Draught House Pub & Brewery
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.
Fri-Sun 3:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Wed, Thu, Fri
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
88 Reviews for Draught House Pub & Brewery
Draught House, where have you been hiding? Tucked away nonchalantly in a very cool neighborhood, just waiting for me to discover your lovely dark wood interior, all cozy and inviting. And your jukebox...great selections, although it wasn't turned up loud enough for me to sing along without getting kicked out. Great selection of beers, too.
If you lived down the street from me, we'd get in serious trouble!
Check it out, Yelpers, if you haven't already...
We were finishing up our pints at Cuatro's, when turtle s mentioned the Draught House for a pint. Since we have not been there in years, it was a good suggestion. We arrived, to find the doors closed, they open at three, and so we just visited outside with our buds. The doors opened soon enough, and we walked into the wonderful, dark, wood interior. I ordered a pint of the Austin Wave is it..? It was their brew, and it was quite yummy. Sat down with my Chelsea mates, had a nice time, it was really cool, (AC Cold) well and cool, (Hip Way), which all made for a great late afternoon soiree. It has a unique charm to it, and a very loyal patron following. We left and I had to return since I left my credit card with the bartender. When I returned, there was quite a fun little parking lot scene going on, with neighbors dogs and friends all sitting and gathering outside. When I came back up to the front door, turtle s was holding court, and mentioned that I had left my credit card, I smiled walked in and the bartender saw me and immediately gave it back to me and wished me well. Everybody was smiling and shaking my hand, it was quite a "Cheers" moment.
Until I woke up this morning and checked my bank balance.. it seemed I bought the entire bar a round on my tab....
Ok not...it was a fun place though..
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I had to check this place out after all the great reviews, so I decided to meet some friends here for happy hour today. I heard about the free pizza too which to me was an added bonus.
I couldn't find parking so I parked next door, which apparently everyone does too. I didn't realize how packed this place got, but I finally found my girlfriends and stood in line to get a beer. This was one weird thing about this bar is that you stand in a long line out the door to get a beer. So, I ask for a sweet beer and the guy recommends one, and gives it to me for free! Now, I really like this bar. He said something about that was the last of it so I'd have to wait for more, so he gave it to me for free. Whatever, I didn't care why it was free!
We ended up staying for about 3 hours, and totally lost track of time. I will definitely come back, but next time I will sit outside on the patio and actually try some of the free pizza.
This place is $. for real; so chill. Bring chairs!! a place where you can drink in the parking lot, bier garden, or inside. Sometimes they have free food for their patrons(wed and saturday). It's great!
Beer selection is pretty awesome, and the bartenders know their beer. They will even let you sample stuff.
don't expect too much from this place, it is what it is.. it's a pretty chill, laid back, fun atmosphere serving great beer!
enjoy the company you are with; or meet some new ones!
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My sister worked here off and on for 10 years for the original owners. She started way back when she was in college in the 80's. She knows a lot of great, REAL history on this place. Wayne and Gay Overton built the place with their own hands back when Medical Parkway was almost a dirt road. He even built the tables and chairs! They modeled it after the Tavern which they managed for years. When they first came to town, they owned the Continental Club!
By the way, for all you newbies :) it was the Draught (Draft) House originally and when Gay died and Wayne's son sold it, the purchasers were not allowed to call it the Draught House so they changed it to Horse. After a certain number of years, the present owners changed it back to House.
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Free pizza! Home brewed goodness! A million beers on tap! Yes, a million!
These are few of the qualities that make this bar so great. The tavern layout accented by the dark wood floors, chairs, and table make this a comfortable place to meet and actually be able to have a conversation over a tasty, frosty beer.
If you like you can drink out on the picnic tables or on your tailgate in the parking lot.
My favorite bar in Austin.
I might be the only person in Austin who wasn't totally "Wowed" by this place. I checked it out after seeing all the positive reviews here on Yelp. Its not that it isn't an incredible place; and who can laugh at such a great beer selection. I think it just might not be the perfect spot for me. Its really loud inside and outside can be hard to navigate with all the people in lawn chairs tail-gating at their cars. (on a Wednesday, seriously?)
I'm going to give it another shot though, because not many people carry such a great selection of local beers. If anyone has a good suggestion of something to try next time, feel free to let me know.
I will stress that the bartenders were knowledgeable and friendly, parking is a little sparse, and I personally think it may be a little pricey for the setting.
