This Weekend in Austin: Friday to Sunday
About
Three days built around live music and a few standout shows, with great food and drink filling the gaps. Friday leans into a downtown bounce-and-soul night, Saturday camps out at the Continental Club for old-school Austin, and Sunday slows down with brunch, coffee, and a rooftop sunset.
The plan
Day 1
afternoon
Caroline
Austin
Caroline is a downtown Austin all-day spot just off Congress Avenue, the kind of place you can drop into for coffee in the morning and still find humming with a dinner crowd late into the evening. Expect casual American plates and a relaxed, social atmosphere that leans more neighborhood hangout than formal restaurant.
Ease into the weekend at this all-day downtown spot just off Congress. Grab a coffee and a bite to set your bearings before the night picks up.
Day 1
evening
Dean's Italian Steakhouse
Austin
Tucked into a downtown corner on East 2nd Street, Dean's Italian Steakhouse pairs classic steakhouse fare with an Italian accent, so you'll find pastas and red-sauce touches sharing the menu with the cuts of beef. It keeps dinner-only hours and leans into a moody, supper-club atmosphere, so it's worth planning for an evening out rather than a casual drop-in.
Early dinner at Dean's on East 2nd, a classic steakhouse with an Italian streak. Eat by 6:30 so you're not rushing to the show.
Day 1
evening
Fri, Jun 5 · 8:00 – 10:00 PM
Big Freedia
Mohawk Outdoor
Resound Presents: Big Freedia in Austin, TX at Mohawk (outdoor) on Friday, June 5, 2026. The larger-than-life ambassador of New Orleans Bounce music, Big Freedia, is a nationally recognized hip-hop artist, TV personality and cultural influencer. Known by her fans as the "Queen Diva," Big Freedia is a loud and proud advocate for racial and gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. She continues to push musical boundaries, following her critically acclaimed EPs ('3rd Ward Bounce,' 'Louder,' and 'Big Diva Energy') with her June 2023 album Central City, which blends old-school hip-hop, brass marching bands, and futuristic production. In August 2025, she released her debut gospel album, Pressing Onward, a deeply personal project dedicated to her late partner featuring collaborations with Billy Porter, Tamar Braxton, and K. Michelle. Over the years, Big Freedia has brought her distinctive voice to high-profile projects, such as Drake's "Nice For What", Diplo's "Drop", Beyoncé's Grammy-winning hits "Break My Soul" and "Formation", songs of her own with Ciara, Lil Wayne, Lizzo, and more. The tireless mogul broke into television in 2013 with Fuse's Big Freedia Bounces Back, and released her memoir "Big Freedia: God Save The Queen Diva" in 2015. In June 2023, Big Freedia premiered the new tv show, Big Freedia Means Business, chronicling her triumphs in music, business, and life. The show follows her journey as an entrepreneur, developing her own line of cannabis, eyewear, and cosmetics. Big Freedia is known for her infectious energy and personality. In 2019, she was the official host for the Met Gala IG Live Stream Red Carpet event and a host of 2021's Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve TV celebration. In 2021, Big Freedia made Ebony's Power 100 list. She has appeared on CBS This Morning, The Breakfast Club, The Problem with Jon Stewart, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Beat with Ari Melber, The Real, and more. Big Freedia has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold goes to support the Center for Working Families Fund and their work building a country where everyone thrives.
Big Freedia on the outdoor stage at Mohawk in the Red River district. The Queen of Bounce is the anchor of the night, full stop. Doors well before the 8 PM set.
Day 1
night
Zanzibar
Austin
Zanzibar sits right on the edge of Austin's Rainey Street district, a converted-bungalow stretch where old houses have become bars and the patios spill into each other on warm nights. Expect a lounge-leaning spot that shifts from afternoon drinks toward a livelier, late-night crowd as the evening goes on.
Walk it off toward Rainey Street and land at Zanzibar, a converted bungalow that stays open late. A nightcap to close out Friday.
Day 2
morning
Another Broken Egg Cafe
Austin
Another Broken Egg Cafe is a Southern-leaning brunch spot just off I-35, serving the kind of late-morning menu—shrimp and grits, beignets, stuffed omelets—that rewards a slow weekend table rather than a quick bite. Note the hours close at 2 PM, so this is strictly a breakfast-through-lunch destination, not a dinner option.
