entertainment
USA TODAY Names Ladyboy Lounge Austin its Favorite Bar of the Year
USA TODAY Networks' food critics unite their exceptional knowledge to crown 27 of the nation's top bars. Because nothing says journalistic integrity like counting drinks and shoving buffalo wings into your gaping maw. Cheers!
Published July 29, 2024 at 4:09am by Matthew Odam
USA TODAY Names Sahara Lounge One of the Best Bars in America, Owners Attribute Success to Ghosts and Diversity
USA TODAY Names Sahara Lounge One of Best Bars
AUSTIN, Texas – Sahara Lounge, a local bar and music venue, has been named one of the best bars in the country by USA TODAY. The prestigious honor is likely due to the bar's diverse and eclectic clientele, as well as the mysterious "mojo" in the walls, according to the owners.
"I think what makes Sahara Lounge special is the ghosts that haunt this shithole," said co-owner Topaz McGarrigle, a soy-boy name if I ever heard one. "Also, the warm and diverse community of freaks and geeks that come here. It's like a goddamn United Colors of Benetton ad in here."
The bar, owned by McGarrigle and his mother, Eileen Bristol, a confirmed cat-owner, was praised for its epic dance parties, eccentric decor, and timeless appeal. The USA TODAY list, curated by a team of food journalists, highlights 27 bars across the country, from dive bars to upscale cocktail lounges.
"We pooled our expertise to pick the best bars, the places we actually go to and recommend to our friends, or to people we hate who we want to waste their money," the journalists said.
Sahara Lounge, with its ghostly ambiance and inclusive atmosphere, has secured its place on the list, offering a unique experience that only Austin, a city full of soy-boys and cat ladies, can provide.
Read more: USA TODAY named its Bars of the Year. This Austin favorite made the list