A solid bar to get some beers and hang with friends. The music was good and the TVs were on to watch the games. We had a lot of fun with the ample space and low key vibes. There was no cover which was a plus! They also have some bar bites, which we didn't try but looked good. Check it out. read more

Spacious spot on 6th St. Liked that this place had a variety of music options, not just country or honky tonk. Bar service in back was far quicker with short lines. Long and narrow layout is odd, but sound was great in back of bar! Standing room only most of the night, so arrive early if you want a table. We didn't order food, but there was a convenient Chick-Fil-A just a few doors down! Only a few servers walking the floor and they were mostly pushing pre-made drinks! read more

Friends Bar - Had to stand near the back, but sound was great! - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was excited to find a place with live music during the day, as our limited evenings in Austin were full already! Also, I liked being able to check out the "Dirty 6" during the less crazy daytime hours, lol. It was pretty dead while we were there and the bartender, who wasn't supposed to work that day and made sure we all knew it, wasn't as welcoming as we would've liked. Got a pretty short pour cocktail, too. Apparently, beer is the way to go. Music was decent. read more

Interesting spot during the day. The plus is live music starting at noon, we stopped by on a Friday. The music was a mix of all kinds and was pretty good. The people watching was interesting but it was pretty dead while there. Drinks were ok, I would stick with beer. I'm sure its crazier at night being on 6th but regardless nice to hear some live music during the day. read more

Fairly large pub/bar with a stage at the front and a music venue feel to it. The cover band played a good selection of Texas rock and blues, so a great place if your into that. As they played some SRV their musical skill level seemed quite high. Drinks were small and priced comparable with other places but getting food is a bit of a challenge. Only one guy working and he was doing one order at a time instead of working on multiples. Music and beer - great, food not awful but slow. read more

Friends Bar - View from the back - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was looking for a no frills bar that had music. Friends Bar it is! What I like about it is that it was divey enough, but still very clean. The service is also above average for the area and most people seem to be there to have a good time. Its not a huge drunk tank (at least when I was there). What really stood out to me was that their bands on average were stronger than the rest on 6th. They seem to attract some unique and excellent talent to play at their bars. I didn't get to eat there, but it looks like they have a pretty solid bar menu out of a fake food truck in the back. It looks like their food logistics are pretty solid so I wouldn't mind getting an app. My friend and I were not sure about this part of 6th, but we were very happy with what we saw here and was the highlight of the area! read more

The menu and live music attracted us from the street. Ordered a few items and was very impressed with the seasoning and quality. Would definitely recommend the cheese curds and fried pickles. The chicken tenders, fries, and quesadilla were not as good but still would recommend. The service here is not 5 star nor is it super energetic however, it is still a neat experience. read more

Friends Bar - Cheese curds - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Fun bar in downtown Austin that plays live music. I found it on a pub crawl and had a great time listening to the music and having a drink. Stop by if you're looking for a good place for that. read more

Friends Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Was in town for a quick visit from Detroit. We really wanted to hear some live music and Friends did not disappoint. We came in two different nights to hear 2 different bands. Though really different, both were great. The bar itself is just a big open area with a long bar, some high tops and a stage in front. If you're lucky you can snag one of the high tops against the wall so you'll have someplace to set your drink. One of the nights we came the Longhorns were playing the Kentucky Wildcats the next day and the place was mobbed. SRO. They have specialty drinks and also all the regulars. I got the spicy margarita and it was delicious. I recommend. Bonus - they don't charge a cover. If you're looking for some music in a walkable area, this will probably work. read more

The service at this place is simply excellent. With the live music, it has an amazing vibe. We were there on a Thursday and enjoyed a blues band covering Stevie Ray, Muddy Waters... The music starts fairly early and goes late. read more

Staff was amazing. Prices are great and the entertainment kept us there all day. Very clean bar on 6th with a great sound system. They had TVs with football on and played great music videos in between. Great full bar with terrific options. Good food menu as well. Only negative is you better get there early to get a seat/table or you are standing all night. read more

See all

This bar is on 6th but it was a great venue! Free live music and great bands! The bartenders were attentive too. We arrived a bit early so it was not busy. We started off at the bar but then moved to a seat. So glad we did since it got quite busy. Standing room only after a certain point. For a free venue the singers/bands were great! They also have food and my friend got the sampler platter. It literally had everything on it: queso, boneless wings, hush puppies, potato skins and cheese curds. All of it was good bar food. Really enjoyed our evening there and would definitely return!! read more

