Mag Bar

Went to a concert here! Cute little bar. Great vibes and the people are so friendly. I would definitely go again!

I absolutely loved my MagBar experience! I was following my friends and their bands. This was our first stop. Seth, the bartender, was a great to work with. Load in was easy peasy. The sound was good. The local acts were incrediblely nice and talented. If I lived in Louisville, this would definitely be a space I would frequent. I hope to be back in the future for some metal shows.

If you’re into rock and heavy metal, Mag Bar is the spot. The drinks are top-notch, the service is friendly and fast, and the atmosphere is exactly my kind of vibe—dark, edgy, and full of character. They regularly host local bands, giving the place an authentic, live-music energy that’s hard to find elsewhere. Definitely a go-to for anyone who loves good music, a strong drink, and a no-nonsense, down-to-earth crowd.

Left alone to have a cheap beer in a proper felt dive bar. Its exactly what I was after. Always solid metal/punk music playing, some great local band promotions, and an easy decompression with an inexpensive drink.

The best part of my trip to Louisville. Flew into town, googled "punk shows near me", and was not disappointed. Super cool bar. The show I caught was amazing. 10/10 hope I can come back in the future. Will recommend to anyone who will listen. Will recommend to everyone else too. GO HERE.

Always a great time! The bar is a decent size, they always play a good variety of music, every show feels like a community event, and we love the patio.

Bartender was rude and disliked being asked questions. Very unwelcoming energy from staff and patrons. Bartender was annoyed that I didn't want to leave a tab running and was here for the bands and to drink water. Low energy posers who were trying to hard to be edgy. Second review: Huge improvement from the first time I came here. All the staff I encountered were chill and friendly. The bands were great and the atmosphere was positive!

Mag Bar isn’t a place you stumble into by accident. You seek it out. You track it down like a bloodhound sniffing out the last real bastion of grit in a city that’s scrubbing itself clean. The kind of bar where the ghosts of old punks and dive-bar lifers linger, sipping cheap drinks and swapping stories. It’s got that perfect mix of grime and soul—faded stickers slapped onto every available surface, dim lighting, the undeniable musk of decades of spilled beer and cigarette smoke that’s long since worked its way into the walls. I walked in looking like I didn’t belong, and got exactly the reaction I expected. The bartender took one look at me, like he was deciding whether I deserved whatever unfiltered slice of reality this place had to offer. But five minutes in, we were swapping travel stories, the kind that only people who understand the sacred institution of the dive bar know how to tell. Drinks are stiff, priced right—none of that watered-down nonsense masquerading as a cocktail. The bathroom? Looks like a graffiti artist had a spiritual awakening in there. But that’s part of the charm. Mag Bar doesn’t try to impress you. It doesn’t need to. If you get it, you get it. And if you don’t? Well, Louisville has plenty of polished, sanitized options. Five stars for the ones who know the difference.

Solid dive bar that hosts cool events like Louisville UnFair to spotlight local artists. Personally, it's one of my go-to places for summer because the drinks are cheap and the backyard area is unassuming, chill, and easy to enjoy with buddies. Have I sat next to a wad of dog doo doo? Yes. Is that kinda punk? Maybe. But honestly, give me cocktails at $5 and a place where my friends can smoke without constantly leaving, and I'll move my seat and laugh it off. Service is chill, but friendly, quick and efficient. Solid neighborhood haunt. Plus, it's so nice to just grab a slice next door at Pizza Donisi. In this economy? I'm down.

Great find while in the area. The bartender was friendly, my Kona Big Wave was cold, and my bf liked his jack/coke. Turns out the bartender 2nd hand knew someone we knew from Detroit, so small world, but that got us talking which made for a fun stop. We were visiting Louisville from Detroit and we were biking around the area on a super hot day when we spotted the Mag bar and decided it was time for a cool drink and a rest. We were glad we stopped in, a perfect dive bar with lots of character. My favorite kind!

