I don't usually leave reviews, but my experience at this bar was so bizarre and uncomfortable that I feel like I owe it to other patrons to share. I came in with a couple of friends on a Wednesday night. It wasn't overly busy, but service was slow from the beginning. We waited nearly 15 minutes before someone even acknowledged us, and when we finally got drinks, two of the three were made incorrectly. No big deal -- we politely asked if they could be remade. The bartender (who we later found out was the owner) acted like we were personally insulting him by mentioning it. He rolled his eyes, muttered something under his breath, and walked away without saying anything. Five minutes later, he came back and slammed the corrected drinks down without a word. We were still trying to brush it off and enjoy the night, but it got worse. At one point, another group came in and was clearly friends with the owner -- suddenly they were getting all the attention, even being allowed to play their own music over the speakers. The vibe of the whole bar changed, and we felt totally pushed out. When I asked if it was possible to put in a song request like they did, the owner told me (verbatim): "This isn't a jukebox, sweetheart. Maybe try Applebee's." We left shortly after. I've never been treated so condescendingly by someone running a business. The owner seemed more interested in showing off for his friends than running a bar. No atmosphere, rude service, and a complete lack of professionalism. If you want to pay premium prices to be ignored and disrespected, this is the place for you. Otherwise, I'd recommend literally any other bar in Lawrence. read more

Great service, even during a KU men's basketball game. Easy views of TVs. A good size (nice crowd but still have elbow room) and an all around solid pub vibe. read more

Red Lyon Tavern - Bar near front door, looking back. - Pubs Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

When I was in college, Red Lyon Tavern didn't really appeal. Their drinks were seemingly never on special, it was an older crowd, and as someone who has never been into soccer, the games didn't appeal. Flash forward several years and the budget isn't near as tight, I am part of the older crowd, and I see the appeal. It just took some of that 'wisdom' that comes with age to appreciate it... Well all but soccer, I still can't get into that. My favorite memory here was watching Mizzou vs Kansas in their final game at Allen Fieldhouse before jumping ship for the SEC. KU was down 20, it was dicey, and people were nervous and stressed. Then KU came storming back and won in epic fashion, marking an all time great game. Beyond the greatness of that game, the highlight here is EVERYONE was so dialed into the game is was almost like being there. High fiving bouncers, new friends and bartenders is so much fun. I haven't found a comparable place in KC like this. Oh, and they have popcorn. Try having more than a few beers and turning down free popcorn, you can't do it. It's too perfect. Fun little spot, right on Mass with a good, friendly crowd every time I've been in. read more

GM is kind of a micromanaging tool. I went outside to the smoking area with a drink i was served by the bartender and he called me a liar when i said i got it from inside and poured it out in front of me. I kept asking him to talk to any of his bartenders to confirm they had it at the bar, but he told me "i know we don't have this because i write the orders" which is hilarious in retrospect. I was forced to leave while this guy continued to embarrass himself by verbally accosting me and trying to get me to fight him outside of the bar. the bar is cool but it's run by a major d bag. I included a picture of the drink because i know this tool checks the reviews for this place. they served it to us complementary with tequila shots so. If you're reading this i'll say the same thing i said before, go talk to your employees about it and stop harassing customers, you really embarrassed yourself. read more

Red Lyon Tavern - a can of chili vibes sour ale with cucumber - Pubs Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

Love this bar but so upset to see they didn't have tank 7 on draft anymore . Sad face so hard

Every town needs a terrific venue in which to savor a proper pint, away from the real world, and there's no finer place in Lawrence than the Red Lyon. Is Trina working? Hope so. You don't want to drink at a 5-star pub. If such a thing exists, it's phony. The Guinness is a tad warmer than the average in Lawrence, a nod that they know what the proper temperature is but that too many simply don't understand. Grab a free basket of popcorn, enjoy your pint, and know you're in a welcome location. It's not Ireland, but unless you're headed to KCI for a flight to the Erin Island, it's as close as you'll get. Just where I want to be. read more

Red Lyon Tavern - Guinness! Mothers - Pubs Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

See all

How have I gone this long without writing a review for the Red Lyon? I've been a patron of the Red Lyon for the last decade, though most of my time at the Red Lyon is in the last six years. I've been coming to to the Red Lyon since prior to the Lawrence smoking ban, and since before the door was remodeled to the current central location. While in law school, Red Lyon was my friends and my bar of choice, and we were here 2-3 nights a week. Red Lyon is stylized after an English / Irish pub with the walls lined with brewing / distilling signs, soccer and golf paraphernalia, and a few other knickknacks. The bar is long and centrally located and has several tables located opposite, all done in dark woods on a white tile floor. The tables have comfy tall chairs and stools, and I have spent many hours in them. The Lyon is known for popcorn and darts. The Lyon popcorn is always a treat for a night of drinking -- salty, buttery, and hot, with Tabasco to accent it if you are so inclined. The dartboards are available to anyone who brings in their own darts, or one can borrow darts from the bar. I used to belong to the Lawrence Dart League and play for a Red Lyon team, so I'm well acquainted with spending hours getting in a little practice. Red Lyon, in keeping with the English / Irish pub ethos also features MLS Soccer when games are on, and frequently organizes outings to see the Kansas City Sporting. The English / Irish pub concept also spreads over to the selection of drinks and features Guinness and Boddington's on tap, Jameson and Car-bombs when the night gets wild (I believe I am still undefeated in Car-bomb race speed challenges). As a sign in the bar warns -- do not tell strangers about the Red Lyon, remember it's your seat. read more

Red Lyon Tavern - Logo on the ceiling. - Pubs Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

If you want to watch a soccer game this is the place. All of the Sporting KC games are shown here. When it's World Cup Time they open for the games even if it's outside of the regular business hours. Great Staff and a good selection of beer. They also know how to pull a proper pint of Guinness. Mostly a low key place unless there is a Soccer or KU game on. read more

This is my go to bar in town. The free popcorn is a plus. They have dart boards and pool tables. Best of all, they love soccer. They play Sporting KC games with sound as well as USMNT, USWNT, and some other matches. read more

They know how to pour a guiness. 5 stars. I know, I'm pretty easy to please and possibly, a drunk. They have had the same cool bartender for 15 years. Free popcorn, free darts, typically a mellow older crowd. Good times. read more

"remember it's your seat" I've always enjoyed my time at the Red Lyon. Friendly staff and always friendly faces. If you aren't hipster enough to be at the Replay or greek enough to be at Brothers, or the like... Red Lyon is your place. Free popcorn... or play a "pickup" game of scrabble or darts. Good times and good music. But wait. I'm not supposed to be telling anyone about the Red Lyon.... read more

I love this bar. Honestly, in the mediocre bar world of Lawrence, Kansas, this place is the best chill bar of all. Why? Let me name the ways: 1) The staff - well, I've really only seen one guy ever working here. He is awesome. Very friendly, very quick, very efficient. The guy is awesome. 2) The clientele and atmosphere - it tends to be relaxed, quiet, laid back people who like their beer and just want to chill out. To me, that's the perfect bar clientele. Atmosphere is very laid back (yeah, I said it again)...the free popcorn is tasty...dart boards, pool tables and TVs make the place fill all needs. 3) The drinks - I usually get Guinness. It's poured perfectly, and is some of the best Guinness I have ever had. Perfect temperature, perfect smoothness, and perfect taste. The mixed drinks, when ordered, tend to be poured liberally. Prices are fair. A great bar...I enjoy it greatly. read more

Popcorn, tabasco, beer, and darts all in the same place. I like you a lot Red Lyon. I like that it has somewhat of an older crowd and is populated by a lot of regulars. Red Lyon never disappoints. read more

This place is your typical Dive Bar. Grab a beer and play a round of darts (steel tip). Reminded me of the Irish bar I used to go to in college. I was there late on a Thursday night so it wasn't very busy, but I could see it getting very crowded on weekend nights. Seems like a very casual place, probably with quite a few regulars. read more

Best Pub in Lawrence. It's a euro-style pub. Watching games is a blast - basketball or soccer. Darts and pool table are available. Basically if you want to go get a drink with friends this is a causal place to go. On a weekend night, you might have to wait for the pool table, but otherwise you can usually play pretty easily. The Guinness is the best in town, always fresh because this is where people go. The staff are nice and laid back. They've all been there for as long as I can remember. They do bus trips to see KC sporting games. AWESOME. I've got a lot of good memories at this pub. Did I mention the free fresh popcorn? However, I swear this makes me buy more. =) read more

Free darts, I repeat free darts...and popcorn!! That is enough to keep me coming back everynight. Very laid back bar, everyone is of age, and its not too loud. They also have a bunch of boardgames you can check out....yahzee anyone? The drinks are a little more expensive than the rest of Mass but as mentioned above free darts and popcorn!!!! read more

Came here with a group of coworkers after work. I'm from out of town but my friend recommended that we come here for some proper pints. We were tired from work and thirsty, so a nice casual pub seemed like a good deal. When we got here, the bouncer said he couldn't let us in because the pub was full. We looked inside and it was half full at most. This was fine we thought, because we could just go somewhere else and eat. About 30 seconds after we left, two cars pulled up and a bunch of college kids hopped out and went into the bar, no questions asked. What? Can't a bunch of old fogies get a drink here? Needless to say, my friend said he was not coming back... Maybe it was a fluke, but some serious staff training is definitely in order. The bouncers up front cannot expect to get away with such behavior. read more

We have been going to Red Lyon for years and have always had a wonderful time here. However tonight your doormen disappointed us beyond belief by publicly embarrassing my 26 year old fiancé in front of the entire bar. After being a frequent patron to the bar for several years, the doormen denied him entry tonight because he has lost 200 lbs since his Is photo was taken and they claimed they couldn't allow him in because he didn't look like his photo. However they refused to ask for a second form of ID or take his "fake" ID from him. Instead they proceeded to let the rest of our large party into the bar but deny him entry. The situation was so ridiculous we thought they were joking at first. The doormen then proceeded to tell him that they believed he was lying and that his ID was surely fake. Even offering multiple photos, other IDs matching names, and multiple eye witness accounts, they continued to call him a liar and embarrass him in front of the entire bar. I love the Red Lyon and I am saddened that this happened but I can't recommend anyone go to this bar if they want to be treated with respect. read more

My all-time Lawrence favorite bar. Pretty low-key during the week (i.e, they have board games for patrons to play), but with added student population on Thursday-Saturday night, it can get hopping. The music is usually an eclectic mix of rock, pop, and some '80s nostalgia thrown in for the fun of it(except when some Miley Cyrus-loving patron takes over the juke box). There is always fresh popcorn for patrons (with or without Tabasco). Although they do not have drink specials, the pricing is in-line with other bars downtown and the dart boards add an element of entertainment. read more

Great bar. Great atmosphere. It introduced me to popcorn with Tabasco sauce and for that I will always be in their debt. It gets a little too crowded for my liking on the weekends, but only because it's so fun. The prices are a little steep for me, but it's no rip off. It is an all inclusive bar that has no sterotypical label like "greek" or "hipster" or "townie". The staff is funny and courteous. I haven't been in a while. I need to go there again soon. read more

One of my favorite bars in Lawrence - it's low-key, relaxed, and isn't littered with college students; they cater more to a bit of an older crowd. Plus who doesn't like free popcorn, darts, and games? read more

I grew up in Lawrence and left to join the military, but this is still my favorite place to go when I come home. They are friendly with a relaxing atmosphere. This is easily the best bar in Lawrence. read more

The bartender's don't care about you unless you're a female. The service is slow. Theyd rather be on their phone than serving guests. All around a horrible experience. Would never come back read more

Cool college bar for late night!! Drinks are decent. Love the free fresh popped popcorn!!! Much needed after a long day.

The Red Lyon is pretty much the perfect bar. A jukebox, darts, friendly bartenders, and free popcorn with tabasco....how can you go wrong?!? Whenever we go back to Lawrence you can usually find us ending our nights here. read more

A traditional Irish pub. Only been able to visit the place once, but it seemed much more relaxing and chill than most of the bars that the college kids frequent. Its an "older" crowd. Usually parents and graduate students looking to get a night off. They have a few dart boards in the back, and serve some tpop notch micro-brews. I would suggest taking a visit if you're looking to have a low key night out. read more

Why not enjoy some drinks, some sports and some darts or billiards with some friends? This place isn't too loud, isn't usually too packed and has plenty to offer the bar patron looking for something a bit different than the usual fare (apart from the free popcorn). On the downside, the place's small dimensions do occasionally yield a full house, one-in-one-out situation, and it can be a bit difficult to move around inside when that's the case. The beer isn't priced too bad, especially in larger quantities, but that's of course relative to the generally overpriced nature of alcohol in any bar. If you want a fun night out with friends, with plenty to do (including digital jukebox), give this tavern a shot. read more

great place when its open. went by in the morning to watch Premier League cause I was in town and they are closed. so much for being a Euro bar read more

Place was decent had darts to play. Had free popcorn but it was an alright place. Kinda pricey but its a bar what do you expect heh.

One of my favorite places to go in Lawrence. Staff has always been friendly, and is a great place to go when you've tired of the greek sardine sheepish thing. Great location too, as it's near several other great bars. I would certainly make this one of your stops. Oh yes- this is the place I discovered popcorn and hot sauce.....which is a suprisingly good combination. Free too. read more