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Backspin Texas Sports Bar & Grill
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Sports Bars American (New), Sports Bars [Edit]
5000 W Slaughter LnSte 206
Austin, TX 78749
(512) 282-9206
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 2 am
Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
46 reviews for Backspin Texas Sports Bar & Grill
Review Highlights
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"Who doesn't love bottomless mimosas on Sunday." In 2 reviews -
"The fried pickles and mini corn dogs were very tasty and..." In 3 reviews -
"The burgers were amazing, though." In 7 reviews
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Leila M.
So much hatred for an otherwise awesome bar. To those of you who think Circle C folks hang out here, I beg to differ. I've been here too many times and have noticed the crowd always changes. Don't forget, snobby Circle C folks put the boundary at Mopac, and rarely venture onto the East Side of Mopac *eye roll*.
I am biased. I LOVE this place for being dog-friendly, being close by and not giving me crap about how I dress. This really is a "neighborhood" bar but not just for Circle C. In fact, whenever friends come from out of town, they always request we go here. It's comfortable, always attracts a good crowd, and the food is pretty good for a sports bar.
For food, my favorites are the Reuben and the Chili Cheese Fries. The hot dogs are pretty darn good, not Wrigley Field good, but definitely worth a shot. The drinks are always stout, the waitstaff is friendly, and on days when I'm lucky, the owner brings his dog so my dog, Zico, gets to play with him in the field behind the bar. Plus, they are always fast to bring out water for any parched dogs that come.
I haven't played the trivia here yet but that's on my list. But when it comes to a place where I want to watch a game, Backspin is one of the first to pop into mind. They always heed the customer and if there are enough TVs they will actually change one of them so you can watch your sports team. Really, it doesn't get cooler than that!
Wish people that just love to hate on Circle C folks realize that this bar attracts people from many different surrounding neighborhoods, and even if a few Circle C people come here, it's a God damn Sports Bar, it's not like they are walking in with pink handbag poodles and ordering champagne. They are here in stinky sneakers with drooling dogs, ordering whatever beersnobs frown upon and catching the latest scores, just like everyone else.Listed in: Dog friendly places where my…
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Review from Anh P.
3/15/2012
The food is alright. That's all I can really say.
It's really cramped and tight....of course it used to be a Starbucks. Nice demographics Starbucks: another is a quarter mile away. The only time I go here is if someone (unfortunately) wants to go here. Why? I don't really know. -
Review from Ron U.
Austin, TX
4/25/2012
PLEASE DO NOT COME to Backspin........It's SO far out in Southwest Austin and with all of the alien abductions, Indian uprisings, toll charges, Banditos and all it's taking a big chance. OK, I love this bar. Hell I wish they would hire some Somali pirates and hold the sandwich shop next door hostage until they could take the place over and double their space. This is a cool place to watch sports because huge TV's are everywhere ( except the bathroom...hint, hint Backspin). The waitresses are easy on the eyes and the beer is ice cold. New chef cooks a mean burger and you have to try the DRY rubs on the chicken wings.
So, in conclusion PLEASE go caddy-corner to the bar that shows movies and do NOT come here and find out for yourself what a great place this is. -
Review from Chiqui B.
Kyle, TX
8/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
What happens to douchebags when they grow up? They buy a house in Circle C and come to Backspin with their chump friends!
I would have given this place a 3 because the food and drinks are ok, but the crowd just makes me SHAKE MY HEAD. I'm trying to find a positive here.....dog-friendly, I guess. -
Review from Katie W.
Austin, TX
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
We really love this place!! We have been here several times when it was packed on a Saturday with people watching the games and we have always been able to find a seat in front of a tv. One time the owner moved tables around and rearranged chairs so that we could have a seat. Tonight a stranger offered seats at his table so that we could all sit together and see the game! It has a neighborhood bar feel and everyone has been super friendly.
Oh, and the food is pretty good and is definitely better than "bar food"!! The waitress brought an apple crisp to my son and told him it was "on the house"! We love this place!! -
Review from Megan C.
Petoskey, MI
10/22/2011
On a recent trip down to Austin, I ended up having brunch at Backspin. I'm thankful I did.
