racist place!!!!!!! the boss" literally said "get your nappy headed ass out of here" which would be funny if he was black but that's not the case. They denied my friend because he was "heavier" back when he took his picture but yes he is of age and we're me and my other friend. They denied all of us and said we all had to go which felt very hostile especially considering the way they were talking. So they escorted my friends out because obviously they were upset about it me as well, but i simply went back up apologizing and said hey we love this place and right before i could say anything else "the boss" cut me off and said "get the fuck off of that phone" which conveniently i happened to rest my arm on the bar where a phone was and didn't realize and he started being even more hostile and homophobic to my friends who weren't even inside which was very unneeded. I then questioned why the disrespect then the "boss" pushed me off the steps when i got in their face about being an asshole to me and my two friends. After this of course i'm going to defend myself so i got up and a bunch of other employees and people from out of nowhere came up and started trying to fight us and then slurs from both homophobic and racist sides of everything all started coming out. Honestly i'm really just trying to make a point of some sort of accountability needs to be set here i don't care about the bar itself or anything i wish the best for it it's a good place however there aren't good people running it. This is my experience and i don't wish any of that kind of the same harm on anyone else. read more

My first time to this location was during a social biking experience. This was our first stop. We were able to tie our bikes along the rail of outside seating. Walk in and there is a pool table jute box it looks like a typical bar. The service was OK. A few beer selections and simple cocktail options. We ordered two beers and sit outside. The view is cool and very busy. Plenty of TV to watch sporting events my husband left it. In the parking lot was a food trailer and we ordered chicken quesadillas. Either we were really hungry or they were really good either way I'm happy. This location is prime for foot traffic if ever I pass by I will probably stop for a beer but that's about it. read more

I've been coming to this bar since they first opened. If you're looking for somewhere fancy, you should probably pass. This is a no-nonsense bar. Their margaritas come from a machine. This isn't a place you go to have a martini or an old fashioned. This is a beer and whiskey crowd. They have $1 beer nights Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Sometimes the crowd can be a little shitty on those days. Saturday afternoons are fun here if you're looking for a place to day drink. They have a nice little outdoor area and it's not super crowded. The happy hour bartender is also the best (and one of my favorite people ever). read more

Well, this isn't a phenomenal bar, but it's a GOOD bar. There's a nice patio, although it's a little too small (as made obvious by the huge overcrowding on busy nights). $1 Lone Stars make Monday a lot more tolerable, and the jukebox has the standard "good stuff" Austin fare - Cash, the Clash, the Kinks, and other rockabilly/classic rock/country faves. The bartenders are nice and at the bar service is relatively quick. The waitresses try hard, but it's very difficult for them to get to you in a reasonable amount of time on a busy night. If you order from them, get a six-pack, and do it when you're not already out of beer. On a whole, I like the place. I'm here often enough on a Monday to take the edge off a long day for very little cash, and I guess that says enough. read more

Nice dive bar for the area to have and fills a nice void IMO. Golden Tee here is a nice touch and bartenders are always friendly.

Hmm, I like Gretchen P's enthusiasm. But I feel like Beverly H's review is more in line with my thoughts. Can I just say: bartender poured my (otherwise-would-be-warm-because-it-wasn't-put-in-their-fridge) cider into a GLASS OF ICE. WHAT PART OF THAT IS OKAY. I'm relatively new to drinking cider -- but I think of it like fruited-up beer. AND WHEN THE HECK DO YOU POUR BEER ON ICE. I asked for a strainer and another glass from other bartender after sitting + starting at my drink for a bit. I'm such a genius. If not slow on the uptake + in standing up for myself and the horror of cider on ice. Other than that -- well, reminds me of College Station a bit: sparse on interior, just ratty old bar tables + chairs. Mellow if you will. Not too cheap ($4 FOR CIDER ON ICE, that shoulda been FREE), but hey, if you make it on a night they have $2 specials (or is it $1?) that might be worth it. (I'm trying for enthusiasm here.) read more

This place is perfect when you want beer + P.Terry's. We had an afternoon of Barton Springs and such and needed something icy and delicious. We sat outside with a few rounds of cheap LoneStars (maybe the only place in town that hasn't jacked the price up) and brought our P.Terrys over. Great place to include dogs and people-watching. Good times. read more

Go for the $1 beer nights, P Terry's next door and South Lamar watching. No better place. It ain't fancy but who needs that? If you've been at Barton Springs all day or if you're just in the mood for a burger and some cheap beers or if you want to sit and people watch... this is the place for you. I love it. It's fun, chill, cheap and never pretentious. It buzzes at night with a relaxed vibe. Always a great go to. read more

