Why is everyone so hard on this place?
Johnny Sunshine was our karaoke DJ for the evening and he was delightful. Very funny, encouraging, and he even sang us a few songs! He came up to each and every participant and told them something nice and offered advice. He had a ton of songs to choose from and seemed to really know each and every one of them!
The drinks are tasty. There isn't much on tap... Zigenbook, Budweiser and Bud Light as I recall. The bathrooms were very clean and the staff was nice and attentive. The clientelle is a wide array of characters but we had a great time, there is some serious talent at The Water Tank.
I can see how The Water Tank would have 'tanked' in the reviews with many people. However, I myself found it to be a really different type of bar for Austin. This bar made me feel like I was back in Houston, a real neighborhood bar.
It's not fancy, there's no cover to get it and the drinks are priced decently. This place is huge. There are a couple of different bars to order from. The side room is the darker, cooler room where Friday night karaoke takes place. The main room has tables and places to sit and talk, and choose your jukebox music.
The back room is filled with all sorts of bar games, arcade types and foosball. There was plenty of parking and we could all hear each other, surprise! I know I probably have a really different thing that I'm looking for when I go to bars, being that, I don't like most bars. I am the 'let's get a bottle of wine and find a BYOB' type more than I am 'let's go down town, dance, and yell at each other' type.
So if you're laid back, looking for somewhere to have a drink and catch up with an old friend for cheap and up North, check out The Water Tank. Although, I will say, there were a ton of regulars while I was here that were having some sort of apparent crying drama situation happening in the other side room. I just chalked it up to bar drama, but it was still interesting that they seemed to know the bartenders so well.
At first I thought this was one of those dive bars filled with beautiful people and microbrews, but it turns out it's a dump. Â Everyone is fat, ugly, and missing teeth, and the food was inedible. Â Not my scene. Â The food reminded me of what my high school cafeteria served. Â Well, what did I expect from Williamson County?
Review Source:I was there for a friend's birthday,  a party of 12 or so buying a lot of drinks in the karaoke room all night. . I was there for two hours listening to the usual karaoke drunken songs. That is not the complaint. I understand and appreciate the normal crap drunken karaoke. Love it. That's why we are there. People are just  there trying to have fun after a day of work.  after 2 hours i decide to to put in a song request and sing a song . The ed hardy t-shirt and goatee  circle stache dude actually physically reacts to my song choice and doesn't  want to play it because it's Patsy Cline and not "upbeat" enough". The song was "Stop Look and Listen".  A Very up beat song.  he rejected  it. When I filled out  the little piece of paper i didn't realize that there was a possibility it would not pass the test. Did not want to allow me to do it. Saw her name and made a judgement that it was not worthy. And I was polite and nice and normal. Simply handed him the paper.
Soo....if ya go here for karaoke and the dude doesn't  know your song, he may tell you no and you will  be turned away. Â
Ever been to a shitty bar and requested a classic bad-ass karaoke song and they say no? Because they are ignorant and rude don't know anything about music? ya me either. Until tonight.
NEVER going again. Â Thanks. Have a great day and go check out Patsy Cline's greatest hits.
He was weird and mean. Â unnecessary, The bartenders were great.
Nobody puts Patsy in the corner.
So, I play skeeball here on Sundays and after having their fried mushrooms, and loving them, a friend and I decided to go back for a burger.
Now, don't expect fancy, you won't get it. Â I think we got a mildly cold shoulder from the bartender because we're not on a first name basis, but it wasn't bad. Â We both got a cheeseburger and it was good! Â Not gourmet good, short order good, but still yummy. Â I got the onion rings, and FAbbbbulous! The fries were average. Â All in all, we each got a burger w/ a fries and two beers and it was $15 a person which wasn't too bad. Â
I'll be back every Sunday to skee and I just might be dropping by between then to get a beer and a bite, since it is my neighborhood bar.
I celebrated my 25th birthday here and had a blast. Â its a fun bar in north austin, and has cheap drinks. Â
pros: has great bar games (GIANT jenga, shuffle boards etc), cheap beer on wed, and also good cheap steak, not a lot of YUPPIES or frat kids.
cons: parking was hard to find, bartender was kind of rude, not a whole lot of beer selection
over all i did enjoy the food and drinks! i would recommend for a fun night with friends
This is a great dive bar with awesome karaoke, good drink prices, friendly bartenders, and ample seating. There's something about a dark, divey atmosphere that really makes me feel at home, and Water Tank achieved this.