Southern-leaning brunch to start Saturday right. Go early, get the eggs, and pace yourself for a long day of music.
Day 2
afternoon
Sat, Jun 6 · 3:30 – 5:30 PM
Earl Poole Ball
The Continental Club
Earl Poole Ball @3:30pm – No cover. Doors open at 2pm. 21+ only. “Mr. Honky-Tonk Piano” stirs the pot with an amazing blend of showmanship, mirth, and musical magic. His highly recommended, energeti…
Earl Poole Ball's 3:30 PM set at the Continental Club is the kind of honky-tonk afternoon that only happens in Austin. Settle in early.
Day 2
evening
Mission Burger Co.
Austin
Mission Burger Co. on South Lamar covers a lot of ground for a burger joint—alongside the patties you'll find vegan and vegetarian options, sandwiches, and a case of house-made ice cream and sweets. It keeps long hours, serving from late morning into the evening, which makes it an easy stop whether you're after brunch or a late dinner.
Slip over to South Lamar for a burger at Mission between sets. Casual, quick, and close enough to get you back in time.
Day 2
evening
Sat, Jun 6 · 8:00 – 10:00 PM
Peterson Brothers Band
The Continental Club
Peterson Brothers Band @8pm - $15+. Advance tickets. $20 Day Of Show. 21+ only. The Peterson Brothers combine infectious energy and modern grooves with jazz, funk, blues & soul to a create their own…
Back to the Continental Club for the Peterson Brothers Band at 8 PM. Two shows, one room, one of the best stages in town to spend a Saturday.
Day 3
morning
Bread Boat
Austin
Tucked into East Austin's stretch of 7th Street, Bread Boat leans into Eastern European baking and cooking, the kind of spot where the bakery case and the kitchen share equal billing. Come for a midday brunch or a savory pastry on a Tuesday or Wednesday—and note that it keeps shorter hours than much of the neighborhood, so it's worth checking the day before you go.
Sunday brunch in East Austin at Bread Boat, where the Eastern European baking is the whole point. A slower, gentler start to the last day.
Day 3
afternoon
Radix House Coffee
Austin
Tucked into a strip along West William Cannon in deep south Austin, Radix House Coffee pairs its espresso and tea with a roster of breakfast tacos, donuts, and bakery items, so you can just as easily grab a morning pastry as a midday pick-me-up. It keeps daytime hours, opening at 7 a.m. and winding down by late afternoon, which makes it more of a morning-and-lunch stop than an evening hangout.
Drift south for an afternoon coffee at Radix House, a low-key spot that also does tacos if brunch didn't hold you over.
Day 3
evening
Upstairs at Caroline
Austin
Tucked above its ground-floor sibling in downtown Austin, Upstairs at Caroline is a rooftop bar and restaurant where the open-air perch and skyline views tend to register before the menu does. Expect a casual American spin on food and cocktails, an afternoon-into-late-night schedule, and a setting built more for lingering with a drink than for a quick bite.
End the weekend on the rooftop at Upstairs at Caroline downtown. Catch the sunset over the city with a drink and call it a perfect three days.
More itineraries
View allA Family Day by Lady Bird Lake
Self-paced · 4 stops
An easygoing, stroller-friendly loop that starts with green space along the lake, drifts into downtown for a casual lunch, mixes in a hands-on activity the kids can lead, and winds down with a sweet treat. Daytime, low-key, and short hops between stops.
A Perfect Day on South Congress
Self-paced · 6 stops
A slow, walkable day up the avenue: a craft coffee-and-donut start, an Austin retail rite of passage, a sidewalk lunch, gelato while you people-watch, then dinner and a set of live music a few doors apart. Everything here is within easy strolling distance, ordered north along SoCo so you never double back.
A Zilker Day: Springs, Greenbelt, and Gardens
Self-paced · 5 stops
An easygoing outdoor loop through the heart of Zilker Park, built for a warm Austin day with kids in tow. Start cool in the springs, wander the lakeshore and greenbelt, then drift into the gardens as the afternoon settles. Everything sits within a short walk or quick hop, so there's no rush between stops.