Inside Family-Friendly Alamo Drafthouse Mueller and Carnival Bar Barrel O’ Fun

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Alamo Drafthouse’s sixth theater takes on the neighborhood of Mueller, and with it comes a new bar, Barrel O’ Fun, and a whole lot of family-friendly fun. While the theater and bar are soft launching this week for staff training, everything opens on Thursday, March 9.

Eater peeked into Alamo’s latest theater, designed by Weiss Architecture Inc., before its unveiling. Blue Genie Art Industries fashioned the theater's fun elements: the barrel entrance, the egg game, funky booths, and the Devil's Tower spaceship. Neon artist Evan Voyles created all of the lit-signage for the theater.

Cocktail bar and restaurant Barrel O’ Fun works as a kid-friendly spot during the day, with housemade sodas, floats, egg creams, and sweets. Then, when happy hour hits, it transitions into Bar O’ Fun, with boozy versions of those drinks: creamy flips, barrel-aged cocktails, highballs, 45 beer taps, and wine. For food, there are carnival-inspired bites (hot dogs, pickles), as well as well as an emphasis on wood planked food as a homage to its name. The full Barrel O’ Fun menu follows below.

Up on the second floor, there are six theaters all together, as well as a balcony overlooking Mueller. Each auditorium features comfortable individual seats with separate tables, as well as reclining chairs in the very front row. There are only gender-neutral bathrooms available.

As for the young ones, there is Parents’ Night Out, where guardians can drop off their kids at the Thinkery and enjoy a movie by themselves. The theater is also partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas, offering those families free movies.

Barrel O' Fun hours are from 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday, and noon to midnight on Sunday. Tickets for screenings are currently on sale.