I'd love to give the CI a 5 star review, but the wait staff has a LOT of room for growth. The food is good, prices are pretty decent, and as a Pacific NW transplant I love that they are a Hawks bar! But I've found the waitstaff to be EXTREMELY lacking. I went in at 5 pm on a Friday evening there were a small group (4-5) regulars seated at the bat who the bartender doted on. I was the only other patron in the bar. The bartender did take my first drink order but that was it. She did not even send another glance my way, even after the regulars left. read more

I had a great time with a group of friends singing karaoke until a bartender ruined the night and made us all leave with a bad taste in our mouths. My husband had ordered our first round of drinks and when I went to the bar to order another round I told the bartender with the big beard my last name for the tab (my husband and I have different last names and I wasn't sure what card he used) he came back very annoyed saying there wasn't a tab with that last name. I apologized and explained it was probably just under my husbands last name and told him that name, mind you my husband has a really unique last name. That's when he got aggressive and told me there was no way there was a tab under that name and started to MOCK my husbands last name and accused me of giving him fake tab names. I was really taken aback and stated that was in fact his last name and if he checked he would find it to which he did. As I was leaving I said it was inappropriate to make fun of peoples names and that's when he raised his voice and threatened, "don't you dare start with me". I walked away feeling so shook, embarrassed and uncomfortable that we all immediately left. I understand I should have confirmed the last name on the tab before going up to the bar and how that can be an annoyance for a bartender but I can't understand how that is grounds to make fun of someone's name and be so aggressive. I left feeling like I had just been bullied for trying to order a drink. read more

DJ only plays favorites, and the people who are his favorites advertise the idea of tipping the DJ. And he deleted me off wait list for wanting to sing. If planning on coming here for karaoke, and if you want to sing go somewhere else. If want you come here just order water and nothing else. Pregame before coming here. Don't tip the DJ. read more

Huge place with a big ol stage for karaoke. My husband spent a lot of time here living in Austin so he recommended we visit last year. Let's say he (we) had a pretty good time! Loud music , tvs games and a crazy mix of different types of people. I wouldn't say this is a dive but i think it can be pretty fun for any types of crowds. With karaoke you can't really go wrong right ! read more

Get your karaoke and beer fix. Fun little neighborhood bar. Good place to kick back and have a nice time.

I attended karaoke last night and was thrown out because a friend that I invited (who happened to have traveled all the way from Killeen, TX) was 20 making 21 next month. I do understand policy however; the club did not consistently card everyone. We felt targeted and singled out. There was another white female sitting at a table next to us who was clearly less than 21 years of age but was not carded and when it was brought to the manager's attention, she still was not carded. If you are going to enforce policy, please enforce it across the board and not make it seem to be hidden racism. It was quite humiliating to be put out and have everyone looking at us like we were criminals. AGAIN, ENFORCE YOUR POLICIES ACROSS THE BOARD. CARD EVERYONE!!! BTW, mostly everyone at the table hated their food orders. From loaded fries with cold (unmelted cheese), fries tasting freezer burned, and breakfast tacos with water down-downed salsa. No one ate their food!!! read more

The Common Interest - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

The drinks were cheap( I'm talking $2.75 well drinks cheap!) and the bartender gave us just the type of service I like. She was friendly, attentive and made a great drink - nothing fancy but exactly what I requested As a former bartender, I know ALL of my options and sometimes I like what I like AND I'm not shy in asking. I'm a firm believer in making a customer happy, so give the people what they ask for! Craft cocktails aren't always the way to go, especially during a karaoke escapade! I definitely loved the the divey, averageness of this bar, the only major turn off of was thefunky bathroom smell. However the amazing private karaoke room that are pumped with ice cold A/C feel amazing and OMG -- DO NOT SKIP THE FRIES. Cheese fries or not, literally some of the best French fries I've ever had! Ever. Fries!!! read more

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Food and atmosphere is good but the Karaoke DJ is not great. Weird atmosphere from that.

