love at first sight can't be explained, it's just a feeling - but you know it when it hits. Â butterflies in the stomach, warm all over, and just a general feeling that this is right on all levels. Â you couldn't stay away if you wanted to. Â i've loved crow bar since i first laid lips on one of their moscow mules.
i've been about half a dozen times and i still get giddy as we're approaching. Â expertly crafted cocktails by skilled, friendly bartenders in a very laid back atmosphere. Â my kind of place. Â crow bar gives dives a good name.
there's a nice sized patio with picnic tables out front (unfortunately, it is NOT dog friendly which prevents me from giving them one of my coveted 5 star reviews) and a cozy dark inside with good jukebox and a pool table. Â bars in both areas. Â for me, it's a rain or shine kind of place.
there is no food served by crow bar but there is a little trailer out back where you can get some tasty authentic jamaican eats (they've recently taken the ox tail off their menu but according to my ox tail-eating compadres, it is worth asking if it happens to be available if you're into that sort of thing.)
i love crow bar so much i bought the t-shirt.
Just another nice little sweet dirty patio bar with a dark bar inside with a couple pool tables.
I like it. If I lived closer, its one of those places I could imagine becoming a regular at because its cozy and grungy. But the marks off are for the sometimes-to-much grunge, dirty bathrooms and sometimes bitchy waitresses. But over all its a cute little hipster bar
Love the food trailer in the parking lot--don't love the fact that there's very little parking. Â But if you're in the neighborhood and don't have to drive/park, then the location is golden anyway (props for eliminating the possibility of DUI).
The inside is rather dive-y and dim. Â The pool tables are nice, but they're right next to the bathroom doors, which isn't the best place to be. Â I mean, who wants to keep smelling whatever wafts out of the door each time someone enters or leaves?
The outside patio area (uncovered) is golden though. Â Great lighting, outdoor bar, and a good crowd when I was there last Saturday.
This is a great little "dive bar" just past the area people not from Austin refer to as "SoCo". Â I found this great spot by using that new happy hour special app called Barbo and am happy I did. Â $6 mason mary's and $3 Texas pints today... awe yea!! Â Perfect spot for when you don't feel like making the trip downtown. Friendly staff and good prices... great outside bar and seating in front!
Review Source:I fucking love this place. Â It's just a LITTLE bit sleazy. Â Not sleazy enough for my tastes...but it will do! Â They have some really beautiful and special little drinks...the lavender lemonade...some other drinks. Â They also have this jamaican food truck in the back. Â The patio is decent. Â I like the crowd. Â The jukebox is decent! I secretly kind of come here quite often, so I guess that I would totally recommend it. Â Plus, the bartender remembers my drink!
Review Source:Great bar for good drinks, good crowd, and Austin night life. You can also rent a lift above the bar for small private parties ahead of time. This is a regular spot for me now. The patio is large with a nice indoor with a couple of pool tables. Has just the right amount of perks and a little divey for me.
Review Source:Stopped by the Crow Bar on the way home from one of Sarah W's and my frequent dinners at Homeslice. Â I came to the conclusion that we were not remotely cool (read: tattooed) enough to hang out there. Â In fact, there is not a single tattoo to be found on our finely sculpted bodies.
Generally I find Austin establishments to be a fairly eclectic mix of people, but on this particular night, I found the group to be fairly homogeneous. Â And as such, I'd have to recommend the following: Â if you are a tattooed hipster, you absolutely must try this place. Â If you are either A) tattooed, or B) hipster, you will likely enjoy this place. Â If you are neither tattooed, nor hipster - you may want to bring a few friends with you, or you may stand out in the crowd at this place. Â Just a heads up.
I enjoyed one night here outside on the porch with some friends, but really haven't felt the magic since after coming back a few times by myself. Â As others have said, it's "classy" divey, with great mixed drinks and decent beers, but the inside seems a little too dark and unpopular (is there a strange black-light theme going on inside by the bar? what's up with the fluorescent drink list board?) Â Maybe I'm just too old for this scene, but I'll give it another shot and update my review.
