TC’s Lounge

I cannot tell you how utterly depressed I am to see this diamond in the rough go!
I made it out to last week’s Fourth festivites, along with way more people than a fire marshal would ever allow in that place. But more than Independence Day, this was a celebration of the wonderful, iconic gem TC’s has become.
My first introduction to TC’s was about 5 years ago on one lowly Thursday night with a handful of old colleagues, 3 bottles of whiskey, and an instanteous urge to dance. Once we walked into this uneven structure with minimal, fan-​based air-​conditioning, a couple regulars, and soulful blues pouring from the stage, we knew we were in the right place.
The best way to describe this place is that it’s «always 100 degrees no matter what time of year it is.» And for that, I love TC’s.
For that, and for so many other reasons, I bid a tremendously sad adieu to this glorious place:
–to Baby Girl: who was always sweet, but always stern; kindly asking for IDs and the humble $ 5 cover.
–to the best Goulash I’ve ever tasted and am constantly trying to recreate
–to the icebuckets provided to help cool us (and the whiskey) down
–to Leeann Atherton and Co. making every Thursday for about a year so incredibly memorable
–to the Elmore Reed Blues Band for carrying on with all those crazy, cooky, mostly college kids every Monday for the last 7 years
–and mostly … to keeping Austin sweaty, dancing, and so effing Real.
We will miss you TC’s.

It seems that my review is coming a little too late for my love TC’s because it closed at the end of June. Consider this its eugoogooly:
TC’s, I will miss you. You were fun while you were here and probably one of the most unique places in Austin. Although I always felt like I was going to get shot when I stepped outside, I still loved you and was happy to pay your $ 5 cover. I will miss your super unhealthy, greasy free food, your super cool (although sometimes moody) staff and being able to bring my own bottle of vodka to quench my thirst. I will miss your blues music on Monday nights and the wild, sweaty (oh so, so sweaty) dancing it encouraged. I truly apologize if I ever put my drink on the pool table– I swear I didn’t do it to hurt you. Au revoir, my un-​airconditioned love, au revoir.
Edit: Thanks to fellow Unilocaler Andy B. for bringing this to my attention. It appears that TC’s IS apparently still open but was sold and a lot of changes will be made. So, consider this my eulogy to the OLD TC’s (because, let’s be real, the «NEW TC’s» probably won’t even compare). RIP

Hi.
I am specifically writing about Monday’s at TC’s. Mondays.
I try not to give too many 5-​star reviews because things in life are often pleasant, comforting, sweet, embracing, etc., because of the nice blend of flaws and strengths. Thus, it seems strange to five-​* a venue/​restaurant/​movie. However, due to the fact that Mondays at TC’s Lounge ALWAYS make me happy, I’m tossing down the highest rating.
I like places where I feel happy, content and at relative peace with the world. (I sometimes feel this way at the Broken Spoke, but usually only on Wednesdays.)
I am happy to be at TC’s on Monday nights for four reasons:
Uno. The band. The Little Elmore Reed Blues Band is comprised of some pretty downright amazing musicians who love to play together. Their music pulses, throbs, inundates and conquers the place. Music here, on this night in particular, grabs everybody sitting at tables or leaning against posts or jiving on the dance floor and pulls them together in one big contended sweaty huddle. It’s like we’re all perspiring penguins vibing off one another’s goodness.
B. The blend of people. The crowd in Heaven, if you believe in that sort of thing, is going to be like the gathering at TC’s on a Monday. Seriously, when I’m there, I feel like I’m stuck in a combination of a Southern Baptist Vacation Bible School song and «It’s a Small World». Thing is, I believe it this time. The world really is made better when we celebrate our differences by being happy together in the same place, the whole diverse bunch of us. You don’t «happen» on TC’s Lounge, you go there on purpose, and the people there like being stuck in a steamy mosaic. To me, at TC’s, Austin feels like Oak Street in New Orleans. Fact is, we ARE, as individuals, very unique, and we feel better in recognizing that truth, mostly when it’s lived out in front of us to the rhythm of driving Delta blues.
3. The dancing. A chock-​full fourth of this place moves, no it rocks, back and forth. I feel like I’m living out a William Johnson portrait in real life dripping color. I love the sensual, sexy swamp-​grinding motion.
IV. The adventure of it all. Per my earlier comment, you don’t just manage to stroll into TC’s after bar-​bouncing on W. Sixth (I know, these two ideas – TC’s and West 6^th – are incongruous). You plan your trip out there. And, ideally, you plan it with friends and you bring liquor and you grab a table and you, in singles and pairs and trios, get up and dance. Or, you sit and try not to sweat and hear your conscience bugging you to get your butt out of your seat and join the raw-​rocking rambunctious neighborhood that’s buzzing all about you.
So, Go.