Love the private rooms! They even have special pricing during off days/hours. Get your practice in! Great bartenders! I did not try the food; the atmosphere here is grand which was unexpected in a strip mall! read more

Savannah, wow, just the customer service and attitude in this bar. Professionalism and nice, meeting her and Kelli was amazing and taught me how to order. This place is the place, when it comes to Karoke. read more

Wonderful 12th Fan Seahawks Bar! Good customer service and great food. They have an Austin Seahawkers Booster Club that is a whole lot of fun. Added bonus they even have Guinness! I really enjoyed the chicken nachos which is a fan fave according to the waitress, and it makes sense as it was good. Definitely come here if you want a loud and fun experience cheering on the best football team in the NFL! GO SEAHAWKS! read more

The Common Interest - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

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fyi if you're here even 1 second past 2am you will not be able to use the restoom. It doesn't matter if you were at the bar closing out your tab, If you were on stage singing karaoke, nothing. they do not care. I could see if they stopped patrons at the door at 130 so they won't abuse bathroom privileges, but to deny paying customers the opportunity to use the restroom before they get on the road, that's pitiful and inconsiderate as hell. I won't be back any time soon. They'll call security if you try to take a piss.... Horrible read more

This place was pretty wild, lots of people from different walks of life & age groups, food was alright, drink prices were good, service was alright read more

I finally gave this place a second chance after a few years away. I went outside to smoke a cigarette, and when i tried to come back inside they denied me and my boyfriend. It was weird because we had only had 2 beers. If i had known this place would be unfriendly to LGBT people I wouldn't have given them a second chance. read more

Karaoke you say?? If you wanna get down, sing loud & proud...then come check out Common Interest! The crowd is always Fun & Outgoing. Bartenders know how to pour a decent drink, and the restrooms are reasonable clean...what else do ya need!?! I suck at singing, but I'll do it with enough Liquid Courage, peer pressure, and shots! But if singing ain't yo thing, that's cool; it's still a fun place and big enough to bring a your own crowd. read more

This is such a fun place sometimes. However I have been trying for three weeks to book a karaoke room for a work event! I filled out the online form and got an email back from somebody and when I replied I have never heard back. I have followed up several times via email. I have called and spoken to somebody on the phone who gave me a phone number to call or text. I have texted multiple times and made phone calls To that number and the actual number listed online. This is so frustrating as my coworkers were excited and I am sure that spot is probably gone already. I understand places are understaffed and busy but three weeks is not good. read more

We recently had a girls trip to Austin and were looking for a fun karaoke place and we are so glad to have stumbled upon The Common Interest. This is the best place to karaoke hands down! The staff is so friendly and the DJ is awesome, we had the best time. They have a fun stage with lights and a great selection of songs, they also have a private room in the back that is great for a big group or event! read more

Visiting out of town on a girls trip and wanted to find a place to karaoke. The Common Interest exceeded all expectations! The staff is so nice and accommodating and the DJ was really fun! There is a stage that you perform on and there seems to be a lot of locals that come there to perform that are incredible! Such good vibes here that were are going to go again on our last day of the trip. read more

We got winners, we got losers Chainsmokers (Beth D.) and boozers (Alyssa B?... okay, still Beth D.) And we got yuppies (Um..., not really) we got bikers (mostly wannabes) We got thirsty hitchhikers (definitely) And the girls next door (don't even try to) dress up like movie stars. Hmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar. We got cowboys (yep.) We got truckers (nope) Broken-hearted fools, and suckers (everyone of us) And we got huslters (players) and fighters (pissed of girlfriends of said players) Early birds, and all-nighters And the veterans talk about their battle scars (thank you for your service.) Hmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar. I love this bar It's my kinda place (karaoke dive) Just walkin through the door puts a big smile on my face (and a shot of Fireball) It ain't too far (just right there on Burnet, N of Anderson), come as you are (at least wearing pants.) Hmm, hmmm hmmmm, I love this bar. I could go on, but I really dislike Toby Keith and this is hurting my soul a little bit. But if that's your cup of tea, good on ya - come sing a few. It's down to earth, the bartenders are sweet, the regulars are rowdy, the beer is cheap, the food is greasy, and the entertainment is off-pitch and way too excited. Watch out for the Courtney W & Beth D. Dixie Chicks duet, though. It's killer. I do love this bar. read more