The place is tiny, but the seat I had at the bar was quite comfortable, and the bartenders were super friendly. I had pork adobada with homefries and scrambled eggs, and the flavors were good enough to make me, a professional cook of 13 years with fine dining experience, roll my eyes back in my head in enjoyment. The California eggs benedict looked delicious, as did the house-made potato chips. And the bottomless mimosas? Excellent. I also recommend the mind-erasers. Delicious.
I met the owner briefly - very friendly guy. And I was able to give my compliments to the chef, who is not only talented but is smoking hot as well. Congratulations, Backspin, for helping make my stay in Austin a little more enjoyable. Much love from Michigan. -
Review from Joseph F.
1/17/2012
Not a bad little spot. The place is tiny on the inside and was packed when I went. Not being from Austin it seemed like one of the few places to go in Far South Austin. It was packed on a Friday night and the bar staff seemed to know most of the people there. The atmosphere is fun and the people were friendly. I didn't try any of the food but another patron I was talking to said that the food was really good. Next time I go I'll try something and give an update on it.
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Review from Cameron K.
Austin, TX
7/25/2011
A couple minor tweaks would really make this place a nice little gem. Whereupon everyone would up their review grade, more and more people would start flocking there and then it would be all downhill. In the meantime though, here's the tweaks they can use:
I went with some friends to watch the Women's World Cup final, before our own soccer game. I know it's no Super Bowl or anything, but that's still a fairly big, popular event, especially at that time, right? You'd think the bar would have more than one bartender and one server on hand, right? And you'd think wrong. The gal did her best but man, it wasn't very good. The place only has about a dozen tables inside, and maybe 8 bar stool, but with the patio and everyone coming it at once, the poor girl was in the weeds for two hours basically. And the bartender kept jacking with the big screen and trying to remove the closed captioning.
The food was pretty good though, I got some burger with onion rings and hickory sauce on it. Not too shabby and the home made chips with it were very good indeed, worth coming back for. But the whole concept of a sports bar is going to watch sports, right? It seems that any legitimate sporting event going on will just swamp this place again.
Oh, and if you have a tiny bladder, you may want to stay away. This place has one bathroom with one toilet for each sex. You can be waiting a LONG time to go. -
Review from Chris H.
Austin, TX
7/23/2011
This place has always been a bit of a head-scratcher for us. It's a little rinky-dink sports bar that used to be a Starbucks, but every time we drive by (which is often) the parking lot is always full. What's up with that? Yesterday, curiosity finally got the better of us and we stopped in for a bite an a couple of beers. No kids this time, so call it a low key date night.
I think I'm starting to get it. Backspin is quite a lot better than by all rights it should be. There's nothing spectacular about the ambiance, and the menu is pretty basic (burgers, salads, sandwiches, appetizers), but the people are friendly, the beer is cold, the happy hour specials are solid and the food is surprisingly good. The wife had a chef salad that she called one of the better she's had in Austin, and I had a burger that was quite solid (though way over-sauced - get that stuff on the side next time). Neither of us found anything to complain about.
Backspin is simply a good neighborhood bar. Low key and comfortable. It's a place for burgers and beers and hanging out with friends. We needed one of those down South. We shall return. -
Review from james s.
Austin, TX
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Backspin is what you want for a bar to call home. I just relocated to Austin and the staff makes me feel like I have known them for years. I have tried some of the menu and have not had a bad meal. The home made chips should be on everyone's cheat day.
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Review from samuel c.
Austin, TX
2/25/2012
im not as big on this place as other people are.
but it does have good points.
its a sports bar ... so it is for hanging out.
most of the customers do that ... and there seems to be a regular crowd.
if your friends come here, then this is the place you want to go.
and for some of the southwest austin locals - it is the place they want to go.
the food has good points - and bad points - more on that later.
my rap on the place is that if i am going to hang out in a place, i want the seating to be comfortable and i want the room to give me a reason to be there. (its cozy, its pretty, its interesting, whatever)
the bar stools are in disrepair and are incredibly uncomfortable. after trying three and finding them ALL bad, i found a hard wood chair. but if i am going to a bar, it is nice to sit at the bar.
