[Updated Review from 5/8/2016 - Moved from an accidental duplicate Yelp profile.] My review is based entirely on the ambiance and staff. I stopped in only to smoke a cigar rooftop. Ended up staying and people watching- corn hole matches and a giant Connect Four tableside game made me smile and realize I was in the right place. I we think to order a beer, forgetting I had worn my BFM t-shirt, so the bartender suggested a tasty local IPA, but wouldn't let me pay, ensuring the beer was "on him" for fellow KCCO enthusiasts. Saw the chef bring out multiple tasty treats ensuring each guest was happy. All around a fun, enjoyable watering hole just north and a street over from the zoo that is 6th Street. read more

They have good beer, Buckhunter and nice bathrooms. 5 stars! But they turn into disco ball spinning dance club at night. -1 star! read more

What do you call cheese that's not yours?? Na-Cho cheese!!! Their nachos remind me of that place in San Antonio "Chachos, Chalupas, Chilaquiles, Cholos, y Chanclas" or something like that. My favorite are the longhorn brisket nachos. I love the western kitsch and all, too. It's Chiner! More importantly the service is great. When I ask bartenders from other bars where they like to go, they always mention Shiner Saloon. My only beef is with the talent they book. Some of those bands really SUHCK. read more

Living in the greater Austin-area since 2008; I, like many who live around here, have strayed away from downtown in favor of other fun parts of town. Even so, I do go downtown on occassion & when I do there's only 5 places I gravitate to: Jackalope, Casino El Camino, The Library Bar, Brew Exchange, & Shiner's Saloon (Lovejoys would have been #6 RIP). What I like most about Shiner's is their wide range of Shiner beers on tap, more than most bars do in one location as well as some Shiner drafts that you can only find in bottles. Another plus is that Shiner beers are almost sold at Domestic prices which is really kickass! Why drink Miller Lite when you can have a better quality beer for around the same price? Another big reason I keep coming back is their happy hour. Out of all the places downtown, Shiner's has one of the best happy hour specials. The atmosphere is pleasant & is usually not crowded (Their hh seems to draw office groups looking for a place to unwind). What gives me the 4 star rating is the food. Standard pub fare. nothing special. I do suggest their nachos if you're looking to fight off hunger. Big portion & they comes in either chicken or brisket. All in all, I like Shiner's Saloon & will most definitely stop in next time I'm downtown & thirsty. read more

Shiner's Saloon - Enjoying a Shiner Black Lager @ Shiner's Saloon. Friday night has just began! - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Had a deal to use which basically amounted to $60 but was unable to use them together and because we were seated with the other people who wanted to use theirs we could only use 1 of those two. Well basically we just had our $30 worth of appetizers and drinks. Appetizers were pretty good, standard sports bar kinda stuff and were pretty big. Went back a couple days later to use my other $30. A friend and I each had a sub which was reasonably good. You get lots of food for the price. Outside of that I couldn't say that this would be a "regular" stop on my place to go if I needed to get out of the house, but I'd consider it again in the future. It also came off kinda country/bikerish, though there were different kinds of folks in there. The first time I went the bartenders or whatever they were kept flirting with some girls or maybe their girl friends. Rubbing on them and kissing them. Just not my idea of comfortable or professional. Overal: 3.0/5.0 Food 3.5/5.0 Atmosphere: 3.0/5.0 read more

So I've only been here on a Wednesday... but I don't know why you would frequent any other bar on a Wednesday other than this place. $1 whiskey wells?! Whiskey Wednesday?! Yes, thank you, I am a fan. I don't even like whiskey all that much, but when I'm at Shiner's Saloon I just want to toss back some whiskey, start speaking with a twang, and grab my cowboy hat. read more

Three stories of fun and I like to play the XL operation. Super friendly and they have some pretty good food too! I like food. :)

I didn't really know what to make of this place. It seemed to be undergoing a serious identity crisis. Is it a sports bar, a hippy lounge, a hip-hop club, or an upscale drinking establishment? Not sure. It definitely did it's best to encapsulate all of these in one nice package, but left me wanting more. When I first showed up a buddy of mine was playing the git-tar, but he plays very mellow acoustic rock. Which was cool with me. I noticed that they had nice reclining chairs and a few other pieces of comfy furniture. There was also some funky Texas-hippy decor. Very lounge like. However, right on the stage there was a large big screen TV playing a college football game literally about 2 feet from Nate's head. As I looked around, I noticed that they actually had quite a few big screen TVs playing sports. Then I walked up to the bar and ordered my beers (very inexpensive - I think $2.50 for Firemans). They had a very nice bar. In fact the bar looked particularly upscale - big bucks were spent. Same goes with the little boys room. Nice granite countertop if I remember correctly. As soon as my buddy stopped playing his acoustic rock, this DJ came and started playing his hippity hop. The music was so loud that conversation was impossible. To make it worse, no one was dancing except for a few guido imports from New Jersey. Anyways, I left kind of confused, but happy that my tab was very reasonable considering the location of the bar/establishment(?) and the upscale elements. I'll probably make it back eventually, but it's not going to be high on the ol' priority list. read more