The Common Interest - Awesome - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This is a great setup for Karaoke! They have a great stage setup and the sound is not overpowering in this setup for a bar. Simple process to pick your song and get up to sing, even if you have to wait a bit. The servers are very attentive and friendly which added to a great first time experience here. read more

I don't know where to start. The service sucks. I have been here for an hour with trash on the table before anyone noticed the threw of us. I feel the patrons are fun. The variety of karaoke songs was good. Pros: karaoke variety of songs was good cons : service read more

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People who take karaoke seriously are gaga for common interest. They get there early and sing often. Don't be scared away though... there are folks who wail and bail too. The song selection seems pretty varied and the stage is right up front so all eyes on you. People typically find a way to dance -- either up front or in their chairs. Of course, thats after they've had some of the legendary jello syringes and a strong drink or two. Nice to have a karaoke place to walk to in the neighb. Also, total free popcorn bonus :) read more

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If I could give this establishment 0 stars, I would. Literally we had a reservation for a private karaoke room and they gave our reservation to another group. Instead of admitting they messed up, they told us that our group was "too drunk" because they saw us doing Jell-O shots OUTSIDE of the bar. We did not litter or do anything inside of the establishment. Ruined two peoples birthdays. Ridiculous. read more

Came here with a group, we had a disgruntled employee kick us out of the bar for standing by handrails and watching other perform, it was very odd. I've lived in austin for several years and never have been treated this way in a bar. He grabbed the wrists of women in the group and began yelling at us. Seemed liked he was on a power trip, We asked him to refrain from grabbing people, another employee actually tried to pull him aside to calm him down but he refused and acted belligerently towards our group. Other staff were great but this employee ruined the experience. There are other many great karaoke locations in this city and I will not be coming here again. read more

I go to this bar often, from the south side of town. I chose to host my birthday party there, and wanted to reserve one of the private rooms, however have had to cancel, because of the massive flooding we have had in Texas. When I made the reservation, I was told I had 24 hours before the event to change it. It's 4 days before the event, and with most my guests coming from Houston and San Antonio, I couldn't possibly put my guests at risk. Toni answered the phone, and when I told her I wanted to cancel due to the weather, she cackled at me and mocked me saying "really? You want to cancel for Saturday because of the weather? You must not have lived in Texas long!!! The weather changes all the time." I didn't say anything and politely thanked her when said it was canceled. I'm kinda pissed.. Cause not only do I get to spend my birthday alone due to the weather, but my friends and family are being evacuated out of their homes.. And to have this person laugh at me? Yeah that's pretty insensitive. Both Houston and Austin have had high water rescues and it's supposed to carry on through the week. You have lost a customer in me. I won't return to a place who mocks customers instead of being concerned for people's safety. read more

The Common Interest - Weather.. 80 percent and 100 percent all week. Sorry but I don't own a boat to be able to get my friends to your bar. - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is such a cool karaoke bar! The drinks are reasonably priced and the bartenders are friendly. The inside is a very different layout which limits the seating if you have large groups. Sometimes it takes awhile to get your song called, but all in all a great time if you are looking for some karaoke. read more

By far my favorite karaoke bar in all of Austin! This gem has good drinks, large party rooms, a fair food menu, and best of all, their MainStage is 100% wheelchair accessible!! If they don't have a song you want, just ask the DJ and they'll let you know if they could find it for you, but if it's the weekend, make sure to get your requests in before 10 because the main stage fills up quick! I prefer week nights! The crowd is friendly and supportive usually! read more

I've been here three times, twice with members of my Meetup group and once solo. I've had a great time on each visit. The Common Interest is cozy and comfortable but spacious enough for a good-sized crowd. The karaoke singers are generally good and I tried my hand at it a couple of times with Country Roads and Bohemian Rhapsody. I enjoyed being in front of a crowd and performing. The food and drinks are great too! read more

