I'm completely changing my review of this place. Â Yes, it's still a cheap college dive bar, and no, the drinks did not get any better when we came here again. Â For the second night in a row. Â However, as it was Tuesday, you paid a $2 cover and then all your drinks for the entire night were $2. Â As in ANYTHING. Â Granted, they ain't carrying any top-shelf booze here, but a $2 Sierra Nevada draft is still at $2 drink. Â I'll take it.
The one thing that greatly improved the esteem of this bar in my eyes (although "esteem" may not be the word I'm looking for) is their Hurricane. Â Apparently every single night at 10 pm, they have this big long production, with patrons standing on the bar wearing mermaid costumes, a bizarrely funny 10 minute video they play, a song and dance, and the coup d'etat: they actually blow big fans with napkins and foam all over the bar. Â Like a hurricane. Â I literally want to come back to Lawrence in the dead of winter next year for my birthday, just so I can stand on the bar wearing the gross mermaid costume, and do the Hurricane dance. Â I can't wait.
I love this bar.
Tacky? Yes.
Gimmicky? Yes.
Dive bar? Almost!
The atmosphere of this bar is by far the best part. If you don't appreciate the amazing 90's pop, the 80's rock, or even the random Disney songs thrown in, then don't go. I am willing to take my wife and friends to this bar just for the experience. The hurricane is easily avoidable by going outside. That is what I do.
The novelty drinks come with fun toys, which are great to give the kids to play with during bath time. Just don't tell them how you procured such items.
The line outside sucks but if you arrive before 10, you usually don't wait long. Once the inside gets packed though watch out for crazy dancing. I would complain about the patrons dancing crazy, but I have been there at one point or another.
This is by far the best bar in town and whenever I get a free night I head here.
If you go in for The Sandbar's gimmick, then there's probably quite a bit you'll be willing to overlook about this dive.
Like the cramped corners, the overpriced novelty drinks, the hard sell on buying "the collector's glass," the limited, analog music selection, the lousy TV setup and, worst of all, the mind-numbing (not in a good way), low production value (also not in a good way, though YMMV) "hurricane" routine, which basically halts any atmosphere the night may have had for the benefit of whichever young (or sometimes not) lady willing to dress up in a stupid costume, stand embarrassed (or at least embarrassingly) on top of the bar and be cheered on or catcalled at by the other patrons.
The back lounge area? Lame
The bathrooms? Lacking to say the least. But if you like waiting and hate privacy, no big deal.
The upstairs "beach?" Every time I've been up there, it's as dead as a beached whale.
I've been to a majority of the bars in Lawrence. All have their flaws, none guarantee a good time. But this place is only worthy of your time as a function of its proximity to other, better bars. There's basically nothing The Sandbar does well, except turn your money into watered-down tropical drinks and cheap novelty goodies.
P.S. Still want in? It helps to know the doorman, unless you want to wait in line and/or pay a cover charge.
This bar is a lot of fun! Â I've been to several other tropical beach bars and haven't found anything as fun as this one! Â There are several beach flavored drinks. Â Get a bahama mama if you want to have fun. Â There's not a lot of alcohol in it, but there's beads, a rubber ducky, and sometimes a fun pair of glasses to wear. Â
The juke box always has a familiar song. Â Lots of silly songs to sing along to. Â My husband doesn't care for this bar, but every gal I've been with loves it. Â Most people never venture to the sand pit upstairs. Â It's beautiful and peaceful if you want a less rowdy bunch to be around.
Overall, a good time to be had here!
I've been coming to Lawrence just about every Wednesday night since December to meet coworkers for dinner and drinks and we always head here at one point in the night.
Their prices are really reasonable and they have a wide variety of shots and tropical drinks. All the drinks are served by a very experienced and friendly bar staff.
My favorite part of the bar is just looking around at all the cool stuff on the walls and ceilings. I swear I see something new that I haven't noticed before every time I come here.
