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    The Iron Bear

    4.0 (147 reviews)
    Wed 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
    Thu 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Iron Bear Photos

    Business Info

    THE IRON BEAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    DJ
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - The Iron Bear

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    Quick happy hour with my best friends.
    Inez V.

    The full menu has lots of great options. But if you're asking me, I'll give you Two words: spicy bear. . Enjoy!

    Karla D.

    Spectacular! Friendly and fun LGBTQ bar with lots of entertainment options, drink options, great beer pours, and good bar food. Everyone is welcome. A safe haven. A place of love. As it should be.

    Beer at a Iron Bear.
    Tipsy G.

    Updated review 4/14/21 I live nearby and this has become a regular goto for meals. This place is a value. The menus was updated and there's so many good options: burgers, hotdogs and corn dogs, salads just some of my favorites. It's easy to strike a conversation w staff and patrons or be left alone. There's various scheduled activities after sunset. I really enjoy the Bear-e-okie and super Mario kart competition that follows.

    Bear Burger: Thick Meat between two toasty buns. With crispy Sweet Potato fries. How Perfect!!
    Joe F.

    Was here for the first time. 12/31/2023. Had the Bear Burger with Sweet Potato fries. Both were very delicious!! Burger was a thick meat between two toasty buns! My Favorite. Can never go wrong with that!! Will definitely be back for New Year 2024 this evening! Thanks Iron Bear!

    Adam B.

    A very welcoming gay bar with a large selection of draft beers and strong mixed drinks. They have a bunch of TVs, usually with the major sports games on (...you can ask them to put on a game, if it's not on already). And the food menu is really tasty and filling, especially for a place that is primarily a bar. Big Daddy: Perfect if you come with a big appetite. Two huge smash burger patties. The edges that were directly on top of each other were quite crispy. Lots of cheese, with a spicy kick. Some crunchy bacon slices. And a good dose of jalapeño peppers. It had a respectable amount of heat. Not insurmountable, but makes you eat this a tad slower and really appreciate the flavors. Potato Dippers: I really enjoyed these! A fun departure from fries. Kinda like little potato skins, though not everyone disc had skin it. Lots more surface area than a regular fry, so a good amount of crispiness. But still a good soft layer of potato filing inside.

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    2 months ago

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    26 days ago

    The food was so good we ate here twice! Best burger I've had in ages and great bartenders

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    3 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    This b(e)ar f u c * s !!! Super hot staff and karaoke is the fuzz, love to have my pitchers here ;)

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Roger R.

    Thank you. We appreciate your positive feedback

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Went as a woman and had the time of my life. Truly loved the staff and the environment. I couldn't recommend anything more

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Roger R.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    One of the best burger's I've ever tried I don't know what to say lol. Waffle fries were perfect and everything was on point

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Roger R.

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great little gay restaurant and bar. The menu is nothing fancy, but it's done well which is what matters to me.

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    4 years ago

    Karaoke is fun and the beer is cheap. Nothing more or less. Dive bar, friendly ppl. ...

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    My go-to spot to get away from my wife and enjoy time with my boyz. This place is inviting and welcoming. Great dancing!

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 4

    The Iron Bear Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Iron Bear

    What's the Rule on Age? My buddies and I are visiting Austin and we found out about gear night and one of our friends is 20

    We are a 21 and up bar only.

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    Review Highlights - The Iron Bear

    If you're tired of the same 'ol same 'ok this might be the Bear bar to tr

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Cheer Up Charlies

    Cheer Up Charlies

    4.2(164 reviews)
    0.6 miDowntown
    $$

    Cheer Up Charlies is a colorful bar and music venue located on Red River St. It has a cute cabin…read morewith a large outdoor area in the back with a stage and tables. The back patio is covered by a shaded parachute. They host a variety of events. When I visited CUC, they were partnering with Nike for a 5K Pride run. After the run there was a variety of drink options to choose from. They have kombucha on tap, they serve amazing organic juice blend cocktails, local beers, biodynamic wines. I tried several of the organic juice blend cocktails and they were able to add my spirit of choice. I tried the Rosie Cheek with vodka, watermelon, rose water and raspberry, Valley Girl with tequila, pineapple, banana and coconut, and the Golden Ticket with mezcal, kombucha, ginger and lavender. They had a drag show on the patio after the run. It was a very fun and engaging experience.

    We had the best time at Cheer Up Charlies on Red River Street in Austin, TX! This bar has indoor…read moreand outdoor seating. While they feature Live music on their outdoor stage, a DJ was available while we were visiting. Charlie's embodies the "Keep Austin Weird" vibe. The bar is bright, colorful and quite eclectic. The vibe was "don't worry...be happy." Relaxing Caribbean music was playing the background, giving an island feel. There is a nearby food truck should you need to nibble. It is important to note that all drinks come with a 20% forced gratuity, which is not bad if you have one drink and the drink is inexpensive. You do not have buy a drink and can seat outside on the patio and converse. I used to work in the next block, so our entire team would visit Charlies and staff is always friendly and helpful..

