurting from the loud percussion and guitars yet can barely hear the vocals even with no earplugs.
: sigh: Unfortunately most sound men are half deaf and have no idea how much they are torturing others’ ears (or at least I like to think they don’t)!
Love the location, the ambiance, and the people who work there always seem helpful and friendly. Oh, and did I mention you better bring earplugs?

Living in the far away land of North Austin, the Roost is such a welcome addition to not only North Austin but also the surrounding communities. In the 6 years we’ve lived here we’ve made our way downtown at least once a week for live music. Never having that north vs south rivalry (whole area is pretty cool) we’ve seen some great shows at most of the local clubs.
Upon hearing about the Roost opening and being managed by David Cotton and family, we knew it’d be professionally run as well as getting top shelf acts. It was indeed better than advertised. Great sounding room, stage, lighting, and a friendly Staff. We’ve seen about 5 shows since it opened and it’s one of (if not the best) places to hear live music.
As our great City and entire area is being gobbled up with hotels, condos, and high priced restaurants, all us music lovers need to get out and support places like the Roost.

Wow! Fantastic evening on Saturday night with Bob Schneider at this new live music venue. The Roost is a great addition to Austin’s music venue hot list. Great sound system, fast and friendly bar tenders and waitstaff. Even the restrooms are nice! Important for the ladies! Seating is limited –so go early.
My Friends and I traveled from Bee Cave area and had no idea what to expect. We will be back frequently. It’s worth the trip.

I came here via the great suggestion, and for the UYE, of Tony B to listen to some amazing blues by WC Clark. Simply amazing, and in a perfect venue. It could be that we were here before the word is out but seating wasn’t difficult and even with just one bar of three open, getting a drink was extremely fast. They had about 10 taps on the wall, but since they were not ready, canned beer it was. They had Sierra Nevada IPA but I opted for a Lonestar with a shot of Makers Mark. We had to hit the road before the second band came on but with the Monday happy hour priced drinks (and drinkable wine) Amy D and I will be back here for sure, especially on Monday, to enjoy some great music.

The Roost! The Roost! The Roost is on fire! Sorry, but it had to be said.
While the Roost wasn’t actually on fire, the bands that play there are.
The owners did a great job remodeling the place and turned it into what should be North Austin/P’ville/RR’s premier location for live music. The sound was excellent, once they corrected a mild feedback problem. They’d only been open a few days, so still learning and knocking out some bugs. There are 3 bars to get your drinks from, along with servers wandering around to help you if you don’t feel like going to the bar.
They’ve got a great selection of acts coming up and are currently featuring WC Clark on Monday’s for a blues happy hour.
I only knock them down to 4 stars right now since they were not fully up and running when I was there. They didn’t have their tap beer going yet, and they’re selection of beer was lacking in the craft beer area. BUT, after talking to them for a bit this will be changing as they were more concerned about making sure they were meeting silly things like fire codes and such so they could open. Fine fine, I can understand that. Once they get that local beer selection going and get the taps up I’m sure I’ll bump them up to 5 stars.

Thank you Roost… for reminding me what I love about Austin and why I moved here.
I was lucky enough to come here for the inaugural performance of the venerable WC Clark. The Roost somehow managed to procure this living legend for regular Monday night Happy Hour performances. Did I mention… the Happy Hour shows are free?!
This is a most welcome addition to the North Austin area. The venue is a fairly decent size, but has an intimate feel. There are tables on the main floor, which I can only assume come up for larger shows to allow the unwashed masses of genpop to congregate. To the back of the room are tables and booths, which are tiered to allow a clean sight line to the stage. I understand these become VIP for larger shows. The sound quality and acoustics are perfect. Fear not smokers, there is access to a sizable patio near the restrooms.
There are three full bars serving beer, wine, and the hard stuff. Beer selection is limited to a handful of cans for now, but multiple taps were visible for future draft selections. The staff is attentive and extremely friendly.
Looking ahead, the Roost has booked some pretty serious names in the Austin and National music scene… including Mr Bob Schneider, Reckless Kelly, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, legendary Dale Watson, and James McMurtry to name a few. Monday night HH with WC Clark is just the beginning. There are other HH shows through the week.
The Roost is as good, if not superior to any music venue in central Austin. There is ample parking and it is easy to get to, directly off N Mopac or I35.
I welcome you wholeheartedly into the neighborhood, Roost…
If you need me, you know where to look.

What a shocker to find so far north! I have spent countless hours driving to the ’04 for shows but DAMMMMMMNNNNN there is a new venue in town. The size of The Roost makes it one of the nicest venues to see Austin’s best bands.
There are at least 25 tables so it is not a miracle to snag a table for a happy hour show. For the bigger or weekend shows there is also plenty of room to stand without blocking the tables. There is a covered patio for the smokers but not exactly the back of the Continental.
The stage can easily accommodate a band of 10 people so it looks a bit barren seeing a 4 piece band on stage. This place will allow for some nice shows just by the size of the raised stage. My wife was so happy to be able to see without having to bob and weave.
The sound was great.
3 bars for the weekends or bigger shows.
Parking will be fine for most nights.
Beer selection was weak but the place is only weeks old. There are taps but for the time being only canned beer. This will change. Other than that I was happy to find a happy hour show without having to crawl down Mopac or 35 to see a good show.
Long may The Roost live!

