Yard Bar

We love the Yard Bar ! Nice friendly place to let the dogs socialize and romp about. Good drinks and beer selection. We come often enough that we have the membership. This is a off leash dog park and incidents between dogs can happen so please take that into consideration before coming. Overall a great experience !

Pro: Dog park looked nice. Attractive décor. Pleasant waitstaff.
Cons: Charged our credit card 3 times. Chicken sandwich pieces too tough to bite through the meat. Deviled eggs not even as good as the prepackaged kind from Walmart. Overfried the hush puppies– so dark they were nearly black. Watered down drinks.
Overall verdict: Just take your dogs here. Don’t eat or drink anything.

$ 5 cover for dogs, humans are free.
Grab a beer and a bite outside the gate, and then head into the play area when you’re done with your food. You can purchase additional drinks inside the gate and socialize with other patrons as your dog makes new friends. What’s not to love?
They have attendants walking around making sure dogs are on their best behavior and will break up any fights by spraying dogs with water. They have balls, agility items, and plenty of water bowls. We love taking our pup to play here!

My dog loved all the sweet attention he received on his birthday, and I was totally impressed by how nice were all the employees. The doggie treats are nice. The menu is pretty decent and it tastes good but it’s a little bit overpriced since you could definitely eat somewhere nicer for the same price, still pretty convenient to have the option. The margaritas are way too sugary and not so great. Next time I’ll have beer or something else.
*My dog got fleas after our visit to the park, but I guess he’d be exposed to that anywhere else.

My dog King loves this place! Whenever I mention the words «dog park» he instantly gets excited because he knows exactly where we’re going. This is definitely not your typical dog park, the vibe is definitely different. When you first arrive there is a restaurant outside the park that is obviously dog friendly where you can grab some food with your canine pal. The pricing isn’t too ridiculous on the restaurant side and the food is good plus I love the fact that they offer a few items on their menu for your dog, my dog loves the dog sliders and also the PBP ice cream. They servers are friendly and are quick to show your dog some love when you first sit down.
Once you go over the park side and check in your pup at the window then you’re able to go into the small dog park or the big dog park (both outdoors) and from there it gets a little chaotic but definitely fun for your dog and also fun for yourself especially if you’re a huge dog lover like myself. All the dogs are running around without their leashes on and there’s Bark Rangers there to make sure that everything is going smooth, no dog fights, etc. and they run around filling dog bowls with water to keep your pup hydrated.
There’s a bar for you to order wine, beer ($ 2-​$ 3 beers), and various other drinks and then you can make your way to one of the many picnic tables they have scattered around while you sit, relax, drink and watch your dog run around with all the other dogs. Everyone is really friendly and it gives you a chance to make friends with other dog mommies and daddies.
Only downside to this place is that some of the drinks are overly priced, the park is all dirt and wood chips instead of grass, and some of the staff need to brush up on their customer service and people skills but other than that it’s a great vibe, great way to make friends, and a great experience to share with your dogs! King loves his Yard Bar days and I just got him his monthly membership today! All-​Day pass is $ 5 and and monthly membership is $ 15/​month or $ 150/​year.

Pros:
Beer!
$ 5
People working to watch
Cons:
Wood chips no grass is huge negative
feels dirty
If you want to get hammered, not a bad place to take your dog– but could be better

This place is built around dog owners and dog lovers. There’s only outside dining, but that’s what I like. We had a nice shady spot and there was plenty of shady spots. Our waitress, Jackie gave our dog Roger almost as much attention as she gave us. For a dog lover, well as a lover of my dog that makes me quite happy.
Also, she was very attentive «waitress wise» though the kitchen was a bit of a walk away.
I had the Cobb Salad. It was okay but there’s a chicken sandwich I want to try next time.
It’s hard to say why but this was just a nice place to hang out with friends, enjoy food, friends and canines.
Oh, one last thing. It would be nice if they expanded their menu.

We still love yard bar! Now that my dog is over his «zoomies», he is back there in action! It does get really crowded over the weekend so recommend during the week before 7 pm for the quietest time. Phils lemonade is so good! Membership seems like a good value $ 100/​yr or $ 5 each visit. Plenty of parking too which is always a plus!

Aw man I still super LOVE yard bar but I have to knock off a star for a couple reasons:
1) Drunk jerks. There are many a character here on weekend nights who come and let everyone else babysit their dog while they get drunk. I know Yard Bar has little to no control over this but anyone coming in the evening and particularly on a weekend evening should be aware there will be more than a few free range, misbehaved dogs whose owners aren’t paying one iota of attention to them.
2) Yard bar is super successful, which seems a mixed blessing: when its busy, its very very very busy and its hard to see what is going on with your dog. One night we realized our older girl was terrified while she was there. When we got home, she had a little nick on the top of her head. Nothing major, but she is ruined for yard bar now unfortunately– when we even walk in the direction of yard bar she turns tail and tries to go the other direction :(. So with our remaining crew I try to stick to weeknights and weekend days when its not as busy.
I’d suggest teaching your dog the «touch» command as a means to recall him/​her if you plan to go to yard bar because you want to be able pull him or her away from the midst of an escalating situation (usually one of those 17 dog circles lapping the park) ASAP. Most dogs learn (and retain) «touch» in a matter of minutes. Its the very fastest way to teach a dog recall in my experience.

