Sahara Lounge

By Kate Carpenter

In the aftermath of Outer Heaven Club's infamous closure and consequential exodus, one bar nestled deep in East Austin is wrestling with the refugees. Hundreds of glitter-wrought millennials, stylish Generation Z-ers, and the handful of voguish Gen X-ers descended upon Sahara Lounge, desperate for a taste of the party-life they lost.

Founded in 2011, Sahara Lounge is a veteran of the Austin nightlife scene. Since 2011, founder Eileen Bristol, has run the door and collected a bountiful cover each night, especially after her creation’s rise in popularity. Her son and co-founder, Topaz McGarrigle, graces the stage and partners with nightly DJs, blessing the audience with amplified saxophone.

It’s maximalist. No inch of the wall left unmarked and no foot on the dance floor without an age-ambigious, committed dancer. The line between heaven and hell starts to blur in the Sahara Lounge. Your favorite music plays as the sweat flinging from the person next to you starts to muddle your vision. You may think to yourself “I never want to leave” and “I might not make it out alive tonight.”

Aside from the effortlessly sensational party atmosphere, Sahara Lounge stuffs the calendar with programming throughout the week. Local bands play on weeknights and the beloved, acclaimed Africa night dominates every Saturday.

The Glyptodon implores you to visit before it may be too late. Celebrate our great dance halls while we still have them. One sad day in the future, Sahara Lounge refugees may be forced to find a new haunt, and the cycle continues.