Old Pal is pure perfection and of course it is as it comes from the owners of Nickel City (beloved). Centrally located in downtown Lockhart, the vibe here is on! Craft cocktails: A+ Food: A+ Live Music: A+ Decor: A+ Ambiance: A+ Service: A+ Basically, I'm in love. read more

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Our first stop for a drink and a quick bite on our little mini staycation. Is it a dive bar? Yes! Friendly staff and locals. Does it have high end drink options? Also yes!! Does it have a simple yet elevated menu? ALSO YES! First I was like alright dive bar. Then you realize it is an upscale dive bar in a sort. Drinks come out of a cooler filled with ice OR are perfectly crafted in front of you. We started by sharing the recommendation of the DEVILED EGGS (5 pc) with the Korean Chili Crisp. Was a curious as it seems like a dive bar?You betcha. Was it maybe the best deviled eggs I've ever had. Absolutely! Get these for sure! Then we shared the JOJOS "Seasoned Potato Wedges" with Boom Boom Sauce. The crunch and flavor of the potatoes was spot on. The boom boom sauce is house made and has a lovely kick to it. We couldn't eat them all because our next item came... We both had a SMASH BURGER: Double Double, Beef Patties, American Cheese, Boom Boom Sauce on a Potato Roll. I am going to say when I want a smash burger this is what I am thinking of. This is what I want. The only thing, some days I may want just ketchup and not Boom Boom sauce but that is by day and mood only. Damn they did good! I'll be back. I will need to eat all of this again! read more

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Dive bar in Lockhart. At first, the U-shaped bar goes unnoticed. It appears to be a counter, but the bar extends around. Service is average and slow. There isn't much more to say. Food was good. We ordered the deviled eggs, chicken strips and smash burger. All were good, but nothing stood out. The highlight was the Lockhart Lemonade. Not sure if it's worth a repeat visit unless I wanted a dive bar vibe. read more

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My first time dining at Old Pal was fantastic. Was excited to be able to bring my pup with me. I ordered their hamburger and fries and was pleasantly surprised how good it was. Service was absolutely top notch, even for my pup. Yes, it's definitely noisy here, however, it didn't bother me at all. The simple fact I could bring my pup with me was awesome. And the food and service is an added bonus. read more

Having tried The Pearl we stopped in here for some rest and a cold drink during our tour of the town and shops. It was a nice place, lots of room. The bar is right as you come in, there are several sizes of tables and even a little nook near the front door with a table for a people who want a view or maybe a little more quiet? They have booths and a small stage, no one played or performed during our visits, of which we had two the same day but both times we were pretty early in the day. Now some things I feel you should know, it is not just a bar, it is a restaurant so food is an option but it seems to be a popular place from families so lots and lots of kids, which in itself is not an issue but no one controls the kids from what I could see. Not the parents, not the staff, they just ran wild. Climbing over and under the booths, Taking over the stage, throwing things, jumping from things and making huge amounts of noise. I don't know if there comes a point where they stop admitting children but it did sour things a bit. I admit we were there mid day, I want to be clear, families are fine, its a restaurant. The fact no one cared what the children were doing was the issue. They had a juke box, the kind that take money and you pick the disk then the son. Mostly old country and some classic rock. It had a nice selection if you like either. The staff were friendly and pretty quick, one seemed slightly annoyed we ordered water with the drinks pointing out after getting it there was a glass water dispenser near the front. They had a drink exclusive to their bar. A Whata Freeze. It was fantastic and made more so due to the warm weather. We drank them and then did some more sightseeing and shopping. We did return later that evening to find they couldn't make their own one of a kind special Whata Freeze drink. I was bummed. I know things happen but if you have a drink you made and are known for, Saturday is not the day to run out or be unable to make it. We didn't try the food but overall minus the two disappointments this was a nice bar, good service, fun music. I think when we go back we just have to go later, less during family time. read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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Loved this place very friendly and "fits" with its surroundings and has an old timey feel the food was great and the employees were great too 10/10 would recommend. read more

Cold beer, great cocktails and amazing food. This is the most consistent restaurant in Lockhart, I have never had a bad meal or drink. Shockingly this bar has the best salad in town, and the chicken tenders and Joe Joe's are a must try. Bonus points for having a great juke box and live music. read more

An old bar set up with a jukebox. A place for a band too. The atmosphere is casual. Bartender takes your order - self set. The Smash burger was really good. Not sure of the sauce but it was tasty. read more

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Ok, so Lockhart is the BBQcapital, no question. But there is more than just BBQ. Such is The Old Pal. It's very basic. Old tavern typical in Texas. Has a live music stage and decor will survive a bar fight. But don't let that deter you. The food is GOOD. The jukebox spins classic and new country. Menu features sandwiches, salads and combo baskets. Service is at the bar, so order there. Patti melt was excellent with the cheese toasted on the side. Nice. Smash burger Royal was excellent and a side of JoJos is rather required. Specials during the week. Mondays features burger night and Tuesdays feature chicken tenders... so there you go. read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - Old Pal Texas Tavern stage - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Cadillac margarita was great. The service could be better but we love the atmosphere.

This alone makes me want to visit Lockhart Texas. On several occasions now I've driven out to Lockhart from Austin strictly to visit Old Pal. The staff, the space, the drinks, the food, all of it, marvelous. Tober took the charm and wonder of his Nickel City establishment and made something else unique and special that is a must visit. We've been tearing our way through the menu of drinks and food and every single thing so far has been amazing. The steak tendies, the fried chicken, those deviled eggs [oooeee!], everything is incredible. If you're in the area or if you're in for a good time the trip to stop at Old Pal is worth it, every time. read more

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Great drinks and cool country vibes. But not cheesy. Like purposefully old honky tonk vibes.

Excellent food, a wonderful spot in downtown Lockhart we do highly recommend those who come and ride with us looking for a bite to eat after a trail. They consistently turn out high quality. read more

I am a fan of Nickel City in Austin. The owner has since recently opened up Old Pal Bar in Lockhart. My husband and I were out on a Saturday afternoon and decided to check it out. The inside is quite large with a lot of tables and bar seating. There is a stage for even live music, a jukebox, darts, and other fun games. The food menu consisted of items such as fried chicken, wings, devil eggs, salads, burgers, and sandwiches. My husband and I split an order of sweet potato waffles fries. I couldn't have the side of curry ranch as I am dairy-free but my husband was a fan and would recommend it. The drink menu ranges from old school favorites like whiskey sours, mickey's malt liquor to old fashions and frozen drinks. I settled for a whiskey sour and it didn't disappoint. I would say they used a lot of ice here so would be helpful if they serve it with less next time. My husband enjoyed their frozen whatafrozen drink. This drink contains a "fistful of bourbon, Montenegro, Dr. Pepper, and cream. He was a fan and compares to Nickel City's frozen Irish coffees. Overall a great bar and when I am back in Lockhart next time I will be sure to stop by. read more

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I absolutely love this place, the food is amazing and so are the people, the sauce on the burgers is the best. The food comes fast, and the servers are kind. The vibe is chill and the place is decorated nicely. read more

Came here on a day date with the hubby. I loved it here! Can't wait to go back! The drinks were so good and the food! Oh the food, hands down the best fried pickles ever! And the chicken oh the chicken... ok that's it I'm going back tomorrow. Shout out to the staff! They are so friendly and great conversation! read more

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On the way back to Austin looked for a local place in Lockhart to have lunch. Yelp lettuce to Old Pal bar and Texas tavern. The menu was fairly extensive, lots of offerings but we decided on the chicken tenders. For me, the chicken tenders didn't have enough seasoning or taste they weren't bad but they were just kind of mediocre. The gravy was described as a cream gravy but I think it's misleading because to me it tasted more like a mushroom based gravy which just didn't pair well with a good chicken tender dipping option. The coleslaw was spotted on even though it was a very small amount. I would have liked to have had at least double that amount because it really was very light and not overly seasoned at all. The flavor of the coleslaw really did come through. I think another oddity that struck us was that we asked for some sweetener for the tea and they didn't actually carry anything. Or at least that's what I was to understand so that was kind of weird, right? read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - Three chicken tenders, coleslaw, gravy, and a roll - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

One of the few places that offered food that wasn't closed or closing soon when passing through. Tried the deviled eggs, burger, fries, chicken strips. Sadly not one of those items did it for us. I love deviled eggs and I'd never tasted any quite like those, had 1 and done. The sweet tea was good. read more

Not a new customer. Service has changed. Been on several occasions. Great at first! Was there one evening and a tejano song was played and an owner shut it down. They get busy, I get it. On another occasion I wasn't treated so politely but I figured it was because of how busy they were. Others came after me and were addressed in a much nicer manner. But they also didn't look like us. Went today and nothing about the service was welcoming. Bartender seemed upset with my questions and wasn't nice read more

We love Old Pals! We visit once a week if not twice. Love the chicken tender basket, smash burger, sweet potatoe fries, etc. Should I go on? Staff are helpful & friendly - FOH & BOH! read more

The margaritas are good but pricey for seasoned margarita drinkers. If you are a big country boy like my husband they're a 3 swallow drink. They could do better. read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Burgers were perfect, drinks were rough.. stick to beer here. Located in a cute, quiet, little town just outside of Austin.

Just ok, expected more from after reading how great it was. We tried ordering a couple of beer brands, but they didnt have any cold. Surprising given they touted having really cold beer. Service was a bit confusing as we were told we had to get drinks at the bar, but other customers the bartender went to their table. The dog insite however, Chicken Hawking was adorable. read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

My husband and I went there on a Friday night. We sat down and waited for 25 minutes and no one came to our table so we left.

Food's good, fun drinks. I like the fried chicken, Jo Jo's, and the boozy frozen Dr. Pepper. read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - Bar area - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Really good cocktails & the burger & chicken sandwich are delicious! & the fries! Tbh everything I've gotten there is really good

Must visit on the square! Vintage-style, friendly bar-with great drinks and excellent food.

This isn't just some corner bar in a small town, it's the epitome of a old school Texas tavern! Friendly, down home service, and the food is far better than you should expect for bar food. Any of the chicken entrees and burgers are pretty damn good (I'm sure the other stuff is good, we just keep going back to our regulars). And they have live music several nights a week and we've seen some really good talent there. They have ice-cold beer and great specialty drinks, but I'm a rum guy and they only had one kind (which I wasn't particularly fond of). After jokingly giving co-owner/manager Jim some grief about it, the next time I came in I was surprised he had stocked the bar with one of my favorites! Thanks Jim! Don't miss this if you're visiting Lockhart. It's right on the historic square, so it's a great spot to stop in after visiting the shops and galleries. Sadly we live an hour away, or else we'd be in here every night! And remember to TIP your bartenders and bands!!! read more

Walking in you get greeted by the cashier, very nice and down to earth. We ask what's good and he recommends a few things. I ordered the smash burger and my husband ordered the chicken sandwich. Very good!!! The burger was moist and a little crispy and the chicken sandwich was crunchy with the fresh slaw in it. We came in hoping for something different and we got em!!! I'm glad we took a chance on this place!!!so, if you're ever looking to get a great lunch before moving on to your road trip stop by!!!You will be glad you did!! read more

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**update. We live 3 hours away but make it in once a month to this place. My only lasting complaint is that they don't sell their sauces by the bottle. All of their homemade sauces are amazing! read more

Good food and excellent service. This place has a very unique vibe that can't be duplicated.

Zero complaints. Fried chicken is a holy grail food for me and this is real deal fried southern bird. Juicy as hell. Great crust. I'm not a lover of slaw but this one is good. Crisp and ice cold pickles cut the richness. I paired it with a mescal with cucumber and passion fruit, which cut the Smokey agave just enough. Jukebox playin old country hits. Great dive bar scene. I'll be back for music and dancing soon. read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - Juicy fried bird and mescal mule. - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Great experience! Danny was a wonderful server at the bar and the beer, mezcal mule and chicken were delicious! read more

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Had the fried chicken and jojo potatoes. Just seeing jojos on the mnu made me so happy. ‍ The chicken was good, breading had great flavor, dressing was obviously made in house and delicious. The boon boom sause that came with the jojos was awesome. Friendly service. Will definitely be back! Thanks! read more

Man... it is exactly what you want a Texas bar to be. Fantastic spot and often with great live music. We went two of our three nights in Lockhart. Make certain you get that Texas Caviar, cowboy. read more

First trip to Old Pal. We drove from Austin because we heard such great things. Must haves, the deviled eggs and chilled green beans for a starter, oh and don't forget the Whatafrozen! We also had the fried chicken, Jojo's and chicken picnic sandwich. Service was 5 star in a dive bar read more

Old Pal Bar Texas Tavern - American Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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I wish I could say good things about this place because the vibe of the restaurant is great but the customer service was absolutely horrible. The bartender was dry and rude and a burger and chicken tenders has taken about an hour now and still hasn't arrived while the restaurant isn't even busy. Hope to see things change soon. read more

I wish I was able to review the food, but the service was so terrible we never got to try it. Nobody greeted us, there was no sign saying to wait to be seated or to seat yourself, so we sat ourselves after standing at the bar for 2 minutes with the bartender looking our direction. We sat down at a high-top table, the bartender stared at us multiple times, saying nothing. We eventually got up and asked what we were supposed to do and were greeted with, "it's only bar service right now." We told her it would have been polite to tell us that, since it was our first time, and we sat unacknowledged for 10 minutes. We ended up just leaving. I'm not sure we will give this place another chance. read more

Excellent music, excellent burgers, and a place we will come back to! Up next to try is the fried chicken. Atmosphere is a good ole' honky tonk-hang out where I bet everyone knows your name. read more

Great fresh margarita. Full bar, great specialty drinks, large beer selection. Didn't get to taste any food but there were many customers enjoying the food. Live music was very good. read more