My friend and I went for Tuesday night karaoke and there were only three people singing, me being one of them. The three of us basically were on a constant rotation for 4 hours which was both sad and a blast at the same time.
Tuesday is also $1 taco night, and the tacos were pretty tasty.
We'll definitely be back.
Tried the Water Tank once, but I haven't been back since then. I hope to give it one more chance soon. During my first experience, I was over charged by about $10 on my bar tab. Other than that, I think this place would be an awesome place to unwind & relax! It seems laid back, although it did seem the regulars got most of the attention from the staff.
Review Source:This is for lunch. Went back for lunch because a friend wanted to go there. Â I went because I am nice to my friends and small animals. Had a hamburger and fries. Fries were typical bar fries, but the hamburger was a cut above a bar burger. Lettuce, tomato and onion were nice and fresh. Waitress was nice and there was shuffle board.
Review Source:My sister and I sat down in the slop area and the pregnant-looking waitress stopped by and asked us if we wanted anything. My sister asked
'Do you have a menu?'
to which Brandine replied, baffled-
'You mean for food?!'
Yeah, Betty-Sue. For food.
So Georgette, with a heavy sigh grabbed a menu from the stack and slapped it down and sauntered off.
The food was okay, if you think freeze-dried catfish sticks are gourmet. Served with your choice of dippin' sauce- mayonnaise, or mayonnaise.
MAYONNAISE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE.
When the band started playing, this couple did the cutest little dance. It was this like 35 year old woman who thought she was 25 and this dude who was seriously EIGHT FEET TALL. It was really a tasteful dance, but christ, who knew that three hours later she'd be straddling a chair she'd dragged out to the dancefloor, her 5'1, 155 lb body glistening under the green lights, shirt tied up, her petite flub like the STRESS INCREASES CORTISOL, CORTISOL INCREASES BELLY FAT commercial, Â tramp stamp on orange alert.
She dragged the giant around all night, trying desperately  to  seduce him. At one point he literally looked back at the audience, made his hand into a gun, and stuck it in his mouth.
You read my mind, Andre.
I come here because its in close proximity to my apartment. They do have lunch specials, and the food is not that bad. The service is great. There's your 2 stars. Now...lets get in to it.
Holy crap, I've haven't seen so many pathetic "40 somethings" hammered at 2pm on a Tuesday in my entire life!! You want to see how an Unemployment Check gets spent? Come to The Water Tank. Its the same people every freaking time too. Its the type of place that if Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" came on the jukebox, they would all toast and wrap their arms around each other and sing along, because at the point, all was right in the world. Their custody battles, child support, latest domestic violence charge, evictions, and lawyer's fees will just have to take a backseat because TOBY IS ON THE JUKEBOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah...that kind of place. I ordered a Modelo the other day and the redneck next to me took time out of daydreaming about his next lynching to give me the "are you kidding me" look. He might not have known what a Modelo is cause its one of them "fancy stinkin foreign brews." But I digress.
Great location. Great service. If you're a regular there...please die.
Looking for a place to sip congnac and talk to your friends about your investment portfolio and the rising cost of pork bellies? Â Then this may not be your cup of tea.
However, with that said, if you are looking for a friendly, down to earth neighborhood bar...then look no further. Â Every day people, reasonable drink prices, an owner that is always there drinking and talking with the patrons are just some of the things you can expect. Â In addition, a very tasty burger and fries can be found at this fine establishment.
Most people believe the bar got its name from it's proximity to the nearby water tower. Â However, legend has it that the owner copyrighted the name after trying to develop a low cost military assault vehicle during the cold war era made entirely of H2O. Â When this proved to be a disaster, the owner then opened a bar. Â This is that bar.
Divorce, your dog died, you've wrecked your car. All of these feelings and more AT THE WATER TANK!
The food tastes like the they scraped the gristle from the edges of a flat grill and put it in moldy, soggy, bread, farted into it and drug through garbage water.
The service, what service? Do you people speak english? Parle usted ingles? They are not foreign, they ignore you completely. Perferring to look at their 1998 Nokia cellphones or chatting with the resident Water Tank Drunks.
This place must be a front for a money laundering business because  seriously, HOW IS THIS PLACE IN BUSINESS?
Want terrible service? Want to see a run down bar? Want to feel like you've hit rock bottom? Then the Water Tank is the place for you!
Took forever to get service. Waitress had the personality of a rock. Never refilled my drink. Had to stand by the bar forever to pay. The food at Jack in the Box across the street blows this away and is cheaper.