Review Source:Crow Bar balances between being a totally low-key neighborhood bar where one can comfortably hang for hours and a downright proper cocktail-mixing place complete with locally sourced, fresh ingredients. Ultimately Crow Bar falls on the right side of the fence: the spot where you can hang out and spend $10 over a few hours on very fairly priced beers, but if you're up for it, maybe something fancier. And there is nothing wrong with PBR in a can, nor is there anything wrong with Crow Bar's specialty cocktail list, most of which I love. Â
Brow Bar has rotating $5 shot and beer specials. Many domestic beers are around $3. Some tallboys are $2. That is exactly right and as it should be. Happy hour runs til 8pm on weeknights. That just rules. Â
But what made my night really special was the gin cocktail with cucumber, basil, and ginger. Yes, $2 tallboys of PBR warm my heart and give me a reason to seek out a barstool. But specialty cocktails that delicious and refreshing, with real, locally grown basil and a crisp cucumber, all mixed in with that friendly, dive-y neighborhood watering hole feeling? I bask in it like drinkers bask in the light of the Crow Bar's moonlit sign night after night. Love you, Crow Bar. Don't ever change.
There really isn't anything wrong with Crow Bar. There just isn't anything special about it.
The crowd seemed really young, to the point where we were questioning if some of them were even legal. The music was metal, loud, and mostly sounded like one long scream-fest. Sorry, but that alone sort of bores me. We finally got a reprieve when an old Jane's Addiction song started playing.
We sat outside on the non-descript patio at a generic picnic table that could have easily been any dive bar patio anywhere. Again, nothing wrong with it, but nothing too fabulous about it either.
I could have done without all the smoking,and there was plenty of it. Â But I get it. I'm at a bar. On the patio. It goes with the territory.
My boyfriend had to go to two bars because they didn't have liquor at one; we wound up opening two tabs, for which they charged us a dollar each to open.
One of my friends had a Black Russian and it was a pretty good, pretty strong drink.
I would probably not refer to the bartenders at mixologists, though. They didn't do anything really incredible that I saw or tasted.
All that said, if I were a college student or in that age group, I would probably love this bar. But since I am not super-young, I'm a little over this. For people like me, Crow Bar is sort of a "been there, done that" kind of place. When I was in college, every bar I went to was exactly like this one- but in Dallas.
To risk sounding like a broken record...
There is nothing wrong with this bar. There just isn't anything special about it.
I like drinking. I like drinking in cool bars. Ergo, I like drinking in Crowbar.
I'm really liking Crow Bar. I've been there a few times now and it's never been anything but cool. It is the absolutely perfect place to wait out the parking lot that is South Congress/290 West at rush hour. Plus they have a pretty good parking lot off Congress on their side street. It's also great for an evening with friends, or a sanity break from a hectic day.
Belle, the bartender, knows her business. Friendly, professional, and makes some heel clicking good specialty drinks, like her eponymously named 'Southern Belle'. ML loves this drink and has it every time we go. I'm a whiskey man, and was initially disappointed to find out they don't have Knob Creek, which costs them a star, but they have a good selection to keep me occupied, along with a very good selection of tap/bottled/canned beers too, from Lone star to Stella. Many others too, of course, but I verified those personally. Drink specials on many of the days of the week as well. There is a table card that specifies them but of course I've forgotten all that info now.
And it's got a cool vibe. Comfortable and laid back without being fake dive-y. Lots of original Crowbar artwork on the walls that make you want a T shirt, and a good jukebox. A TV for those that need it, but not so many as to draw your eye away from your group. Lights just dim enough to take the shame out of early afternoon heavy drinking. Â A pool table in the front, and a really nice dog friendly patio street side where you can laugh at the looks of impotent rage on the faces of the frustrated motorists stuck in traffic as you relax with a cold one and a friend while the spring breeze brings the mellow.
And as the topper, a new barbecue trailer has opened up next to Crowbar and with some shadowy 'relationship' to them that serves BBQ chicken, pork and brisket sandwiches and some sides. $5-6 per if memory serves. Three of us showed up a couple weeks ago and decided to try one of each to get the lowdown. The chicken wasn't ready so we got two pork sandwiches and one brisket. The pulled pork was really good. Served on a basic bun, but oven hot and with a nice BBQ sauce tang that didn't overwhelm the meat. But the Brisket was the clear winner. Some of the best brisket I've had in Austin!! I mean it was just plain Dandy! ML gave me a bite, which was very gracious of her. I tried to take another bite but nobody foodburgles her.
One caveat however, they are serious about valid ID and won't let you in, regardless of your age, beauty or charm, without it. Don't ask Kimberly about it.
