This isn't a bad place for day drinking. It's a nice little bar but I'm not sure if it's aiming to be a neighborhood bar or a classy, craft cocktails bar. I think it need to stick to be a neighborhood joint. They have some cool little specials. On Tuesdays, they have a special for anyone wearing chuck taylors. The drinks are a little on the pricey side. It's not somewhere I would normally go but not a bad place to end up.
Review Source:I've been here a few times. Â It has kind of a stale vibe. Â The outside patios are OK, but everyone there seems to be in transition to somewhere else. Â There is nothing here that makes you stick around.
Nearly every special I've seen is more expensive than regular prices at other bars in the area.
Man, this place is bad in so many ways.
Location - just an awkward location with limited parking. However, very few people go here so you can often find parking.
This place is either empty or a sausage fest. And the people who do frequent this place, they don't look like locals....you might wonder why I have gone here more than once then. It's because Gibson and BlackSheep were too packed so we settled here.
The bartenders --- they lack common sense. If the bar is empty and your two patrons want audio for the March Madness tournament, then why dont you just put it on? Why do you have to call your manager or the owner. Did the thought occur to you that if you put on audio then maybe we'll invite more people to the bar? Instead, they put audio on the patio when its 40 degrees outside (no heater) and then they waited an hour before finally putting audio on the inside
More on this topic....last night, while we were watching March Madness at the Corner Bar- one patron asks the bartender to put on Impact Wrestling. The bartender obliged and changed the main tv to wrestling. We instinctively reacted with a "what the?" and the bartender changed it back. Point is ....what the hell are you thinking? Impact Wrestling?
What is good about this place? Two things....1) its empty so you can get a drink if everywhere else is packed 2) the phatso food truck has a damn good philly.
Pro- I liked the fact that there were three eateries to pick from right next to it. ( I hate how most bars  around here have one lame food truck parked next to it and you never know if it will be open or not- food trucks are so flakey)  We brought over a pizza from the pizza place it was above average. It's looks pretty nice inside, I could see this being a place for ladies to gather after work, or a place to hit before going down town. But not a place for a bunch of dudes to hang out together. but they are trying very hard to appeal to dudes with all the big TVs- which could be good or bad depending. Nice front patio. Drinks specials are always a plus. I liked the mix of music , but I would guess it depends heavily on who is working and what night it is.There was a very cute puppy there, looks like he belonged to someone who works there or owns the place. I loved that puppy, that was my favorite part. I noticed some board games on my way out, would like to check that out. I am thinking about having my bday here soon, but I am not sure of the crowd on a Saturday night (since we went on a tue), I want to go somewhere near my house, where I can wear heels but is not anything like downtown.
Cons- my husband and I really like to play darts when we go out ( probably because we don't go to bars to hit people or to get hit on. So bars offering a way to entertain score points with us) Â I think the dart board situation could be improved. The darts and pretty flimsy, they are very lightweight. They also need a chalk score board. And a line measuring where to stand. And that side patio was down wind from a trash can, which was right behind where the board is, so it was an un avoidable smell. These may seem like weird small complaints, but they are easily improved and would increase my interest in returning ( maybe other would agree) Perhaps they just recently put this up and are working out the kinks. You would not think about it until you actually tried to play a game, which was hard to do.
Chill place to be on a Sunday! Indoor/outdoor seating, it's a pretty small place but they have Awesome Daily drink specials that don't end at 7pm like most places. They advertise Free food on Sundays but apparently not yesterday...they had boiled Crawfish which was great! $5/a pound...not bad price, it was really good. Plus $2 Mimosas & Bud Light, $4 Rehab shot & $5 Bloody Marys.
+Pet-friendly!
Parking is limited, look on the street behind it. Now s upposely there is free valet, but I didn't see any.
So it's been almost a year since my last review, and everything I said previously still stands, and no, I am not impressed.
The boyfriend and I went yesterday to watch some of the Texans/Patriots game, and the place was quite full. They had a lot of drink specials, ranging from $2 mimosas, to $4 fireballs, to $3 roxor gins.
