FFS, I went to this place after the guy out front said 15 minutes till last call. So me and 2 other lads went in, and ordered 3 rye and gingers for approx $20.. I gave the wench behind the bar a $3 tip and she BITCHED about it.. I said "you gave us the drink.. What did you expect?" She called some bouncer over to kick me out.. I said "hold on, I didn't do anything?" And asked to speak to the manager.. the bouncer then crushed my drink, and the manager asked me to step outside to discuss.. I said "hold on a second I did nothing wrong". They then took away the pizza I brought into the bar, and called the police over, who literally couldn't care less if you were right or wrong.. Long story short, avoid this place like the plague.. they will steal your cash, credit card, and whatever is available. I had a good time in many places in Austin, but THE SHAKESPEARE PUB was the worst!! Avoid at all cost!! I declined the charge on my CC.. fuck those guys.. read more

It's been many years since I was part of the "college crowd" so for me the few times I've dropped in was early evening. Classic dark, dive bar which I love. Bartender was good - beers were cold. Highlight on both occasions was the guitarist they have playing on Thurs evenings.. Cool, raw, voice that has fun singing. I only visit 6th Street a few times a year, but if you're looking for a dive bar that doesn't have people standing outside their door yelling drink specials to ya - Shakespeare's Pub may be place. read more

I think this is one of the most underrated bars on East 6th. The bar itself has a better setup than most and attracts a young, fun crowd. The only thing it really misses on is its lack of live music. Other than that, its good for an occasional change of scenery. read more

Perfect place for a 6th street experience. Start your night or end your night at Shakes

Sixth Street is great if you are in a sorority or fraternity and like to do Jaeger bombs on a regular basis. Personally, this stage of my life has long past. We were wandering 6th and looking for a "more adult" establishment that didn't make us feel gross being in it. Shakespeare's Pub did the trick. It's a really mellow spot. They have an outdoor patio upstairs that's a bit more rowdy. We sat downstairs. The drinks are SUPER cheap. Unfortunately, we didn't realize how awesome the prices were until we went somewhere else. We should have stayed here all afternoon! read more

Awesome happy hour specials each day. The day I went they had well pitchers for $5.50!!!!! Cant beat that. The patio is nice and overlooks dirty 6th. The bartender that was there the day I went was extremely nice and seemed to enjoy his job. read more

My favorite spot on 6th nuff said.... I work as a DJ, so I'm normally out of commission on weekends, but every once in awhile I get a night off. If I do get to make it to 6th, Shakespeare's is where we spend majority of our night. I love the back room (the Ale House) it's big enough to be it's own club, and come to think of it does have an entrance in the back... They recently opened up the roof too, and there is a WHOLE other party going on up there, kinda hard to move around up there though. I'd just grab a drink down stairs, and go up to check it out on a nice night. One thing I really admire about this club is it's diversity of patrons. I honestly feel that this place houses one of the most mixed crowds you're going to find in Downtown Austin. You'll see ____ rubbing elbows w/ ____ along with ____ you get my point. Right? The drinks are very reasonably priced too. I can recall a couple of nights they even had a keg, and you could buy beer by the cup. Very Cool. I've never seen a fight here, everybody (patrons/staff) seems really laid back actually :) The only thing that gets me about this place is the DJ(s). I guess I'm biassed because I spin myself, but the guy in the back plays some jams I won't lie, as does guy on the roof. Neither of them mix though?!?!? They Just kinda play one song after another, I won't harp on this, but it's kind of a big deal (to me) in a night club environment. Now to the Ale House's DJ's defense he always catches me off guard w/ some underground Texas rap and I'm like "okay I see you doing your thing." :) I just really have high expectations for this place, and rightfully so. It's sorta like how you always want to see your loved ones do well in life..... Peace read more

Great Atmosphere....if I was single and 10 years younger. Very young crowd. Drink specials include a mini pitcher for $5 which contained about 5-7 shots of spirits. Live band. 4-5 bars. Terrace level is nice. read more

Had a great time with some friends here and they have some really good drink specials

Fun place to get hammered on a weekend, but not much else. It seemed like most everyone there was in college, and the drink specials ($10 for a pitcher of mixed drink) kind of explain why. I don't really know why this place had a line, as there are plenty of other good locales nearby. It is in a fun area, though, and the staff was friendly. read more

