Austin is a town known for its nightlife—many genres of music converge here in the middle of the state for appreciative listeners. Jazz fans have long flocked to the Elephant Room to hear sets from local and national favorites. The ambience is nothing to write home about—it’s located in a somewhat dingy basement illuminated by Christmas lights—but the music is some of the best you’ll hear anywhere in the Lone Star State. This isn’t a traditional listening room; people will be talking during the sets, ordering drinks and walking around, so you’re going to have to accept that the Elephant Room is more than a little casual. But that’s okay, as jazz used to be the music of the people, after all. Some complain that the layout of the room makes it hard to hear at the back, but that’s just part of the experience. A very reasonable $5 cover and no minimum is just the cherry on the sundae.

Elephant Room
315 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 473-2279