Chill, neighborhood dive bar spot with lots of space, karaoke, live music, shitty darts, big outdoor enclosed patio. Music leans metal/rock but it's such a vibe. The bartenders here are my fav in Louisville. They are good guys whom I trust & make me feel safe. Love my mag bar fam

Not a bad little punk bar, but I have to deduct points for the offensively small shots. I mean what is this even??

Oh hello, perfect dive bar. Left to my own devices, I don't go to too many of these anymore as I mainly stick to wine and unless you're in New Orleans, dive bars don't have halfway decent wine. Interestingly, Magnolia Bar has an array of craft beers. But no wine. Correction. Franzia in the box is available here. Legit dive. Sort of (for some reason, I don't expect to see a wall menu full of craft beers at a dive bar, but I digress). The bartender was really nice and had a lot of connections to bartenders in NOLA . There's plenty of barstools and booths (people move in and out) and it's cozy, comfortable corner spot. I appreciate a bar where the clientele isn't all young and tragically hip (when I go out in NYC, I'm finding this more and more). I spied a cool special: buy a draft get a free slice from the pizzeria next door (which is extremely good and has vegan options). Speaking of pizza, we waited in here with a drink and then when it was ready, we ate it here since there's no indoor seating next door.

The "Mag Bar", as it is commonly called, is a rite of passage for many a Louisvillian and should be the blueprint for all other neighborhood dive bars. It's been over 15 years since I last visited, but it could've been 15 days -- nothing has changed. In the realm of dive bars, this is the gold standard. Cast of characters (patrons) have different names, but play the same roles. Interior decor is rustic and not chic. My initials are covered by layers upon layers of initials on the chipped plywood next to the second booth. The neon sign outside is the equivalent of a bug zapper on a hot July night. Beer is cold and we are old. The end. :)

Good music nice drinks service is fast bartenders are amazing sets beautifully in Old Louisville

Pretty solid spot to visit while you are in tehe area. They have some really good cold cheap beers and live music. Its in a crowded spot so its always poppin here it appears. Good place that I will go back to when im in town. I like little dive bars like this and it is a good one

In the heart of Old Louisville sits Mag Bar. Located at the corner of 2nd and Magnolia of course. And there is the lovely street parking. Didn't have any trouble parking close of course. I wanted to come here despite the reviews I have read about this place. The inside of the establishment looked very clean on the inside. And beings it was the afternoon when there, the place look lit up by the sunlight, I expected this place to be dark before entering and it wasn't. Overall appearance of the place was good. There were not very many customers so getting to place a drink order was no problem. This place also IDs which is a good thing to keep the underage out. This place has quite a choice of beers so, you should have no trouble finding the right one for you. And another thing, if you want Pizza Donisi next door, you have to walk over and place an order, they bring it to you when it's done. Overall I had a good experience here, staff was great. My reason for the 3 star is the way the bathrooms are made. You have to come out of the bathroom to wash your hands at this sink right outside the bathrooms.

Bad ass local dive bar, with plenty of attitude. A hidden Louisville gem! I found this bar my last week in town, and really wish I had discovered it sooner!!

Fun little metal bar. On a busy night, expect to be patient. No faster or slower than any other dive bar on a weekend. I loved the atmosphere, patrons seemed fun and staff was rad. Definitely will be back.

Used to come to the mag bar every other weekend - barhopping in the mid-nineties. This is an old classic dive bar which will NEVER DIE. This this is part of the old south and forever it will stay that way. Old wood floors, Old classic wood bar, beautiful laid back atmosphere in the middle of an old neighborhood - away from all the other dive bars on Bardstown RD.

Extremely slow service. When I finally got my beer it was frozen and ice was coming out of the top of the bottle making a mess. Staff would not give me a drinkable beer. Paid my tab and left.

