Barton Springs Saloon works way better than it ought to. Its a bar. No food. The selection of bottles to draw from is limited. The inside room is an awful combination of TVs and a pool table. So you are basically out on the corner of Lamar and Barton Springs where watching the traffic is your primary entertainment. I still left very happy. What's the upside? a) The bar selection may be limited but it is good enough. If they don't have something you can drink, you are probably way too fussy. b) The crowd is majorly cool. As the fog rolls in, my favorite bar activity other than listening to myself talk, or more occasionally listen to whomever I am with talk, is people watching. Barton Springs Saloon is a great great place to people watch. This is another Austin "everyone really IS a musician or does their best to look like a musician." The person at the next table actually did a gig as the bass player in a band downtown the night before I checked out the saloon. (No further information on this point will be provided because the band s**ked. But he certainly looked the part of joe-cool-bassist, which is what you want in classy bar scenery.) So whether you try to figure out if the pregnant bicyclist in the fedora and the sixty year old Zildjian t-shirt mage type are father-daughter or boyfriend-girlfriend, or you try to put occupations on the table of sixteen film-school-looking twenty somethings - or you follow the on again off again flirtations of the gay or lesbian couples in the corners - there is a lot to keep your inner gossip columnist busy. So if you turn your back to the traffic, and watch the sun set over the palm-treed, flowering treed upscale apartments over Barton Springs road, and the tunes from the superior indy rock juke box drift out to you in a mist ... the world turns into a golden and wonderful place. A fine neighborhood pub bolstered by being filled with people you would actually like to have as your neighbors. read more

Stopped in for a couple of drinks before heading to Austin Trail of Lights. Cheap drinks, local crowd. Average dive-type bar.

This is one of my favorite watering holes. It's super welcoming. Lots of service industry peeps chill there after shifts so you know it's good. Bartenders are top notch, always friendly and smiling. Juke box is popping and the food truck slays. If there is one thing I could say needs improvement... it's to FIX THE FENCE between PTerry's and BSS. AHoles that park to get burgers dont always turn their lights off. If I'm hitting on a dude I don't need a spotlight! A little privacy please!?!?! read more

Divey for days. This a rad spot if you get a parking spot on site and there's a P Terrys burger stand maybe 25 yards away Inside and outside seating, heat lamps for cold days, pool table inside. All around good hang spot and remains unchanged even in the midst of all the growth around it. read more

Cute little place that used to be a gas station. Great if you're a smoker, but I'm not and didn't like being surrounded by the smell of smoke. Ashtrays were on every table and many people around us were smoking. Drinks were good! read more

Definitely a neighborhood dive, but it's one of those that you have loyalty to. I came to watch some soccer and was offered with ease the ability to change the channel on DirectTV. Lots of local beers and the mainstay IPA are all there from ABW or Pinthouse. Also got some non-local, but mostly macro. Food outside so don't expect a full service meal here. Pool table, some video games, and cornhole out front. Dog friendly and nice patio area. Friendly service and an overall fun environment. Did seem to get a bit dirty and parking can be a mess, but otherwise a perfect little neighborhood bar with a better than most beer selection that wildly surprised me. I had a few Pinthosue for $7, which honestly is probably on the higher end of their menu, so expect $5-6 per pint. read more

I lie awake at night, and wonder what fresh hell tomorrow will bring, which is sad, so, I pretty much just do whatever Oprah tells me to. If she says, "Go to Barton Springs Saloon!" Well, you know I'll be there, with a dollar Lone Star beer in my hand. I'll show up, sit on the patio, and rock my fanny pack. The crowd is hit or miss, but pretty much every place I go to is like that. A dude will ask me if he can buy me a drink, and I'll be confused, because I have a drink, but I wonder if he will buy me some mozzarella sticks. The patio is cool, covered, and there are lots of table and chairs for your butts. I read people aren't big fans of the crowd here, but after spending like six dollars on $1 Lone Stars, I don't give a crap. Blerg. The bathroom is the weird thing. When I pee, I realize I've spent way too much time in there, just reading all the pointless, shitty, lame, and gross graffiti. Drunk people are not as creative as I'd like them to be. Hey nerds! If you're going to bring a Sharpie marker to a bar, at least write some witty or funny shit, so I have something worthwhile to read. BS Saloon!!!! By the hammer of thor, I want to go to there! Did I mention they have one dollar Lone Stars? What the whaaaat! read more

