Look, if you're looking for a place with great cocktails, a fancy ambiance, and a place to talk, let's face it. Shakespeare's is probably not the place for you. It's on dirty sixth, but it's the most fun place on dirty sixth if you are looking to dance. There are two floors to Shakespeare's, and on a Friday or Saturday, I recommend going upstairs where there is a DJ and a dancefloor (usually superior to the downstairs). If you want to share a drink with someone (or hey, even if you don't!), get a pitcher of rum and coke or Long Island Iced Tea and drink it while you dance. They just built a games area where it's a little quieter if you want to to talk a little bit, but I'd mostly recommend this place for dancing and if you don't mind a little bit of a hot mess. It's the real essence of dirty sixth and the people who work here are nice and friendly. The bathroom, yes, is disgusting, but it's a bar, so what else can you expect? Overall, I've spent many nights here especially when I was in college, and it's always a good time. read more

Tried going into Shakespeare's Pub on a Thursday night for the 5$ liquor pitchers but was denied entrance to the pub because I had a backpack on. Okay, I can handle that if it's a rule of the bar. I went to a friend's car and stored my backpack so I could enter the bar and meet some friends on the rooftop. I got back to Shakespeare's and the two bouncers wouldn't let me enter because I was wearing an army jacket with the sleeves cut off. Are you serious? It's not like this place is a classy bar and should have a dress code in tact.. If you want to be treated fairly and with respect, take your business elsewhere and spend your money at businesses that deserve your patronage. To prove my point, I was walking with my girl ( who I was going to meet on the rooftop ) to a different pub a few doors down and was greeted with " How you doing brother?" and let in for free when there was a 5$ cover charge. That pub was Nuno's Blues Bar. Stay away from Shakespeare's Pub read more

I had a blast partying with my homies from WV!!!!! Couple things: If your gonna sport a English or Irish pub, then sport the drank! Also, what's up with the bathroom? Two urinals, two toilets, no stall walls, no tp!? Seriously? Who wants to watch someone take a dump? Secondly, provide some tp! Unless you have a bidet! read more

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SHAKESPEARES IS AWESOME! They have a rooftop area which is nice beacuse it gets pretty hot in there when youre working up a sweat dancing. They have a drink special everyday! They have these huge 32oz drinks on sale thursdays and fridays, any other day they are only $10. They play great music! Top 40s, hip hop, rap. The crowd is fun and i always have a blast here. My favorite days to go here are thurs and fri. I always have a great time!! read more

Shakespeare's...what happened? Are you slipping crack in your drinks? Is there a free taco booth in the corner that I missed? Whatever it is, you are suddenly stupid popular and not only did I have to wait in a line that stretched out until I was practically in Maggie Mae's, when I finally DID get into said bar there is a LINE TO GET UPSTAIRS? Is this real life? I was stopped by a bouncer and told that 'at least ten people needed to come down from upstairs until you are allowed in.' This makes little sense to me considering there are TWO stairwells with no way for these bouncers to communicate with each other. I used to really dig this place, but one line is the limit for me, thanks. read more

Since when does Shakespeare's have a dress code? Stopped by for a drink last night while waiting on some friends to get downtown and was told that I couldn't come in because my pants were too baggy. I guess if you aren't wearing jeans so tight they cut off circulation then you're not within the dress code. Doorman let me in after arguing with him for a minute, I had one drink, left and walked down the street to Dirty Bills, where they don't give a shit what you're wearing and everyone is much friendlier. read more

My tenure at Shakespeare's took an unusual haitus during my 16 years as full-time and part-time Austin denizen. My brother and I used to go here together as awkward teenagers back in the early, early 90s, when Austin was still organically hip and carding was something that happened to a brick of blow and not the entrance to a beer bar. Shakespeare's was the goddam shite. Then in college, I outgrew it, I suppose and opted for the late 90s suckfest of thematic $1 beer college bars like The Library, Aquarium, and Logan's. Its almost a right-of-passage to have to endure what will later become the "what the shit were we doing back then at such shitty bars" years. We knew the bouncers, we new the bartenders, and we knew the loyalists. Once that transition in taste became obvious -- that I had abandoned a great bar in Shakespeare's for the filth of the south 6th Street, I returned to a happier place with craft beers and some long-standing Austin character. This is the kind of bar that makes the very word itself -- "Austin" -- become an adjective. read more

