I just moved into the 78704 and needed a place to meet an old friend for drinks when lo and behold, Yelp suggested Bender Bar. I fell in love with the place within 10 minutes or less of walking in the door. Here's why: - low lighting and good layout with a mixture of large tables and booths. - CHEAP drinks! I'm talkin' $3 512 IPAs for Happy Hour and even off happy hour, they only go up like 50 cents! - good and cheap food; we had the fried pickles and $1 sliders..so tasty you can't eat just one - large open outdoor patio with murals on the walls - excellent jukebox selection. we were luckily enough to hear not 1, not 2, but 3 songs by the Presidents of the U.S.A. including Lump! - huge separate game room w/ pool, darts, pac-man and more! - clean bathrooms - I didn't see any hipsters or yuppies....what a relief! - great for large groups (ample space and parking) - don't have to mess with downtown douches or fee based parking =) Now that I have discovered this gem, I will definitely be going back again and again to share it with friends. read more

I love dives like nobodies business, I have been Homer's, Canaries, Stardust and Bar Fly ( same owners I heard. ); but this place has to trump all dives in Austin, TX. I first went here about 2 years ago when I moved close to The Hills Cafe, and couldn't stop going until I moved up north. After I visited the place only 2 times the bartender knew my face and my drink. The price is really affordable, and honestly the best price for the atmosphere you get because inside it honestly looks like a lounge somewhere on West 6th. If you don't like that type of scene then you go to the patio where you play some games, shoot the poo and have yourself a good time with good friends. What really got me was the diversity of customers there from local neighbors, hipsters, drinkers, partiers, bikers and young business professionals who just wants to grab a few. If you are really looking for cliche bar/grill then maybe this won't be the place for you, BUT if you like place with friendly bartenders, great food ( burgers and rings baby ), cheap drinks, great atmosphere, and an eclectic mix crowd then by all means stop by, sit by the bar, and order your favorite drink because your going to be in for a surprise. Hope this helps read more

I've been coming here regularly for a year now, figured I should throw in my two cents. - Very chill atmosphere. Young and old crowd, all just trying to have a good time with friends. - Great selection of beers, full bar, and exceptional prices. Food is pretty darn good too. You can find me here every Tuesday night for the 25 cent wings. - Music is always rockin. They've stocked the jukebox so it's almost impossible for someone to pick an unfavorable tune. Even as a regular the selection never gets old. - Parking is plentiful, and so is the seating inside. During the hotter months the back patio can get pretty crowded. - Separate room for pool and pacman, if you're so inclined. All in all I'd recommend it to any of my friends. Bender looks like your average shopping-center-bar from outside, but it is sooo much more than that. read more

BEST BURGERS IN TOWN! Cheap drinks Huge beer selection - a lot on tap too 50 cent wings on Tuesdays - and they're big & juicy Pool, darts, juke box, huge patio Great ambiance & awesome staff I've been going here since 2008. Employee loyalty (esp in the service industry) says a lot about a place and these guys have it. They recognize faces & remember drink orders. They'll have convos with you, not just each other. read more

honestly- i'm rarely moved to yelp, any business. i'm all about being ~quasi hipster- trying to be cool- but, you know- sometimes, it is to your detriment. the awesome, bearded bartender was really good. the the chick- you don't need to be such an absolute bitch- it doesn't make you cool, or edgy- unless- you're on the edge- on a very personal level, yourself. just saying- honestly- not a good thing.. otherwise an ok place. i won't be stopping by again, on my way home from work. read more

Oh my god Becky, look at her bun Its so big It looks like one of those that can wrap around that guy's meat too Who understands those buns anyways... Not only is this a cool place that is not pretentious with a good deal on drinks but their food is mouth watering. Their burgers referenced as meat (above) is one of the BEST I've had. They grill it to order and the BUN is a sweet & fluffy, sourdough like, and a piece of heaven. The BUN & the burger go so well together. I've even thought the Tap Room was worth the drive to San Marcos but right now I'm all for the Bender Burger. Let's just say I eat like a bird and I ate the entire 1/2 lb. burger. It's not just any bar burger. I've seen a guy that just came in and ordered to go. I like this idea. It's better than Dan's or P. Terry's and I never thought anything was wrong with those two guys. I like big buns and I can not lie You other burgers can't deny I know...I just couldn't get the song and the bun out of my head. Oh and their jukebox is pretty rad, however if no one puts music in, it gets awkwardly quiet. read more

Sweet baby Moses this is my favorite bar. Kinda divey but also super delicious. Tuesday is wing night and they have ranch wings that you can then dip in ranch dressing and their waffle fries? I want their waffles fries to get me pregnant. They are seasoned and crisp and hot like the pavement in July. Burgers too. I have never been disappointed by their food. Drinks are super cheap and if you spend twenty bucks, you are completely twisted and need to uber home. They also have a room in the back with pool tables and darts and the bartenders are super friendly and quick to get your drink. There is a large patio out back for those who are willing to brave the elements with plenty of seating. read more