I can't say I like this place. If you come here early, it's not bad. But it's dark, not cheap, and there's not much to like about it. Also, almost every time I've been here some drunk dude has talked my ear off the entire time I was there. So it's not my favorite spot. read more

Tried to get in with a family member visiting from California, three people from Texas and a fourth, age 31 from California all with the same last name and no dice. I hope TABC fines you for anything. read more

If you're looking for good drink specials and a place to dance on 6th, this is it. They have multiple levels to hang out and dance and three bars to serve you. Overall it's a quintessential 6th street bar and one of the better places to go on a night out in the area. read more

Great Place to go and hang out on the back patio under the southern sky and take in a Nate Vancil Performance! Great Drinks! and great friends read more

I have been going here for a while, and it is almost always fun. I will admit that I go mostly to see an awesome Bartender, Dax, but the bar is cool too. I like all the options a far as atmosphere. read more

Not Very Impressed with the service or the atmosphere of this place. I wish the door guy talked less to the people who were not trying to get in, and spent more time checking ID's. The patio and the upstairs bar are way to overcrowded with too many people spilling drink on one another. read more

This is by far my favorite bar in Austin. From the awesome specials, the rooftop bar, and amazing staff this place deserves five stars. This is also the best bar on 6th to go to during the day. Amazing view of downtown from the sunny rooftop. read more

We attempted to go to Shakespeare's Pub on Saturday night with some friends -- but the bouncers turned us away because my [black] husband was wearing Jordan's and they said this wasn't allowed. Sneakers are allowed, running shoes are allowed, and even NO shoes are allowed (I asked if he took his shoes off if he'd be allowed in and they said yes), but no Jordan's. This act of racial profiling is completely disgusting, especially in light of current events. It is unacceptable to treat people this way (not to mention, people who want to spend money at your bar, in turn making you money!), and I am doing everything in my power to spread the word of this sorry establishment. I could go on and on about the respectable man that my husband is, but because of the BRAND of shoes on his feet he was not allowed in. Obviously, I will never go back, but I hope that this review will deter others from supporting a business like this. read more

Im not one for the 6th street. but when i do find my way there i hit Shakespeare's. You cant pass up pitchers of l.i.t. for $5! the rooftop is smaller but it is a nice spot to sip that l.i.t.! read more

Love the new space they added! It's big in there now, so rad.

The stories are true. This place is racist and has discriminatory practices!!! When I emailed them to share my concerns no one got back with me and it's been over a month! They wouldn't let my African-American friend who was wearing fitted slacks and a Banana Republic cardigan sweater into the club because he was wearing "Jordans." The bouncer didn't even know they were Jordans until he asked and my friend is honest so he said yes. Mind you, there is no dress code on their website (because I'm sure they know they would be exposed if they put that in writing). My friend who was with us who is White was wearing baggy jeans, a hoodie, beanie and shoes that were more questionable than my first friend and they let him in. They didn't know he was with us. He walked right back out and we told the bouncer about the issue and he was very dismissive. To top it off, they were closed down last night during Relays (an event that comprises mainly of African-American people). This establishment has no place in Austin! Austin is welcoming and friend to EVERYONE! Not everyone BUT Black people. Please take your business somewhere else! I know I will and I'll be taking my professional friends who spend lots of money with me! read more

Worst place/experience EVER. The first and only time I was there I witnessed a 6ft 200 pound bouncer repeatedly beat the living hell out of a customer (who was 1/4 his size) with a metal bar stool over his head until he was laying in a OCEAN of blood (I wouldn't be surprised if he is dead) for spilling a drink. I have never seen that much blood in my life... I thought their job was to subdue not kill? Absolutely Traumatizing. read more

This place has really gone downhill in the recent past. Once our staple first stop of the night going out on Dirty, I will never be returning to this place. We tried to make a stop in last night and went around back in an effort to avoid the long line. The place was at capacity- one out, one in. No biggie. When I provide my ID, the doorguy asks to see a credit card with my name on it. Literally the only place in Austin that has ever requested this of me. I oblige. As my female friend provides her ID, they request the same. Now my friend is Russian, like, from Moscow. In the Cyrillic alphabet, the name Sonia is a nickname for Sofia. Despite the fact that my friend is 24 and clearly the person on her ID, they will not let her in based upon this n-f discrepancy. I attempt to explain to the doorguy the Baltic alphabet spiel, and he is not having it. I mean honestly, that would be a really random and overly detailed lie to contrive, come on. His little toadie on the other side of the door is shouting, "she's rude, get her out of here," simply because I am trying to explain a cultural difference. Turns out that the employees at Shakespeare are rude and suspicious xenophobes. Quite frankly, ya'll can suck it. read more