If the real Shakespeare owned a pub, I would for certain be thy, thee, thou biggest patron. I really wished I got to experience this pub in its night time prime. Sadly I stopped in to have a quick drink at the beginning of the night when nobody was there. Though it was really cool to have the whole rooftop to ourselves and there even is a bar up there. Plus drinks are cheap, like most of Austin. The bartender was cool, lad back and chatted a little with us. I should have asked him what made the owner call this Shakespeare's pub because all it had was a few beer posters, dark woods (which made the place look dark and dingy), and bathrooms that had medieval looking doors, a second floor rooftop deck, and a courtyard. I didn't see the "Shakespeare" in it. The courtyard is cool, it has a decent sized stage area, a few tables and chairs, a nice view of the sky but the rest is closed in so the only entrance and exit was the door to the bar and the stairs to the second floor. It's worth the stop in. read more

Oh Shakes, what a love/hate relationship we have. I love you music (especially upstairs on the patio), $5 wells pitchers on Thursdays and $5 long island pitchers on Fridays but I hate the feeling I have the next morning when I wake up. There's no better place to party on 6th street. Shakes is in the heart of "dirty 6th" & if you are in the mood to party then this place is a must. Cheap drinks, a variety of music (yes they do bust out some 80's and 90's jams to sing & dance along to) and it's always crowded so get there early! & how could I forget? They have an awesome photographer who takes cute fisheye pictures (for free of course) on Thurs, Fri & Sat so be on the lookout and make sure you get him to snap one of you & your crew! read more

Man, once you leave Austin, you realize how awesome Shakespeare's is.. $5 pitchers on Tuesdays of alcohol... Repeat ... $5 pitchers of alcohol not beer , alcohol. read more

O dirty 6th...why do you have to be so dirty? And why do I keep coming here? Well I gotta go with the flow ya know. In the years I've come here, I've had some pretty good times. Spend the majority of one of my birthdays here in the back boom boom dance room. Cheap shots, free shots, stolen drinks, you name it. I'm basing the 2 star soley on New Years Eve 2010. Should've known better to stay at my friends place who lives on 4th, we were drinking free and having a blast. But nope people wanted to be OUT at mdnight. I get it, some singles wanted to find a randomer to suck face with. But $20 to get in? Ugh, gimme a break. To be squashed, mashed, spilled on, stepped on, pushed, bent in weird angles...and I only had half a beer. We stayed for 30 minutes. At midnight we heard no countdown. Just a mass of balloons fell from a net above us and all the craziness let loose. The real killer was that my o so bright roommate ordered 12 shots, thinking it'd be like $50 something. That'll be $200 please. WTF? I get it, its NYE10 but you shouldn't have to rip off your patrons. Needless to say that definitely put a sour taste in our mouth. I hope we don't have to go back. There are so many better bars. Even on dirty 6th. read more

In all my time on 6th Street, I'd never been to (or really heard of)Shakespeare's Pub... Oh, what have I been missing? Someone should have dragged me here sooner. For shame, my friends, for shame. In fact, I had such a good time the first night that I returned for a second round the following evening. I was in town for a few days, so why waste them staying inside, right? The first go 'round happened to be a Wednesday night which was beer pong tournament time. Seriously, part of the bar sets up beer pong tables & teams can go at it until the place closes down. Now, I'm terrible at beer pong, so I decided to belly up to the bar instead. The bartenders took care of those of us avoiding the tournament. My glass was never empty - even my water glass, which I desperately needed to stay standing upright. I didn't have a weak or poorly made drink all evening. We shut down the bar that night, so clearly we were having a blast. How much fun, you ask? Well, we made a repeat trip the following night... so pretty damn fun. Round #2 was Liquor Pitcher Thursday. Now, I know what you're thinking - pitchers are for water, or at best, beer. Not any more, dearies! $5 buys you a liquor + a mixer (think rum & coke) served in an actual pitcher instead of a glass. Granted, the liquor is of the well variety, but for $5, who cares? I was done for the night after 2 pitchers, which, including tip, ran me less than $15 total. Can't beat that, really. The bartenders were awesome - they worked nonstop and were quick, efficient, and friendly. They also recommended some mean drinks, so kudos to them for knowing their booze. And their shots? Brutal. You definitely get more bang for your buck here, hands down. Also, check out the back area. Its open air and theres often live music on the stage. Granted, thats where everyone goes to smoke, but the circulation is pretty decent, so you should be safe. If I'm partying during the week, you can bet I'll make a trip here again! read more

