San Antonio Live Music

3310 S. Zarzamora, San Antonio TX 78225; Tel. 210.923.0177
Live Tejano and conjunto bands are the main attraction to Arturo's Ballroom in San Antonio. This local bar and live music club offers beer, wine and snacks for those who want to watch the band and get some dancing in. A huge big screen TV makes Arturo's more of a sports bar when they have pay-per-view event or local Texas games on. Pool tables and dartboards are also in the bar for the down time between a San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Cowboys game and when the band is the star onstage at Arturo's Ballroom. Great drink specials and a rowdy crowd makes Arturo's a great place to enjoy Tejano music.

450 Soledad, San Antonio TX 78205; Tel. 210.225.0007
In downtown San Antonio by the River Walk, Bonds 007 Rock Bar rocks out with alternative music Friday and Saturday nights. Known for their "big ass beer," a whole 32 ounces of icy cold draft beer goodness, the local bar and San Antonio live music club also has tons of special events and shows throughout the week. Even if the show doesn't fancy customer's tastes, there are pool tables, TVs and darts to entertain. San Antonio's tattooed party animals hang out at the rock bar to get their nightly drinking and rock fix. Not to worry though, they may have ink but the San Antonio crowd is friendly when they aren't head banging.

4515 Fredericksburg Rd., San Antonio TX 78201; Tel. 210.733.1950
To a deaf person, Bunratty Pub in San Antonio is a typical Irish bar with wood paneling and pool tables. When patrons get the full effect of the country music though, the Bunratty Pub seems more like a honky tonk bar than a traditional Irish pub. The University of Texas, San Antonio students aren't too concerned about the mismatched themes of the bar though, as their attention is stolen by the flowing of cheap beer into their glasses. Live music is performed weekly by cowboys instead of Irishmen at San Antonio's Bunratty Pub and, when the band is done, the jukebox takes over. A full bar takes care of the San Antonio folk and University of Texas students who split time between pool, drinking and dancing to the country music.

720 E. Mistletoe Ave., San Antonio TX 78212; Tel. 210.737.8272
The end of San Antonio's Saint Mary's Strip has something spicy to talk about with Carmen's de la Calle Café; hosting live music and dancing. The San Antonio club has jazz on Thursday nights, flamenco dancers on Fridays and world music or concerts on Saturdays. A tapas menu has Latin inspired small dishes to help soak up the potent sangria—a Carmen's de la Calle Café house specialty. When bar hopping on the Saint Mary's Strip, Carmen's is a great place to being the night out in San Antonio.

1719 Blanco Rd., San Antonio TX 78212; Tel. 210.732.3511
In 1932 Newt Casbeer built Casbeers and the surrounding strip center in San Antonio. Casbeers was only a full service bar until the early '60s when Newt Casbeer's daughter started serving up enchiladas that have become, what some would call, the best in San Antonio. It was then that Casbeers became a bar and restaurant offering a full menu of hamburgers, steaks, sandwiches and of course enchiladas. Several nights a week the San Antonio bar and restaurant also plays host to regional live music from local singer and songwriter musicians. Casbeers is a San Antonio local bar staple that can't be missed.

1025 Nogalitos, San Antonio TX 78204; Tel. 210.227.5130
Live tejano music and DJs draw mostly locals to Cool Arrows in San Antonio. Drink specials are offered every night of the week which makes the bar attractive to people who don't want to break the bank to drink. The bands and DJs perform in the front main bar but a back room offers pool for those uninterested in watching what's going on. Cool Arrows can become crowded on popular nights and that crowd is notoriously rowdy.

3030 NE Loop 410, San Antonio TX 78218; Tel. 210.646.9378
One of the best places for country music and dancing in San Antonio, Cowboys DanceHall has plenty of live music, drink specials and fun for all-ages. Cowboys and girls 18 and over can get into the club every night they're open but those who are 21 and over always get specials on entry. Every Friday night a live band plays at Cowboys DanceHall and the San Antonio bar also features live pro bull riding. The Friday night bull-riding rodeo lets riders earn points and the best compete at the end of the month for money. Some of the bars and clubs in San Antonio have shifted to trendier music, but Cowboys DanceHall is still an original San Antonio, TX cowboy's bar.

200 S. Alamo, San Antonio TX 78205; Tel. 210.222.1400
Right on the San Antonio River Walk, Durty Nelly's Irish Pub is one of those classic old-fashioned pubs with peanut shells covering the floor and piano music for the drunkards to sing along. Known for having one of the best beer selections in San Antonio, the bar fills up fast regardless of the season as locals take the place of tourists in the off months. Durty Nelly's also offers outside seating, the perfect way to people-watch on the Riverwalk. Many folks come all the way to San Antonio just to drink and do sing-alongs at Nelly's Irish Pub.