I'm a fan of dive bars, and Magnolia offers much of what you may want from a dive bar, including an old, lived-in feel with lots of things to see on the walls (and lots of interesting people to watch.) It also may have some things you don't like, such as a bartender who'd rather stare at his phone or watch TV than give you the time of day. (It was clear he knew and liked the regulars--some of whom sat down and got a drink without having to order--more than we tourists.) We visited shortly after it opened at 3 pm, and instead of music, we were treated the audio from a movie the bartender and a handful of regulars were watching. I'm a fan of The Fifth Element more than most, but that doesn't mean I want to talk over it while enjoying a beer with friends. On the whole, this is an interesting spot for a drink, but I hoped for a better dive bar experience than Mag Bar delivered.

Hipsters and cheap drinks. The Mag Bar is a hipster hangout in old Louisville. It has existed since the dawn of time. I guess that long after Skynet becomes self-aware and destroys the world with nuclear weapons, the Mag Bar will still be standing, serving PBR to young white people wishing to be ironic. Good for the Mag Bar. Keep doing you and own that 3 star rating.

Great place to see a band and have a few drinks while doing so. Also, Pizza Donisi next door you can carry out and eat at Mag Bar! The bar tenders at Mag Bar are always cool and the place has a vibe about it that is relaxed. Mag Bar knows who it is and those of us that like to hang out there are counting on that never changing.

Fuck what ya heard. mag is the best bar not only in Louisville but probably in the world.

5 stars for the bar that got me literally pregnant. I came to see a Bowie cover band and ended up having vaginal sex for 6 hours in the basement. I ended up Naming my daughter magnolia because she was CREATED at that place. I take my baby on her birthday every year to this bar in a dog cage so can see her truth and know that she wouldn't be alive if I hadn't been over-served watered down vodka Red Bull's

Decently priced drinks. Dive bar atmosphere. Last night was the first time I went there when it wasn't their random Goth night. Which is cool to have....but if you wander in on that night and are not goth-ed out....you're gonna get some looks. Those times were...uncomfortable. But last night was chill and fun. They had a DJ for the post-SpringFest celebration. They have some booths for seating and a long bar.

Maybe I'm getting old... What's all the hype about this bar? It's a lesser version of the original Highlands Taproom (a bar which I hate now). Yeah, cheap drinks. Strong pours. Also, a 50, 50 chance you may catch an STD after using the restroom. If I was 21, maybe I would like this place. At age 35, no thanks.

Writing this review is really making me miss Louisville. I love Mag Bar for everything it is and everything it isn't. It is really good at being a dive bar. It isn't fancy, but who would want it to be? It's Mag Bar. I used to come here almost every Wednesday night for a while when I was in grad school to go to their dance party nights. I think those still happen. I had so much fun and the DJ was always amazing (lots of 90's and early 2000's rap). I would never get groped (isn't it sad that that is worth noting?), and could count on coming here with my girlfriends to have a good time. Drinks are cheap and decent. I usually drink beer here, so I can't really vouch for the mixed drinks. There's a middle indoor area where there are a few arcade games, and I think they have live music in there sometimes. I would usually hang out in the front room or the back patio. The patio is great for smokers or for meeting random people. I've had so many interesting conversations on that patio.

Lol lmao rofl. As a Mainer passing through Kentucky the whole city threw me for a loop no doubt about it. I can't believe a place like Magnolia Bar is open until 4am on a MONDAY and our bartenders (well, maybe it was just one bartender who morphed into another), didn't have anything to say for it. I spent a good deal of time trying to guess their names, didn't work out. Thanks for your cooperation Jeremiah, Steven. REALLY. The juke box was fun. The whiskey was delicious. The five other people in were all pretty funny. The last but not least stop on our Louisville pub crawl. What a night.

