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The 04 Lounge

The papers already found it.

Austin Monthly and the Austin American-Statesman both put the bar on the dive list. The photos in those pieces belong to the photographers. These are the links.

Blue cinder-block front of The 04 Lounge, with a black 04 painted across the double doors and 3808 on the wall.

A guide to dive bars in Austin

Austin American-Statesman / Feb. 29, 2024

Kelsey Bradshaw's dive-bar guide. Aaron E. Martinez photographed the blue building, the tables, the patio, and Benny.

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Pool table in the foreground and regulars on stools at the bar.

Burgers, beer and best friends

Austin American-Statesman / Feb. 29, 2024

The same visit, written up. The regulars repeated Benny's line. He said it first to Austin Monthly in 2022.

"The right people are going to find this place. The rest never will."
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Side patio: blue wall with 04 painted on it, corrugated-metal rail, stools, and red umbrellas.

Near-hidden camaraderie on South Congress

Austin Monthly / Dec. 6, 2022

Anthony Head's feature, with photos by Kirk Weddle. Benny's line was first printed here, 6 Dec 2022.

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Two pool tables under the lights in the dark front room.

The best dive bars in Austin

Austin Monthly / Best-of list

The magazine's dive-bar list. The 04 is on it.

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Christmas stockings with regulars' names, Benny's included, hung on the back-bar shelves.

Historic Austin dive bars

Austin American-Statesman / May 7, 2026

Michael Barnes traced this address from the 1950s through Donna's Lounge, Dee & Jim's, and Benny.

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