Me: Hey bartender, can I get a Blue Moon & a vodka/redbull. Bartender: Sure thing homie....(pours drinks)....That'll be $6.00. Me: Ok cool, put em both on my tab. Bartender: Ok, but they are $6.00 together. Me: Damn that's hellacheap for being a Saturday night. I decided to give this place a shot one night and was damn glad I did. Met up w/a friend there around midnight, had at least 4 rounds of Blue Moons & Vodka/Redbulls, and my tab was $23.00. As many have mentioned, I had the doubletake look at may tab to make sure it was right. And ya it was. The inside is spacious, jukebox RAWKS!!!! Outside patio is spacious as well, and I dig that they have a washer pit. The only area I didnt get to check out was the game room w/the pool tables & dart boards, but hear that its as good as the rest of the bar. The location in a strip center is sorta confusing because when you walk in, you think that this place is way tooo cool to be located in a strip center, but somehow they make it work. I've been back a couple times now, and had their chicken tenders which I think were like $4.00, but were pretty darn tasty. I like the fact that they serve fried pickle chips, rather than spears, but after having a couple, the pickles werent satisfying my taste buds. But no biggie there. Personally, I haven't been to alot of South bars, but this is #1 on my recommendation list for anyone that I know that is South or ventures to that area. read more

How have I not yet reviewed Bender? I miss the old Woody's South that was at this location. But it's still the same vibe. Cheap hootch poured erratically (girls seem to get stronger pours, so Alicia is the one ordering our rounds at the bar). Like the other great South Austin dive bar (G&S) half of the place is devoted to games and TV screens, with ample seating for smoking and drunken conversation out back. read more

Randomly found this bar on Yelp, decided to give it a try. Loved it so much I went back as well as bought a hat

Holy crap, what took me so long? Oh, yeah! I have a young kid. Don't get many chances to patronize bars any more. Got off work early, and Robert and I snuck off to Bender for a cocktail or two. I don't know what I was expecting. Something kinda dirty and divey. Maybe even douchey. It ain't. The place is immaculate. The bartender was as sweet as he could be. The clientele walked among all tribes. GREAT burgers. The only bar I will ever go to. read more

Bender's is a neighborhood bar with a great selection, reasonable prices, a good back yard (but not the view that so many nice places in Austin offer), and a bathroom that is kept clean - a rare trait in neighborhood bars. It just misses 5-star as there are a handful of other such places with low prices/views that have other amenities like karaoke, horse shoes, or a great view. There isn't much to do at Bender's but drink and socialize. That is enough for me, but more flighty friends may get bored. The music is from a jukebox, so expect a mix of popular rock music though old standards tend to dominate. read more

I nice atmosphere but the door guy is rude as all hell. Not to card the people in front of us but card me. I come to the this for my couple few bartenders that are cool as hell. But the door guy is and always has been rude. The management need to do something about this door guy specially since i been showing love to this establishment lately. The door guys exact responce to me was "don't tell me how to do my fucking job!" I feel absolutely disrespected.! I hope that i get a responce from management. read more

We essentially had the same experience as Mike S. The prices on the drinks were pretty decent, but the service was practically nonexistent. It took a long time for the waitress to take our order and, when our drinks finally made it to us, they had a watered-down sort of taste (as if they'd been sitting on a tray for awhile and the ice had started to melt). When we ordered our drinks, we requested a menu, which the waitress never brought, so we had to get it from the bar. My friend ended up ordering another beer at the bar and we just paid our tab and left. Overall, this joint didn't make all that great an impression, despite the fact that I really wanted to like a bar that is so close to my house. Maybe we'll try it again sometime, in case they were having an off night. read more

They do two things here really well: burgers and beer. My bleu cheese burger was top notch: good quality meat, a tasty bun, pickle slices, tomato slices and tons of bleu cheese. The onion rings and the tater tots are just the right amount of crispy and have good flavor. There are several local beers on tap to choose from, everything from crowd pleasers like Fireman's 4 to the more "exotic" brews such as saisons, belgian triples and double IPAs. There are tables to sit at but no servers. You have to place your food order at the crowded bar which can be a challenge. It's best to keep a tab open because cash transactions seem to take awhile. The juke box keeps the place rockin'. On the "dive bar" scale, I'm giving it 4 stars. read more