The only good thing about this place is the $5 pitcher well drinks special on Thursdays, and I'll admit I've taken advantage of it several times! I feel like Shakespears used to have a much more chill vibe, but now its (for some reason) become SUPER popular within the last 5 months. It honestly takes about 15 min to go inside (even if you use the back door). Also, the crowd has just changed. My biggest problem with this place though is the people who work at Shakes (especially bouncers). 3 different times, my two good friends who are black have been rejected for the most BS reasons ever. The first was that he was wearing an earing...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! He even took it out and the bouncer said no, you still cant come in. There are people who WORK there with earings...wtf!? The second was that his shoes were not appropriate...HAHAH. are you serious?! Shakespears is not even nice, and people go in there with Converses. The third was that my other friend's pants were too tight! LOL.....really?! This place is obviously racist. Suggestion to the manager: at least give your dumb bouncers better reasons for rejecting non-white people, so its not SO obvious! Downstairs they play hip-hop and upstairs they play top 40 music. Several times, my friends and I have requested a song from the DJ and everytime he rejects our suggestions. I understand that he has a mix already ready, but he acts so snobby about it. You work as a DJ at Shakespears on dirty 6th...get over yourself!!!!!! read more

Top 5 favorite bars in Austin. Variety on all 4 bars they have. A God damn amusement park. As long as you're respectful and act accordingly they let you do as you please. I even saw people with neck tattoos in there. It was wild. read more

Horrid door people, I was let in on Friday then immediately screamed at to leave since apparently the door people that let me in did not know the place just hit capacity. Not only that but once I tried to leave I was told by the door guy that I could not leave through that exit. Then the original guy who yelled at me to leave and the guy preventing me from leaving were simultaneously screaming contradicting instructions. Awesome service and treatment for a patron, not to mention I already had a tab and had left to see a female friend made it safely to their taxi. They can enjoy the chargeback for not allowing me to tab out or even listen to their patron who was trying to listen to their instructions. If you enjoy being treated poorly by Neanderthal staff who clearly cant think for themselves or adapt to situations then Shakespeare's Pub in Austin is the place to go! read more

3 beers for $9 during their happy hour. That is pretty amazing. Not a lot of people there when I went. People were watching Jeopardy and were really into it. It was kind of interesting to see that at a bar. read more

Well, Valerie G. just said to me "have you never reviewed Shakespeare's? i don't know why, but this surprises me." This is definitely not something I am proud of, ha. For some reason I've been to this place 4 or 5 times in the last few months. Every time I wake up the next morning and think, MAN, where was I last night? Did we go to Shakespeare's? WHY? There is something about it that just drags you in when you're really hammered. The place is really big and the bartenders are SUPER nice. On Thursdays they have $5 pitchers of WELLS! Talk about the quickest way to death. I've learned that you can upgrade to a nicer liquor for $10 a pitcher. Let's be honest, no one needs a pitcher of vodka. The last time I was here, I was so intoxicated that I lost my keys and wallet and had no recollection of actually being there. Not really sure why they even let me in the bar but sadly the photographer took some TERRIBLE pictures of me and proceeded to post them on their website. That night was 100% lose lose. I definitely swore I would never go there again but who knows, the black-out version of me seems to love it. read more

My 2 NYC galpals and I were strolling down 6th St, looking for a good place to spend the next portion of our last night in ATX. We were initially headed towards a rooftop bar across Shakespeare but the music from Shakespeare was too good for us to turn away. As we walked through Shakespeare, we (all alchies btdubs), all noticed one thing and one thing only - the LIQUOR PITCHERS! First question - what are those? Doesn't matter we want. Second question - How much? Doesn't matter, we still want. Turns out the LI Iced Tea pitchers were only $5!! So what if they were weak as heck, it's $5! We just dropped $5.50 on a small LI Iced Tea drank at Soho 15 mins ago so we were def not gonna go away without having one... each. The venue is really cute- lots of space outdoors and we loved standing long the rooftop staring out at the chaos going on in the streets. Only downfall of the night - a handful of skanky hobags taking off their skirts for photos (WTF?!). Shakespeare, please take more caution into who you let through your doors, spanksssssssss! :) read more