We both like gin, so we got two gin and tonics, and before we ordered we asked about the special because neither of us had heard of Roxor and thought it might be a type of drink, but it was a brand. And the drinks were weak. I rarely complain about this, but even watching them pour it's like "One Mississipp--" and that's your pour of alcohol.
For our second round, I got a mimosa and my darling had a Jameson on the rocks. Also, a very weak pour.
While drinking, we sat in front of the bathrooms since that was the only open seating, and watched the game on a TV that was way too small for the wall. It was also awkward and uncomfortable. And for some reason they kept playing club music during the commercial breaks. Do I like commercials? No. Do I like missing some of the game/commentary because whoever is manning the switch isn't paying attention? No. It was weird and messed up the environment.
At halftime we decided to peace out since neither of us were really feeling the place, my boyfriend goes and gets our tab, the bartender puts it on our card: $24. No itemized receipt. Ummmm?
$3 + $3 + $2 +......$16 Jameson?
We go ask the bartender for an itemized receipt, she still doesn't give us one?? We explain our reasoning, and her and the other bartender discuss the gins, isn't that special only on like, Saturday? What? Like OMG Sunday? And they magically give us a $16 tab, itemized. No apology or anything. Â
And then we left. Really not a good experience, I was hoping for better since the last time I was there, but after this we will definitely not be returning.
Way over priced. I thought I give it a try cuz I missed my bus. Atmo seems cool... but $8 for a Bulliet  rocks?! I was expecting $6, $7 tops. Thats' some fancy Downtown price! Don't think I will be going back unless someone else is buying. I will stick with my regular haunts thank you.
Review Source:I think the fact that I can't even think of how to start this review is a testament to how un-excited I was about the place. (Seriously, I've CTLD + A'ed then deleted several times).
It's not as bad as 2 stars, nor as wonderful as 4. It's just A-OK. If you're a whiskey drinker, go on a Wednesday.
The bartender was nice. Beers were cold. Pal was pleased with prosecco.
That's about all I got.
Except maybe for a few "nobody puts Baby in the corner" jokes.
Dear Diary,
What a day! I went to see Magic Mike with a girlfriend who just moved to town (thank goodness the bf had to work, If I dragged him to that movie I would NEVER hear the end of it. I swear I didn't know what it was about. "L-I-V-I-N", indeed).
Then she said "Have you ever heard of corner bar?" Negative on that. So away we go.
What an unexpectedly fun time! I also wish I knew more about Brown's BBQ, because deal with bf was that I would bring food home and they provided me with some tasty free smoked beef. That was just all sorts of neat.
It's small. Loud music. Tons of tvs (since when is that a problem, though?) Everyone is just plain friendly. As a matter of fact, I have 3 new numbers on my phone and 5 new facebook friends...and I'm not even a trollop!
Dogs are welcome (met a pup there as well!)
Good place to hang, next time I'm down that way I will certainly stop by.
We didn't see a valet person (granted it was a Sunday afternoon) but the parking lot IS small, so just go ahead and be prepared to park on the street behind it.
xoxox
Sampson
Stopped in after dinner last night with some friends and had a great time. Felicia Barton from American Idol was singing with her touring band. They were super!
The Flat Screens had the NBA Finals on and it was great to have the game on in the background.
Ordered a couple Manhattans on the rocks and they were made really well. Wife had a couple beers and we enjoyed the music, the company and the ambiance.
Parking - looks like a small parking lot, but you can park in the lot behind at Austin Pizza's parking lot.
Bartenders were friendly and service was quick. Didn't have to wait at all for them to provide us with eye contact and for us to order a drink.
Smaller bar, it was busy and the ambiance was great. Nice patio outside as well.
Will definitely go back!
Ok, I've been here a couple times now...on a random Saturday or Sunday afternoon and I really like it. It wasn't too crowded whenever I've been there, but I did choose times when I expected it to be slow on purpose.
I will admit it's not a typical Austin bar. I'm not a native of Austin - just moved here from Chicago a few months ago and it boggles my mind that there are no other bars with tv's everywhere so people can watch sports. It seems that's what defines a successful bar in Chicago and you can't find it here. And to speak to the valet feature; yes, it adds a bit of a pretentious air but it's free. The only reason I think they do that is because it's a small spot and they want people to stop by. I feel like the free feature cancels out the pretentiousness of the valet. But hey, I'm a Chicagoan - not yet a true Austinite, what do I know?