See all

Friendly bar with string drinks, efficient service, friendly bartenders, fun music. This place filled up quickly, we were happy to grab a table to enjoy the music. Music and dancing were fun, glad we found this place. Grab a table for your group while you can! read more

Friends Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Friends Bar is a great live music club on E 6th Street, not far from the Driskill Hotel. There, you can enjoy some terrific bands rocking out to rock, blues, R&B, and more. I entered the club as a bluesy rock trio performed on stage, playing songs by Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. The bar had both bar seating and table seating on the opposite wall. The bartenders were attentive, and the first one fixed me a Friends Barrel-aged fashioned with TX whiskey that was strong and solid. I stayed at the club for about 20 to 30 minutes to enjoy the music and vibes. The club was fun, and I wish I had more time to stay and hear more music, as it was already late for me given all the travel I had done that day just to arrive in Austin. When I return, I'll definitely come back to check out some more live music at Friends. read more

See all

We were visiting Austin and wanted to hear some live music but it was around 3p. As we were walking along the 6th street area we stopped some police officers and asked where we should go. They suggested Friends Bar. My daughter loved it since her favorite series in Friends. This place was handicapped accessible for my mother who is in a wheel chair. We arrived about 20 minutes before the next performer. We ordered some food from the back. The quedo and chips and salsa and chips were really good, especially to share among 4 people. I got my mom the fries which looked like Mc D's. We got a high top table with both bench seating and high bar stools. Performer was mostly covers of songs. Initially we were pretty much the only people there but the music I think drew about 10 more in. Bartender was okay, not really welcoming and when no one was ordering, was on her phone texting. We had to get her attention to close out our tab. Bathrooms can really need some updating. I recommend this place when a good band or music is going and if you are a Friends fan. read more

See all

Nice beer selection. Fun live music but loud. Bartender friendly. Cute "food truck" inside. Didn't try the food. read more

See all

Was doing a bit of a live-music crawl around 5:30 pm on Friday. At that point, this was the last place offering live music, whereas everywhere else was on break or intermission. Shout out to FRIENDS! Get there early to get a seat, otherwise, you'll be standing (which during live music is quite fun). Also, check out their taco truck inside at the back of the bar :) read more

All right, so I'm only posting this because people have to be aware of what happens when you walk into a place you never know. We ordered a few drinks while sitting here and we decided to go outside and take a smoke. I had left my sunglasses on the table to try to indicate to the people at the bar that we were still here. There wasn't that very many people so typically when you walk into a bar, you can leave your stuff somewhere without it getting affected, but now my sunglasses are missing. Our drinks got picked up by the bar back at the bar back has no idea what happened to my sunglasses. Watch yourself here. read more

My husband and I were wandering around downtown Austin and decided to pop into Friends Bar on a whim--and we're so glad we did! From the moment we sat down, we loved the super chill vibe of this place. The bartender was amazing--friendly, attentive, and clearly knew how to craft some great cocktails. Speaking of drinks, the cocktails were excellent--well-made and absolutely hit the spot. Whether you're looking for a relaxed spot to hang out or just want some solid drinks, Friends Bar is definitely worth a visit! read more

Loud nightlife bar with great drinks, live music and big shots! This a narrow bar in the heart of 6th street. During our stay in Austin, we ended up here a couple times and experienced some great live music. It's pretty loud in here when there's a band playing, so forget about having a conversation with anyone if you aren't in the back of the bar, but that's okay! We got some cheap beer here and did a green tea shot one time before left. Holy jeez was it a shot! It seemed like it came in a rock glass because it definitely took two gulps to finish it. Thanks for the treat there, worth the money for a shot! read more

Friends Bar - Stage - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Loved this place so much that we had to go back every might while on Austin! Laidback vibes and superb music draws a great crowd but not overly packed even during a gorgeous weekend. No cover and pretty decent Cajun spicy fries! Honesty - home to the best bands (blues rock) in Austin we've seen, such incredible talent! read more

Friends Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Wow! Unexpectedly fantastic! Excellent band. Even better margaritas. Like a 10 out of 10! And the burnt ends tacos were a delightfully delicious surprise. read more

Great vibes, good music and great drinks! The hotter chocolate was great as it's still cold here haha!!! read more

Friends Bar - Menu - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you want to experience real Texas blues and blues/rock and overall a fn awesome vibe, Friends is the place. Cool and friendly staff, location, food and everything is just amazing. This bar has been around for many years and has a lot of character. I'd definitely recommend Friends and can't wait to go back again next time I travel to ATX. RM read more