So this will have to a hyper-specific review. I haven't had any of the food, but the beer is insanely cheap. All of the staff has always been very friendly and helpful. They even let me put on the football game of my choice on Sundays on one of the TVs in the corner. For a guy who wants to watch Charger games, that's a big plus. Interesting space and location, but cheap beer served by friendly people means this is a place I can always go. read more

I am so obsessed with this bar! My first time coming in I was wandering about downtown and happened to hear AMAZING music coming from inside. Whether it's a weeknight or a weekend this bar ALWAYS delivers! They manage to book great musicians consistently and the staff is incredible! No matter how packed this bar gets the bartenders are attentive and friendly, food is always quick hot and tasty :-) Soooooo in sum, if you're looking for a spot with solid drinks, fun staff and a kitchen open until 2AM seriously look no further! read more

Shiner's Saloon - I hope they're ready to serve me all the dollar whiskey in stock :-) #whiskeyWednesday - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

A fun, loud downtown bar. Staff is friendly and helpful. Came with a large group, and they were very accommodating. Shared the Cheese Round Up (very good) and the Longhorn Brisket Nachos (really delish!). They had a TERRIFIC pear cider! The only drawback: The entire time we were there (and we're talking at least an hour) there was a band going through sound check. Not playing...just sound check. It got pretty old after the first 15 minutes. read more

For a sunday night, this place was pretty cool. Not a lot of people but the service was excellent. The bartender (Nick) was totally cool. Well mixed drinks, good amount of attention, and enough room so you dont feel crowded. The only thing I would change is the bathroom attendant. I hate having to deal with these guys, if you dont have the expected dollar for them, you feel like a cheap ass the rest of the night...unless youre hammered and pissed all over the tile. read more

We stopped in on Saturday to recon a good place to watch Sunday NFL; cool bartender, food looked good, lots of TVs with twenty or so people watching different bowl games. We thought we had found our Texas NFL spot. By the time we arrived on Sunday (somewhere in the second quarter of the first game), we were surprised to find only FIVE people in the whole bar. What happen to this jumping sports bar? Then we heard it! ONE guy SCREEEEEEEEAAAAAMING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS at the Cowboys game. The bartender saw the shocked look on our faces and said "oh that's just Adam or Allen (it was hard to hear her), he's very loud but harmless." Well sister, he's NOT harmless; There is NO ONE in here on the last week of football because of this one idiot. We can cheer while watching a game, like most folks but this was RIDICULOUS! Imagine the loudest you can yell, now picture doing that in a public place. Friend of the bar or not, they are letting one guy who can't control himself, chase their customers away. Don't even think about going here on a game day. We left and went a block away to Lavaca sports bar and it was PACKED, everyone was eating, drinking, having fun... and cheering. One extra star for the four star experience on Saturday. read more

Sliders are awesome. Selection of IPA is terrific. Location is grand central weird. They are big fans of chive TV which is mesmerizing. read more

Great bar! Great owners, and awesome staff. You'll never have a bad time at Shiners. Located right on the corner of congress and 5th both entrances you go up stairs. Just take a walk up and have your self a great time. read more

FUN PLACE! Great music & very friendly! We had margaritas, chips & salsa and very much enjoyed the music they were playing that afternoon. The bar/eatery is upstairs which is sometimes intimidating to those just out walking around but we decided to give it a try and it was a total hoot! Would definitely go back when we visit Austin again. The waiter made us feel comfortable and gave us some tips on what to order. read more

www.shinerssaloon.com I've been curious about Shiner's Saloon since it's been under construction, and finally got to check it out for a co-worker's birthday happy hour the other day. Upstairs they seem to have all of the Shiner Beers on tap, including the tasty Shiner Black Lager, and a full array of all the other alcoholic beverages of choice as well. It's a great space, very large, and airy, with tons of great Shiner Beer touches, especially the awesome bottle chandelier that greets you in the front doorway. The walls are dotted with pieces of brewery and the town of Shiner memorabilia. Warning: watch out for the swinging iron saloon doors, which weigh a friggin ton, and I'm sure are going to prevent many a drunk from getting out! read more

Ok place to get a drink, but the tacos were awful. Think Taco Bell with way less meat. For 2 of these veggie tacos with sprinkles of meat it was more than $11 after tax and before tip. And the chips were the crappy yellow kind you can buy at the grocery store for a $1 a bag and what ballparks use for nachos. Don't get the tacos. read more

