I really like the different themed bars connected/associated with Alamo Drafthouse locations. I think they drink menus are pretty similar across the different locations as I always get the Pimm's Cup. The decor here is super fun and I really liked the mirrors. Nothing like a fun mirror or two for a couple of laughs. But, here's the thing, when we stopped by it wasn't busy at all. In fact there was another couple that left not long after we arrived and a group of four that arrived a few minutes before we left. I bring this up because this means the bartender wasn't busy. Like at all. Yet seemed annoyed to have to make a drink and chat while doing so. With that said, I might give it another go only because the layout was so great. Maybe if we attend a comedy show we'll have better luck. read more

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This slightly hidden spot is awesome! I almost hate to shout em out because it's like a secret spot hiding in plain sight. Don't get me wrong, it's not speakeasy-ish at all! It's just that people might not realize there's a cool bar inside the Alamo drafthouse in Mueller. It's huge but I've only seen it crowded on comedy show nights. We went in on a Friday night recently and had the huge place to ourselves! They have a full bar with a good selection. The bartenders are stingy with their liquor pours, but that's not a huge issue for me. I bet you can order from the regular Alamo menu which has awesome food! I'll have to try that next time. I don't recommend the comedy shows, but that's just because I don't think saying super offensive shit is funny. If you are good with laughing at things people shouldn't say out loud, then you might love it! I'd rather go on a quiet night when I can hear and laugh at the funny stuff others in my group say. Either way, check it out! read more

Went for comedy night on a Friday. Decent drinks, good service, and a lot of laughs. Come check this place out

Got some discounted tickets for the comedy brunch. I like the venue. Comedians were aight. Service was aight. Food is mediocre and overpriced. Beer overpriced. What's with the mandatory service charge. Thanks, for validating parking. read more

I came here on a Friday night with my husband to see a comedy show. I was able to score tickets on Groupon for a discount. The comedians were hit or miss. The drinks were good. They had a variety of drinks to pick from. You can also order food if your heart desires. The seats were not the most comfortable but I enjoyed the overall circus theme. read more

Barrel O' Fun is an underrated date night or casual hangout in the mueller area. They host lots of fun events, storytelling event is something I recently attended. They have the full menu the Alamo drafthouse does as well...which is delicious. read more

This is a bar below the ALAMO movie theatre. It has a circus vibe with funny mirrors, and signs of the bearded woman, the tallest man etc you get the picture. I went there on the last Sunday of the month when they have a special show called Die Felicia is "an irreverent mix of drag and all things horror" that night they show a movie vampire drag and it was kind of funny the ambience was just right ! I didn't stay the whole night they suppose to have games and other things for that special event. I ordered a "grown up milkshake" that don't remember what it had on it but it tasted like my dreams coming true. It's a great place to stop by and enjoy some music or movie, I've heard they also have comedians sometimes. read more

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I went for a show in the small staged room. The room was nice clean. It had its own bathroom which was nice. I ordered a Cobb salad and it was probably the best Cobb salad I've had in a long time. The bacon was crispy it had just the right amount of dressing. I finished it all. I also had a really good Pilsner beer. They had a great beer selection and the only sad part about it was all the other drinks that looked really good that I didn't get to try. I would definitely go back for the food and drinks. read more

We go for the Sunday night open mic jazz in which we know a few of the singers and musicians. The music is always superb. Its a fun atmosphere, however the chairs must be made for kids as they are very uncomfortable. You order drinks and food (Alamo menu) at the bar, and most times you're served pretty quick. Last time though, it took an hour at least to receive the Brussel sprout appetizer even after checking on it 2x. The turkey sandwich and burger were long gone by the time they arrived. Two of three people were happy. read more

The guy with the beard bartending was so rude to our group we literally just got up and left because of how uncomfortable he made us

A small circus themed bar inside of Alamo Drafthouse. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to dislike here... I can't speak for the fancy drinks, even though they had quite an interesting collections of cocktails. I had a 2.50 PBR bc I was on a budget for the night (boring I know!) But, I did appreciate that I didn't HAVE to get the $10 drinks. We also had fermented pickles and cheese sticks as a snack before our movie. I thought both were good, but a bit overpriced. Lastly, we got lucky and there was excellent live music provided by KOOP 91.7. It was a really great way to spend some time before your movie starts at Alamo. read more

