Knickerbocker Saloon

Worthy atmosphere of the oldest bar claim, an eclectic blend of fascinating vintage lighting and long strung out dining area staging a very cool bar, us four guys dropped in to game a bachelor party.m before heading to Bistro 501. Staff was pleasant and enjoyable but a bit slow and awkward with checks. There needs to be easier ways to send money than fiddling with papers and pens. We each ordered a choice cocktail, old fashioned, Moscow mule, spicy Margarita, all way too watered down and overly sweet. This is a poor introduction to any downtown good times. Unable to recommend due to the lack of skill for extremely easy drink making here, my spicy Marg was embarrassing compared to a basic buffalo wild wings mango habanero margarita which actually offers a tingling sensational balanced blend. The same goes for the others who all were confused how a classic bar fell so far. When Buffalo Wild Wings has much better drinks than a long-lived local hotspot, something is seriously wrong!

Bartender sucks. If you can't have a good attitude, don't be a bartender. Better places to get a drink and spend my money. Ambiance not bad, but old and tired. Go someplace that cares that you are there

Great casual bar with an interesting history!

Old school speakeasy vibe. Live piano player taking requests. Plenty of bartenders. Great old woodwork throughout. I could stay there forever.

The history of this place is great. I suggest arriving after 8pm as the male bartenders dress up for work and are quick and on point. Covid has allows them to open seating on the street and it really quite nice. You can be outside and not have to be close to smokers.Meanwhile, we were served by a female bartender starting at about 7:15 p.m. Who was wearing what appeared to be pajama shorts and a tank top. She also appeared to be inebriated on the clock, loudly and outside use the f-word multiple times and is apparently voting for Trump.She then clocked out and argued outside with a milk acquaintance of hers on the patio for roughly 45 minutes.

Great bar and space down town Lafayette. Historic building and the speakeasy vibe helps you feel the history come alive. Live music and piano make the space come alive. Pool and games in opposite room behind bar.

Thought I'd try this place because of the history and I was not disappointed! Service for me was spot on. I never sat empty for more than 2min. (I don't mind walking so I ordered at the bar) Quaint and cozy space, it really transports you back in time!

Day trip to Lafayette last month, but most of the details are lost to memories. Here's what I do remember:Oldest bar in the state as declared by the state legislatureThere are no taps, only cans/bottles. Could be due to the age of the bar or some such.There is a small stage in the main bar area for solo musicians or comics, and a larger stage in a separate room.The separate room also has a decent collection of musical instrument and other memorabilia. The restrooms and the hallway have a few old licenses from the bar's earliest days.This is very much a neighborhood bar with a lot of locals that will likely strike up a conversation.Food is limited, if not non-existent. However they don't mind if you bring in food, and there is an excellent french restaurant next door.

Well, for all the hoopla for this place from others, it didn't meet expectations. Ok, Friday night. Ok, After Covid. Ok, first time. But, come on. This doesn't explain the poor service and music.Went to the Knickerbocker to have some fun to listen to The Piano Man who is suppose to be well known here in Lafayette. But the experience only began with some crazy stuff...When we sat down, at a small table along the bar, we were approached by the waitress about 5 minutes later. Oh, there were less that 12 people there. Keep that in mind. She got our order, one glass of wine and one vodka on the rocks. Ummm, take a look at your finger. Yep your index finger. My drink was, including ice was only one finger. NO it wasn't a wide glass. Just a normal glass. My guess was not even a shot. Well one would say, must be an over site and go on.Next in out experience was that the Piano Man finally began 30 minutes past when "he" was supposed to start. Yep, it wasn't him. He had two other guys with him that tried to play some old covers. Not good. The stories I've heard of the Piano Man were not full filled. Such a disappointment.Oh, back to the waitress. While waiting for the music, I asked for another drink since all I had was a swallow. I looked and they had a great Martini list. So, I said I would start with their Classic martini. Hmmm.... Classic. Ok, lets get this straight. Ice, 2.5 oz vodka, 1/2 oz dry vermouth and an olive for garnish. Please tell me I'm wrong. But this is basic. I turned around to watch the "bar tender" to watch make my drink. Guess what, the waitress was making it. I watched her put about 1 oz of vodka, 1 oz of vermouth and when she brought it to the table, no garnish. LOL, it only got worse. I asked her if she was missing something..."No." I told her that martinis are garnished with olives. She said that was just the "dirty martinis.". Well, with that said, I asked for olives, endured the taste, paid the bill and left.Overall, NOT a good experience. We won't be going back. Oh, you ask if I asked for the Manager? He was busy flirting with the young girls. Hmmm

I sat down at the bar and waited 30 minutes and never received any service. There was 2 bartenders working the bar. it was 8 pm, on a Friday night. The bar had less than 15 people in it. Bartenders were too busy hanging out with friends, to take care of paying customers.I have been in the food industry for over 3 decades, I have never received such poor service. "Service" is too good a word to use, seeing as I never had my drink order taken, so technically I did not receive any type of service. A complete waste of time.