The first time I went here it was alright, nothing amazing, just alright. The drinks were alright, the music was decent, the crowd was better than the average Red River pretentious crap you usually find. So overall, I had an alright time here, my first time. The SECOND time was far different. I had been hanging out with this girl who was pretty cool, but she always wanted to hang out in the Red River District which I detest as much as the Warehouse District for the same reasons, pretentious pricks. Well she decided she wanted to go out and me being a nice guy I said I would go with her to Red River to "give it a chance". The first place she wanted to visit was here favorite joint, Side Bar. We walked up, the door guy asked for my ID, I handed it to him, he told me it didn't look like me (are you serious you fu*king idiot?) and then said I couldn't come in. DONE. Side Bar sucks, Red River sucks. My friend and I turned around and walked away, I thought she was going to cry she was so upset that I didn't get to see her "spot" or experience Red River with her. Boo hoo. BTW, the picture on my ID is from when I was 16 because when you are in the military the State of California just sends you a new ID without worrying about a new pic. I have never had a problem with it in my life and I play shows downtown every night of the week. The door guys was an idiot, not even sure he spoke English, I couldn't understand what he was really saying anyway. Needless to say we got the hell out of there and actually went to hang out at Wal-Mart and do some late night grocery cart racing. Overall, Side Bar is just another Red River bar. Nothing special, nothing worth writing home about OR bringing out of town guests too. I should also note that later on I realized the girl was crazy like the rest of the "I am so hip in my hand me down clothes and lip ring" crowd. read more

Patio area? Check. Pool table? You got it. BOOTHS!? Am I dreaming? (Also, why do I love booths so much?) Watching Cowboy Bebop while drinking the strongest G&Ts to ever hit my lips? I'm 95% sure this is what love feels like. If you're going to show in the area, make the Side Bar your first stop. Take a stand against the overpriced tall boy lone stars at area venues. You can (and should) take comfort in a mixed drink at Side Bar, where their loving, intoxication-friendly pours will keep your wallet as happy as that time you were thrilled to learn you DIDN'T leave your credit card at Molotov. Strong drinks. Great location. BOOTHS. Win-win-win. read more

Whenever I call my friends who I want to go hang with downtown, inevitably they are at Side Bar. I love the idea of Project Runway nights! And although I missed most of the season because I had no idea this phenomenon was taking place- I joined in at the end for the most vocal group of serious Project Runway fans, ever. Seating is tough, as they are always packed. They have a nice outdoor patio with a bartender who makes a mean bloody Mary. A good mix of varying people and fun activities....many people pick Sidebar as their favorite hangout, and really don't find the need to go anywhere else. Highly recommended- not for the venue, which is just eh, but for the vibe. It has a good one. read more

Side Bar is like a secret little gem downtown. It's kind of a dive bar, but classier than that. The doorman will inevitably call you "baby" or "honey," and I kind of appreciate that he does that to all girls, no matter what. He's a non-discriminating nicknamer. A couple nights ago, he says to me and my friend in his Italian accent, "My manager says I no call the girls baby because it is too too much. You like honey okay?" Then he even asked my male friend too, which was so cute- my friend said "Maybe in a few drinks." Zing! Anyway, once in, there' s a great jukebox, and the nicest bartenders I've seen in downtown Austin. They're friendly and smile and don't act like they're getting paid to act too cool for school. Seriously- genuinely nice people behind the bar! Liquor drinks are seriously strong here, so make sure you order something you can stomach. I'm a little baby about that, so I abandon my usual vodka tonics here for something girlier, because they are STRONG. But that's a good thing, you know? They're just hooking you up. $3 wells. Ample seating, never too crowded (though I can't imagine that will last forever, because this place is great...), and the jukebox has like, Patsy Cline AND Arcade Fire AND David Bowie- crazy huh? I know. You should go. Just don't tell everyone in the world, okay? read more

