Nights out guide
Live music, breweries, patio bars and karaoke in downtown Corpus Christi and Port Aransas.
Last updated
Overview
After dark, the Coastal Bend turns to live music and bars. The Port Aransas bureau describes its nights as a lively mix of low-key hangouts, waterfront bars and live music venues, and the Corpus Christi bureau points to downtown for live music and beer.
The Corpus Christi visitor bureau says downtown Corpus Christi offers live music from intimate local performances to nationally touring artists. It describes downtown as the place where the city's beer scene comes together, with local breweries, taprooms and beer gardens within walking distance. For cocktails it lists a range of bars, from a patio bar in a converted bus station to karaoke and piano nights.
The Port Aransas bureau says you will find talented musicians playing throughout town almost every night of the week, from rock and country to acoustic sets. It says the town's venues include waterfront patios and places to dance under tiki lights.
What to do
Rockport & Fulton
- Axe Holes
Rockport axe-throwing venue with lanes and coaching.
- Bay Area Brewing Company
A veteran-owned brewery with rotating taps, frozen daiquiris, craft root beer, sourdough loaves, snacks and games.
- BenchWarmers
Rockport's go-to sports bar for burgers, cold beer, and whatever game is on.
- Boatmen’s Bar and Marina
Dockside Rockport bar with slips alongside and drinks with working-harbor views.
- Cross Eyed Martini
Rockport bar mixing cocktails with a fun, unfussy local crowd.
- Legends Saloon
A country dance hall with a real dance floor, live bands, and no cover charge.
Lamar & Goose Island
- Holiday Beach Bar
Neighborhood bar out in Holiday Beach on the Lamar side, cold drinks and a small-community crowd.
Aransas Pass
- Crow's Nest
Aransas Pass dive bar with cheap drinks and a crowd of regulars.
- JC's Buckhorn Saloon
Aransas Pass saloon with cheap drinks, pool, and a crowd that knows each other.
- Pook's Pub
Small Aransas Pass pub with cheap pours and a friendly regular crowd.
- Rialto Sunday Sessions
Live jazz and blues in a restored vintage theatre, typically Sunday late afternoons and Friday evenings, with a bar inside and a food truck in the lot.
- Shrimp It Up - Bar & Grill
Aransas Pass bar and grill pairing seafood plates with a full bar and a lively room.
- Texas Pride Sports Bar and Grill
Aransas Pass sports bar with burgers, cold beer, and every game on.
Ingleside & Portland
- Applebee's Grill + Bar
The chain fallback in Portland when the group wants familiar menus and no decisions.
- Boneshakers
Sports bar and billiards hall in Portland with a full kitchen, table reservations, and room for private parties.
- Chili's Grill & Bar
The familiar chain standby in Portland when the crew wants fajitas and no surprises.
- Pep's Mexican Steakhouse
Portland spot mixing steaks with Tex-Mex plates and margaritas, a local dinner staple.
- Texas A1 Steaks & Seafood - Portland
Portland steakhouse with seafood platters and a busy bar side.
Port Aransas
The Port Aransas tourism bureau describes its evening scene as a mix of low-key hangouts, waterfront bars and live music venues. Its nightlife page lists Sip Yard Port Aransas, Bernie's Beach House, Shorty's Place and The Gaff among its live music spots, and Salty Dog Saloon, Treasure Island, Bernie's Beach House and The Gaff among places with pool tables, dart boards, karaoke and card games. The bureau says Sip Yard is a three-story, family-friendly spot with a large stage on the first floor.
- 361 Bar
Casual Port A bar off the main drag with cheap drinks and a local crowd.
- Beach Bums
Port A bar with cold drinks and a beach-crowd attitude, lively in season.
- Bernie's Beach House
A local dive with a happy hour worth showing up for, where you order food at the kitchen window and get a buzzer.
- Kody's
Port A's late-crowd bar and dance floor, packed in summer.
- Salty Dog Saloon
Port A bar with a salty crowd, cold beer, and live music some nights.
- Shorty's Place
The oldest bar on the island and the best dive bar in the region.
Corpus Christi & Padre Island
The Corpus Christi visitor bureau says Executive Surf Club has been serving cold beer, casual eats and live music for decades. It describes Rockit's Whiskey Bar & Saloon as a saloon-style spot with live music, craft cocktails and a curated beer selection, and Brewster Street Icehouse as a longtime downtown favorite with a Texas-sized patio and live concerts. For beer, it says Nueces Brewing Company offers house-brewed beers with Texas-style barbecue and a laid-back outdoor beer garden. The bureau also lists Old Kress Live for karaoke, happy hour and interactive piano nights, and describes BUS (Bar Under the Sun) as a former Greyhound station turned spacious patio bar with craft cocktails, food trucks and yard games.
- Barton St. Pub
Neighborhood Corpus pub with cheap drinks, regulars at the rail, and no fuss.
- Black Monk Tavern
Corpus gastropub with a deep craft beer list and food a step above bar standard.
- Brewster Street Icehouse - Downtown
Big Texas icehouse downtown with live music most weekends, burgers, and a beer-garden feel.
- BUS (Bar Under the Sun)
Open-air downtown Corpus bar built from shipping containers around a courtyard.
- Club 7
Corpus nightclub with DJs and a late dance floor.
- Concrete Street Amphitheater
Outdoor concert venue in Corpus pulling country, rock, and Tejano tours.
When to visit
The Port Aransas bureau advises arriving early on weekends, because popular spots fill up fast. It says many venues host live bands nightly and suggests checking each venue's social media for show times.
In Corpus Christi, the visitor bureau points to upcoming events happening around the city. Venues such as Rockit's Whiskey Bar & Saloon list happy hour among their offerings.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to NOAA. Storms sometimes form outside those dates. Check the forecast from the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi and follow local officials.
Getting around
The Port Aransas bureau says you can float between chill lounges, upbeat bars and energetic dance venues because they are all walkable in Port A.
In Corpus Christi, Brewster Street Icehouse says it has three locations, Downtown, Southside and on the island, and that if you are catching a game at Whataburger Field or heading to a concert at Concrete Street Amphitheater, there is a Brewster Street near you. The visitor bureau describes Pier 99 as being between the USS Lexington Museum and the Texas State Aquarium, and says the Concrete Street Amphitheater hosts outdoor concerts.
Where to stay
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Plan your tripSources
- Nightlife (Port Aransas Tourism Bureau and Chamber of Commerce)
- Sip Yard Port Aransas (Port Aransas Tourism Bureau and Chamber of Commerce)
- Live music in Corpus Christi (Visit Corpus Christi, the Corpus Christi CVB)
- Where to drink beer in Corpus Christi (Visit Corpus Christi, the Corpus Christi CVB)
- Things to do in downtown Corpus Christi (Visit Corpus Christi, the Corpus Christi CVB)
- Tropical cyclone climatology (NOAA National Hurricane Center)
- National Weather Service Corpus Christi
- Contact (Brewster Street Ice House)