The Honest Take
What it's actually like
Guero's Taco Bar is a South Congress institution that's been feeding Austin since 1986. The food is the main event - Tex-Mex that the regulars swear by - but the Oak Garden out back has been hosting free live music for years, and on the right evening it becomes one of the most pleasant dancing spots on the strip.
The live music skews toward Austin roots, country, and singer-songwriter. When the booking hits the right notes, the Oak Garden fills up and people two-step under the string lights and the oak trees in a way that feels exactly like what Austin evenings are supposed to feel like. It's casual, unpretentious, and free.
For two-steppers, Guero's is a situational venue - check who's playing before making the trip specifically to dance. But if you're already on South Congress for dinner or other reasons, checking the Oak Garden for music is always worth a few steps out back.
The Back Story
From feed store to dance floor
Guero's opened in 1986 on East Oltorf Street, well before it was the South Congress institution it is today. Founders Rob and Cathy Lippincott moved and expanded the restaurant into its current building in the mid-1990s, after buying the old Central Feed and Seed Store - a South Congress neighborhood fixture built in the late 1800s that had sat closed for a couple of years.
The move helped anchor South Congress's turn from a run-down strip into the SoCo district it is now. Rob Lippincott ran Guero's until he died in 2022; his daughters Lyle and Bette Lippincott run the family business today.
The Dance Floor
Two-stepping at Guero's Taco Bar
The Guero's dance floor is the gravel and concrete area of the Oak Garden patio - informal, outdoor, and dependent on who's playing. On country and honky-tonk nights, people two-step on the open patio space. On other nights, the crowd is seated at tables and the music is background to dinner.
The setting is genuinely beautiful - old oak trees, string lights, open air, and the sound of the city around you. When the dancing happens here, it has a quality you can't find in a dedicated indoor venue. Worth experiencing at least once.
When to Go
Best nights for dancing
| Wednesday | Live music starts the week in the Oak Garden. Check the bill for dancing-friendly acts. |
| Thursday | Often country or Texas roots acts in the Oak Garden. Good start to the weekend. |
| Friday | Busier SoCo energy, Oak Garden in full swing. Check the bill for dancing-friendly acts. |
| Saturday | Afternoon and evening shows in the Oak Garden. Best bet for dancing on Saturdays. |
| Sunday | Afternoon music in the Oak Garden. Casual and relaxed. |
This Week
Current schedule
The full Guero's Taco Bar schedule is included in our daily-updated Austin two-step guide. Check there for tonight's band and set times.
Guero's Taco Bar bands are listed in the main schedule, updated every day since 2021.
See Today's Schedule →Practical Info
Everything you need to know
FAQ
Common questions
Is Guero's live music free?
Yes - Guero's Oak Garden live music is free with no cover charge. All ages welcome.
Is Guero's good for two-stepping?
Guero's is good for two-stepping on nights when country or Texas roots acts are playing in the Oak Garden. It's situational - check who's playing before making it your primary dance destination.
What is the Oak Garden at Guero's?
The Oak Garden is Guero's outdoor patio venue out back - a shaded courtyard with oak trees, string lights, a stage, and the kind of open-air Austin evening vibe that's hard to beat. Live music plays there Thursday through Sunday.
What building is Guero's Taco Bar in?
Guero's is inside the old Central Feed and Seed Store, a South Congress building from the late 1800s. Founders Rob and Cathy Lippincott moved their restaurant there in the mid-1990s, after opening the original Guero's on East Oltorf Street in 1986.