Crap atmosphere and indifferent service. Doesn't really have that authentic feel of a great dive bar but DOES have the complete disregard for ambiance. Chairs and tables are mismatched and appear to be broken castoffs from some kind of shabby office. No real feeling of conviviality either-- just scattered pockets of people keeping to themselves. The outdoor area is a roped in parking lot so you feel really exposed to the lamar traffic and not at all snug. Also, I ordered a Mac12 and paid $14 for it. WTF-- it's only $12 at the Driskill. read more

I don't know why I haven't written a review for this place earlier, considering I could spend every Monday here. Dollar Lonestars!! Yes I repeat, DOLLAR LONESTARS!!! It's awesome, hand the girl six dollars and you get a six pack. In reality the markup is only about a dollar or two, and probably one of the cheapest places to get beer. The interior isn't great, but it's clean, no funky smells. The outside is nice, but if it's nice out and dry it is packed to the brim. Parking kinda sucks if you show up late. This place is packed though Monday through Wednesday. read more

I decided to visit this place based purely on curb appeal and the fact it's in the cool kid neighborhood of South Austin and Barton Springs. I guess I'm not cool enough. The drinks are certainly inexpensive here so that gets a bump up from me. I'm not expecting world class cocktails, just bourbon and some cola. It's very much a Texas Ice House type of place as it's a converted gas station. I might would stop in here for a drink before heading somewhere else but not much more. It's a dog friendly bar so if you have an actual booze-hound they are welcome. I usually dig the vibe of dive bars but I just wasn't feeling this place. Though if you want to buy me a tall boy of Lone Star or PBR I'll meet you there. Oh and no American Express, what is it with South Austin and not accepting Amex? This is the second place I've found in a week. read more

Cheap drinks with enough room for our entire group. Not fancy, just a great dive with excellent service.

There folks took great care of me when I wandered in on a Saturday evening. Cabs in the city are awful, and they spent tons of time and effort making sure I was going to get home the entire time I was there. Cool people, no-nonsense bar, good local draft beer selection, chill patio area. Can't say enough good things about this place and those running it. Lone star is a horrible beer though, which was especially clear after sampling all the other fine local brews. read more

The best hole in the wall in Austin. Great location, and management is updating everything! Cheap drinks, great staff.

Was told by another venue to go check this place out, that it is a great place to people watch. The place was almost empty. Bottle selection is slim. Older gentleman bartending was nice, nothing exciting. The girl bartender was only worried about taking jager shots with one of the customers. Won't be going back to this place! read more

This place has friendly staff and fast service. They have outdoor seating and television so you can watch your sports. It's also within walking distance to Dawa Sushi so I can have a beer and some number one sushi in austin :) read more

Best damn bar in Austin!! A chill atmosphere if you just wanna kick back and enjoy an ice cold brew. Nice Patio. AJ makes the best drinks. Trevor and Miriam are awesome!!!! Right next to P Terry's burger stand. You don't even need to wear your party clothes!!! Awesomeness!!!!! read more

Sorry guys, I hate to break it to you but if you think this is a dive bar then you need some to get some serious street sense. This bar has been around no more than 5 years, I remember when there was a gas station here instead. Its clean and has the best people watching I have ever witnessed. With expensive real estate, a much sought after location I don't think dive bar describes this place very well. They have however managed to cover the bathrooms in writing in the few years it has been open. Dive bars=dirty, stinky, broken furniture, older, rough looking clientele. I was completely sober, so I was in observation mode. Never the less, I LOVE this place. On Mondays-Wednesday they have $1 beers ALL DAY. Does it get any better? Well yes, since I'm not much of a beer drinker, but still. I can recognize a good deal when I see it. This was the most crowded bar I have ever been to on a Tuesday (without revealing how often I go to bars on Tuesdays) and Barton Springs Saloon...you are the equivalent to the most interesting man in the world. I walked on over to P.Terry's for some much needed cheap food. The patio is huge and it was PACKED. People were snagging chairs the second they came available. The music was awful though. My group decided to approach random solo guy sitting at a table because there was nowhere to sit. They chatted him up and asked him if they could join him, and he obliged. The clientele were mostly ages 24-34, all your typical looking Southies. Wearing exactly the same thing, 1 out of 3 people were tatted up to the extent of at least one sleeve. In our group 3 out of 4 of the guys were wearing brand new black cons (thats short for Converse, I hope you knew this). Of course I had to point this out. Lots of men with out-of-control beards, easily fixable but obviously they aren't into looking fresh. Girls with PEACOCK FEATHER EXTENSIONS, need I say more? Girls wearing glasses that reminded me of people from the 60s, the overly huge black rimmed ones, high boots with shorts (its a bit hot for that isn't it?), men wearing ladies skirts, men without shirts, men with nipple piercings, girl showing off her tat to a group of guys (the tat was just under her chest....), No, classy is not the word for this place. ***Can't forget our friend with the unicorn tattoo, yes I had to ask him about the possible significance. And of course, there wasn't one. The patio is pet friendly and is also the best part. Definitely a good place to start if you're on S Lamar. Austin is definitely keepin' it weird with this bar. read more