Anyway, it's a nice, chill atmosphere if you pick the right time to go. The only thing I'd like to see is more of a beer selection and if they added a small selection of great bar food it would feel like a little slice of Chicago in Austin.
Boring. Sorry guys, but we were really excited about this new place. We live 5 minutes away and thought it might be a fun, within walking distance new bar to call a new "spot". It looks like someone with zero style decided to put up a building and throw some beers on a shelf. You need character to be in the 04....and this place has NONE. It's not horrible but overpriced, especially for a boring beer selection. I guess we'll stick with Black Sheep until the next new place opens. We may try again in a few months to see if it just needed a little time to "find it's groove".
Review Source:I've waited around for Corner Bar to get on its feet before paying them a visit. This is the newest bar in my neighborhood, and we're always happy to welcome the new kid on the block, even if they did totally ruin the Chase ATM drive-through (their parking lot swallowed it up and made it super hard to access).
Anyway, me and the roomies finally got around to stopping by this Friday around 9pm. The place is still a little shabby looking on the outside (IMO), but the inside is really nice, and the patio area is super cool. I love people watching, so being able to perch out there was neat. Drinks were fine, average prices. Didn't hear about any specials or anything.
It wasn't very crowded, and the folks that were there were kind of a funky demographic. Seemed like a weird in-between mix of late 20's/early 30's and the early yuppie crowd. Not that that's bad! Just a little out of turn for us early 20's kids, definitely not very lively, but I wonder if that has to do with being so new.
I'd definitely go back with a few friends if the goal was to chat around drinks and enjoy the night air. Maybe even go and catch a sports game (they have big TV's at the bar). Unfortunately I think the only reason we'd ever consider going back is because it's so close to our house. Again, nothing technically wrong, just not a memorable experience.
Bonus: right next door to Austin Pizza
I could see that many folks appreciate the free food (BBQ, pulled pork sandwiches) on Sunday. Â :) Not a bad deal. Â I only had Shiner so no challenge on the drinks - it was cold, and the limes were fresh and juicy. Â Bar is small...band played for about an hour, and were really loud for such a little place. Â Liked that they offered up some space to a friend of mine to sell her handmade jewelry for the day. Â Nice place, just a bit small. Â Parking was a challenge even at 5 pm on a Sunday so not sure how that is managed on a Friday or Saturday night. Â Anyway, it's just a-ok. Â I would go back if I was in the area, but would probably not go out of my way to get there.
Review Source:I really don't get this concept. Â Honestly, it is just a small bar. Â Period. Â We arrived on a Monday night and the place was empty, so we were able to snag one of the 8 or so parking spots outside. Â Where one would park on other nights is beyond me, although there seems to be talk of a valet service. Â Seems like really poor planning IMHO. Â The inside is very crisp and clean and brand spanking new shiny. Â We didn't have to worry about the noise, since we were two of only 8 folks in the place. Â Jaime the bartender was friendly and efficient. Â The beer was cold. Â I mean all the parts seem to be there and as a bar it did it's job. Â So basically, been there done that.
Review Source:Not great but definitely not the worst place. Â The service was good. Â Drink prices were average. For a place that uses Roqbot the music was not my style and the guy playing acoustic in the corner was not very good either but whatever.
I had a decent time here with a friend but this place seems to have no identity. Â It really isn't sure what kind of bar it is trying to be. Â I like the location but I just cannot come up with a reason why I would come back here. Â There are too many other bars in the area that I can go to and get essentially the same thing that I would get at the Corner Bar. Â
It seemed like they were going for the same vibe as the Crow Bar on Congress but got halfway through the plan and said eh that is good enough. Â Unfortunate, but they are new maybe they can turn it around.
I will say that the bartenders were friendly and prompt which is a major plus.
I'm hooked! Â This place is so much fun!