My husband and I moved to the south side a couple years ago and decided to try out Bender. Now it's our favorite place! The great thing about this bar is that sometimes we come for the food and don't even drink. It's seriously the best bar food you'll ever eat. Nothing fancy, just really tasty. For both my birthday and Valentine's day I asked my husband to take me to Bender instead of anywhere else. You can't beat good food and drinks at a low key joint! read more

I've been living in south austin for almost five years now and Bender as remained "my favorite bar." The atmosphere is laid back, non-threatening, good music and people aren't too good to say hi to one another. Great mixture of all kinds of people. Not to mention any beer you order...ANY BEER, is $3.50. I need to give a shout out to Aaron. He's been there since I first started going and is always a friendly face to see. I always feel so welcome. All the bartenders are attentive, respectful and friendly. THE FOOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love their burgers and wings. And lets not leave out the cheese fries. Haha Anyway, if your south, get your butt in there and have a great night. read more

I like this bar but I was disappointed that they turned out to NOT be dog friendly when it says they are on here... They always have several local beers on tap and the bartenders are pretty knowledgable about them. The jukebox is pretty great AND the bar food is pretty tasty (any place that has fried pickles is a winner in my book). It's never too crowded (unless you smoke, and in that case there's never a free table outside), so it's a great place for me to go meet up with friends for a beer in a low-key atmosphere. If only they'd start to let dogs in the back patio... read more

Cheap drinks, decent food, nice patio, dark interior, no particular "scene," my kind of place. The staff is amazing. When I walked in here for the third time EVER, the great Jonathan had my usual whiskey and Lone Star set up before I could say a word. All the other bartenders have been professional, friendly, and accommodating. The word that comes to mind is versatile...I've sat on the end of the bar, alone in self loathing, spent hours on the patio with a friend, and watched the game with a big group. It's all good. The bar and patio areas are great but I would suggest updating the game room in the south side of the building, all the games and tables are dated and too dirty at this point. It's certainly worth a try if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Pretty cool place. I def see some potential here at this place. You walk in and it pretty dark typical sports bar. Cool dark vibe inside. Take a walk to the back and step out the back patio and it' gets even better. They got about 10-14 picnic tables to have a seat and down some drinks with some friends. Food was damn good! I had the buffalo blue burger with tots. The burger was huge and amazing. The tots were very crispy, just the way I like them. My friend had the Texan burger... She loved it!! "Damn good burger" were her exact words. I'm eager to go back and try some more stuff. My only draw back about this place was that it didn't have waiter service. I had to keeping insider and order my beer and drinks at the bar. Kinda annoying. Reminds me of blacksheep without the table service. Def a try it out though. read more

Cheap drinks, friendly and efficient staff, what more could you ask for? There is a very large, well lit patio for smokers and groups to mingle, Bender always has a unique selection of draft and bottle beers. They also have a menu with outstanding food. Everything from the Spinach Salad to the tater tots with bacon and cheese to the huge burgers are made from obviously quality ingredients and plated nicely by the kitchen staff. Low staff turnover means that I most likely still know whomever is working even if quite a bit of time has passed between visits. The staff is outstanding. They always hustle to get everyone their drinks quickly with a sincerely friendly attitude and a knack for remembering the names and drinks of regulars as well as the knack for forgetting that embarrassing thing customers said/did last time. The bathrooms are nothing fancy but they are always very clean which can be difficult to find in this industry. This bar tends to be heavily frequented by service industry folks which is a testament to the effortless excellence of Bender bar. I don't know why it took me 6 years to write this review, but considering all the visits over those six years, I can't help but give them 5 stars and wish more places were this great. read more

What's really awesome about Bender Bar, is that if you're used to going out downtown, when you get your tab it's always lower than you expect. Which leaves a great feeling and always makes me think of Bender in a fond way. The drinks are good, the bartenders are speedy. It is a little divey I guess, and by divey I mean it's super dark inside. It reminds me more of a sports bar than a dive bar, because the place is pretty clean and their food is decent. The best? Tater tots or waffle fries.... with queso. Do it. Honestly I have no complaints about Bender. It's a great place to stop by with friends, or to meet new friends. And to get tater tots with queso and really what more do you need in life? read more

