Came for early after dinner drinks and not disappointed. I am looking for Rye and they have 5. Whistle Pig, why not? What about Angels Envy Bourbon, oh yeah they have some stuff. Great prices, chill atmosphere and close to other places for food, drink, etc, When in this hood I will return. read more

School House Pub - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I feel like I'm plagiarizing the previous review at the the top of the list (from K.S.), but, nutshell: great location, patio, design, beer selection. One the other hand, service can be brusque, and beer is ungodly overpriced. Been to School House twice now with the missus, and find it a lovely atmosphere for a pint in the emerging Cherrywood/Manor entertainment nexus. Lots o' seating in front at wooden benches and iron cafe tables that allow for people-watching and sunning, near UT and reasonably close to Downtown. The inviting exterior and interior space beats the hell out of the ungodly obnoxious Haymaker sports bar across the street. Bonus: some of the cleanest, nicest, most well-stocked bathrooms that you'll ever see. Beer: great selection, limited but well-chosen, with local craft brewers well-represented. The lack of prices on the menu, however, is infuriating. This is a bar first and a restaurant second, so do knock off the faux fine-dining affectations: customers deserve to know what they're paying for a pint without having an awkward and embarrassing conversation with the staff. Speaking of that, I've never had the staff be rude, but the bartenders can seem pretty aloof. You can be nicer when serving $8 pints, you know. Just found out on their web page about some happy hour and all-day specials as well as fish and chips (a thing I love above most things in the universe). Not sure why none of the employees ever mentioned any of this (see comments on staff above), but it's enough that I'll probably be back to give them another try to be better than "A-OK." read more

Really wanted to love this joint but really have had such mediocre experiences with the food. I have tried the Thai wings and they honestly just were not good, the chicken was either not cooked enough or cooked too long... I don't know, just kind of rubbery. Sadly me and my friend both felt the same way about the fish and chips, while it is a bargain at 5 bucks on Fridays it was just kind of bland and not that good. Sorry, hard to put my finger on it but very mediocre. They do have good drink specials. The Friday beer prices are 3 bucks at happy hour for an awesome craft and local selection. Bartenders are nice and attentive. They do hold your credit card instead of the quick swipe and return that everyone else seems to be able to do nowadays. My bartender did forget to hand me mine back when I settled up and I didn't realize til next day, my fault for not catching it... But come on, swipe it to start a tab and hand it back immediately . I would have given 2.5 stars but couldn't go up to 3. I will try the place again at some point and see if it's improved. It's a cool concept and a nice place for a brew, I want to see them work out the menu a bit more tho read more

Enjoyed the fries, nice huge portion too. The wings were underwhelming and not a ton of GF alternatives so I probably wouldn't go back if it were just me. read more

I like this place. Not sure why it took me so long to drop by but the apparent absence of a parking lot likely had something do with it. Lo and behold there is a lot behind - you have to access from the alley so it's pretty well-hidden. The layout of the small space is nice, including the outside, where I've sat with the dog on a couple of visits. They are particularly dog-friendly, with plenty of water bowls and a dedicated water dispenser. I've only had beer from their ample draft selection so far, but the cocktail menu looks interesting. Food I've sampled is good but perhaps a bit quirky - the fish and chips could compete with the best in town, though the goat cheese "tartar sauce" just doesn't complement the fish very well. The vibe and crowd seemed to be a pleasant mix, with young hipsters and middle-aged career people side-by side, representing Austin's friendly self-image in a proper fashion. Three cheers... well, let's make it four cheers for School House. read more

Great ambience & friendly service .... Awesome cocktails and food. Dropped in on a Saturday. The bartender, Bryan, was friendly and helpful. Tried the cocktails he recommended - Summer School & Extra Credit ..... really good cocktails. I highly recommend them. They have a great selection of beers .... definitely will go back to try some. For dinner, ordered the "Vegan Banh Mi" and a side salad. It was fresh, hot and tasty. It tasted more like a regular sandwich because some the key ingredients that make up a Vietnamese Banh Mi were missing like cilantro, spicy sauce, cucumber and chilli/jalapeño slices. This is a great place for a date night or just to unwind & relax. read more