Went at maybe 9:30 on a Friday, not crowded, real nice place to sit and have a beer & chat. there was live music, just a really talented guy and his guitar, but not so loud we couldn't hang out. Beer selection was great, they offer tasters so I could try the 8 kinds of Shiner they have (whatever, it was a lot) Cheap! Got three beers for $7.00. DJ came on afterwards, amazing, unfortunately he was on loan from Dallas. But it was good music, mostly hip hop, old skool, nothing crazy. I suppose you could dance there, it was a small casual place, probably better off just chillin. But enough room to shake it a little bit if you so desired. Left just before 11, still wasn't crowded. Will definitely go back! read more

Great live music, but horrible service. This is my first time stopping in when I heard fantastic music from the street, but the wonder stopped there. I ordered one beer and it tasted spoiled with a dirty glass, and when we informed the bartender she said that's how it's supposed to taste and walked away. Come for the music and drink the water. read more

Came here during the ut v. nd football game. Surprisingly, we had a place to sit with arrival around halftime. We ended up sitting at the bar. We waited about 15 minutes to have a bartender ask what we wanted to drink. One avoided eye contact until we flagged her down. Unfortunately, they are out of tortilla chips. This is a problem if you are a bar/grill in Texas because everything has tortilla chips. They were also out of pepperoni rolls and a couple other things, which wiped out almost their entire appetizer menu. Honestly, that is embarrassing. I may be back for the drinks, but will not be back for the food because I don't want to risk the disappointment again. read more

I gotta say, when I first stepped into this country/sports bar/everything else everywhere lofty type of upstairs bar...I wasn't sure what to quite make of it. Which, was intriguing for me. Atleast it had interest to it, not one of those places you can figure out with in 15 seconds of being there. I've been here several times, on week nights, and have always had a good time. They have live music-diff genres, I don't drink beer so i can't comment on the selection of Shiner beer or any other beer/prices, but the drinks have always been great. On the quiet nights-I've enjoyed the convo's with the bartenders-and some of the musicians that played that night. This is a really chill spot. Seating EVERYWHERE-good place to just sip on drinks and talk with your friends-'cause you can actually hear them. Not your usual downtown Austin type of spot- go in there knowing that and enjoy :) read more

Amazing place to have a great time!! Trevor the bartender is awesome!! Do yourself a favor and visit if you are in town.

Cheap pitchers beer.

Whoever the bartender was working Sunday night 12/30 was actively avoiding serving me and my two friends. Passed us a dozen times and wouldn't even acknowledge us. Seemed as though he was only serving his friends. Won't be coming back here. read more

Came here on my twenty-something birthday. We'd gone to Antone's for a show, but realized there isn't much happening there til the band takes the stage and beers were $4 (oh my word), so we set out to find some place else for a little while. A quick search revealed this place, so we went to check it out. While here we learned we wouldn't be getting drunk for cheap in Austin on a Saturday night but we did enjoy the place. The place has a western decor, in case you couldn't figure it out from the name. It has a few couches and chair set up, as well as a bar with several stools. We enjoyed relaxing on the couch and sipping a few drinks before heading back out to Antone's. It was probably still early (8:30pm) but it never got crowded while we were there, despite its small size. From the posters downstairs, it looked like they had pretty good specials going on during the week and we said we would come back, though we never did before moving away. Perhaps next time we're in Austin on vacation. read more

I came here last night for a beer and some food. I wasn't really expecting a lot, but I definitely left with a good impression. Start off with the environment. You walk up a set of stairs to get to the bar and when you walk in, BOOM! Texas! Haha. It's a pretty southern themed bar, but not so much that you would feel the need to wear boots and a hat. It's incredibly casual and has a pretty eclectic setup. Now the beer... they have a good selection... They have a wide range of Shiner beers on tap...DUH. I'm not a fan of Shiner beer, but seeing as I can drink a pint of mid-grade/decent beer for three bucks, I can't complain. Great prices! last but not least, the food. *drum roll please.* I was not expecting any of what I had to be as awesome as it was because we were in a BAR. The boy and I ordered potato skin appetizers which were fantastically good and then we ordered subs. I had the Brisket sub that comes with Shiner BBQ sauce, pickles and onions. The only complaint I have was that the bread was insanely over baked and heated which resulted in a hard, crunchy bun. Shawn has a Turkey avocado sub and to our surprise, it wasn't generic sliced turkey... It actually had pieces of freakin turkey on it. The food was mighty good. All in all, this is a great place. Especially if you don't like insanely loud crowds and busy places that you have to squeeze through. Comfortable environment. I will come back. read more

Nice place, particularly if you like Shiner. I'm not a fan of Shiner Bock, but I was with a guy who'd bleed Shiner Bock if he cut himself shaving, so I agreed to go. I was pleasantly surprised, because they DO have Shiner Premium, which is relatively hard to find. Of course, they have many other choices than Shiner products. The place has a good, divey setting, with a nice porch. The fact that you have to go upstairs to get to it gives it a good feel. Even though the bartender was new, she did a great job. Not a bad place at all to have a brew. read more