I'm going to go with three stars because I've only been once and I don't think I can adequately process the experience in one visit only. So, yeah, expect an update. Some friends of mine were out drinking at Bender's and invited me along. I'd never been and it's practically within walking distance from my house. First off, the place is much bigger than I expected. There is a large main room with a pool room to the left. Out back is an awesome patio (apparently new) for your smokers and non-smokers alike. The jukebox is...THE SHIT. One of the best in Austin, in my opinion. Or maybe it was the people picking the songs. The waitstaff on the porch was a little slow and a little odd. She told me I didn't have to sign my receipt or put in a tip because she could figure it out. Yeah. Stick that one in your crack pipe and smoke it. We enjoyed lots of Fireman's 4, Magic Cat (yum!) and geeky conversation. All in all, a lovely experience. Also, buying a round at a place like Bender's, doesn't leave you in sticker shock. It makes you want to become a benevolent benefactress for your friends consumption of alcohol. (During the writing of this review, I found out that Yelp's built in dictionary has "crack pipe" in it. That is all.) read more

So after a heave ho in my friends circle, many of us parted ways and couldnt decide who got what bar. In the middle of all the turmoil, we all stumbled across Benders. Not only has this become a place that we all fight over, we now have to designate days in which we may attend..... it's almost like we are in a divorce and must take custody of the bar. Anywho, Its so close to my house. I like the fact that they have a great back patio with horseshoes and speakers linked to the jukebox that plays my kinda music. The prices are fair, the bar staff friendly and they even offer a small bar menu. I've sampled the wings and the mozzarella sticks and while they are nothing to write home about, when I need a snack, they hit the spot. This place is worth hanging at if you live South and don't feel like putting yourself in the chaotic blah of downtown. read more

What's not to like? close, cheap drinks, patio, pool, darts, food and i guess clean restrooms. Met one of the owners the other night, cool guy, can see why this place is doing so well, tucked into the powerstrip, hidden from most eyes. Large bar that wraps around the open main room, provides plenty of seats to just stop in and have a drink....or more. The bartenders, like many neighborhood bars, can tend to be a bit slow or cold at first if they don't know you. But after a nice tip and a friendly introduction, service hasn't been an issue since. Again, did I mention how great the prices are. Probably why they have such a crowd continually, other bars take note please. The crowd tends to be great mix of ages and types. We tend to drop in if not wanting to hit the Jackelope or mess with Red River. from servers to musicians and just regulars, youll find em here. the huge back patio offers a chance to step out for a smoke, i think they may have washers too but don't take my word. read more

Bartenders are friendly. I like their sliders. The other day we had some pulled pork nachos and they were AWE-SOME! Good place to people-watch or make fun of drunk hipsters. read more

Bender Bar & Grill - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

Bender: A Great Place for Drinks in South Austin. Like many other people, I literally had to be dragged there my first time because it's A) in a strip shopping center, B) looks as cool as a TGI Friday's from the outside, and C) is in an area of Austin not really known for having good bars. That said, though, Bender is my new favorite bar--even after only a few visits. If the numerous bar games, cheap beer, and great jukebox isn't enough to draw you in, then the multiple flat screen TVs, the laid back atmosphere, and numerous seating areas will. Really, I had a hard time trying to find any sort of complaints about the place other than the fact that the music is sometimes annoyingly too loud. The place is never packed, or at least hasn't been anytime I've been, so if you're looking to meet people, this might not be the place to do it. I guess that can either be a pro or a con, depending on how you look at it. Overall, Bender is a great addition to South Austin and a nice break from downtown bar scene. read more