I don't burn the midnight oil too often, so when I do, I'm ready to go out and have a good time. Our group of 16 was there to celebrate 2 birthdays. If we had known that last call is at 11:45 and the joint shuts down at midnight we would have simply picked a different spot, rather than having to decide which real bar to continue our party at. Â No real complaints about the service, but the joint is dirty. Â Karaoke was fine, but the guy got a little confused in his rotation and skipped one of our party until the next round. Not cool, and no self-respecting bar in a night life town like Austin should be shutting down at midnight. Not keepin it weird, North Austin!
Review Source:I have been here a couple of times and got good service. Â I went for my birthday once and the gal gave me a free shot. Â It was like 10 am. Â She was really nice. Â It's just a neighborhood bar with regulars. Â The service was kinda slow but they did not forget about us and they were really nice. Â The food is not that good. Â I didn't like the fact that when you want to take your order to go, you have to pay a fee. Â But, other than that, it was nice. Â No parking so get there early.
Review Source:Terrible service.
Walked up to the bar to buy a round of shots for my friends. The first bartender asks what I would like, I ask him what are the most affordable shots. He says he'll be right back. Five minutes later and another girl, a blonde, walks out. She avoids eye contact with me for awhile as if she doesn't want to serve me. I'm the only one at the bar without a drink. She eventually comes over and says a few snarky comments I couldn't really decipher. I tell her I'm interested in getting some shots. She says what kind. I ask her what her most afforable ones are.
I'm a college student and frequent sixth street. I don't have a lot of money but I like to have a good time with my friends. Also, I've worked plenty of wait jobs and because of this, I tip very well.
She says everything is full price and that there are no drink specials. She then gives me a terrible look.
I walked away from the bar and I'm never going back.
TLDR: Bad service.
The husband and I went on a Monday night when their burgers were half off. Â At least I think that's the day and the special - it's been a while since we went and obviously this place is forgettable.
We walked in and had no idea if we were to sit down or order at the bar or what. Â So we sat and waited. Â And waited. Â We even texted a friend who is a manager at a local restaurant and asked him what the acceptable wait time is for a seat-yourself bar/restaurant. Â He said 3 minutes, which we had surpassed by 7 minutes. Â We were just about to leave when the ONE employee came over from the bar to take our order. Â ONE employee to service the bar and the seating area. Â That set the tone for the whole experience because it took an eternity to get our food, get our check, and I finally had to walk my check and payment method to the bar so I could get out of there.
The burgers were alright - I've certainly had better elsewhere. Â The fried pickles were pretty good, but not worth the hassle of going there again. Â I imagine the karaoke and live music is to distract you from the poor service.
I love this place. It is an absolute hole in the wall. It's dingy, dark and the pool tables are old.
Oh well, I still have fun. I by no means look like the typical patron here, but I still have a good time. If you come here with a group of friends, it's a good time. On certain nights, there is karaoke. The singers suck. Usually they all suck. But who cares? It's supposed to suck.
I've also tried the food. I have to say, the chicken fried steak is GOOOOOOOD. It's about 8 dollars or something and the portions are huge. I'm prob the opposite type of client this place attracts, but I have fun each time. OH, it does close earlier than most bars on Fri and Sat though.
Laid back. Â Classic rock playing (not annoying crap, but music you can actually listen to and have a chat with those who brung ya). Â Older crowd (like me). Â Friendly staff. Â Pool tables. Â Cheap pitchers. Â Bar good for leaning on. Â Minus one star for the horrible Karaoke and the bad onion rings. Â The burger was great (cheese and mushrooms). Â Didn't try the fries. Â Will definitely go back when I need my cool, no stress, neighborhood bar fix. Â Sometimes the dive bar is what you need.
Review Source:I went there again this past weekend with another meetup group and this time I didn't get the same feeling - the staff is still really friendly but last time I didn't realize that the bathroom is not fit for those in a wheelchair - one of our members is in a wheelchair and she couldn't get in there and she had to leave the event....really sad.
Don't get me wrong, I love some country music but not every freakin' song - Yes, I sang one this time around but back it up with some other ones.
The only reason im giving it 3 stars is the fried pickles not to mention its the only reason we went! They were delicious! sadly, the bar itself is a dive to say the least. Â The staff seem nice, but more concerned with helping just the locals. Â I finally got up to get someone's attention - at that point they helped.
Review Source:First off, let me say that the female bartenders at this joint are
very hot !
..., but from there it's all downhill.
I didn't realize when I went here with a group that this is a redneck karaoke bar. So, the playlist is heavy on country songs, hence most of the people getting up to sing have been practicing their 'twang' at home.
They only offer three beers on tap, and two of those are light beers.
