Bender Bar & Grill

We stopped by here on a last minute decision because I’ve been here in the past and knew they have good food. Considering it was a Thursday night the place didn’t have as many people as I had anticipated. There was still seating available inside. We actually sat at the bar and ate our food while enjoying some basketball on one of the 3 or 4 TV’s available. They were offering 2 dollar tacos this night and although pretty greasy, they were delicious! The servers seemed attentive and didn’t leave us waiting to be helped with anything (napkins, refills, etc). My girlfriend had their veggie burger and said it was really good. The fries it came with were waffle style and hot and crispy. The restroom is sorta crammed. There’s outside seating too, but it seems like everyone out there is smoking cigarettes because when they opened the door, a wave of smoke hit us. They have a pool table and Jukebox to play your favorite tunes. Parking is plentiful.

Cheap drinks, friendly and efficient staff, what more could you ask for?
There is a very large, well lit patio for smokers and groups to mingle,
Bender always has a unique selection of draft and bottle beers. They also have a menu with outstanding food. Everything from the Spinach Salad to the tater tots with bacon and cheese to the huge burgers are made from obviously quality ingredients and plated nicely by the kitchen staff.
Low staff turnover means that I most likely still know whomever is working even if quite a bit of time has passed between visits. The staff is outstanding. They always hustle to get everyone their drinks quickly with a sincerely friendly attitude and a knack for remembering the names and drinks of regulars as well as the knack for forgetting that embarrassing thing customers said/​did last time.
The bathrooms are nothing fancy but they are always very clean which can be difficult to find in this industry.
This bar tends to be heavily frequented by service industry folks which is a testament to the effortless excellence of Bender bar.
I don’t know why it took me 6 years to write this review, but considering all the visits over those six years, I can’t help but give them 5 stars and wish more places were this great.

I guess I will always sort of regard Bender with disdain … Its one of the worst bars in all of Austin which is odd considering the owners do a great job with Bar Fly and all the other bars they own. Benders doesn’t really feel like an Austin bar but more like it would be right at home in Ft Worth or Beaumont. I go there only if I have to meet someone there. The drinks are cheap, the bartenders are great and the food is horrible. I almost always sit on the back patio because the inside of the bar is so boring and well you cant smoke in there of course. Bender is not a fun place to hang out the employees are great the drinks are cheap and its still very bland and boring. The customers all seem like they just got off work at the local call center and conversations never center around anything too interesting. You can skip this place until they do something to make the atmosphere more vibrant.

Bender will always have a special place with me … It is the first bar I really remember going to after moving to Austin. For the first couple of years living here I would go here a lot. I still find myself stopping by for drink today. The drinks are cheap, the bartenders are great and the food is pretty good. I almost always sit on the back patio (seems like there is always a smoker with me.) Bender is just a great place to hang out with friends and have good conversation!

A rude staff can ruin an exp. I have checked this place out multple times in the past several years and have gotten the same esp. This will be my last visit

This is a good bar with good atmosphere. They have adequate TVs and a Great Jukebox (Not expensive) with a large variety of music… they also have a decent selection of food (food is tasty and filling) and libations to choose from. The specials are good and simple… they have Ace Pear Cider on tap (this was my stamp of approval… I Love Ace!)…they have a couple pool tables and games as well!, in addition to a patio area. Its a little of something for everyone! One drawback is that the music drowns out the sports… which can be good or bad depending on why you came to the bar… so diehard sports buffs that want to hear the action this might be a slight turnoff. But its probably the best sport-​ish bar in South Austin.

My brother and I have been going to Benders every Tuesday for over a year for wing night. They have good prices on the drinks there are plenty of TVs to watch the games and the wings are awesome. Every week they have a new flavor of wings, which are always really good. They also play some pretty good movies. I definitely recommend Benders if you want to get some food and drinks.

Alcohol & Racism are never a good mix.
Watch out for the RACIST DRUNKS that go to this bar.
The First time I went there somebody told my friend: Where is your Banana?
Gave the bar the benefit of the doubt and went back (several times)…This last time somebody (couple of Racist guy) seating next to us at the bar couldn’t bear the fact that some people speak other languages and have fun in a different language way, one the guy slammed the bar table very hard to send a msg to us basically telling us he didn’t like what he was seeing.
And as far as the people that work there, if you are going to order a drink make sure you ask one of the guys cuz they are friendlier.
Gave it 4 stars cuz I still think the beers and the wings are okay!

I like Bender Bar! Lots of bar-​food options and some pool tables/​arcade games in the back. It’s also cheap… like… really cheap.
Crowd seems laid back, and there’s plenty of parking. A great divey spot to start or end an evening.

Let me just say, there Tuesday wings are
. I refuse to go anywhere else for wings. Weekdays specifically amazing is the Caribbean jerk. oh lawd, it’s just amazing.

Dude, this place is perfect.
First off, great beer selection on draft and in bottles/​cans. They’re all very reasonable prices.
The inside is pretty big, actually, with the side took for pool in addition to the main area with all the seating and booths. The patio outside makes it even better. Pretty spacious patio with plenty of picnic tables. You can almost always find a spot to sit.
But y’all, what you have to try is their Austin burger. Holy hell, this thing is amazing. Well, really. Any of the burgers are great. The goat cheese, the blu cheese. Any of it on one of their burgers and you’re set. Make sure you get their fries with it because the meal isn’t the same without it.
I’d definitely recommend this place if you’ve never been. Service has always been very nice as well.