Bender is a strange mix of bars, and probably easiest to describe by what it's not. On one hand, there's multiple TVs playing sports or and movie. (Always both-some TV's can only play movies, some can only play sports or whatever else is on) So it's not a sports bar. It's sort of dark, but not dank, so it's not a dive. It sits in a strip mall off an expressway, so it's not really what you could call a neighborhood bar. It has food, but it's more of a bar with a grill, not a bar AND grill. But yet, it has elements of all of them. People come to watch the game.Surly drunks wander in to drink alone. And it's one of the few bars that service the south side(technically 10 feet south of Ben White), and people certainly do order food there, albeit mostly appetizers. But most importantly-is it worth going to? Absolutely. So long as you're not expecting a particular type of bar, you won't be disappointed. The drinks are poured a bit on the heavy side, the draught beer selection is pretty healthy(in terms of variety, of course) and the food is generally good. read more

Cool bar for drinks; but, not for dining. Appetizer came out at the same time as the main courses. I had to send it back. ap·pe·tiz·er apitīzr noun: appetizer; plural noun: appetizers; noun: appetiser; plural noun: appetisers 1. a small dish of food or a drink taken before a meal or the main course of a meal to stimulate one's appetite. PS, location: This address pulled up on my GPS on the opposite side of the highway from the true location. It's located on the east-bound service road, aka W Ben White Blvd. read more

**UPDATE: DO NOT order the fish and chips, nor the fish sandwich. The fish is some frozen in the bag fish cakes that are pre-battered and very rock hard and taste terrible, so don't waste your money. They should hand batter their own fish and stop serving that disgusting bullshit. Order the chicken wings or the salads with grilled chicken, you'll be much happier. When they play sports events the bar becomes EXTREMELY LOUD where you will be annoyed and cannot have a conversation. Not everyone that comes to the bar enjoys the sports bullshit at 120 decibels. When this happens I leave, and I am less inclined to return every time I come to this place because of this problem. The up side is the bartenders are VERY nice and accomodating, and fast even when it's busy. I have never had to wait very long to get service there. read more

The jukebox is off the hook. For real. You can even hear your jukebox selections on the outdoor patio :) The burgers are the shiznit. Believe it. No way you can go wrong with a bacon, jalepeno cheeseburger here. Great beer selection. Decent prices. They always have something you will love on draft. Kick butt staff that works hard. Cool Folks. These folks always take super good care of me. Lovin all the patio renovation. More seating! Laid back picnic tables and lot's of em. Pool table, darts and foosball! Oh my! A little bit for everybody. read more

It's big, it's clean, and it's cheap. The fence in the back blocks 71. I think this was probably a restaurant before it was a bar, so there is a lot of space both inside and out. The bartenders were very nice, but one definitely made stronger drinks than the other one. Why only four stars: well, it isn't Barfly's, which on its own wouldn't matter; however, one of the old folks from the neighborhood demanded I smile, which I hate. That never happens at Barfly's. I'm not sure I'd make a special trip down there, but if you live in the '45 or south '04, this bar could really be your scene. It would be mine if I lived down there. read more

I'm not so sure how this place can ever qualify as five stars on yelp. Its certainly not "as good as it gets". First off, its in a lame strip mall on 71. Second, the inside mood setting decor consists of a few tv's and that's IT. Not much to go off of here in terms of bar culture or identity. As far as I could tell, its a room with tv's and a bar. The outside area has potential, but again, Benders' idea of decor is random beer signs on the back wall. One word comes to mind about Benders: Bland. They're not really scoring any points for "setting the mood". Thirdly, and most importantly, the food was raaaank. I ordered the sliders and was treated to three sad flimsy sliders that rank well below happy-meal quality. I was watching the game, so at half I doubled-down and ordered some hot wings with jalapeno lime sauce. Damn, they were terrible! Dry, small, and shriveled. The girl next to me asked me about them and I told her straight up, "gross". read more

This might be the best bar ever. We went here when we were visiting Austin, since we were staying nearby, and it had good reviews. Can't believe how totally unpretentious and laid back it was! No "scene" or anything - no one could feel out of place. When traveling, I've noticed most bartenders won't even look at you, let alone serve you in the first five minutes. Bender always had at least 2-3 bartenders at work, so you can get your drinks pretty immediately. And the prices are INSANELY cheap! The back patio is pretty heavenly (that's where we sat every time we went) and the music was always 100% awesome. I didn't eat the food or experience that part of the place, but I could not find anything I didn't LOVE LOVE LOVE about this place. If there are some sort of "perfect bar" awards in existence, Bender needs to win all of them. If we go back to Austin, I will be there with bells on! read more