I love the location! Â Love the music (I mean, too loud? Come on!). Â And they've even had live music a few times when I've been there which was a nice change. Â I heard they had a DJ too, but need to find out when that's happening again. Â
My favorite things so far are going for drinks after work and sitting on the patio on a nice night with a few friends and SUNDAYS! Â Sundays are great! Â Not only do they have a Bloody Mary bar and Mimosas (my fav!), but the owners have been cooking food on a huge bbq pit and... it's FREE!! Â Very nice touch :-) Â
As far as some of the other reviews, I heard that they are working on opening the side patio but ran into some issues with the city (big surprise). Â And personally, I like the valet option. Â I'd rather that than fight the parking around there. Â It's not at all pretentious to me to have that option... it's smart! Â
Again... I'm hooked! Â And looking for to my next time there. Â Maybe tonight!
Two Californian investment bankers walk in to a Chipotle...
Investor 1: "Hey dude, I just had the most AMAZING weekend in Austin. We went to all the HOT SPOTS like SoCo and 6th Street--west AND east! Â Had dinner at the Oasis...amazing food. Â Bro, anyway, it got me thinking: Â We did well last year on the Peterson account, so what do you think about opening up a bar with me in Austin?"
Investor 2: "Heck yea, bro, as long as it's like Key Bar or J. Blacks, but a little more...you know...Austin-y! Â We should totally see a return on investment within a year--EASY!"
Investor 1: "EXCELLENT! Â Well, I've already done some research and I found this AMAZING spot, bro. Â It's an old gas station off W. Mary Street in this part of town called 75704. Â People are saying it's going to be like the new bar district in town, so we need to get on this thing pronto, mi amigo!!!"
Investor 2: "AWESOME! Â But one thing: Â Will we have live music there?"
Investor 1: "No, but here's what we will have: Â A) An INCREDIBLE sound system with lots of dance hits pumping overhead to keep people drinking and B) TONS OF FREAKING FLAT SCREENS, BRO! Â Also, I found this street artist who will do these edgy, Austin-y portraits of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie Nelson that we can hang on the walls. Â Locals love those dudes, and when they see that we've done, they'll know this place is STRAIGHT UP LEGIT!"
Investor 2: "BODACIOUS! Â But you know Austin is really big on craft beers now, so what about having a large selection of local beers on tap?"
Investor 1: "Too expensive. Everything will be bottled, and all brands owned by Budweiser InBev, to keep costs down. Â Of course, we'll have like 20 different ones to choose from."
Investor 2: "GNARLY! Â But what about parking? Â I want to be SEEN in the 75704, but don't really want to...you know...take the risk of parking next to some hipster's '93 Subaru and getting a door ding on my brand new Maseratti Quattroporte."
Investor 1: "Dude, already there. Â One word: Valet."
************************UPDATE********************Â*****************
I received a note from the owner of the bar a few weeks ago and I will post it below:
------------------------------------
You even made me laugh...
1. Two of the owners are from AUSTIN born and raised.. the other one has lived within a mile of the bar for the last 13 years.
2. Â Two of us actually live blocks from the bar
3. Â We do have live music, just not ever night. Â The neighborhood association would not allow us to have outdoor live music at all.
4. The music is picked my the people in the bar.
5. People like a place to watch a game
6. We have been open for less than six weeks and after the city has cost us 100's of thousands in petty improvements so the Zilker Neighborhood Association  would be happy (which they still are not), our beer selection will grow with time.
7. Â Bill, the local artist is a great friend and little more than a street artist...
8. We have limited parking and wanted to respect the neighborhood to keep the noise down late at night. Â SO YES... FREE...YES FREE Valet..
...FREE
Thanks for the completely off review...
-Corner Bar of Austin... Not affiliated with any other "Corner Bar" anywhere else.
Okay, seriously, who transplanted a tiny bar from Dallas to South Lamar? Â I mean, VALET? Â You can't fit 50 people inside this place, and you have your own, dedicated valet in the private lot you get to use?
I could not possibly find this place less pretentious unless they had a "no jeans" dress code. Â Which they couldn't, because in Austin that's all we wear. Â Yes, it's shiny and new and clean. Â Yes, there's lots of TVs. Â The beer selection is standard, the liquors are Dallas standard (every BIG name brand is there, but nothing local and nothing particularly good).