If I could have a series of places be included in one overall review, I would call it Red River Crawl, and Side Bar would of require a spot on the list. But, I can't, and now that I think of it, deserves to have it's own treatment. Huge Indoor area, feels uncramped. There's stacks of kegs as you walk in, a smorgasbord of furniture arranged to create areas to sit, 2 pool tables, 2 dart boards, a faux-jukebox (all that crap is completely electric now, no more fun flipping cd covers), and a long, snaking bar. The bartenders are on top of their game all the time, and don't linger around to see if you leave a tip (which increases my inclination to tip more generously). Mixed drinks are strong (bang for your buck), and the beers are cheap cheap cheap (as long as you resist the imports, that is). Side Bar is where I skinned my teeth on Lonestar, as I spent many years before that excommunicating friends who even talked about Lonestar as beer. Days Gone By. That being said, Outside. Interesting, not what you'd expect, i guess, but it's rad. Serves it's purpose well. Keeping in mind that the whole bar is a pretty chill-in-a-standing-up-and-chatting-up-strangers sort of way, the back fits well. It looks like a backyard filled with gravel, lawn furniture, metal tables and, um, school desks. Only some of which are in 1 true piece anymore. There's also a convenient bar outside (open depending on the night/crowd as far as I can tell), and, just have to give props to Cory, a Bartender there, who has always been representative of what that place seems to want to be. read more

This is the best place to go and my gals and I head there often. Think a contemporary Cheers and there you have it. Friendly staff who are generous with the pouring, the conversation, the high fives, the ribbing, and most importantly the sincerity. Trey and his wife know what a "family run" establishment is, and they instill that in their staff. Strongest drinks for 3 bucks, eclectic juke box, and it has not yet (crosses fingers) been inundated by the 6th street crowds. Me loves my Side Bar. P.S. Bathroom line sucks for the ladies, but they know and are working to resolve it. Crosses fingers again. read more

These bartenders are TRYING to get you shitfaced, I swear! Such strong, reasonably-priced drinks, polite service, good crowd, GREAT patio. I am definitely a fan. Possibly the only thing I'd complain about is the indoor part of the bar; it's just kind of..large, and always very crowded and chaotic (as in, you can barely even walk). I've actually never hung out in there, always head for the patio. There's kind of a bottleneck to get outside, and the bathrooms are right at the bottleneck...still, great bar. read more

Everyone here is super magical. Really nice bartenders. Decent prices. Pool tables, Bowie and Misfits in the background... But then, it all goes downhill when you're forced to go to the back patio area and must figure out how to drunk-walk through a field of pebbles wearing 5 inch heels. All I wanted was a cigarette. :( read more

The Side Bar is my new old favorite watering hole. I want to make out with whoever chose the jukebox selection. The drinks are super, duper strong and poured by competent and quick bartenders who I would also probably make out with. There's also a second potty in the ladies restroom now, which I would be less likely to make out with, but I am still very happy to greet. One thing that bars on Sixth and bars on Red River have in common is the type of shrieky girl gang that loves to hang out in bathrooms. Whether they're wearing a hipster costume or clubwear, these super annoying chicks are always jamming in bathrooms OMGing away my sanity pee by pee. Thank you, Side Bar, for not having these girls. I don't know how you keep them out, but I enjoy a quicker pee and more adequate sink space here than anywhere else. I think it might be because the doorman WILL turn away sketchy IDs, which is awesome. He also plays the harmonica and looks like Eugene Mirman's cousin. read more

Side bar is a whole in the wall kind of bar. Perfect if you are seeking a relaxed casual atmosphere. It may come off a little rough but they have great happy hour deals. They offer pool and darts for games. The staff was nice. The bathrooms were vandalized in graffiti but it was fitting for this bar. It may appear closed from the outside but take a chance open the door ! We would come back for the deals and games. read more

I don't know that I've ever left here seeing straight, and that's just what I love about a good dive bar. This was the place, 4 years ago, when I first came to visit Austin, made me fall in love with the city and made me move here inside of a month. It's nothing to look at (but really, if that mattered, I'd be partying elsewhere), dark inside, crazy bathrooms, mismatched patio furniture, but it *feels* good. Gotta love the sound spillover from Red Eyed Fly, it's like a free concert! read more

Side Bar is a good ol' neighborhood hangout spot that I just dont hang out in enough. Partly because its not really in a neighborhood, it's downtown, which attracts downtown types who can, from time to time, ruin the hang out bar vibe. Mostly though, this place is pretty chill. It doesn't have much in the way of original atmosphere or music, though the back patio gives you plenty of free tunes from the Red Eyed Fly's stage, which can make it hard to chill of an evening and yammer with your cohorts. This is another case of I wanna go with 3 1/2 but can not. Amendment: The owner bought me a shot of whiskey, instant 5 star review. What was I thinking before, really? read more

