Crown and Anchor Pub

This is one of my favorite places to go before Football games. Drinks are affordable, but you better like beer because they don't have liquor. Food is a gamble- sometimes I'm really pleased and sometimes I'm disappointed, but it's definitely inexpensive. Seating can sometimes be a pain, especially if you're trying to sit where you can see a TV. Always a good atmosphere and always a good time.

Pros: price, beer selection

Cons: seating

Before I moved to Austin I was introduced to this excellent Pub. When I lived near UT campus I would stop by frequently too. Even after I moved to South Austin Oak Hill area I still drop by when in the neighborhood. Great place, One of many in a secret A&M family of bars across the nation. Don't get me wrong or think of it wrong, once one is established they are 100% dedicated to the campus they are close by. All provide the same great food at cheap prices, excellent prices on all kinds of beers, cheap prices on decent pool tables with lots of good competition, same is true for darts too. Plenty of very good dart players. Friendly staff and very neighborhood conscious but always room for more and for the new. Some famous people come in from time to time. Tom Wimberly, Dan from Denton, Martin and Anettia Bruno, Craig the owner, the A&M people, Dudley's Draw, The University of Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA people, The University of North Texas people, Denton TX, The University of Colorado, Ft Collins CO, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN all part of the family with the same great burgers and the same everything that makes Crown and Anchor what it is. Yes the parking is a pain, but worth the walk from around the corner.

Pros: Two thumbs up! OUTSTANDING!

Cons: Parking is a pain but worth the walk

I love this bar!!!! It's a good place just to chill out and have a few good beers on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Great Austin atmosphere... When I first went there I was a few years younger and just cared about partying which it is great for at night, there are a lot of college party people. Go check it out!!!!!

Want an imported beer? Go to Crown and Anchor. With a lot of great domestic microbrews and amazing imported beers, outside of the Ginger Man downtown you'll be hard pressed to find a better selection. The crowd is always chilled out and it's a perfect place to catch a game.

Pros: beers galore

Cons: ?

I have so many memories and so much nostalgia tied up in the Crown, that it's hard to be objective. I first came to the Crown in '89 (when I was not quite of legal age) and it became my college staple. During trips abroad and periods living out of state it was the first thing on my list of reasons I missed Austin. The staff have been there for an average of ten years each. It's a vestige of old Austin that doesn't seem to be in danger of leaving. That's a relief. A true Austin jewel that welcomes all ages and types. Professors, street punks, engineers, a**holes... a haven for the Austin Everyman.

Pros: the atmosphere, physical space, attitude and burgers

Cons: parking, crowds

Never been let down by the burgers here. For six dollars you can get an awesome bacon cheeseburger with a big basket of fries. They have a very good selection of beers which are all reasonably priced. The ambience is great for a burger/beer joint and the service is always on-time.

Pros: Consistently very good food and a very good selection of beers

Cons: Parking can get annoying

From the perspective of a wife who routinely calls her husband and finds him at the Crown, I must be a nut job village idiot to admit this but I do think Crown is a great bar.

Location/Parking: Great location close to campus and fairly good location for downtown workers although that's not whose there. Parking gets rough during the normal busy times. Drinks: Beer and Wine Only which is great for keeping the right crowd in and the wrong crowd out. Extensive beer selection sorted by country on a huge menu on the wall! Crown kills the competition by serving the needs of cheap domestic beer lovers ($7.25 pitchers standard) and excentric Bittburger / Optimator swillers. Food: As noted in other reviews, the burgers are what many people come for. I consider them to be the best in Austin, regardless of price, considering their taste and freshness. Also great are the chicken tacos and the black bean tacos, if you're a veggie. Overall, this may be the best tavern/pub grub in town. Service: Ausitn, on average, has some of the worst service of any city I have ever been to. Service people here generally only work on their p0t breaks and exude a hate for the society that forces them to work to afford p0t and dreads. That being said, In undergrad I came here 5 nights a week, literally. So the servers were exceedingly friendly to me. In general, most of them at Crown are nice, but a few are "Austiny." The best are Catherine, Troy, Terry, and Greg. Tell'em George Hoyt said hello (there's another George). Atmosphere: A 10 for me. Super casual and relaxed. They have 2 small pool tables, darts, and some video games. They recently installed 4 or 5 HDTVs and now it's perfect for watching the UT game. They are very pet friendly and provide water bowls and two outdoor areas where leashed dogs are welcome. This is the place to go to sit on the deck (or in the covered outdoor area if shade is preferred) and drink beer and relax with your best furry friend. Overall: My favorite tavern/bar in Austin.

Pros: Beer Selection/Prices, Location, Atmosphere, Food (esp. burgers), dog friendly, outdoors, music mostly

Cons: Parking at busy times, some staff attitude,

Unfortunately, I did not find out about this place until after I started working. My coworkers would always talk about how they would go to Crown from the UT Engineering building. They finally took me here and I sure do regret not disovering this place sooner. Crown offers up great pub to hang out with your friends both indoors (eh..) or outdoors (yeah!). We generally come here and share a cheap pitcher of beer and have some of the cheapest burger and fries I have ever found (less than $4 if I can even remember!). So come check out this place if you haven't... especially if you are a UT Engineering student/alumni!

Pros: Cheap beer, burger, and fries!

Cons: Sometimes a a line can build up to order food... but it isn't so bad for what you are getting!

The Crown used to have the best fries around. Better than Hyde Park, even. They were hand cut (at least they tasted it), slim and cruncy, and deep fried in peanut oil. Now, they are limp and tasteless. We have noticed. :( A huge number of our friends used to come for the fries and stay for the burgers and beers. Bring back the old fries, and we will return. Please.

My regular bar in town, and I'm post-college and didn't even go to UT. Yeah, it's a college bar, but most people I meet there are grad students (mid 20s+) or not students anymore.
The crowd is mixed, all suits here, but it's laid-back, pretty friendly, not trendy. Bartenders usually play good music . Outdoor and covered patio, plus indoor area.
The burgers are really, really good. Large draft selection (and many more in bottles) --on tap, Shiner is $2.25, Guinness is $3.75. 2 pool tables (75 cents) and darts. Not a sports bar, but there are usually games on on the 2 inside TVs and 1 outdoor TV. So if you want to keep an eye on a game in a non-fratboy atmosphere, it's not bad (usually no sound, except for UT football).
Great, chill place. Sometimes crowded, sometimes not. Happy hour + beer specials Sun-Tues.

Pros: Bar games, Laid-back, Burgers & Beer

Cons: Parking

A cute joint with a fabulous patio that allows dogs and even provides bowls for water, a huge selection of beer, and the best cheat on your diet food in Austin. What a better way to spend the day after a long night out than chillin in the sun with a pint, a burger and your pup? My fav: cheddarburger with cheese fries and a side of ranch with a pitcher on sunshine. Hey, I'm easy!

Pros: dog friendly, big patio, friendly bartenders

Cons: parking when busy, cracked beer pitchers

I have made some of the best friends of my life at the C&A. I love this place!

Pros: friendly, eclectic, hospitable

Cons: cozy, economical, closes @ 2pm

This is a great place to grab a beer or two and just hang out. The crowd is mellow and mostly UT students. And the staff is pretty nice. There's also a dart board and other things to occupy your time.

I haven't been back to the Crown & Anchor since graduating, but this was a great place to unwind after a day of classes, whether it was to grab a beer or a burger. Generally, it was to grab an ice cold beer. The covered patio was a great place to congregate and hang out. No pretenses. Makes me really home sick.