You wouldn’t think North Austin would have a cool blues venue, would you?
Except you’d be wronger than wearing a sweater in August.
North Austin does have a blues venue, and it’s every bit as good as the brand-​new C-​Boys Heart & Soul on South Congress, which I attended only a few nights ago. In fact, seeing two blues shows in four days is something I haven’t done since I was a college kid in New Orleans.
A few differences between C-​Boys and Roost (Yeah, you don’t care, but I reviewed C-​Boys the other day so it’s on my mind. So, indulge me, why don’t ya?):
–C-​Boys only has shows on Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 10:30, whereas Roost has happy hour shows starting at 6 just about every day.
–C-​Boys charges $ 4.00 for a vodka soda. Roost does, too, but you can get ‘em for three bucks apiece during happy hour (4−8pm). Jade Room, upstairs from C-​Boys, charges $ 5.50 for a vodka soda, which is nothing short of ridiculous.
–Roost is so much more laid back and, if you live up north like I do, so much easier to get to.
But, if you live south, or simply prefer South Congress, C-​Boys is a wonderful place with great blues/​funk bands. A perfectly Austin-​y place, with some New Orleans thrown in. My second-​favorite blues venue.
I’m pretty sure Tony B. and I were the two youngest people at Roost tonight, and we’re not even that young. Nonetheless, the crowd was relaxed, respectful, and I didn’t have to put up with any shrill, drunk chicks or eye-​rolling hipsters. But, really, is blues music hip enough for hipsters? Doubtful. So, there’s another reason you should check out this place (and C-​Boys).
I don’t know why I was expecting this blues venue inside a nondescript shopping center to be bigger, but I was. Four chairs cramped into each other at each teeny table. They’ve got room enough for bigger tables, so I’m hoping they’ll get on that pretty soon.
The place started out sparsely populated for WC Clark’s show, but it got full by about an hour into it. The place didn’t LOOK full, but each table had people seated at it. And I hate the fact that I ended that sentence with a prepositional phrase.
But anyway…
Like I said before, drinks are well-​priced for happy hour and average otherwise. Strong pours. Service was a bit slow, but I think that’s only because our server was the ONLY server on the clock that night. At least, she’s the only server I saw working. And she did a damn fine job, too.
As far as food, there’s a Taqueria Jolly Sciences (as I call it) in the same shopping center, and Crawfish Shack & Oyster Bar is just a few more feet away.
May as well mention that at C-​Boys we have The Original New Orleans Po’ Boy & Gumbo Shop trailer, and within short walking distance of The Roost we have Crawfish Shack & Oyster Bar.
Does anybody else see an interesting coincidence here? You should. Cajun food is a New Orleans staple, as is blues music.
Not that it matters. Okay, well… it does to me. Your experience may vary.
Sight lines and acoustics here are top-​notch, as is the parking situation. I mean, if there’s anything a strip shopping center is good for, it’s parking.
This place is good enough and near enough — with quite a few good acts — that I plan to roost here often. I might bring in some twigs and create a little nest, even. And, who knows, you might even hear me chirping along to songs occasionally… unless that scares you from trying out this place.

I had no idea what to expect — a music venue on wells branch? in the middle of — heck, where even is that? is it Austin? pflugerville? and in a strip mall that previously had several failed iterations of bars? what are the chances that people up this far north know how to put together a decent venue? well, the chances in this case are apparently 100%, thanks to the cotton brothers.
the venue was completely gutted and redone to provide good acoustics and a comfortable atmosphere. it’s brand spanking new in there and no attention to detail was overlooked. there are 3 bars in three corners of the club each with a couple of eager bartenders, and several cheerful servers working the tables — so you won’t ever be thirsty for long. and seating is tiered so it doesn’t seem likely you’d find a bad spot in the house. the stage is big… huge, actually — which means they can accommodate bands of all sizes. the potential excites me. the calendar so far is impressive — starting with wc clark doing regular happy hour shows on Mondays from 6−8pm — with no cover! del Castillo, reckless kelly, dale watson, bruce and kelly, and bob Schneider are all booked for future dates. one of the cotton brothers told me that they’re booking los lonely boys! woo hoo — these guys are not kidding around.
welcome to the hood, roost. I look forward to a long and fulfilling relationship with you!

Went last night for a happy hour show feature Lisa Tingle. The place was fairly empty when we walked in around 6 pm., but was pretty crowded two hours later.
Everything seems brand new, looks like they must have gutted the old place. Great sight lines to the large stage, three bars conveniently located, and super comfy seats in the back which apparently are sold as VIP seats for shows with a cover.
We’re coming back for sure, they are lining up some great acts (Bob Schneider, Del Castillo, Los Lonely Boys, Caroline Wonderland and more), and the place is only six miles from our home. Pretty remarkable considering we’re so far northwest many of our friends refer to our hood as «south Dallas».
Here’s hoping The Roost thrives. It was kind of nice to not feel like Methuselah at a concert for once…