4/5 would visit again
Worst bar in town. If you like tacky gimmicks, then this is your place. If you value your dignity as a freethinking human being, don't even come near this bar. I've been dragged here a few times and had to bounce early because their customers could not have been more annoying.
If you actually decide to go to the Sandbar, bring a few sharpened number two pencils so you can stab your ears and eyes out.
The Sandbar always makes me LMFAO. Â I've only been there a handful of times, and I like it for what it is. Â Some people LOVE it...I can't say I love it, but I don't have an aversion to it like some bars in Lawrence (Tonic, I'm looking in your direction). Â
Pros - Really fun for those nights when you're the right amount of tipsy and you feel like being completely goofy!
Cons - I've always felt bad for the fish...I mean, the loud music has to be reverberating through their tank. Â
Warning - my sister didn't appreciate me giving my 5-year old niece the plastic sharks from my shark attack drinks like I thought she would. Â Hey, I washed the grenadine out first!!
My absolute favorite bar in Lawrence! Since they are tough on IDs, you skip the really young crowd that flocks to the Hawk and the Wheel. The fact the building is lime green sets the mood for what lies inside. Through the door, you are transported to a tropical oasis. Okay not really, but it is as close to a beach you are going to get in Kansas. The bar is tiny so get here early unless you want to wait in line, which can often be on-in on-out Thursday through Saturday nights.
The bar offers a variety of tropical drinks, including Bahama Mamas, Shark Attacks and Pink Flamingos. While I occasionally enjoy one of these sweet concoctions on Tropical Thursdays, I usually go for a Landshark draft! I love that they have Lankshark on tap. If you are in the mood for a sweet drink definitely go on Thurdays. You buy a pint glass for $5, and then the rest of your tropical drinks are $2. You can even bring your glass back on other Thursdays for the $2 deal. Tuesdays are also a great night with $1.50 almost anythings!
Around 10 o'clock, prepare yourself for the main event. Three to four people adorn in mermaid outfits make their way to stand on the bar. After a poem and hilarious video, an "indoor hurricane" ensures complete with wind and bubbles! Stand up on the benches and join in on the dance. Music is always good here, ranging from oldies to the occasional pop hit. Crowd is usually mixed with older college students and an after work crowd. As the night goes on, don't be afraid to bust out your dance moves either standing on the benches or between the bar and tables!
This place is really goofy, and youv'e got to keep that in mind before going - it's packed to the brim with a young crowd and has a silly, faux-beachy interior. If you go you really must try their signature drinks - they taste pretty awful (WAY too syrupy) but are cheap and too much fun to pass up: the Shark Attack, for example, comes with a plastic shark filled with grenadine that you pour in yourself. Random keychains and beads dangle from other drinks as well, so you can always expect a souvenir from the Sandbar. So, yeah - the place is sort of gross and sticky and filled with faded neon, but I'm not ashamed to say that sometimes, hot pink flamingo-shaped crazy straws in my drinks make me happy.
Review Source:Nothing beats a trip back to Lawrence and a night dancing and drinking at the Sandbar. Â NOTHING! Â Order the Bahama Mama and don't forget to cover your drink with your hand when the hurricane starts! Â
The jukebox is the best collection of dancing and party music. Â No techno or soul music on this box. Â Only Jimmy Buffet, KC and the Sunshine Band and various Rat Pack crooners. Â
Mardi Gras beads come with every drink and once you reach a certain number of drinks (I forget how many) you are given a wooden backscratcher. Â
Sandbar, Sandbar how I miss you. Â May your Ode to Jimmy Buffet live forever.
Whenever I'm back in the River City, I have to head into this place. Â It opened when I was in school in the early '90's. Â It was a hole in the wall then, and it's still pretty much a hole in the wall now, but where else in Lawrence can you get a bit of Key West? Â Put a dollar on the wall, play some Jimmy Buffet, drink to your heart's content, and enjoy a completely laid back crowd without a whole lot of students that you would expect in a college town.
Review Source:
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