Austin’s Iconic Elephant Room Celebrates 31 Years

The month of February marks the 31-year anniversary of iconic jazz bar Elephant Room. Open for just over three decades, the long-running music venue is practically ancient in the context of today’s Austin—an appropriate designation for a bar established on a paleontological excavation site. Its name a fittingly offbeat tribute to the fossil excavation, the Elephant Room held its inaugural grand opening in the basement of the historical Swift Building on Congress Avenue on February 14, 1991. The old-school, straight-ahead venue is famously open 365 days a year, with live jazz performances every night from outstanding local and visiting musicians.

There is no cover charge Sunday through Thursday, and a nominal $5 cover on Friday and Saturday—no reservations necessary, or even available.