one table had a huge chunk of wood gouged out of it. (enthusiastic patron with a jackknife?). the second table was functional.
the place is small - and narrow. it is a tiny striplet at one end of a strip mall.
they have a small number of tvs and most are on the same (dull) events.
there is certainly none of the sense of "unlimited possibility" that comes from going to an enormous sports bar with 78 zillion screens and any sports event on a tv that you could possibly want to see.
so if your friends ain't there, and there is no good place to sit, and the sports on tv are ho hum - why go?
i will make a lot of sacrifices if the food is good.
here the kitchen has strong and weak points.
a beer-cheese soup that was served as a daily special was virtually tasteless.
i think they probably picked the wrong cheese, and experimenting with other cheeses would have produced a better final product.
a new york style sauerkraut hot dog was first rate. for all the hot dog places booming all over austin - it is often surprisingly hard to get a good hot dog. this one was huge, tasty and both the dog itself was good and the trimmings were good. thumbs up here.
they take pride in the fact that they make their own homemade potato chips.
and fair is fair, it is a signature dish - and good potato chips are hard to find.
these are cooked to the brownish side - which adds some extra flavor. they are then heavily spiced with some sort of chili-y paprika-y secret spice mix.
i loved the first one or two chips i had - and then fell out of love quickly.
some people may love a really spicy potato chip - - - and this is a really spicy potato chip.
i usually eat a potato chip as a side accompaniment to other dishes - and the potato chip is supposed to fill me up, be a little salty and be a change of pace.
these were not habenero flavored but they were as distracting and as irritating as a habenero dish. the flavor was strong - but not pleasant.
maybe they should make wimp chips for sissies like me - or maybe there is some other superspicy chip out there with a better fuller flavor.
still - doing your own homemade potato chips does count for something - so give these folks some honor points.
the really good dog and the honorable attempt at a spicy chip says that there is something good going on in this kitchen.
so i can see why other people like the place, even with all of the problems with the furniture and the room. -
Review from Paul S.
Austin, TX
2/9/2012
I went here with my girlfriend on a thursday evening at 6:15. We walked thru a crowd of "business men" congregated in the walkway and sat at the bar. There were two girls and one guy behind the bar. We asked the guy, only because he was closest to us, if there was a drink menu. No. I asked if they had any happy hour specials. He obviously had no idea what they were and looked around and said ummmm $2.50 natural lites, high life, and lone stars... Hardly a special. I ordered a Stella and my gf ordered a margarita with salt. The guy got my beer then nothing else. After I looked at them for a while he says oh she's gonna make your drink, meaning the girl with no bra and her big saggy boobs bouncing all over. She proceeds to make a weak house Rita w/ salt. We drank up, no other communication with the staff. Asked for the bill and the boob girl couldn't figure out the credit card swipe. There were several tabs laying on the bar patrons waiting to pay, all while the two other "bartenders" checked their new iPhone 4s's. She figured out the swipe, gave us the slip and card, and walked away to do a pickle shot with three guys at the end of the bar... No thank you or come again or hope you enjoyed it, nothing. The bill was $11.50. We reluctantly tipped her $2. I am a bartender and this bar has all rookie bartenders here and it's very obvious. If you can't talk to customers, yr drinks better be the shizz.. And vise versa.
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Review from Nathan I.
Austin, TX
10/26/2010
Backspin was the culmination of a Matt's El Rancho-Charlie's Austin-Random Sports Bar trifecta completed by myself and two of my dear friends. Guess which one bothered me the most.
Unbeknownst to me, the Cowboys were playing, and this bar was conveniently located to 2 out of 3 of us off Slaughter and Mopac, so this was the last stop on a random Monday evening of fun and catching up. I wasn't very clear on what it was called at first. When asked by a friend who called in, I said I was going to some place called "Backsplash", or "Backwash"...before finally settling on the name "Backslide". Actually, I was unaware until this morning when I called my friend that the name was actually 'Backspin". No wonder I couldn't find it on Yelp or Google.
