The Ginger Man
304 W 4th St
Austin, TX 78701 (512) 473-8801
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Mon, Thu, Fri
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
64 Reviews for The Ginger Man
I'm not as big of a beer drinker as I used to be, but a place like The Ginger Man could certainly convince me to drink beer more often. We were only here for a short period of time, but I was very impressed with the selection of beer, and the outdoor patio was a great place to enjoy a beer with some friends on a warm night. We have a friend who is a beer snob, and we'll definitely be taking him here when he visits Austin.
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My first visit to the Ginger Man was ok.....
I had a good time, but I was with good friends. Everything besides the friends about Ginger Man was just "meh"
I was hungry so I ordered the pizza..... It was edible (barely), but it tasted like frozen pizza.... .and at 3.00 a slice I kind of expected a better pizza. I'm lame, so I ordered a Dr. Pepper.... the menu says it comes in a glass bottle! Cool! When it arrived I realized that yes, it did COME in a glass bottle, but it was in a tiny glass bottle (the equivalent to a can). I spent 10 dollars at the Ginger Man.... what I got was a Dr. Pepper and two slices of frozen pizza....
I didn't order a beer.... so, take that into consideration.
I will say that I enjoyed the atmosphere a lot.... and the jukebox was full of really great music. I don't see myself coming back here unless all my friends are going again.... I'll make sure to eat beforehand.
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I love the Gingerman. That is because I got to sit in the far back sitting area with all of my friends and we totally scared off three people that were lingering on one of the couches. It was the perfect situation - sitting on a couch right next to my best friend, taking pictures of everyone, my husband was present to pay for my beer...
I could have spent several more hours in that spot just putting back beer and gabbing with friends. I had gone through periods of being hot and then very hot due to walking and the weather. I didn't sufficiently cool down until I got to sit down at The Gingerman and relax.
My only complaint is that it took me FOREVER to get a beer up at the bar. I realize that I am short and I don't have as strong of a presence as the 6 foot guy next to me and it might be odd to just see a head floating right above the bar but come on... give the little people a chance. In the bartender's defense I was flapping my gums the whole time I was up there with the person standing next to me and never really demanded attention from the bartenders so I can't really say if they were ignoring me or just trying not to be intrusive.
I got to nibble on my friend's fruit/cheese/cracker tray and it was delicious. The cheese was a variety of cheddar, Jalapeno jack and a soft white cheese I couldn't identify. The grapes were nice and crisp. The olives were huge. I am one person who really, REALLY appreciates a nice fruit and cheese tray and you can't get them at a lot of places in town (San Jose is the only other place I know of) so I was very excited this was on the menu and that someone ordered it.
I would love to go back to The Gingerman. Besides my love of the fruit and cheese tray, the back patio area is pretty nice, you can sit under a tree or at a picnic table. I'm looking forward to Fall & Spring so I can go back there and sit outside.
I've heard the empanadas are good so I might be updating this to a 5 star review after my next visit. ;)
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I see myself spending a lot of time here when I get down to Austin. On the first day of my trip down there for my apartment search my brother took me here. Coming from up north, the heat was really taking its toll, so what better of a cure is there than a nice cold pint? Well this is where to go, because I stood there marveling at the selection for a long time before I even had an idea of what I wanted. I went for something I was familiar with - Victory Hop Wollop YUMMM. The atmosphere is very comfortable, it was a nice quiet afternoon perfect for sitting around with a few friends. Maybe everywhere in Austin has an outdoor patio too, but for me coming from Boston where there is little space and only a few months of weather that allow you to be outside, that is a huge bonus... and theirs is a pretty decent open space. I'm sure I'll have more to say about this place later.
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Let me start by saying, yeah the food sucked. This place is not about the food, its all about the beer. One humid July evening some co-workers and I were hiking around Austin, I was keeping my eyes peeled for a place that might have a nice cold, hoppy beer for me. Everywhere we stopped had the usual fizzy yellow selection.