Cool dive bar with a lot of history. The current owner has done A LOT to clean it up and make it better over the past few years (the bathrooms now have tile AND real PAPER towels! What was once known as "the grossest bathroom in the city" is now just on par with other dive bar bathrooms!) Decent draft selection, strong pours, good prices, and the fact that we can walk there keep us coming back. Some of the bartenders can be standoffish at first but get to know them and they will treat you right. They now have a super sweet stage room for bands with a few arcade games off to the side. With all this AND Pizza Donisi next door to keep you going, a night at the MagBar is complete.

Pretty cool old school spot in the ville. Although it may not be for everyone it's a guarantee of live local artist trying to make their way in the city which I am such a fan of! Cash only is something I enjoy because it and gives a unique vibe to the joint. Beers are especially cheep and they have a pizza place next door that is a terrific late night treat! Pros: great live music, cheap drinks, food delivery to the drunks :p Cons: it is cash only so no debit card usage, interior could use some updating, very

I've walked in in a tuxedo, and PJs, and no one has said a word. The people there are open minded, the conversations eclectic, and the drinks are made to your specs, if you ask. Hell, they will even put a pot of coffee on if you ask nice. I've even brought my mother in there a few times. And my daughter. Absolutely the worst bathrooms in Louisville. So don't go there if you want to use them.

I can't believe how high the ratings are for this place. I'm not sure why they call this place a grille, because they certainly don't serve food of any kind. If they did, I definitely would avoid eating it. It's a dive in the worst of ways. Poorly lit with sagging seats (if you like springs in your butt) and a cockroach problem, the Mag looks more like a condemned property than a bar. The bartenders are frequently rude, the patrons are frequently on coke, and the drinks, while relatively cheap, are not the cheapest in town (if they were, I think I could tolerate the atmosphere more readily). The crowd there is rowdy and while I've only been there a handful of times, I've seen the cops called at least three of them. Parking is also a nightmare. Try Cahoots for a good dive bar. It's also a dive, but it's less crowded, the drinks are cheaper, it's better lit, and it has fabulous food.

Look in the dictionary or encyclopedia for "Dive Bar" and you will find the Mag Bar listed. When I lived in Old Louisville, it was quite frequent to find me there more often than at home. You will find the same people there day in and day out...yes, plenty of regulars. You can typically tell the outsiders by the way the ask for a menu. A what?!!? How many years has been since they last served food? Expect to mocked and ridiculed for asking for a menu. If you are seeking to down several drinks and not break the bank, this would be a good place to go. Their bourbon and water is consists of a "splash of water" and never watered down. There is always some great playing on the JukeBox. Don't even think about playing some pop crap on there. If you are lucky, you might be able to squeeze in between others to play some pool. I would hate to think how much money I spent on the pinball machines over the years. If you are picky about clean restrooms...HA HA HA HA..... PS: To all of the home owners on 2nd Street, I am really sorry for all the times I peed in your bushes or slept on your porch because I was too drunk to make it home.

NYC is full of dive bars, but very few can match the effortless dirty charm of Louisville's Mag Bar. It's dark, it's dingy, and the pool tables are shoddy, but the flourscent lights are welcoming and the cheap, strong drinks are calling you home (or, as it were, far, far away from home). I know my mother warned me not to, but I love you Mag Bar.

I didn't need that last bourbon and soda, but not getting really drunk at my old neighborhood bar on a brief trip to Lou seemed out of the question. Oh, Mag Bar, I miss the days when you were only a staggering walk home. I miss your amazing punk jukebox that reminds me of the safety pin days of my youth. I miss your strong pours, your atrocious bathrooms, your cranky pool tables. If dives make you uncomfortable, if you can't stand punk or metal, if you need a fancy cocktail, skip the Mag Bar. Leave it for the lovers like me!

There is no food here and you wouldn't want to eat it if there was.Though they do order in Pizza for the patrons on Thursdays. Gross bathrooms and cheap drink specials. Louisville's premier "dive". When I bring touring musician friends in on a week night where there's dollar beers or else $2 well drinks they are very amused and very happy to be able to get drunk on one $20 bill, usually with change left!

