Great little joint in a cool spot walking distance from the Liberty Pole. Got lucky and caught a happy hour with live music, the Occasional Saints. Local guys, original music, kind of a mix of honkey tonk, zydeco and 50's Rock. Drinks were good, and relatively cheap for the city. Bartender was friendly. Would definitely go back again to hang out. read more

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Favorite music venue in ROC. Danny curates a fantastic mix of local musicians/band & national touring artists. Always a great gathering of humanity! read more

Visited Abilene for the first time this past Friday. We were downtown for the Jazz Fest and friends asked us to tag along. Great bar! It's small but I don't mind that. They had a fan-freaking-tastic band playing: Buffalo Brass Machine. The whole crowd was dancing and singing and having a grand ole time! The stage and dance floor is small but no one seemed to care. Bartenders were great! Crowded but didn't have to wait long at all for a drink. Good selection of wine, beer, liquor. They do have an outside area but I didn't make it out there this time around. We will go back for sure! read more

Abilene Bar & Lounge - Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Abilene is still amazing! It's one of my favorite intimate venues for shows. They have a good lineup on the reg. I recommend subscribing to their newsletter to get the latest list of upcoming shows. A lot of the bands I enjoy seeing are the folky, bluegrass, country ones. They fit in really well at Abilene. They have several ticketed shows (some that sell out since it's an intimate space) so before you head there spontaneously, check the calendar. Other nights, there are smaller acts that have $5 covers. In general, ticketed shows are always affordable, around $12-15/ticket. They have a nice selection of craft beer (bottles) and liquors (wine too). You'll see many a folks with PBR and Genny in hand. I typically go for an Iron Smoke Whiskey on the rocks or one of their famous Moscow mules. Think of it as a great spot for a date night and music or a place to bob along to great singer/songwriters with friends and a drink. I've had a few birthday celebrations here too. The vibe is just right for a low key hang. You can also rent the upstairs space for private events! Everyone is friendly too. You'll chat up a few folks as you wait for the act to start. read more

A fantastic, super fun place to meet up with friends and see great live music. Danny Deutsch is the owner/proprietor and he is a great music fan and impresario. I've never been to a place that is so lively and full of positive energy! In fact, it is such neat place that I decided to use the facilities to throw a birthday party for my wife (catered by Susan Plunkett). With one band playing upstairs (Infrared Radiation Orchestra) and another downstairs (Tim Clark's Dang!), my party guests had a blast! So, if you're reading Yelp and want to know where to go during the Rochester International Jazz Fest, Abilene is it! read more

Neat little hole in the wall. Nothing spectacular, but no complaints. Just another place. Keep doing your thing, folks!

Must stop for real Americana music. Small stage tight space & bar noise . Early birds get rewarded! read more

Always fun to stop and check out the great performers. My husband and I have been a few Times in recent months and have not been disappointed. Bar staff is friendly and quick. Space is clean. read more

Abilene has been THE PLACE to hang out and have fun out of my house (at least twice) since I live in Rochester. It's a great bar with cool music, amazing service and live concerts going on every week. It's located in an old house, pretty charming from a European point of view, just as if my neighbour decided to run a pub in his place and threw parties but with professional staff smiling at you, of course, and a large beer menu with many light beers, which is very much appreciated. If you don't know Danny yet, he runs this place with incredible skills and a big smile, always making you feel at home and special. You know when people like what they are doing and Abilene's staff are there for you to have a great time! There is also a good size patio (yes, smokers, for you too!) to chill and talk between shows. We saw a super fun Burlesque show the other night and the girls were selling totally fashionable nipple covers, we should have all bought a pair! read more

Abilene!!! Danny D. is the man with a plan. Great new place in town. From the live music to the Jukebox (best in town). This artsy (a cross between lux lounge, mex and a bluegrass bar) well thought location is one of Rochester's little gem's. The back patio is huge with a great view of the city. $2.00 porkslaps, and a ton (seriously a ton) of bottled beers. Great live music, happy bartenders and a real cute owner. read more

Abilene Bar & Lounge - From the Insider Magazine - Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Abilene has long been a favorite venue to see live music for me. The intimate bar space only holds a couple hundred people at most so going to a concert is an intimate experience. We recently saw Dale Watson, which was one of the highest price shows at Abilene at $25. You can see a great show here from $5-$8 a few nights per week. There is a nice outdoor space that's fully fenced and intimate so it doesn't feel like your downtown when you're out there. The bar has just drinks (no food) but the beer selection is impressive, there are a half dozen or so beers of each style and drink specials on the board by the bar. There are 12ish draft lines with a decent selection and wine and mixed drinks as well. The bartenders are great and almost every time I've been in there it's the same two people, this tells me a lot about the bar- it means it's a good place to work. If you get there early or on a night that's not super busy you can get a pint glass, but during a show you're likely to get a plastic cup. I'm a canned beer fanatic so I'm set with the drinking vessel in which my beer was born. read more

I'm so glad to see Abilene with such good reviews. This place is fucking incredible. The vibe is what does it, that and the dirt cheap alcohol. In fact, this is the only bar I've ever enjoyed, anywhere. I live in California now and still reminisce about my too-few trips to Ab. I think the best part was watching a drunk hipster make small talk with absolutely every female in the place, who in turned all adored him like the three-legged puppy at an arts festival. In an image, that sums up Abilene. read more

Best place in Rochester to grab a drink and see live music! Danny, the owner, is a great guy. Highly recommend this spot!

