We stopped by Gibson Street Bar during their Twisted Carnival celebration where they transformed into, well, a twisted carnival. They typically do this for certain holidays throughout the year, which is very cool. Decorations were strewn throughout the bar giving it a spooky vibe. Everyone was in costume and the place was packed with some good energy; definitely the place to put you in the spirit of the season. They also have a second floor if the open area downstairs gets just a bit too hectic for you. Some things we did notice were that it's incredibly hard to find parking in the area. That part isn't really on the bar, more so the area it's in, but still important to notice. The place was also PACKED. While they do offer seating, it is very hard to come by and you have to essentially hawk over benches hoping someone will move. Lastly, the drinks were very expensive. This could be a symptom of it being a holiday celebration and having things like that just cost more, but it was still a hole in the wallet for those getting multiple drinks. We will say the drinks are good though so it does offset the price a bit. They also had a Photo Booth, which was cool, but you can't see where you are in relation to the photo being taken so that makes it a bit tricky to use. We're not down on South Lamar all too often, but for events like this we definitely will be. The setting was great, drinks were good, and vibes were high. Nothing much more you can ask for, or get in a bar. We will be back in the future for any holiday celebrations they might be throwing! read more

See all

We had so much fun here during the holiday season! It was decorated so festively and the holiday cocktail menu had a pretty big variety. The space itself is super big with lots of outdoor/ patio area, and there is also an upstairs. We loved the Photo Booth a photo opps, really setting the festive vibes. I'd love to pop in sometime during the regular seasons to see the vibe. read more

See all

Gibson Street Bar, one of the coolest bars in Austin, sits on the corner of Gibson Street and South Lamar Boulevard making it easy to remember its name and its location. The bar is small but packs a punch. Inside are a bunch of small tables, each lit by a small candle, and outside is a sprawling patio with additional seating. Both spaces are the true definition of a vibe. In my experience, all the drinks at Gibson Street Bar are hits. The bartenders are quick, enjoyable to be around, and always on top of things. One of my favorite details is that they're always stocked with petite Miller High Life bottles. It's great to drink your favorite beer at a great bar. They also have Coors Banquet on draft, which is another classic. I love how Gibson Street is always well-decorated for the holidays. I went a few weeks ago, and the Halloween decor was fantastic. As a bonus, one of the best food trucks, Jewboy Sliders, is parked right outside their door, and they have QR codes inside the bar for easy ordering. Gibson is a great experience for everyone, whether you're a patio enjoyer or prefer a cozy indoor spot with a cold beer in hand. RIYL: Bars with charm read more

Went back on Halloween night and man were they busy. The line wrapped like crazy but it went by fast. Once inside it was packed! We were still able to snag a table inside though. The music and dance floor was lowkey wack. It's a tiny space to dance and no real entrance to walk in or out. It's because they have big tables cutting the room in half. The decor was kind of cool though. Drinks were so so and shots got me messed up fr, it's like the worst alcohol ever. read more

Gibson Street Bar - halloween drink - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Randomly popped in. The atmosphere and energy was amazing. The people are so nice. The service was fast. I had a Pom Pom drink on recommendation of a patron... it was amazing ! read more

Because of the many so-so and negative reviews, I wanted to wait until I made a couple of visits before posting. I am perplexed by the naysayers. Literally every single time I have been to Gibson Street Bar has been a pleasant experience. I have been there on times when they weren't busy at all, slightly busy, and slammed. Every single time, the service was spot on and friendly. I dig the comfortable vibe inside and out on the patio. They often have seasonal drink and beer specials, things you can only get at certain times of the year. At the end of the day, I am a huge fan of frozen drinks and mocktails, too. The frozen drinks are always tasty and go down just right. I have had other drinks, and they were comparable to any other bar I've been to. I'm a fan. read more

See all

Yummy post #OddDuck dinner cocktails Mine (the pretty one) was perfectly balanced and refreshing. And the tall one Eriq Breland had was a smoky mezcal with a bright hint of sweet. Very nice and cool bartenders with great smiles read more

See all

I love a good night at this establishment, regardless if they have a holiday pop up. The staff is quick to grab your order, even when packed, and the Halloween decor made it extra spooky. I can't wait for the winter holiday pop up! read more

Gibson Street Bar - Sword Swallower - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Gibsons is a decent bar but during holidays it has lines out the door for the Christmas themes. The drinks are AMAZING and all themed out, also not too strong but love the warm drinks on a cool night. Drinks were made fast too and food truck nearby was great incase you need some carbs for a long night. Go for Christmas!!! read more