Well this supposed to be the magnolia bar it's one of the worst parts in Louisville I was in there on the 1st at St James art festival and they were having it and I went in there asking them if they found a phone the Android phone they told me no so I went everywhere around the neighborhood never trying to find my phone professionally they got lost or sold and then I went back in there I bought me a new phone on Saturday and I went back in there after I tracked my old phone and I found out where it was I went back to that bar to tell the bartender that he don't have to look for it no more I found out where it was I wasn't even in there 5 or 10 minutes there was a drunk girl and a guy at the bar I took a picture of the bar and I was sober and the girl said that's rude for taking pictures well out asking and I kind of laughed and the bartender is coming over there he was friends with them and the boyfriend of the girl grab my phone and broke it broke it and start assaulted me the the cops was called they finally found my phone they gave me my phone and told me to leave it's a very dangerous bar shame on magnolia and I'm over 60 that's how they treat the patron good people that come into that bar it's a bad bar and it's a bad area I wouldn't rate this bar at all and I think everyone needs to know it's a bad bar just because I took one picture and was concerned about my phone that got lost or stolen to let them know that I found out where it was so they didn't have to look for it so I got treated like that what's what is this world coming to no respect for the elderly

I feel very fortunate to live around the corner from the mag. Take it from me, you don't have to know the bartenders and get free drinks, or be a hipster to enjoy the hell out of life while you're there. The jukebox there can only be described as legendary.

Now this is a Dive Bar! Very chill and unassuming bar with an eclectic crowd, drink options, and decor. Love it for some good old fashioned day drinking. That being said, it is also a dive bar bathroom. One stall. Always a line. It's dingy. But hell, I can go in there sober without being disturbed, and there was even sufficient tp, so I'm going with a win here. Tip: Bloody Marys here rock. Also, the Un Fair the same weekend as the famous St James Art Fair is here. Fantastic stuff, much cheaper.

To preface, I am an avid Mag Bar customer and generally frequent the bar Wednesday nights after 12am (the night with the EDM DJs and flashy lights). Also, I created a Yelp account solely to review this place. If you've never seen someone on drugs at this bar, you are incredibly naive. Never change. The bathroom walls are laced with cocaine. Definitely don't try the snozzberries. They don't taste like snozzberries. The drinks are incredibly inexpensive, hence the 5 star rating. And to clarify, there is a coat check, but it's a self serve type of situation located on top of the cancertron. Definitely bring your machine washable jacket though, because I'm assuming if you're in the Mag you aren't about to make it out to the Old Louisville Laundry and Dry Cleaners the next morning.

Obviously I love this place. Hell, I practically lived there for ten years. The drinks are strong, the jukebox is stellar. The people. Well, I've made some of the best friends of my life in there, and even managed to snag a husband. So I can't complain. If you're a prissy little thing who needs to be coddled and can't abide the odd foul odor, then go somewhere else. If you want to have a good time, meet interesting people, and you're not a snobby prick, Mag Bar's the spot. See ya there. Did I mention that I bought my first house based on it's proximity to the Mag Bar? Yeah. That happened.

Mag bar is the Neighborhood bar yeah it might be a hole in the wall but its the best damn one.! Fair prices they always try to stay on times or bring you back to 1995.. so what if its a rough night grow a pair an drink your beer enjoy the show.! They have pool tables or live shows smoke pitt out back old school arcade games hell the bathroom is so improved... don't knock this bar it's like any other day of the week just might be a bad one or really good. Get a Jameson shot on me if you see me there.!

Good location for local music, but the bartender was a real jerk wad. The woman's room was much improved since the last time I had been there. I'd go back to see music, but not just to simply drink at the bar.

Its an OK atmosphere but not really my scene. Cheap drinks and nice staff. A lot of live music.

