Malaia World Lounge

Hands down the best music in Austin. DJ Mondo on Saturday nights is an absolute treat and a major reason why people keep coming back! The ambience is nice and the drinks aren’t too expensive. Spending time in Malaia on weekends feels great.
I would have given this club 5 stars but for the fact that I have witnessed a few instances of racial profiling and felt sad. Thankfully, it hasn’t happened to me and I’ve been there about 50 times. Malaia is owned by the same gentleman who owns Roial, Pure, Kiss & Fly and other clubs in downtown Austin and I’ve witnessed similar profiling at those places. I hope they do away with such crap!

On my last trip to Austin, I found a new bar on dirty 6^th, it was nicer than the other ones I’m used to dropping by but the prices were still comparable for the area.

It super sad to see so many mix reviews about Malaia. The fews times that I have been here, its been on a Sunday night or a Christmas Party. When I’ve gone my shots were either 2 or 3 dollars each. Yes it was for their basic wells but Liquor is Liquor when you do not feel like spending $ 100 bucks or more in just one night. They also have taken great care of us during our Christmas Party and have gone beyond what any of us have expected.
I like that it is two floors and the 2^nd floor has a «see through» floor. You can see things but not to much! The music has been completely awesome when I have gone and the servers have been great. I like the idea of separate floors. People who want to relax tend to stay at the bottom, people who want to go crazy and dance are up on top.

When I think of terrible bars, Malaia jumps out. Now, I should start off by saying that I dont wear dress shirts with dragons or dance to techno/​rave music. I have only been here twice and both times because I had a friend that wanted to go. The first time I didnt think I was even going to get in, it was a Saturday after a football game and I showed up drunk in game day gear (burnt orange polo, khakis, and boots) and I got the vibe that they didnt want to let me in because of what I wore. However, since this is Austin, TX, if they didnt love UT than it would probably do more bad than the good of not letting me in. Either way, this is the velvet rope type bar in Austin that caters exclusively to the uneducated looking to burn all their money.

I have had positive experiences at Malaia before for private events, which is why I recommended it to my friends who were visiting Austin for the weekend, which turned out to be a mistake.
I am Caucasian and have had very little experience with racial discrimination, but the blatant racial stereotyping that occurred at the door to Malaia this particular weekend was unmistakable. My two visiting friends were both Hispanic males, and one was denied entry before even showing his ID to the doormen.
The bouncer’s reasoning was that my friend’s jeans were too baggy — I understand that different clubs have different dress codes based on their atmosphere, but my friend wasn’t even wearing jeans. He was wearing slacks with a hem at the bottom, but the bouncer insisted that his pants were inappropriate and constituted his refusal of entry.
That was and will be my last trip to Malaia.

Pros: I go on Fri and Sat. Downstairs is the main bar where you do sipping drinks, watch the gogo dancers and hang out for a bit.
Upstairs they have a dance floor. The music is good and the dance floor packed.
Con: Depending on the time there can be a line at the front to get in and a second line to get to the second level dance floor.
You might have to be a bit more dressed up to get in the club, depends on the door guy.

I’m a big fan but I never go for several reasons. There’s always a huge line, drinks are much more expensive than other bars on 6^th and it gets way too crowded. Nonetheless, the interior décor is awesome, like a jungle with exotic beasts. They have window GoGo Dancers as well as GoGo Dancers on a high rise railing. Pretty hot to see sexy girls dancing in skimpy thongs just a few feet above you.
Upstairs has a small dance floor. They have great music but again, it gets way too crowded to even move. The floor is an opaque glass which is semi-​see through from the 1^st floor. Cool place and definitely special on 6^th St. but it’d be the standard for any popular bar on 4^th St. or even West 6^th.

I always get sucked into Malaia from promises of free drinks. Ladies only of course which therefore excludes any gentlemen that are accompanying us. Which usually they don’t mind, one less round to buy! Usually, there are girls in tribal outfits or bikinis dancing around the bottom floor. A bit tacky. The second floor has a see through floor that really creeps me out especially when you have a little alcohol in your system. They usually play house music and I really just don’t know what to do with myself. As I look around me, people just look like they are cutting shapes or pounding on an invisible wall. I’ll pass.