See all

went largely for the fish n chips, on a friday 6pm - just getting busy, beer was good (difficult reading chalk board beer menu) staff were nice, cosy and small, but very sad fish.... a slither of white between a well battered coating, not hardly any fish to talk about. read more

BEST BURGER FRIES AND ONION RINGS!! I live nearby, and this is my go-to when I want a great burger and fries. The orange marmalade/ carmelized onion / homemade pickle combo is so good. It's my fave burger in Austin. And solid cocktails. Nice people, nice service, GREAT FOOD. read more

Came in for the first time the Sunday of the World Cup final. Friend suggested it would be a fun place to watch. They opened early and there was already a line. Think it was worth it. While small the space was great and the food and drinks on point. Loved the smokey blood Mary. Got the potato hash vegan style and it was tasty. Only thing that was a miss was the way they handled the crowd. Couldn't order food and drink until after a time past open which isn't their fault but there wasn't enough staff to handle the crowd. Food went to wrong people and no one to check on diners. They did the best they could but poor planning. Will give them another go on a normal day and think things will be five star worthy. read more

How on Earth does this place stay open when it's within a block of Haymaker (which has better drinks and food in every way imaginable)!?!? The only reason this isn't a 1-star review is that the decor is cute (lots of school supplies around) and the beer selection, while relatively small, had some semi-obscure beers (which I always appreciate). However, the food I ordered was awful. I had the special: Nacho Ordinary Poutine. All the ingredients sounded great in the description, unfortunately they actual execution was terrible. The entire thing came out room temperature, the fries were soggy, the queso was extremely watery (which is a mortal sin in Austin), the guacamole tasted like it was squeezed from a plastic baggy purchased at the nearest gas station, the brown sauce was exactly that: brown sauce (unclear how else to call it), and the jalapenos were fresh and spicy (which made them the saving grace of the meal, actually). read more

This really is a great little pub. Their beer selection is stellar and happy hour is solid. Monday, all full sized pints (not the high ABV offerings) are $4, which is great. The food is really good as well. We tried the wontons which were good, though there were only 3 in a $10 order. The kale salad included was fantastic. We also got the special for the day which was a tempura scallion pancake filled with Korean beef. Really a fantastic little dish. This one impressed me. We also got the fish and chips. the fish was of high quality and the fries were tasty. Two small gripes, it was fish and frites (though the crispy fries were delicious), and while the outside of the fish was perfectly crispy, the inside of the batter was a touch soggy. The goat cheese tartar was unlike anything I've had before: subtle in flavor and with the consistency of butter. However, when you spread it on the fish and it starts to melt, it was really good. So, a couple of small gripes about the food can't keep this from being a 5-star. Every time I visit, I am reminded of what a good gastropub can be. read more

Who knew take out could be so great!? We've been several times for happy hours but recently I called ahead for take-out. I ordered 2 fish and chips and it was ready when I got there. I already knew this dish was a winner but I'm writing to say the bar-keep who took my order and payment asked if I wanted malt-vinegar too. I said yes and she popped back and put 4 little containers of it in the bag. That's above and beyond because I would have forgotten all about malt-vinegar (and would have missed it) and she offered knowing she'd have to go get it. Sweet! The fries....I want to roll around in them and call them pet names. Devine. Get them. You won't be sorry. :) Cheers! read more

Great local pub! Warm and quaint inside, plenty of beers to choose from on tap, and delicious food. Go for happy hour and try the fish and chips and the old fashioned. read more

School House Pub - Root salad - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Oh my goodness ... this place has the best pub food. Love, love, love the CHILLED CRAB CLUB (Lump Crab Meat, Horseradish aioli, avocado, bacon, Challah Bun) with a French 75. Eat and drink and celebrate that you are not in the traffic of Manor Road. The outside seating is great for people watching or to be watched. read more

See all

We went here to celebrate a low key birthday dinner with my roommate. And we really liked it!!! Food: I ordered the Schoolhouse burger which had sautéed onions and jalapeño jelly on a soft bun with a side of home made Mac and cheese with little chunks of ham on top. The burger was great! The flavors of sweet and savory really complemented each other, my only complaint was that the bun was huge and the burger was tiny! A little more meat would've made it perfect. The Mac and cheese was amazing!! It was cheesy creamy and crunchy on top; exactly what you hope for with homemade Mac and cheese! I drank a hard cider with my meal and it was great! I got the Leprechaun, which was great! It was kinda sweet but also very dry, it completed the meal. Atmosphere: I loved this place!!! It was kinda small but there was tons of outdoor seating with cute little lights strung above. The building was cute and special, very original. A nice place for a chill drink or a intimate easy dinner. read more

