Scruffy Murphy’s

The most aptly named bar of all time. I lived across from this place for a few years during grad school, and it apparently never changes. The drinks are cheap and it’s way too crowded on the weekends, this is the dive bar you go to in Waco, and it’s disgusting and great. Bathrooms are rough, for a while the one stall in the men’s room didn’t have a door. Kareoke night is awesome. I also used to play a lot of pool here too, tables are worn but not bad, cues could use some updating. You have to go at least once, if only to be able to articulate why when you tell others to never go there. But give it a chance, and it will grow on you, like a mold.

Scruffy’s is a piece of crap bar but man you cannot beat that place on a Saturday night. I had not been in there in about 10 years before stopping by briefly this weekend. Now they have karaōke in the back room and a cover if you are under 21.
That is all that has changed. This place should be your go to spot if you are a Baylor student.

Hole in the wall. What ever you do… Dont judge this book by its cover! Just check it out, pretty cool joint. Lots of Chicks inside, the ratio was 1:1 if not 1.5:1
Cheap Strong drinks. Bartenders are badass & creative when thinking of New Drinks & Shots! It’s pretty dead on Wednesdays till late @ night (1^st time we went was during Finals, ehh go figure. I just LIKE to Drink!)
I heard Thurs– Sat are prime nights to go there… but still doesnt get packed till Late at Night!

I think every college town has one of these dive bars that attracts this strange juxtaposition of townies in their everyday attire and college students in their ‘going-​out’ best. The large rooms are furnished with well-​graffitied picnic tables. They have karaōke on Wednesday and good drink specials.

Ok, so some of these reviewers have a point. If you don’t go to Baylor, going to Scruff’s is somewhat like being in a back alley. The atmosphere is pretty disgusting/​run-​down/​shady but, the funny thing is, all the wholesome Baylor students still flock there because we like to be around people we know. In short: Scruff’s is where a kid can be a kid.

Oh, Scruffs. Spent many college nights with you… some of them I remember and some of them I don’t. But all in all, Scruffy Murphy’s, I’m giving you 3 stars because my name is on your walls in multiple places and I can’t betray you with a poor score.
Baylor students pretend we don’t enjoy you… but secretly, we all do.
No cover if over 21. Gets crowded on Wednesdays (karaōke) Thursdays-​Saturday (around midnight) so get there early if you don’t want to wait in line. Drinks are a bit expensive at this hole-​in-​the-​wall.

Not an Irish pub by any means… serves Bud Light and country music to all the Baylor brats, so if you are a fan of those three you should fit right in.

Oh, Scruff’s. It’s been awhile since I’ve been (since I’m all growed up now) but some of my fondest drunken memories and blackouts happened here.
They let me spend my 21^st birthday on stage with the band even though I have no talent.
The bartender would have me pick a color and make all kinds of different drinks in that color (Red Night did not end well for me OR the guy in the white shirt).
Who doesn’t love a dirty dive bar? And this one is a Waco institution.
In summary: Drink here.

Absolute dive bar, but the place to end your night when in Waco, TX for some fun and Baylor reconnecting!

There isn’t really much to say about Scruffs… yes it is a hole in the wall, but I had some of the best nights of my college life here.
There is a cover if you are under 21, otherwise no unless a special band is playing. It gets pretty crowded on Thurs-​weekend so make sure you close your tab before last call or you will be waiting for awhile.

It is always funny when I take my friends from out of town to Scruffs. They are nervous by the looks on the outside. On the inside well the looks are not so great either, but when I was in college a lot of good stories I heard started with «Well last night at Scruffs…» Thursday nights were always the BEST nights at scruffs. During Baylor homecoming you have to get to Scruffs by 11 p.m. or else you will be waiting in a line that usually takes about 20 minutes. I love how Scruffs tries to be exclusive. To the regulars it is exclusive. When going to scruffs on a weekend night it is probably a good place to go at 12 p.m. A lot of people go to Austin’s on the Avenue before then hit up Scruffs around midnight. Scruffs will guarantee you a good time, but if your use to lounges then you will be disappointed. Scruffs might also guarantee you waking up with a blue stamp on your face or on your couch. And it will definitely guarantee you a good time in a college town!

I lived in this bar for years. In the late 90s, early 00s, there wasn’t a better place to go. Great bar staff, great karaōke night on Wednesday — it was a total oasis from the typical Waco bar scene.
What made Scruffy’s so special was, yes, there are a ton of Baylor Betties, but this is one of the few places you can go (especially as a young person) to meet the cool underground 5% of Waco.
And it’s still awesome — especially under the new management.
Here’s what I’d recommend:
Karaōke on Wednesdays with Lee
The staff
The sweet, sweet booze.

Scruffy’s is a hell of a great place. The décor isn’t svelte, the selection of beer isn’t great, the food is non existent, but it is the best dive bar in Waco. All my good nights ended at Scruffy’s and all my bad nights started there.