LOVE this place… possibly more than the pups do. :) My husband and I took our little ones to the Yard Bar and we were a bit hesitant to let them off their leashes as they are smaller dogs. However, once we did and watched them roam around, it was such a sight to see.
The day we went, it was packed, so I would have probably liked to go when it wasn’t so overly crowded. My only complaint was that some of the owners were not actively paying attention to their dogs… which is a dog owner issue, not the business.
Overall — super fun place, good food and drinks… even for the pups.

Lots of fun for both dogs and their humans.
There’s a separate area for small dogs, but most just go in the main area unless they are in yet another separate dining area.
Always fresh water available for pooches and a nice selection of craft beers and spirits for their people.
Food fare is more than fair, in terms of menu, ingredients and taste.
Dogs of all sizes, people of all types, all hanging and enjoying each other’s company and a great place.
Highly recommended!

For my dog, anything.
Is it crazy that I used to not be able to breathe in a doggy room? Now I can’t help but giggle to myself and laugh out loud, over there at the corner table, as my puppy gets sniffed around and rumples and tackles other dogs? Stop living for yourself, share the love with other doggy owners here at yard bar. Lemonade is good. Coffee is good. Beer is beer. Get a day pass.

I think the first time I came here, I was on edge primarily because of my dog being new and not knowing what to expect. Now that I’ve had Sterling (THE Sterling) for about 5 months and I’ve been needing to exercise/​socialize my dog and also grab a beer — Yard Bar has been my spot.
The unlimited memberships are nice because when you have one, and you live relatively close by, you don’t feel obligated to stay a certain amount of time to get your money’s worth. They pay for themselves really fast.
My dog can be a jerk sometimes, a lot of times, and the Bark Rangers are excellent. They know how to handle my dog and also to ignore him that vast majority of the time when he’s having a tantrum. They know how to distinguish rough playing from fighting. I’ve been meaning to bring cash for the tip jar but I’m forgetful and I don’t like carrying cash, but they really deserve it.
Lastly, if you were to view Yard Bar as a bar with a theme — because let’s face it, a dog park is not everyone’s ideal bar — you end up with a bar full of a diverse group of people who all love dogs. I like being around dog people. It’s easy to start conversations and share stories. Dogs do all the ice breaking. All in all, this is a really special place.
Bonus: It’s fun to find a dog look alike.

Came to a Yorkie meet up here to get our dog socialized with other guys his own size and overall I enjoyed the place. They have very friendly and helpful staff when you walk up that explain how it all works.
We started out in the small dog area which is off leash and is where our dog tried to avoid any and all contact with all 4 legged creatures mistakenly believing them to be carriers of the plague, until we decided to get a drink on the other end.
One thing I didn’t like was that you couldn’t walk up to the bar area to get a drink from the small dog area. I wish it was also connected directly to the bar so that we could grab a beer while our 7lb frightball pretended to socialize.
The beer prices are quite high here. I was not wowed by the menu or prices, but to be able to bring your dog out to play with other dogs in a fenced off, supervised environment and enjoy a beer while you do it is nice. My wife got an apple cider which was good on a cold day and I had a Live Oak Hefeweizen on tap which comes in a dinky plastic cup.
Service was slow and clunky, and they had issues with their credit card machine so it took a good 20 minutes to get our card back after trying to pay. All in all a decent spot.

Beware. My dog was attacked here by another dog shortly after arriving. They did their best to control the bleeding but my pup now has a very painful wound on his back leg that is proving to be both traumatic and very costly.
Calling to speak to the manager only elicited ‘well the other dog hasn’t done this before’. The other dog was aggressive and involved in many spats on the 10 minutes I was there with the attendants having to settle him down multiple times. The bar owner was polite but they apparently have a no fault that extends to the owner of the attacking dog.
Obviously I’m never coming back here and read their policy carefully should you decide to take the risk. We need more safe, off leash areas in North Austin but I went against my own rule of ‘no dog parks’ and my buddy paid the price.
Edit: A few people that were there that night messaged me to offer sympathies, my thanks. 1200 and counting on vet bills for the sweetest pointer in A-​town, he gets his 25 stitches out next week. I also learned that since this is off leash, animal control for COA can’t do anything for dog on dog attacks on private property.