See all

Update for Halloween season! They really go all out on their themed decorations!! Spooky vibes all around at Gibson Bar through October. This year's theme is Twisted Carnival with decorations and drinks to match it all. You really must check it out! The themed cocktails are a little expensive at $20 but the atmosphere is well worth it. read more

See all

We came to visit when this placed was completely decorated from top to bottom for Halloween and it was a blast. Plenty of room to lounge, walk around and take photos. The seasonal cocktails were fun but a little on the sweeter side for our group, however the service was very friendly and you can find your usual drafts and cocktails at a decent price! I would definitely want to come back for their Christmas theme! read more

It's Halloween season and came to the Gibson Street Bar to experience their impressive Twisted Carnival. We entered from the back where felt like walking into an enclosed circus tent. We loved the atmosphere where there was a massive collection of creepy characters on display. It was a massive photo op and spend a lot of time in here before walking up the stairs into the bar. The balcony was the same creepiness but the inside was overwhelming. I really like it and the staff did a wonderful job. They also had a special drink menu to pick your poison. I ordered the Ectoplasam. It was a frozen green pineapple drink for tasted very good. They truly went all out with this immersive experience while enjoying great drinks. read more

See all

My favorite local bar in the South Lamar area - absolutely love how they go all out for Halloween and Christmas. Parking - pretty much the only downside, sometimes you can find parking on the nearby streets, otherwise across the street at the alamo parking lot is your best bet. Ambiance - cozy space inside, lots of seating outside in the front, side, back and down below when open. It can be a hard to get a table during peak times, but during the week it's usually no problem. They go ALL out for Halloween and Christmas with decor and a special drinks menu, so I def recommend coming during those times. Drinks - pretty standard in addition to their seasonal menu. most recently went during their Halloween menu and loved my Gibby the Clown drink. Food - currently have a jew boy sliders truck on site. read more

Gibson Street Bar - Outside entrance during the Halloween 2024 season - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love Gibson. Always great drinks, nice bartender, and nice patrons. Today, unfortunately, some poor POS stole my sunglasses. Everyone working there jumped to help me find them, but to no avail. One of the bartenders was so incredibly nice, she even took my number on her personal phone to call me in case they were found. Back to the poor POS part. I feel so, so bad for you, sunglasses thief! I've been dealing with some skin related medical conditions and well...god speed and I hope you have good medical insurance, because you're about to need it. Think: antibiotics. Other than that, love Gibson. This clearly wasn't their fault. I will continue coming back and will just watch my belongings like a hawk. read more

See all

The drinks there a reasonably priced but the part i enjoyed is the halloween decor they have set up it looks so amazing read more

See all

Gibsons was great last night. Walked in at the entrance down below. It was like walking into a circus tent. Their Halloween theme was Scary Circus. Really cool big headless horseman as you walk in. Thought the decorations were pretty cool. I had a good time. Good job Gibsons Street Bar read more

See all

A charming Christmas-themed bar with festive drinks and plenty of photo-worthy spots. I tried the spiked apple cider, and it was the perfect cozy treat for the chilly weather. read more

See all

I've been back a couple times since my last review with different friends. The last time we visited it was around 12 on a Saturday night. It was busy but not too crowded. The indoor bar area was incredibly loud, so we snagged a spot on the back deck. My Gibson margarita was ok, but the highlight was the fruity frozen drink special. It was so good! read more

I've been going to Gibson's Christmas pop-up for probably the past 3 years, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. All of the drinks I tried were amazing, but my favorite one was probably the Resting Grinch Face (vodka, pear, lemon, apple cider). It was packed though and pretty much nowhere to sit on a Friday at 8 pm so I would go earlier or on a weekday, or expect it to be packed! Parking can also be tricky so I would recommend ubering. read more

Gibson Street Bar - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Get into the holiday spirit with Gibson Street Bar! So many festive places to take pictures, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The Gingerbread Old Fashioned was really good. It had a little bit of sweetness which got rid of the bite and made it an overall smoother drink. Gibson Street Bar is our holiday tradition so we will definitely be back next year! read more

Such a great place to come to for the holidays! Went for Halloween, and I loved the festive drinks and decor. The cocktails were a bit pricey $17, but considering there isn't an entrance fee for such a neat spot, I feel like it rolls up into being pretty well-worth it. I liked how there were different spaces, outdoor patio, covered decorated/halloween-themed patio, dance floor (I LOVED the DJ's choice of music/2010s music -- he knew is audience well!), so there's a choice of experience for everyone. So festive! read more