If I’m gonna go to 6^th, this is where I will invariably end up. Every time I’ve taken friends, no matter how anti-​6^th they are, they have a good time.
Don’t go for the drinks– barhop the drink specials at the other Dirty Sixth bars and then head over to Malaia’s to dance off the drunk. Get there just around midnight, as on Thurs and sometimes Fri nights, there are definitely lines to go upstairs and get your groove on.
Second floor dance floor is frosted glass, so you can see people’s shoes from the bottom floor, but only in a shadowy kind of way; def cant see up girls’ skirts or anything. Downstairs has some hotties in bikinis doing the go-​go dancer thing, usually a good selling point to get your guy friends to actually come out dancing with you. On nice nights, they open up the retractable rooftop, which is a plus.
Music isn’t the down n’ dirty hip hop they play at some of the other clubs on 6^th. More like Barcelona– pop-​y, House-​y, and generally Euro-​y sprinkled liberally with some Gaga and Perry. Every once in a while you’ll get a Latin groove– Shakira, etc.
Creep ratio is fairly low, comparatively speaking. Don’t get me wrong, having a wing (wo)man to whisk you away when some dude starts getting a little grabby is a good idea, but I’ve actually been ASKED to dance here, which is a refreshing change from the get-​behind-​you-​and-​grind surprise tactic that creepers keep in their repertoire.
My favorite place to go let some steam off on 6^th, when I actually decide to venture down that-​a-​way.

I am writing this review strictly for when Mad Classy performs here on the second Tuesday of every month.
The beers are cheap, the tunes are fucking wicked, and the girls aren’t scared to drop it to the floor. The inside is gorgeous and I am always enamored by the ornate woodwork (no homo).
I haven’t been any other night, but when it’s dubstep night… go You will have fun. Promise
Place doesn’t get hopping til about midnight. but that is why i get there early and drink my beers like water and loosen up to do my thing on the dancefloor… very 420 friendly :)

This place is lame. Some tout on 6^th lured part of my group in with the promise of free drinks (at first, he said he’d buy the girls free drinks but not us two guys, but the girls said they wouldn’t go in unless we got free drinks too), so in we went with a «hey man, don’t turn down free drinks.»
While I was able to chug my complimentary Bud Light with amazing speed, the ladies in our group didn’t get ½ way through their weakly-​poured cocktails before we decided to bounce.
Why did it suck? Well, it’s empty, they’re blasting crappy top-​40, they’re playing VJ’d music (the curse of 6^th street?), some chick in a bikini is dancing in the window, and it was so loud we couldn’t hear ourselves think in there.
This is a note to anyone who hasn’t traveled to Tijuana: Any empty place blasting music with touts out front is gonna suck. Why? It’s empty, for one. For two, if they have to offer cheap drinks to get you in, that means that there’s nothing redeeming about the place itself, and it’s all about booze and the other people in there, which, in this type of place, are likely to be douchebags. This exemplifies what turns me off so much about 6^th Street (it only took me a day or 2 to figure this out). The college kids can have it, I’ll go to a bar with substance.
boo.

As my friends and I were walking down sixth street deciding where to go, looking inside Malaia, it looked pretty cool, so we went in to check it out. I really enjoyed this lounge! There was no cover to get in, so more money to be spent on drinks! Haha. The bartender was such a sweetheart. He is probably my favorite bartender ever. Haha. He made us some awesome drinks and they were pretty cheap too. I don’t even remember how many we had. My friend who is super picky about drinks found her favorite drink at this lounge! :)
I loved how the synced the music videos to the music playing. I’ve never seen it at a club/​bar. Music was really good. It was a lot of mainstream so everyone knew what song was playing.
The place was really nice, too. I loved the tiki décor. They had an upstairs too, with some pretty sick lighting.
Met some college students from University of Texas. They were pretty friendly. I think they were in school while we were on our spring break. Anyways, some guys were too persistent, but what can you expect at a lounge? Just remember «NO MEANS NO». Haha.
Overall great place. Probably my favorite place we went to on 6^th street!

Supposebly they have a retractable roof, which we intend to fully enjoy come this nye. I love the décor that is african inspired and the wood themes everywhere. As my friend said ‚” this place shouldnt be on dirty 6^th.”
They have great music. Awesome dancefloor and clean restrooms. They do encourage a dress code and drinks are not cheap so bar hop and then head over to dance your socks off here!

Not a big fan of 6^th street anymore, I’ve lived here a while and it gets old fast. But we all decided we were long overdue for a good night of dancing and met up with some out of towners. They all ended up in a Hip Hop Club but Malaia caught our eye so a few of us decided to go in. I was expecting the same old 6^th street club with a bad DJ trying to spin his TOP 40 mix CD.
Not in this place! The DJ was mixing some really good dance music while the videos were also mixed and playing on the wall. I haven’t seen that done before. The dance floor is on the second floor and made of thick non-​see through glass and then I noticed they opened up the roof since it was cool outside and misting just a little. That pretty much sealed the deal for me!
The floor was packed, but we danced all night. We’ll be back for sure! This type of club is a rare find in Austin.