I will never come back here. Never. I have never been treated with so much disrespect. The bouncer is atrocious. It took forever to get to the front because he was picking and choosing who to let in. I thought it was a little unusual when so many people kept being sent back. He kept yelling at me about making a straight line . Which is, surprisingly, and I mean that in the most sarcastic way, difficult when you are asking people who have been drinking to do just that. He was condescending about how even kindergartners knew how to form a line. He took a look at my friends and refused to let them in. Never again. I wish there was something lower than one star. read more

A bartender here charged my friends for tap water as he deemed it was a "service" he was providing when no other bartender at this same bar charged anyone for simple drinking water. When one member of our group asked him why he was charging for water when it was not on the menu he promptly called security and kicked them out of the bar. Do not go to this bar if you have a designated driver or any member of your group that wants to stay hydrated through the night. read more

I really like this pub. It is open to the street on the second floor. You have a great view of all the action down below and you can see the balconies across the way as well. The inside has several different levels and multiple bars. The crowd is fun. Everyone seems to be having a good time. The drinks are not remarkably price but not expensive either. read more

I go here pretty much every time I'm on 6th because the drinks are so affordable and no cover charge. Always interesting! One time I had a drunk guy and his friends try to pour beer down my throat via their passport. That was unpleasant, but that's more on the people and not the bar. It is 6th street after all. :) read more

I love this place!! I'm visiting on vacation for SXSW and this bar has been awesome. Randall makes the best drinks! Shakespeare's is a beautiful bar and a must visit. read more

I would like to make the public aware that Shakespeare's is the worst bar on 6th street. I was with my friends for one of their 22nd birthdays and my friend was assaulted. I have never been so disrespected in my life. He ripped my friend back and proceeded to call her a bitch and me many other names. Not only is the bar not fun, the bouncer are horribly rude. I advise you to not waste you time or money on a place that doesn't have the decency to respect their customers. read more

we didn't get to experience the $5 pitchers. maybe that would have brightened up my experience there a little bit. i only got to experience the room in the back (didn't hang out in the front or upstairs) but the music was meh and the crowd was just ok. I'm glad that there are so many other choices on 6th street to choose from. read more

This was one of the first 6th Street bars we tried out and although I love the name of the bar, I was thinking it was going to be some "smart" Starbucks like bar whose patrons are writing in their journals, reciting poetry, or just contemplating....nope, I was wrong! It's just a bar bar and yes the patrons are contemplating but it seemed more like they were staring at the game on TV or just really drunk. Yet, we've actually bought drinks here a few times, the latest being Halloween. The bar is pretty deep with an outdoor area in the back, and there's stairs to the second floor with a pretty good view of 6th street and all the ground activity. Again, nothing extremely special about this place other than it's a good place to put on your bar hopping list.The bar is generally pretty clean and the bartenders are friendly. Chug one down and it's off to the next bar.... read more

walked in looking for something a bit toned down n 6th street... we wanted toned down and quiet, but not dead. 6th street was bustling, this place was on life support. walked across the street and found our balance. beer selection was fair, but lacking for some place touting themselves as an English pub. read more

Beautiful interiors! This venue goes on and on, House-of-Leaves-esque, with the inside bigger than outside external measurements...They have a theatre in the round set up, a small outdoor stage with vines growing up and through the roof, and a second-floor outdoor patio under the hanging bulb lights and stars. When I was there last night, there was a guy wearing a "Yale" T-shirt, ready to cash in on years of prestigious education, I suppose. Despite hearing rumors that everywhere on Dirty Six is bro-town, I did not find a preponderance of bros inside Shakespeare's Pub; perhaps the name itself is a deterrent. I spoke to no one but my friend, but everyone seemed nice, and the bar-eyes everyone was making at each other were not judging/ unkind but were observation/ assessing eyes. Of course it was a sex jungle like everywhere else, but in a kind of performative, self-conscious way. There was a drunk frat boy guy who jumped up on stage, fashioned a boner out of a plastic bag, stuck it in his pants, and waltzed around, performing a plastic erection dance. It was oddly funny and somewhat painful to watch in the epilepsy-inducing lights of Iphone camera flashes. It was expensive, also, $9 dollars for 2 LoneStars, are you kidding me, but at least there was no cover, and again, it was very beautiful inside and on the roof patio. read more