OK, so I know it's expensive to start a business and remodel an old place, but come the F on! Throw a crappy facade on a gas station and you expect people to not to think "wow, that's a gas station. clearly." And yet, there always seemed to be a ton of people there, at least on the porch/gas pump area. I knew going in that it was not going to be a pretty night, but all I wanted was a beer. Wow, big mistake. While I can't complain about not receiving attentive service, though my party were the only customers inside besides two others, the SMELL. THE SMELL! Dried, foul beer, I can handle. Super strong disinfectant to try and mask said odor, I can't. It ruins my beer. It makes me feel like I just pointed a can of Lysol at my mouth and sprayed. And the porch area is also kind of weird, because it's so poorly lit. Like the owners decided that because they were close enough to the traffic light they could just bum light off that. OR maybe they wanted to help drunk people feel more comfortable about making out by a dark intersection. read more

BSS is my "I want one more drink before I get all the way home" place. Nothing to write home about. It's a covered slab of concrete with an inside bar that could compete with a Siberian winter. There is a jukebox thing, pool tables, video games and that's about it. Service is hit and miss. But if you are in the mood to hang out on the "patio" with South Austinites and their four-legged friends but not go all the way downtown to grab a drink, then this is worth a shot (or two). read more

It's a GAS STATION! Yup, a gas station that has slowly transformed into a patio bar. It really took me a while to get over my prejudices against sitting in an old gas station parking lot. Every time I'd drive by, this joint would be packed, but I would hear myself saying "Um, what could be so fun about sitting in an old gas pump parking lot?". But when I finally did meet friends there for some drinks during SXSW, I was totally amazed at how CHEAP this joint really is. Seriously amazing. And Austin in pretty darn cheap anyway, but dang! This is C H E A P!! I had a margarita (which was hand mixed and darn tasty), a few beers, a vodka tonic or 3, and my tab was $12. I don't know how that happened. Amazing. So if you want to get your cheap drink on, go to the Saloon... just don't be a location bigot like me. read more

Great prices, good service, get a burger a PTerry's, cool patrons, deck, bring your dog, oh and near everything you want to do around Lamar/Bartons Spring area..... read more

Great place to chill and catch up with friends. Cool, laid back and you'll find every kind of person here. Not to mention the great $1 beers they have on special multiple days of the week. great service and lots of fun :) read more

Perfect dive bar. Come here before/after an event at Zilker for very cheap/strong drinks. Great location and outdoor seating area. Don't expect anything to be clean or fancy. Love it for what it is, a great spot to just grab a drink. read more

Cheap drinks, cool people, no crappy loud music and lame black lights. If you like those things, try sixth st., but for the real Austin vibe, the BS is a must do, and you can't pass up dollar beers mon, tues, and wed! read more

I sat there with my money out for 15+ minutes only to be ignored by the girl bartender despite others being served--she was too concerned with taking shots with regulars I guess. Bartenders rude for no reason. Never coming back again. No wonder this place has such a bad rating. Goodbye jerks. read more

If this bar were anywhere else it would be border line crap. What BSS has going for it is its location. Fast food, BBQ, pitch and putt, mini golf all within walking distance. The drinks are cheap and the bartenders are friendly. This place is dog friendly both inside and out which is awesome. Couple of drawbacks is that it does have some sketchy people hanging out. Dollar Lone Stars will do that however. The bathrooms are right on par with a Venezuelan prison cell bathroom...yeah, nasty. Great place to start the night, but not to be for the night. read more

Cheap, strong drinks and a great selection on the juke box- sign me up! I love this place. The bartenders are always friendly and it is just the perfect dive bar! Also there is a P Terry's right next door that you can order from and bring in. SCORE! The crowd is a bit dodgy but what is a divebar without that? BSS is definitely our go to dive when we are in the mood for something easy and cheap! Check out their HH! Even cheaper than normal price! read more