Well, you simply must go see the Little Elmore Reed Blues Band — Mark Hays, Mike Keller, Willie Pipkin, Dale Spaulding, Pat Whitefield.
They play on Mondays. Get there at 9:30pm to get a chair! They’ll start around 10pm. It costs $ 5 to get in on Mondays.
TC and Baby Girl will also make you some stew for a late dinner.
Don’t lean or sit on the pool table because you will definitely get yelled at.
You will hate the many college students who are just there to take their pictures for their fbook pages. They and their drunk friends will try to dance right in front of you.
On the other hand, please just enjoy the band and their friends. Maybe you should buy the band some beers, too.
The only I don’t like about TCs is the ladies’ room, but it’s a small price to pay for an authentic juke joint experience.

TC’s or as I like to call it, the first place I saw 4 Loko, ya know back when it had that stuff that caused those teens to blackout. Imagine the ensuing confusion of having never been to a BYOL (or BYOB or what have you) and seeing these bottles, solo cups, and maybe some bags of chips on a table. And then on the bar there’s a crockpot full of some kind of soup. I couldn’t tell whether the soup or the liquor were free or both. (Note: only the soup). And man is it hot in there. I think they intentionally trap the heat just to give it that «down on the delta» atmosphere. Luckily you can go out to the parking lot, and yes, bring your drinks out there with you. Where else can you do that in Austin? Recently the crock pot was full of «beefaroni» and I was very hungry. Oh, and they also play live Blues which you can dance in case you’re into that sorta thing.

This place is pretty sweet. I came for the first time on Monday night and had nothing but goodness in my life here. The band was great and the place was packed, but my favorite part was definitely seeing all the guys drinking whiskey straight from bottles they’d brought in.
I will say the bathroom is completely terrible, though. The women’s door doesn’t shut properly much less lock and was out of toilet paper and paper towels most of the night. I’m surprised I don’t see that getting mentioned in more reviews. Sure, it’s a dive bar, but stuff like that is still notable.

Even when there’s no band, this place rawks. Brought a bunch of my friends here for a birthday get together, fully expecting my face to melt off from heat and blues. Alas, the band had a medical emergency so it was just a bunch of folks hanging… and yet still, we had a fantastic time.
Baby Girl, the sweetest thing this side of molasses, set up a special table for the queso/​cupcakes/​booze we brought in. Seeing a handle of vodka next to a big old vat of cheese is enough to make my heart skip a beat. Anyhow, with our glow necklaces and big glasses and mustaches and sense of joi de vie, we closed down the place.
Wed — Friday are the best places for this little jukejoint and don’t be skeered. Aint nothing gonna bite you in there… unless you want it to. Will update this review when I’ve had the ultimate dance party there with the Little Elmore Reed Blues Band.

Right off the bat I was feeling comfortable and at home at TC’s. The lady at the door checking ID’s and taking the $ 5 cover was instantly my new best friend. She didn’t hesitate to insert herself into our conversation and give us great advice. We were able to grab a few seats at a good table and she helped us round up a few extra chairs for friends who were on the way.
Driving up to this place it looks like a big barn. Once you are inside, it is not much different. (Beware as you enter the bathroom.) But that’s what I love about it! It isn’t trying to be anything other than what it is. I found myself wondering how they make a profit. It’s BYO Liquor and Wine. Just about everyone I saw was drinking their own wine or liquor. There is a $ 5 cover, and it did get crowded.
I was expecting TC’s to get sweaty and packed. I heard that a LOT of dancing goes on there. When I walked in I wondered where all of this dancing would take place. There were a lot of tables and chairs, some pool tables, etc… but not a lot of floor space.
You would not believe what is possible. What I heard was true. Dancing did take place. Don’t worry if you didn’t bring your own partner… there are plenty of singles to dance with you. Space miraculously opens up in TC’s for those who are feeling the blues. I had a wonderful time at TCs dancing to and feeling the music.
P. S. It’s true: there are crock pots full of wonder. I had a wonderful snack of stew. At first I wondered what exactly I was putting in my mouth. Then I realized it was a wonder that I kept spooning the mystery stew into my mouth. It was G-​double OH-​D good!

