Longbranch Inn

Used to be pretty cool. This is one of the first bars of it’s kind to gentrify the east side, but now on a Friday night, the bartenders act like they wish they could be home by 1am. I guess this place has gone down hill.

Love love love this place! This is my go to Monday night spot. I always have one dive bar that I like going to. So far in Austin, I have 2. I love the Monday night jam sessions here. I was in the mess of SXSW last Monday and I couldn’t wait to get out of there and go to Longbranch. The music was better than anything I saw while I was there and I had a seat at the bar. Drinks are cheap and stiff too!!!

Best SXSW venue on the Eastside !!!

Very comfy chairs are perfect for this cozy dive bar. Bartenderess, lady who tend the bar… her LOL was great without being fake or pretentious. On weekends they have a build your own bloody mary which I’m a fan of since then I can make it as hot as I like :)

Very comfy chairs is perfect for this cozy dive bar. Bartenderess, lady who tend the bar… her LOL was great without being fake or pretentious. On weekends they have a build your own bloody mary which I’m a fan of since then I can make it as hot as I like :)

If you’re looking for a neighborhood dive, this is the spot. On weeknights it’s easy to find seating, and the outdoor seating along the street is simply a decent, functional spot to have a drink with friends. The live music is great when they have it– last night’s jam had me bopping in my seat while I sipped on some delicious bullet rye. There is a pool table, although I’ve never seen anyone using it.
If you feel like boozing in a dark, cool dive incognito, go to Longbranch!

This bar was great the drunk lady tending bar was blacked out. Reminded me what rude alcoholics are like!

There’s a first time for everything. This will be my first 1-​star experience. Got there late on a weekday night, about an hour before they closed, 2 bartenders, 3 people inside, and a small group outside. We’re sitting there with a mostly inattentive barstaff, just hanging out. At last call, I decide to order the special that they had advertised on … TWO… chalkboards at the bar. It was a «New Fashioned.» Only … TWO … ingredients listed. Bulleit. Amaretto. Now I’ve never had a bourbon concoction like this, and it sounded kinda shitty, but I figured since it was last call, don’t be a dick and order something that’s gonna take her a few minutes to make. I watch her make it, and pour some well bourbon into my drink, I receive it, and double check that she heard my order right. She says «yes, that’s the new fashioned.» She proceeds and gets defensive/​snarky and asks «what is your complaint again?» So I decide to get snarky back and say «My complaint is that there are … two… boards right behind you, that say bulleit on them, and you gave me well.»
No apology, definitely just charged me the same price, no offer to make it right. Just an «Oh, well I didn’t write that, and whoever did didn’t train me to make it like that.» Then not 10 seconds later she walks away, stares at the boards in disbelief, shakes her head, and erases the specials.
Lady, there’s literally only two chalkboards advertising the exact same 2 drink specials. And the one I ordered only had 2 ingredients. Why get an attitude with me about it? I’m as against hipsters as the next guy, but at least the other bars in the area will honor an advertised drink, and not get snarky with me about calling them out on it. One-​star reviews usually seem like overkill, but the fact that I will literally never step foot in that bar again bc of that experience solidifies it for me.

Bad service and was mocked by one of the two customers that were in the bar at the time I showed up today (one of the customers that were at the bar is a bartender that was off the clock). I used to be a regular at this place and feel like this place has lost its hole in the wall charm since the recent shake up with bar management. I love many of the other bars in the area that celebrate/​welcome locals and regulars on the east side.

Just met a friend here for a drink one evening. Seems like your everyday corner bar. Staff was super friendly, there’s a pool table there. Apparently there’s live music (I just missed the band.). And there’s some outdoor seating along the side street. I would come back again… it’s a great lil’ dive bar.

great dive bar, limited beer options great service

Johnny Knoxville was my 9 ball partner here. True story. He had a belt with a HUGE buckle that said Knoxville on it. Anyone that mentioned it or recognized him or treated him like anything special got screamed at by him. I just treated him like some dude and he walked up to me and said, «can I get in on a game» as we were playing. The rest they say is history. He was a way cool dude. TLB makes great ritas too. All they use is 4 ingredients and that, imo, is how it is supposed to be done!

Do you remember when Austin was the live music capital of the world? Yeah, you probably didn’t live here then, newb. In any case, it was places like Longbranch with their Monday night freestyle blues jam that made it so. The ONLY place to be on a Monday night.
Long Live Longbranch!

Longbranch Inn offers smokers a place to smoke on our patio. Bar opens at 4pm daily and 6 pm Sat/​Sun.

I will not support a business that thinks it’s ok to use ethnic /​racial slurs. Thank you for outing yourselves as ignorant bigots, it makes it easier for me to know which places to completely avoid.

I hesitate to give Longbranch 5 stars only because I am worried it will get overtaken with patrons the one night I want a «low key» drink, which is almost everytime I am here. What more needs to be said? This is old Austin, old 78 702 Austin. And I love it. I hope it never changes.
Occasional bands play on the tiny (!) stage but other than that, this is the neighborhood bar where you tend to know at LEAST one person there, even if you aren’t in your own neighborhood. Sitting outside on the patio is fabulous on a nice clear night (Hi, moontower!)
Will keep coming back as long as it stays true!