We sat down on the patio, and although there was a nice breeze, I found the outdoor space to be a tad cramped, and I felt like I was getting testosterone poisoning from the already lit d-bags yelling "Go 'Boys!"; I was rolling my eyes along with the girls they were trying to impress. As my female friend kept fawning over some older guy's dog, I struggled to find a wrought iron chair that would rock.
My guy friend opened a tab at the inside bar, and I enjoyed a well mixed vodka tonic. I settled in to watch the last bit of the 2nd quarter, and I may have gotten some stares when I would intermittently yell "Come on Cowboys! Beat those Yankees!".
I was even more distressed when my friends abruptly walked next door to the CVS for cigarettes during the Toyota Halftime Show, leaving me essentially stranded and vulnerable in the straightest of straight bars. I ordered another vodka tonic to calm myself down. I also listened to the conversation of the two guys and two girls next to me. These guys had to be in their late 20's, and were recounting the glory days of Bowie Highschool football. Jesus. I'm not sure which one killed more brain cells: my drink, or their clumsy, intoxicated attempts at showing off in front of these two chicks.
Next to our table, a bleached blonde, hard-drinkin' woman and what I can only assume was her son and one of his guy friends, sat down and ordered drinks. It looked like the start to a bad porn.
The waitresses with the Daisy Dukes and the overly sparkly belts that I'm guessing came from either Charlotte Russe or Forever 21 never came to see if I needed a refill; I'm guessing once a tab is inside, it stays there, although it would've been nice to have been asked.
Finally, my friends came back and we continued with the game. We watched the TV screen outside, but if the sliding glass doors were moved a little more, I would have had a comfortable view of the Jumbotron inside. I was genuinely interested in the game for more than a few minutes, and even impressed my friends by casually throwing in some football terminology. I'm not THAT oblivious. Not all the time.
The bathroom is a private stall that locks. Any other time, or any other place...this would be trouble. I grabbed my third and last cocktail on the way out. The girl working the bar smiled and was very friendly. The inside seemed smaller than I expected too, but the crowd was having a good time.
When the Giants started creaming Dallas, we decided to leave. For a sports bar, it was a pretty middle-of-the-road experience. For people-watching, it was above average. It at least gave me some good Facebook status updates. Backspin was not even close to being a touchdown, but it was a pretty good first down. -
Review from Gabriel G.
Austin, TX
1/20/2012
Nice establishment and loved the atmosphere. Only complaint is one of the bartenders was very immature. Upon my friend paying for a five dollar drink and leaving a dollar tip.We were outside waiting for my order. She came out with my order and was very friendly to me, but made a huge scene over a dollar tip she received. I believe her exact words were " thanks for tip a$$hole, have you ever worked for tips before, it's called f*#&$%@ respect" then she walked off. Leaving all of us in amazement. No one should ever act like this, and she is the reason I, and others sitting near us will never go back. Other than that this place could be quite nice. Too bad
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Review from Michael D.
Austin, TX
11/2/2010
If you run a little bar/grill with tons of TVs in it, and someone calls and asks if you're playing the daily show live election coverage, the correct answer is: "Yea, we can put that on for you".
You should probably NOT say: "No....we aint playin that." Especially on a Tuesday night.
Backspin sports bar and grill, I will never give you any money. Even if I do happen to live right next to you. -
Review from Robert A.
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came upon this little gem on the suggestion of a coworker. It's a small place but very fun and cozy. They had great IPA's and fantastic food. I had a chicken pesto sandwich that was recommended to me and I was impressed that this was "bar food". My friend had the New York hot dog and that looked great as well, I will probably have that on my next visit. Far from the crowds of downtown this place is a good gathering place for the south people.
I have not made it to happy hour here yet so I will try soon. -
Review from Ben R.
Austin, TX
11/16/2011
One of the best kept secrets in town. Great food. Great service. Great Atmosphere. Backspin is the best place to watch your favorite sporting event and is also perfect for grabbing a drink and unwinding after work. They also have an extremely tasty and affordable brunch every Sunday until 2 p.m.!!!
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Review from Jens B.