It's a dive bar with good beer and cheap liquor. If you're ordering liquor, you'll think this place is a steal. If you're ordering beer, you'll read Yelp and wonder what the hell constitutes a "cheap drink." Well, whatever. If you spend $5 on a Bud Light or High Life and it's NOT a pitcher, I wonder where you learned to drink. Otherwise, $5 for a Founders or West Sixth isn't terrible but it's not chump change. The jukebox IS great, the bar does smell funny but not terrible, there's no table service and usually only one bartender. But the patrons are chill, the bathrooms aren't that bad (they lock!), and the pizza next door is bomb. No frills, some thrills. Mag Bar.

I had a couple glasses of bourbon and enjoyed live music at Magnolia Bar and Grill while passing through Louisville last night. The "mag bar" as locals call it, seems well known in Louisville for its live music and hipster atmosphere. A crowd of people lingered outside. I must admit, I felt unsafe while walking down the street to the bar. There were cops everywhere, likely for good reason. A pickup truck was stopped in the middle of a street yelling obscenities at an apartment complex... It's definitely not a classy bar (West Side) in a romantic part of town if that's what you're looking for. Nevertheless, the keep was attentive, the bourbon was a couple dollars cheaper than I'm used to, and the folk band put on a good show. No complaints.

Very polarizing place. I lived right around the corner for a year. I gave this place three shots. To be clear; I am a jeans and t-shirt guy. I waited 15 minutes to be served and I swear the place was nearly empty. The bartenders were too busy not doing anything to serve me. Try 2: gothic night! Horrible. I walked out after hearing death baby rage scream music. Try 3: same as try 1. Some people really love it though so give it a shot. Not my scene at all though.

Mag Bar has definitely become the place for all hipsters to go every Wednesday night. But I cannot be a hypocrite because every now and then I show up there on a Wednesday night due to the fact that I know the bartenders working and get free drinks. The environment is completely laid back, the juke box has a great selection, there are 3 pool tables, and it is a pretty spacious place. One very notable detail is that you can still smoke inside even after the smoking ban! This is very convenient in the winter. Quite a friendly dive bar; they even bust out a popcorn machine for everyone to enjoy free, delicious popcorn.

This seems to be the only rock bar I could find in Louisville. very divey.... if you go here don't use the bathrooms!!!!!! gross!!!!!!!! piss all over the floors, toilet paper everywhere then you have to wash your hands outside the bathroom in the bar area... go back into the back room and there's a stage. We watch an awesome rock show had a blast! but that bathroom brings your rating down. yuck!

This is a dive bar. The real deal. Not a theme bar trying to be a dive bar. You can expect just what the name implies. Cheap drinks, Earthy aromas. In recent years a backyard has been added. On the downside, the low budget atmosphere here is real, and is easily reflected in the care and design of the bathrooms. This venue has gone through changes in the past, including the addition of live music. Previously known for it's amazing juke box, the live music seems like a natural addition. A note to those headed here: Cash only. No table service.

Great bar, cheap drinks and a most awesome jukebox!

Favorite trivia night in Louisville every Tuesday with Clay Baker. Still the best jukebox and drink prices in town. Mag is the best, always has been, always will be.

I live a couple of blocks from this bar. Divey, dirty, cheap drinks. Plenty of great people watching opportunities. Over the last few years the mag has incorporated trivia, get down wednesdays (EDM Dance night) etc. If you like 4th street live this probably isn't the place for you.

Truly a fantastic dive bar! Initially some may not want to hang out here.. but if you do, it's a treasure. You'll find good people (interesting people really), great beers and the best jukebox I've heard in a long time. Fantastic Derby experience... brings you down to earth after the hoopla of 4th street... which is fun but not low key.

it's a great dive! This maybe a second review, not sure... ihearttheheavypours!... Wednesday evenings late are the best for dirty ole men... if you like to drink and don't mind walking through a closet to pee, this is the place for you