Latchkey

This place is all right. One time I went in, and it smelled like terrible, so I was out of there real quick. I went out last night and decided to give it a second chance, I will probably not go a third time. The DJ was all right, I was there on a Friday night, and there was a bunch of people, so I'm pretty sure maybe it's just me that didn't like the music, but the DJ kept playing a lot of throwback/oldies, and I was just not into it after the seventh, eighth song in a row. He played three vengaboys song in a row, like what? Ehhh

Latchkey is a must for a Friday or Saturday nights. Lines can get pretty long, but I don't think I've ever had to wait longer than 5 minutes to get in. The bathroom lines are a different story, so be prepared to wait quite a bit. The bartenders are friendly and quick and I love when they remember my drink and start working on it before I even order, so extra bonus points for that. Bird Peterson is the DJ on Fridays and Saturdays and his lineup is what all my dancing/singing dreams are made of. Prepare to get sweaty even during winter and to leave with dirty AF shoes. It'll be worth it though. I promise. If you get hungry both the loaded nachos and the Mexican hot dogs from the Smokin Rose are pretty legit.

I'm partial to clubs with a beautiful outdoor space for live music, and this one certainly hits that target, though it isn't as large as some of the other nearby club-with-patio venues. I hardly noticed the inside of the place this weekend, as it was SXSW and we were there to see the bands set up on their back patio stage. The bands drew a large crowd but the bartenders and adjoining food truck were able to cheerfully keep up with orders. The staff was pleasant and helpful and the sound and lighting systems were well balanced. Kudos to the sound engineers and stage manager.

Half of the outdoor area is covered and the part in front of the covered stage is wonderfully open to the sky. A couple of VIP style port-a-potties were set up near the food truck, and there's a full outdoor bar underneath the covered section, so really there was no need to venture back indoors.

Drinks and food are about average for East 6th club pricing. The food truck menu could use a few more vegetarian/vegan options. Parking is always an issue anywhere down in that area, so know that you are on your own in that regard. All in all, a great East 6th Street club for live music, drinks and snacks.

Great music, packed crowd, awesome food truck!

My friends and I enjoyed this dive bar thoroughly as a good place to end the night! People were all over the tables dancing and just having a good time. Definitely planning on returning!

It was alright. Best part is the singer outside. The food truck was cool. The mule drink was great. The vibe is inside and outside are totally different. The back part is chill and low key.

The funny thing is-they have a large outdoor area, but since we found open seats right next to their fan on a hot night, we posted up and still had a great time. I didn't even visit the outdoor area. We ordered two sweet tea vodkas and then a paloma coma, one of their specialty cocktails. It was pretty terrible in my opinion, but it got the job done because I was pretty tipsy by the time it was gone. The DJ was great the Friday night we visited and we had a lot of fun. The bartenders also work fast and have you out of line in no time.

Drinks: 5/5 Latchkey has some awesome deals, especially their latchkey happy hour with a beer and a shot!

Service: 5/5 No frills and quick service.

Environment: 5/5 Plenty of seating inside and a large patio. Frequently have DJs playing on the weekends.

This place exemplifies the quintessential East Austin dive bar but also adds some exceptional service. The staff here is sweet and accommodating. What elevates them above some of their neighbors are their creative cocktail options for non-beer-drinkers. Try the Serrano Sip [mezcal, serrano simple syrup, fresh lime] if you want some simple but layered refreshment for a sunny day in their back garden. It's pretty rare to find a dive bar that offers fresh ginger, fresh watermelon, and an infused simple syrup!

And their marketing, branding, and website are brilliant, to boot. (Also in the back garden, you'll find The Smokin' Rose Taco Joint [#44 on my taco list AustinTacoMojo.com].)

The main thing I have to complain about this place is the DJ. I appreciate the effort, but the transitions to the songs were the absolute WORST. He didn't even allow the song to hit the chorus! I wish I was joking when I say that we heard him go from Antihero- Taylor Swift to Gasolina - Daddy Yankee, like be so FOR REAL! And then from that to Dancing Queen... I'm mortified.

this bar has been poppin offffff lately / this atx summer! Line's usually hella long on Friday & Saturday evenings, but that's to be expected. My friends & i love coming here because their DJs are so fire & put on such a high-energy, fun af time. Their bartenders are also super quick & are ninjas at getting drinks & their busy lines down, even during their busiest times at night. Always packed nowadays, but well worth the communal sweat (ehhh...for the most part). It's hella fun both indoors & outdoors here - pretty sure that most of the time, it's the same music blaring & playing in the inside as the outside. My friends & i have a blast dancing & singing on top of the tables outside/outdoor patio in the back! It's been super rowdy this summer; honestly as much in their outdoor space as is their indoors. They have at least 1 food truck, Smokin Rose tacos, in their outdoor back patio as well for late night or drunky munchies. Stoked that Latchkey is having a shiny popular moment - we here for it!!