Our group was visiting Austin for business, and this had been our first time to the city. Shiner's Saloon was our first impression of the bar/dining scene in the city. We all had brisket tacos, which were more like burritos than tacos. Nonetheless, they were incredibly delicious, and the barbecue sauce that came on the side was wonderful. We were all starving and exhausted after traveling all day, and Shiner's definitely was satisfying. They have a decent selection of beer on tap, which is important to us being Wisconsinites. They also had a good selection of hard alcohols, specifically bourbons and whiskeys which we enjoyed as well. We were seated at the bar and our server was as helpful as she could be when we asked questions about what food or drink to try. The bar also offered something called a "Vape Shot" which looked interesting. When we asked the server about it she said it was a hassle to prepare, so we ended up not partaking unfortunately. The atmosphere was somewhat divey and the entrance was really dark and a bit intimidating but overall it was an enjoyable experience. read more

Service was a tad bit slow considering there were only a handful of people in the bar however, the politeness of the bartender surely made up for it. Very accommodating, very hospitable gentleman. We didn't know what to expect upon first walking up, but we were greeted by a naturally-lit, cozy set-up with separate areas to chill, plenty of space to sit at the bar, and a couple of more private yet open seating areas. I did not notice an outside patio or seating area, but I could have just missed it. I especially loved the cool breeze being brought in by the huge windows directly overlooking Congress Avenue. Parking was only $1.00/hour, with a max of 3 hours, right in front of the saloon. My DosXX on tap was super delicious! I usually drink it by the bottle, but this was a real treat. No need for salt or anything, just a tiny squeeze of lime and I was good to go! The bourbon and coke was pretty tasty, too. When it comes to the food, it is your typical bar food, definitely nothing fancy. As a matter of fact, the chips used for my brisket nachos were straight out of an industrial-sized bag which was a bit upsetting but understandable since frying up fresh tortilla chips in a bar kitchen is probably not all that feasible. The barbecue sauce the nachos were paired with was really something along with the jalapenos; the brisket seemed a little dry and shredded frugally, the cheese also. Again, not bad for the price and just for a quick snack while having an alcoholic beverage. All in all, I think this place deserves 3.5 stars, but safer to round down than up. That just means I will have to give this bar a second visit as well as an updated review! read more

Everything here is so country-themed it's a little ridiculous. Even the tables were wagon wheels. In the part of the restaurant we were sitting, there was a ridiculously creepy statue of what was reminiscent of a demented Colonel Sanders. I'm not a country type of person. If you are, I'm sure you'll get a kick here. read more

Came in on a Friday night @8 expecting a packed house. Not so, although not empty either. Bartender was very cool. Talked like he had an ownership interest in the place. A great thing whether true or not. Made this out of towner feel very welcome. Brisket sub was great too! I'll be coming to Austin frequently now, so I'll be back. read more

Best ever local country bar... Look like University of Texas kids but they can jam. Who cares that they are in converse?! Love this place. I'd be here a lot. My people! Sign says... 'Home of horseshoes and hand grenades!' And the harmonica player has a foot trampoline.... Yep. So much fun two steppin' read more

Favorite bar in Austin- The first time I came here, my plan was for my girlfriend and I to stop for A drink and Shiner's became our go-to every weekend spot. I can't say enough good things about this place. The bartenders are awesome, food is great (especially the pizza rolls), they always have the best live music (check out horseshoes and hand grenades), good drinks, and the list goes on. Check it out! I'm sure this will become your favorite bar as well. read more

I am trying to think if there is anything nice to say about this establishment. The service in this place is horrible and that is understatement to say the least. By the way, the long bearded male bartender is rude. I highly suggest management make some changes. Verdict: I will never go back and I don't recommend it to anyone. read more

Slow and poor service. Bartender saw our IDs and asked: where the Fu** is that? ...seriously?! There are other ways to make conversation...

Shiner Saloon, you're welcome, you're here. Stay and play. My smile wasn't from the best staff, the foodiest bliss, the goodnight moon, her last kiss. Just meet me on the top deck, no regrets. read more

Good live music. Amazing patio! Bar food with class. Try the in house made pizza rolls. They even make the dough in house! Bartenders are all friendly and know what's going on in town. read more

Shiner's is a super chill awesome bar with a kick ass patio and badass bartenders (cup is the shiiiiii). Live music and good reasonably priced drinks. Excellent spot for Sunday funday! read more

Awesome bar with a great staff. Everyone is super friendly and will tell you about the hidden gems in Austin. Brandon is a great bartender and loves his whiskey. Great food and wonderful atmosphere. It's a must stop on whiskey Wednesday's. read more

Shiner's Saloon - Salsa, queso and with chicken. - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas