• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

The Water Tank: Northwest Austin’s Comfy Neighborhood Bar

August 31, 2017 by Dustin Vegas 1 Comment

Water Tank Bar in Austin

Water Tank is a neighborhood bar located at the border of Austin and WilCo

McNeil Drive acts as the dividing line between Austin and Cedar Park, and The Water Tank sits on the Austin side. You can sit on the front porch of this welcoming neighborhood bar and throw a Shiner bottle into the next county.

Not that I’d recommend that, of course. But that’s The Water Tank’s vibe: the last frontier of Austin’s relaxed and friendly bar culture.

Last Bar Before WilCo

The Water Tank is northwest Austin’s own watering hole. The surrounding neighborhood is a brackish mixture of old and new Austin. The Apple campus is just down the road, but it’s still a family area. The Water Tank is an oasis where the tech nerds rub shoulders with karaoke fiends and hardcore bikers. And the drinks are cheap.

This is a big place. You could fit six downtown bars into it. Inside, there are small corners with pool tables and arcade games where regulars meet. The long bar stretches across the middle of the space like it’s ready for a constant party.

Water Tank Outdoor Area and Bar in Austin

The outdoor area at The Water Tank is huge

That doesn’t even touch on the huge outdoor area, known as the Backyard, complete with a stage and outdoor bar. If it’s cool outside, you don’t even have to open a door to get your drink on.

Local Bar for Local Folks

A post shared by Bliss Baggs (@blissems) on Dec 9, 2016 at 9:36pm PST


What type of people love The Water Tank? Let’s take a look at the inside of the bar to figure that out. When you walk in, you’ll see no fewer than nine Bud Light signs, so is it a cheap dive?

Maybe at one point it was, but today you’ll also see ads and flair for the trendiest blood orange beer and plenty of cider. To me, those are signs that The Water Tank isn’t only for the hard drinking nine-to-fivers.

Having said that, it is the comfy type of bar where you can pull up a stool and catch up with the bartender. Classic rock music plays softly over the speakers as draft beer is poured into large glasses.

A post shared by Carrissa Devlaminck (@carrissad) on Jul 24, 2016 at 6:46pm PDT

The drinks at The Water Tank are 90’s-era cheap. While the rest of Austin is paying double digits for cocktails, you can pick up a Maker’s Mark old fashioned for less than that. One of the local favorites is the six dollar martini (the price of a draft beer downtown). If that says anything about the place.

Do as the Locals Do at The Water Tank

A post shared by Rob Fields (@bleudiablo13) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:51pm PST


The Water Tank consistently hosts karaoke competitions where locals cheer each other on. The atmosphere is friendly and Cheers-like. This is a place where everybody knows your name, no matter how poorly you sing that Alanis Morissette song.

This bar has more to offer than Wednesday night karaoke crooners, though. Every night, the staff updates the chalkboard with the names of upcoming live musicians who will be visiting to play the bar’s back stage. The musicians are mostly local because the vibe at The Water Tank is local. The back stage is the type of venue that your buddy would set up in his backyard if he had the cash.

The standard huge TVs, pool tables, dartboard, and half-price burgers round out what The Water Tank offers the northwest Austin community.

7309 McNeil Dr. – Website

 

@DustyVegas wants to know:

What is your regular neighborhood bar in Austin?

Filed Under: Drink, Food & Drink Tagged With: north austin

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Robbie Young
Robbie Young
4 years ago

I will be traveling to Dallas and Austin next week on business. I’ve been looking around for some good restaurants and bars to hit up that are more geared to the locals. The burger-egg-tomato-sandwhich looks flipping delicious! The Water Tank is a bar http://richmondseopros.com will DEFINITELY hit up… Also sold on the arcades and pool tables. Thanks for sharing Dustin Vegas

0
Reply

Connect with Us

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of A...

    To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of Austin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin this week

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of July 4, 2022 include Round Rock Express Vs. Albuquerque, Cedar Park Fourth, and more!

Austin is now among the fastest-growing metroplexes in the US! Keeping up with the growth, luckily there’s plenty going on in Austin all days of the week. There are things to do on Monday in Austin, of course, things to do in Austin on Saturday night, and everything in between! Some of you may be […]

Things to do in Austin with kids this weekend

Top 10 Things to Do in Austin with Kids this Weekend of July 1, 2022 include Bastrop Patriotic Festival, Family Game Night, and More!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of July 1, 2022, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including Dive In Movies – Wells Branch, Bastrop Patriotic Festival, and more!   Top […]

Things to do in Austin this weekend | Brick Rodeo

10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!

  For summer camp information, check out our page for Best Summer Camps in Austin for 2022!  If you would like to discover more Things to do in Austin this Week & Things to do in Austin with Kids this Weekend, check out Facebook for immediate notifications.

texas swimming holes near austin

Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

If you have been looking for free places to swim in Austin or googling ‘swimming holes near me’, you are in the right place! Texas is known for a lot of things and one of them is relentlessly hot summers. The temperatures are rising in Austin and across the state. Luckily, there are also many […]

Austin trampoline parks - Urban Air Adventure Park (Cedar Park)

Austin Trampoline Parks – Best Indoor Jumping Places for Kids and Adults!

Trampoline parks were among the decade’s most unique leisure attractions. They offer a playful atmosphere where people can defy the laws of physics and have a good time hurling themselves around. It consists of a large room filled wall to wall with trampolines. On the weekend, you may get rid of your boredom and have […]

Recent Posts

  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of July 4, 2022 include Round Rock Express Vs. Albuquerque, Cedar Park Fourth, and more!
  • Top 10 Things to Do in Austin with Kids this Weekend of July 1, 2022 include Bastrop Patriotic Festival, Family Game Night, and More!
  • 4th July events in Austin: Independence day 2022 fireworks, parades, concerts & other celebrations!
  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!
  • Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • 4th July events in Austin: Independence day 2022 fireworks, parades, concerts & other celebrations!
  • 10 Best Lakes in and around Austin
  • 20 Restaurants Open Late in Austin – Best Late Night Food Places For Tasty Eats
  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!
  • Guide to Austin’s Dirty Sixth Street

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

wpDiscuz