I LOVE the Sandbar. Such a fun and exciting place! My friends and I make sure to go to the Sandbar when we go out! How fun is it to get toys and little surprises in your drinks?!
The one thing I love at the Sandbar is the crowd. Some nights it’s swarming with college coeds and some nights it’s a more mature, casual crowd. There are friendly regulars and a crazy, fun-loving staff that is there to make your evening an experience to remember.
How it all began…
Peach Madl opened the doors of The Sandbar in 1989. Located in beautiful downtown Lawrence, Kansas, and inspired by the free-spirited lifestyle of Key West and the music of Jimmy Buffett, the Sandbar is a tiny oasis for people from all walks of life. From University of Kansas students and returning alumni to local business people to tourists, the Sandbar’s tiki-bar atmosphere has something for everyone.
Enjoy one of our specialty tropical drinks like the Bahama Mama, the drink that started it all, or our best-selling Shark Attack, complete with a toy shark and blood. (Don’t worry, it’s just grenadine!) All of our concoctions are served with toys and beads. In fact, we’re still proud of our reader-voted award back in 2007, “Best Drink Trinket,” from Pitch Weekly, a Kansas City-area entertainment publication.
Our watering hole is small, but we proudly claim the best jukebox in Lawrence. A nostalgic mix of dance and party music entertains our customers, who are often found dancing on the bar alongside our staff to favorites like “Car Wash” and “Shake Your Tailfeathers.” The famous Indoor Hurricane attraction was added in 2002. The campy show blows through every night at 10 p.m. and features a mix of wind, rain, and lightning; mermaids dancing on the bar; a video starring Sandbar friends and family (and sometimes a famous face or two).
The Sandbar has been voted as a Best Bar in Lawrence and managing partner and longtime bartender David Johanning has been voted Best Bartender in Lawrence since 2012 in the Best of Lawrence contest. The Sandbar offers an escape from everyday life- a place where you can kick back and relax with your favorite drink, chat with the bartenders and make new friends, dance or hang out on our outdoor patio.
Spend Valentine’s Day at the Lodge in Baldwin
How well do you know your sweetie? Find out at a fun Valentine's Day event at the Lodge in Baldwin City! Peach, founder of the Sandbar and owner of the Lodge, and our friend Marcia, who owns Rejuvene Spa across the street from us, are hosting an interactive game...
New this year: Chiefs watch parties
Have you met our new bartender Britt? He's a great guy, and a football fan, and he's hosting Chiefs watch parties at the Sandbar this season. The first one last week was a big success! Normally we don't open until 5 on Sundays, but on Chiefs game days the doors will...
Live music lineup for this year’s block party
More block party news! We have a familiar lineup for this year's two-night block party. Everyone loved the bands last year, so why change it? Friday, August 12: Perennial favorite party band Sellout! will headline Friday's show, around 9:30, after local favorites...