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I started going here years ago when it was known as the Draft Horse due to it's close proximity to work. (lots of medical professionals frequent it) There's a nice neighborhood bar feel to this place. You can sit at one of the many benches outdoors, bring a chair of your own and sit in the lot, or stay in where it's cool at the great heavy wooden tables. The selection of imported brews is fantastic, but I often get a well-crafted homebrew because they're fresh, tasty and usually cheap. I would've thrown in 5 stars if they had liquor service (I just need whiskey sometimes) and a bigger parking lot. Not a big deal as the nearby businesses have extra spaces and they close when DH opens. Watch out around 5:30 to 7:30 on weekdays like Wed. and Fri. 'cause the line for the bar is out the door.
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This is a magical pub for me: the first few times I've been there I've always caught glimpse of a firefly. I lived off Riverside for two years and not once saw one of these little guys, but for the Rosedale area I suppose this is normal. Regardless, I will now refer to them as fairies.
Sitting at the bar on a slow Monday night, Draughthouse reminded me of an empty pub in Hot Fuzz, just WAITING for the elderly bartendress to pop up with a shotgun... any moment now... Truth be told my bartendress was a lady of all kinds of cool, and served her pints like a pro. I tried the Woodchuck Granny Cider (almost as clear as water but pretty sweet) & Vanilla Port (grimace). The outdoor seating is scarce, but use what you find: a bench, log, curb, car hood and all will be well.
Went back for their free pizza Wednesdays with three friends and made them all happy. I found a new favorite Hefeweizen that's smooth and not too sweet - try the Franziskaner, 'tis a goodie. The pizza tasted substantially better BECAUSE it was free, and the patrons here are pretty friendly and accommodating. Felt like you could sit down at their table and bump beers all night, like old pals.
What a pub should be.
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I love this place! Did I say that I love this place?
I recently purchased a house and I told my realtor that close proximity to the Draught House was crucial.
There's nothing more "Austin" than hanging outside in the Draught House parking lot with a kick-butt microbrew. The brewers and staff are super knowledgeable and give great recommendations. The homebrews are great and they rotate their selection- go on Thursday and they're $2.25!
Speaking as a true beer snob, the Draught House is one of the best places in town to grab a pint, hang out, and meet great people!
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If you want beer, this is the place to be. They have a mindboggling draft beer list.
Pros: This place is totally unpretentious. You don't feel like the crowd is looking you up and down -- the vibe is just relaxed and friendly. BYOD (dog) and BYOCC (camp chairs) and hang out in the parking lot. I really like their house brews on Thursdays. Extra bonus points for the staff being supernice to people coming over after work from the hospital up the road :)
Cons: Bathroom sucks. Indoors usually smells kind of like rancid beer. Apparently the bartenders have a bit of a "Beer Nazi" reputation, although I have not personally experienced it.... but don't take all night making up your mind about what to order!! It's a small place... the packed-out parking lot scene is cool, but standing around in a circle for too long makes your feet hurt.
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I guess the fact this place has so many 5 stars says a bit about the Austin pub scene. I give the Draught House some points for being around for dogs years, and compared to Crown and Anchor the beer selection is better. And while the Dog & Duck Pub also has a parking lot seating area out front, I think it has a bit more space, a few more munchies, and a slightly nicer atmosphere. That said, the Draught House knows how to pour a good pint.
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When I think of a pub, this is what comes to mind. A mind boggling tap line (with TWO kinds of Fuller's!), dark woody atmosphere, and carved tables. I came for a DYL happy hour (which turned into a happy evening) which was a blast. It started in the bar but, like all good parties, ended up in the yard (parking lot) with the dogs. A good time was had by all even if we did blow off the warnings of an apocalyptic storm brewing:
"There's a twister in Burnett."
" IN Burnett or ON Burnett?"
"IN Burnett,"
"Oh, OK. Who wants another beer?"
..and so it went long into the night.
I'm knocking off a star for not having 20oz. pint glasses and for not having Newcastle on Draft.
I can overlook this and I'll definitely add this to my list of favorite watering holes.
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The Draught House helped convince me that Austin would be my new home over seven years ago. It was my first Austin bar and "made a big impression for a girl my size." It is a comfortable bar with a huge beer selection...although they always seem to be out of my Hoegarden. Watch your step walking in...I've spent countless nights watching the door and playing "drink every time someone trips." This has been the site of me completely dorking out any time the stand up bass player from one of my favorite Austin bands was bartending as well as the site for countless first dates. A great relaxed atmosphere for such a nerve wracking and awkward occasion. My favorite part of the Draught House is hanging out outside with a beer in the parking lot checking out all the cute dogs with my friends making me feel right at home. Cheers Draught House!