Yuck ! Sorry, I'm used to the Gingerman or Flying Saucer.
Food is pretty generic pub/bar food. I do have to say though that they have some of the best fries in town. Really.
Don't think I'll be goin back anytime soon, since this is really not my crowd ... tooooo country , and ... I'm a fool for the city ( cue the Foghat music ! ).
I much prefer the Highball/Alamo for my karaoke needs.
I just hope the Highball is washing that Flock of Seagulls wig every now and again.
If you have all of your teeth you are not a regular. If you do not know the names, Charlie Anderson, or, Tommy Love, you are not a regular. If you do not bring all of your own music and microphone you are not a Karaoke regular. If you do not know how to get drunk with strangers and meet VERY different and Interesting people/characters than you are not Water Tank material.
Lots of fun always a good story to tell after you leave. Love this place.
During Mon nightt football they have FREE HOT DOGS AT HALFTIME :)
Yes, check out Big Ass steak night on Wed, it does kick Woodrows ass on pricing and quality. Yum yum yummy
One of the most exciting parts about moving to a different part of town is discovering new local haunts. Â I've been staring at the Water Tank for months, waiting for an opportunity to check it out. Â The outside porch is always busy and the parking lot full. Â
Hipsters may have infiltrated dives south (G&S Lounge, LaLa's et al.) but they haven't made their way up here yet. Â Though it's technically in Travis, the vibe at Water Tank is straight up Williamson County. Â This bar is *country*. Â Not cool old country music jukebox country. Â Not ironic Lone Star country. Â It's tube top and too-short denim skirt country. Â You won't be seeing any skinny jeans here, my friends.
I was ecstatic to see the free shuffleboard table and a few pinball games, including Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Â The music selection was spastic and amusing in its variety: I heard everything from Led Zeppelin to the Animals and Peaches. Â Though not a "regular" as most people there clearly seemed to be, everyone, including the bartender was friendly enough.
There were no deals in the later hours of the evening - save for frozen margarita shots (!) - but they do have Happy Hour prices and food specials regularly (who could say no to Wednesday's "Big Ass Steak Night, right?). Â
Be aware that they close at midnight (at least during the week).
Its just a whole in the wall bar and grill. Â Not a clean place. Â Staff prefers to wait on locals. Â I've been several times over the last two years. Â The salad bar looks more like a compost heap. Â At times the music is so loud it hurts, and folks I'm from the Keys of florida, I love my music loud. Â But it should never be cranked that loud when its that bad! Â The beer is fairly cheap. Â As with anywhere in austin the staff has a "I dont care attitude" and it appears they never wash they're hands or anything else. Â
So I'm sure you are asking, if the place is so bad why have you gone several time. Â Well late nights lead to strange places. Â And if you are a true alcoholic then this place aint to bad! Â Otherwise, avoid it until you are well past the legal .08 limit for alcoholic in texas, and call a cab. Â PLEASE CALL A CAB!
A long, long time ago, before parenthood sapped the spontaneity right out of me, I was a bit of a karaoke monster. You could find me at Nics & Nocs (remember that place, before PF Chang's moved in downtown?), belting out "Welcome to Jungle" in a 1950's party dress, inspiring the crowd to jump up and offer their best Axl Rose snake dances. Ah, those were the days....
When my good buddies dragged me out to go singing (okay, I begged them to take me) last weekend, we decided to give The Water Tank a try. It's on my side of town, and we'd heard it would be less crowded than Common Interest (at which it can be virtually impossible to find a seat or get on stage on weekends).
My first impressions at 8p on Friday were ambivalent:
~ gotta pass through the smoker's ghetto on the front porch (at least it's not inside the bar like at Canary Hut);
~ mixed crowd of mostly blue collars & blue hairs (not sure how welcome outsiders will be);
+ open tables near the stage;
- too bright, harsh lighting;
- single stall bathroom;
+ kitchen serving until 11p.
The first 90 minutes, almost all of the songs are slow tempo classic country, with a sprinkling of 1950s oldies and show tunes; it could be awful depending on your tastes, but I found it a refreshing change from the typical Britney/Backstreet/Sinatra mix. I figured my best strategy was to blend in, so I opened with a Loretta Lynn gem, "You Ain't Woman Enough." The crowd ate it up, so my next pick was "Blue Bayou," which buys me enough good will that they don't boo me off stage when Madonna's "Like A Prayer" (complete with back-up choir) is my finale.
As the night wore on, the crowd got a little younger and the song selection a little bit more lively. Most of the singers were pretty good, and those who weren't were still given a friendly & supportive reception. The Tank would probably be a great place for a karaoke virgin to take the mike for the first time.