School House Pub - Mac and Cheese (excuse the blurry picture) - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

This one of those times where I will have to return and write an updated review because I am fully aware of the potential here but kind of missed the mark on a first time experience. A few girls and I decided to hop over to School House Pub spur of the moment after attempting to go to Haymaker during a sportsball event. Less crowded, cute exterior, good reviews, we knew we always wanted to try SHP but had never gotten around to it. Upon walking in I feel like I almost always do coming to a new pub. Like I don't belong. Like everyone is watching me. Like I'm going to get carded and that somehow makes me nervous still (uhm...can I have an alcohol, please?) . That's not exactly their fault, I was just born this way. Awkward. Luckily, a friendly face pointed us to the food menu and told us that we could just order food and drinks at the bar. Cool. The bartenders/counter staff were super friendly and totally pretended not to notice my awkwardness. They handed us our adorable order cards, reminded us to take them with us should we sit outside (which my friend immediately ignored), we payed and tipped and found a place to settle in away from the glaring evening sun. Now onto why I gave 3 stars instead of four: The food itself. Again, I must note that I did not partake in cocktails or other beverages. This is a pub. That's kind of part of the deal. So I feel strongly that this is a 4 star establishment and I will just always miss out on that extra star because I don't drink. But I still want to give an accurate representation of my experience. Atmosphere: The theme. Super Kawaii. And they carry it through to the end, in every detail. It has that perfect, hip, nerdy undertone and SHP is very committed to that idea. I love that. The crowd was hip and young and laid back and just as friendly as the staff. For all my awkwardness, I didn't feel talked down to. I will say though, its getting hot in Austin and it felt like they didn't have the AC on inside. So we chose to sit outside in a shady corner all to near a loud speaker. The food: Here is where my problem lies. The food isn't cheap, as most pub food isn't. But this isn't pub food. A touch more upscale, small twist on the regular and served on wooden boards with special condiments. Its not exactly the gastropub burger I am used to. We all complained of the same thing : too sweet. All the food was too sweet and under savory. Were we missing something? Should we have paired this food with a special drink to get the full effect? It was just underwhelming compared to how the food actually looked. I would definitely go again and would recommend SHP to a friend, but I highly recommend doing the traditional pub experiences versus trying to replace Haymaker on a busy day. read more

School House Pub - Loaded fries and...sliders? Looked delish - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

Hated getting a hall pass in school...but getting the hall pass at the School House was amazing! Got vodka rather than gin! Fresh fruit, yes please! Insane! Their beyond burger was beyond words! Best food and perfect unique house made drinks on the east side! read more

School House Pub - The hall pass - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love this place! Fun atmosphere inside (when things are normal) and a great patio for outside eating. The husband & wife owners are awesome people, and their staff are so friendly. Delicious drinks and amazing, elevated pub food! Highly recommend it ALL!! Their location in central Austin near UT. Definitely check it out NOW! read more

I'm surprised this place has a rating as high as 4 overall. It's the worst pub food I've had, and I tried a few of the dishes. How can you mess up fish and chips? A mess. Drinks are basic and uninteresting. If you want a decent site to sit and chat with your friends, it's a good place to hang, but you can find the same atmosphere elsewhere and get palatable food and better cocktails. read more

Great patio, good drinks. Shitty weird mix of music. Enya to ZZ Top? More rock & metal please. Didn't come to meditate.

My friends and I enjoyed our time at School House Pub. The theme wasn't overdone nor trying too hard like other trendy bars. The atmosphere was vibrant and not over-the-top either (it could just be because it was a Thursday evening and it was just a normal happy hour crowd). The staff excels at customer service. I have a hard time picking a beer when there's so many to choose from, but the bartender gave me a couple samples and figured out which one I would like. She did this all with a smile. This wasn't too unusual, but very rare in the Austin bar scene now. The best customer service happened after we finished our dinner. When our server came by to take away the plates, she asked if my friend was finished with his salad. He only ate a quarter of it because it was too salty. He just casually mentioned that it was oversalted and it was no big deal. A few of us also mentioned the fries were overly salty as well, but still ate most of it. C'est la vie. A few moments later, the manager/cook came out to apologize and said she appreciated hearing our feedback. We were surprised that the staff took our minor comment so personally. This gesture made us appreciate the customer service here. After a great night of good food, drinks, and service, my friends and I would definitely come back to try the other dishes. read more

Awesome little pub that passes the test in school themed decor and little details. I came here on a frigid 26 degree night in mid January and was lucky enough to snag seats inside next to the front window and warm up with some School House Old Fashioneds and wine. Friendly bartenders, good variety of beers, quality cocktails, bustling atmosphere. read more

Quaint and unique pub, as you would expect in the Manor area. SHP is a little difficult to find, but once you arrive and walk in...it is welcoming and lovely. Drinks are simple, but good. The food is limited, but tasty. Great for a meet and greet anytime. read more

Wow! I'm extremely disappointed with my experience, surprisingly it wasn't from the front of house staff, but rather with the Manager (or Teacher as I like to call her). After stopping in for a few drinks after dinner (at Salty Sow) we were able to grab seats at the bar. Our bartender (Nick) was super nice and attentive (which is always appreciated in a bar!). However, the manager was extremely rude and otherwise manic. For instance, when we were enjoying our drinks and trying to have normal "bar conversation" with our bartender, who was awesome at suggesting beer options that were available on tap, the Manager would rudely come up to Nick, interrupt our conversation and demand he do side work! Who does that?! Part of being a bartender is making sure your guest are having a good time amongst making cocktails. In my opinion, it's NEVER acceptable to display that type of behavior in front of paying customers. Especially if you're the Manager. Have some class and speak to your staff with kindness and respect. The bartenders were really working their a$$es off and there was absolutely no reason for the manager to micromanage the situation. It made us so uncomfortable we felt like we had to take our business elsewhere. Too bad because Nick made our evening really enjoyable. Advice to the owners/GM, I strongly suggest you have additional training in place with your manager (I believe her name is Amanda), b/c she is seriously scaring off patrons (yikes!). read more

Great sliders! Omg! Awesome pub ambience. We were hungry and no other nearby restaurants were still open. I'm definitely going back!

Great happy hour specials and the portions are huge. The place has a lot of charm, but is small and can get crowded. We really appreciate the parking lot in the back and that it's counter service (order at the bar). They also have a great beer selection and board games. read more

Not only do they have great food, but great staff as well! The bf went here the other night and dropped his diabetes pump in water. They immediately brought him a to go container of rice to put the pump in overnight in hopes it would still work! So thoughtful and much appreciated.... and not to mention their Mac n cheese is amazing! read more

School house pub is literally a 10 minute walk from my place. Love that. However, I'll revisit when it's had time to work out the kinks. Here was our experience: It's hot as HELL in there. The AC isn't working and I feel absolutely awful for the kitchen staff and bartenders. It's a sweat box. The menu is simple. That's a definite plus. The staff is knowledgeable about the food and drink menu and that is awesome. However... Mark M. and I are hoping they rotate the local beer here because, yeah 512?! :( I found that the Hall Pass was my favorite, but here's where a kink came in to play: I told the bartender that I really like the Hall Pass and would like to sample some other drinks. Told her I wasn't a scotch or whiskey fan, but like more light, refreshing and slightly sweet drinks. She suggested the Intro to Spanish. I tried it. It was smokey and not really my thing. I had never had Mescal. I let her know I didn't care for it and could I have another Hall Pass (it was super busy and I knew I at least like that). She made that for me and I gave the Intro to Spanish to my friend who enjoyed it. Before he left, he asked her to put it on his tab, telling me that he didn't want me to pay for a drink that I'd given to him. She responded with "I already took it off her tab. It's ok. I don't want someone to pay for something they don't like." I smiled and told her thank you so much and that it was very sweet of her. Making mental note that the cost of the drink was now added to her already great tip - she was so attentive in all the chaos and was just soaring seamlessly through everything. When she calmed a bit again (I use that word loosely - seriously, it's a madhouse in there right now), she came over and asked if I wanted to try something else. I asked for some suggestions, saying again that I really enjoy light, refreshing drinks, but not whiskey or smokey. She said she thought I'd definitely like the Detention. I read about it and it looked nice - a light, lemony refreshing cocktail. I nodded and said I'd like to try that one. She made it brought it over and it literally tasted like I was drinking Fabuloso lemon. I didn't like it at all. Mark M even tasted and said "that tastes like chemicals". I waited patiently until she came back around and told her "I don't want you to hate me. I plan on coming here a lot. I live just down the road and I don't want to be the pain in the ass customer! I'm so sorry... I don't like this one. I think I should just stick with the Hall Pass. I'm so sorry!" She nodded, took my drink and literally threw it into the sink. I looked at Mark and slunked down. "She hates me." The whole night took a turn from there. Not once did she come back over to check on us. When I finally did wave her down and ask her if we could please close our tab she said "fine" and walked away, making several drinks for others and never even going over to get our card to start the payment process. After waiting about 15 minutes for her to close our tab, I asked one of the other ladies if she could please close us out. She immediately went over, brought us our tab.... which had both drinks that I had said I didn't like on the tab. I told that bartender I hadn't liked the two drinks and that she'd told me she'd take them off. There was a discussion with one other bartender, a back and forth with those two and the one that had waited on us most of the night, with a tab being brought back to us with only one drink removed. I hate being a pain and I don't want to make staff feel like they are running ragged just for me, but I was really uncomfortable with how I was treated after saying I didn't like the second drink. I wanted school house pub to be my two or three times a week go to place. We've waited a year for it to come to fruition... and now I don't feel like that is what this will be. I will wait for things to calm down some. I know it's stressful for the bartenders right now. I'll give it another try in a couple of months maybe. However, for now, I'm just going to steer clear... and totally avoid that bartender if and when we do go back. read more

I very rarely eat here, but seriously....the beer selection is awesome. I tried the Lefthand Good Juju Ginger last night and then tried it again and again and again. I wasn't a huge fan of the app we got...it was pickled veggies with "sausage"....the sausage was more like a tube of cardboard, but I'm just going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say it was just overcooked. Not tasty. The veggies were delicious even though I didn't know what 3/4 of them were...they were pickled, and really, that's all I need to know. I had a pickled RED GRAPE. Who does that? And when you're popping it in your mouth thinking it's a black olive...whew, huge surprise, but not a bad one. I just really love the atmosphere and the lovely bartenders/wait staff. When we were leaving around 9pm they started playing club music which was confusing and endearing all at the same time. Some older man at the bar asked if I knew how to twerk....I told him it wasn't nearly as easy as it looked. I still have to try the mac n' cheese and the fries smothered with short ribs. It's just hard to eat when you're drinking so much beer!! read more

A Hit and a Miss. I felt a bit disappointed after our visit because it is so close to being a great place with great food and good beer but there were just too many negatives regarding the experience. Pros: Great food for what I felt was a good price. Good tap list. Cool hang-out vibe if you don't mind the glaring TVs. Cons: Very limited parking. Self seating table, must order at the bar. Super dark room with glaring TVs can be distracting. Disclosures: We came on a Friday night just after nine o'clock, so it was fairly busy. Parked a couple blocks down. All of the other parking lots surrounding this building have signs posted saying "don't park here or you will be towed". There are several picnic tables out front for hanging out when the weather is nice. Inside is a pretty cool and relaxed vibe, some high-top tables and counters, a small bar, and several booth tables, very intimate. The lighting is very dim, actually it's dark except for the two big TVs shinning down over the dining area. The music is good. They had a good mix of beers on tap, IPAs, Belgians, Porters, Barley-wine...whatever mood your in you can probably find something. We got three plates to share; Montreal fries, bangers and mash, mac and cheese, and the food is good. FYI- the Montreal fries have a a lot of practically raw garlic on there just the way my BF likes it! There was a food runner/buser running around the dining room, he tried to take my food plate twice when I was still eating which was frustrating. He also grabbed my boyfriend's beer when it was still a 3rd of the way full. Maybe he couldn't see that it wasn't empty because it was so dark. It may be best to come here on a slower night when there are shorter lines, just to hang have a beer and maybe a snack, not for a formal dinner really. read more

I think I've found my new favorite Mac 'n Cheese. I mean, y'all, this is like 200 times better than Easy Mac. It's all ooey-gooey and has pancetta on top, served in a cast iron skillet. Nothing wrong with that. You know what else isn't wrong? The chorizo deviled eggs. Jigga-what? I'm not kidding. Three of us easily gulped down--no, wait, I mean--elegantly sipped two bottles of the house white ($20 a bottle? Yes, please). I shared sausage with spicy mustard. It was just okay to me. But I think it's me, not you. I'm not a huge fan of spicy mustard, but I do love sausage, but the roll and the sausage was just ...okay. We had one side of fries, and shared them among the three of us. They were delicious. Dining companion loved her Crap(b) Sandwich. You know what was a little bit wrong? When we first went inside, it was SUPER LOUD so we were happy to sit outside. On those rare days that it actually got chilly, we were chilled and finished off our wine inside. It seemed to have calmed down a bit in the loudness factor. It's a super cute place and I for sure see myself coming back--especially for that Mac 'n Cheese. Holy crap, it's good. read more

Great spot on the east side with that low key Austin vibe to grab some drinks and food for HH! Any of their hand crafted cocktails are worth the price and make sure to try their loaded fries! read more

School House Pub - Drinks and the bar - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I enjoyed my experience at School House. As other reviews state, the theme ties in well with all the different components of the bar. The prices are so-so, definitely a little pricey, but they can charge it because they're one of the few bars on Manor. However, the cocktail I had was great. I ended up drinking the Physics - bourbon, stout, maple syrup, walnut bitters. Pretty tasty and it's strong. The food menu looked tasty too, even though I didn't try it myself. I can see how parking's a challenge, but I found that there should be more than enough street parking to make it easy for you. I quickly found a spot on a Saturday. It's pretty loud inside during peak hours, so it's not exactly the type of place to sit down and have a normal conversation.. more like a shouting match, but I dig it. The place feels like it should be on Rainey Street, but I'm glad that School House is "giving classes" on Manor, as the neighborhood sorely needed a bar. However, this place gets busy. When the line builds up, School House gets crowded, blocking the door way. The seating is a little awkward with the couches, putting you elbow to elbow with your neighbors.. coupled with the long lines, it can get pretty chaotic in here. Can't really help the busyness here though, as it's a good thing. Just be aware of that. If SHP had a happy hour menu, I'd be pretty sold on making this a more routine bar! read more

I had one night in Austin, and I'd never been to the city before.....the idea of finding a good local place for dinner and a beer was extremely overwhelming for me. Fortunately(?), we arrived late from our drive from Big Bend, and our choice was narrowed down to places still serving food after 11pm on a Monday night. Thankfully, the School House Pub delivered. This place is tiny, with a cute compact bar, cozy seating, and ample outdoor seating as well. And I think this place may have *actually* been a one-room school house at some point--or if it wasn't, they certainly did a great job of getting the atmosphere right. There's even a detention-style blackboard in there. Love it. Ok, so food and drink -- beer list is awesome, probably about 15-20 taps with loads of local stuff and seasonal from around the country. Being from the east coast, it was a real treat to see Southern Tier and Brooklyn Brewery featured. Pints are fairly priced and this would be a great bar to just hang out and drink at. Food was great too...we got two orders of the pulled pork biscuit sliders. The food here is in the style of "upscale gastropub" but more affordable than other places that offer it. Bonus love for having a kitchen that's open-late. I'd definitely return! read more

Wing appetizer+burger+draft beer+Jameson was $45, so I will start by saying this place is pricey for your standard pub grub. And that's exactly what it was. My boyfriend's burger was decent. My wings were way too salty. It's unlike me not to finish an order of wings, but they went half eaten. The fries were the best food item we had. They were garlicy and perfectly crispy crunchy. Our bartender was not pleasant. It very much felt like he didn't want to be there. Maybe he was having a bad day and trying his best regardless because he did get the job done. I'll chalk it up to that because I know how tough the service industry can be. With all the great restaurants and bars in the area, we sadly will likely not be adding this one to our rotation. read more