The service and ambiance was amazing here. Karaoke on a Thursday night was great, not very crowded. Drink prices very reasonable. Plus my drunk buddy got cut off for being inebriated, got pissed and punched a hole in the wall at the bar and the manager was very understanding and didn't call the cops. Two thumbs up, highly recommended! read more

We come here all the time! The service is fast and the drinks are great! DO NOT IGNORE THE FOOD! It's so good! We've had the fried pickles, corn dog bites, loaded fries, wings and Dirty Dog. Sometimes we even go just to eat dinner! They also have private karaoke rooms which are always nice and clean. read more

This is the worst place ever. I gave $60 to the manager Lindsay and she gambled my money without my consent. Then when I wanted to cash out my $76 earning she told me I could only come back the next day to redeem. This place is a hoax and they steal your money. Not shocking...I can't even report them to the better business bureau. Go figure. read more

I dont sing karaoke but I love drinking and hearing people do their best. Its awesome and I love the people watching. Such a good time. And if you wanna risk your life eat the mad dog. Delicious and bad for you read more

Common interest is honestly one of my favorite bars in Austin. I come probably once a week. Big Seahawks fan, love the Seahawks vibe. However, there is one bartender there that ruins the whole thing. Pretty much everY other bartender is super nice and attentive. This lady, yells across the bar at me to ask what I want and then walks away making me wait almost five minutes until she comes back and yells from 30 ft away to ask if I've "finally decided what I want". And then walked away half way through my order. Every time I walk in and see her I groan, knowing the service is going to be awful and try to find a way to find a different bartender. Fire her please. It would change my rating to 5 stars. She's that bad. read more

Awesome staff, great prices on drinks and cool people that come around. Good vibes only!

Seahawks fans Read this before going to the Common Interest, I've been in Austin for about 18 years, I first started going to the CI years ago back in 2003 as a late night bar when I was younger and went fairly regular from 2003-08 until I moved further North in Austin, in 2013-2016 I rediscovered it again when I learned it was a Seahawks Bar for my hometown Seahawks and I brought my dad there a couple times to watch the games to break from our norm of watching all the games at my house, during that time it was good after a few years and my Dad passed away I started going there to the CI on a regular weekly basis usually with a group of other Seahawks fans, originally it was good and mind you I went there for over 2 years every week, I had one incident with a waitress who didn't work there for very long only a few weeks she worked there but when you give a waitress $100 bill as soon as you get there and you just got your first drink and she runs off and you cant find her for hours until you finally find her and say hey where's my money, that is pretty unacceptable, I did get my money back but it was clear as day she was trying to run off and keep it. That was the first bad experience I had at CI, but wait, just wait, it gets a lot lot worse and there is NO Excuse for this next incident by their staff, to be more precise their guy in the back that brings out the food, he probably still works there, he is the bald guy in the back he may be the cook but he definitely brings out the food, and I don't know his name and it does not matter, this incident was witnessed by lots of people including some of the other staff and the CI Manager, and Carl the President of the Seahawkers Booster Group. I don't know if the Owner of CI ever got word of it probably not, I would say half the Bar that was there that day for the Seahawks vs Packers Playoff Game on 1/12/20 saw or knew of the incident, the employee that provoked the fight was talking smack to a few Seahawks all throughout the game which led up to this incident with one of the fans in our group who was sick and tired of it and it eventually escalated into a verbal altercation and then they simultaneously went after each other luckily a couple people saw it and stepped in the middle of it breaking it up before and punches were thrown and no one was hurt and the Seahawk fan that this C.I employee came after I know was a Military Vet with PTSD never a good idea to come after a Military Vet with PTSD, and the Seahawks fans good regular customers that I know were great tippers there as well were kicked out of CI for this incident even though it was provoked by the employee, as if they would want to come back there anyways, but this is just a terrible look for this bar that pretends to be a Seahawks Bar and an employee should Never do this talk smack all game and provoke a fight with a customer, the truth of it is Common Interest and the Owner likes Seahawks Fans money but are the employees there and Owner Seahawks Fans? No they are not. Its a bit of a charade it's all pretend, the employees are forced to wear Seahawks shirts every Seahawks game day like Halloween Costumes because the Owner knows Seahawks Fans are loyal and will pack his pocketbook on gameday, otherwise why wouldn't he have Cowboys or Texans Fan groups there for gamedays, why because those fans can go anywhere bar or stay home and watch their team. After seeing this disgusting incident and knowing what the Common Interest Bar really is I would Never go there again. Take this into mind if your thinking about going there this is what this place is and I went there for years, so if you don't want an employee of the bar running his mouth talking smack at the Seahawks during a playoff game then coming after you with bad intentions I suggest you go somewhere else. There are plenty of places you can go to watch the Seahawks games in Austin, with other Hawks fans this should not be one of them based on my 2 year experience there unless you want one of their employees coming after you physically or one of their waitresses running off with your cash. My recommendation would be Brooklyn Pizza in Avery Ranch is good with every game on a separate TV in the Bar, or as i do you can call DirectTV after the first NFL week is over and get the NFL Sunday Ticket is usually $100 after the first week down from $400 after week 1 which is what I do. read more