You know what, Side Bar, I liked you. You were chill and the drinks were cheap. What I did not like was the crazy kid that sat next to me at the bar. Kid: "So what was your major in college?" Me: "Child Development." Kid: "That's cool. I wish I could have kids." Me: "You're too young for kids!" Kid: "No, I wish I could have them with my body." Haha! Good times! read more

Dear Side Bar, I think I may be falling in love with you. At first I wasn't so sure, but you've changed, I no longer have to wait in giant lines for the bathroom, I can usually hear myself speaking, you always save a seat for me at the bar, and your cheap Red Bull vodkas are so strong I generally need to have someone else recount the night for me the following day. I also had a great time with you at the 40 watt party during sxsw and find you generally agreeable and laid back. Call me sometime. I think we could be something special. Love, Me read more

I was kinda diggin' you last night, Side Bar. We snagged ourselves a prime outdoor area and continued to enjoy ourselves for a couple our of great talk with good bar. Beers are around $4 apiece and a pitcher is around $15. It's not much of a save, but it's a dollar. Even though the bar was always packed, we always got served within minutes. I give that a thumbs up. There's nothing that I hate more than standing at the bar waiting to be noticed...and being rudely ignored. Thankfully, that did not happen here. read more

3.5 stars Nice bar with an outdoor area. The beer was decently priced and the crowd was okay. We stopped by during SXSW, and it was a nice spot to go to get away from the large, crazy crowds. read more

I've been to Side Bar in two separate contexts: festival time and normal time. Festival time, Side Bar is a great venue with a cool outside area that lends itself to fun chillwave bands or whoever gets booked there. Normal time, it's a great off-6th bar that caters itself to alcoholic cognoscenti that appreciate their incredibly stiff drinks for an affordable price - a $3 G&T here is worth at least a double anywhere else. The crowd is worth a few points alone. Since it's an entire street off the beaten path it attracts a slightly different crowd than your typical bar - get ready for the kind of offbeat conversation with strangers you normally have to go to east 6th for. I don't think this bar is in anyone's normal rotation, but if you need a punishingly heavy series of mixed drinks to end the night after being lured downtown, you almost can't do better than here. read more

The review that mentioned zeitgeist in San Francisco was right on, this place feels very much like that bar. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the excellent bottled beer selection this place has. I was able to get an Asahi here for 3 dollars which is very uncommon in this city. All in all Side Bar has a great vibe, an excellent outdoor patio and usually pretty chilled out people. 4 Stars! read more

Get a drink and stay a while! The Side Bar offers an atmosphere more fit for a neighborhood bar than for a place a block off Sixth Street. The inside, while a bit small (but not at all cramped) is pleasantly dark (be careful going between the in and the out if the sun is still up). The back patio feels more like a courtyard. It is very gravely and the tables are very tipsy so be careful out there. But on a nice night (or even a hot and humid night), it's still a nice place to hang out. The bartenders are efficient and pour a stiff drink. You can bet I'll be back -- even if next time I have to pay for my own drinks. read more

I'm pretty indifferent so far, but I'll probably be back. It was fine, prices were fine, but I parked at 10th and Congress and it was basically the opposite end of downtown, which sucked in heels at nearly 1 a.m. That's my own silly fault, but it was no fun having to walk past the shelter in my nice-ish work clothes, trust me. Anyway, took a while to get my drink ($2.50 Lone Star on tap), and I handed the bartender my credit card. I guess she assumed I was opening a tab when I wasn't (it was pretty busy), so I stood there waiting and waiting for her to come back with my receipt and had to eventually walk away and come back after last call for my card. Atmosphere was fine but nothing really stood out. Didn't check out the patio. I'll try a happy hour sometime (or try parking closer so I can have more than one drink before closing) and report back. read more

Kind of eh about this place. A buck more than Creekside for most drinks, and they don't serve Lonestar tall boys. Perhaps that helps retain a larger hipster contingent. It's divey and there is an outdoor area in back. It's basically the place where friends drag you at 11:30-12 after finishing one or two tall boys at Creekside or insert_other_red_river_bare_here. I should really give it a shot though as my main for one night. read more

**woohoo 100th review, happily goes to The Side Bar** This is our go-to when we want to catch a MEAN buzz for $10. I mean, if you go to urbandictionary and google "sidebar pour" it comes up as "A ridiculously excessive pour." You are basically drinking a glass of liquor with a splash of mixer. It is dingey, divey, grodey, and full of tattooed hipsters. The bartenders and friendly, and the pool tables and darts are always fun. This is a good place to hang out with friends but if you want good music or to impress a date definitely go elsewhere. Really good for groups with long picnic style tables. Only annoying thing is the cigarette salespeople everywhere. read more

Great drinks, great bartenders, great prices, great place! It's a real casual place; before 8pm-ish, you can have the whole place to yourself. A rare thing I love about this place is that they play netflix on their TVs. I haven't found a bar like that since I left SF. It's just another place from Austin I wish I could take back to LA! read more

Not just my favorite bar in town, but pretty much my favorite place. A night that ends in Side Bar is always a night that ends well. For the ideal Side Bar experience, hit the bar up on a weekday night between 11 PM and midnight and plan to stay until they close. Stay inside with the awesome jukebox. Bring some friends and grab a table, or come alone and sit at the bar. You always make new friends at Side Bar! Drinks are extremely strong and cheap, and if you get to coming around pretty regularly you'll get all sorts of discounts and freebies, making it easy to get pretty drunk for under $10. The bathroom line is pretty long for girls, but who really cares? Make some friends in the line. As long as you don't take an hour to pee, everyone's happy! read more

Cool divey bar right off 6th street. Retro interior is dark and comfortable and reminds me of a larger version of Club Deville. A couple pool tables up front and some couches and chairs to get comfortable. Interesting art can be found on all the walls. Drinks were cheap and strong and they have a decent variety of draft beer as well. Lame patio out back, but I guess it beats no patio, especially if you are a smoker. Cool place to chill and have a cocktail. read more

This is NOT my bar. As much as I want to love this place, I just really really really don't. First of all, yes, they have cheap drinks. That being said, this makes this bar INSANELY crowded, especially on the weekends. This bar just isn't set up for that type of traffic. There are only 2 bathroom stalls, and they are in the walkway to the outside area. THEN the bar outside always seems to be a cluster...the lines always flow into where people are hanging out so it never seems clear as to who is waiting for a drink and who is simply hanging out. However, I don't DISLIKE THIS bar. The bar staff is one of the bests out there and when this place isn't crowded (random weekday evenings), it's fun to drink a beer and play pool and stretch out on the couch inside. read more

Bartenders: excellent! Beer: COLD! Scenery: A-OK! You can sit outside and chat it up with friends or sit inside and do the same. There's a pool table for you ball lovers too! It was my second time there and I was pleasantly surprised that the bartender knew me by name. How do bartenders remember you're name after one visit? Who cares! She's good! The side bar is where I learned that ordering the same ol beer you always order can actually be like ordering a new beer all together. I don't think any bar has ever served me such a cold beer. This might sound lame to go on about, but a COLD COLD beer is yuuuuuuumy! Guys, you get me right? Side Bar...I heart you. read more

I stopped drinking, thank God, but every time I walk past the Side Bar I get a nostalgic tear in my eye. I have had so many sloppy nights start out at the Side Bar... usually I'm with a group of people waiting for the Barbarella crowd to pick up steam and we need to pass an hour or two... "Just one drink," we say, until 40 minutes later we're like teenagers who partied too hard with their parents' liquor cabinet. The drinks here are STRONG - I used to get double screwdrivers and only needed a couple to pass the threshold into definitely tipsy, slightly drunk. Prices are actually pretty reasonable, considering the location. Bartenders are busy, so no judgement toward them on my part. Fellow patrons usually have beards and tank tops (if they're dudes) and the ladies love wearing black and high heels. It's that posh young Austin crowd. I didn't belong to that crowd particularly, but it didn't matter. The back area where my smoker self spent most of my time has picnic tables so you can get cozy with other customers. My friend once got into an argument with an English dude who got sick of her calling him a bloody wanker. I guess you had to be there. A non-alcoholic toast to this bar, which is truly great. read more

The Sidebar is awesome! The Owners and staff are awesome people. Yes, it's been a bit overrun by the many rejects from Beauty Bar that spill over across the street... but so what... more to laugh at :) it's still a great bar, great prices, great jukebox. I'm glad to support an awesome locally owned business. read more

Side bar is the best if you desire the lowest quality service for the price! There are horrendous practices in place. Staff will literally cuss you out for no reason (Britney/Tara). Spend literally a few dollars more and go across the street to save yourself from this unpleasant experience. Yeah the drinks here are stiff, but it's because they don't want you to remember how rude the staff behaves. read more