I lived in Cherrywood for a couple of years and have lots of friends who still live off of Manor Road, so I end up here pretty frequently. Overall, I like School House, especially as compared to Haymaker, which is just across the street. I haven't had a full meal here, but all of the snacks I've tried were great: the garlic fries, two types of popcorn, the pickle platter (yum), and the mac & cheese. They go heavy with the salt and fat, but it all tastes great with a drink and isn't super greasy. The garlic fries and the pickles are my favourites. If you've had the fries at Justine's, these are blessedly similar. The beer selection here is excellent. They have about twenty taps, I think, and they're chosen very well and change often enough. The wine selection is small but good; they serve a Ferrari Carano white wine that I love. I can't speak to the mixed drinks: they are all sweet, and I'm not usually a fan of sugary drinks. The atmosphere at School House is excellent both indoors and out, but it can be quite hard to find a seat when it's crowded. Try not to end up on the outdoor left side of the building; that's the only seating area that feels unpleasant. I love the inside of this pub on a cold night especially. It's cosy. So why not more stars? Well, the place is expensive. I haven't eaten dinner here because the prices start to seem a little steep when you're already paying over $5--often quite a bit over $5--for your beer. They also don't list the prices of their on-tap beers, so you can sometimes end up paying several dollars more than expected if you don't awkwardly clarify prices with the bartender before ordering. They need to drop the prices on either their drinks or their food to qualify as a "pub" for me. The service can also be hit-or-miss. The ordering system requires you to squeeze up to a small section of the bar, which is often crowded with people who can't find seats, and shout to one of two or three female bartenders. One night, when I couldn't drink due to a medication I was taking, I asked for a virgin cocktail and was treated rudely AND charged full price--$8--for a drink with no booze in it. The bartenders are often a little short with customers, and not friendly with people who aren't "regulars." Like I said, I like this place, but I expected some more significant improvements (and some more reasonable prices) after the first couple of years of business. read more

A friend and I chose this place for an Friday happy hour/dinner. Being in the field of education, we thought the theme would be fun. It's well decorated and quirky, and they even have a school bell. (Though a word of caution about the bell, you might get an eye roll if you ask one of the lovely ladies behind the bar to ring it. But come on! It's a bell with a rope!) It was a little stuffy inside for my liking, but not a big deal. I really appreciate their large beer selection and inexpensive, yet tasty bottles of wine. My friend and I split the house white. Yum. We both embarrassingly ordered the crab sandwich and amazingly garlicky fries. My friend's commentary on the fries was, "How have I gone through __ years of life without these?!" We both finished every bite of our sandwiches, too. For dessert, we decided to live on the wild side and split a white Russian, which was the best one I've ever had. All in all, a great time. I'll definitely be back. Everything was tasty, well-prepared, and reasonably priced. Parking was a bit of a pain, but where ISN'T parking difficult in Austin? read more

School House has a ton of specials, including $3 wells and $5 fish & chips from 3-7 every day. My wife and I went yesterday and found out that they also have $4 ciders as well! I got a screwdriver for my wife and asked for an old fashioned, but was told that they couldn't do an old fashioned from their well liquor :(... I actually think that they COULD have done it, but wanted me to pay $11 for their specialty old fashioned. no thanks! We ordered two fish & chips and they delivered the food quite quickly! We each had one large piece of fish. FWIW, my wife said that she got two pieces last time she went. Additionally, the fries were topped with garlic and cilantro but were very soggy... which was disappointing. My wife said that the last time she came the fries were crispy and much better. However, not my experience. Overall, this place is cheap for a date or quick HH, but I wouldn't come here looking to impress anyone. read more

School House Pub is charming little place: adorable spartan schoolhouse-y interiors, friendly staff and a surprisingly delightful school bell that gets rung for purchasing a special, or, leftover beer from the World Cup. This place has a fantastic beer selection and even a few types of ciders for the gluten-challenged.. What's more are their cocktails, which are creative, fun and potent! My one gripe would be the food. I really feel like the food should be tastier. Everything is presented so well and looks so pretty, but nothing tastes up to snuff, except maybe the popcorn...but it's popcorn! I found the fries cold and bland, the burger was OK, the poutine was also just OK. I think this place will be more a bar than a full pub for me. read more

Love this place; unlike all the new high concept places sweeping through Austin, it's actually reasonably priced! Oh and the drinks & food are great! Locally created, locally owned, original to Austin, definitely worth checking out! read more