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I have gone here for several months for the Testify show. Every time I am stunned at how slow and miserable the bartenders are. It has been every single time. When I say miserable... it is like they choose to come in miserable, angry and they move like they have no interest in being a bartender or serving drinks. I say this with some experience, I worked as a bartender and managed three in NYC for 15 years. Half the job is showing up with some care. Every time no one knows how to order drinks here because the business is not making it clear. There ends up being this odd line in the middle of the bar even though the bar indicates a different vibe. This last time, I decided to sit at the bar to see if the service is the result of the patrons or maybe the job is extra difficult. I sat next to a couple at the end of the bar. I put some money on the bar after 5 minutes to indicate I might be interested in purchasing a beverage. There was a sort of line that formed in the middle of the bar, which is a bit odd, because there are two bartenders and the bar isn't that long. Typically in that scenario you would split the bar between the two bartenders and work down the bar as you see folks arrive. A bartender does their best to do a first come first serve style, never perfect but you do your best. Each time here I see this line in the middle which sort of ends up being the result of the two POS terminals nearer the middle of the bar. However, it looks to be laziness of the bartenders rather than anything else. I digress... So I sit there and other folks who sit right next to me, and this lovely couple, get served before us. I remain patient as I am there more as an observer. But then the couple say to me, "We have been waiting here for a half an hour to be served. Its almost comical at this point." I tell them that I have noticed how poor the service is on this Testify night. I wonder to them if it is because the show isn't that long and is more of an NPR crowd than a raging drinking crowd. (I can see how a bartender might not love a shift like that.) Finally, this odd line has dissipated. The ladies, the couple next to me, still haven't been served so... the bartender (the more novice of the two which is saying a lot) who is not serving anyone.... I say, "Hey man, these ladies have been waiting here for awhile. Can you get them?" And the other bartender, Elliot was his name and he may have been a manager, comes at me really aggressively and says "DON'T YELL AT MY BARTENDER!" I look at him and say, "Who's Yelling?" because if you know the vibe of this event... there is just no yelling that would be encouraged. It is a calm crowd. We share some words and basically the gist is I say... they have been waiting for a long time and so have I and you are serving many others in front of us. He says, "We are working through the line." I say, "What line?" He repeats for that I am not to "Yell" at HIS Bartender. I repeat, there has been no yelling on my part. It's also just not my style. But I tell him if he wants, "I can yell, though, if you'd like." He walks away and ignores us. A couple minutes later, the novice bartender serves the ladies. I ask him, "Did you feel like I yelled at you? Because I don't want you to feel that way." He shook his head and said, "Its just been a stressful night." Hmmmm... a stressful night. Anyhow, I don't ever order a drink. The angry guy asks me once later on and I say, "No, I'm good." I observer the rest of the night. And the Testify show was lovely as always. But stressful night? - Again this is a placid night. I understand there are things we don't have eyes on... but this lazy, miserable service has been a problem every month. I believe the problem is ELLIOT, the taller bearded out of shape bartender who doesn't know how to smile. The other guy, Novice Kyle, has a lot to learn but at least he was pleasant. That is literally 30% of the job as a bartender, just. being. pleasant. If you have it in you. Yeah, I wrote a long review. I want Elliot to read it and know that it might be time to meditate or get a new job. I'm sure Wednesday nights for Testify aren't super lucrative, but also it doesn't look like it could be easier. You're pouring win and making easy 3 step cocktails. You're pouring beer and soda. What is so miserable? Not to mention the stories are always engaging. Finally, for my lack of yelling that I actually did... I yell here. If I want tips and decent money as a Bartender... I must serve people with a bit of care, a smile and hopefully some sense of understandable order. Being a jerk behind the bar is easy, but it doesn't get you anywhere. Lottie (sp) the MC of the event always does his best to remind people of the all the people who help put the show on. He went through the list... everyone got applause. He mentioned the bartenders... no applause. It was palpable. Why? Because they are yelling with their behavior that they don't want to be there. read more

Barrel O' Fun is one of the main reasons I come to Mueller. Aside from being a separate bar where you can grab a drink before or after a movie (or a trip to the Thinkery with kids, because yup, it's kid-friendly), they have a lot of great events on a near daily basis. Looking for somewhere to karaoke? Barrel has it. What about karaoke for just your kids? Barrel has it (and it's loud, if you can handle all those kids screaming out Katy Perry lyrics). There's also comedy shows, musical acts ranging from DJs to violinists, and other kid activities on weekends, like building with Legos or making superhero capes. They've even started hosting Transform with Erica Nix workouts here, which are Richard Simmons/diva-inspired dance sessions. Best part? All these events are free. Yeah, the cocktails ain't cheap, but if you want a crappy, watered-down cocktail that's $5, go to a strip-mall bar. Great beer selection, though service can be iffy at times based on stuff going on in the kitchen or otherwise (the same kitchen cooks for the movie theaters, too, so they can get behind, understandably, I'm sure). Most of the service, you need to see the bar; even if they don't have the little signs up saying so, it's a good idea to head directly to a bartender to get what you need. read more

