Monday 17th of September 2012 08:57:05 PM

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Ginger Man is an impressive craft beer bar, worth seeking out. I had some misinformation regarding their address, since they were formerly located on nearby 4th Street, but I quickly found them at 301 Lavaca Street. Park along the street. They are not a restaurant, but they do serve a few tasty snacks. For dinner there are plenty of bars and restaurants in the vicinity, but for craft beer you won't do better than Ginger Man. They have an 18-chair stone top bar, with extra standing space at the bar for walk-up drink orders. There are no televisions behind the bar, and except for a couple dartboards, you'll need to supply your own entertainment. Black insulated ceilings and an overhead vintage beer can collection create a professional atmosphere. Impressively, they have about 80 beers on tap, a mix of regional craft brews and time honored European imports. These are arranged in front of a beautiful copper clad backdrop. They also have about 100 varieties in bottles. They do not serve sampler flights, but are happy to offer small sample tastes. For trying a greater variety of their drafts, I recommend the half pint pours. In the back outside there are several wood picnic tables, which are perfect for enjoying a cold beer on hot summer evening. At Ginger Man, great service and their excellent beer selection are a winning combination.

Friday 8th of July 2011 02:07:28 PM

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Largest tap selection in Austin, at 83 with two more cask ales usually on, the pub is a beer temple. The staff is extremely beer-wise, and able to make intelligent recommendations based on what you like to steer you toward something new you might like.

The food is passable snack type stuff, good to fill a void but not destination dining. The back patio is nice, but needs shade--not an option for me about half the year due to the heat.

Inside the new location (they moved from 4th Street in 2009) the wood is dark, the atmosphere pub-like and the nooks and crannies to sit in plentiful. The old location had a tree-covered patio that was a shame to see go.

My one beef, (and I've been drinking here since 1994) is that in the last year or so, they are very slow to add new beers, and add very few each month. About half the tap wall never rotates, and a few crap beers have snuck in (behind Clydesdales, in one case). I used to see 2-3 new beers a week on the wall, now weeks go by with few tap changes. There are too many fine new beers coming out daily, and too large a tap wall for their not to be more surprises on the giant tap wall more often.

Friday 21st of January 2011 02:46:40 PM

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The G-man has the best selection in town and the most taps anywhere in the Austin area. The atmosphere is warm and pub-like. The patrons friendly, the service good and there is the outdoor seating area. Food is limited which has never been a problem since I usually dine elsewhere since it is located in an area with many dining and drinking options.
The staff is friendly and knows their beers. Parking can be a problem if you want free parking, but that's true for anywhere downtown. I don't waste my time and park in the garage on south side of 4th.
If you are looking for a fine dining establishment, there are other options. If you want some of the best beers to be had anywhere, the G-man should be tops on your list.

Wednesday 13th of February 2008 05:24:56 PM

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The Ginger Man is located on the north side of Fourth Street. It is easy to spot due to some great signage. It is located an area that is bursting with drinking and dining options.

This is a great older building. Nice well-worn floors, a copper wall of taps, darts, a neat broken-in bar and some cool memorabilia add to the charm. Being in Austin, you knew they would play good tunes.

The bar seats about 20 to 25. There are plenty of booths to share. There is a bit of outside seating in front and a much larger area in back. They also have a lounge area with comfy chairs and couches located in the back. Nonsmoking, which is a huge plus.

The have a massive tap selection (85 per the bartender) that the menu breaks out by color (dark, amber, pale) and then further by country of origin.

Note they also have a cask, which was offering St Arnolds Stout while I was there.

They also offer a ton of bottles. You really have to check the website to gauge the width and depth of their offerings.

The prices are very fair and they have a beer of the month and happy hour prcing. During my last visit the beer of the month was Lagunitas IPA for $4.25 per pint. Now that is a good deal!

Food choices are limited, but I did enjoy the beer snack (3 types of cheese, sausage, pickles, olives & grapes). They offer sandwiches, some pizza and some sort of filled pastry thing. I think you will find enough to keep the beer munchies at bay.

Friendly locals and nice bartenders add up to an enjoyable place to visit. If I could recommend only one spot in this enjoyable town, this is the one I would choose!

Tuesday 11th of September 2007 12:06:17 PM

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Great Beer Bar, Large selection of unique beers, must have close to a 100 taps. No mixed drinks some wine. Place is not real large. Reminded me of the flying saucer in Fort Worth but smaller. They now have some food, at least the night we were there. The food was good an at a reasonable price. I am not from Austin but this bar will be on the top of my list to visit anytime I am in town. When we travel we make a point of seeking out brewpubs and the occasional “beer bar” Based solely on our one visit this ranks in the top five of bars to go to with friends to visit and drink great beer. They had a band the night we were there but the lay out was such that we could talk and listen to the music.

Wednesday 11th of July 2007 12:11:08 PM

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Likely the best beer bar in Austin - staff who know their beer and serve with correct temp and glassware. Prices a bit high, but frequent glass give-aways, discount nights and the potential to order half-pints make up for that. Lovely copper bar as well as comfortable couches and outdoor space make great environment. One of the best selections with both a good 15 Texas micros and always a half dozen from Belgium, Germany and England. Their hand-pump only sometimes works, but despite hating chains - they are the best. (Food is very basic - snacks if you are starving.)