Interesting concept. Â There are not bartenders here, they are mixologists. Â Yes, the drinks are a bit more expensive, but these are not your typically Jack and Coke, Vodka and Cranberry type of drinks. Â These are culinary achievements. Â I love what the Mixologists do with cucumber, basil and ginger, trust me you put those together with gin or vodka and it is a partay in your mouth.
I intend on stopping by again for some post-flight drinks to start off the T-day festivities right!
I go here every now and then to get my old school fancy fuck cocktails every now and then.
It is an alright spot to tie one on or just get a few. Â I pop in during the summer for a Pimm's Cup and in the non-summer months for a sazerac. Â I am not always in the area but when I am, Crow Bar gets a little consideration.
I've been meaning to check out Crow Bar for a while. I swung by for an afternoon drink with a friend today, and this place definitely lives up to the hype. Â I felt like I got cooler just walking in the door; like maybe now I could pull off wearing a deep v-neck or something, and if anybody ever disparaged my choice of attire I'd just be like, "Hey! I hang out at Crow Bar. I've EARNED this deep v" and they'd be like, "Right on! Sorry about the mix-up."
You probably don't care about my inner dialogue so here's some other stuff: The beer and mixed drink selection left little to be desired. I tried a (512) Pecan, which instantly made its way into my all-time-favorites list but still seemed a little pricey at $5. The lone bartender served us quickly and was friendly/helpful.
The aspect of this bar that I really love is the atmosphere. The exterior is quaint but cool and opens up to a dark and edgy interior. The patio out front is open and breezy and comes complete with a nice little bar for those of us who enjoy the great outdoors. Given that I could throw a rock and hit Crow Bar from my apartment and have always wanted to wear deep v-necks, I'll venture to say I'll become a regular here.
I have found the mothership where aging pseudo hipsters come to imbibe in booze (which is typically a Lone Star tallboy). That aside, this is a pretty cool SoCo hangout.
Despite the heavily hipstered crowd there are redeeming factors that make this watering hole worthwile. One being their amazing mixed drink menu. I haven't seen such a stellar list of mixed and muddled cocktails since leaving Portland.
The atmosphere suffers a bit from acute bipolar disorder. The interior is lacking quite a bit; dark, dingy and uninviting. The outdoor patio on the other hand is the major draw to this place. The exterior booze garden is amazing; lots of seating, great lighting and good people watching with a bar only 15 feet away.
The staff can be hit or miss wavering between apathetic hipsters syndrome to genuine openness. Never been in a hurry to get a drink (even during the week) because you're not going to get served right away.
Parking can be a bit of a bugger when it's busy with most of the neighbor on-street spots being taken. It's best to park in the Ben White Florist lot which they have any agreement with.
Overall, this is the place to be on South Congress... the patio is so worth it!
Now, when Mr. Smidgens can walk into a bar and his Powers whiskey is poured and placed on the bar top before he can sit down, that's outstanding! Thank you Gillian.
I have been to the Crow Bar on several occasions. My big sis is quite the regular and she would always invite me. I finally went one night and was intrigued by the outside bar and all the inked Bettys serving up some tasty libations. I went several times before even setting foot inside where not only you can find the restrooms, but a pool table, ample seating at and around the bar, and to keep from melting A/C!
It's a place to talk your troubles away or just kick back and watch all the interesting peeps that hang out. I have introduced several of my friends to the Crow Bar and they quite enjoy it. With the exception of one time I took a friend and as we walked into the bar there was a faint smell of something I did not catch on our way to the outside bar on the patio.
Well as we made our way back inside...SMACK!! My nostrils were assaulted with the putrid smell of someones dinner that had made its way back out and onto the floor. YIKES!! No thank you very much! I guess some dipster had one too many PBRs and lost it.
The crew at the Crow Bar have since made sure there is no smidgen of that smell left in the air. So, it's safe to check out the inside bar again. I am sure when it cools off a bit the outside patio will be a pleasant sanctuary once again. They have plenty of beers on tap and tons of great mixed to order drinks.
You can start a tab at any of the bars and go back and fourth between both bars to wet your whistle. Remember kiddies, there is a $10 minimum on credit card tabs and if you forget to close out, they just charge you 20% gratuity. Not too shabby if you ask me. Are you asking me? No? Well no need to silly. I just told you.