Gibson Street Bar - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Gibson continues to add more to its decor scene and outdo itself! Definitely checkout the ski apres theme this year. They have a creative drinks menu too- I loved the sleigh my name! If you're a fan of all things holidays and decor - this should also be in your place list to checkout! read more

We came last night because it was my birthday. There was a bartender with bright red hair who greeted us very rudely. I guess she had said hi to us and we didn't hear/respond because the music was very loud. So she repeated herself louder and in a harsh tone. I realized she expected a response from us even though I had made eye contact smiled at her when she had said hi the first time. I just couldn't hear her properly!! She was annoyed when we weren't ready to order even though there was no one waiting in line behind us. She ignored us the rest of the time we were up there, even after we were ready to order. Eventually, one of the other bartenders, Brittany, came up to us to take our order. She was so sweet and helpful and even made me a birthday drink on the house. She asked us what our names were and we all introduced ourselves. She wished me a happy birthday and told us to let her know if we needed anything else. We came up a second time to get drinks and Brittany wasn't there, just the red headed bartender. She again was very rude and not helpful. We were going to buy shots but we saw it said bartenders choice on the menu, so we were discussing if we really wanted to do it since this particular bartender was not being kind to our group. Ultimately we passed on ordering anything extra from her. To the red headed bartender-- I'm really sorry that your night was going like that. I hope that your night got better. I have no idea what's going on in your life so I hope that whatever put you in that mood turns around for the better. You definitely detracted from our experience last night by treating us like that, unwarranted. To Brittany-- you rock! You made my night with your kindness! Thank you for the birthday drink and for your patience with our group. read more

Came for the Christmas bar vibes, pretty pricey, great atmosphere and decor, but also nothing to do, no games/activities or nothing, missed opportunity. read more

Came here for all the Christmas decor/spirit!! We went on a Sunday night and it was slow to start then got busy to start. We spent about $35 for 2 drinks, a little pricey in my opinion. The decorations were really nice and festive. I do wish they switched up the music a little, the entire time it was heavy metal music. Half the staff was friendly (guy with a beard!) the other half wasn't so friendly. Cool to experience for the decoration, but probably wouldn't go back. read more

See all

One of my fave bars in Austin! They go all out on Halloween and Christmas decorations with an exceptional holiday drink menu! The bar tenders and friendly and quick! We love Kendall ! read more

I absolutely love this place! After a night out I was looking for bars near me and found this beautiful winter wonderland! The photos don't do this place justice. It is so magical and gorgeously decorated, when you arrive you will want to take photos and videos. They have two photo booths and a naughty or nice QR code. When we arrived the music was absolutely chefs kiss! Mostly 90s-2000s hits, hip hop and rnb. The festive drinks were so tasty and cute! I got cider and hot chocolate! We danced and sang and had the time of our lives! We met some great friends and enjoyed our drinks inside as the outdoor bar was closed. We had so much fun we ended up staying until close! The music change to rock half way through our visit so we really focused on conversation and drinks from that point. The service is ok, you can tell the employees have a certain attitude towards customers. Wasn't very welcoming or generally polite but it is a bar. I'd come back for the decorations alone but the drinks and music is worth it. read more

See all

Super fun place for the Christmas season! I love how they go all out for the occasion. The only thing I would change would be the amount of workers just because the lines were super backed up for each bar. It was also difficult to find seating since it was quite busy. I loved the free Photo Booth and the different rooms to roam around to! The drinks were fun and it's nice that the upstairs bar still has regular drinks on the menu since the festive ones are really sweet, probably only can have 2 or you'd be a little sick. I'd return for sure, looking forward to Halloween! read more

Easy neighborhood bar with solid drinks. Can be a hit pricier, but it's never too packed and it's easy to order a drink. I've been to a variety of their events and they are always great. read more

Took a quick break from playing volleyball to meet up with my dear friend Sam. We met up during happy hour and it was pretty empty inside but there were people outside in the patio area. This was in early May so the weather was still pleasant. The inside was pretty much like a typical bar, with high tables and booths. Lots of drinks to choose from. The vibe is very chill during happy hour; there wasn't too many people in there since it was a midweek day. I would like to check this out on a weekend night to see if it's more lively. Located in the heart of South Lamar, it could be a good spot to hang during a lowkey weekend night. read more