So, I read the few reviews for this place and I thought it must be nice and cool place with live music and all. But was sadly disappointed. I went there this last friday night. It was half packed with a 5$ entry charge. (which I think is a lot for this place) Music was okay, the crew was energetic. The draft beers and ale collection is fine but again beer is overpriced here. And I don't know what the special occasion was but all I saw was 60 year old couples dancing on southern country music. Go there if you are a senior citizen , you may find it interesting. read more

If you enjoy live music with your beer then this is the place for you. Really laid back atmosphere, good service, and did I mention the live music?? They get some really gods acts rolling through, so check their schedule to see who's playing. They have a good selection beer wise and a stocked bar. If you're in the mood for a white russian go ahead and order one up, you'll be making "The Dude" proud. Abilene isn't the easiest place to find, but find it, trust me. This is one of my favorite Rochester bars read more

This place is legit. I am so happy it's on my radar now. Tickets/Cover is anywhere from FREE to $25 depending on the act. They do have a small but legit draft selection and all beers are between $4-5. YAY! Yes, it is a smaller place but that hasn't been an issue for me yet. read more

Abilene really does bring in some great musical acts. I've seen a variety of shows here with bands that you can't hear anywhere else in the area. That's what I like about Abilene: the music. What I don't like: the space. Pretty much because there isn't enough of it. The popularity of the acts has outgrown the size of the venue. Expect to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other patrons and leave with beer on your shoes (I literally had to hold up the glass of someone standing next to me to stop them from pouring it onto the floor). The outdoor area is nice, but I only step out there during the band breaks. And I've never stopped by Abilene without music to entice me. Drinks are good enough. Haven't had anything spectacular and usually just stick with a beer. I was intrigued by the sign for their Moscow Mule served in a copper mug but I knew sipping a cocktail and shaking my groove thing wouldn't work well together. Pro tip: arrive early or you may have to wait for people to leave before you can enter. read more

We had a great time there last night. A really cute place, nice crowd, easy parking, friendly vibe, good bartenders, good music, friendly doorman, and cheap drinks. What more can you ask for? We were very happy and will be back. read more

Many band choices for live music. Little venue.

Whenever I walk into this place, I can't believe I'm sill in Rochester. Seems like it was snatched from Austin - lucky for this city! Great live music, good beer list with specials, laid-back neighborhood-y crowd. The alt-country vibe is a unique change from other bars in the city. They don't serve food but usually have bagged snacks (nuts, crackers, etc.) at the bar. Sometimes they make popcorn in an old-time machine and offer it free to anyone who wants some. And they've got a pool table, too... read more

Head there last Saturday. Great place for country music lover. The bands were really great and worth $18 for entrance fee.

I just went to a really great bluegrass show last night, so it's time to write my yelp review (and to remember to come back here more often). Abilene offers an eclectic mix of musical acts and, maybe I'm just really lucky, but I've never seen a band here that I didn't really love. The space is intimate, so it can get a little crowded on the weekends or for bigger headliners, especially in the wintertime when it's too cold to take advantage of their huge backyard patio. When you walk in, there's the bar along the left wall, a fairly open seating area straight back, and then the band is just around the corner on the right. But, before you go too far, take a cool at the chalkboard listing various specialty or sale beers. Last night, for example, they were offering $4 pint cans of Sierra Nevada Torpedo and $3.50 pints of Rochestafarian from local brewer Three Heads Brewing, both great deals for good beers. Of course, if you're feeling Lux-y, you can get their take on the Pabst-smear, which is a Texas Breakfast, a PBR and a shot of bourbon for $4. Good music, good beer, good service, you can't go wrong. My only gripe is that they used to serve Utica Club but no longer do. I'm a Genesee fan, sure, but when it's gold canned upstate cousin, the first beer served after prohibition, stops by for a visit, I'm in. read more

Cool staff, wide range of live music, and an interesting eclectic crowd. I just wish they'd slap the shit out of bands who think they're playing in Madison Square Garden. It's a small room. The volume level is breathtaking at times. read more

We had our wedding at Abilene. The staff is second to none. The atmosphere cries out "All are Welcome". We, without hesitation, recommend this saloon to everyone. Great drinks,great music and the vibe is out of this world. Thanks Abilene, Mr. and Mrs. Voelkl read more

Abilene is a Rochester treasure. The music is always top notch and the venue lends itself perfectly. Prices are right and the staff is great. read more