Best bar on 6th, hands down, no contest. During the week, not only do they have different themed nights (such as karaoke), but they have THE BEST drink specials. Two dollar long islands on Tuesdays? Yes. Beer pong tournaments on Wednesdays, the prize being a $100 bar tab? Yes. Liqour pitchers on Thursday nights for $5? Yes. That's a pitcher of a liqour mixed drink, with two straws, for $5! Don't be alarmed by people name-dropping the staff throughout the reviews; the bartenders really are that friendly that if you come here enough, you'll be sure to become besties with at least one of them. Cullen, Tara, Austin, GINO, Jello-Shot Girl, and Brandon are all especially wonderful. They remember what you get, they hook it up, they look out for you, and if you're a good singer, Gino will duet with you on karaoke night. One of them even took me to the AIRPORT one morning! What really makes this fun is the different mix of people who frequent here. With the addition of the rooftop bar, Shakes is probably the largest bar on 6th now (next to Maggie Mae's). Each area has something to offer, whether you're there to meet people and mingle at the front, smoke and listen to live music in the back, drunkenly shake your ass in the downstairs pub, or hang and watch a UFC fight on the rooftop--you do it here. Shakes is the only place that I've seen all the different types of the Austin crowd (BMX kids to UT frat daddies) all together, and whatever you've gone to 6th street to do that night, whether it's to get hammered, dance up a storm, people-watch, watch a game, make-out in a hallway (what?), Shakes is the place to do it. Other than the drink specials, Shakes has other staples that just make you feel like it's YOUR spot, no matter what. And to the person who said this place isn't cheap--what?! Come on, bro, time to get a job. read more

I always have a great time here. The staff is always friendly and the Long Island iced teas are my favorite! They've got some games upstairs that are fun. Overall it's a nice chill place during the week and the weekends are pretty lit too. read more

This was a pretty douchey bar. Maybe it was the night that we went, but it was not our thing. They sold beers from kegs, and then jello shots. The crowd was not good. I'll pass! read more

We used to hit this place on a regular basis back in college, and we absolutely loved it. It was THE place to be on 6th street. Things have changed a bit since then. The bar area is still the same, but the really cool back patio has now been mostly closed up in favor of a live music stage (come on - that tree back there was awesome). They've removed the pool table in the middle room and have expanded up stairs. The second floor is an outdoor deck/balcony (mostly covered right now) with another bar. Not much going on up here and a really young crowd these days. Drinks are OK but not nearly as good or as cheap as many of the competitors down here. Call me sentimental, but it just doesn't feel like that atmosphere works anymore. Too much expansion without maintaining the character that made this place so cool. read more

There's something about this place, not sure what it is exactly, could be the cool bartenders or the cheap drinks or a combination of both. Shakespeare's is a welcome break from typical 6th street bars. They are almost always doing something fun, from Guitar Hero and Wii to Karaoke and even throwing barbecues out on the back patio. The place isn't huge so it can get a little packed and bathroom facilities are limited. The bar staff is super cool and they pour their drinks good and strong, you won't be disappointed at all and you might even make some new friends. They have live bands here some days as well and the bands really aren't that bad. Not so loud that it gets annoying either. Overall this is a great place to watch a game, hang out early in the night or meet up with some friends before you start bar hopping to get your dance on. Did I mention that they have a generous outdoor patio where you can sip on a cocktail and have a smoke? Yep, they do. read more

This is now a part of my Sunday 6th Street routine! I met some cool people when I popped in here last Sunday and the bartender Joey is great! He makes a mean $5.00 Long Island and their back patio is amazing; it even has a second story deck! They have some great specials on their board behind the bar for different nights of the week so, pop in and check it out! read more

Shakespeare's Pub - Sunday Funday! - Pubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