Now go fourth and be mary or whoever you want to be, but give the Crow Bar a try and you will understand.
Kuuuuukaawwwwwwww!!!!!!
It's 2011. If you can't afford to process credit/debit cards, then you can't afford to be in business.
I understand that there's a prominent sign that says $10 minimum on credit cards. I also understand that my bill came to $9. I'm a firm believer that if you're best answer is "It's our policy," then you need a new policy.
She wouldn't budge on the buck. Instead, she urged me twice to just buy another beer. When I declined, "Well, I guess I can just charge you the full $10."
Well done, Crow Bar. You won the argument and lost the customer. Enjoy the buck.
The bar itself is okay, but decks & Shiners are a dime a dozen in Austin.
I really, really like the Crow Bar. In fact, its kinda my new fave. The Crowd is kinda artsy, but completely non-pretentious. Both visits we've ended up at a table other than our own and had some great conversations.
Beer selection is good, but overall drinking here is not cheap. They have a Veggie and Carniovore Friendly- BBQ Trailer that makes table top delivery.
Will most certainly be back!
Went back recently with some co-workers and picked up the tab for a dozen people. Â People drank their fill and played free pool all night and I got out of there for less than $200.
This place is cool (but not too cool), the drinks are cheap, the 'tenders seem to have their stuff together, and I can walk here from (and more importantly, back to!) my house.
Man, I dig this place...
Pros:
1. Great bartenders. Friendly, fun to look at, attentive, are cool with mild stupid booze fueled harmless flirting, can mix up a mean drink. Dare I call them...Mixologists?
2. Patio. Big...ample seating...2 steps away from the outside bar!
3. Selection. Great classic cocktails done right! Decent beer selection.
4. Jukebox is BADASS!
5. Cozy and unpretentious.
Cons:
1. Not really a con, but more entertaining...psuedo-hipsters. You make me giggle! Finish your PBR and you can leave...
2. Patio doesn't allow dogs. That makes me sad...
3. What happened to that really cool burger truck next door?
4. Parking can be a pain sometimes...but then again, I really shouldn't be driving if I'm drinking...uh...hmmm...anyway...
5. You're not in my N Austin neighborhood. Damn you!
I was told by a couple of friends about the Crow Bar, and finally made it out for a drink. Â Overall, I really like this little bar. Â
The bar has an intimate feeling, and always a plus - wifi!  My favorite thing  is the awesome mixed specialty drinks, which were really creative, oh so tasty and fresh!  The drinks of the day change and there about 8 options on a big chalkboard by the bar the day I hung out. Â
I had a 'Odin's breath' which was a herbal and refreshing gin, mint, basil drink. Â Â My favorite drink was a "Lavender infused vodka, strawberry lemonade". Â It was the most delicious drink I've had in awhile. Â The lavender with the strawberries had a light , almost vanilla flavor - highly recommend!
The best part about this bar, outside of the drinks, was the customer service. Â The owner was behind the bar, smiling and friendly. Â The door guy was extremely courteous, as well as the rest of the bartenders. Â
Only two down sides - They don't allow dogs, though they have have a perfect outdoor patio for it.. Â The owner had a very reasonable explanation about insurance and was quick with a friendly "sorry!". Â Â Also, the specialty drinks are about 8$ each, and though they are extra delicious, you can only afford about two at that price. Â
This bar needs the word spread , so I hope you check it out  and enjoy the lavender lemonade as much as I did!
Crow Bar was a huge disappointment to me. Â I chose to celebrate my birthday there because it is convenient to my apartment, and I was looking for somewhere low-key. Â Big Mistake. Â
The interior of the bar is unremarkable at best, and the bar staff is terrible. Â My friends and I are all S.I., so it's obvious to us when someone doesn't know how to make drinks. Â Their bartenders had no product or drink knowledge. Â They also failed to pick up empty glassware and bottles until right before last call. Â We seriously sat at our table with an ever-increasing centerpiece of dirty glasses. Â Unacceptable.
The only time the staff seemed to put any effort into their work was after last call. Â TABC law allows until 2:15 for patrons to finish their drinks. Â However, Crow Bar staff rudely ushered their customers out the door only 5 minutes after last call. Â Too bad the staff doesn't put as much effort into service, otherwise they might not have so many bad reviews. Â
Don't waste time and money at Crow Bar. Â It's worth driving a bit up the road to better bars like BSS.
I was charged $2 for a small club soda. Â A bar in the airport wouldn't even do that. Â The Double Down Lounge has $1 beers at their happy hour and I was charged twice that for carbonated water at Crow Bar. Â
I was carded at the door at 5pm which is odd...I suppose they must charge for carbonated water so they can pay the door guy. Â
Also, they were not playing any music. Â It was a boring and over-priced bar. Â The patio is nice though. Â They get two stars for a nice patio.
I want to start this review with an apology to the other bars in the S. Congress area. I am sorry that you guys can't be as awesome as the Crow Bar and I am sorry but I just don't think we can see each other any more.
The Crow Bar fills the needs I had plus fixing your short comings. I will start with the things that the Crow Bar excels at and follow up with the things they can improve upon.
Positives:
Service from the Bar Staff to the Owner to the promptness (sp.?) this place is spot on. The bar staff is quick and friendly and the owner tries really hard to be the face of the bar without being a prick.
Drink specials and Beers on tap-- they have one nearly everyday and they are all awesome. From Monday Happy Meal (beer and a shot special) to S.I.N. Night (Service Industry Night -- happy hour all night) this place knows how to do drink specials, but then again what would you expect from a place owned by people who have been in the bar industry for so long. And then you get to the beers on tap, they evolve so you will need to stop in and check them out, I found a new favorite beer there last week called UFO. And if cocktails are your thing this place has you covered as well, there is chalk board with numerous specialty cocktails as well as a few on little table stand ups (what are these things called?) at the bar.
Parking is superb period. It has a decent lot out back as well as approved curb parking in the residential area behind them (rare), as well as an agreement from the businesses next door to let people park there at night. I give major props to them for alleviating one of the biggest issues that plagues bars in Austin.
Patio seating -- What would a bar on S. Congress be without a good outdoor seating area for people watching? It would be every other bar in the area not named Crow Bar, thats what. The full patio bar is excellent although generally more packed than the indoor bar, but yet again the bartenders are superb.
Free WiFi and football on Sundays are the cherry on top.
Downside -- that they don't rent out a living space so I could just stumble out of bed and be at the bar.
Thanks for moving in Crow Bar, I hope we can have a long relationship together. To the others in the past consider this an open letter to how to win a man's heart.
After a day of work, I decided to meet my coworker at the Crow Bar on a Friday at around 5:30pm. Â The service reeks of California-esk better-than-thou attitude that I really did not appreciate. The "specials" consisted of a $7 mixed drink. Â The owner was unwelcoming which was surprising given that there were a total of four people inside.
I would not return as there are far better happy hours around town. If you're going to charge a lot for a drink at least be friendly...this is friggin Austin, not LA. Â I had higher hopes for this neighborhood bar.
Give the place half a chance and it's likely that Crow Bar might surprise you: a visit to the website or the patio out front might make this place look a little pedestrian, like any manner of happy circumstance and hoppy delight, a brew-forward assortment of tables and friends. But dig a little deeper, venture a little further into the darker recesses, and you'll find a cocktail sensitive assortment of libations to be had.
It's true, they love to mix up a swirling dervish of wonderment in the back bar, and it's not unusual (at least it hasn't been in my few trips in) that you'll find a few folks enjoy the latest mixologist's delights. The drinks they feature seem to rotate out regularly, with an eye toward seasonality. And there are plenty of eccentric brews on tap to make this beer fan jazzed. I'll say this -- I've never found Crow Bar to be dull. And occasionally it can be pretty cool to find those initial appearances deceiving.
I have to say I like this bar. It seems that the owner does a good job at reading reviews and attempting to change things. (Ex: people say parking sucks, they put signs up that tell people where they can park. esc) Right when I walked in the door guy checked our ID's, he did not seem very friendly but the fact that he shot out of his seat to open the door for us was awesome.
The bartenders are the same way. We waited to get our drink behind two other people who were not really paying attention so they served us. Of course we get the glares from the chatty girls to which the bartender quickly informed them she asked them 3 times what they wanted with no response. The staff is interesting, they are not overly friendly but they are not rude. They are just right down to business. Its reminds me a lot of what you would see from bartenders in a busy bar in NYC.
The building must be made out of Marry Poppins bag because it looks tiny from the outside but huge on the inside. It has plenty of tables and two kinda cramped pool tables. Overall a nice environment but comes off more of a restaurant than a bar.
The prices were good if you were drinking beer. I on the other hand can't drink beer and drink ciders and $6.00 for a Strongbow is what made me give this place 4 stars. I get the whole thing that ciders cost more for them to purchase but with other bars in the area charging $4.00 to $5.00 for a Strongbow you may feel that your paying a lot more. What I should have done though is checked if they had Deep Eddie Sweet Tea Vodka which is AMAZING!
Overall the bar is awesome. Nice patio, great indoors and a staff I don't mind having to interact with. Hell who knows if I go there enough I may enjoy interacting with them. Its worth my drive from up north (Roundrock) to check it out.
Crow Bar. Â Cool name, interesting atmosphere, pretty good juke box. Â The location is nice if you're in that neighborhood.
I'm giving it two stars because I hear its more of a beer bar than a cocktail bar. Â I went with some friends and my husband the other night. Â My friend and I were looking for good cocktails and thought we'd give theirs a try. Â Big mistake. Â I should have ordered a pint. Â My husband chose the safe route and didn't have any problems. Â
I ordered a Pimms Cup and my friend ordered a drink called Odin's Breath. Â Both were pretty bad and 8 bucks each. Â I didn't know it was possible to screw up a Pimms cup, but apparently it can be done. Â Odin's Breath was pretty bad, too. Â I'm glad I didn't order it. Â It sort of looked and tasted like radioactive bile.
Here's the deal, though. Â I can handle paying for bad drinks. Â Hell, I drank what I ordered and ordered 3 more. Â But my complaint is in the service. Â The bartenders were both REALLY slow and barely ever checked on us (we were sitting AT the bar). Â There were two bartenders; one nice and one who wouldn't talk to you unless you're a guy. Â At one point, I tried to order a drink from her and she acted very annoyed. Â Not sure if it was the fact that she was stressed out about making me another "signature" cocktail or the fact that I didn't have a penis. Â Either way, I'm going to leave you with this:
Go somewhere else.
Anticipation built as I watched the outside of this vacant building transform into a magnificent patio. A bar in South Austin! Yippee!
Too bad I was sorely let down.
On a Friday night, my first impression was, "Wow - this place is hoppin'!" And this was weeks before school started back up, so the throngs of St. Edward's students were not hitting the place up.
Long story short, it took one long line, one "Sorry, try again - we're outta that!", 30 minutes and one REALLY slow bartender to even get our first sips. I appreciate that the bartender gave us a discount due to the slow service, but even then, the drinks were pricey.
Crow is totally the new bat.
I drank something named "Odin's Breath" here... and apart from the implication that the gin based drink was issued from the mouth of a Norse god, it was damn good. Not too sweet -- and enough interesting flavor (basil) to perk up my tastebuds.
Outside of this drink, my two male companions both ordered something really manly... a belgian white. But they gave me the fruit :) Â The bar is laid out nicely -- small but with enough room to sashay around in your skinny jeans. I saw quite a few overgrown mustaches but nothing was in your face hipster. Â
The bartendresses had amazing ink and were also super nice. It's a great spot to have a plain old beer... or a specialty cocktail. And I just love saying that I'm going to the "crowbar." Â They should give out complimentary beer openers shaped like crowbars to celebrate their awesomeness.
I. LOVE. THIS. BAR. Â Love. Â
First of all, I love that they are all about specialty cocktails. Â They're really trying to get back to old school mixology, which just makes me happy. Â They have 90+ cocktails that they are apparently planning to rotate onto their featured list every few months.
The staff at Crow Bar are also pretty great. Â I've now met both of the owners, and these guys are awesome. Â Super friendly and fun to talk to. Â All of the bartenders seem to like working there, and enjoy talking about the drinks, how they're made, etc. Â
Perhaps best of all is the general ambiance. Â Crow Bar has definitely captured that awesome laid back vibe that makes you just want to hang out there. Â Whether you're looking for some patio drinking, pool, or the more dark and dive-y bar feeling, Crow Bar provides the best of all worlds.
It's early Sunday evening, and the theme of this weekend has been "day drinking". Â So here I sit, before the sun has even come close to dipping in the horizon, having cocktails with Hadley H. at our new favorite bar, Crow Bar.
The cocktails here are great--the owner made my Hemmingway and then discussed its similarities and differences to a Sidecar with me--but it was just one of 15 drinks currently on their cocktail board. Â Apparently these will change every couple months, as will their selection of craft beers.