Bender is my default dive bar, after being run out of all the ones downtown and the east side by the hipster infestation. The food is surprisingly good-especially the burgers or quesadillas and the drinks are ridiculously cheap.. and I mean CHEAP. From pitchers to high end liquor I'm always surprised by how low my bill is. A large majority of the customers are in the service industry, but its always a crazy mix of people who somehow manage to always get along. The atmosphere is always very chill and conversational. The bartenders are fast and friendly, the patio has lots of picnic tables for seating and the inside has plenty of space as well. Basically, if you are looking for some cheap drinks with room for friends and the ability to hear each other talk, this is your spot. read more

A great bar, great wings as well as food and drink specials, ... a cool bar with cool bartenders and good clientele. Love it!

Having recently moved into the 78704 area, the only thing that I knew about this place is that it is brought to you by the same people behind Pour House on Burnet. That alone was enough to get me in the door: Cheap drinks is the name of the game. Cheaper than cheap. A pint and a Sapphire & Tonic was....get this....$7.50. Bartenders were really cool & they have a patio if you actually want to see the person/s you are talking to b/c it is kinda dark inside. A plenty of flatscreen teles inside seemed to be about the only source of light in there (that's cool with me). My only suggestion is that the jukebox needs a makeover. Get some new (new as in "recently released") stuff in there please. read more

This place blows my mind for a bar that is supposed to be "hole in the wall", off the beaten path" and not downtown. At first it looks simple and pretty run of the mill neighborhood bar but don't judge a book by it's shopping center. The drinks are cold, the TVs are big and the atmosphere is laid back. But the best part? The service is super friendly and the food is amazing! I have been to snooty and super expensive restaurants and bars that don't measure up to the staff and food at Benders. Mind blown. Benders now has a new regular. read more

Love this place, best burgers n chicken wings on the planet, go there, just go!cool vibe, pool tables, darts, outdoor seating, great bartenders...love, love, love bender bar! read more

This is one of my favorite places to hang out because the drinks are cheap, the staff has always been very cool to my friends and I, and the bar food is amazing. I have made so many new friends there, and I really like the jukebox. read more

Grimey and unpleasant. Management is terrible and just an overall waste of your time. I would not come back again.

I have been a patron of Bender for over 5 years and this place is my Cheers. Affordable prices, good food (homemade wing flavor on Tuesdays is a must!), laid-back atmosphere, and bartenders who, by the end of the night know your name, all help make this place a south Austin gem. Also, check the daily specials y'all, they don't joke around on those! In regards to a very recent negative review, I'd like to say that the nonsense that the bartenders and staff will not put up with is a customer calling another customer, loud enough for half the bar top to hear, a bitch because she does not want to be touched. And even more so, when the customer tells the staff and bartenders, who ask him to keep his hands to himself, to f*ck off and then toss his drink over the bar top when asked to leave. So if that's considered nonsense, then sure, Bender isn't for you. The bartenders and staff work hard to make this bar a safe, all-inclusive, chill establishment. On the rare occasion something goes down, all of the the staff will diffuse a situation professionally, and take the time to fix the damage a wounded ego can cause. Cheers, Bender! Ps. Be sure to check the wall above the jukebox to see photos of their family of bars. So many good ones around the city to check out! read more

This has become my favorite neighborhood bar. Free darts and pool. Large and comfortable outside patio that's well lite and plenty of benches to sit. Food is pretty good, chicken tenders and burgers are really good... The drinks are stiff and bartenders are really nice! No pretentious here... read more

Pretty good. It's definitely something to check it. I had 10 wings and waffle fries. It came to $21.