The service was quick and friendly, although that could be because we stopped in at 10pm on a Sunday for a quick drink prior to our movie at the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse. Â The prices were high to me - $5 for a draft Fireman's #4? Â And what the sh*t is the point of a patio if you can't take your drink out? Â I want to smoke and drink - that's why I'm willing to stand outside in the 45dg weather.
This place is as generic as Dallas - it's plastic. Â Cold, transparent, and soulless. Â I do like the roqbot app (installable to iOS devices for free and lets patrons propose and vote on the music playing), but man...
I want this place to work. Â But they better get rid of the skimpily clad bartendress (I mean, really, is this Hooter's?), get that patio open, and chill the hell out.
Oh, and ditch the valet. Â It's just... stupid.
Cliffnotes: Seems cheerful but really just a trick to get you to have another beer and bob your head to psychotic pop song rants while not being able to hear a DAMN thing your friends say, not 2 feet away from you. Â EFFING TVS ARE EFFING EVERYWHERE! and it is really on a peninsula, not a corner... should be called, Peninsula Bar.
.
.
.
"Robert's got a quick hand. He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan.
He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth. He's a cowboy kid."
Murderously LOUD evening combined with that cheerful, head bobbing song Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People about a psychotic kid and bullets and killing people. Â So there we were, bobbing our heads to such cheerfulness while getting a drink pre-dinner.
WHAT?
Extremely LOUD with 7 enormous tvs blaring in a teeny tiny space with one miniscule outdoor area that faces busy Lamar and has large sliding doors open to the interior so if smoking is happening outside, it is happening inside. Â No attempt at sound abatement whatsoever. I am not a fan of football in a bar, unless it is expressly a sports bar. Â Can't we go out for a drink without having to watch tv?
Large side patio is OFF LIMITS to alcoholic beverages because of complaints from people about the noise. "People"? Â It is on the Austin Pizza side... would they complain about people enjoying an adult beverage on this side of the bar? And if they did, who cares? Big sign that limits access with adult beverage on glass door to large side patio makes you wonder who runs this place as people are on the front slice of outdoors with a drink but this quiet side refuge is vacant. Code issue? Unlikely.
WHAT?
Nothing special about the drinks. No food. So you can get a beer or a mexican martini and sit in a tiny peninsula of a bar screaming at each other while avoiding the visual onslaught of 7 enormous televisions. Â
Would like to see this place work out. Love for them to belly up to the bully for the side patio access as it would more than double their exterior space. Â Love for them to have 3 specialty cocktails. Â Love for them to do something about the Death by Sound issue.
Regarding this song, Mark Foster of Foster the People said: "I was trying to get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid. It's a f--k you song to hipsters, in a way - but it's a song the hipsters are going to want to dance to."
(Rolling Stone)
Exactly. This isolated peninsula called a "corner" is a haven for wanting to dance but not dancing.*
Head bobbing and a big smile on her face and singing about a bullet and a gun, my sweet lawyer friend said, "I just love this song... the IRONY!"
WHAT?!
"You better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, You better run, better run, faster than my bullet."
*They have complimentary valet parking. That never means it's free, so get ready to fork over $5 to a super cheerful, nice guy who will park your car on any street that is not Lamar.
It's tiny.
It's L-O-U-D. Â
It's drafty and cold under the vents.
It is impossible to have a conversation without a TV in your line of vision.
The only food available is take-out from Austin's Pizza next door.
There's almost no parking. Â And no, the valet parking option does not count. Â We are not at the opera, we're at a freaking dive bar.
They have one entire patio that you're not allowed to use (unless you're not drinking...but why in the world would you be here if you weren't drinking?).
But the drinks are strong, and after a single Mexican martini, shouting over the music suddenly veered from being annoying to being...festive. Â Of course, this likely had more to do with the company I was keeping than anything the Corner Bar did.
If this bar were on a corner within walking distance of my house, I might venture back. Â But it's not, so I probably won't.