I’m curious what dogs start thinking when they’re brought here:
1. «Oh c’mon, some of these dudes really smell like ass.»
2. «Wow, I’ve never seen dookie that big before.»
3. «Hey, this isn’t real ice cream. Didn’t we just pass an Amy’s? No, really…»
Okay, maybe not. But here’s what I think:
1. Yard Bar has lots and lots of parking.
2. When two dogs scuffle, every other dog in the place runs over and shouts «Wassup? Wassup?»
3. You don’t have to booze, eat, or even own a dog to have a good time here. But you really should like dogs. And not be surprised when they like you back. They’re having a good time.

SO I took the wonder puggles over during the day (it was mid 80s, a little breeze… heaven) on a weekday. It costs 5 bucks per doggie, and they have a membership if you so choose… or a 20 buck pass with gives you 5 entries (remember 1 per dog). Since this was our first time I opted to pay the 10 bucks.
Lunch…was on my mind, but unfortunately they werent serving lunch when I went last week (mid sept) but are now offering lunch daily, so ive been told… although I havent been back yet.
The yard itself was pretty clean and covered with what looks like wood chips, pieces etc. and there were about 3 – 6 dogs chillin with their owners… my boys are highly social and friendly so they explored all over and played with some dogs here & there… while mama had some delicious cold beer and read a book.
Stayed so long, I ended up getting some food once the kitchen opened and they have a dedicated side for food. but you can still go back over after you are finished (also you are not allowed to bring any snacks for your dog into the park itself FYI) Theres a little dog side too… saw a couple of aggressive dogs start crap while me & the boys were eating so that little dog side may come in handy when I return when its a big crowd (which I hear happens at nite…)
But the service was lovely, professional and cool. we will all be back.

So, this is a pretty cool concept — and seems to work out well.
I headed here today with my two boys — a Chinese Crested and Tibetan Terrier. The Chinese Crested has admittedly always been poor with dogs encountered in public; the Tibetan isn’t well socialized and has a visual impairment. Because of this, I opted for the on-​lead area of Yard Bar. You still get the restaurant/​bar service and nice picnic tables under shade. Each table has water dishes for the dogs and are comfortable enough to just lounge around. Also, you don’t have to pay the park admittance fee ($ 5).
I thought this would be a good socialization experience for the boys; but everyone mostly kept to themselves, and this area seemed to be more for «People with Dogs» versus «Dogs with People» — which is fine. So we stared longingly at the park area where big and little dogs were behaving; cooled by misters and fans. The park area is a good set up, with room for the dogs to roam, to play fetch and run through small agility set ups.
The waitstaff is awesome — friendly with the dogs and attentive to the humans. They definitely made it a great experience.
So we hung out, watched the other dogs and enjoyed the weather. The boys each got an ice cream, which they seemed to enjoy.

What a sweet bark bar! Not being a dog owner myself, I can’t speak to how the off-​leash park area works for those little guys but we had a great time with good service in the outside area. The design feels a little spare — picnic benches and bright blue railings.
The policies around the bark park seem really well thought out — no food in there, no personal dog toys so as not to create conflict. They’ve got bark rangers who are monitoring the dogs and all dogs must be up to date on vaccinations.
We each had a drink and shared some appetizers. Deviled eggs and hushpuppies. The hushpuppies were definitely the standout. They are fantastic. Fresh and hot and moist and a little spicy. Of course, we had the house made cheez whiz drenched on them so… it’s hard to top that. My drinks were okay but need some tweaks. Catahoula Mama is a spicy margarita style drink — long on the agave, short on the tequila. The 67 cooler had little flavor and the st. germain didn’t pop like I expected.
A cool spot I’d definitely bring friends with pups to but I might not come rollin’ solo or sans four footed friend — mostly due to my propensity to sweat.
** Edit after owner response: They don’t have TVs on purpose so that people are watching their dogs. **

When I saw the Yard Bar project on Kickstarter I instantly joined the ranks of Austinite supporters. It has been a long journey of patience to await the opening of this place, and the wait was worth it. We have been multiple times since membership opening weekend and have always had a good experience. Our two dogs love the open space to run around, the agility equipment, and just hanging out with their humans while we enjoy a drink or two. The craft cocktails are well done. Be careful to watch out for playful pups running to the water as you make your way up to the bar window to order your drinks. They have numerous water bowls throughout the park, but most of them are near the bar area.
The bark rangers do their best to keep up the park free of steaming piles, but I always find myself picking up after someone else. So be careful where you walk, especially in the evening as the park is dimly lit. The bark rangers are friendly, and do well to help mitigate any potential dog brawls, without being overly sensitive. Dogs will be dogs after all.
The mister fans make the Texas summer heat more bearable, and there is plenty of seating scattered throughout.
Once the dogs have worn themselves out a bit, I like to take them on leash to the other side of the park to enjoy some human food. They also have some dog snacks on the menu. The menu offers some light lunch size picnic offerings. I actually liked their burger better than the Shake Shack patty I had recently.
You can make your visit as long or as short as you like. They have washing stations should your dog pick up any extra dirt. The only thing I wish was different was the ground for the dog park. I wish they had the special awesome dog grass that my doggy day care has installed recently. But, I know that stuff is expensive.