This place should come with a warning label. "can be the beginning of a very bad hangover" They also have yummy burgers, nice prices, great bartenders and spacious outdoor seating. I could see myself getting old on one of their barstools. read more

Good bar for the neighborhood, only real gripe is the 6 foot pool tables in the back (small tables blow ass). The happy hour prices for lone star are 1.5 dollars, and shots are friendly pours. This bar/kitchen guys take care of my drunk ass every time I show up for more alcohol. The chicken sandwiches are massive and hang off the sides of the bun, but I never can pass up a tasty burger. The jukebox is a pretty good mix, lots of older heavy metal to play. Much better bar than the hellhole GnS lounge down the road. The inside and outside both have enough to keep you entertained, which seems to be attracting more people lately. woo yeah read more

Friendly, unassuming place- it's a short bike ride from my house so I like to go here when I don't want any hassle with parking, crowds, noise, combing my hair, etc. It's always busy but I've never seen it get crowded. Music (satellited-in middle of the road alternative rock) and TV (mix of movies and sports) are kept at non-intrusive levels so you can hear who your talking to. Crowd is mostly young and blue-collar- relaxed and not at all trendy. By far the best thing Bender has going for it is the food. It's fresh, simple, cheap and tasty- really some of the best bar food anywhere in Austin. And there are actually healthy options... how many bars offer goats cheese spinach salads and veggie burgers on whole wheat buns? I usually bypass all those vitamins and fiber in favor of the bacon blue cheese burger and waffle fries both of which are ungodly good. read more

Okay, I've been to this place quite a few times. Turned on to it by a good friend in the first few weeks of their opening I have seen some good changes to it's already chill atmosphere. Bars are notoriously dark but in the main area it is TOO dark. It's ridiculous. The jukebox needs some tweaking as well but it's way better than listening to the same old club crap played at every bar in Austin. The number of patrons here has JUMPED dramatically. It's neat. Kudos: for putting the CC on the TVs while playing awesome DVD's which I have seen many a bar NOT do. The food rocks, the beer is good. The bathrooms are clean for a bar! It's major downfall is lack of staff. It's growing in popularity and the summer is just gonna make it worse. Hire some f'in bartenders/bar backs and more wait staff! read more

Wing night at Bender Bar on Tuesdays is a must have for Knockin Bones, a great place indeed to fuel our post practice night bites. With their wide beer selection, giant patio, friendly staff, and flavor of the week, Bender Bar makes for a kick ass time, everytime. read more

Bender Bar & Grill - Wangz! - Lounges Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place has really reasonably priced drinks, pretty good pub grub and a tons of space. The patio in the back is as big as some bars. Not a bad little spot if you are down south ways. read more

Another South of Ben White gem. Whats not to love? Pool tables, skeet ball, arcade games, awesome bartender, cheap drinks, and a parking lot? I did not eat any of the food, but people I was with enjoyed the sliders. read more

Wings! The best place for crispy, flavorful, perfectly cooked wings. Forget pluckers or Buffalo Wild Wings, if you want good bar food and wings, you go to bender bar. Tuesday's also has 50 cent wing specials (hell yeah!!!) The bartenders are cool, and you can play pool, pick songs out on the jukebox, then play some old school arcade games like Mortal Kombat! Great wings, good drinks, and mortal Kombat!?!? Count me in! Recommended. read more

The people who refer to this place as a dive bar have obviously never been to a dive bar. Hell, your feet dont even stick to the floor and you don't need a hazmat suit when going to the bathroom. The clientele is pretty diverse. People who go here are rewarded with good bartenders, strong drinks, above average pub grub and fair prices. Bar service only read more

Brought to you by the same guys who own Hideout and Barflys, Bender Bar is a good bar full of good people. The food is tasty, the drinks are stiff and affordable, and the jukebox is as eclectic as you'll find. I knock off one star only because it's an odd sort of layout -- it feels too big, with too much empty space somehow. Maybe they need a TV area, like at the Hideout? I don't know. But I always love meeting southie friends there. Incidentally, I'm highly amused at people complaining that they had to wait for a waitress and/or menu... it's not called Bender Grille, y'all. This joint is first and foremost a bar that happens to serve food, not a restaurant that happens to serve drinks. And when in a bar, from where do we order? Thaaaaat's right. read more