Finally, fed up I asked a local "where can I find a good selection of beer"? He told me "The Ginger Man on 4th, they will have a beer for you". This is a neighborhood in Austin that used to be warehouses in the early 1900's, so we had to hike up and down the stairs on raised sidewalks that at one time were loading docks. Its quite a handy place to drink if you like burning off calories from that last beer or cocktail. 15 minutes after the strangers recommendation I was up the old wooden steps in front of the Ginger Man.
It might have been a little of the drunkenness from the "piss beer" I was drinking earlier in the evening but I swear the guy that checked my I.D. at the door was Saint Peter himself because once he let me through the door I was in beer heaven. I am a man that has been to some nice beer bars, and this one is in my top 10. It reminds of my first beer bar love "The Toronado" in San Francisco, but The Ginger Man has an outdoor beer garden and looks like it could be right at home in Portland Oregon. This was not a Yard House or a BJ's this was a real ale house.
After all of the angels were done singing I took a look at the beer menu, and there it was Dogfish heads "Midas Touch" I will spare you all of the details about why this beer is so special...So lets just say this is a beer I have hear a lot about, and have never had. Everything I heard was true, this was truly an amazing beer. An Amazing beer I can't get on the west coast. I talked to the bartender, he was extremely cool, and helpful on filling me in on local brew, and on beers I just can't get on the west side.
The place has a comfortable no frills interior, but its the type of place I could definitely spend some time drinking with friends and feel right at home. I had the Pizza, not great. Edible. But this wasn't pizza heaven. It was beer heaven.
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good crowd, good costumes, comfy worn couches. great spot if you want to actually hear those in group talk rather than just nodding along.
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Ginger Man has not failed me yet. I have been to Ginger Man in Greenwich CT, NY, NY and now Austin, TX. Love it! Why? They have a gazillion beers from all over the world.
Ginger Man in Austin has live music on Wednesdays from 6-11PM and $3 drafts every Thursday from 6-6:30PM. Pretty sweet deal. Nice chill place to go on a Friday night. Not too crowded and you can play darts or billiards.
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I do say, a mighty fine pub indeed. Good brews, great IPAs, and a bit of a rustic feel that makes the booze flow down that much easier. Coming from a beer culture I have very high standards and the GingerMan MORE than succeeded them!
I raise my glass to the GingerMan!!
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I could leave this as a one line review and just say this is pretty much a perfect bar, but that wouldn't be fair to those who, unlike me, don't live for simple bars that offer up a lot of character and a hefty list of micro-brews.
This lovely pub offers up beer tasting events, and a beer list arranged by location, we are talking around the world (yes Texas brews included). I tried the Blance de Bruxelles as suggested by the bartender when I asked for a nice Belgian wheat. It was delicious (with just a hint of banana my favorite!). We enjoyed a perfect spring day on the vegetated back patio. We even sat through a light sprinkle with plenty of coverage offered by the many trees. The long wooden tables are perfect for a large group or an intimate beer tasting experience:) The jukebox and the yummy looking snacks are an added bonus.
I will happily be a regular here upon my move to Austin in June. I am just hoping the new location will be as great as this one!
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This 5-star rating comes from someone who doesn't even drink beer.
Now, before you stop reading this review, see why I hold this place such a high regard. Aside from nostalgic reasons for liking it (it was where I talked to my current boyfriend for the first time with a bunch of people from work), I genuinely enjoy the friendly staff, the atmosphere, and everything else (including the food).
We always go on a Monday or Sunday night, when there's barely a crowd. The jukebox is 3 songs for a dollar, and they have good selection (I've selected many a Clash, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Ghostland Observatory song from the machine). They serve food until 1 and I often got the veggie sandwich, a tasty sandwich with strips of bell pepper and artichoke in cheese. My friends/coworkers would often get beef or turkey jerky or the beer companion (a platter with slices of cheese, meat, crackers, and a bunch of grapes and olives).
I don't like beer, but my friends do, and I've watched them look at the menu each week to see if anything new has come in. If there's something new, they ask the bartenders their opinion, and they answer truthfully. It's either ordered or not. My boyfriend's favorite beer, Maredsous, is served here and pretty much nowhere else.
The bartenders know me by name even though I don't drink anything. I even got a GingerMan hat for the employee price because I was there every week with the same group. They are ridiculously nice.
I've stopped going because the crew goes to GMan on Sunday nights and I work then, and by the time I get out of the store I'm tired and want to go home to bed. But if the guys ever want to go here on a different night, I'm always in. That veggie sandwich is calling my name.
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More than just beer. My absolute favorite nightspot in Austin. I love this place. They have so many beer selections. My favorite is the St Arnolds Cask Condtioned Ale that has to be handpumped. Did you know that St Arnold was the patron saint of brewing??? I learned that here. At the Gingerman. The G-man has a nice outside biergarten area and a generally friendly and helpful staff. They occasionally have a band or an event out back. They have dartboards and couches. I heard they are moving and I have been depressed ever since. What is the world coming to??? The future is uncertain. Get out and drink a cold beer at the gingerman while this fine institution lingers.
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I feel that I owe many of the stripes I harbor as a paramour of fine beer crafting and brit music to The Gingerman.
The Gingerman hosted my first Austin drinking experience in 1996 -- post-Liam-fronted-Oasis at the Music Hall, through the years as an enthusiastic, beer-starved UT student, and ceremoniously hosted my college commencement party, keen to the fact that I would be leaving one of my favorite pubs in Austin for graduate school in Tempe with their misters spraying tough hours and their patios warmly uninviting.
It was my ubiquitous spell after Thanksgiving dinner -- and it still is -- for that friendly pint after the requisite family time. A half-and-half in one of the dim, leather furnished nooks, has ritualistically fused with the most traditional of American holidays. And a personal rite, the spring season wouldn't be proper without Live Oak Hefewiezen on The Gingerman patio, smoking cigarettes on the long, aged picnic tables, dollars queuing Radiohead on the juke.
The Gingerman exudes class and comfort, from the decor to its patrons, and down the line of taps, birthed to its copper backsplash like medals of prestige.
I truly hope that The Gingerman continues to operate as a soul once it leaves its skeleton and reborn in another worthy body downtown.
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The NYC outlet of Ginger Man would get two stars from me. (Hm, have I reviewed it yet?) It's a big, fratty, midtown-ish don't-go-here spot. Consequently, when someone suggested that we stop over to the Austin version while we were in town for SXSW, I kind of cringed. But it's much more enjoyable than its Manhattan brethren, if only because it's slightly less crowded and is much less of a total brodeo.
And there are just as many beers on tap. I asked for something local and was served a very tasty Rio Blanco. Best part's the back patio, definitely. Then again, that's not exactly uncommon in this part of the country.
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I like The Ginger Man, even though my friend Paula says the place smells a little bit like cat pee. She's a little bit right. The place does have a distinctive stink, so if you're olfactory sense is picky, steer clear. Someone told me it's because wood floors (which The Ginger Man has) and spilled beer (inevitable) don't mix.
But don't let one tiny design flaw deter you from going. This place is worth visiting every once in a while at least for the awesome selection of Texas-brewed beer. I usually get the seasonal St. Arnold's and a soft pretzel.
I'm giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 on account of the cat pee smell and the fact that for some reason patrons don't tend to be real friendly to one another.
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This is bar rates from okay to great. I love the beer selection here and it is one few places you can get Kwak or a $90 bottle of chimay (well worth by the way). I love the outdoor sitting, which is perfect for the summers. Unfortunately it can get quite packed making it hard to find a seat. Other then that I thinks it's great and has a much better vibe then the Flying Saucer.
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Every time I've gone to the Gingerman it's been on the weekend and it's been way to crowded and loud of a place for me to sit and peacefully drink a beer. I don't really like to fight crowds and elbow my way up to the bar.
I met some Yelp peeps there the other night on a Wednesday and it was a little more tame. Reaching the bar was easy and the bartenders were pleasant when they asked what I wanted and I replied with "surprise me."
On our way out, this tall, beautiful brunette said to me "You have the cutest hair." So I came back with my usual reply of "Do you want to touch it?" And she did. She invited me to have a drink with her and her friends. I went back inside and we had an awesome time until I had to go pick up my brother at the airport. So, if you're a tall, brunette, lawyer named Jill who met a really cool dude at the Gingerman with curly hair who let you wear his jacket the day before Thanksgiving, call him back.
3 stars for the bar itself. An extra star for getting hit on.
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I cannot believe I have never been here before.
You know how you have one of those nights where you are wearing a cute dress, the moon is in the right sun sign, you have a bit of cash in your pocket ( although you don't exactly plan on using it) and you are down to get some serious flirting and drinking on?
Well. i had one of those nights. I loved gingerman.
Was there with a huge group and it was the perfect mix of moving around seeing other people, asking serious beer questions at the bar, and wandering out on the porch to catch some air
I'm sure some of it had to do with the people, but I will come back again.Probably for happy hour. And you should too.
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This is the only place in the world I have ever taken my brother, Chris, that met his full satisfaction and approval. Chris loves beer. He loves it. He travels extensively and he has access to pretty much any bar or club he wants to visit or any beer he wants to drink, but his face positively lit up when he looked behind the bar of The Ginger Man and took in all the taps. I love it for the gigantic beer selection too, but just as good is the cozy patio in the back. It's a great place to listen to your brother regale you with wild adventures from his college days while enjoying a premium pint. Love to The Ginger Man for providing a hell of an environment for family bonding.
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This is probably my favorite bar in Austin. Have many great memories. Huge selection of beer on tap. Decent food. Lots of outdoor seating. I know its a chain, but this particular outpost is a good one.
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With 80 some beers on tap, you're gonna find something that floats your boat. Although I wouldn't recommend a boat as transportation after a couple of Young's Double Chocolate Stouts....you might just end up like Natalie Wood.
Great service, no matter how busy it is...you can tell the 'tenders take pride in a perfect pour.
Dark brooding decor that will appeal to sophisticates as well those who just want a casual place to chill...good crowd mix
Too bad it's moving elsewhere to make room for yet another set of condos downtown...new location is ?
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Chocolate Beer? Who knew? Well, maybe you beer lovers, but I had no idea what I have been missing out on.
I have generally overlooked the Gingerman because I am not much of a beer drinker, but would have a glass of wine here when the boys wanted to hang out here. I feel like last week I sparked an old flame. Darts, a mighty good jukebox and Double Chocolate Stout. This could be my favorite winter hangout spot. Pour me a pint, load up the jukebox with my faves (Talking Heads, Lyle Lovett and Ray Charles) cozy up on the couch or play some darts.
There is a big back patio for the summertime, but somehow, I manage to only come here when it is cold out.
***Is it an urban legend about the guys who hit up every location in a 24 hour period? Everyone I know seems to know "that guy", but "that guy" never has a name.
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Tara wrote a great review, but gave me far, far, far too much credit. Kristin and her staff are responsible for 99.999% of the Ginger Man goodness (I sometimes have good suggestions or ideas, or actually do something useful, so I don't feel bad taking 0.001% of the total). I, however, may talk more about it than Kristin (since she's busy actually working).
At the Dogtoberfest today there were lots and lots of babies and dogs as well as great live music, food, raffle items, silent-auction stuff, and of course beer. I was amazed that I actually knew many of the babies (or their parents). Is there maybe a fertility-enhancing effect of good beer? Time to hit PubMed and check on that.
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Wednesday was the anniversary of the 21st amendment that ended prohibition. What better way to celebrate than to drink a pint and be part of the party at G-Man.
Reasons why everyone should love G-Man: Bad-ass patio, chilled relaxed vibe, hundred draughts on tap (beer-lover's Shangri-la), logo pint night Mondays, $3 any draft ThirstyThursdays (great time to be a little experimental and eye that high dollar draught you were scared to try), the very informative beer tastings, beer events (beer pairings with chocolate?).
Bonus points: Yummy sandwiches (turkey, apple-curry mayo, cranberry sauce on foccacia) with Miss Vickie's chips & pickle for $6.50. awesome. Absolutely the best root beer I've ever had -- St. Arnold's Root Beer (on tap!!). Oh sooo good, I've now developed cravings for it. A must try, even if you don't normally like root beer.
Downside: It can get a bit crowded on certain nights, and it's hard to get up to that bar. Some pint nights (depending on the popularity of the glass), if you don't get there before 6pm you'll miss out on the giveaway glasses. It's a little pricey too, but I'm not here for the domestics, I'm here for the premiums (Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale!!! Oh yeah!) and the special cask condition of the week. (Fireman's 4 on cask... a totally different eye-opening experience. Yums.)
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This is a great bar. We frequented the one in Dallas when we lived there, so I've got a soft spot for the place. It's cozy with lots of tucked away tables and loungy sofas. The patio is spacious and shaded with huge oak trees.
I love trying new beer and knowing a bar has all of my favorites, and The Ginger Man never disappoints. One of the coolest things about them is they give you the glass of the beer on special until they run out. Our cabinet is full of pint glasses.
I haven't tried a lot of the food they serve, but we get the Beer Companion a lot. It's a cheese plate with salami, grapes, olives and gherkins. Who doesn't like cheese?
I also haven't looked at the juke box selection, but they're always playing good music.
I give it four stars because the drinks are a bit pricey.
Now, if only they had live trivia.
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What kind of name is Ginger Man for this place? I mean, why not "Home Of 100 Frosty Beers On Tap"? Or "Man, You're Gonna Love This Place If You Love Beer"? Or "Holy Crap That Was Great Beer"?
Ok, so maybe Ginger Man is an OK name (grin). This is one of my alltime favorite beer joints, with a Gi-normous selection of, well... beer. Great downtown location, a little crazy on a weekend night (which is part of the fun), and a great place to people watch too. You'll love it!
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Yes it is a chain but it is a Texas chain and it is a good one thanks to Rick for keeping it good.
I used to frequent the Dallas location when I lived there and loved the old house that it is located in with nice cozy nooks to flirt with your date.
Today, I had the pleasure of experiencing The Ginger Man in Austin for the first time. I give them 5 stars for allowing my butt sniffer and the great hospitality. Good looking fun friendly crowd I/ we (the butt sniffer) will be back soon..
I must add that this is a family friendly pub - I think it is very cool that young or old families can bring their kids or dog kids to a pub,. I am sure a lot of others appreciate being able to socialize with the 'kids" be them 2 or 4 legged,,
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3.5/5
I really liked the look and feel of The Ginger Man (wood, books, outdoor seating), but I can't say much about the drinks because my ID was in my wallet which was in the backpack that my friend forgot to bring. I can say that the bartenders are pretty good about checking ID, so don't forget yours if you want to sample one of the many beers from around the world that they have on tap. I can also say that their root beer is tasty (too bad they were out of Diet Coke, my carbonated drink of choice). The vegetarian sandwich that I ordered was not half bad, either. Next time I'm in Austin, I shall return with my ID and then replace this review with a more meaningful one.
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Over 100 beers on tap, including Smithwick's. 'Nuff said.
Great, cozy British pub style, with booths and tables outside. Knowledgeable staff. GREAT place for Happy Hour - specials are great, and pint night rocks!
The jukebox is generally full of great music as well.
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I've just gotta thank the bartender that was working at Gingerman a couple of weekends ago. I stumbled down to The Ginger Man craving my favorite beer, knowing they were probably the only place I could find it. I walk in and order it, and just about as the bartender is about to open the bottle, she tells me it was $25 and asked if I still wanted it.
Wow.
I'm not sure whether I was more surprised at how ridiculously expensive the beer was or the fact that she actually TOLD ME how expensive it was before opening it. That's damn good service Gman, and I'll be coming back. But not for that beer.
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Alas, yet another victim of the condomization of downtown. I just read last week the GM was going to have to relocate. It's always on my list of places to hit whenever I'm in town. I don't even live in Austin (yet), but I always sympathized with people agonizing over the loss of a cool, unique (I KNOW it's a chain, shaddap!) place. It's one of the best beer bars I've ever seen. The bartenders are highly knowledgeable and obviously love what they're selling. They're also able to make a recommendation if you're not sure what you're in the mood for. Last year I had the pleasure of buying a round for a couple of linguists from Ft. Hood who were on their way back for yet another tour in Iraq.
Anytime I can buy a serviceman a good beer, it's a fine evening.
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It's a chain.
But it's a small chain.
Everything is a chain these days. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but most places have two or three locations. That technically makes them a chain. Little guys can't really survive so well these days. This is unfortunate but factual.
...but I digress. Beer. You love it. I love it. More specifically, my belly loves it. Nothing makes me happier than a Fireman #4 on a hot day. (Real Ale, from Texas no less)
The Ginger Man has a vast array of beers to tease your taste buds. It's a bit pricey for the most part, but there are deal days and happy hour to help stave off your discontent with the lack of funds to acquire said beer. "Life is too short to drink cheap beer."
The cons are that a fair bit of the bone head population tend to sweep in here throughout the night, already drunk, and yell at the bartenders to serve them hard alcohol, and more often then not, loudly decry the place as "Not a real bar!" To be sure, on busy nights, there are a fair bit of those people already installed in the best seats in the house...usually consisting of two fratty looking guys using a table intended for ten and not allowing anyone to join them. I'm talking about you, Robert. Or Rob-O as your friend kept calling you. It's not 1987...stop using Yuppie dialect. Were you even BORN then?
...it's a good place to whittle down some beers and yabber on, which I absolutely love. So try if you haven't...and if you have, go have another pint.
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Ginger Man, you get my night started. Sit inside and cozy into one of your little boxed tables.... oh, I'm sorry Secret Crush, my leg keeps bumping into yours! Or opt for outside beneath the shady oaks, keep your beer covered and laugh at your friends when the Grackle Spackle hails down! Order up some apps to keep the beer slightly at bay... Ginger Man is so great to wile the night away!
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Walking into a bar and seeing a plethora of beer taps on the wall makes me so happy! Being the self-professed beer snob that I am, I can't believe I had not visited this place until last night!
I am definately going to have to come back for another visit when not so pressed for time and perhaps on an evening when it's not so jam packed. We found our companions outside on the incredibly spacious patio, sharing a picnic table with complete strangers...this is how packed the place was. Someone nearby was smoking a cigar, which kind of gave me a headache after a few minutes. The birds sleeping in the trees overhead are indiscriminate about their bodily functions, so watch out if you're sitting at the picnic tables. I got a bit of a residual splash from a splatter onto our table. Thank God it missed my beer!
I brielfly perused the beer menu and went inside to order. If you see a beer that you're curious about, or you're not sure you want to pay the money for it, they will give you a sample...sometimes several different samples. I asked to sample a seasonal New Belgium beer, of which they were out, so I opted for Kwak. I received it in a regular pint glass, but one of my beer companions had one as well, in a specialty round-bottom glass with a special holder.
The Gingerman is cozy and pub-like, something which I have an immense appreciation for in my beer joints. The area immediately around the bar is kind of narrow, especially with the tons of people milling about. I noticed a pool table in a corner and a juke box with a decent music selection near the bar. No music seemed to be playing, though.
So far, so good...need to visit again!
*EDIT*
I returned to this fab place last night. It wasn't nearly as packed as the last time (it was a lot earlier) which made the entire experience much more enjoyable! It raised my star rating to four instead of three! I'm saddened by the pending closure/relocation, but I will definately be back again!