Went for a birthday party on a Wednesday but there was no band. The singer was in the hospital or something so it was sort of a low-​key night. Hence, I fully expect to be able to update this review sometime with a glowing review of a romping good time, complete with band.
The bar is authentic East Austin, meaning no frills or fancy décor. There are pool tables and plenty of seating to sit at. They only beer on tap is Miller, other options are beers like PBR and Modesto. The music they play when there is no band is still good, all R&B roots/​rap. I am keeping this place in mind to return to ASAP to experience the full she-​bang. I know it will be a good time.

Alright… I went last night on the one night everyone has suggested I check this place out… annnnnnd…it was cool.
So here’s what you should expect:
1. Sweat your butt off and run into a bunch of people
2. Dance your butt off
3. Eat your butt off out of a crock pot for FREE
4. Drink the wine or alcohol you brought in or maybe the Four Loko they sold you.
Don’t expect much… I felt like Patrick Swayze and his gang of uneducated/​mean street thugs from the summer resort were going to appear on the dance floor at any moment.
Word to the wise… I’ve heard only Monday and Wednesdays are the days to go. I assume the other nights are probably terrible.

I really can’t think of anything that would make this place better than what it is… because, well, it is perfect at being what it is, if that makes any sense.
I don’t get a chance to come here nearly as much as I’d like, but every time I get to, this place rocks my world. I leave sweaty and deliriously happy. If you like down-​to-​earth, good live music, dancing sweaty people and free hot dogs and stuff, go here.
I am happy this place exists. Thank you Universe!

Do we need another Unilocal review of TC’s Lounge?
I swear every review reads the same. Sketchy neighborhood, No A/​C, Something in a crockpot, yadda, yadda, yadda.
People, the reason TC’s is great on Monday nights is because of The Little Elmore Reed Blues Band.
I don’t care how many Four Loko’s you order or how much Frito pie you consume but none of that compares to the groove leaping off that stage. Those guys swing harder than Ike Turner on a three day bender.
I don’t care if if you go there just to say you went to the East side to check off an item on your Bucket List, just remember to tip the Band.
I’m glad the place is packed with young, cool kids because they get to hear some damn fine Blues and no one needs to be taught how to Dougie.

I went here for my first night in Austin. I fell in love
1. You can bring in your own booze
2. Great Blues music on «white night» monday
3. People were awesome
4. It felt like you were in the movie animal house

Everyone’s favorite hot, sweaty dance party going on in the middle of the hood.
Mad props:
— They sell Four Loko at the bar
— You can bring your own box wine
— Free food
Don’t go expecting to be comfortable. Go there to drink and dance. Monday night is the go-​to for noobs.

I’ve been going to T. C’s for a few years now and unlike most places in Austin, this place has avoided change. Whether you want to sit and sip your whiskey and watch the band or dance up a storm, Monday nights are sure to please. A few things you don’t want to forget at T.C.‘s:
–Wine or Liquor or Both!
–for a table on Monday, get there at 9:30 sometimes earlier
–don’t be afraid to dance with friends, by yourself, or with that creepy dude who asks you
–deodorant
–cash for the $ 5 cover
–get a breath of fresh air when the band takes a break
For all of the Austinites who haven’t ventured this far east to T.C.‘s, they are missing out on something special.

TC’s is a mess of sweaty + fun. I went on a Monday night and was wooed by the Little Elmore Reed Blues Band. We were the first group to sit down and within an hour, the place was jam packed. We forgot our liquor, of course, but a group of friendly guys sat down at our table and were happy to share their bottle of whiskey. (Yes, you can bring your own wine and liquor!)
I went outside for some air & saw that many others had the same idea. I remember thinking, «Wow! How on earth did all these people fit inside this tiny bar?»
Only downfall — if you’d even call it that — is that it’s waaaay east. And, as a bicyclist, I have to rely on a ride from a friend. It’s definitely not the safest place for a tiny lady to wander around on her own late at night.

This little shack has got SOUL.
I’ve been here twice and managed to get lost both times trying to find it. It’s waaay out on the east side, y’all, and it’s easy to get turned around at night. Anyway, once you find it, the charmingly dive-​y interior invites you to sit a spell, drink some beer (bring your own liquor if you want something stronger) and check out the scene. The nights where there’s a live band playing (like Flyjack or Soul Track Mind) are the best! I can’t resist dancing the night away. Even the guy with the prosthetic leg was giving it all he had on the dance floor!
The owner dishes up home cooked food on the cheap most nights of the week-​usually something like beans and cornbread or hot dogs.
Outside in the parking lot, there’s always a rotating cast of colorful crackheads and vagrants exhorting you to give them cash, booze or cigarettes. (Although last time I went, a «lady of the evening» urged me to drink some of what SHE was having, which was unusual, and scary. She also offered me a massage… yes really). Beware of the lady’s bathrooms, seriously. The toilet behind the shower curtain/​door is a bit wobbly and this could spell trouble after you’ve had a few. I don’t even want to get into the state of the walls and floors.
To summarize: Go (with directions). Drink. Groove out. Eat some home cooking. Avoid crackheads. Caution in the toilets. AWESOMETOWN.