Barrel O' Fun - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Woulda been a barrel o' fun if we were allowed to drink alcohol at our corporate event; however, the atmosphere was different than expected. I expected a really kitschy, trendy, bullshit venue but was surprised at how clean and neat everything was. It even smelled nice. The bathrooms were suffice but almost confusing... Still, I'm not that into the theme! The corn dogs were hard to eat and the sodas were just okay. If I had to recommend anything it would be the hummus. I wouldn't return to try the beers (although the selection was surprising)! But hey, it's in an Alamo Drafthouse. read more

Tip: current hours =closes at 10pm not as late as Yelp states. Great place to meet single women or men at the bar since you can go on your own to play games or meet people. read more

I really don't understand why the reviews are low on this place! We went on a busy Saturday night and we were able to get a booth seat with a view of the stage and had great service at the bar. To go to a bar inside a movie theater, this exceeded my expectations by far! There are very creative classic cocktails, barrel-aged cocktails, 45 drafts, and cans of PBR for only $2.50. I really enjoyed the mozzarella sticks and fermented pickles, which came with shots of pickle juice alongside (take one if you've been drinking a lot as a hangover preventative). I haven't been in the daytime for carnival games yet, but the night experience was great! I really like the wall art and decorations, which included vintage circus act photos, tall funhouse mirrors, and circus themed murals. It's probably the most fun place to drink in Mueller. read more

Barrel O' Fun - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

A circus themed bar, below a movie theater, with carnival games annnd bar trivia? This place checks all my kitschy boxes. It's very Drafthouse, while remaining unique and independent from the other bars they have. The bartender was nice enough to explain that the wooden boxes above the bar can come down so you can use them as carnival games and that's why there are so many toys on the wall. If that's not the coolest thing you've seen in a bar, then idk what is. (Can you say Yelp event??) This is the kind of bar that is in a crowded theater that I would actually come to without going to a movie. That's some high praise. They also validate parking, so park in the garage! It was a little hard to order food and we waited for a bit, but I'll chalk that up to a bad day. read more

My wife and I are a huge fan of Barrel O' Fun. We have made multiple visits since they opened and have only had one negative experience (inattentive service). After the negative experience, we reached out to management and they went above and beyond to make things right. Their response was so great, this bumped them from a 4 to a 5 star. Their beer selection is amazing, extensive, and well curated. Their whisky and cocktail options are great as well. Bonus: you can add booze to any of their old-school hand-made sodas. Their food options are a little bit limited but we are usually only stopping in for a pint before seeing a movie. On our recent visits, service has been stellar. The space is really cool, bartenders are knowledgeable, its events are great, and it it is in the middle of a brand new entertainment district. What's not to love? read more

Love this place. No cover music. Small but interesting food. Good beer selection. Free validated parking. Small space. Love! Bring the kids in the day time. Adults at night. read more

Barrel O' Fun - man laying on the dance floor - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

In summary: Really cute venue and outstanding drinks. The Barrel O' Fun is located in the new Mueller area as part of the Alamo Drafthouse. It's a bar/restaurant under the movie theater that offers occasional live music and a full menu (kids menu, too). The food is good, but the drinks are outstanding. I had a gin and tonic with lime, fresh cucumber and a sprig of rosemary - to die for! There are board games to play and fun house type mirrors. It's easy access before and after a movie to grab a quick drink or snack. The bartenders are truly wonderful. read more

Went to a day event for the kids there. They did such a great job with all the activities. The food was so yummy and the wait staff was amazing. I can't wait to goto another event there. read more

Barrel O' Fun - Being knighted - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Interesting spot in the Mueller area. Small and cozy. Easy access before and after watching a movie at the Alamo drafthouse. 48beer options. read more

Love the drinks, love the food, love the events. Hate the head bartender. Every time we go he is an asshole. (We go almost every month) Total know-it-all and doesn't want to hear you speak. Oh well, what can you do. ‍ read more