I will NEVER set foot inside this awful, douchebag-​ridden place.
And I’m telling EVERYBODY.
I rarely ever go downtown to 6^th St. I hate it. It has become extremely frat-​tastic, dirty, and full of douchebag men who think that it’s a smooth move to grab a girl’s ass as she walks by. And, surprisingly, this happens when I’m so covered up with clothing, I look like a freakin’ nun compared to some of the girls strutting around on 6^th.
My friends and I decided that we would hit up Malaia. One of my good friends had been there and had a quasi-​good experience, so we decided we’d check it out.
I have literally no problem getting in. I enter, look around, and head to the bar, completely thinking that my friend is behind me.
I even have no problem at all weaving through the crowd, and landing at the bar. There is literally NO problem whatsoever as I’m ordering drinks (within seconds after entering, no less — and I’m starting to think, «My god! A bar that doesn’t take 15 minutes to get the bartender to even glance my way?! This is fantastic!»
Not so fantastic when it’s almost TWENTY FREAKING DOLLARS for TWO VODKA SODAS. Are you KIDDING ME??? It’s a BAR. On SIXTH STREET. I’d think that paying such a ridiculous amount would at least get me a REAL CUP, but that’s too much to ask for, apparently. I don’t even pay that much when I frequent places that could actually pull off such a ridiculous sum of money for a drink! You know, places that don’t have last night’s drinks still splashed on the walls, places that have GLASS CUPS, places that there’s usually a form of valet out front… but whatever.
I’m even willing to overlook this price gouging, because what happened next was even worse.
So, I’ve got my ridiculously priced drinks. (Thanks, bartender lady… is there even vodka in this??) I turn around. My friend is STILL at the door. So, naturally, I meander my way over there.
Deep breath. I’m still livid over this.
The very SECOND I lean towards the door and ask my query, the tall giant of a doorman starts screaming at me, leaning down into my face to inform me that I can’t take drinks outside. (Seriously, you’re not scary, by the way. When I first saw you, my first impulse was not to run away and hide because you’re sooooo intimidating; rather, it was to paint you green and ask for a can of peas.)
But, dude, (or should I say «broh»?) I know the rules. I’m not going outside. I’m not even setting a single FOOT outside. I just paid my gas money for these drinks; heaven help anyone who thinks I’m going to part with them that easily. Finally, after trying to convince him that I’m NOT going outside, I’m merely asking why my friend can’t come through, I hand my drinks to another friend, and, grudgingly, step outside. So the problem: an out of state license. I ask Jolly the doorman if there’s a way I can prove his ID is valid, would he let him in then? Yes, he says. Awesome! There’s a police officer standing on the corner — he’ll validate it! So we saunter over to the police officer, who is extremely nice and affiable. We query him, and it’s not a problem at all — he has no problem checking out the ID, validating it, and telling the doorman that it’s legitimate.
WELL.
Apparently, Scruffy, the second doorman, doesn’t like this, and still denies us access.
WHAT!!! So, I ask him what the reason is this time. Apparently, my Harvard graduate of a friend is denied access because of his attire. He doesn’t have a collar to pop, so we can’t go in. I’m livid at this point. L. I. V. I. D.
I’ve paid a ridiculous sum of money for drinks, even had a cop validate an ID, and I still can’t come into your douchebag bar? I don’t even WANT to go in anymore, but I have a point to prove. So, I stand on the doorstep and point out others in the crowd. Are you denying him access? Him? What about her?
WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE AREADY IN YOUR BAR THAT ARE WEARING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING AS MY FRIEND???
What, did they change in the bathroom? What about the Landing Strip stripper rejects that I’ve now noticed on the second floor, attempting to gyrate, who obviously work for your establishment, and are doing a piss-​poor performance? You’re telling me that you PAY your employees to look like that, my friend is dressed better, and we want to literally PAY YOU to ‘enjoy’ this ridiculous «African ambiance.»
Apparently, my 109 lb frame has intimidated Jolly and Scruffy, because they proceed to yell at me and my friend for essentially calling them out. I’m pissed, they’re yelling, we leave. Whatever. Douche.
So, we ended up going down the street and spending our hard-​earned money (and lots of it, by the way) at a better, less douchebag-​ridden, no-​brohs-​allowed bar. And had fun.
PS
There really are youtube videos of girls dancing on the see-​through floor, with their vajays on display. Girls — careful!