Barton Springs Saloon - Berth Serts! - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Jesus. I hate this place, yet I find myself here every other week due to peer pressure. I would rather pay five dollars for a beer than fight these tight pant, ironic t-shirt wearing clowns for a beer. I do like that I can smoke what I please in the front parking lot....but that still only makes it half-ass bearable. I love the waitstaff...the bartenders are down to earth, cordial, and attentive...I just wish they worked at a different bar, If you see a tall, red eyed dude with :/ on his face...say what's up...I'll buy you a beer. Cut the riff raff...make it a two dollar beer bar and I bet this would be a place I would consider frequenting.. P.S. Remove Journey and that tired ass Michael Jackson CD from the jukebox or I might fly off the handle next time I'm there.. update: I am starting a fund to pay for the jukebox because my smashing of it looms read more

I feel like this place has a major identity crisis and has no idea who it wants to be: drunken frat dude, biker, skeezy rohypnol chode, hippie, or grizzled cowboy. Let me illustrate what I mean by describing my last time in here: -At one table, you have a guy who is so wasted that he is literally passed out cold with his head on the table. After like 10 minutes of this, he awakens and drunkenly wobbles to his feet. His dickhead friends for some reason decide that a SHOT would be the best thing for him, so he proceeds to drink more, then pass out for another 10 minute interval. Keep in mind that the other two members of this sad little party were a biker who looked like he could Chuck Norris anyone in the bar, and an Italian-looking preppy dude who had one dead eye. Whether this latter ailment was from a previous bar fight or just good ole' inbred genetics, I don't have any desire to know. So, to sum up: sleeping hippie, Chuck Norris biker and Dead Eye, all sharing the same table. Perfect. -Another table consisted of 2 or 3 "good ole boys" in their mid-50s who cheered whenever a country song got played on the jukebox. -The rest of the place was filled with young frat types who had already clearly hit every place on 6th Street. They sounded like geese. -Our waitress seemed drug-addled and kinda crazy. Like the chick that ends up jumping in the pool at the house party with all her clothes on because she "felt itchy." Yeah, her. -The jukebox is actually really great and has some old standards like Willie and Johnny, but also some newer stuff too. By my jukebox standards, I would give it a B. -You can smoke in there, so they give you a dirty old beer bottle to use as an ashtray. No, I'm not kidding about this. And yes, it's smoky and stale and kinda dingy. Between sleeping hippie, Dead Eye, Journey on the jukebox and ashing into someone's dirty old Bud Lite, I barely knew where to look next, or even how to feel. Part of me wanted to see a bar fight go down, because I sensed that that might be a normal course of action that took place there. And part of me just wanted to duck for cover and run away. But I guess that's the beauty of this place having an identity crisis - it rubs off on you too. Watch out - before you know it you'll be asking a biker for advice, playing darts with the Psi Beta Suck house, drinking a beer and then recycling it as an ashtray, staring at someone with one good eye, then laying your head down for a little nappy-poo. Fan-fuckin-tastic. read more

I was dragged in here last night. See my earlier bad review. Let me update it by confirming that it is, indeed, still bad. Yes, lonestars are a dollar but who can enjoy them if your only option is the inside, which smells like 12 sorority girls puked simultaneously and just left it there to rot, or outside, where it's now cold and cars are trying to park. . read more

Love it! Love the patio and all the interesting regulars. The bartender was very nice and helpful; My friend and I had NO idea what to get. She suggested the Woodchuck hard cider and I am now a huge fan! I can't drink beer b/c I am gluten free so this was great. And it was a very hot day, very refreshing beverage! Great location Great divey atmo. read more

Service might not be warm and fuzzy, wine pours might be on the stingy side but drinks are cold and come out quick. I have not been here for a long time but during the trek back to our hotel during ACL we decided to stop in. Like downtown bars they are serious about carding. Have your ID ready and be prepared to be branded with a hand stamp. They have a small (dog friendly) patio outside and the inside has a pool table. There are tons of cool new places serving the fanciest of cocktails in Austin. While I do love those places having an old school bar serving ice cold beer and simple liquor drinks at a reasonable price is refreshing. Check out their drinks specials especially on the weekends when they offer super cheap "hair of the dog" vodka drinks for $2 and $3 wells every night of the week until 7pm. read more