I have been here a few times and gotten the private rooms and had a blast. You have to book early because they will get reserved for the night, but I have had luck just walking in as well. It gets pretty lively here, probably not the cheapest or nicest karaoke spot in town but a pretty good standby option if your #1 choice is booked up. read more

I'm sure I shouldn't be allowed to yelp this place. I've never bought my own drinks. I've never gotten up on stage. I've also never stopped smiling the whole time I'm there. And I've never been disappointed by the performances I've seen. You've gotta get there early enough to put your name on the list. And watch the scroll at the bottom--it'll warn you when you're up. (love that!) And, well, yeah, you kinda just have to get a jello shot. Or two. read more

So far, so good. What's not to love? A 364-day-a-year karaoke bar, that serves food, doesn't smell, clean restrooms, and a professional staff. The only problem I foresee is that when it gets crowded, the rotation might get too long. But that hasn't happened to me yet, so, five stars. read more

The Common Interest - Karaoke Near Me - Austin, Texas

For most people, 10:30 PM on a lazy Tuesday evening includes curling up with a book, watching a mediocre late night show, or simply turning in to be ready to face the next day with renewed vigor and cheerful enthusiasm. I am not one of those people. My friend we'll call "Jersey" somehow finagled a "Yes" out of me when she invited me out to Common Interest late in the evening, but not so late that I'd already taken my benzos which mix terribly with alcohol. She was lucky. I hadn't been to Common Interest ("CI" from here on out) in quite some time, for a variety of reasons, none so important as I think any karaoke done outside the country of Japan is total bullshit. However, I carefully weighed that against the fact they serve JELL-O shots in big plastic syringes for a couple bucks each. You can guess which one won out. Walking in, I assumed the doormen were a couple of guys shooting the breeze in the back of the bar, so I got the "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey kid, we need to see your ID" thing. I found my friends nestled in a corner directly to the right of the stage, nursing various cocktails and perusing the karaoke book. My few memories of CI always included a cherry vodka sour, a drink I usually eschew but for some reason can't mentally divorce from this bar. As I sipped my drink, I scanned the room, checking out the wildlife. I like the inside of the bar itself; it has the dark, muted feel of a sports bar, which is complemented beautifully by some of the more eccentric karaoke participants. The bar staff--always a pleasure. Both the manager and female bartender were very welcoming. Anyone who can laugh with me as I do vulgar things with a syringe is A-OK in my book. Jersey's evening repertoire seemed to consist entirely of Britney Spears, which has always been her choice for as long as I can remember. Which is good, because she sings them well. A straight guy friend of hers chose not to sing, but that was OK because he gets my humor and I like having someone to bounce observations and judgments off of who will react well to them. I don't quite recall all that our friend Angel sang, although before I slipped into a JELL-O shot coma I distinctly remember The Carpenter's "Close To You". Jersey didn't know who they were, and the str8 dude made a face. I thought the song was sweet; sue me. The others who bravely mounted the stage take their craft seriously. Some of these chicks come in armed with a set list and by God, they're gonna sing them. There are the usual cliche crowds of drunken idiots; the