My go-to spot to get away from my wife and enjoy time with my boyz. This place is inviting and welcoming. Great dancing!

The burgers were as juicy as the wait staff .... gone are the days of cruising & boozing, here are the days of an almost upscale eatery. The burgers and BLT are fresh, the onion rings are golden perfection. It a wanting and a promise in the air of dancing and finding that perfect person to make your Saturday night complete. You just know when the pandemonium is under control this place will once again be a bright star in the rainbow flag. read more

The Iron Bear - 3 doubles, 2 ppl eating. - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

Don't know, a place that is open but not the kitchen? A bartender that gives you a witbeer when you ask for a lager? Attitude right to left! Nope, I pass! read more

I'm all for acceptance and inclusion but when I go to a gay bar I'm like Homer Simpson and if you know the show you will know the line. This bar has it all! It was created in the time between...never mind! I love this place. It's a guys bar where they don't care if you are wearing last season Prada or a pair of ripped Wranglers. The beer is ice cold and in Sunday it's almost free. Unlike some of the other bars in the neighborhood I see fewer bachelorette parties here and it's a little refreshing given that they can get a little crazy sometimes. I like the casual atmosphere and the music is a mix of country, rap, club, and old fashioned disco. The parking is like all Austin parking. They want us to visit downtown but take all the parking....oh silly Austin. If you're tired of the same 'ol same 'ok this might be the Bear bar to try. Thanks read more

Might seem inclusive but it's not. Still mean gurl around here. Not really great service.

I have ordered food from Iron Bear a few times since my initial review. It seems clear that that staff were having a difficult start to food service but the kinks have worked out. I love it! The food is delivered hot, reasonably quick, and most importantly...good. Recommend! read more

Loved the super cunty bartenders!! 100/10 would definitely recommend!!! And the beer is good too!!!

My burger was tasty, however it lack seasoning. My top shelf margarita tasted like lemonade. I did stir My drink and still taste like lemonade. I end up buying a extra shot which did not make it better. Our waitress was amazing and granted the food was not my cup of tea her service was A1. read more

Had an amazing experience with great food and drinks, staff made the service safe and always welcoming! Try out their fried green beans and take down The Daddy Bear!!!Kyle Kline read more

The Iron Bear - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

I'm from NYC and visit austin for work around 6 times per year and this bar has INCREDIBLE music. I've been to all the other gay bars in austin and they all play typical "gay bar" music but coming here recently on Saturday for an underwear night once again the following Friday solidified the fact that the DJ here really has eclectic flair. Yeah your gonna hear some of the pop hits but in between the mix of queer, disco and down right filthy house music had me wanting to be here all the time. Maybe I've been lucky every time I've been here but this is the kind of music you hear in the darkest, dankest, best clubs and I'm here for it. Don't even get me started on the drinks, I've not had a single bad drink here and compared to NY they are practically free. Come here. read more

Full disclosure: I was hammered when I went here. Hammered at a bear bar on a Tuesday night. I swell with pride. Consequently, I don't remember much. I recall that it was a cute set up. There was a long bar, some tables, a couple bartenders...pretty standard. My drinking companions were friends of mine who I wouldn't call bears, but they seemed to fit in a little more gracefully than me, since I'm not nearly hairy enough to be considered an "otter" (a skinny hairy gay guy). I don't care for the term "otter" for several reasons, not least of which is that it sexualizes my "Otterbox" phone case even more, when people already claim the chunky protective layers and silicone rubber turned my BlackBerry into a lesbian. I hadn't been to a bear bar since The Chain Drive when I was having one of my nights out with JB. I never know if there's any sort of different etiquette or mating rituals, but they always seem like nice, jolly fellows. They're usually quite approachable. I remember when some people freaked out when the Palins were shown filming too close to some bears, and it took me a whole week to realize they were floating down a river past *actual* bears, and they hadn't mistakenly wandered into an Alaskan bear bar. The second scenario sounds way more interesting. The next day, I realized I'd lost my debit card. Ugh, such a barfly thing for me to do. I called Iron Bear and left a message asking if I left the tab open. The bartender from the night before left me a prompt return voicemail, and said that I had dropped my card several times that night and he had found it using a flashlight. He informed me I always slipped it back into my pocket, and not into my billfold. Brilliant. The bartender was really sweet about the whole thing, but I know I probably made a crappy impression. The debit card was found in my friend Shea's car, along with my Burberry shades. I can't explain the sense of relief. At least I wasn't stupid enough to drive. I'll be back. Next time only buzzed, and next time only with cash. 4 woofs out of 5. read more