Got some late-​night takeout and was thoroughly disappointed. When you get off work after midnight coming from the south, there are only so many places open. I wanted to «keep it local» and thought it would be nice to support this business, delighted to see they were still serving food. After being ignored by one bartender, I ordered chili cheese nachos to go. The poor quality and carelessness of the assembly of my dish was so insulting I cried a little as I ate somewhat in disbelief of having spent $ 8 on scarcely dressed stale corn chips, and deeply regretting having left a $ 1 tip.
Places like this discourage people from supporting local, small business. If I had gone to Taco Bell I would have been served promptly, spent half the money, gotten more food, and would have much happier with how it tastes. Experiences like this may not seem like a big deal, but after having spent the last ten hours working in the rain with a long commute, I felt violated, taken advantage of, and stupid for even thinking it might not be half bad. If you don’t care about where you spend your money, then by all means, but it doesn’t seem like Bender’s needs your business. Looking at some of these other reviews, it seems like this place is just for the Harley Davidson crowd, if you follow.

Pretty cool bar with a good kitchen. Drinks are strong and they have a pretty good selection!
Although the older guy with the white beard is a complete jerk! Avoid him at all cost. all the other people are very nice but this guy will completely kill your vibe and be a huge jerk to you.
I usually go the girl (I believe she’s the only girl that works there) and she is always very nice.

Been going here off & on since 2010 when I lived in south Austin. I love this bar! Nothing fancy about it. Very dark & dingy inside, gives off a dive bar vibe but is more of a neighborhood bar than dive. Great rotating craftbeer selection that occasionally produces a selection that you haven’t seen anywhere else. Great nightly food specials with Tuesday nights ($ 0.50 wings) the most popular night while their weekend specials keep you guessing which ends up being a different creation from the chef. I’ve tried their creations many times & haven’t had anything bad yet!
If you’re into drinking outside, Bender has a big back patio with plenty of seating. Perfect for large groups inside & out.
The only thing that gives them a 4-​star: No pets allowed. Their large back patio would be perfect for the 4-​legged companion.
Otherwise, great bar & worth checking out if looking for a good time without going downtown!

My favorite night of the week is Tuesday night. The $ 0.50 wings are the best bang for your buck you can find in this town. Their wings are the best, hands down. The flavor of the day is always spot on. Because of Benders I never go to Pluckers or Buffalo Wild Wings anymore.
They also have the best bartenders around. I always receive great service here and have no complaints about the staff. Friendly, courteous, and very professional, while still maintaining a bar atmosphere.
My only complaint. I wish garlic parmesan was a permanent flavor instead of a flavor of the day.

I’ve been coming here since they opened several years back and lemme say, if you want consistently good service, above average bar food and a nice strong drink, look no further.
First, I like that they offer a different style food special nightly. If you don’t want the special, fine, they have many other options to choose from. For instance, the salads AREN’T made with iceberg lettuce and they come with plenty of extras. Their burgers delish and the buns are to die for. Food is always made to order and usually arrives quickly — even on busier nights. I don’t normally order appetizers due to this fact.
Second, drinks have been consistent since they opened. They don’t water down their alcohol nor do they really raise their prices. They have plenty of craft beers on hand (bottled or draft) for the men and a ton of well made, mixed drink options for the ladies.
Third, the service is fast. They don’t have favorites and seem to have a good eye as to who arrived for a drink first.
Fourth, ulike downtown, the parking lot is huge and spots are free. The bar is spacious with a large out back patio which can handle bigger parties. They have two pool tables, two dart boards, a bitchin’ jukebox and several televisions to watch whatever movie/​sport you’re in to, in between conversations.
Best.

So after work I was craving wings and wanted to try somewhere new in the south Austin. Came across a bunch of Unilocal reviews that raved about the burgers and wings here (as well as the cheap prices). Posted up at the bar and immediately loved this place. I think every age, culture, and any other demographic you can think was represented in perfect harmony here to hang out and drink on the cheap. Bartenders are attentive and never once had to ask for more water or another drink.
The wings were fantastic (I had the Caribbean jerk which were cooked and seasoned well) and all the burgers looked amazing. Plenty of tvs with sports and movies on and a classic cd jukebox with a great mix of 80’s and 90’s.

What’s really awesome about Bender Bar, is that if you’re used to going out downtown, when you get your tab it’s always lower than you expect. Which leaves a great feeling and always makes me think of Bender in a fond way.
The drinks are good, the bartenders are speedy. It is a little divey I guess, and by divey I mean it’s super dark inside. It reminds me more of a sports bar than a dive bar, because the place is pretty clean and their food is decent. The best? Tater tots or waffle fries… with queso. Do it.
Honestly I have no complaints about Bender. It’s a great place to stop by with friends, or to meet new friends. And to get tater tots with queso and really what more do you need in life?

I can’t quite get into Bender Bar.
Pros:
Soooo close to my place.
Easy to park.
Has food.
Easy to get a drink.
Cons:
So dark.
Dark enough that it’s worth saying twice.
Strip mall feeling dive bar.
Food is all fried bar food.
We couldn’t see the food because it’s so dark.
I’m still not into Bender Bar, but they get an extra star because my beer and two gin and tonics came out to $ 10 and that rocks.

TOP 5 Reasons to check out Bender Bar:
1. They have a Juke box (80s, 90s, 00s music) just the good ones!
2. Great Great Beer Prices & Selection ($ 3 Miller Lite & $ 4 Stella, Ace Pear, Dos XX, list go on & on)
3. Tuesday Night — $ 0.50 Chicken Wings!
4. Full bar & Great bartenders
5. Outdoor patio with lots of seating
Dive bar? Maybe… Great bar? Absolutely!
Check it out! Or don’t, it’s your loss & one less person I have to wait in line behind for a beer!