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I really don't like beer or sticky, musky-smelling pubs, but for some reason, I really like this place. I drink fruity Lambic Frambroise or ciders (Ace or Woodchuck), but I do like this setting. People are always friendly, it's always loud yet chill.
I came back to SF and told Brody about this bar, and he was so pissed at me that he couldn't come cuz i had left him at home, he shit on my shoes. I told him, if he is ever in Austin with me...ill definitely take him. He grunted, and licked my face and I knew he forgave me. This is after all a dog friendly bar, and my dog loves a good party
We rolled into the parking lot and saw the spill-over from the patio. It looked like a tail gate in the parking lot, and I immediately wished we had come in a pick up truck. We found a nice lil spot at one of the tables, got ourselves a pitcher of beer and enjoyed the 90 degree night. This place reminded me of a college bar in San Diego...only a lot cooler.
PS...The robusto Porter....tastes just like coffee. Its crazy. Really dark beer, but its definitely the best part of waking up. Try it...
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Beer. Lawn chairs. Dressed up in flip flops. Can walk there from my house.
Nirvana.
Used to be called the Draught Horse and some people refuse to call it by its new name. Come on Sundays for free braughtworst.
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Things Don loves:
Dogs.
Cool people.
Hippies.
Friendly people.
Diversity.
Genuine people.
Laid-back atmosphere.
Outdoors.
Varieties of beer/cider.
Brown and blue.
Things Don doesn't like:
Posers.
Egos.
Drunk dudes lookin' to hook up.
Meat markets*.
Frat boys.
Stupidly loud music.
Too many mirrors.
Things Don hates:
Drunk dudes lookin' to hook up with me.
Qua.
Spilled queso.
*Unless they actually serve BBQ
I love the Draft House more than any other bar-like place because it has WAY more of what I like and WAY less of what I dislike than any other place I've been.
So bring your lawn chair, your dog, your vehicle with a tailgate and meet me in the parking lot for a beer or two.
PS Pee before you come cuz the men's room is heinous.
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Our neighborhood bar - we've been coming here for years! The vibe and people are excellent, the beer selection great, and the more you come the more faces you know. This is definitely our "Cheers" and our constant default. Bring camping chairs, or stake out a table in outdoors, and settle in for some pints! Cheers!
Beeeeeeer!!! Yum!!! I have been a visitor to the "house" since it was called the "horse". BTW I liked that name better. But try their house homebrews. The atmosphere is good. Nuttin fancy. Sort of european and dungeony. Sample a beer you've never tried before. Enjoy the smell of stale beer. Sit outside on a nice day. It used to suck when they allowed smoking but now everyone smokes outside which is fine. The food is one step above inedible. But who cares you come here for the beer. And the company. And the atmosphere. And the location. Mmmmmmmmm! Beeeeeeer!!! I LOVE THE DRAUGHT HORSE!!!
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I don't know if it is just me, but not being a "regular" here and not having a reserved parking spot to pull up and put my lawn chair down in always makes me feel like the neighborhoodies who inhabit this place are staring at me distrustfully every time I walk in. I don't like that feeling.
Good beer selection, but a substantial bathroom stench to the whole place and not especially comfortable. I think it is unremarkable in most senses, but not awful in any, so they get "middle of the road" status from me. It is definitely the type of place I would file under "Hey, we haven't been THERE in a while, let's go check it out tonight". There are better, more fun pubs in town, albeit few with more character(s).
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I put off writing a review on the DH just because it has been done 67 other times and do i really have anything new to add? Even if i don't I feel my yelp account is incomplete without a DH review.
I go here at 3pm every saturday for our little beer club gathering. We usually see the same group of miscreants that also like tying one on during the day. There is something about buzzing during daylight hours that completes me :)
To me the DH is quintessential Austin. A little weird, a little eccentric, people from all walks of life sharing a love of beer. The outside area is nice when its not 100 degrees outside. People there are generally cool...except the ones that want to taste test 30 different beers while the line snakes out the door.
I have no complaints about the DH except the bathroom situation (a common theme in my reviews are bathroom situations). There's a urinal and a toilet. Which is all fine and good except on the occasion when you're peeing and some random old dude decides to come in and drop the kids off at the pool right next to you. Unsettling to say the least.
But the vibe makes up for it. I like chill out places...unlike the Saucer which tries to bring beer snobbery to Austin. The DH is my mainstay and will be for years to come. I just wish they would bring Red Rocket and Maharaja back to the taps.
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This is one of my favorite bars in Austin, hands down. The bartenders are friendly and the beer selection is incredible. The best part is the laid back atmosphere (lawn chairs in the parking lot is my preferred way to hang out) and the good crowd (true Austinites)!