Gibson Street Bar - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place was such a vibe for the holidays! The decorations were so cute and festive. They even had a little photo booth for me and my friends to take Instagram pics. The drinks definitely got me in the holiday spirit. My favorite was the Resting Grinch Face. It tasted exactly like green apple candy and was so delicious. The outdoor patio was a great addition to the indoor bar area. Outside was a good spot to chill while the music inside was loud and super fun. The bartenders were really nice and helped us pick drinks. If you're looking for a fun spot to go out especially around the holidays, Gibson Street Bar was great! read more

Bartender with gauges got upset that me and my girlfriend didn't know what we wanted to drink straight off the bat. Continuously asked us "what" as if he couldn't hear, he took my card once we were ready to pay and acted like he was rubbing it against his butt. Don't go to Gibson. Worst experience I've ever had and I work in the service industry read more

Nice festive bar. They went all out with their decorations for Halloween and Christmas. They also have outdoor seatings that was dog friendly. read more

Gibson Street Bar - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Stopped by for halloween decorations, its a great place! The music was a vibe! Everyone was chilling and enjoying their conversations (and food from the outdoor food truck). The drinks were great, they had a lot of halloween themed drinks, I had a lychee one I forgot the name, sorry. But they had a little bit of everything for everyone including tequila, vodka, and whiskey themed drinks and the bartenders were friendly and fast so thats a plus! Make sure to tip them! Lol! Overall had a great time, they really went all out with the decorations, can't wait to go back during Christmas time! read more

See all

You gotta come during Christmas or Halloween. They go all out on Christmas decorations and have cocktails to complement the time of year! The ambiance is always merry and bright not only during Christmas time so do yourself a favor and swing by for a jolly good time! read more

Gibson Street Bar - Chirstmas bar - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I've driven by this spot a lot and I always think I want to check it out. Well I finally did and I wish I had gone in sooner. I came here with some friends for day time Halloween vibes and we were not disappointed. During October they go extra w/ the decorating and even have special cocktails. Good stuff! An animatronic vampire creature, a ceiling full of skeletons, spiders, and bats, and a large Killer Klown from Outer Space really set the horror vibes. Note: there's a self-serve water station with ice cold water in a cooler and a bunch of plastic cups near the door. Staff was all friendly and helpful. They were also really quick with the drinks as more people came in. It never got crowded since we were there so early, but there was a quick moving line the bartenders kept flowing. I'd definitely come back when it's not Halloween season and see what the usual vibes are like. read more

First time in the Gibson Bar. Lots of seating for large and small groups. Candles on the tables give it a cozy feel. We ordered at the bar, and our drinks were delicious. It was very loud inside, so much so that most of the group I entered with left right away. The 4 of us that stayed enjoyed the boisterous atmosphere while enjoying our cocktails. It's a fun place, but not somewhere I would recommend for an intimate conversation. read more

Gibson Street Bar - Sign outside the bar - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I attempted to stop by during Halloween, but on the chosen day, the line was out the door, so we were finally able to stop by during the Christmas holidays and arrived right when they opened at 4:00. When we entered, I had been expecting a huge to do similar to Frosty's Christmas bar in Chicago, but instead, it was smaller than I thought with some cute decor, but nothing too outrageous. What I did not expect to find was a disgusting bathroom with fruit flies. The bartenders were very nice and the hot toddy and poinsettia were both really good. If you are looking for really cool and fun decor with an upscale vibe, The Roosevelt room does an excellent job with their Miracle on 5th Street display. read more

Local dive-y bar with great cocktails. It's definitely worth stopping in before Halloween even if you just get a soda because these folks have gone all out with decorations. It's so fantastic and so much fun. We chatted with an employee who told us they decorate like that for major holidays. It's got a vampire bar feel and I bet it's a hoot to see it looking like Santa threw up in there. Check it out! read more

Cool space with a big ol' patio that was great on a summer evening. The Desert Lily cocktail was a little weird...maybe that was the aloe liqueur? There was a flavor to it that just seemed a bit off. Also, they serve this one from a premade mix (like...from the tap), so maybe the mix was just off that day. We had to order our first round from the bar, but then later in the evening (a slow Monday evening), a passing waiter/bartender asked if he could get us another round. I told him I'd been eyeing the Bonita. He said that it's fantastic and was recently reworked after people had been complaining it was too spicy. Well, damn...if that was the reworked, less-spicy version, I don't think I could have survived more than a few sips of the original. Everyone at our table agreed that it was daaaamn spicy. Delicious, for sure, but still almost too spicy to be enjoyable. So much potential there, though. read more

Gibson Street Bar - Bonita (right, tall) and I thiiiink that's the Penicillin on the left. - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas