Abilene

We had our wedding at Abilene. The staff is second to none. The atmosphere cries out «All are Welcome».
We, without hesitation, recommend this saloon to everyone. Great drinks, great music and the vibe is out of this world.
Thanks Abilene,
Mr. and Mrs. Voelkl

We had a great time there last night.
A really cute place, nice crowd, easy parking, friendly vibe, good bartenders, good music, friendly doorman, and cheap drinks. What more can you ask for?
We were very happy and will be back.

Abilene is a quaint little live music venue that is slightly hidden on Liberty Pole way (or whatever the street is called). I love live music, but I feel like this place is just too small to truly enjoy it. Even when there isn’t live music, it is so loud in here that you cannot hear the person next to you without screaming (and there is no place to get away from this. There is almost always a cover charge (even when the live music isn’t happening) and the guys at the door tend to be pretty non-​friendly.

I like Abilene as a bar a lot. The beer selection is good and they keep Dogfish 60 and 90, which are favorites of mine. They also have regular live music, which is awesome. The drawback is that the venue IMHO is too small for the sound. I enjoy going there in the summer and hanging on the back patio to enjoy a cocktail.

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world…
This one is my all-​time favorite.
Beats anything in NYC or San Francisco because it’s so down-​home, so intimate. When you go to see a badass bluegrass band and the guitar player covers your all time favorite John Prine song, you are close enough to him that you can look him in the eyes to thank him as you sing your heart out.
Two or three of the most fun nights of my life ended at Abilene’s. The music is always spot on. A little bluegrass, a little blues, a little country, a little funk and soul. There is an area where if you start dancing, people will clear out and it becomes a dance floor (believe me, they’ll move)
If you see these guys on the events webpage make sure to check them out:
Ruddy Well Band
Mandolin Orange
Bitchin’ Kitchen
Such a fun place to go grab a CHEAP beer, hear some great music, and DANCE. The owner is around a lot and is a great guy. Sometimes there is a cover but it’s usually 5 $ and I promise it’s worth it.
The ratio of dudes: chicks is high which can be a good thing or a bad thing.

So, I read the few reviews for this place and I thought it must be nice and cool place with live music and all. But was sadly disappointed.
I went there this last friday night. It was half packed with a 5 $ entry charge. (which I think is a lot for this place) Music was okay, the crew was energetic. The draft beers and ale collection is fine but again beer is overpriced here.
And I don’t know what the special occasion was but all I saw was 60 year old couples dancing on southern country music. Go there if you are a senior citizen, you may find it interesting.

I’ve been here once, and I’ll never come back.
I stopped in on a Saturday night with some friends to see a friend’s coworker’s band playing and shortly after ordering some drinks I went over to the crowded coat rack and put my coat over someone else’s coat as there were no open pegs.
I went to return to my friends and was stopped by a man who started talking to me about how ridiculous the coat situation was and how all the coats were black and how this was going to make people finding there coats very difficult. I agreed and walked past the man to get back to my friends.
About five minutes later the man who was talking to me talked to another man who walked up to me and casually flipped me off and walked away. I talked to the woman nearby handling the cover charges about this and she asked me who flipped me off, I explained who, and she replied «Who, Danny?». From her response I gathered he was either very important there, or the owner of the place, so I figured I had to hold my coat or risk getting refused service and being asked to leave.
So I held my coat, enjoyed some of the music, and ordered one more drink before leaving. I can put up with rude patrons or even not-​so-​great service (neither of which I really encountered) but as I’ve gathered from reading reviews, Danny is indeed the owner, and I can’t support a bar whose owner casually and callously offends quiet, paying customers.

If you enjoy live music with your beer then this is the place for you. Really laid back atmosphere, good service, and did I mention the live music? They get some really gods acts rolling through, so check their schedule to see who’s playing.
They have a good selection beer wise and a stocked bar. If you’re in the mood for a white russian go ahead and order one up, you’ll be making «The Dude» proud.
Abilene isn’t the easiest place to find, but find it, trust me.
This is one of my favorite Rochester bars

Great beer selection! Very small venue to see bands, nice patio in the summer. Bar owner, Danny is an absolute charmer, great guy.

This is a great place to have several drinks and I believe the first place I ever had a Moscow Mule. The drink specials are good and the atmosphere is always fun. When I first went here, I was not terribly impressed. But on subsequent visits, it has grown on me and love coming here. The music is a lot of fun as well. Top-​notch place and even has an outdoor area.

This place is legit. I am so happy it’s on my radar now. Tickets/​Cover is anywhere from FREE to $ 25 depending on the act.
They do have a small but legit draft selection and all beers are between $ 4 – 5. YAY!
Yes, it is a smaller place but that hasn’t been an issue for me yet.