I went here with some friends just to sit and have a drink. "Meh", as the 2-star description reads, is pretty accurate. The place was pretty loud for being outside. The smokey porch overlooks a Jack in the Box and a McDonalds. Being reminded that those two restaurants even exist may make you want another drink. Service was OK. I waited a bit at the bar before the bartender acknowledged my presence. I asked for a cider, which they had displayed on their bottled beer shelf. He said that he'd have to go out back and check if there was any. Fine. Then he proceeds to get 3 other people's orders before checking for me. So much for waiting in line and getting priority. He comes back in to tell me that they ran out of cider. I get a mediocre Blue Moon instead. I turn around to see a sign that reads "Hippies Exit Right" with an arrow pointing to the door that *doesn't* lead to the patio. Is this insinuating that hippies are not welcome? That seems rather anti-Austin. We then saw a table of 5 bleach-head girls who all looked the same try to stand up. One drunkenly pat my friends head and asked her other friend "Ok now make me sober. What? You promised you could make me sober in 5 minutes!" Are those keys in her hand? Two minutes later, a white car containing the Paris Hilton airheads backed INTO the patio fence, nearly plowing over a table of two. And yet everybody at the bar seemed OK with this. Right. The only redeeming factor of this place is reasonable prices. I have no reason to return, though. read more

I love this bar. Five stars. The owners and bartenders are amazing. I'd recommend this place to any good person. Let's have a good time!

Five stars because I love the homey simplicity. No pretense. Come as you are. It's right on the bus lines, and just the right distance from downtown - so close, yet not too close. Sit on the patio and sip a beverage or brewski for a bit of peoplewatching-supreme and life is alllll right... plus, who needs pub grub with P. Terry's right next door? Such a great spot. Also... $1 beers on Monday night. What a way to get a leg-up on humpday :-) read more

First of all, I was really confused/grossed out by this place. I didn't know that smoking was still permitted in some bars and I really wasn't expecting people to be lighting up all around me (which I find disgusting). I don't really have any experience with their drink specials or on the quality of their drinks, but the smoking alone made me drop a "never again". I can understand that they're exercising their right to run their business as they wish, but come on. People who don't smoke also like to drink and breathe at the same time. Apparently, this isn't the spot for me. This would probably be a good place to go for people who smoke and like bars designed to look like an actual dive bar. The decor was a bit contrived and forced. It's like they bought a Dive Bar Setup Kit from a catalog and opened up shop. read more

Great bar. Exactly what a bar should be. It's a patio with big tables, comfy chairs, and a very slightly seedy underbelly of narcotics flowing between it and the tie-die merchants on the corner of Barton Springs and South Lamar. Or "SOLA" if you 're from SOCAL... Good drink specials and very unassuming. No real concept. What do you bring to a bar? Friends. Great concepts rarely make my night memorable. Friends make nights memorable. This bar is simply a gathering place for friends to drink vodka and cheap yellow bellies. Thanks BSS. read more

Looking for someone good at algebra, so they can replace my x without asking y, this is not the place but cheap beer!

I protested when friends asked me to meet them here for $1 lonestar's one monday night. But I live my life by the "don't knock it til you've tried it" rule so I shut my trap and hung on the patio with them for a bit. I didn't hate it, but the drink specials really are the only draw for this place, well - that and it's convenient local. It once was a gas station (there's no hiding that) and the convenience store vibe lends itself well to the idea of stopping by to have a beer. That being said, by the looks of the crowd and other yelper's reviews ( see Brian S'), people don't seem to stop by for "a" beer. They stop by for ALL the beers someone will serve them. Can it be? Are the drink specials TOO good?! Me & an old friend payed a visit to this establishment last night for a cheap beer & a chance to catch up. The beer was cheap, the tunes were good, the people watching was interesting & then count down to break down: 3, 2, 1... a very drunk individual literally threw up on my friends back while we were sitting at a table on the patio. thanks. I think next time I'll loosen the purse strings for a better view & a bartender that knows when to cut people off. read more