I love this place. Its casual and relaxed and the waitstaff is awesome and the drinks are cheap. SPEAKING OF: Rachel if you read this...I forgot to tip you last night but I will be back I promise! read more

Bartender the night I went alone treated me awesomely, is that a word? I used to love coming here for dollar lone star back in the day. This place isn't anything fancy it's just a nice little place to come and drink and hide? The crowd here is very diverse but for the most part everyone's here to hang out and chill with friends. Prices are very cheap here so be sure to tip witcha broke ass! I forget the name of the babe behind the bar I think it's Madeline or something? Any ways she's awesome! If you get hungry there's P Terry's next door. Well that's all I have to say about. AND THATS THE BOTTOM LINE CAUSE DIEGO COLD SAID SO! read more

I really like BS Saloon. Good place to stop in for a drink, great bar staff, good tunes on juke box, and a good location. It's close to a few eateries so once you've had your fill of drinks you can crawl over to the Green Mesquite for wings or get a burger next door from P Terry's. The only turn off I have here is that at times there can be a funky smell from behind the bar, probably from the bar mat's and at times the clientele can be a little sketchy. Doesn't stop me from going though. read more

I have never seen a single customer at this bar. No one sitting on the patio, no one coming in/out the door, nothing. Is it even still open for business? read more

This place gets very smokey inside but what can you expect from a dive bar. After sitting inside for about an hour your lungs will make you sit on the porch. Its not all bad, the porch is great from 5-7. Its always fun to watch aggrevated drivers fight rush hour traffic. It reminds me of a bar I used to haunt back home, its a good time but you have to wash your clothes twice when you leave. read more

It's a great neighborhood spot on Mon-Wed nights for $1 beers. Any other night, and its pretty slow and you end up feeling like you are sitting in a parking lot, probably because you are. read more

Good neighborhood bar! They love to get to know their regulars, which adds a whole new level of excellent customer service. Not to mention they have $1 beer- 3days a week. On a budget? Go here. Wanna meet some new South Austin Peeps? Go here. Wanna get a buzz for less than $10??? GO HERE. read more

Barton Springs Saloon was the last stop on my hail damage support group pub crawl last night. I hadn't been there before and I didn't know what to make of the place. It was smokey, but not enough to be Lala's South, and it was dingy, though not enough to be Horseshoe Lounge North. But it's a dive bar alright. The patrons were an eclectic lot: a trio of bikers were at the table on the left; a family (with grown children) sat at the table on the right; and at the table behind us were a well dressed couple who apparently got lost on their way to Key Bar. The waitress seemed a little too fresh and perky for a dive bar. She also looked young for her age, which is the opposite of what I've come to expect from dive bar waitresses. But she was friendly and attentive, and easier on the eyes than most of the clientele. The beer selection is decent and the jukebox has some good tunes. Popcorn appears to be the only food they offer, but they didn't seem to mind when we brought in fries from P. Terry's. Barton Springs Saloon may not have the timeworn reputation of other dive bars in Austin, but it doesn't need dusty Christmas decorations or asshole bartenders to make it a cool hangout. If you ever have the urge to drink a beer under a gas station awning with people you wouldn't normally associate with, this is the place to do it. read more

It is exactly what it seems. A laid back, neighborhood bar. Prices are reasonable and service is good. A cool place to hang out.

All I have to say is $1 Lonestars on Mondays! Does it get any better than that? No... didn't think so!

Very disappointed with Barton Springs Saloon as of last night. I always enjoyed the inexpensive drinks and dive bar feel that comes with it, as it reminds me of home. But last night I had an experience that made me not want to come back. While I (and my girlfriend's drunk friends) were served, my girlfriend - who was sober - was not. After fifteen minutes of waiting and last call announced, she started to raise her voice, upset that she was being ignored. The girl bartender still did not yet respond. I was embarrassed as I didn't have much context into what happened, but when I walked back over the barback (or some other guy behind the counter) apparently started taking pictures of her and taunting her. If you want a place where the employees apparently lack all consideration for others, this is your place. Otherwise, look elsewhere. read more

SINCE THE BEGINNING! This bar will always have a little piece of my heart. There is a mixed & unique crowd that stumble into this place, and definitely locals that frequent. There isn't anything outstanding about it's drinks, building structure, tables or decor but it wins my heart with it's ultimate juke box, friendly staff(who will remember you ) and perfectly set patio for people watching. It's an original. read more