14464 Old Bandera Rd., Helotes TX 78023; Tel. 210.695.8827
Opening in 1946, the Floore Country Store has had some of the greatest names in country and folk history play the venue like Elvis, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, BB King and many other notable artists. Outside of San Antonio, the Texas Historical Commission has recognized Floore Country Store and the building that houses it important to Texas history. Now the Country store has a full bar and café serving up excellent barbeque almost every night with live country, folk and rock shows go on almost every night usually for free or for a small cover at the door. The San Antonio outdoor amphitheatre is a great place to catch a live music show, soak up the Texas night air and enjoy a cold beer. The Floore Country Store is a true taste of classic Texas history.

111 W. Crockett St., San Antonio TX 78205; Tel. 210.212.4770
There are plenty of places to drink on the San Antonio River Walk, but Howl at the Moon also offers a venue to sing along with the dueling pianos in a large room of people. The bar and live music club takes comedy, music and drinking to the next level to keep the crowd entertained. Various drink specials are offered nightly at San Antonio's Howl at the Moon with especially low prices for college students on Thursday nights and cheap drinks plus a free buffet Friday evening. They even offer specialty jello "shots" in plastic syringes and &auot;tube shots&auot; in plastic test tubes. Howl at the Moon is definitely a fun bar to hit up while on San Antonio's River Walk.

9726 Datapoint Dr., San Antonio TX 78229; Tel. 210.692.7620
If this Northwest San Antonio bar’s moniker doesn’t give you an idea of what kind of hangout it is, then you might as well hang up your spurs, swill another round and think long and hard about how dense you are. All the standard trappings of a great bar are happily intact, from ample quantities of booze to sports-drenched TVs to downright dangerous drink specials to live bands. To top it all off, they offer free wireless Internet access, allowing the multi-taskers of the world to get drunk and work all at the same time. Yes – for a place that has quite possibly the most uncreative name in the history of Irish pubs, Irish Pub San Antonio is a pretty awesome hangout.

2950 Thousand Oaks Dr. #5, San Antonio TX 78247; Tel. 210.494.2309
Rock, drink specials and even good ol' bar food make Jack's Patio Bar and Grill one fantastic place to hang out in. The San Antonio bar has drink specials every day of the week so going everyday certainly won't rob the bank. Thursday through Saturday nights guarantee live rock music along with the drink specials at Jack's Patio Bar attracting a fun twenty and thirty-something crowd. Throughout the week there are more local San Antonio bands and even karaoke where the customers are the ones on the stage performing for the bar. The bar and grill is perfect before and after a San Antonio Spurs game to quench thirsts and satisfy hungers. Burgers, wings and other bar food are staples at Jack's Patio Bar & Grill to go along with a beverage while watching a show or waiting for a pool table.

100 Probandt St., San Antonio TX 78204; Tel. 210.212.5727
Southtown has become known for its artsy culture and the Blue Star Arts Complex, not to mention the great food and cheap beer. At La Tuna, good food and culture, plus a prime location across from the Blue Star Brewing Company, all play a part in this San Antonio bar's success. The bar and restaurant gets especially crowded on San Antonio's monthly art event, First Friday. La Tuna has daily drink specials as well as unique and tasty food like lamb sandwiches and burgers to satisfy all ages. Picnic tables under trees and live music attract beer drinkers and artists in San Antonio—sometimes that means the same group—to La Tuna's fantastic atmosphere.

2718 N. Saint Mary's St., San Antonio TX 78212; Tel. 210.735.7775
Local San Antonio bands are regulars on Limelight's stage as well as nationally touring bands. The bar attracts a college and college-aged crowd thanks to the bar hopping that usually goes on down the Saint Mary's Strip. Art is displayed on the club's walls at Limelight and changes monthly in order to continue featuring San Antonio up and coming artists. Drink specials and the rock that comes with them are great throughout the week and attract more clientele. Keep an eye on Limelight's calendar because there's a lot going on at this San Antonio live music club.

6740 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78216; Tel. 210.804.2433
On Wednesday through Saturday nights Luna in San Antonio hosts live jazz, blues, soul, R&B, Latin and funk music—not all at once—in their low-lit cozy club. The full bar has a plasma TV that shows the local Texas game or San Antonio Spurs when they're playing so even music lovers don't have to give up sports. Luna is the only non-smoking music club in San Antonio, which means they provide a comfortable atmosphere for everyone. Although they only offer snacks like mix and chips, Luna's does offer an acceptable wine list, many bottled and draft beers and a great cocktail menu. The specialty cocktails—Luna Colada is Malibu Coconut rum, pineapple juice and cream, garnished with a cherry and coconut—and specialty shots—the Mind Eraser is layered with Kaluha, vodka and club soda taken as a shot through two straws—are the best of any San Antonio jazz club. It's nearly impossible to not have a good time with good drinks and good music at Luna.

123 Losoya St.#19, San Antonio TX 78205; Tel. 210.222.0220
Specialty cocktails, live music, live DJs and plenty of drink specials make Mad Dogs a British style pub on the River Walk that's worth the walk. A menu of pub grub makes Mad Dogs San Antonio a great place to start bar hopping from because a bite to eat can be ordered with the first round of drinks. Behind the bar, attractive ladies sling drinks to the crowds of twenty and thirty somethings in attendance for dancing or whatever band has taken over the stage for the evening. Being an English pub, Mad Dogs offers all the essentials with a few other authentic English spirits to sport the British Isle flavor on the San Antonio River Walk.