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Wow...That's a lotta beer. I've heard places claim to have a lot of Beer and not deliver on the promise, but walking into the Ginger Man, it's apparent they've got the goods once you see the long line of taps behind the bar. The place itself is very dark and a bit foreboding, which is partially due to the high booths and dark wood. However there is a lot of outdoor seating in the front and in the back is what is really nice, when it's not raining.
The menu is dominated by Beer, but food can be found on it. The food itself is not great, but it is good drunk food, all the sandwiches feature more cheese than their supposed main ingredient whether it be veggies or lunch meat. Overall, a find selection of brews and a laid back atmosphere.
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Ok, I'll join the chorus of praise for this Austin institution. We've lost some amazing places as Austin grows, including the Gingerman's neighbor Waterloo Brewery, but thank god the G-man has survived.
Start with the beer selection. Its actually intimidating because you had better get ready before bellying up to the bar, there are so many choices. I usually go for something seasonal or featured, I'm a marketing person's wet dream I guess. I mean its got to be a quality product, I'm not drinking Coors Light because its 'featured', but I like lots of beer varieties and experiencing new ones is a treat usually.
I used to give the Gingerman a rap because they had such a limited (and boring frankly) food selection. They've expanded that a bit, and the additions are pretty good. I went to a beer tasting event there a week ago and had a turkey sandwich which was quite good.
I like the patio best, but the whole place is comfortable, and like an earlier reviewer said, it is so nice to be able to be with a group of friends and actually talk without shouting. I love places with big comfy chairs, and the Gingerman obliges nicely.
All in all, its a great bar, one I hope never succumbs to yet another luxury condominium building. I think its one of the places which defines Austin for me as a great place to live.
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Can't stand all the Miller Lite and Bud Light crap beer being served at just about every other bar in Austin? Come here if you have a refined taste for your favorite brew or if you're out of college mode.
A couple pool tables, a little lounge type corner near the back door, and a huge outdoor seating area out back makes this place worth checking out if you want to just relax and have an easy night out in Austin without dealing with all the mayhem that goes on there.
With plenty of beers on tap 80+, you'll find one that you can definitely appreciate.
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This is the old stand-by for whoever my husband and I end up taking out. Guys love Ginger Man because it has a bajillion different types of imported and domestic beers. I've also taken a crowd of girls here, too, and they were pleased. It's just a crowd pleaser that's not too rowdy, but still fun, and never offends anyone. A great place to go on a weeknight or to start out on a weekend night. A slightly older than 21 crowd too, which is nice.
They have a special on Monday where you can get a pint glass filled with the special at a reduced cost until it runs out, but make sure you get there around happy hour, because we always get there too late.
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I really want to love this place. I mean, I'm a total beer snob. There's a heavenly selection of beer and always something new to try. However, a lot of stuff bothers me. Mostly, the rude staff and their holier-than-thou attitudes. I recently went to the Ginger Man and ordered a beer for myself and a beer for a friend. They were both similar wheat beers but we were going to compare them. When the bartender brought me my beers, I kindly asked him which was which. He responded -- "Oh, it doesn't matter!" and walked away. If I'm going to spend $10 for two beers, I want to know which is which! This also wasn't the first rude encounter I had with the staff there.
I have also never been to this place when it wasn't super crowded with asshats. I love the atmosphere and the beer, but the people and prices just turn me off.
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I manage a bar, so when I'm off, I want a bar that makes the beer lover in me smile, and more often than not, the siren call I answer is the sweet sound of beer flowing through the Ginger Man's 80-odd taps.
Well, they're not ALL odd, but some are, and that's half the fun. It's a place I like for the same reason I like Vulcan Video or I Love Video--they have enthusiasts behind the counter who are not afraid to make a recommendation, and they know their product. Oh yeah, and the product is good. Forget the "it's a chain" Chicken Little's cackling.