The Grackle

Franks hot dog food truck is positioned at this location. It’s a good place for a late night bite. Enjoyed our hotdogs and waffle fries.

Wow!!! D-​bags to the max!!!‘nnnn do not spend money here. I bought drinks here and I got trapped in the rain so I delayed coming back and then they tow my car!!! Losers, wow. Lame-​ass bar.

Stop. There’s so many fabulous places around do not go here. Dive bar is a severe understatement and they were out of nearly every beer on tap.

This is one of my go to bars on the east side for sure. I’ve read some of the other reviews and I’m not sure why it’s scored so low.
It’s very divey and a place to just chill and drink a beer. The prices are super reasonable and is usually why we end up hanging out here for a while. The firs time I sat inside was this weekend because it started to get super chilly outside and it was ok. I would much rather sit outside in the patio. I do have to say that it is pretty enclosed so if smoke bothers you I would not sit there.
They have two food trucks outside. They’ve been the same two for a while now The Micklethwait Deli truck (which is called something else. Can’t remember) and Pueblo Viejo (delicious Mexican tacos). Cannot go wrong with either one!
They always have a great tab list for craft beer which is great. My only complaint is that it isn’t posted anywhere. So you constantly have to ask the bartenders questions, most of whom want nothing to do with anyone. The service isn’t the worst or the best.
I will continue to frequent this place for sure!

This place isn’t shiny and new, not overpriced, not over run by hipsters and is a shot and a beer kind of place. If you don’t like any of those things than you probably won’t like this place.
For me I am so happy when I can find a place on the East Side that is still just a hole in the wall but, with a beer selection, parking in a lot and you can also find dog friendly patio space. The inside isn’t anything special, with the pool table in the background, good tunes, friendly bartender and patrons and some tv’s on the patio. The bathrooms are clean and I just love coming here on a nice day to sit outside and chat with friends.
There are food trucks and some additional picnic tables around them in front just in case you need a bite before you head home.

Amazing bourbon and whisky collection – except that the bartenders have not a clue about them! Went there on 2 separate evenings, and in both cases they couldn’t even give me a good rundown on Texan bourbon/​whisky.
During the first evening at least the guy didn’t mind looking things up and checking prices on the computer (there’s no list). But the second time the gal working at the bar got quickly irritated when I asked a few more questions and hoped to discover some high-​end gems to cap off the night. It was clear that she doesn’t know the stuff and doesn’t care to know.
And when I inquired about a local bourbon from Austin that was mentioned to me on that first night, she didn’t even bother to look it up and downright turned me down. We settled on a drinkable but low-​shelf bourbon (7 $ a shot) that was fine but unremarkable.
I would not have hesitate to spend up to 30 $ a shot on something nice and interesting, but all I got was ignorance and attitude and quite nicely ruined my mood and last night in town. I would have walked away had I not been with my friends and we decided beforehand that this was to be the last stop of the night.
Needless to say, I won’t be back. I understand most people come here for beers and cheap drinks, and I liked the vibe of the establishment. But what’s the point of having this awesome selection of whisky and bourbon without a list and a semi-​knowledgable bartender? Especially when someone who is willing to pay you for it but was instead treated like a bother?

Divey. But wonderful. Great service and laid back and fun! definitely added to our Austin bar crawl experience. not pretentious and yummy beers. Patio is simple but does the trick, something special about sitting at the picnic tables at night under the stung lights with friends.

Not interested in coming back. I second a lot of the complaints about the ponytailed bartender. No rush and he’s throwing glass bottles like he mad in the trash right by where I was at the bar. Other thoughts: People are writing this is a dive, but there is a lot of expensive ass, high quality whiskey and it was pretty clean and spacious. But then again this was at happy hour. Pool table setup tight. Patrons not friendly but not mean. Parking was full, but I’m not sure why. There’s a big patio outside. This is probably a good bar to go to if you just want to sit outside and smoke cigarettes with your friends

If you’re looking for a shitty bartender who’s attitude is worse than his pour, this is the place for you. I asked for a whiskey shot, chilled, and was told they don’t keep that whiskey in a cooler. Well, duhhh. I asked him if he had a shaker and ice to be able chill it for me and I received some pretty fierce hipster attitude back including an eye roll and ignoring me for 20 minutes the next time I tried order a drink (after I tipped $ 5 on the previous $ 9 round). This place is full of unappreciative hipsters. If you’re looking for a legit Austin bar, I suggest you run. Run far, far away.

Have you seen the entire second season of True Detective, yet? Minor spoiler, but not really:
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The inside of the Grackle reminds me of a darker version of the bar that Velcoro frequents. You know… the bar with the scarred up Latina bartender and the stringy-​haired, emo white chick playing sad songs on the guitar. It’s grungy. There are no windows. The service is just good enough.
I agree with Kelly S when she said that the grackle is just a bar. Although I think that’s where it has what little charm it does have. If you go here, you’re probably in your thirties and you just want a place that will serve you a drink outside of your home. Hey you’re not wanting to be confused for one of those alcoholics who drinks at home after all. The patio is a bit smokey and damn we all know that the Austin Texas sun can be a scorcher. The outside seating is a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ split of covered and uncovered. There’s currently a very forgettable «Korean» food truck outside. There’s apparently also free trivia on Thursday nights at 8. The format mirrors Geeks Who Drink, but it goes by some other name.