What can I say about Sidebar? I liked your dingy porch out back. You had decent beer on tap. You had couches and art on the wall that I enjoyed. But honestly, if I had never been to you, would I be lesser for it? Like the girl who talked to me for 60 seconds last night as I was ordering a drink from a bar, will I remember you a month from now, or are we just two ships who passed in the night that were ultimately indifferent to each other? Who's to say? Maybe you have cool events or bands or whatever from time to time and we could grow to love each other. But when I walked in to your life, there were five people sitting on a couch watching Lost. Lame. read more

Great dive bar and bartenders all around. This place gets really packed really quickly, so when you have to wait a few extra minutes for the cheapest and best drinks downtown...Don't be a dick. Thanks for being kick ass Side Bar! read more

This is my kind of dive. Great location near the parking under the bridge and across from Red7 and Holy Mountain, so it's convenient for before and after shows. The atmosphere is darkly lit, with super friendly bartenders, and a big patio in the back. They usually have sports or something off-the-wall on TV. Everyone that goes there is usually in a great mood and fun to talk to! And the drinks are very reasonable. My beloved Strongbows are now only $4. I'm DOWN. Go check this place out if you haven't! read more

I honestly don't remember much that night but I do remember it was a good time. We went directly to the patio outdoors where we sat down at a table and drank for an hour or so. It was the last bar we went to for my friends' bachlorette party. I love the outdoor seating and the drinks were cheap. As far as I could tell this place was a win win just on that. read more

The Side Bar is a fun place to go with friends if you want to relax & not fight a crowd! I'm a fan of Sixth or the more hoppin DT area, but this is a fun place to get a few drinks no matter your destination. I especially love the roomy patio! And they have great beers on tap, even if the other drinks are strong (seriously. really.) I love that they had ABITA STRAWBERRY THERE. I miss that beer....yummmmm. read more

Love, love, love Side Bar. Not pretentious, not pricey, great spot. So many things to love about this place. I'm pretty sure I spent half of SX just chilling here waiting for the next show (plus listening to music coming from other locations). The inside works great with pool tables and a large bar, but the outside is really where I feel at home. It's a roomy, rocky area filled with benches. Kind of feels like someone's really big backyard where a bunch of cool folks congregate. Nothing beats that. If you're looking to avoid being outside, the jukebox inside is easily one of the best in town. That's something to brag about for sure! read more

This place is definitely a dive and a bit dingy as well. Lets be real for a second, the only reason I stop by this place is to get a real strong cocktail before I head out for my night. For less that $10 bucks you can get yourself a serious cocktail that will keep you dancing all night long. The inside bar can get full pretty fast but there is a nice outside area. Unfortunately, the outside area usually has tobacco sales vultures hovering around. Pro Tip: If you are just trying to chill for the night this is your spot. Drinker beware, those cocktails are hella strong. read more

Wow, this was a good find. Super strong $3 well drinks. Cool bartenders and patio area. The only thing I dislike is the location. It's not in the best part of downtown. I wouldn't want to be walking around by myself. So make sure you grab some friends, then go have some drinks and a good time! read more

This absolutely rocks! Every time I end up there it feels like home. It's like my neighborhood bar except I don't live downtown. It's never too crowded, I can always get in a game of pool or darts. The bar is spacious and they're always playing some cool stuff on the TVs like Family Guy or the last time I was there it was the original Flash Gordon I think. This place is what I could only hope for if I had my own garage bar or something. Two words "double talls"!! Man they make some mean strong drinks there. Finally, the jukebox is one of the best in town. You can hear Cash, TV on the Radio, Willie, N.E.R.D, Death Cab, or some cool retro funk compilations. The jukebox and the drinks is probably most of the reason why I love to end up there. Plus is right next door to Creekside, yet another favorite of mine! read more

To be perfectly I honest, I come to Side Bar mostly to get over the fact that Creekside Lounge, my former favorite Austin bar™, is now defunct -- Side Bar's back area reminds me vaguely of Creekside. Of course, Side Bar has many great things going for it: $3 well drinks that are strong as anything; Friendly, personably staff that remembers you by name; And lots and lots of eye candy. Gay? I sure am. Although a good handful of straight boys that comes here are borderline gay, which makes flirting difficult and disappointing, there are plenty of alternagays that hang out here prior to heading over to Barbarella and Elysium. read more