I really struggled with my "star" rating for BS Saloon. This is my neighborhood bar, and I WANT to love it. But I can't love it because it's not all that great. I have had a few awesome nights that ended up here on the way home from other (better) places, but I can't say that this place did much to add to the experience. They do get credit for the social atmosphere on the patio, but the inside always has a terrible vomit-esque smell (I think it has gotten a bit better lately, but wasn't entirely gone as of my last visit). I can appreciate $1 beers as much as the next girl, but lately my motto has been "quality over quantity," so I ultimately end up ordering better, more expensive beers (thus negating any advantage BS Saloon might have gained from $1 Lone Stars). Clearly I will continue to go there for the convenience factor, but I'm not really excited about it. read more

Barton Springs Saloon has crappy parking, not enough seating, the inside is dirty and it's my favorite dive because that's what it is. Whitney F. said it pretty well. I love this place because people watching is prime and you can sneak next door to P. Terry's for some french fries to go with your dollar Lone Star on Monday. Its location on the corner of Lamar and Barton Springs lets you watch a myriad of different people in passing and I love to people watch. What's more is that you can bring your pooch along with you if you're hanging outside. If you can get take it for what it is, a dive, then you're golden and good times will be had, but get there semi-early to insure you get a parking spot and a seat under the canopy, or get a seat at all... read more

I'll admit, the first time I walked past Barton Springs Saloon, I didn't think there was much potential. Then, my friends and I went on a random Monday night for $1 beers and loved the fun, laid-back atmosphere. One night, we'd had a few too many PBRs and found ourselves playing Spin the Bottle - the bartender even joined in for one round. Bottom line: Fun staff, cheap beer. What else can you ask for? read more

Ahh the Saloon.... Terrible in so many ways! Things to like about the Saloon 1. Cheap Beer 2. Things to not like about the Saloon 1. EVERYTHING ELSE ok that may be a stretch but not by much. I actually do not mind the saloon but only because I go there for cheap beer and people watching. But don't get me wrong unless you are in it for the same thing Barton Springs Saloon is NOT the place for you. It has a terrible scenester crowd most nights, or just a bunch of bat-shit crazy patrons who are drinking way too much. The bartenders will never cut people off, the bathrooms are terrible, no food, a so-so jukebox. The only thing that keeps this place open is that you can get obliterated for under $20 and it has a stellar location. I think this place even puts a bad name on dive bars. That being said I will definately darken their doorstep again for some cheap beer and end of the night laughs. read more

Hanging out at the Barton Springs Saloon is sort of like hanging out in the parking lot of an old gas station, except exactly. We walked over there after hitting up the Lamar bridge dance party last night. It is a good place to sit back and hang with friends. Bought a round of beers for me and 5 of my friends and my tab was only $20, including tip! I like those prices. If you are a smoker, it seems like they don't care if you smoke inside. If you aren't a smoker, it is a little annoying, but luckily most everyone hangs outside, so it really doesn't matter. The location is great. Definitely a good place to stop in and have a beer after ACL or Blues on the Green. read more

Oh no Austin! So many negative reviews of The Saloon? This is a great bar if you're willing to forgive a few things (mainly the slow, but nice, bar staff). I love the outdoor gas station seating area. I'm not certain how I feel about the new deck; I miss the gas pump slab, cheap tables and chairs, room to spread out, and potential to be hit by cars drunkenly driven. It's still spacious and perfect for large groups, but it's just not the same. Part of the initial appeal to me (I was a "regular" when it first opened, before they fired my favorite bartender) was that it was a gas station turned into a bar...and looked it. Now it just looks like a weird, but inviting bar on the corner of Lamar and Barton Springs. I'm not a dog person at all, but it's nice that there are some dog friendly places so close to Town Lake. It's been a while since I was there during the day (Sundays, always Sundays) and would see people enjoying a beer, fresh off the jogging trail with dog in tow. I mentioned Sunday. $2 vodka drink day. My friends and I would meet here around 4pm, half of us fresh off the Town Lake jogging trail and Barton Springs pool. We would drink Greyhounds, Madras, Vodka Tonics, and Vodka Crans, throw money in the jukebox (love their jukebox), hope that my one friend wouldn't play her favorite song more than once, and play board games that they used to keep stocked behind the bar. It made for a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon. Coming here on a Friday or Saturday night is another story. Packed to the gills and overtaxed bar staff. It's still a nice place to just hang out and relax, just keep in mind that you're going to be relaxing sardine-packed inside the bar. If you want to easily find a parking space, don't venture here after 10pm. read more