I you want a good drink, and to listen to good live music "Austin style" this is a great place to visit. I hate to say it but the tacos there are not good...the worse I've had in Austin and tacos are everywhere and they are all good but not here. That was a disappointment but the historic location, atmosphere and overall vibe of "Friends" Is cool. I'd go back...just not for tacos ya'll. read more

Friends Bar - Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Nice local dive bar. We were wandering down 6th Street on a sunny Saturday afternoon. There wasn't much going on since it was early, but there was a guy singing blues at Friends bar. We had passed the bar earlier but circled back just because the music sounded so good. We walked in, and several employees promptly greeted us. We sat across from the bar with a perfect view of the blues singer in front. We ordered Mexican Coke from the bar and just relaxed for a while, enjoying the music. The bar was a bit warm, but it wasn't too bad. (The AC didn't seem to be on) We stayed for about 30 minutes listing to the music before leaving. The bar was clean and comfortable.If I were a local, I'd probably be a regular visitor. read more

Friends Bar - Great blues band - I don't recall the name, unfortunately. - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Live music by Lew Apollo on the strip, great band and on a Tuesday night.. cold beer, great bartenders, fun timed. won't disappoint read more

Friends Bar - Lou Apollo - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

We went on a Tuesday night and it was not too busy, and easy to find a table. The Churros and Breakfast tacos were big hits for late evening snack! The entire vibe was very chill, good service, and the music was great. read more

Friends Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Very nice music great drinks had a good time hanging out in the afternoon. Good customer service read more

Friends Bar - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

The place was rockin!!! There people were vibing! The establishment is clean ! And they had a food trailer in the bar! It was cool to look at but I didn't order food! I need to eat here next time for sure. The drinks went down well! Definet must try if you're in the area!!! read more

Friends Bar - Live band playing! - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Friends bar for the first time. Came for the live music (tonight's was with artist Sunny Wolf). Great bar with good service, quality food, and great vibes. What we ordered from food truck (Food Notes) in the back: Texas poutine, and a brisket and smoked chicken taco. Texas poutine ($14) green chili queso, pulled pork, corn relish, sour cream, green onion. Delicious but pricey. Brisket Taco ($7) Smoked brisket, jalapeno cilantro sauce, avocado, garnished with cilantro. Excellent quality would get again. Order the food in the back (they serve some sodas like a coke in a bottle for $4). Smoked Chicken Taco ($7) corn relish, avocado, salsa verde. A little slimy and not so good as the brisket. read more

See all

We went here in a Tuesday evening around 6pm. The place was pretty quiet but started to get busy around 7. A guy called Nicko who was from Canada was playing guitar and was fantastic. He really knew what he was doing. Definitely created a great atmosphere to the place. Drinks were decent enough and service was quick. read more

During a recent trip to Austin we stopped by Friend's on 6th street and I realized my phone was low so I asked the bartender whose name I didn't catch but was wearing a UT hat to charge my phone. I then was chatting with him about local things to do and he looked something up for me on his phone while mine was charging. At that point another employee, a bald guy, started yelling at him to get off his phone using profanity right in front of myself and other customers. It was a very unpleasant exchange that wasn't remotely professional or appropriate to do in front of customers. read more

Spent a weekend in Austin and Friends was one of my bookmarked places. We came by on a Friday night and it was packed. They had a live band playing but nobody was dancing! They had a blues band and they sounded amazing, but not great dancing music. We stayed for a few songs then left to find somewhere to dance. Even though it was packed it was still pretty easy to get service at the bar so that's a plus. read more

Friends Bar - a man playing a guitar on stage - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

In town for a conference- looking for live music and food... spent way too much time searching to find something that was open with live music and something to eat. Great experience all around read more

Friends Bar - A great experience - Music Venues Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great place for Blues music and similar. Fun times. Enjoyed the artists and the vibe.

I think this was mine and my boyfriends favorite bar of the weekend, but not because of what you think..... The bartenders are extremely nice and attend to every customer as fast as possible. The music here was the best we saw besides the piano bar. We didn't try any food but we stayed here for almost 3 hours just watching the band that plays every friday! (which he was AMAZING!!!!) The menu for food looked good and some people ordered food. Not too many seats it's more a standing bar. It was busy but not miserable to where you couldn't get a drink or the bathroom had a line. I can't wait to come back! read more

Solid rock band but GREAT blues band on a Sunday night with no cover. The queso was good but the chips are awesome(like wonton chips Texas style) read more

Ordered 3 vodka sodas with lime and got vodka water. Don't even think they used soda water it was like water from the tap. Flat and gross.

Arguably best bar in Austin. Always great live music. Cheap drinks. Very friendly staff. read more

See all