First time in Austin, my wife and I got absolutely sloshed on 6th st and wandered our way in this wonderful bar. We were greeted by The bartender who was wearing some short of tiny underwear which was so cool. We had never seen anything like it. The karaoke selection was incredible as well, all of the hits I listen to on a daily basis. One downside, it was kind of a sausage party. My wife left halfway though the night unfortunately. But all the patrons and Austinites are so nice, I didn't pay for a single drink the entire night!! If you come to Austin you must come to the bear. What a time of my life. read more

My first time here and I have to say, this is closer to my gay scene back in Indy (I never in a million years would have thought Indpls would have a more happening gay scene than someplace like Austin...but go figure?). Don't let the name fool you...this place is more panda than grizzly and a good time waiting to happen (if you're willing to let it). You can shake your money-maker, just chill, or stand around amongst old friends and new and enjoy people watching or eye-guzzling the yummy chunks of manmeat behind the bar. As a straight female who loves her gays, I can come here with my gaggle and everyone will have a great time! There is no "stranger danger" vibe and It was surprisingly easy to meet and talk to people here as they are much more approachable than the cliques you tend to see at OCH or Rain. Drinks were almost on the pricey side, but the crowd and atmo more than compensated. read more

*sigh* Sometimes I wish I was a big hairy gay dude. That way I could frequent the Iron Bear more often. I love this place- especially on Halloween! That was so much fun! Love, ChQBby read more

Gay bar. Had no idea we were walking in to a gay bar, we had a blast. Pool table lots of room great music. Everyone was fun! Had some drinks met some really great people. Didn't interact much with staff. It's definitely a straight friendly gay bar. read more

The guys at Iron Bear pull off establishing a bear bar better than most other cities and I think Austin culture has something to do with it. Not exclusively all bear all the time, but most definitely fits into the mindset of the bear culture. The place is not too trendy, not dive-y. Almost resembles what you would expect a neighborhood bar to be like. And the service is always good. Bartenders are courteous. When they first opened the lack of a smoking patio was a bit odd, but the crew solved it by making their own in front of the building by roping it off. It's this kind of adaptation that makes this bar. read more

The Iron Bear - Sexxxy red lighting - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

My favorite 'family' bar in Austin. I love that it's not right in the middle of the other bars, that the staff has always been friendly, and that beer is the default beverage of choice for most of the patrons. We usually hit the place up in the early afternoon and leave as the crowd starts to pack in. It is a smallish place and when it gets full it can literally be elbows to....well you get my drift. They always have some sort of event or special going on so be sure to check their site, FB, etc. read more

The Iron Bear - Top 'o the pint to ya! - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

I can't really give a review on anything but the trivia night I went to. I went for geeks who drink trivia night on Thursday and had a great time. Some of the trivia questions that were visually based were shown on the projector screen. read more

The Iron Bear - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great welcoming staff on Karaoke night. Had a fantastic night and the drinks were amazing.

The staff is really nice! Also the food, man the food. Loved the fried pickles, and the smash burger was delicious! There are still more than a few items I want to try as well! Definitely coming back for more! read more

I'm glad the IRON BEAR is open. Nice safe place to meet. Eat great burgers, chicken sandwiches, wings yo die for and those damn Egg Rolls. Gotta love Mac, Jason, Alpha, Chops , KYLE. And all the guys. read more

First time on 6th street , stopped in and ended up going back 3 times in 2 days . Great bar, staff was awesome!