When The End comes near, and the human race is faced with extinction either by alien invasion, the zombie apocalypse, or an asteroid there will be two things left: cockroaches and Longbranch Inn in Austin, TX.
I say this because the Longbranch Inn never changes. It has stood the test of time. It does not care about trends even though hipsters do belly up here. It opened in the 1930’s when the face of this side of Austin looked very different. This ranges from the kinds of people who frequented The Longbranch (no hipsters in the 1930’s, the Great Depression kept them at bay though they would have fit beautifully in skinny jeans since hunger was so prevalent) to the fact that this street (11^th street) was not called 11^th but instead was known as Longbranch (tip: hence the name). Other businesses up and down E. 11^th at that time were also known as «Longbranch» such as Longbranch Pharmacy. These places are long gone and now you don’t see the name Longbranch really anywhere along 11^th. But Longbranch Inn is still standing strong.
They don’t have draft beer. Only bottles. More importantly though they do carry Jameson and that’s all you really need. They do have a TV if you want to watch something. Though listening is what you should really be doing because they have a very kick ass jukebox. The range of musical selection should fit just about every taste, except maybe for grandma. But you shouldn’t bring your grandmother here anyway.
Actually, that’s not true. She might appreciate the wooden bar itself. This is because the bar has history, and stories to tell since it was constructed in the 1800s for the Driskill Hotel downtown. It is really a breathtaking antique to observe.
They have a stage that sometimes has live music. They have a pool table. They have an outdoor patio area that runs along the side of the building. They have everything. This is where I’m coming when The End is near. I doubt the Longbranch Inn will be fazed anyway by the passing fad of an apocalypse.

Bathroom is needlessly filthy
Bar stools almost impossible to sit in
Liqor selection woefully inadequate, it all speaks to someone cheap who hates putting anything back into the business.
Also, only web presence is a myspace and twitter page? They’re dumb in the past and the future at the same time!

This place is cool and laid back. It’s off the beaten path. The review below with the girl whining about being accosted at the bar… uh. I don’t see how the bar has anything to do with that. I would totally ignore that and experience for yourself. I mean, it’s unfortunate that happened, but really? That stuff could happen at any bar. I really hate when people use Unilocal to take out their frustrations on establishments and try to be vindictive or give a business a black eye.
To me this is a very «Austin» bar. I’ve been living here for 11+ years now and I remember coming to this place 11 years ago. Not sure if it was the Longbranch Inn at that time, but I think so​.any​how​.it rocks. Check it out. :)

I went to Longbranch Inn last night. I really dig this place. It’s been a while. The bar staff is pretty cool (old Emo’s staff). Usually pretty friendly. The outdoor patio is really cool, but narrow. If all seats are taken, you may not be able to get one for a while.
The drink selection is pretty good. They pour heavy and the beer selection is great! You can get well and a PBR for $ 5. Not bad. The inside is really cool. All wood with great interior and really cool paintings decorate this place. The bar is really nice, a old style wooden bar that is solid!
All in all you can’t really have a bad experience here due to the vibe. Also, during SXSW you can always catch a kickass secret show if you know who to talk to. Great location, great neighborhood, great drinks and great prices!

Remember the «FUCK YOU I’M FROM TEXAS» shirts? Remember how BAD ASS you would feel if you had the BALLS to wear it in another state?! Or how patriotic it feels whenever you see someone else wearing that shirt?
That is EXACTLY how good it feels to walk into the LBI. Like cooking bacon, fresh cut grass, a cold drink, with the BEST of friends. Screw the «neighborhood bar» sensation that requires trolling through dirty downtown, researching drink specials, and battling parking. You might see some seedyness, it IS the EastSide. But hold your head high Son… if you make it there, you’re HOME.

For the love of Eastside awesomeness, don’t hate on this place.
It’s true, my first visit here I did not really like it. Perhaps it’s because I don’t totally remember when/​who/​where/​what. Or perhaps the musk of bicycles riders was too much for me.
Also — for the life of me I couldn’t get the name right. I kept calling it Longhorn Branch Inn. Now it’s just a little inside joke.
Truth #1: I dig this place more and more each time I come here. It’s off the radar, it doesn’t usually get ridiculously crowded anymore because they’ve been around the block before it was the block. I’ve seen shows here during SX, I’ve attempted to play some pool, I’ve sat out on the patio during beautiful weather, and there’s never a problem parking in the neighborhood.
Truth #2: Don’t dress up to go here, you’ll just look silly. The people here very friendly and the place is spacious.
Truth #3: As long as the bearded, feather-​wearing types outnumber the polos & sperry types, I’ll continue to come here vs. the other side of 35, which contains a far more douchey clientele.
Keep it classy, LhB.

Ooooh. I know this place. Back when I was a wee lass and Primizie was open (2 months ago), my buddies and I stumbled down the road after dinner and popped into Longbranch Inn.
Things you need know: you don’t have to go potty. Have every confidence as you’re waltzing in the door that your bladder can take however many drinks you have or will put away for the evening. Okay?
Also, you do not need to stand near the potty. This is unfortunate because this is where the pool table is situated. If you do hang by the potty, certain aromas will invade your conversations, drink sips, and general attempts at flirtation. As you toss your head back to laugh, you may return to face your victim with a sad look on your face. Now you’ve become the victim.
Try making a critical shot when your pool stick keeps poking a dude in the ribs because the pool table is crazy close to the bar. And to the potty. All kinds of problems kids, all kinds. Luckily the people in here are cool; rib-​pokes dude didn’t seem to mind.

The only time I ever went to this place I wasn’t impressed — so it doesn’t bother me one bit to never return and advise others to do so when I find that the management of the place deems it acceptable for patrons to be assaulted by their homeless clientele.
Way to go, douchebags, for your indifference to a woman being attacked.