Many band choices for live music. Little venue.

I just went to a really great bluegrass show last night, so it’s time to write my Unilocal review (and to remember to come back here more often). Abilene offers an eclectic mix of musical acts and, maybe I’m just really lucky, but I’ve never seen a band here that I didn’t really love.
The space is intimate, so it can get a little crowded on the weekends or for bigger headliners, especially in the wintertime when it’s too cold to take advantage of their huge backyard patio.
When you walk in, there’s the bar along the left wall, a fairly open seating area straight back, and then the band is just around the corner on the right. But, before you go too far, take a cool at the chalkboard listing various specialty or sale beers. Last night, for example, they were offering $ 4 pint cans of Sierra Nevada Torpedo and $ 3.50 pints of Rochestafarian from local brewer Three Heads Brewing, both great deals for good beers. Of course, if you’re feeling Lux-​y, you can get their take on the Pabst-​smear, which is a Texas Breakfast, a PBR and a shot of bourbon for $ 4.
Good music, good beer, good service, you can’t go wrong. My only gripe is that they used to serve Utica Club but no longer do. I’m a Genesee fan, sure, but when it’s gold canned upstate cousin, the first beer served after prohibition, stops by for a visit, I’m in.

Love the place and Danny but my car got hit here when I parked across the street, too close to the ballroom, I guess. The asshole who hit me just left, so I’m not happy about the parking, you HAVE to get there early. I wish the bands were on earlier, too. I work a day job but the music is the best.

Abilene really does bring in some great musical acts. I’ve seen a variety of shows here with bands that you can’t hear anywhere else in the area.
That’s what I like about Abilene: the music. What I don’t like: the space. Pretty much because there isn’t enough of it. The popularity of the acts has outgrown the size of the venue. Expect to stand shoulder-​to-​shoulder with other patrons and leave with beer on your shoes (I literally had to hold up the glass of someone standing next to me to stop them from pouring it onto the floor).
The outdoor area is nice, but I only step out there during the band breaks. And I’ve never stopped by Abilene without music to entice me.
Drinks are good enough. Haven’t had anything spectacular and usually just stick with a beer. I was intrigued by the sign for their Moscow Mule served in a copper mug but I knew sipping a cocktail and shaking my groove thing wouldn’t work well together.
Pro tip: arrive early or you may have to wait for people to leave before you can enter.

Abilene is where some of the best artists in or coming to Rochester play. It’s hidden away on Liberty Pole Way with not much else around it — except a fire station and some ghetto club. But it is totally worth the trip every time. Beer list is excellent, house drinks are great and the music — well, it’s what makes this place. They book shows most nights of the week and it’s always something worth listening to. Go check it out!

I’m so glad to see Abilene with such good reviews. This place is fucking incredible. The vibe is what does it, that and the dirt cheap alcohol.
In fact, this is the only bar I’ve ever enjoyed, anywhere. I live in California now and still reminisce about my too-​few trips to Ab. I think the best part was watching a drunk hipster make small talk with absolutely every female in the place, who in turned all adored him like the three-​legged puppy at an arts festival.
In an image, that sums up Abilene.

Abilene is one of the best places to go for a musical experience in Rochester. It’s cozy so you feel like you’re out with close friends, and probably making new ones while sitting at the bar. It’s modeled after a bar down south, which makes it a great place to escape. They only serve bottled beer, wine and liquor drinks — no drafts, but don’t fret there’s a lot to choose from on the drink list. Take a peek at their events calendar, even if you don’t know the band, go anyway — you won’t be disappointed. They also have an awesome patio to enjoy when the weather’s good.
One thing to note: They have a small parking lot so plan for on-​street parking. But, you won’t have to pay if you’re going after 6pm or on the weekends.

Abilene in the summer, 5 stars. Abilene in the winter, 4 stars. Small inside, great back patio, bottled beer only (but what a great selection!), folk-​americana music posters and memorabilia, good people and great music. A winning equation!

A fantastic, super fun place to meet up with friends and see great live music. Danny Deutsch is the owner/​proprietor and he is a great music fan and impresario.
I’ve never been to a place that is so lively and full of positive energy! In fact, it is such neat place that I decided to use the facilities to throw a birthday party for my wife (catered by Susan Plunkett). With one band playing upstairs (Infrared Radiation Orchestra) and another downstairs (Tim Clark’s Dang!), my party guests had a blast!
So, if you’re reading Unilocal and want to know where to go during the Rochester International Jazz Fest, Abilene is it!