The old place on 8th Street was awesome. The new place on 6th street is going to be that much better. More room, seating, a stage and - they will be serving food. I had the mozzarella sticks, chicken strips and onion rings for lunch and couldn't have been happier. The new place isn't fully open yet but will be very soon and I encourage anyone to check this place out. The staff is super friendly and dedicated to making the place a success - so let's show them some support! read more

A cool friendly downtown gay bar. Older, younger, hairy or not. Typical Austin laid back vibe. Dog friendly and you don't have to war a collar :) read more

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I love coming here for drinks or snacks. To watch the game or hang with friends. The bartenders are always very friendly and the owner is too. The food is REALLY good and I highly recommend the pork tacos. They're amazing! read more

Usually enjoy the crowd and atmosphere, but last night we had a terrible experience. I brought my straight, black, female friend to enjoy some karaoke with me. She stood at the bar (while I used the restroom) only to have the bartender completely disregard her presence...taking orders and serving customers around and behind her. When she asked if she was going to be served, he replied, "There's a bartender over there who could serve you." We were dumbfounded! Her question to me, "How can you be gay and a bigot at the same time?" Speechless, angry, and sad we left...and will never return. People on the margins must not marginalize others. We can do better. Shame on you, Iron Bear. read more

There's nothing pretentious about this friendly neighborhood gay bar! The bar staff is friendly, great jukebox, cute men (and boys) and fun atmosphere. Iron Bear is very involved in the LGBT community and hosts and variety of fundraisers and beer busts on a regular basis. read more

My favorite downtown hangout! Always a good time here, a lot of fun themed evenings! The drink prices are spot on! Can't wait for this location to be up and running! It will definitely be my local after-work hangout spot! Their hours aren't just happy, they're downright gay read more

After drinking and looking at high falutin' art and sweating and drinking some more, I strolled on up the street from Art City Austin to the Iron Bear to meet some people for a Sunday adventure. Little did I know I was going to discover one of my new fave places. I went into the bar to grab a beverage and encountered a bevy of manly dudes, free food, $5 pitchers and a raffle. My bill was practically free despite paying for many drinks at our table and I had a fantastic time ruthlessly flirting with dudes, chatting about the new cool this and that and watching them ogle each other. Iron Bear is a dark horse. The friendly folks, cheap drinks and the kitschy appeal of it being a bear bar puts it firmly in my regular rotation. read more

This seems like a very friendly place. As my friend and I were walking up to the door, guys on the patio said hello to us, which hasn't happened to me at any other bars. The crowd inside seemed fairly friendly. The drinks were strong and cheap, and the bartenders had fun attitudes and seemed happy to be there. They had free food, but we got there too late and there wasn't much left. I like that it's in an area away from the other gay bars. It was nice to be in a bar where people aren't hung up on body images/issues and the crowd was a mix of bears, bear chasers and others. I definitely want to go back and will update this review in the future. read more

Sorry service!!!....got no service!! Waited 30 minutes! Just left the place. Service across the street was awesome!!!! Latin cuisine!!

Listen up, twinks! The Bear is not as scary as you think it is. It's a fun and casual place with nice bartenders who are happy to liquor you up quickly. The crowd is fun, not over-"bear"-ing. Been here a few times with friends, and it's always a good time. I often meet folks here too (no, that doesn't mean what you think it means - thank you very much). I heard they have trivia during the week. I need to check that out. read more