First time in Austin, and my sister and her fiancee took me to 6th Street to see just how Au-some Austin is. Shakespeare's Pub did not disappoint. The name itself deserves two stars. They had $5 Long Island Iced Tea when we went and that stuff is dangerous because it's cheap, and oh so delicious. I've never had a Long Island quite like it. Clearly we were noobs (or done with college), because we shared that pitcher while the UT Austin co-eds guzzled theirs on their own. Took our drinks to the rooftop bar, a great place to survey the bacchanal that is a Saturday night in one of America's best party schools. read more

Thursday's never got so sweaty. Five dollar pitchers of MIXED DRINKS (emphasis on the "not beer" part of that sentence.) Good-dancing-sober Marcella P. + 200(Bad-dancing-drunken-non friend-hipsters) = Shakespeare's^FTW read more

If you're on sixth street and looking to get absolutely trashed (isn't everyone on Sixth Street?), Shakespeares is your bar. When I was in college, I used to come here every Thursday night, like clockwork. The $5.00 liquor pitchers on Thursday night are probably the best deal you will find on all of Sixth Street. Basically you get a small beer pitcher filled with your choice of well liquor and a mixer. It's $2 extra if you want juice instead of soda. The bartenders are cool. I met one of them and the next time I came back he remembered my name and the drink I like. The only reason I didn't give this place more stars is that now that the word is out, the scene has changed quite a bit. It's always way too packed. It is hard to even move around due to the overwhelming number of people there. There are lots of d-bags and creepers and I'm just not a fan of that. read more

Really good beer selection for a 6th street bar. Almost 10 draft and also 15+ cans. 4-5 ipas always as well as full bar. Known for the infamous pitcher drinks like Long Island iced tea and adios, Shakespeare's shines for the fun night or the crazy night crowd. Also got good drink specials even on weekends. Good view up top and fun DJ on weekends. Big indoor area perfect if it gets chilly but you still wanna have a good night. Perhaps the best bar on dirty. read more

Ugh I am getting close to 23 and I still have those nights that I wanna drink like a college kid with $5.50 LONG ISLAND PITCHERS and people watching from the balcony.. I usually don't 'do' dirty (well, kinda) but I will always 'do' Shakespeare's. ' Best place to come if you don't wanna break the bank and have a good time -- don't make any plans for the next morning though. read more

Ugh dirty 6th. How do you have such power over so many people? Why do we joyfully wait in line to hang out in bars full of popped-collar wearing fellas and ladies who are a millimeter away from having a wardrobe malfunction, Janet Jackson style. I wish I could explain why I kind of like Shakespeare's. Honestly, I don't know. I'm never sober and thinking "man, you know where'd be great to start the night? Shakespeare's." That thought never crosses my sober-mind. What USUALLY happens is someone says (after we've imbibed quite a bit) "Hey, let's go dance on the stage at Shakespeare's!" and we're all about it. Would I ever want to go to Shakespeare's sober? H-e-double hockey sticks no. It's a dirty 6th bar. Nothing more, nothing less. From what I can remember, the bartenders are pretty friendly. If you want to get crazy, dance on stage, and then have a photographer document your drunken shenanigans for free: go to Shakespeare's. read more

We came here during SXSW on a Friday, and had a great time. The place is much larger than it looks from the street. They have some dangerous drink specials, as mentioned by other reviewers, but what I liked about it was that it doesn't take itself too seriously. When you walk in the relaxed vibe is very evident. We skipped the downstairs and immediately went upstairs to check it out. A great band was playing and the music was bumping! There is a huge speaker in the room adjacent to where the band was playing, and the bass was booming. The view from the rooftop is awesome, and it's never a waste of time to crowd watch on 6th street. The bartenders were cool and the drinks were tasty. Definitely recommend this place on your next visit to 6th street. read more

I would like to share a short haiku with my fellow Yelpers that I wrote for Shakespeare's Pub: Today is Tuesday. Shakespeare's Long Island Ice Tea Only two dollars. My work week has started to go a lot faster ever since I found two new Austin standards: $2 Tuesdays at Shakespeare's and $1 Terror Tuesday Tickets at the Ritz. I haven't actually been to Shakespeare's on a non-Tuesday, but I really appreciate the chill roof top bar from about 8-10pm. Most of the time the upstairs bar tender will play music from his iPod, or let the patrons watch a PBS special of their choice. The Long Islands themselves are the perfect mix of sour and cola I've been searching for since I moved to Texas in 2005. Def the best Long Island I've had in Austin. read more