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    Cheer Up Charlies
    Cheer Up Charlies
    Cheer Up Charlies

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    Dirty Bill's - ipa beer fire eagle $1

    Dirty Bill's

    3.8(160 reviews)
    0.2 miMarket District, Warehouse District, Downtown
    $

    What Five Stars? because this place is exactly the kind of dive bar that makes Austin weird in the…read morebest possible way. Dirty Bill's is gloriously unapologetic. You walk in and immediately know you are not in some polished Instagram cocktail lounge. It is loud, a little gritty, and full of people who are clearly there to have a good time and not pretend otherwise. The beer is cold, the Lone Star flows like Texas water, and the vibe is pure old school Austin. And yes, the legendary bathroom situation deserves its own paragraph. The men's room features a giant ice filled trough for a urinal, which feels like something out of a 1970s roadside saloon documentary. Somehow it is both ridiculous and perfectly on brand. It actually becomes a conversation starter because you walk out laughing and immediately tell your friends they have to see it and go pee. The crowd was friendly, the bartenders were quick with the beers, and nobody was taking themselves too seriously. I ended up staying longer than planned, drinking Lone Stars and talking to random people like we had known each other for years. If you want craft cocktails served with a rosemary sprig this is not your place. If you want a hilarious, slightly chaotic, authentically divey night in Austin with cheap beer and great stories, Dirty Bill's absolutely delivers. Five stars and I would go back in a heartbeat.

    Dirty Bill's (gotta love the name) is literally right next door to J. Carvers where we had dinner…read more Dirty Bill's was on and popping!!! We were drawn in by the music. They were spinning some popular tunes. The place was packed with a very fun crowd. It appears to be a bar you come to have drinks and chat. There was a small area where dancing could take place, but no one was dancing at the time. The staff including the general manager was super friendly. It felt like a wedding reception as you came into the club where you were greeted...very warm and welcoming. We had a drink and stayed a short while. It looked like a place you could come for a girls or guys night out or celebrating a fun occasion. Will definitely consider Dirty Bill's for a future fun evening...

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    Dirty Bill's - Cold beer and Dirty Bills Hat!

    Cold beer and Dirty Bills Hat!

    Dirty Bill's
    Dirty Bill's - Lots of beer

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    Lots of beer

    Elysium - Main bar area

    Elysium

    4.0(138 reviews)
    0.5 miDowntown
    $

    Always a fun night here, and I don't just say that since I dj here sometimes :). If you love…read moreindustrial music you'll find great concerts here and 80s night on Sundays is usually fun and crowded. Get in the FB group to get the password for free entry on Sunday nights.

    A fine club with a decent bar and an eyebrow raising toilet…read more Obviously your interest in Elysium depends on who they book. I came during SXSW, when clubs usually book bands that are different from what they usually book. So my Japanese showcase would not reflect what you would usually hear at Elysium. But the performance space is attractive. The club is divided into two rooms with just a divider and no wall between the rooms. So you can hear the music from anywhere. If you want to be right next to the speakers at the edge of the stage, you have to be in the main room - not the room with the bar. As I get older, I sit down more. But for most of my life, I was a stage-edge-next-to-the-speaker kind of guy. Only the only thing that would remove me from my favorite place was mosh pit action (Or a sucky band). As I get older, I also look for some kind of wall support to brace myself with one hand while I dance with the rest of me. The Mohawk is ideal for wall support upfront dancing. The Elysium not so much because one wall is mirrored. But you can get in position to do some major dancing. When I was there last, I did just that. * * * Seating options are superb. Both in the stage room and the bar room there are comfy leather sofas that hold three people and a number of other soft seating locations. Unlike many other Austin clubs, it is easy to find a space to sit down and still get the music full blast. At the Mohawk, in contrast, for an indoor concert, if you go to sit down you leave the room with the music, and you only get vague overtones coming through the wall. * * * The bar is pretty good. Their options are limited but their options are well chosen. I was introduced to a George Dickel rye by the bartender that was absolutely first rate. George Dickel is definitely going into my home collection. Outstanding beverages and fine seating allow you to have a fine time at the Elysium Even on a night when the bands are terrible. * * * Your fine time changes if you have to go to the bathroom. * * * If you are a guy, peeing is merely tacky. You go into a semi-gross room where there is a multi-user tank. All the guys pee into the tank. * * * Pooping is another story. The club does not want shenanigans going on in any of the toilet stalls. So they remove the door to the toilet stall. The men's room toilet is fully visible from the front door to the men's room. You are literally pooping in front of the entire world. This is barely one step up from India. In India, many people poop in the streets. Here, you are essentially pooping in the streets Except when you are done you can flush the bad stuff away. I personally am very shy . I definitely do not want to do my business in public. * * * There are people in Austin who love to sh** in public. Put four of them together and you have a band. Bands like that perform all over town, Including at the Elysium.

    Photos
    Elysium - Main Bar area.

    Main Bar area.

    Elysium
    Elysium - Dimly lit, Main area with open seating and in the far background people can be seen dancing.

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    Dimly lit, Main area with open seating and in the far background people can be seen dancing.

    The Iron Bear - danceclubs - Updated May 2026

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