Austin Live Music Guide

Highball

Alamo Drafthouse's live music and cocktail venue on South Lamar - a polished room with occasional country and honky-tonk nights worth knowing about.

By Vanessa Vaught, founder of Double or Nothing Two-Step, Austin's honky-tonk dance school named Best Two-Stepping Lessons by the Austin Chronicle

Published 2026-06-19 ยท Updated 2026-08-19

๐Ÿ“ 1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin TX 78704
๐Ÿ• Mon-Fri 5pm-11pm/12am, Sat-Sun 2pm-11pm/12am ยท Live music several nights a week
๐ŸŽŸ 21+ ยท Varies by show
๐Ÿ“ž (512) 861-7040

What it's actually like

Highball is the Alamo Drafthouse's entertainment venue on South Lamar - a polished, well-produced room with cocktails, karaoke, and live music in a space that's considerably more finished than the average Austin honky-tonk. It's not trying to be a dive bar and succeeds on its own terms.

For two-steppers, Highball is a situational venue. When the booking includes Austin country players, the room becomes a legitimate dancing destination. The floor is good, the sound is excellent, and the drinks are well-made even if they're priced to match.

It's worth knowing about Highball as part of your weekly Austin music scan - not as a primary two-step destination, but as a place where the right act on the right night can be a genuinely good dance evening in a comfortable room.

Inside TipCheck the Highball calendar when you're doing your weekly schedule scan. When a good country act is on the bill, it's worth going. The room is comfortable, the dancing is real, and the production quality is a notch above what you usually get.

Two-stepping at Highball

Highball has a proper indoor dance floor in the main entertainment room. It's a smoother surface than most Austin honky-tonks and a more produced environment, which means the dancing can feel slightly different - less dive bar improvised, more intentional. Both have their place.

The floor is best when the booking is explicitly country or honky-tonk. On those nights, the space works perfectly well for two-stepping and the crowd that comes knows what they're there for.

Best nights for dancing

Thursday

Rotating Austin country acts. Check the calendar for who's playing.

Friday

Varies by booking. Check the calendar for country acts.

Sunday

Check the calendar for what's booked.

Current schedule

The full Highball schedule is included in our daily-updated Austin two-step guide. Check there for tonight's band and set times.

Everything you need to know

Address
1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin TX 78704 ยท Get directions โ†—
Hours
Mon-Fri 5pm-11pm/12am, Sat-Sun 2pm-11pm/12am ยท Live music several nights a week
Cover
Varies by show
Age Policy
21+
Parking
Alamo Drafthouse parking on site.
Dance Lessons
Double or Nothing Two-Step teaches honky-tonk two-step at Austin venues throughout the week.

Common questions

Is Highball good for two-stepping?

Highball is good for two-stepping when country or honky-tonk acts are on the bill. Check the calendar before going specifically to dance.

What is the cover at Highball?

Cover at Highball varies by show. Check their calendar for specific show information.

Is Highball part of Alamo Drafthouse?

Yes - Highball is Alamo Drafthouse's entertainment and live music venue on South Lamar, located in the same complex as the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar cinema.

Learn to Two-Step โ†’