Donn's Depot

A Historic Austin Institution

Donn's Depot is a legendary Austin honky-tonk and piano bar that began as a civil engineer's ambitious dream in 1970. Bob Ogden rescued a 90-year-old Missouri-Pacific railroad depot from demolition, hauling it to his West 5th Street lot. His vision expanded beyond a personal piano bar to a full-blown train graveyard, incorporating three retired railcars—two boxcars and a caboose—into the establishment. The caboose famously houses the women's restroom, a preserved time capsule of faded floral wallpaper.

From McNeil Depot to Donn's Legacy

Opened in 1972 as McNeil Depot, it quickly became a hub for live music and dancing, securing one of Travis County's first mixed-drink licenses. In 1978, Ogden sold the venue to Donn Adelman, a former tire salesman and pianist, who still plays the baby grand weekly. Adelman's ethos, "If it ain't broke, don't break it," has maintained the venue's unique character as a mashup of dance hall, honky-tonk, and piano bar. It has hosted countless celebrations, from impromptu weddings to movie shoots, and remains a beloved haunt for Austin's music royalty, embodying the spirit of "keeping Austin Austin."