9/6/2009
Nice new bar in SW 49. Good things.. great service...Gabe the Bartender/Manager dude was very informative and talkative with us while we hung out at the bar. We didn't have anything to eat, although there was a lack of options on tap. I like this addition to the 49. From what I heard, they will bring some blinds in to reduce the glare from the windows on their tv's and will put up any game you wish on the television. Didn't get the chance to eat nuthin.. but they do have Hummus on the menu... which is a nice change of pace from the usual fried appetizer crap. Oh.. we did see some burgers and a pizza go by.. and if sight was anything.. it looked pretty tasty...
Will report back once we get a chance to eat! Liquids were great... -
Review from Brittany L.
Austin, TX
11/15/2010
I've been to Backspin a couple of times now. I loooove the Chicken Pesto sandwich. It's basically heaven (although not healthy) on a bun. The sourdough bread is delicious and has a bit of a sweet taste to it. The pesto sauce they use is creamy, and works nicely with the cheese and sliced tomatoes.
I always get the sweet potato fries, which are also amazing.
They generally have good HH prices and times as well, although I've mostly just gone for lunch or dinner. -
Review from Colleen L.
Austin, TX
9/1/2010
There is a serious lack of bars in this area of south Austin, but backspin seems to fill a beer/sports void in suburbia based on the following criteria:
too many TVs to count
very out of place looking hot waitress
lots of SUVs in the parking lot
polo shirts of every color
decent beer selection
average beer prices
unhealthy food to offset the fact that you're probably drinking a bud light
outside patio (small)
If you're tired of looking at the kids and wife and need a beer, this seems to be your best option. If you're looking for some more excitement and variety you may need to head on into town. -
Review from Kevin N.
10/4/2009 1 photo
A fundamental question or two comes to mind, and this may have more to do with watching football on an NFL Sunday in Austin than it does with any one given sports bar: there were ten to twelve flat screens in this place, at least three of which were tuned to the Chicago game, several others showing a variety of other teams, and one in a corner that was tuned to the Houston game. Given that we're somewhere in the neighborhood of two and a half hours from H-town, I'd have thought that it wouldn't be an impossibility to get that game on here. But football days in Austin tend to be cultural experiments, and so it was when the only screen that was tuned to the Texan game got flipped over to the...(wait for it)...Chiefs game. In this day and age of fantasy football and given the folks who have moved here from elsewhere, maybe not rocket science. But that surprised me.
Regardless, the burger I gnoshed on here was plenty yummy, the buns thick and the bread sweet, and it arrived from the kitchen if not piping hot at least plenty fresh and tasty. The fixings were great and our service was friendly and present without hovering. I'm sure I'll drop back in when I'm in this neck of the woods sometime, perhaps just not on game day.Listed in: Austin Burgers, Sports Bars in Austin
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Review from John V.
Austin, TX
9/7/2009 10 Check-ins Here
I think given a little time, these guys are going to figure this place out. Me and the lay-day stopped by for a drink Saturday and to check it out.
As a restaurateur I guess I can be a little critical sometimes, but I do feel strongly about some things. One of those things being good music which definitely wasn't being played this night. We had a beer a piece before we bolted and heard; Nickleback, Shania Twain, Celine Deion, Creed and a few other over the top pop bands. F-
As for the service, A+. Our waitress was cute and funny, and eager to please. But the kitchen completely closes at 11:00 yet they are open til 2:00. Bummer.
The menu was sparse but very affordable. I can't wait to see what the chef comes up with, because it was a very pedestrian ensemble of choices.
Check back for an update as I know I will be back. They are right in my hood.Listed in: NO HIPSTERS ALLOWED!
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Review from C W.
Austin, TX
9/15/2010
I had heard about this place for while and I finally decided to check it out after a great trail ride this evening.
This place is small but it was only me and I found a place at the bar. Dude didn't see me for awhile and I was finally greeted by a displaced 6th st. bartender. She was nice but totally a veteran of all things 6th St. That is what this place feels like: a churched up 6th St. bar and loaded with downtown talent. It's a sports bar and it's filled with regulars. The fact that so many of the people call this place home was encouraging. The menu is quite fancy and is filled with upper end sounding food rather than the typical bar fare you would expect at a sports bar or downtown bar. I am sure half the crowd is surrounding area inhabitants. It's about 4* miles away from me so it's close enough.