I consider this one of the few places on sixth street worth going to. We always bar hop for an hour or so and get some less expensive drinks in our system, then head to Malaia. I am a fan of Malaia for several reasons:
1. It isn’t very «fratastic.» Apparently a euro-​trash style is frat-​guy repellent. I don’t have a problem with the frat scene in general, I just don’t like being around them when they are out on the town, drunk, and ready to fight. I’ve never seen one of these instances at Malaia.
2. They don’t play hip-​hop (it is truly sad what has been happening lately to a once respectable music genre). I’ve only ever seen live DJ sets consisting of remixes from the likes of Eric Prydz and Fedde le Grand.
3. The dance floor always has people dancing on it. Well, on the weekends anyway.
It is interesting though, the dance floor is always lined with shy guys that obviously want to dance, but just won’t get out there and do it. Don’t be afraid. But don’t be too bold either. There are also always those guys that enjoy dancing up behind a girl and grabbing her and trying to, I’m not really sure what their goal is, but you know what I’m talking about. It is amusing to observe those guys behavior. I typically go there with female friends of mine, so I get to play defense when those guys start approaching, that’s always fun too :).
Not cheap drinks, its kind of a pain to get to the dance floor, there are sleazy people (but its sixth, what can you expect); BUT they play good music for dancing shamelessly to, they somewhat enforce a dress code, its a cool looking place, and the bouncers are nice. So I think the good cancels out the bad and leaves this place as being a definite destination for me the once a month I subject myself to sixth street.

You were one of the last in a night of douchin’ it up, so I barely remember one of your bartenders saying that the fire marshal wouldn’t let you serve anymore of those flaming dr. peppers you were using to brand yourself as «unique.» Is this true, or was this just for SXSW?
Regardless, hoping for that grassy god behind the bar to catch fire while your skilled bartenders stacked fire-​breathing shots was the only reason to be there in the first place.
You’re too expensive. You attract an ugly-​on-​the-​inside crowd. And your god swallowed my friend’s keys.

Girls, you better wear panties! You don’t want your hoo hoo showing when you dance on the plexiglass floor upstairs! You’ll be on You Tube in a flash.
Pretty cool place. I would not pay a cover to get into any place on Sixth Street, so I am glad that was not the case on Saturday night.
The downstairs bar was featuring flaming Dr. Peppers, which required the bartenders to do a juggling act with ignited bottles. It was really fly. Esthers Follies meets Sigfried and Roy.
Upstairs bar was cool. Cool pop-​techno sounds, groovy dance floor — see earlier panties comment, good drinks.
I did not and static from the front linemen, and I was not wearing a collar. Maybe they relaxed the rules for the sake of the economy… the bar was pretty dead after all, and I was the best they could get, which is really sad. I’ll be back with straight, panty-​wearing out of town guests, I am sure.

I came in for the grand opening «VIP» night. The $ 100 VIP passes carried empty (rumored) promises of free drinks and entertainment galore.
They semi-​delivered.
Free drinks were limited to 1, and it had to be vodka. We went ahead and bought a few drinks, they all had the consistency of poison that one comes to expect from a 6^th Street bar. There were servers wearing quite minimal animal pelts that danced now and then in a way that suggested Nickelodeon’s ‘Legends of the Hidden Temple’ had met with porn. Not sure if you want to take that as a good/​bad thing, let it be what it is.
The bartenders can juggle bottles that are lit on fire — that is pretty impressive — they toss them back and forth from each other, letting them twirl in the air, then blow on them to create a giant torch that I will warn, those who are fans of aerosol hair srpay should keep FAR, FAR BACK from.
Overall, another typical 6^th Street experience… but with fire. Tip for the guys? The dance floor on the upper floor is clear and comes with what my friend called, «Up skirt visuals.» If you’re that kind of guy, trust me, it’s going to have those kinds of girls.

Wow, finally… a somewhat decent lounge, upper classy feel club on 6^th street.
This is the thing about 6^th street. It was fun when I was 18. It was fun when I was 19. At 20, I started getting tired of the drunk frat boys and dirty, perverted men that would gawk and cat call at me. At 21, I yearned for classy. I yearned for a place where I could glam up and be respected, not eye-​fucked by men that I would never date in a million years.
That’s when I discovered and fell in love with 4^th street. But.4^th street can get expensive.
Then, I discovered Malaia. Malaia is a mini 4^th street in itself, but it’s on 6^th street! You can tell the owners put a lot of money into making the place. It’s a lot nicer than the other clubs/​bars on 6^th and they don’t let scrubs in. And, for some reason, they don’t seem cheesy (like Pure) about trying to seem high class. They just are…
This lounge is fairly new… so I am hoping it won’t go down the wrong pathway and become like all other other 6^th street bars/​clubs…