In addition to the drinks, I love the inside with its dimly lit banquettes and hair metal-preferred jukebox. Â There's also the billiards room and a sizeable deck, but until the heat subsides come September, I'll keep hanging back in the main bar area.
There are few places in Austin I actually hesitate to review based on not wanting to ruin them, but I'll take the risk just because this bar is so hip. Â Crow bar, thanks for making South Austin just even better than it already was.
So me and 4 of my friends decided to night cap it here after Blues on the Green at Zilker Park. Â I instantly liked the feel of it, like an old church in the desert converted into a bar; the lights, the lettering - very Austin, very cool.
I would say that if you wanted a cocktail to go into the bar versus the outside bar. Â The bartender outside was very sweet but I would say that my friends were way more pleased with their martinis (mixed by the owner) than I was with my margarita. Â Not sure a margarita was the best choice to begin with but it's almost a reflex order with how often I have tex-mex! Â My friends were very pleased with the owner and with the 1/2 off SIN drink specials. Â My boyfriend and I each had a cocktail and a beer and didn't even spend an entire $20!
I am part of a large Friday happy hour group and I will definitely put Crow Bar into the rotation. Â Wouldn't mind throwing these guys some more business.
And this is my first yelp ever, neat!
I'm FROM Austin; born & bred. Â I have heard, and seen, through the years the notoriety that spawned from the Cosmic Cowboy era. Â Days when the Outlaws roamed around the city; Willie, Waylon, and the Boys.
As kids, we dressed like we were extras from Kenny Rogers movie "Six Pack", and we roamed through Austin and made it the big city...small town that it is. Â We WoodShocked before there were festivals. Â We skated around the city, before Red Bull wanted to film it and call it "extreme". Â We always had time for a friend, and always were happy to make new ones.
The Crow Bar is what happens when good ol' Austin kids come home and make a bar; they make it RIGHT.
Plenty of parking, AC, a gorgeous deck, and what seems like a, "Where you been?" attitude. Â (In fact Leo, at the door, was already positive we were friends before I set foot on the entrance ramp.) Â You almost expect to see Wiley Wiggins hanging in the corner as Paula Nelson walks through the door. Â
Yvonne is so sweet it gives me a cavity just thinking of her hospitality right now. Â She's the kind Momma behind the bar asking you how you are. Â Lindsey is a living doll, who refilled my drink without me even asking (on the house -- cause you're already like family). Â
These are the kinds of people you WANT to get to know better. Â Thank goodness they have a place where you can do that. Â It's called the Crow Bar. Â Pry yourself off your sofa, & come on out and have a drink.
This bar has only been open a week and bff and I checked it out last nite. Â We chatted with Mike, the owner, for a while. Â It's a really cool place (and I mean that literally. Â The AC is kickin!)! Â The building is roughly 85 yrs old and used to be a church AND a brothel (not at the same time, he says). Â It looks like a church which makes it that much cooler drinking shots in it. Â They musta desecrated it somehow so's I could step foot in there without spontaneously combusting :)
First of all, they have a nice parking lot (soo important on S Congress) with a mother of a tree beautifully embracing it (see pic). Â They also have a good sized patio out front facing Congress where bff could enjoy his "smokey treats". Â It was pleasant out yesterday evening, a bit muggy, but I made the sun come out for our date and it was nice.
Inside, they have a front, bright room with 2 pool tables and the main back bar room that is dark but comfy. Â I mentioned to Mike that it was a cool dive bar. Â He said he thought of it as a "classy dive bar" and I said that was only cause the floors and walls were so new and clean. Â After ROT this weekend??? Â well, we'll see......But Mike and his bartender, Yvonne, were great! Â These seasoned bartenders didn't strangle me when I asked to see some Tom Cruise "Cocktails" flare behind the bar (that was the Tuaca talking :). Â Mike also said they have an extinsive list of mixology concoctions that they will begin to offer soon. Â
They also have some cool Crow Bar artwork on the walls that were originals of the other owner and they intend to make them into Tshirts as well. Â They have an iTunes jukebox as well that was playing everything from AC/DC to Billy Squier to Teddybears. Â And they will let you have food delivered to the bar (Southside Flying Pizza is just down the road).
Bff and I will definitely (or defiantly as Joseph B says) be back!
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