My burger was the blue cheese burger. I ordered it medium and it came medium well but it was still good. It was seasoned well and came made as I ordered. I asked for the garlic fries which were OK. The fries by themselves are really good but the cook doesn't know that if you over cook the garlic it becomes bitter; rookie mistake. That was the only hiccup. I would go back again with friends. There are plenty of TVs (sports bar) and they will gladly put on your requested event. Small patio for the smokers. The draft beer selections ok...better than most.
I had a decent experience and will go back again but it wouldn't be my first choice. It wouldn't be my last choice either but I think for sports bars I would head in to Third Base just to get a seat. I am not a fan of the 6th St vibe either.Listed in: Burgers.
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Review from Chris K.
Austin, TX
3/15/2010
Right at the corner of Mopac and Slaughter Lane is this little dive bar that is way better than the rest in the area.
Don't get me wrong, I love going to Waterloo just as much as the next guy, but tonight when my wife took me along to Backspin, I was more than caught off guard.
First off, I recommend getting there before 7pm. Supposedly Happy Hour ends @ 7, so you'll miss out on the specials. They had a LOT of really good beers on tap. I'm all about what is on TAP. So when I saw Arrow Head Pale Ale and Landshark and (512) Pecan Porter, I knew I was safe for a while.
Not to mention the Bar. It was a unique bar. I loved the atmosphere, the ambiance. It was very nice. The bar had this height thing... Made me feel short. It worked out though cause it was accompanied by tall chairs.
Then came some app's. They have the staples... Chips-n-Queso, Sliders, fries, etc... Here's what you NEED to have while you're there. The Hummus was awesome, the fried pickles hit the spot for sure, and the Sliders were AWESOME!!! I loved the presentation too. It seems like some places forget how to properly present the food for the customer. This place had it on point. Good Food!!
I had the bacon cheeseburger. They had so many options to chose from, but when it came down to the wire, I panicked and forgot to try something new. I suggest you try it though because my burger was HUGE. I mean, I like to eat, I'm a big boy, but DANG!!
Good times, Good Food, and the outdoor seating makes it even better. We caught the sunset and had a few beers while it went down. Not to mention, every seat in the house is a great seat. You always have at least 2 TVs in your range of vision, AT ALL TIMES. That's good for us guys who need to see the score every second that game ticks away.
Check this gem out, it's definitely a good catch. -
Review from Amy B.
Austin, TX
5/5/2010
Dirty menu, dirty ketchup bottle brought to our table by server... not the best first impression.
Server smoking and socializing outside when she came back inside and immediately brought us our food, it was lukewarm at best.
Backspin burger was mediocre, but won't be going back anytime soon. -
Review from Britney S.
Austin, TX
8/8/2011
I always have fun at Backspin. The bartenders and servers are so friendly. You can play trivia every day. Who doesn't love bottomless mimosas on Sunday? The food is always good, I just wish they would serve it later than 11.
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Review from Evan S.
Austin, TX
8/7/2010
I used to love this place and be a regular on weekday nights. It has potential including NFL Sunday Ticket, decent food, and stronger than average drinks. But the negatives as pointed out in other reviews is that most of cocktail servers could care less that you are sitting at their tables. I mean at least make an effort to check on me.
The thing that made me lose respect for this place and their sports bar atmosphere is that they had a DJ one Sunday morning when a important basketball game was on TV. I know sound isn't required in Sports Bars, but it at least is appreciated by people you know that care about sports. Anyways that day I had one beer and went to my house to watch the rest of the game with sound. Anyways I may check it out for football season when all the other sports bars are packed. -
Review from Emily F.
One star for the really amazing burgers and one for being the only bar in the area. Other than that, this place wasn't that great.
It was slow - other than my boyfriend and myself, there were two men sitting at different parts of the bar and one was working on his laptop while trying desperately to flirt with the uninterested bartender. You'd think if you were the only business in there, the staff would engage you and offer specials/food. Nope, the bartender barely glanced at us, couldn't even tell us what the happy hour specials were and practically threw the menus at us when we had to flag her down for them.