Still love this place, but I have to say I was not happy with their fried pickles! & I am a pickle person, so this was most disappointing! Wayyyyy too much breading, which was too thick & SO salty. I ended up picking at them & just eating the pickles inside. However, I will forgive them this time because I came in on the night the Giants won the World Series to celebrate (thinking- where in TX can I find an SF fan to rejoice with?! Are they still bitter over 2010 here?) & upon arrival I see several bartenders decked out in Giants gear! One had even thrown his hat up on the bottles to display. It was all they were talking about as well so that made me happy. Bender is still a dive bar and very neighborhood, but it is large, with tables as well as a large bar top, and plenty of seating outside on the patio so you can enjoy your reasonably priced drinks. I have also discovered that most dive bars or honky tonks around here are beer only, which is a stab to my Ketel One vodka soaked heart (& no- I do not want Tito's! Sorry, Austin), so thank you Bender for being a fully stocked bar!!!!! read more

This place is huge with a ton of potential. But I bet if nothing changes it will be gone within 12 months. We live close and are looking for a local, nothing fancy bar joint. You know, play pool or watch the 'horns. Sit outside or play Galaga, good beer on tap... etc... y'know what I mean. The bartender was working his butt off but even on an early Saturday night (6pm?) that wasn't enough. Maybe someone called in sick but we waited a long time for service. Not his fault. Management? The biggest bummer? Cleanliness outside. AKA: smoker's area. They turn the ashtrays upside down so you find ash on every table, or stickiness... or ants. Clearly these tables weren't clean (or cleaned well since Fri night). Finally, avoid the stuffed jalapenos. Jalapenos are so far gone freezer-burned that the only thing that salvaged them was the deep fry batter. Yeah, I was hungry and desperate. read more

I like Bender Bar! Lots of bar-food options and some pool tables/arcade games in the back. It's also cheap... like... really cheap. Crowd seems laid back, and there's plenty of parking. A great divey spot to start or end an evening. read more

Love that there is a decent bar in my hood! I just got back from an awesome Girl's Night at Benders....good drinks, reasonable prices and a great crowd added to a wonderful Saturday night out with the ladies. Looking forward to next Saturday when we can do it all over again! read more

I love coming to this bar and hanging out. not a lot of drama, it's super low key. dark with lots of seating, a really fun jukebox, good bar food and staff is really nice. there's a great selection of beers on tap, which is a huge plus. fried pickles are the best I've had - a little spicy and crunchy - YUM. read more

Great spot hidden off of an access road! Outdoor patio is great! Super service! Fantastic and eclectic juke box: Motley Crüe to Frank Sinatra! read more

Good neighborhood bar, perfect after-work drinking spot for people who work in the Southpark office complex area. It's nothing special but there aren't many bars in this part of town so that makes it stand out. I've been here probably 50+ times and never had any trouble with anything. Recommended if you live or work in this area. - Good, cheap-enough drinks, nice bartenders and waiters. - Quite the respectable selection of beer on tap. (30-40 or so) - Really good jukebox, like all the Barfly's joints. - Pool tables and darts, if that's your thing. - Good bar food, typical Sysco stuff. Really good fried pickles, somehow. - Good parking, large patio, good for large groups. read more

We stopped in here for a drink after reading all of the great reviews. Bender is really close to where we live, so we were thinking maybe this would be our new favorite bar! I want to go back really soon with a group of friends and sit out back on the patio. There are lots of picnic tables and good music was playing over the speakers... set the stage for what could be a perfect afternoon. The drinks weren't expensive, we got two shots of Patron and two Coronas. The bartender who poured our drinks was really nice despite being super busy on a Friday night. The potential for fun times here is great! Look for Bender's head on top of the fridge. read more

I guess I thought this place was a restaurant? I saw they were rated pretty high for their wings so I was pumped to go and try them. I just wasn't super impressed, it's definitely a dive bar... so maybe if that's what I went there for I would be psyched? but also I ordered food and the bartender was so weird about getting a card to put on file... I was like dude I am sitting at the bar and ordering food I am not gonna just run away with this one beer you gave me.... but whatever. The floor was sticky but who cares. Idk.. bad food vibes. sorry. I wanted to like it. read more

I've only been here for wing night. My favorites are the Cajun and the buffalo. They sometimes forget the ranch but other than that it's great. read more

Several of the bartenders are the shit, they have my beer poured by the time I reach the bar. I like the jukebox. If its too loud go outside to the smoking patio...or go home with your old ass. Overall this is a great neighborhood bar, a nice mix of people. There are movies to watch on a large flatscreen, sports on another. WIFI. Several pool tables and I believe darts? I think the food is good and the kitchen is open fairly late! The bathrooms are clean,they have extremely hot water..which being a germaphobe, I love. At one time this place was a Serranos mexican food place, then Woodys bar and grill (which I loved because there were bands) and now its Benders. My second favorite bar in town(wassup 04 Lounge! ) read more

Prices and beer selection are awesome. Food is pretty dang good too. Outdoor seating, pool, Pacman, washer pits, and free darts. What else do you want? read more