Nothing special here, just another dive bar with mediocre prices and service. The best thing about the place is the dartboards in the back. They do charge 1 $ per game of pool so if youre a pool player, make sure to bring that roll of quarters. The beer is nice and cold and they have a decent selection. The place could be a little more upbeat and cleaner, but none the less, you cant go wrong with this place.

Pretty good beer selection with lots of outdoor seating. The bartender was also super nice and friendly. They also have a food truck, which is nice. However, the inside bar area smelled like pee, which was a major turn off!

The bar is just fine. More of a whiskey/​beer joint.
My only beef with the place is the food truck they have in the parking lot.
It should be removed immediately.
Served us bloody fried chicken and when we complained she told us that’s the way it’s suppose to be… If the Grackle thinks salmonella is good for business they should rethink that.
boot the truck.

This is my bar. There are many like it but this one is mine. The bartenders know their drinks and have the best damn Bloody Mary in the city. That is all. Uh-​oh. Unilocal is prompting me to write more. Seriously Unilocal,not going to post my review without «deets»? «Put some mustard on that review»? Who writes the crap material at Unilocal?Guy Fieri?

The only reason I ended up here is because East Side King/​Liberty bar hadn’t opened yet and I literally parked next to it.
The bathroom stalls were super small and reeked of urine. The seating is in the bar area was limited and it was very dark. Honestly, it felt like a man cave, minus the TV screens. I only spotted one TV screen on the outdoor patio.
The bartender was really nice and had great customer service. We came to eat, so we ordered two pulled pork sandwiches from the food truck outside. Not bad, but not great either.
Apparently they offer a great variety of drinks specials so I’m assuming that’s why people come here. Other than that, this bar gives off a regulars vibe. Not the type of place that you’d come to visit to get the «Austin» experience.

Whiskey, beer, and divey-​ness. Not much more to it than that.
I’m a vodka drinker and there wasn’t much of a choice in that department but the bartender, Heather, introduced me to the local stuff called dripping springs. Mixed it with a really delicious ginger beer I wish I could remember the name of. Also had my first Topo Chico here which is a bottled sparkling mineral water from Mexico. What can I say? It’s the little things in life like bubbly water that excite me folks. We loved that Heather played Always Sunny in Philadelphia on the tube and the jukebox had some pretty choice music.
This is definitely a locals spot. Pool tables, darts, outdoor seating. Food truck in the parking lot serving up something or other. Bathroom was gnarly tho. But yea that’s to be expected in a joint like this I guess.

Vacationed in Austin and asked some locals for a good bar to go to. The Grackle was recommended by a bartender at a bar we were at. The Grackle has everything we were looking for: food trucks in the parking lot, outdoor seating (covered and uncovered), pool, darts, Pac-​Man to list a few. The bartender we had was very friendly and knowledgeable about their products. If you are looking for a good place that isn’t where every tourist is going to be this is the place to go.

Had a bartender with curly brown hair in a ponytail who was clearly having a bad night and decided to take it out on my friend. Cut him off even though he was not drunk and then continued to get him kicked out completely unprovoked. The gentlemen who asked him to leave didn’t even have an answer when we asked him why. Really disappointed to see this kind of treatment from a bar I’ve loved for years.

Despite my A-​Okay experience on an already buzzed night, I’ve become progressively more and more disappointed with the customer service and asshole bartender who works there.
Rumor has it he has been awarded for his bartending skills. Maybe in opposite land. Major douchebaggery going on here. And it isn’t even ironic or adorably hipster. Just plain jerk served right out of a can.
One afternoon, my fiancé and I stopped in for a beer to enjoy on our day off one Thursday or Friday. Being relatively educated in the craft beer realm, both inside and outside of Texas beers, he asked with pure curiosity about a Brooklyn or Boulevard on tap.
«How’s that IPA in your opinion?,» He asks.
With absolute deadpan, the bartender retorts, «Its shit.»
The fiancé then asks with surprise, «Oh, really? Huh.»
Again with deadpan, «Yeah. We only serve shit beer here.»
… *crickets*
Wait. Was that supposed to be funny? Are we on that level where you can be dry and I’m supposed to take that as a joke? Like, I’m supposed to just know?
Ohhhhhkayyyy. But really, with the sas? The boy is an IPA lover and genuinely wanted to know.
Hey bartender. The jerk store called. And they’re running out of you! Go wipe that mightier than thou off yo’self and remember why someone once named you an accredited bartender. Because that day, I’d certainly want to punch the person who awarded you that prize in the face.
Haven’t been back since.

It is ironic that one of my favorite Eastside bars is named after one of my greatest nemesis.
What’s good:
1. Dog-​friendly patio offering dual misters and shade!
2. A juke box, pool table and AC inside.
3. Texas tap beers often at happy hour pricing all night.
4. Two food trailers to choose from: Eastside King and Go Bites. (If you think a pita sandwich isn’t special, GoBites will change your mind).
And now, for you, my Grackle haiku:
Glossy winged brash rat
Snatching morsels from my plate!
Opportunist plague