Please tell me others have experienced some form of racial profiling here???? Because I have, not me personally but my boyfriend. I'm hispanic and my boyfriend is black. This shouldnt be an issue but apparently at Shakespeare's it is. I went somewhat recently with my boyfriend and a group of friends, they all were hispanic. We waited in the horrid line in the back alley and when it came time to go in the bouncer let all of us in except my boyfriend, his reasoning? "Your jeans are too baggy, sorry can't come in". What??! We were all shocked, one of my friends whom was with us told him "what do you mean he can't come in?? my jeans are way baggier!" Which was true. As a matter a fact lots of people's jeans and outfits were considerably baggy but my boyfriend was the only one denied adamently. Mind you his jeans were from GAP and they were bootleg, sounds pretty thuggish huh?? We ended up giving up and I wrote this off for a while refusing to believe that this was what I thought it was, I mean we're in Austin right??? One of the most liberal places... so I thought. BUT I recently read a few reviews dealing with this same exact treatment at none other than Shakespeare's. Keep in mind that before this incident Shakespeare's was one of my favorite bars on dirty 6th, I never had any problems getting in, that is until I went with my boyfriend. Haven't gone back since. A shame since I used to think the bar was pretty decent. read more

this is absolutely my favorite bar. ive gotten to know lots of the staff and they are just wonderful, danny and eric are amazing bartenders and all of the door-guys/bouncers are so nice. both of the photographers devon and taylor are always running around capturing great moments that i dont always remember haha. thursdays have definitely gotten very crowded and ive seen a few reviews about the bartenders getting into it with patrons but at the same time i dont know how many times ive seen someone order a pitcher hand them a $5 and walk away. THEY WORK FOR TIPS I WOULD BE PISSED TOO! in all i always have an amazing time and will continue to be there thurs friday and sat. and occasionally a few weekdays too they always have great specials as well as karaoke with gino and beerpong nights. read more

Totally enjoyed a Wednesday evening at this bar. $2 well drinks made me happy and the funky guitar picker/singer/songwriter were great, as was the bartender who kept me with full drinks while not pushing them on me. Meeting a wonderful German lady and having a great connection with her didn't hurt either ;) 6th Street in Austin is awesome! read more

Best bar in the world. To drink or not to drink? In the words of Pitbull, "Ummmm. Yes." Keep on keepin on.

Talk about good deal! I just got back from Austin and have to say this was one of my fav bc of the cheap drinks, On friday Long island pitchers go for $5 only!! you defiantly cant beat that! and its $10 on any wells on saturday! They are big enough for three ppl but i finished one on my own! for $5 or $10 buck you just cant beat that anywhere! and Im from houston where a baby drink cost you $10 bucks! so this was dirt cheap for me!! I recomend going here first to get wastted then bar hop after!! read more

this is my kind of beer joint.not to loud.nice folks.dont forget to tip the beertenders.they work hard to get yall drunk.stay thirsty my friends!!! read more

Ive come to Shakespeare's Pub plenty of times. Always had a good experience as well. Ive heard how they "racially" discriminate against people but me being a white male never experienced such a thing. However on my best friends birthday we go downtown to have some drinks and they suggested shakespeares. I was in a very nice button down dress shirt and jeans and a pair of new jordans my girlfriend bought for me. We were wanting in line and everyone got in and i was the last to show my ID. The bouncer said have a good night and as i started walking he puts his hands on me and says "sorry can't let you in because your wearing jordans" Talk about a Discriminatory bar at its finest. its not that I'm wearing all sweat pants or dressed like a bum, NO. Im wearing jordans so you can't come into our bar. Shakespeares has a thing or two to learn about being a non discriminatory institution, its not a nice club, its not a membership thing you have to sign. The bouncer clearly stated to me people who wear jordans cause a problem in our bars. Well you created your own problem guys. I wonder if Michael Jordan himself came to your bar wearing his own shoes you would most likely let him in because its in your best interest. Now I'm seeing nothing but your a racist bar all over your reviews only to realize you could be racist but its too hard to see behind the fact that you plainly and openly to the public flat out just discriminate against people. My 10 friends and I decided we would never return to your bar and will help out any way shape or form to make sure no one returns to your bar. I was born and raised in austin Texas, and your an insult to our states capital. read more