Finally a place on south Lamar with a full bar that's open till 2am....the staff was welcoming and attentive. Â I hear they are going to start with some live music soon once they get their feet under them. Â Welcome to the neighborhood, and thanks for cleaning up the major eye sore that was there before. Â The area is better for it
Review Source:If it wasn't for Barton Springs Saloon, I would have thought this place doomed from the start just based on its location, after all, who wants to hang out at a bar that sits on a busy intersection? Â But hey, the Saloon works, and this place does too!
I went to Corner Bar last night with five friends, all of which, myself included, live in the neighborhood and are always looking for the next local bar to add a little change of scenery. Â While small, the bar is nice on the inside and gives an impression of being a lot bigger than it is- the downside of which is that the high ceilings and lack of anything to absorb all that noise makes the place echo so much that we were all driven outside just to hear ourselves talk. Â The noise set aside, the drinks were strong and the bartender was nice and attentive, even on a night that seemed relatively busy (but then again, perhaps that impression was too because of its size.) Â When my friend decided that she didn't like the drink they had made for her the bartenders were happy to replace it with a round of shots for all of us-above and beyond what any of us had expected!
We had only been there about twenty minutes when we were approached by (what I am assuming was the manager or owner) to ask how we were enjoying our night and what we thought of the bar. Â He made a point to make sure we were happy which I thought was a great move on his part. Â When I mentioned the lack of ashtrays on the patio he was attentive and agreed that I was right and said he would make sure to get some as soon as possible--I'll cut them some slack for it this time considering they have only been open for five days, next time though I will for sure keep an eye out for them to see if he really listened.
Perhaps the coolest thing about this bar though was their "jukebox" which can barely be called a jukebox as there is no actual "box" to speak of. Â They use an app for iPhone and Android called roqbot--a free app which allows you, the patron, to choose the music, and vote on songs that other people at the bar have chosen to play--and displays the song being played and its "dj" on a big TV screen behind the bar. Â It was definitely a fun interactive aspect to the bar which I hadn't seen before. Â The manager even spent a while talking to us about it and let us know that at a ripe 5 days old, Corner Bar is already the number one user of the app! Â The downside I guess would be if you don't have a smart phone.
If anything else, I could nitpick at the parking situation--there is barely any--but that just comes with the territory I suppose. Â Lastly the outside patio was tiny and cramped and on a busier night could probably prove hard to get on to.
I will for sure return to this bar, and I can see myself becoming somewhat of a regular if they continue the pleasant service and fun environment. Â I definitely wish them success and all the best.
While this city has no bar shortage, I'm always happy to see a new bar pop up, especially off south Lamar. Upon entering, the staff was super friendly, and made me feel like I was part of some special event (the opening). What can I say? I'm soooo trendy. But trendiness aside, the bar was offering some good drinks, and there is a great patio that will be perfect for those 70 degree winter days. My main complaint was that it was extremely loud and somewhat difficult to hear the person next to me. This could be due to the crowd or bad acoustics, but I have a feeling once they get their groove and normal clientele, it shouldn't be a problem. It's worth checking out corner bar, because who doesn't love corners and bars?
Review Source:Colleen and I were here together and I'm sad she beat me to the punch. After the delayed opening date we went in in full force to see what Corner Bar was all about.
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with this place (besides the lack of parking) especially considering the nice dark wood interior and patio space ( but they need a trailer stat. and municipal taste should open again and get in on the action).
And while we have no shortage of watering holes, Corner Bar has no identity. South Lamar is definitely lacking in places to whet your whistle but corner bar does not (currently) stand out as somewhere I would take my sazerac sipping or Lone Star tall boy needing self. When we came it seemed like a too loud 6th st bar with with the clientele being 30-something ex-frat boys and their ladies. I guess S. Lamar could use whatever it can get, but wouldn't it be nice to get something more akin to Hopfields or Peche?
That being said, prices are about $1 more than you would think for what you ordered
( and they are really big on different vodka flavors which never bodes well) , but the bartenders still don't even know that they're doing just yet as they were a little confused all night. But, still a good time when all is said and done.
It was their first night and I'm sure they've got a couple of weeks until they grow into their overalls, but seeing as I spend a good deal of my time close by I'm hoping they're more of an ugly-duckling story right now. I want this place to be a beautiful boozy swan, and they can be.
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