King Bee, the neighborhood cocktail lounge at 1906 East 12th Street, is swapping its usual vibe for cinematic lighting, eerie soundscapes and a menu of skull-and-bone garnished cocktails this October. The East Austin bar is one of 34 venues across North America hosting Black Lagoon, an annual Halloween pop-up experience running October 1 through October 31.
The transformation turns King Bee into what organizers describe as an immersive haunted cocktail experience, according to KXAN Austin. Expect dark, metal-inspired décor alongside exclusive seasonal cocktails and collectible glassware, all part of the package Black Lagoon brings to its host bars. King Bee bar manager Spencer Smith demonstrated one of the standout non-alcoholic options, the Scream Queen, for the station — a spirit-free mocktail built with N/A tequila, pomegranate juice, spiced oat orgeat, lime juice and honey syrup, shaken with ice and served in the Black Lagoon Bone Temple mug with a cherry, parasol and straw garnish.
A Pop-Up Born in a New Orleans Dive Bar
Black Lagoon traces its roots back further than most Halloween activations. The concept was first dreamed up in 2019 by co-founders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage inside The Dungeon, a dive bar in New Orleans, before the pair — both veterans of the cocktail industry — relaunched it as a one-night post-pandemic event in Toronto in 2021, as detailed by CityBeat. Hayes built her reputation at high-profile cocktail programs including Three Dots and a Dash and Lost Lake before developing Black Lagoon, which features spooky cocktails and gothic décor.
What started as a single Toronto night has since grown into a full North American tour. Sip Magazine reported that the 2026 edition selected 34 partner bars, including venues recognized by the James Beard Foundation and the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, with King Bee representing Austin in the lineup. The brand has also expanded beyond Halloween itself, with Hayes and Ramage extending the concept into Krampus' Cove and Bad Witch events throughout the year.
Cocktails Built Around Rum, Sherry and Cold Brew
The Black Lagoon menu at King Bee runs on a specific lineup of spirits: Kraken rum, Teremana tequila, Lustau sherry, Giffard liqueurs, Mr. Black cold brew coffee liqueur and Bitter Queens bitters. Among the signature pours is Abyssa's Obsession, made with pumpkin-infused Kraken Black and Gold spiced rums, Lustau Oloroso sherry, coconut, pineapple, lime and Bitter Queens tobacco bitters. The Bone Temple, a fall-inspired margarita, combines Teremana Blanco tequila, Lustau Amontillado sherry, tart cherry, spiced oat orgeat, lime, vanilla honey, absinthe and Bitter Queens tobacco bitters.
Rounding out the specialty cocktails is Moon Shadow, a haunting take on an espresso martini built with nutmeg-infused vodka, Mr. Black cold brew coffee liqueur, Giffard Banane du Brésil, Lustau fino sherry and cold brew coffee. Drinkers who want to take a piece of the pop-up home can shop limited-edition merchandise during the event and online, including collector glassware designed by Kisira Hill and the Abyssa the Octo-Witch mug, alongside specialty tiki-inspired vessels made with Tiki Farm.
Why Bars Are Betting Big on Month-Long Halloween
King Bee's activation fits a broader pattern reshaping the bar industry's approach to Halloween. Seasonal holiday spending accounts for nearly 20% of annual retail and food-and-beverage sales nationwide, according to National Retail Federation data cited by the Fish Agency, with nationwide Halloween spending reaching an estimated $12.2 billion. That kind of spending has pushed venue operators to stretch a single spooky night into a full month of themed programming, and franchises like Black Lagoon let host bars pay a fee to rebrand entirely for October, converting one-night crowds into a month-long revenue stream, as Wine Enthusiast has reported.
Someday Bar in Brooklyn hosted Black Lagoon, which Hotel Management said brought in new visitors. Competition in the space is intensifying too — Miracle Cocktails Inc., the group behind the Christmas pop-ups Miracle and Sippin' Santa, launched its own Halloween concept called The Haunting in August 2026, entering a market Black Lagoon has spent years building.
Part of a Wider Austin Halloween Takeover Trend
King Bee isn't the only Austin bar leaning into a full seasonal transformation this fall. The pop-up joins a broader local trend of themed Halloween bar takeovers across the city, including Gibson Street Bar's Twisted Carnival and Nickel City's transformation into Moe's Tavern from The Simpsons, according to Tribeza. Texas has become a notable expansion market for Black Lagoon specifically — during its 2025 tour, the franchise also hosted an activation at San Antonio's Three Star Bar, installing gothic décor like skulls, coffins and bats alongside its own seasonal cocktails.
King Bee, known around East Austin for its housemade pizzas, extensive mezcal selection and vintage aesthetic at the corner of East 12th and Chicon streets, now adds haunted cocktail bar to its résumé through the end of October. Similar Black Lagoon transformations have popped up elsewhere this fall, including a Kentucky bar's own spooky makeover, underscoring just how far the pop-up's reach now extends beyond its New Orleans dive-bar origins.