12260 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio TX 78217; Tel. 210.655.0040
San Antonio cowboys are rampant at Midnight Rodeo's bar, but they have enough ladies' night specials to bring in plenty of cowgirls as well. Super cheap drink specials help lubricate the dance floor and the ability to get a dance with a partner of one's choosing if the line dancing didn't work in that department. Everyone wears his or her nicest 10-gallon hat and cowboy boots to impress the opposite sex. Drink specials and a buffet make more of a reason to go to San Antonio's Midnight Rodeo if meeting a new special someone wasn't reason enough.

2801 N. Saint Marys St., San Antonio TX 78212; Tel. 210.732.5307
Dive right into the San Antonio music scene with a healthy helping of everything from Cajun, blues and funk to rock, metal and punk. The St. Mary's Strip dive bar brings in a new crowd each night with each new band that takes the tiny stage. There's no doubt that &auot;international&auot; is an appropriate title for Salute's with the different bands that play, but the bar is most popular when local San Antonio bands are rocking the house. Colorful walls, bright neon lights and—oh, yes—velvet paintings are a constant reminder that Salute' International Bar really is a dive bar. The kitschy décor is easily overlooked, though, when there's a hot band going crazy five feet away.

330 E. Grayson St., San Antonio TX 78215; Tel. 210.223.2830
Every night of the week Sam's Burger Joint has something going on whether it's a local San Antonio band or a DJ to get the place pumped up. As one of the greatest live music venues in South Texas, Sam's is also home of some of the best burgers in the area. Every Monday night the bar and restaurant hosts the Swing Factory with free lessons and a live swing band playing for classy broads and their partners. Tuesday nights have San Antonio's edgiest poetry reading, Puro Slam and on Thursday nights the San Antonio Blues Society presents S.A. Blue Cats Jam for a fabulous jazz jam session. Sam's Burger Joint has a great menu with burgers, sandwiches, appetizers and other stuff—like Frito pie!—and even a few salads, but how dare anyone go to a burger place for a salad? Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio is a place to go for a big sloppy burger that can be danced off afterwards.

1812-18 Main St., San Antonio TX 78212; Tel. 210.732.0313
The red and black exterior of the Sanctuary hints at the Goth and metal bands that the club often hosts. Directly across from San Antonio College, the Sanctuary is known for the alternative rock bands that draw students into the bar on various days of the week. On a street that has mostly gay bars, the San Antonio live music club still brings in big name talent between the local acts. More of a dive bar than a nightclub, on off nights Sanctuary attracts business with amazingly cheap drinks and other happy hour specials. Anything from inked and pierced bikers to giant trannies can walk through the doors at the Sanctuary and no one would blink an eye. That's a great reason to like this kicked back San Antonio bar.

16620 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78232; Tel. 210.572.9307
To bar or to band, that is the question. Sherlock's Baker St. Pub and Grill in San Antonio has two sides, both equally fun, both equally attractive, but a choice needs to be made between the bar side or the band side. It's a tough choice with the bar side boasting pool tables, darts and Golden Tee and the band side promising live music every night. The San Antonio British pub may tip the scale towards the bar side with a grill serving up British favorites like Shepherd's Pie, classic pub food favorites like burgers and Baja tacos like grilled fish tacos. British pub, Baja tacos? It's Texas, okay. The pub offers a huge selection of draught and bottle beers to enjoy on either side. Quieter and darker on the pub side, couches and tables are a great place to watch the current sports game on one of the many TVs. What it comes down to is that bar side or band side, Sherlock's Baker St. Pub and Grill in San Antonio has plenty to offer to anyone looking for a good time.

5500 Babcock Rd., Ste. 117, San Antonio TX 78240; Tel. 210.691.3000
Retro lounge furniture makes Sky Lounge the perfect place to sit back and relax with friends. The Sky Lounge has live San Antonio bands rocking the joint on weekends drawing a diverse crowd to the bar with a DJ taking over the empty spaces midweek. Most of the crowd comes to see and be seen, watching hipsters like themselves sip on the newest trendy drink. The atmosphere is chill, and there is a separate room with another bar, pool table, TV and video games for those revel in the hipness of the Sky Lounge but can't stand being watched.

2410 N. St. Marys St., San Antonio TX 78212; Tel. 210.737.2221
The White Rabbit on St. Marys Strip is part of the San Antonio music scene that keeps alternative rock... well... rocking. Open only Thursday through Saturday—unless a national act requires another night—the bar and club has two stages, each just big enough not to get kicked in the face by the lead of a punk or metal band. Both stages have performances every night the White Rabbit is open. The smaller stage hosts jam bands while the main stage has rock whether it is metal, punk or the newest rock genre. Local San Antonio bands gladly take the stage, but plenty of touring national bands—Halifax, Mastadon, Sparta, etc.—come through the club also.

 

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San Antonio Bars

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