I love TC’s but let me say this, if their is a fire on a monday night everyone is a going up in flames. It gets so packed in their that if you arrive late the only place you can stand and drink is outside because inside their is just enough space for a path to the bathroom and to the bar. I feel like an ant in an ant farm because their are some many people that their are make shift paths that if you stop in you block everyone else behind you.
The bar is a BYOL (Bring Your Own Liqueur) but they do sell beer and you need to buy your mixers and ice from them but that cost hardly anything. You also have to pay a cover but is worth it. One of my favorite things is they have a crock pot of some sort of awesome food which its usually frito pie or goolosh and the best part is that its free! And to top it off… FREE CONDOMS! I know and its not even a gay bar!
The staff is what always surprises me. The bar looks shady from the outside and the neighborhood is a bit on the bad side but the staff is always extremely friendly. They know that the customers are what brings them money so they are always treating everyone with complete respect. The music is always really awesome as well. I will state this though, do not bring people with you that are the type that get drunk and fight. The space is small and the staff will kick your whole group out and will remember you too and thats after the regulars get you for acting a fool in their bar. Also mind that you don’t run into the people playing pool after a while they kinda have enough.
Overall if you are looking for a place on a monday night that will have people and friendly people so you can make new friends then this is the place for you.

If you could bottle the sweet, engaging and enthusiastic folks who cram themselves into this shoehorn of community, I’m about half convinced it could cure cancer. I’m sure we looked a little lost when we wandered in here, but that didn’t stop any of them from showering us in kindness, trying to feed us, reminding us that it was so-and-so’s birthday and that her friends were pouring stiff drinks on the other side of the bar. There was no learning curve here, just the balance of new friends who were immediately compelled to take you in. And take us in they did.
It’s divey but sweet, weathered but charming, and this night they were serving up meatballs and magic; the guy at the door was almost apologetic that there wasn’t a band happening (he told us it was just a DJ before taking our cash at the door), but we didn’t care. We aced what we were after, an authentic night out surrounded by good folks and the flavor that comes from basking in genuine moments woven of memories. At least I figure that’s a start.

Hipster heaven. 4REALZ! ;-) TC’s Lounge is lit by blinking Christmas lights, has low ceilings, and is nestled in a not-​so-​great part of town. It’s populated by an eclectic mix of hipsters, down home Austin locals, and some of the East side crowd. And we ALL know how much the hipsters love looking authentic (man, I saw that band in high school).
In all seriousness, beer is not cheap here — tall boys of Lone Star are $ 2.75, and everything else is $ 4 for a 12oz can, including Shiner. And really, $ 4 for a can of Shiner is an affront to my cheapskate Austinite beer-​snob self; I can buy a friggin’ SIX PACK (of Lone Star) for four freaking dollars, and I expect world-​class beer at piss-​water prices. Profit margin, much? On the flip side, the food is free (it was chii last night), and usually reasonably good. Additionally, it’s BYOLW (Bring Your Own Liquor and Wine), and people share if you ask really nicely.
Watch out for drunk, short, black women. They will yell at you for standing between them and the stage, even though they’re at the back table and the joint is standing room only. Then they will get their lisped boyfriend to ask unusually politely for you and your friend to move so his skanky associate can see without standing up. And you will move because you were well raised and a lady should be indulged, even if she is drunk, smelly, and generally pest-​like. Let it be known that I have no problem with drunk, short, or black women (or generally any combination thereof), but if you smell or are pest-​like, you will not make my preferred persons list.
But really, I fuggin’ LOVE this place. The blues is REAL Texas blues, and it’s fan-freakin’-tastic. The crowd is lively and friendly, and they don’t mind if you take your beer with you to go smoke (just stay right by the door). The $ 3 cover and the $ 4 beer is a worthy sacrifice for a joint where you can bring your own bottle of Jameson’s and kick it to real Texas blues with your favorite Austin people.
Five stars, no doubt, and a true Austin experience. Definitely getting added to my «tour» list for out-​of-​towners.