If it wasn't for Barton Springs Saloon, I would have thought this place doomed from the start just based on its location, after all, who wants to hang out at a bar that sits on a busy intersection? But hey, the Saloon works, and this place does too!
I went to Corner Bar last night with five friends, all of which, myself included, live in the neighborhood and are always looking for the next local bar to add a little change of scenery. While small, the bar is nice on the inside and gives an impression of being a lot bigger than it is- the downside of which is that the high ceilings and lack of anything to absorb all that noise makes the place echo so much that we were all driven outside just to hear ourselves talk. The noise set aside, the drinks were strong and the bartender was nice and attentive, even on a night that seemed relatively busy (but then again, perhaps that impression was too because of its size.) When my friend decided that she didn't like the drink they had made for her the bartenders were happy to replace it with a round of shots for all of us-above and beyond what any of us had expected!
We had only been there about twenty minutes when we were approached by (what I am assuming was the manager or owner) to ask how we were enjoying our night and what we thought of the bar. He made a point to make sure we were happy which I thought was a great move on his part. When I mentioned the lack of ashtrays on the patio he was attentive and agreed that I was right and said he would make sure to get some as soon as possible--I'll cut them some slack for it this time considering they have only been open for five days, next time though I will for sure keep an eye out for them to see if he really listened.
Perhaps the coolest thing about this bar though was their "jukebox" which can barely be called a jukebox as there is no actual "box" to speak of. They use an app for iPhone and Android called roqbot--a free app which allows you, the patron, to choose the music, and vote on songs that other people at the bar have chosen to play--and displays the song being played and its "dj" on a big TV screen behind the bar. It was definitely a fun interactive aspect to the bar which I hadn't seen before. The manager even spent a while talking to us about it and let us know that at a ripe 5 days old, Corner Bar is already the number one user of the app! The downside I guess would be if you don't have a smart phone.
If anything else, I could nitpick at the parking situation--there is barely any--but that just comes with the territory I suppose. Lastly the outside patio was tiny and cramped and on a busier night could probably prove hard to get on to.
I will for sure return to this bar, and I can see myself becoming somewhat of a regular if they continue the pleasant service and fun environment. I definitely wish them success and all the best. read more