I only have been here once but I loved it the day that I went which was a Sunday!!! The drinks are really inexpensive...and I mean inexpensive. My group of 4 was ordering Top Shelve Liquor and in about 1.5 hours had 8 drinks and 2 shots and only spent $30 not including tip! Awesome! The music is great and the atmosphere is awesome. The barstaff was super nice!!! I believe they have a beer bust on Sunday but beer just isn't my thing...check that out. They have karaoke on Sunday nights which I left right before it started but I am sure it is good given the crowd is pretty chill and fun. I am not a 'bear' by any means but do not let that stop you from visiting this place. I was told it was a bear bar but there were many people from all walks of life in here enjoying themselves and just having a good time. The only con from what I could see if that the patio is really small and cannot fit many people on it. It is on the sidewalk and would be nice if they would or could make it bigger somehow or add another one on the opposite side of the building to allow more customers the chance to chill outside but overall I will most definitely be back!! read more

How many cities the size of Austin have a bear bar? Very few, if any... not that I want to discuss the implications of having such a gay subcultural institution in a market this size but it is a pretty impressive feat. That aside, this is a pretty cool joint for the beard and hairy who also happen to be gay. Located a few blocks off the gay strip, this place is isolated enough to deter the shallow and vain but close enough to civilization that you can easily work it into you queer pub crawl. The beer and liquor selection is quite extensive and rather inexpensive. The majority of the staff are friendly enough and you'll quickly find your favorite. The atmosphere is a little dark and unassuming but presumably you're not there for the ambiance. Additionally, what they consider as a patio is a little misleading. It's more like bistro seating on 9th Street. Get a few bears on the patio and you can imagine what available seating remains. The drink specials are good but the best day to go is Sunday. Their Sunday Beer Busts are the best! Five buck pitchers of Lone Star, you can beat that, actually you can. Along with the Sunday bear (er, I mean beer) specials, they offer a free BBQ. What a deal in these economic times. Friendly bartenders, warm & fuzzy crowds and good drink specials. All this adds up to a grrrrreat time. read more

This is quickly becoming my new favorite bar. Its super clean (thank God!), affordable (great drink specials), and either packed with a nice mixed crowd on Sunday evenings for the Bear Beer Bust or possibly just a nice quiet couple of buzzin' bears on a Tuesday afternoon. Everyone is always super friendly and for the most part not trying to pose and turn their nose up at you like in some other (boy) bars in town. And yet the crowd also isn't old and creepy as can sometimes be the case at some of the "older" bars in town. Also!! free food on Sundays, a tight but nice little smoking area, and friendly talkative bartenders make this an all around fun hangout. Oh! and guest DJs and special parties! read more

Had a really great experience when I first walked into the bar. The bouncer out front was great and so was the Bartneder. My visit was on a Wednesday night, which is karaoke night. The DJ, a woman with purple hair, was completely rude and unprofessional. I asked her how to sign up for karaoke and she acted as if I was incompetent. I asked her simple questions on how to register and she treated me terrible. Once I explained that I was hurting from our of town, she got on the live mike and said"of course a Californian won't understand". Great bar but left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

Ya know, I came here originally when I was watching a friend spin at Karma (I know, I know, but it's his first paying gig and he's legitimately good), and I wanted to get away from, well, Karma. Conveniently there's a bar next door that's NOT full of, well, the kind of people who go to Karma because they *like* it. So I've been back to Iron Bear a few times. I find interesting conversation, a better beer selection than most gay bars, and it's rarely over-crowded. read more

Well I know this is gonna be a shocker... I LOVE THIS BAR! From the owners to the bartenders to the DJ's and the patrons... Everything and everyone is amazing ! read more

Thanks for being a little gay oasis where this old fat queer doesn't feel old or fat but still happily queer. Nice people, good drinks, friendly service, laid-back vibe and music I can relate too even if it is (sometimes) older than some of the otters in here.... read more

Great bar, very friendly bartenders and prices seem on average with other bars. Sunday beer bust is one of the best. Would be nice if they could expand upstairs for a patio or other outside area. The small space out front is nice but it's filled with the smokers. Otherwise, very nice bar and space. read more