San Antonio
 

I know there are some GCers on here from San Antonio, so maybe you guys can help me out. I'll be there for about five days (on business) in February. We're staying downtown by the river, which I guess is where all the action is. Sooo, when the workday's done, where do you suggest we go? One night we're going to Howl at the Moon (I've been to the one in Chicago and loved it) but I think the other nights are free. Where would YOU go if the boss was paying? ;)

Used to live in San Antonio (but still have ties to it since my Masonic 'mother lodge' is located there).

Check out Fat Tuesday for their high-octane slurpees, the Kangaroo Court for a British pub-like feel and the Hard Rock Cafe (don't know if Planet Hollywood is still around). Howl At The Moon is highly recommended.

I have not been "out on the town" in SA as a 21 year old, so I do not really have any suggestions. GC's lifesaver could help you out a great deal. I am sure he wouldn't mind if you PM'd him. I hope you have a blast in SA! I miss it. :(

Here ya go.
 

COOL!

We’ll gladly welcome you and your coworkers to SA. I can give you the lowdown on all the good goings on here. A few suggestions first:

I recommend you getting a car. At least for one day. San Antonio is one of those really large sprawling texas towns and if ya’ll wanna experience the real san Antonio, ya need to get away from downtown and the riverwalk. DT is cool, but its very polished, touristy and fake. Seriously, most locals avoid it. And most locals have been to the Alamo like one time in their entire lives.


While downtown these are my suggestions:

Meals:
Twin Sisters: Liberal. Corner of Houston and Broadway. (only open for lunch) Very granola, but good meals. Try the tortilla soup.

Mi Tierra: Mexican. Market Square. A legend. Open 24 hours. Bill Clintons fav. Place in SA. Good food. Great Mexican bakery. Pan dulce to die for.

Paeisanos: Italian. Riverwalk. Italian with a touch of Texan. Good. Have the shrimp Paisano or Snapper Paisano.

Dolores del Rio: Italian. Riverwalk. Italian.Medeterranain. Good. Cool atmosphere, bellydancers.

Original Mexican Food Resturaunt. Mexican. Riverwalk. Its been good. Its been bad. It’s a coin toss.

Rosarios: Mexican. King William (You’ll need to cab, maybe 5-10 mins from most DT hotels) The place to see and be seen. Margaritas you’d kill for. Really good food and the owner Lisa Wong is a good friend. My recommendation. Hands down.

Clubs/Bars:
Howl at the Moon. Club/Bar. Wait till Friday or Saturday night for this one. Best then. Othertimes it tends to be a bit empty. If ya want a table, be there by 8:30 or so. It fills up fast and you’ll have to stand. I personally like standing, but some don’t.

Polyesthers: Riverwalk. Dance Club. Wear comfortable shoes and it gets really warm in there. Dress appropriately. Cover is $8. 3 levels. 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s and today. Fun.

Zinc Wine and Champaign bar. Corner of Navarro and Delorosa. High class for SA. Really fun. Sit out back in the cortyard. Great for chatting. Intimate. Try the cure-all. Chambord, Midori, Pineapple Juice topped with champagne. 3 of those and you are cured. Great for during the week. Emmett Smith loved this place during cowboys traing camp and it is real popular with all the local tv people. Theres no sign so you’ll have to get in the area and ask someone where it is. Worth looking for.

La Tuna. Beer Joint. King William. About 15 blocks south of Rosarios. Def. Not walking distance. Its what we call an icehouse. Just a big outdoor area popular with local artisans and a place to chill and drink beer. Just don’t go much further south than La Tuna. It’s the edge of the known world. Dotn go if the weather sucks. Its nothing but picnic tables.

Mad Dogs. Riverwalk in the Hyatt. Bar. Very fun and best butterynipples in town. Plays lots of 80’s. Way fun to chill outside on the patio and watch the touristas go by on the riverwalk.


Outside of Downtown:
Meals:
Rudys. BBQ. I-10 and Boerne Stage Road. (20 miles from DT, but on the northern edge of SA.). Absolutely worth the drive. Best BBQ ON THE PLANET. Its my soul food. Ordered by the ¼, 1/3, ½ or full lb, and eaten on butcher paper, oits by far the best BBQ ever. The sause (yes, that’s how its spelled) is amazing. You’ll buy a bottle on your way out. For gods sake, the place was even featured on the Travel Channel’s Secrets series of Texas. I’ve known it was awesome for years. Its across the street from campus, so wed eat there all the time. Mmmmm.

Reggiano’s. Italian. 281 &1604. Good Italian in a classy neighborhood.

Stoneworks. American. Basse & 281. Great food and a better atmosphere. Voted best place to find your ideal mate the last 3 years running. The beautiful people hang out there.

La Fugata: Mexican. Hildebrand & Blanco. A local fav and really good.

Carraubas: Texan Italian Grill. I-10 and DeZavala. A chain, but very good. Inexpensive, and very popular with the locals.

Scenic Loop Café: Texas/Southwest. Scenic Loop and Boerne Stage Road (3 Miles west of Rudy’s). Very trendy and good. Inexpensive, and George Straight is the owner. Occasionally he pops in. Its in the neighborhood of the Dominion, where David Robinson, Tommy Lee Jones and Madeline Stowe all have homes. Since there’s nothing else out there, there’s always a good chance you might see a star out there. The salmon is amazing.

Chuy’s. Mexican. Alamo Heights. The same chain where Pres. Bushes daughter got busted for drinking a few years ago in Austin. Great enchiladas. A rowdy time and place to be seen.