slurred ramblings of guys with arms slung around each other with only their equally inebriated girlfriends cheering them on; and one old guy who I know I've seen skulking around there since last year. New to the scene was a boyfriend/girlfriend pair who kept their arms around each other while listening to others, and only he got up and sang a song. I thought he was hot. I'm pretty sure after my vodka sours and syringes, I told her so too. I, of course, skipped the performance aspect of the place, although I will admit I sang George Strait's 'Run" a couple years ago when I was missing some asshole guy in Dallas. If I were watching myself today, I'd probably hit myself in the face with an empty cocktail glass thrown from my table. I promise you--some woman walked in, sang a Bette Midler song, and walked right out, never to be seen again. WTF? Smoking takes place outside, on some random tables, where the friendly among us compliment the smoking singers milling about, while the bitchy among us just want to ignore them and enjoy a cigarette. This whole process is a pain in the ass, but they give you a little card to put on top of your drink when you leave. Midway through our evening, Jersey announced she was inviting her "little brother" to join in; by "little brother" she means a close male friend who she's known forever and considers her family. To say I was not thrilled at this news would be an understatement; I couldn't stand the guy. He showed up anyways, contrary to the negative vibes I was sending out in his general direction. Somehow he picked up on the fact that even though he was Jersey's friend, I didn't like him. Maybe it had something to do with me saying "I don't like you, I wish you hadn't come." Long story short, we realized I didn't really have a coherent reason why I disliked him, except it had something to do with his undeserved cockiness and him not adding me on MySpace years ago. It seemed more than silly when I said it out loud, so I bought him a drink and called a truce. Some drunk chick started a verbal fight with me for unknown reasons, but I won. Somehow, I ended up at this guy's gigantic house out in Manor, where we had cocktails at their private bar, I watched Borat on a big screen TV, and I woke up in a guest room snuggling with Jersey and a giant stuffed panda. Thanks, CI, at least for that. read more

Common Interest, FUCK YEAH! Coming again, to save the motherfucking day, yeah! Common Interest, FUCK YEAH! Singing is the only way, yeah! Boredom, your game is through 'cause now you have to answer to Common Interest, FUCK YEAH! So lick my butt and suck on my balls Common Interest, FUCK YEAH! What are you going to do when we come for you now, it's the dream that we all share; it's the hope for tomorrow. Journey, FUCK YEAH! Cheap beers, FUCK YEAH! Jello shots, FUCK YEAH! High fives, FUCK YEAH! DJ PJ, FUCK YEAH! Rebecca Black, FUCK YEAH! Good singers, FUCK YEAH! Bad singers, FUCK YEAH! FUCK YEAH! Cheese fries, FUCK YEAH! Waitresses, FUCK YEAH! Dancing, FUCK YEAH! Britney Spears, FUCK YEAH! Duets, FUCK YEAH! Katy Perry, FUCK YEAH! Yellowcard, FUCK YEAH! Fun., FUCK YEAH! Classics, FUCK YEAH! Laughter, FUCK YEAH! Don't Stop Believin', FUCK YEAH! Call Me, Maybe, FUCK YEAH! One hit wonders, FUCK YEAH! 80s music, FUCK YEAH! Country music, FUCK YEAH! Rap music, FUCK YEAH! Hip-hop, FUCK YEAH! Pop songs, FUCK YEAH! I'm on a Boat, FUCK YEAH! I Just Had Sex, FUCK YEAH! Patrick, FUCK YOU. Encouragement. Song books. No, seriously, you really can sing America, FUCK YEAH! here and I god damn guarantee it will bring the house down. Just make sure you've got your flippie-floppies, pretend you're on a boat, and get your ass up on that stage and sing. read more