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I gotta say, as a person who thinks going to the pub with some friends is the height of weekend enjoyment, that The Draught House rules. Their selection is excellent (at the very least, comparable to any of the boring corporate pubs in town), their homebrews are always a good option, and the staff maintains the perfect balance between grouchy and laid-back. They're always eager to offer a recommendation, so ask!
A great place for a (not first) date, but even better for hanging out with a few friends. Also gets points for being an excellent place to take the family (they're even open on Christmas!)
If you want a good spot inside get there early, or if you like the tailgating style (drinking in their parking lot is not only allowed, it's encouraged) bring something to sit on and enjoy.
Highly recommended!
Can you believe I just barely discovered this place on my last trip to Texas. I don't know how I went through 5 years of living in Austin and never once heard of this place. Man this a true pub full of good times and with plenty of seating outdoors and indoors. Don't be turned away by the huge crowds there are still plenty of places to sit and plenty of beers to drink. I love the fact that I can get almost any beer in a pitcher instead of having to order them pint by pint. So if you've never been your missing out so go there before it's to late and you miss out on all the fun. Definitely a place for groups.
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I love the Draught House. Maybe it is because I live two blocks away or maybe it is because I am sucker for any free food. Whatever the reason, I love it and I hate beer! When I go (which is almost every Saturday), I get a pear or apple cider, since those are some of the only non-beer options.
There is not much to say that has not already been said. My dad really enjoyed going there for sausage one Saturday during a visit to Austin. He was stationed in Germany while in the air-force. He said it felt very much like a German pub, but he couldn't put his finger on why.
Finally, a REAL pub atmosphere!
Indoors is dark and wooden, with a functional classic bar, but no stools, this is walk up and serve.
Wish they had more waitstaff, but I guess it keeps their overhead down this way too.
Catty cornered to this place is Dr Moosy, a DDS. I use them, and they told me if its after hours, they WILL NOT TOW from their 10 car lot. Park there!
I love parking a truck and tailgating in the parking lot. Here's a tip - if you drove a car and parked there and keep seeing trucks and cars roll through, and you arent using your car - go move it. If people can tailgate, it makes the place feel a lot bigger!
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Like the gingerman but a little cheaper and little further north. The parking here still blows, you usually have to park down the road at that tiny park with 2 tennis courts that no one uses to play tennis on. But, that doesn't mean much because most of the patrons like to squat on the exterior of this place, in the beer garden, the parking lot, the bike stand, the dentist office next door; they look like dislodged passengers abandoning the Titanic, but staying close enough for the3rd round of booze. My friends and I have started to make this a ritualistic bike + booze destination which is the best way to encounter this bar.
Ton of beers, but no Julius Echter, not even in a bottle. I stick to the usuals, Paulaner, Franzikaner, Guinness, and Natural Light; then its time to bike home while I bounce off cars in the parking lot. Gets really packed on the typical nights, and when the weather is good on the weekends. I don't like going here on Sundays, don't go on Sundays, damnit you came on a Sunday wtf did I tell you! Now I have to wait behind you for beer.
On more thing, the guys bathroom is the darkest freaking publicly accessible room in Austin, heaven forbid someone else gets in front of the one light in the room while you're trying to piss.
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The draught is the ultimate bar to have a great pint of beer and relax with friends. The indoor atmosphere is excellent and the outdoor is even better. I like having the ability to enjoy a nice draft with friends on a beautiful day/night. The usual crowd consists of friendly,intelligent people and not the usual drunkards, frat boys, gangster wannabes you find downtown or at most other bars in Austin
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dear draught house,
i heart you.
do you heart me? circle yes or no.
xoxo
squeak
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If I was only allowed to drink in one bar in Austin for the rest of my life, this would be it. Great beer, great bartenders, great pub, and where else in town can you sit out by your car and get trashed without cops coming up to give you a sobriety test. It can get a little cramped, but luckily it's warm enough to sit outside and drink for at least 320 days a year.
Only bad thing is I'd have to give up Whiskey... Ah Fuck it
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Until I see the inside of this establishment and actually know what all is available, I don't want to go with 5-stars, you know, just in case. On Friday night, I just sat outside holding the table while my friends bought the beers. Not a bad deal for me, but I didn't get to fully experience the place. I found the outdoor area pleasant though. The tables were big enough that a pretty large group could hang out, and the heaters really did the trick. Apparently, pets are allowed here. I wonder if dogs actually like pubs though. The dog I saw seemed pretty bored and cold. I bet he'd rather have been at home curled up in his doggie bed.