The queso was microwaved Velveeta - gross. The burgers were amazing, though. Sweet kolache-like buns and juicy meat. I can't remember what exactly I had now, but they have a nice variety of stylized burgers to choose from. I may try this place again, just because it's right around the corner from my house and I think the place may improve with time. It's only been open since September. I only hope the management is collecting feedback to improve the place. -
Review from Cole H.
Austin, TX
9/12/2009
My friend Dennis and I had been dying for this place to open since we saw the signage go up and couldn't wait to get over there and check it out. We got the women rounded up and met at Backspin on 8/28 for dinner and drinks.
Overall we were very pleased with Backspin and are very happy to have them in our neighborhood. Dennis and I had several beers and the girls had water and lemonade. I wasn't stoked by the selection of beers on tap, but they had more than just Bud and Miller (Blue Moon, Dos Equis, & Fireman's #4 among them). I can drink happily with their current selection, but would love to see it expanded in the future.
As far as the food goes, it was slightly above average for a bar. Charlotte and I both had burgers and really enjoyed them. Even though it was a frozen patty, it was still a tasty burger. Dennis had the BBQ brisket sliders and said they were very good. Summer had the (giant!) chicken cordon bleu sandwich and said it was obvious that everything was freshly made. She also reports that is had lots of ham and was very flavorful.
The service was also really great at Backspin. Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. Although we couldn't understand why she wouldn't give the girls a larger glass for water. She said it was because they tend to run out of pint glasses too fast in the evenings, but I didn't think that her having to come refill water glasses every five minutes was very efficient. I would advise the management to purchase a few extra pint glasses and save their waitstaff some trouble.
Everything was reasonably priced too. Dinner and (a lot of) drinks for the four of us was 100 bucks with tip. Not bad considering we were there for 3+ hours. And when we left a little after 10:00 pm, the place was still hopping! I hope that business continues to be that steady for this nifty neighborhood bar.
All I need to do now is find another reason to go back to Backspin! Who wants to meet for happy hour? -
Review from Chum B.
Austin, TX
7/2/2010
Contrary to some of the other reviews we had really good service at Backspin. We went on a Friday night after 7 so maybe that was key.
Good selection of draft beers (Ranger IPA was particularly good). The fried pickles and mini corn dogs were very tasty and delivered HOT. Hot food is always a plus.
The only issue I can see is that it's a small place so you might have a hard time finding a seat at peak times. -
Review from Chad V.
Austin, TX
4/17/2011
If you sit at the bar, don't expect good service unless you are an attractive gal or a regular. The male bartenders won't even look you in the eye. It's basically a private party for the bartenders and their friends.
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Review from Suzie M.
9/7/2009
A new neighborhood sports bar in the hood! Hooray! BackSpin has opened on Slaughter Lane near MoPac. As da man and I were heading to our beloved Maudie's for a Sunday dose of Tio Chon Enchilada's, I noticed the place, set in a newish, nondescript strip shopping center (next to Which Wich, or Wich Which, Whichever it's called). We stopped by on our way home to check it out. There weren't many customers, but, hey, it was 2:00 on a Sunday afternoon. In the suburbs. The Bar Manager, Gabe told us the short history of the place (opened 3 weeks ago), and promised that special shades were being made to cover the huge windows. Necessary, since the TVs are placed above the bar and the glare makes it hard to watch the lovely plasma's they've installed. If you're tall, you'll love the fact that the bar is really tall. The barstools are nice, pleather-covered affairs, but they're not quite tall enough to offset the height of the bar. After a couple of cocktails, though, I didn't really mind not having to actually pick up my drink to sip from it. I just bent my neck down and slurped through the straw, much like a little kid and her sippy cup.
Gabe said they had a good crowd for the UT massacreee Saturday, so that's good. I'm all about locally owned, neighborhood establishments. If you live in the area, it's worth checking out. -
Review from s s.
Austin, TX
10/19/2011
I went by there multiple times and was always temped to go in...now, having gone there last weekend, I read this as a previous review: "What happens to douchebags when they grow up? They buy a house in Circle C and come to Backspin with their chump friends!" Kind of sums it up. It's true sports bar and very loud inside and filled with some overweight, drinking dudes watching pro football. the outside seating area is nice, though. Waiters are blonde and dumb. Food is okay but overpriced if you ask me. Beer specials are good, though. If you're looking for a regular sportsbar where you just care about watching Football on a big screen that this is a good place. If you want to enjoy it and have a good time and eat some food - go somewhere else.