Abilene is a quaint little live music venue that is slightly hidden on Liberty Pole way (or whatever the street is called). I love live music, but I feel like this place is just too small to truly enjoy it. Even when there isn't live music, it is so loud in here that you cannot hear the person next to you without screaming (and there is no place to get away from this. There is almost always a cover charge (even when the live music isn't happening) and the guys at the door tend to be pretty non-friendly. read more

I've been here once, and I'll never come back. I stopped in on a Saturday night with some friends to see a friend's coworker's band playing and shortly after ordering some drinks I went over to the crowded coat rack and put my coat over someone else's coat as there were no open pegs. I went to return to my friends and was stopped by a man who started talking to me about how ridiculous the coat situation was and how all the coats were black and how this was going to make people finding there coats very difficult. I agreed and walked past the man to get back to my friends. About five minutes later the man who was talking to me talked to another man who walked up to me and casually flipped me off and walked away. I talked to the woman nearby handling the cover charges about this and she asked me who flipped me off, I explained who, and she replied "Who, Danny?". From her response I gathered he was either very important there, or the owner of the place, so I figured I had to hold my coat or risk getting refused service and being asked to leave. So I held my coat, enjoyed some of the music, and ordered one more drink before leaving. I can put up with rude patrons or even not-so-great service (neither of which I really encountered) but as I've gathered from reading reviews, Danny is indeed the owner, and I can't support a bar whose owner casually and callously offends quiet, paying customers. read more

I like Abilene as a bar a lot. The beer selection is good and they keep Dogfish 60 and 90, which are favorites of mine. They also have regular live music, which is awesome. The drawback is that the venue IMHO is too small for the sound. I enjoy going there in the summer and hanging on the back patio to enjoy a cocktail. read more

Very simple, well executed beer bar. They do stock a skeleton liquor bar but this is a beer place, w daily chalkboard specials and lots of geeky beers on the menu. Intimate live music venue and friendly service make this place an essential stop in Rochester. Nothing fancy, but just as it should be. read more

Love the place and Danny but my car got hit here when I parked across the street, too close to the ballroom, I guess. The asshole who hit me just left, so I'm not happy about the parking, you HAVE to get there early. I wish the bands were on earlier, too. I work a day job but the music is the best. read more

In my opinion, Abilene is one of the coolest bars in town. Live music, great selection of yummy bevys, a friendly bartender. The only reason that I give 4 stars is because I wish the parking situation was a little better... read more

This is one of the coolest places I have ever played. Its an old wooden frame house that used to be a brothel. Its very very tiny and standing room only to see the band but the owner danny, is just a real mensch. The people are super friendly and love live music. The drinks are strong and not overpriced. It feels like you are in austin or the east village. so cool. love love love the abilene. read more

Abilene is where some of the best artists in or coming to Rochester play. It's hidden away on Liberty Pole Way with not much else around it - except a fire station and some ghetto club. But it is totally worth the trip every time. Beer list is excellent, house drinks are great and the music - well, it's what makes this place. They book shows most nights of the week and it's always something worth listening to. Go check it out! read more

Abilene in the summer, 5 stars. Abilene in the winter, 4 stars. Small inside, great back patio, bottled beer only (but what a great selection!), folk-americana music posters and memorabilia, good people and great music. A winning equation! read more

Great place to grab a beer and hear live music, especially in the summer when the back area is open. Celebrated my birthday here last Friday, read more

Great place to hear live music !!! Cyclist friendly !!!!

Great beer selection! Very small venue to see bands, nice patio in the summer. Bar owner, Danny is an absolute charmer, great guy.

Abilene is by far, one of the very best music venues in Rochester, NY. They bring in all kinds of outstanding musical acts on the local, regional, and national level. Americana is the genre staple here but seasoned owner and talent buyer, Danny Deutsch, mixes in blues, blue grass, rock, rock a billy, ska, country, and even a little Zydeco when possible. The bar staff here is friendly, quick, and accommodating. Abilene has a spacious patio in the back to chill out on and enjoy during the summer months. They offer a full bar here with the exception being no draft beer. No big deal. The awesome music and atmosphere here will make you forget about that in a heartbeat. If you are staying at one of the downtown Rochester hotels and are looking for a little night life fun and music, this is the place to be. It's close, convenient, and a whole bunch of Big Time Fun! This club can be a little tight sometimes but that just makes it cozy to me. Everybody who is anybody in Rochester makes their way to this club at one point or another and you should too. They will be glad to see you. I give Danny Deutsch and the fantastic staff at Abilene five flying "Flour City" stars and I am looking forward to my next visit. read more

They had two great bands when I was at this bar. Friendly people working here, and the beer was good. I'd go back here. Wish it was a bit bigger and that the bathroom wasn't all the way upstairs. But it was a cute place. read more

This is a great place to have several drinks and I believe the first place I ever had a Moscow Mule. The drink specials are good and the atmosphere is always fun. When I first went here, I was not terribly impressed. But on subsequent visits, it has grown on me and love coming here. The music is a lot of fun as well. Top-notch place and even has an outdoor area. read more