Apparently, there is a house rule that Santana's "Smooth" = mandatory Electric Slide, and resistance is futile. Get out there and do it! The seniors will enjoy showing you how.
The KJ was a memorable character, to say the least. After trying to place him for a better part of the night, I realized that he reminded me of that tanned & hair-sprayed guy who emcees all of the little girl beauty pageants on that Discovery channel documentary. Friendly, earnest, and slightly tragic, as if he's doing this gig while he waits for the big showbiz break that never comes. Still, he welcomes us as Tank newbies, working our songs into the rotation and giving us several opportunities to sing, unlike some snooty KJs who pretend all non-regulars are invisible.
Taking a tip from Susie, I paid in cash for my drinks all night and didn't have a problem with any bloated tab surprises. We also ordered queso & hot wings from the kitchen; both were fine.
Bottom line, our group had a fun & memorable time at the Tank. We'll be back someday.
The first time my friend took me to the tank [as we regulars (i just realized I probably qualify as a regular. not sure what that says about me) --like to call it], I thought we might get shanked walking in.
We weren't, but we did meet some of the more... interesting characters in North Austin. We also heard some awesome, and awesomely bad, karaoke. We saw a pseudo-fight -- I say that because when drunk dude numbah one tried to headbutt drunk dude numbah two, he stumbled/fell into the plastic chair in which drunk dude numbah one was parking his tookus in and broke the chair.
I'm not sure if the alcohol was a contributing factor (not that I drink, y'all. Not that I drink...), but I hadn't laughed that hard in a very long time.
Beware of the odd-tasting tonic. It's not flat, but it's not quite right, either.
Well. I'm mixed on this joint. After a failed attempt to go else where ( apparently Little Woodrows does not serve mixed drinks, and my friend was hankering for one) we decided to go to the round the corner watering hole " The Water Tank." Â We were lured in by the huge sign offering 16 oz sirloins for like 10 bucks on Thursday ( it was a Tuesday) and I was even further lured in by a teeny tiny sign on the door announcing service industry nights Mon and Tues. Â
I go in, proudly show the waitress my Starbucks check and get ready for the cheap drinks. Â I get my beers ( service was slow) and then we start drinking more. My friend gets a rum and pineapple juice..... I ask how much, she says for the service industry its 2.50. Â My Friend buys me a shot of patron. ( I'm glad its on her tab instead of mine.)
When the bill comes, I expect somewhere around the range of 10 bucks. It is 23. Now I am cheap. And confused. How could my 4 drinks equal 23 bucks? ( They do not itemize the receipts.) turns out she charged me for the shot. Well OK, honest mistake, however it still does not equal out. Â
This is More of a rant then a review. The drinks were good, the burger my friend got looked awesome, and we oddly ended up there during their anniversary party so we got a free buffet. But something inside me is angry about getting way over charged. Verdict. I will go again. But I will buy my drinks one by one and pay in cash. And I would like to see what this open mic is all about. And hey, if I drink too much, I can literally walk home. Worth giving another shot.
The Water Tank is one of the few places I can think of that still does karaoke and open mic night without getting flooded by fools looking for record contracts. Â The singers and performers (and live bands that play on occasion) are almost always talented but never take themselves so seriously as to be a bore.
In other words, the Water Tank can be a pretty good time. Â The food is pretty good (burgers and such) and the beer is reasonably priced, all things considered. Â While there are other, newer, and probably cleaner places not far away (Curra's, Lil' Woodrows), the Water Tank is every bit as fun if your taste is good people in an old fashioned dimly lit bar.
Water Tank Bar & Grille is located in North Austin, right off of North 183 on McNeil Drive. Â Known as being one of the friendliest neighborhood bars and grills around Austin, this unique and rustic atmosphere is a haven for great local talent, with karaoke players competing for a top slot in Austin's local talent pool. Â Here, you just never know who may be the upcoming Stevie Nicks on the mic tonight.
This well-known watering hole is frequented by a large nightly crowd seven days a week. Â In business now for over 20 years, the management at Water Tank is both friendly and down-to-earth, serving the neighborhood clientele with the best beers, wines, and liquors. Â Equipped with a stage, dance floor, and a super game room with plenty of pool tables, karaoke supplies the crowd with some of the best music in town.
Pool tables are always hot and available for parties, small gatherings, and holidays. Â It's one of the best places in town to gather for weekly football games and is touted in the North Austin area as being one of the hottest sports bars in town.
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