My roommate turned me on to this bar and even though I'm not a club or bar kind of person I like this place. I LOVE their chicken wings but my only problem with the wings are they put too much butter on them. So you can't taste the hot sauce which sucks. I like my wings super HOT but I can't taste the hotness due to too much butter on them. Anyway the staff is pretty cool and friendly, love the atmosphere of the place, and I love the music always being played there of course. read more

Dude, this place is perfect. First off, great beer selection on draft and in bottles/cans. They're all very reasonable prices. The inside is pretty big, actually, with the side took for pool in addition to the main area with all the seating and booths. The patio outside makes it even better. Pretty spacious patio with plenty of picnic tables. You can almost always find a spot to sit. But y'all, what you have to try is their Austin burger. Holy hell, this thing is amazing. Well, really.. Any of the burgers are great. The goat cheese, the blu cheese. Any of it on one of their burgers and you're set. Make sure you get their fries with it because the meal isn't the same without it. I'd definitely recommend this place if you've never been. Service has always been very nice as well. read more

Bender is the best. Drinks and food are cheap and good. Great jukebox. The bartenders, cooks, and regulars are some of the coolest people you'll ever meet. Wish they would bring skee-ball back. read more

Solid bartenders here (The Mikes)! Another place that has a great jukebox. Wing night is the best night. Go early because they will be busy, try a new flavor (they're all really good). The only thing missing is I can't take my dog. read more

Solid beer selection and cheaper than anything in the area. They go deep with their beer selections, while maintaining the local staples. Food is good with a few great options. Drink well, Austinites! read more

This is the bar. First they have a kitchen that stays open till midnight 7 days a week. Metal Mondays, Wing Tuesdays $0.50 wings, long bar, cheap drinks, Wells are $2.50 and drafts are 4. For real!! Plus movies playing all the time, games on TV and a room with pool tables, foosball, darts, pinball and a photo booth. The back patio is huge and they have the best burgers in town with waffles fries, tots or rings. Extremely friendly bar staff who all remember your drink orders and names. read more

Loved this bar. The pin ball games were awesome. Staff was super friendly. This place felt like the bars I go to closer to where I live.

The atmosphere in this place is great. The bartenders were super attentive when you walk up to the bar. They had several beers and great cocktails. We had the cheese sticks (hot and fatter then must places) the wings(fantastic) and of course had to try the waffle fries. The patrons were also very friendly and courteous to each other. All around great place to spend a couple of hours. read more

I go to this neighborhood bar too often and it's not anywhere near my neighborhood. It's affordable and usually pretty busy but lively. They've got a big patio and then a game room and great daily specials. My favorite is wing Tuesdays. It's dark and kinda dingy, but hey it's your neighborhood dive! read more

Watched the game last night and had a GREAT experience! Cheap eats, cheap drinks, great quality, and OUTSTANDING service from Blake! Super sweet guy and went the extra mile by learning all of our names and remembering them! Glasses stayed full, patrons stayed happy. Found my new go-to spot! Living on Woodward, having somewhere so close is an absolute Godsend! Can't wait to come back and be taken care of by Blake! Thanks so much y'all!! read more

I was craving fish and chips and came here and it was nothing short of deliciousness! The basket came with 3 large portions of fish that were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, plus super hot when it came out (a must for me)!! Unique vibe here & great prices too! read more

LOVE Bender. the people there are always cool. great patio, great darts after we fixed the line measurements. great staff. great cheap drinks. great food served in red baskets with wax paper. I go to this bar at least twice a week and whenever anyone has a party we have it there and they let us buy a keg and use it for the night. One time we went in there and they had return of the Jedi playing one some screens and fuel on others. so we sat and drank and watched star wars and skateboarding and it was perfect. It reminds me of carpool a little, which was my favorite bar in Virginia. Cheers. read more

My favorite night of the week is Tuesday night. The $0.50 wings are the best bang for your buck you can find in this town. Their wings are the best, hands down. The flavor of the day is always spot on. Because of Benders I never go to Pluckers or Buffalo Wild Wings anymore. They also have the best bartenders around. I always receive great service here and have no complaints about the staff. Friendly, courteous, and very professional, while still maintaining a bar atmosphere. My only complaint. I wish garlic parmesan was a permanent flavor instead of a flavor of the day. read more

Decided to stop in on a night they had a special on Sliders. This is key because literally everywhere in the known universe a slider consists of a small hamburger patty (unless you order a chicken slider in which case it is a small chicken patty but that is literally the only exception). Order the BLT sliders to go expecting hamburger, bacon, lettuce and tomato on a toasted hamburger bun. Get home and find out I have a literal BLT on an untoasted slider bun. Complete horse shit. Combined with the last time went there on wing night and got undercooked chicken wings is enough to ensure I will avoid this place like the plague. read more