Talk about dive bar. Usually I can appreciate the underappreciated, but this place is straight up gross. I've visited a few times and each time it just gets worse. I've hated the look of this place ever since it was first built. When I heard a bar was going up in the 78704 hood I was happy, but when they didn't change the look of the run down gas station I was a tad disappointed. The best thing about the place is their great drink specials. And by great I mean you can buy water-y, frat-tastic beer for a buck. yay? Okay so maybe I just can't get into the run down, made to look like a dive bar vibe. However, the last time I was there, cockroaches and shirtless sweaty people were everywhere INSIDE! No thanks. read more

I've always wanted to just hang around a gas station and drink booze for most of the night! All my wildest dreams have come true and now I can fulfill my fantasies...just the one that involve booze and an old gas station...not the other ones...you sickos! A little over priced for off being a dive bar off on it's own away from downtown. But the staff is johnny on the spot when you need another round. And seriously...would it kill them to get some better lighting and maybe a shrub or two outside? With S.Lamar and river side right there the Feng Shui of the outdoor seating is all jacked up. ;) read more

I'm a super fan of Barton Springs Saloon. Yes, is smells like Stale Beer and Puke. Yes, the beer selection and drinks are no-frills, less than basic versions. Yes, it gets crowded and loud. But, its as divey as divey gets for Late- 20's to 40's crowd. Its super cheap, dog-friendly, and there are always friendly folks and prime people watching on the patio. Dont let its high-falootin' location fool you- this place is down and dirty. And, more importantly, that's the way we LIKE IT! read more

Sorry kids...not a dive, just a dump. Dollar beer. Why else do we patronize this place between paychecks? Oh yeah, we're raging alcoholics. There are plenty of reasons why to love (well, depends on how unsavory your tastes are) and hate this place. I will just say this The anti-microbial *cough* soap in the ladies bathroom has been empty for a while. Gentlemen, be sure your ladies have their travel hand sanitizers with them. If not, beware. I can't even begin to describe how filthy the loo is. read more

I typically enjoy this place at an early time on a weekday. Later in the night or weekends, when it is semi-crowded, you will not find me there. The inside is lackluster and there is a severe lack of seating outside. If you like cheap drinks and pool, this is the place for you. However the bar staff is friendly and helpful. read more

Barton Springs is your neighborhood bar and you love it, but it doesn't take to well towards visitors. They are strict about reaching certain credit card amounts before closing out and the bartenders will help the regulars before you. If you're close by, it's one of the better choices around. They don't jack up their prices for ACL Blues on the Green or anything else, which is awesome. read more

Monday nite beer special, $1 lone stars. Great spot and location for a stop on the way home for a happy hour fix. As others have noted smoking is allowed therefore you must be able to tolerate this fact. If it's a problem, they do have ample sitting outside. The location draws a wide range of clientele, something I like in a bar. read more

I've been here a couple of times, but never really formed an opinion. The first time I went was after my bf and I had a fight and a friend took me there to meet guys. Unfortunately for me, the crowd at the the time was not age-appropriate for me, but I had a good time anyway. It's not everyday you can go to a bar and enjoy yourself without having to worry about idiot frat boys thinking they can buy you a drink and take you home. I checked it out for the third time last night with a friend, after Uncle Billy's irrational decision to kick everyone out at midnight. The $1 Miller High Life's were the saving grace because I felt like everything else was a bit overpriced. But, the atmosphere is good, and the patio is nicely placed - like other yelpers before me have said, great for people watching. I'd go back, but only when there's a special. read more

Not to shabby of a spot here. Definitely has the 78704 attitude with a splash of 78703 for color. Great beer specials, kinda divey, a little seedy, but it wins points for being a NO HIPSTERS ALLOWED ESTABLISHMENT. Every time I am here, I run into the same folks and have the same good time. The place could use a cleaning up and maybe a some redecorating, but all in all its a cool spot. Nothing special, but cool. read more