Oh, and the Longbow Ale, a house beer, was excellent.
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Er, call me a snob but I don't get it. Maybe its because I'm not much of a beer drinker (although 3 stars for having multiple forms of fruity cider on draft) or maybe its because the scene involved standing around outside with your beer dodging cars in the parking lot but I've only been here once and I feel no burning desire to return.
Or maybe its because I've hit that point in life where I'd rather drink at home cause its cheaper and I don't have to worry about how I'm going to get home if I accidently drank half a bottle of wine while eating Indian takeaway and watching Wife Swap on Tivo on a Friday night.
Yeah, I'm lame, I know. But there are others out there who are probably reading this and going, "yeah, me too." Unless those peeps are on the more introverted blogs like livejournal or something.
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This place is great for hanging out with friends, though it can get a little crowded, because it's small. Thankfully, you have the whole parking lot to spread out in, just about.
Their house brews are good, but just in case they've run out of the one you want or you want to stick with something you know you like, they have a huge list of other beers to choose from.
The decor is dark wood, old world pub style, and they've resisted the urge of so many pub owners to plaster the place with kitschy, tacky TGI Friday's decor. It feels like it could be a pub in Europe, and not an Epcot Center/Disneyland/Busch Gardens conception of what a pub in Europe should look like.
I can't recall ever trying their food, but if I have, the beer was either awfully strong or the food wasn't memorable, or a little bit of both.
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English on the inside and Texan on the out.
The wood tables and benches are typical of a true English pub with a huge beer selection. And if you beleive the stereotypes in "King of the Hill", you know us Texans love to drink beer in our driveways, which is exactly what happens in the parking lot of the Draught House.
I suggest going in the winter for the cozy interior, then go back in the summer with some camping chairs and drink out in the parking lot.
There's nothing else like it.
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I've first went to this pub a couple of weeks ago with some friends from work. It has a great environment both inside and out. It has a good beer selection (though surprisingly they don't have Newcastle Brown on tap) and you can either drink inside or out. Personally, I prefer to drink outside. Many bring lawn chairs and just drink out in the parking lot. There were even a couple of folks who brought their dogs and had "a pint."
I liked the laid back vibe.
If you're looking for a place just to knock a couple of beers and chill, you'd be hard pressed to find a better place.
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Let's just say it: Draught House Pub is a townie bar. Of course, that's not always a bad thing.
We can walk here, which is a plus, and our doggie likes to come along and sniff other doggies, get attention and steal peanuts. The outdoor seating is nice in summer, if you can get a seat - on a warm night, they're gone by about 6.
Other patrons go the tailgating route, and the parking lot is always full of giant trucks with old dudes in khaki shorts sitting in lawn chairs sipping brews. The drunk driving potential is kind of disturbing when you think about it.
Draught House is great if you like craft beer and enjoy trying new things. It's always nice to get local beer on tap as well. But it's a laid-back bar, and if it's an exciting Saturday night you're after, best head somewhere else.
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I like bars with dark wood tables and dozens of colorful taps. Draught House has both, along with a sufficiently tidy restroom and a bar full of burly-men, which gives the place a certain beer-drinking authenticity that is increasingly difficult to find. The garden is nice, even for non-smokers, and even when it's chilly and windy. (The heaters really work.)
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This place will always have a little special place in my heart because it is where my boyfriend and I had our very first date. Ahhhh. Isn't that sweet? BARF!
Anyway, the DRAUGHT HOUSE IS AWESOME! You can choose to sit inside at really dark, heavy, wooden pub tables or sit outside any place you choose! And I mean any place! You can sit on your tailgate (or in the back of your SUV in my case---don't judge me!), or at one of the many park bench like tables they have outside.
But I haven't even gotten to the best part yet...AND THAT'S THE BEER. There is never a more impressive sight to a hard core beer drinker than to walk into a pub and see that the ENTIRE BAR IS FILLED WITH BEER ON TAP. That's right folks, the entire length of the bar.
Go get yourself some sweet beer at the even sweeter Draught House.
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This is my favorite pub in Austin. I LOVE the homebrews. Although, I have noticed a disturbing change....why the small glasses guys? The homebrews used to come in a large beer glass, now they are coming in pint sizes. Although I totally disagree with this transition, I still go because I am hooked.
I love sitting outside and you can bring your dog which is great. Or you can tailgate if you have the appropriate vehicle, which I don't. The line sometimes reaches out to the parking lot, which totally sucks, but what can I say, their beer is fantastic and everyone else thinks so too, apparently!
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