A racist encounter followed by a fraudulent charge on my credit card let me leave this review. I went to this bar with a couple of my friends before our movie. Context: one of my friend and I just got our driver license replaced and have the temporary DL. I went to get a drink at the bar with my temp ID and the bartender told me that they don't accept the temp ID and refused to let me buy a drink. My friend, who is a White man, literally got a drink using his temp ID right before me with no problem. I guess as an Asian woman, I look suspicious and untrustworthy? I told the bartender that the guy in front of me just got a drink with his temp ID, and he gave me a face and reluctantly poured me a drink. If this is the only thing happened, I would not leave a review because this is nothing new to me and doesn't worth me to make a big deal about it. Then 5 days later, I checked my credit card statement, and found out the bartender has added a 2 dollars tip from my original payment that I have agreed to pay. I guess he believed he deserved more tip from our encounter. I called the manager afterward, and after I told him this fraudulent charge (without telling him the racist encounter), he told me that there is a 2 written on the tip line to justify (clearly the waiter wrote on it, because the total amount still shows $9, so I don't know why it is not an obvious evidence that the bartender has altered the receipt, which is illegal), the manager said he could send me a picture of the receipt, and asked me if any of my friends have seen the receipt. Why would he ask me all these if he doesn't believe me? Why would I bother going through this hassle to get $2 back if it is not what really happened? Why wouldn't he believe me when there is clear evidence in their possession in the first place? After all this kind of treatment for $2, I finally told him how the bartender was discriminating against me, and refused to serve me in the first place. He then apologized and told me they don't have any rules against temporary paper ID. In the end, he refunded me $2. Barrel O' Fun? read more

Enjoying the Bamboo Cobbler cocktail and can report I don't see any F***ing Monkeys :) "Jerky Boys" read more

Barrel O' Fun - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Wish I could've at least tried the food. We showed up before they switched over to the Bar O Fun at 6:45 with my kids only to be met with a "closed" sign. We asked someone at the ticket booth about it and we were told that there a private event that hosted when they opened at 4pm, which was never stated on any of their social media accounts or website, meaning they didn't open to the public until 7pm. When asked for the full menu, the bar tender said just to open their website because they didn't have any downstairs. So we looked online, figured out our order and went up to the same bar tender to order, only to be told that we shouldn't even bother because by the time our food came out we'd be asked to leave as it would be adults only. It would've been nice that at least the person who told us about the restaurant opening at 7 that we would've been kicked out or that they posted it on their social media accounts. read more

Came back with the whole family after enjoying a weekend Lego event with my little and was shocked by our lunch bill! Its a neat venue and I agree with all the positive posts, however I didn't anticipate spending $80 for lunch for 2 adults and 3 kids ordering pizza and burgers. Not paying close attention to the menu pricing, I realize after being presented with the bill that we were being charged theatre pricing of $4.50 for a regular soda and $13 each for a single serving pizza pie and a chicken salad wrap. Hubby and I have swallowed that kind of pricing on date nights and it was fun but my budget just can't handle it on any regular basis. Probably won't be back as a family. Plus the daytime bartender seemed to hate families and couldn't be bothered to do much beyond taking our entire order from the bar. read more

Some of the events are fun, but more thought needs to go in to what is appropriate for children of different ages. I've attended several events there, but the most recent one I attended was the super hero event. There were several costumed super heroes. Most looked friendly, but the black panther did NOT. He was completely masked the entire time and had gloves on that had long claws on them. The outfit was terrifying for small children. It ruined the event for our family and with a toddler that means it ruined our day. My child was terrified. My 2.5 year old daughter is still talking about the "scary cat" weeks later. I told several the staff that the outfit was really scaring my daughter and they were dismissive. They posted the black panther right by the front door so that we had to walk by him on the way out. One woman came over to talk to my daughter and negate her feelings telling her that the black cat was not scary. I didn't appreciate her getting on my daughter's level, in her space and talking to my daughter as if she were the parent. I had already addressed the issue with my daughter and this woman really had no right to step in and speak to my daughter. DON'T YOU DARE TELL MY CHILD THAT HER INSTINCTS ARE WRONG! That costume WAS scary and shows poor judgment on the part of the staff. I had requested to the staff at the black panther take his mask off briefly so that my daughter could see that he was just a person in a costume but they did not humor that request. Instead they put on a couple of songs from Frozen on the big screen. How about: Listen to the parents, YOUR PATRONS, who are spending money at your bar! Do the people running these events have any experience with children? It sure didn't feel like it that day. read more