My friend loves this place. His fave bar. I must be a yuppie bastard b/c I like bars with prohibition era cocktails. Anyhow, with that being said, this place has cheap lonestars. I think they are 2 bucks. The bathroom smells like crap and I guess they never get cleaned. I won't make effort to stop by here specifically, but if someone wants to drive me or I'm in the area, then why not for 2 dollar Lonestars. read more

This bar has has some awesome drink specials! Its a great place to go if you have 6 bucks in your pocket and you need to get CRUNK! I can't drink beer but always get a kick out of the $1 lone stars being given in the 6 pack cardboard. The two points I don't like about this bar are if its cold or rainy stay home. Its mainly patio so it can be real real cold. The second is the cost of the other drinks that are not on special. Its pricy. I loves me some ciders and they cost $4 bucks a pop for a woodchuck. In my opinion the only time it should be $4 bucks a pop is when its strongbow because the cans are tall. The staff has always been very friendly and is more than willing to put the time in for making you happy. I have to say it goes on my bars with awesome staff list. I applaud the person who does the hiring. read more

A laid-back bar that some might call a dive, but has more the ambiance of a neighborhood spot where low-budget college kids and out of work artists might get their fill on its $1 Lone Star and High Life nights (usually Monday and Tuesday). Your eyes will wander when on the patio watching rush-hour traffic pass and being thankful you've got a beer in your hand and breeze blowing by. Not to mention, it does have free wi-fi, so if you don't want socialize like you're at your neighborhood bar, drink up and let yourself be distracted by your backlit screen. If you like Boulevard beer, you can pick get your fill here without the 11-hour drive to Kansas. read more

Bars are what you make them out to be. When you call your bar a "saloon", you're doing something right. Having a good time at a bar is 15% The Bar, 10% The Alcohol, and 75% The People. I went on a Saturday night. I'm used to struggling to get the bartenders attention over the busty blonde next to me who obviously got there after me on Saturday nights, so I was expecting more of that. Not the case. Maybe it was a slow night. You're guess is as good as mine. I always got served right away. The atmosphere is like a high-end dive bar if that make any sense. It's kind of dark, most of the decor and furniture looks like it's been swiped from someone's driveway on trash day, and the bathrooms are...rustic, yet there is a big screen on the wall and not one, but two virtual golf games. Oh snap. There's also a mix of different characters from you're too-cool-for-school friend with the handlebar mustache to your Uncle Lenny who's had one too many. The jukebox has some solid tunes (mostly oldies, but definite goodies), the prices are cheap, the location is situated among some fantastic eats, and on a nice night, you can bring your dog and chill outside. Brews, friends, and tunes. Good times will follow. read more

Great for day drinking, especially after a day at the springs, especially on $1 beer day (Mon-Wed). I used to come here a lot at night, but the crowd started getting sooo big that I couldn't enjoy it anymore. I notice they changed it to $2 beers after 10pm though, so maybe the crowd is a little more under control now. Oh, this is also a very dog friendly bar! read more

A friend:"Yo, we meeting at the BSS?" Me:"The BSS?...the bullshit saloon? A friend:"eh-hemmmm....exactly" Ah the BSS...really a perfect location literally on the corner of Barton Springs and S Lamar. Also, conveniently located right next to the saloon is a P.Terrys to satisfy those drunk/or whatever kind of munchies one might have in the late hours of the night. The jukebox has some solid jams, from Janis Joplin to Marvin Gaye, to The Beatles and Stevie Wonder. You'll often find an array of people from all ages, and that distinct smell of throw up and sweat inside:/ Which is why (weather permitting) one should always sit outside where there is an attentive cocktail server. Speaking of the service, they seem remember all of their regulars names and drinks, like my friend Matt and his 'Big Stupid'. We walked in and as soon as they recognized him they started making his big stupid drink and poured his little stupid shot of Jim Beam(so much BS). I also feel the need to add that dogs are allowed INSIDE & outside if the BSS(just in case you and your dog need a beer after a long walk around the lake). In conclusion, the BSS (or bullshit saloon) isn't the cleanest or classiest of bars (not that they are trying to be), but hey! cheap drinks, good service, and music and this girl will be alright;) read more