Clubs/Bars:
Martinis: Show club. Rector at McCullough. Wayne Harper sings a lounge act and the place is always packed. Think Dresden form Swingers and you have it. Weekends are the only time he plays I think.

Hills and Dales: Ice House (That’s what we call a place that’s part store/part bar, very casual and usually has a deck or someplace to sit outside and drink). 1604 and Babcock. Across from campus and very popular with the college crowd. Biggest beer selection in town. Sit on the patio and meet some of the very friendly bikers that hang out on Wednesdays.

Flying Saucer. Bar. I-10 and Huebner. Very popular local joint that jumps most of the week. Many kinds of beers and the young cool kids hang out here. Very friendly.

Lindy’s or Bombays. Bars. Both on Fredericksburg between Callaghan and Huebner. Where all the med students hang out after class/work. Happening most of the week.

I am sure there are more. I’ll think about it for a while and see what I come up with. What days of the week and when specifically will ya’ll be here. I see of the spurs are playing or if there are any really cool festivals going on.

I'd also suggest to check out Durty Nellies pub on the Riverwalk. Your basic Irish pub complete with an organ? player and everything.

Kitso
KS 361

Oops... I forgot! For killer Texas BBQ you gotta go to Casey's which is on the northwest corner of Nakoma and 281 (right by the approach for SAT Runways 12L and 12R - the big jets use 12R). I miss chowing down on some killer breakfast tacos (a San Antonio staple unheard of in Dallas). See if you can find the folding chair where former President Clinton sat down in on a visit to San Antonio some years ago (hint: it's the one that has a sticker with the Presidential seal). There is another Casey's on I-10 but I don't know exactly where.

You're right, Lifesaver... the Riverwalk is too touristy and most locals don't usually go there unless entertaining friends from out of town. I didn't go there much.

And don't forget Dick's Last Resort on the Riverwalk... rowdy, the service is intentionally surly (but not rude) but the food's good! After all 'you can't kill a man born to hang!' Get yourselves a 'Big-A** Beer' mug -- or better yet, sneak one out! :D

WOW - thanks guys! I'll have to print this out and bring it with. If you think of any more suggestions, please post!

lifesaver, you rock! I'm sending you a pm

Last time I was in San Antonio, which was around Thanksgiving- we went to Mi Tierra. That was our second time trying to get in- since before the wait was too long. This time around, we actually waited and waited. Finally we got our table- and I was surprised they didnt have many of my favorite mexican plates on the menu. The food wasnt that good and I dont think the wait was worth it. I should have ate something from the bakery instead.

I personally like the Time Machine. Its a lot of fun- or atleast its "different"

RedRose, beware of LifeSaver, he was a nerdo in college.

He did not drink, smoke or go out with Soroity Ladies as he was banned from ALL parties for being the Chapter Nerdo! Kept the GPA up so why spoil a good thing for the Fraternity!

I think they must have given him local pamphlets to let him know what was really out there in the real world!:D







Andy Love Ya Man, Hope you get a chance to show some S A and LXA Hospitality when they are in your town!:cool:

Grew up here, so let me give you the insight

BBQ-if you want some awesome BBQ jump on 90-E and exit roland travel down like 2 mins and their is this little BBQ place called Bob's smokehouse it's like 6 mins from my house it's rated like the best bbq in San antonio.

Vintage-their is this place called the Tip-Top cafe off of Fred. road it's freakin awesom try the onion rings there delish.

Steak and dining- If your really in a romantic mood and of course have a vehicle. Travel a little distance outside of the city to a place called the Grey Moss Inn, women love it because it's so romantic. Ask around you'll definitiely here about it.

Go to Swig it's a pretty cool martini bar, I love it

Bars and clubs..pretty much everything lifesaver mentioned. Broadway Bar is pretty cool as well.


Have fun and I would seriously recommend a rental...I mean it.

So Lifesaver,

You gonna host us all when NIOSA rolls around?? :D

I've never been to college night and i'm thinkin that since i graduate in May i need to hit it and hit it hard.

Kitso
KS 361 kisses i'm gonna get at NIOSA this year ;)

Ooh yeah... NIOSA! (That's Night In Old San Antonio, for those who aren't from SA or know about it.) Be prepared to party your a** off down in the southern end of the Riverwalk! And don't forget the Oyster Bake either - just don't get sick chowing down on raw oysters!

hahha. Got lots of floor space, and someone can claim the flip'n'phuck, er, I mean futon. Any and all are welcome. NIOSA Rocks, as does oysterbake. My buddy helps run OB, so I'll be backstage this year partying in the VIP booth...free food and drinks and socializing witht Mr. REK who is headlining Friday night. Hells yeah. Its allabout cascarones, 15 empty beer cups stacked, park and ride, the food and runnign into everyone YOU EVER KNEW. God I cant wait. I also had to miss Battle of Flowers last year. All about the VIP seating my other friend has at KLRN. Them fools have a buffet. All over that. I'll be there this year. I am trying to talk my firm into getting a hotel room for BOF tho.

Oh yes, Oyster Bake is held at my very own St. Mary's Univ. :D Sooo much fun. For those who do go, don't forget to buy chocolate covered strawberries from the wonderlful Alpha Phi's ;)

Side note to Kitso: You can't hang. :D

When I went to SA to visit the ex's family we'd eat at County Line. It had really good brisquet (sp?). Sorta reminded me of Famous Dave's!
I also recommend Chuy's! I loved that place so much. Great Mexican and fabulous salsa!