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Review from A W.
Austin, TX
7/10/2010
The place is super small. The waitresses and bartender are definite eye candy but they're really slow and forgetful. The food is just ok and they run out of things pretty fast. They ran out of steak! How do you run out of steak in Texas? Ridiculous.
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Review from Katie O.
Austin, TX
12/22/2009
The food is great plus they have fantastic daily special prices that remind you of the Texas Chili Parlor!! Two complaints that remain consistent with me in the 4 or 5 times I've been here: need more TVs and the wait staff is slow and forgetful. Other than that it is a pleasing experience.
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Review from Blue D.
Dripping Springs, TX
11/15/2010
I stopped in to Backspin today. I read the reviews prior to coming in. All I have to say is that I received tremendous service. Greeted with a smile by the very hot bartender. She was prompt to get drink order and offered menu. She kept a eye on my beer and didn't let me go dry. To finish it off, I inquired about a tequila that I wasn't familiar with, the bartender detailed it and offered me a shot on the house. Hard to beat that service.
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Review from cathy a.
Austin, TX
7/6/2010
Horrible horrible service! Bartender is pretty hot but obviously has better things to do than make $ at her JOB! She can't even fake a smile. The Chicago dog is a horrible joke!
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Review from Todd C.
Austin, TX
11/12/2010
I have been to backspin a few times and here is what i gathered. If you want a beer when you walk in, your going to have to go up to the bar and ask. The waitress' if thats what you wanna call them, are not very attentive. Good beer selection and great for watching the game. The burgers are pretty tasty here too. Love the place, staff just needs a little more drive.
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Review from Matt S.
Austin, TX
10/8/2009 3 Check-ins Here
I'm mainly excited to see that there is now a neighborhood sports bar very nearby. The other alternatives I was aware of were just far enough to affect convenience, or they were primarily restaurants that had included a bar as more of an afterthought or secondary function.
Backspin is first and foremost a sports bar. However, I've been by a couple of times now and am happy to report that it's a well rounded place. On the bar continuum of Upscale vs. Dive, Backspin favors the upscale side in general decor. It is nice enough to make for a lunch or casual dinner. There are sufficient TV's that are well placed for easy veiwing. They have a full bar, offering plenty of spirits, cocktails, and I believe some wine. Although the draft beer list isn't long, it is well selected, with a good balance of brand, brew style, and locality. All of the seating is comfortable, which is a sometimes overlooked qualification for any place where you might spend 3 hours watching a game. The food selection is fairly typical bar food style offerings, but the quality is certainly above average by a significant margin. As a nice bonus, Backspin also has wireless available, which is very handy for a number of people like me. The servers are attentive, pleasant, and appear to be well treated to keep things that way. It is not a very large place, so I could see it getting a little crowded on some nights easily. However, I've yet to have a problem getting a seat. All in all, Backspin does not try act like a one-trick pony or an everything to everybody place. They seem to have followed a theory of offering a reasonable amount of things, and doing them all well. -
Review from Michael S.
Austin, TX
6/2/2010
The Food is awesome, we had the onion rings for appetizers and they were small tasty and perfect as an app. First time there so I had to try the burger and i got the 1/2 lb cheeseburger and fries and was very very good, so tasty! my wife had the hot dog and that too was amazing, probably cause they use Nathan's in New York Hot dogs. They grill the hot dog bun and kaiser roll which was good but if you don't like it buttered you might want to tell them to hold the buttering on the buns.
Overall Service was great. Considering we were the only ones eating, the waitress was very attentive, got everything right and did an outstanding job.
The only negatives I found was that it didnt seem very family friendly in comparison to waterloo, its more of a bar with food then bar and grill. The bar patrons seem to be neighborhood folks so there is no threat there. Pricing i thought was a bit high for a bar and grill but you do get your money's worth. 4$ Sierra Nevada Beers i thought were pricey for a small place like this. I'd definitely go back there again but not too often for budgetting reasons.