Shakespeare's is a step back in time. No, it has nothing to do with Shakespeare, but everything to do with the good 'ol college days. $5 pitchers (you call it), awesome dance music, and a perfect outdoor patio overlooking the street. This place definitely is where you want to be for a rowdy good time. An added benefit: there are multiple levels to this place with different types of music depending on your mood. It's also makes for great people watching Word of advice: Beware - the jello shots are deadly. read more

Total dive bar, but that's just what we wanted. 5 dollar pitchers of long islands and lone star tall boys. A great, inexpensive combination. Our bartender was attentive and fast. The long islands were also well-made. No skimping on the booze here! If you want to water down at a proper dive bar, check this place out. read more

Five stars for location, ambiance, and drink strength but four out of five mildly intoxicated Seans agree it was the worst Long Island (pitcher) I've ever had. It was mostly sugar, syrup, and brown. The pitcher gimmick is awesome. It's big, easy to hold, $5, durable and it's a pitcher. Everything is better in pitcher form from hooch to KY Jelly. I wish the Long Island pitcher was as easy to hold down as easy as it was to hold in my hand. Moderately fast service on busy nights and tab is open on all levels. read more

I was visiting Austin for the first time about a month ago. It was roughly noon and most bars on 6th street were closed but Shakespeare's was open. The bartender was a great guy, and the brews were well priced. The special for the day was Long Island pitchers for $5! I just flung money at the bartender and happily got drunk. The rooftop bar provided a nice view and had overhead heaters which kept us warm. Overall good place to go and have a drink(s) read more

When I hit 6th street, I go to drink and relax with friends, and the one place I always drop by for a sip: Shakespeare's. This place has got a special every night of the week. My personal favorite is Tuesday, with their $2 Long Island ice teas. You heard right. It may not be top shelf liquor, but it tastes damn fine. My personal tip: stick with the specials, and you can be feeling well and good in under $10. That's a great deal. Thursdays are also nice with their $5 liquor pitchers. That seems to be what everybody raves about, but they must be in it to get to that inebriated state. Don't get me wrong, the Long Islands will do the same, but they taste good, even for bottom shelf. The pitchers reek of cheap rum, vodka, gin, whatever your poison of choice is. Don't drink these alone either. It's not pleasant. Personally, it feels like the specials change, so you never know what's going on. I passed by one night with "the crew" to find Shakespeare's to be having $5 Long Islands ice tea pitchers. No joke. Besides the drinks, it's a fairly ok place. It's a bar, on 6th Street, that doesn't serve food, so evaluate accordingly. Even with that being said, it's different. You walk inside, and 20 paces through, you're outside again. There's a small concrete stage, a huge (oak) tree, some patio furniture, another bar (besides the one "inside"), and a set of stairs leading to another bar and balcony over looking the street. Kinda quaint. And if it's cold out, there are heaters spread-out, but you might have to fight for one (or ask politely). In terms of bars on 6th Street, I find myself always wondering what is going on here, and with all that goes on at this area of Austin, that's saying something. read more

OMG Looking for a quiet place to read Hamlet? Don't go here. Be prepared to get glued to the floor from the spilled strong island pitches. They're to die for. Nice upstairs patio where you can people watch all the dumbasses on 6th St getting arrested and/or yelling about feeling the burn. That dude lost. Get a life. If this place was a human, it would be a soft body hipster with round ray ban glasses #metaphors Too many girls. Not enough guys. #nofilter #blessed read more

Fun bar on Dirty 6th. As others have said, well drink "mini" pitchers are $5 on Thursdays. My group thoroughly enjoyed this spot during our bar hop Thursday night. Upstairs patio is cute, drinks are cheap, music is good. I really liked the upstairs. They asked us all to show a second form of ID ( credit card, etc ) when we went in, but it wasn't a problem. And I don't think its a thing for obnoxious clients either. I thought it was strange, but it wasn't an issue. read more

Upstairs patio has pretty good music - drinks are decent. Some good specials here. Drinks: 3/5 Service: 4/5 read more