Chili&#x27;s

Really incredible and kind service from the tall bartender with the glasses! Very very nice! I…read moreordered lemon pepper wings and a lime frozen marg! Both were good! The wings had a crisp on them that was out of this world! Perfect patio music playing in the background and an incredibly dog friendly outside area! They have both shaded and unshaded seats! This was a super nice place, I'd come back! Perfect after a day at the river ! And I saw they do karaoke and trivia !

Only came for drinks. Will come back soon, for food. Loved the ambiance. The bar server was very…read morepatient as I requested my drink to be prepared with extra limes. Great place to hang out, grab a drink and sit and mingle. Plenty of outdoor seating.

Back patio

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Riding in style

Shade Rooftop Patio

3.6(34 reviews)

a good vibe safe place and drinks are great staff is really cool and chill! Me and my girl had a…read moreball plus everything well a lot of stuff. The drinks are strong.

Located in downtown San Marcos in the very heart of "college town, USA," Shade offers a picturesque…read morerooftop view of downtown and surprisingly good adult beverages with modest prices all in a safe environment. I wasn't told about this establishment, rather I happened upon it while meandering about aimlessly on a Saturday afternoon in April. All the other bars at 2am seemed dead, so I saw the sign and decided to ascend the "stairway to drinks" in the easily overlooked front entrance. After hitting the top of the stairs, the place opens up to a very interesting experience. There are two main covered areas, a thought to keep in mind as it was rigorously sprinkling when I visited. First there's a well-stocked open bar area under a makeshift roof with TVs there to grab the attention if the phone isn't working. Sorry, that's a pet peeve of mine as so many people go out nowadays to bars and sit on a phone rather than socialize. What's the point!? Ok, lets get back to the review shall we? While the bar has a 270 degree seating area, there are some open tables without a roof. This yields to the largest area with a shack like roof covering picknick tables, benches all not exactly the most comfortable seating but cozy nonetheless. The fellow patrons were extremely nice and represented all spectrums of life. As for the drinks the bartender was extremely helpful in suggesting drinks of the day while being fast in severing over 30 people by himself. Kudos to slinging suds at a lightspeed pace. I don't fault the establishment for only having one person scheduled as 2pm isn't normally busy but when an impromptu bridal shower shows up, Shade showed out (meaning they handled it well)! My bourbon cocktail was perfectly balanced while their special drinks weren't overpowering yet had enough alcohol to kick start a motor into 5th gear after sitting idle for too long. Overall, I love this joint as it's everything one could realistically want in a bar. Even though their cocktails varieties are somewhat limited, sorry I wasn't ordering a "pickle-rita" they're very good and reasonably priced. The view is great no matter where which seat is selected and the people are fun and delightful. I highly suggest giving this place a shot as it checks all the boxes on an impromptu list. The only pause would be if it's raining hard, let it end before heading up the stairs.

Craft cocktails and cold beer under the twinkling lights...

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Ruby Slipper

The Davenport

4.0(55 reviews)

0.8 mi

I stopped into The Davenport for a cocktail before a long night out on the San Marcos square, and I…read morewish I had stayed there longer. The Davenport has such a relaxed atmosphere, from the Sade playing inside to the energy of the bartenders, that it feels comfortable as a cocktail bar. We all ordered one drink each, with some ordering the Jonestown Kool-Aid or a Barbie's Bathwater. I ordered a classic Aviation, which I believe is one of the best cocktails around, and it was great. It was a little sharper than ones I've had before, but I was asked if it was good or if he needed to make it sweeter. I enjoyed it for what it is, and I thought the price was pretty fair. I think The Davenport is a great starter or closer on a night out, or simply a great place to stay for a while. The patio is nice and comfortable, especially once the sun goes down, and the vibes are well worth it. RIYL: Creative cocktails that don't break the bank

Emily, Andy, and MC are the perfect bartenders and hosts. My friend and I have thoroughly enjoyed…read moreour drinks, experience, and time at Davenport!! We will be coming back for the friendly environment and customized experience and drinks. we had the best time.

Espresso Martini

Barbie's Bath Water

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The Porch

3.3(31 reviews)

This used to be a fun an unique spot in San Marcos to hang out and grab a drink. But it has issues…read more Let me first start out with the good. The staff is FANTASTIC and very friendly. The bartenders are lead by the awesome Rene(i hope i'm spelling that right) and Miguel. I haven't learned the names of the others yet but I have never had an issue with any of them and they are always so polite. You can drink at the bar and even order food from the Taproom. Now for the bad or what needs to improve. The Porch used to have a nice outside 'porch' area with nice chairs and even porch swings. That I always felt was the selling point of this place as when sitting outside i would constantly hear passers by comment on the swings and even come in to sit on them. These have been replaced by very cheap metal chairs most of which are broken now and for some reason an elevated table with barstools which isn't in the porch motif. The interior used to have nice comfortable couches and chairs but pool tables have replaced those. Its fine I mean business change with new owners but it lost a little of what it was. I would be fine with all of that, except the outdoor chairs, if it wasn't so hot inside. The AC barely works if at all and half of the fans do not work so there is no air circulation and in Texas during the summer you want a nice cool place to relax. They need to fix the fans, cool off the interior and put some fans on the exterior. In the spring time, fall and winter its a great place to hang out, but until they fix the summer issues, I can't say. It is better than when they tried to be a disco club during the pandemic lol.

It was 100 degrees and needed a place to hangout and have a nice cold drink. This place is a bar…read moreand has that western appeal mixed with a sports pub. You can sit facing the street, inside with both a street view and TVs, or in the back where there are more TVs but a bit darker. The bar is smack in the middle with a cool circular projection screen above it. I ordered a Deep Eddy Grapefruit with Sprite and watched the FIFA World Cup. The bartender was cool. It is definitely a cool bar with great drinks.

Blah... Where's the Texas beers?

Bar

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The Taproom

3.9(473 reviews)

I love the food (great burgers), beer and service here. The reason for four stars is that although…read moreplace is a dive (with great potential) I can't get past the sticky floors, tables, chairs and doors. Definitely not for germaphobes...or anyone who can't handle years of bar residue.

Still amazing. Their beer selection never lets you down and their holiday specials make it a novel…read moreexperience while still keeping their classic, burger & brew dive vibe. The service is still on point and food is perfect.

Draft Wall

The Works

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Yellow rose beer

Black Rabbit Saloon

2.5(48 reviews)

this was the best eggplant parmigiana I've had at any restaurant, Why was it so tasty? I think it…read morewas the homemade tomato sauce and that it had not only parmesan and mozzarella cheeses but also burrata, which give the entre and creamy, magnificent taste. That, with a draft Stone Vanilla bean Porter beer made for a memorable dinner. Service was exceptional and the ambience was good. I'm going to order the eggplant again.

Walked in shortly after opening. We were the only ones in there, so I cannot comment on the crowd…read more The vibe is chill, it's dark and they have an extensive whiskey collection. The biggest I've seen. The bartender was young and friendly. I had a blueberry Collins that was refreshing. Tried an old fashioned and I will say that the bartender made one of the best I've ever had. The back end has some cool adult arcade games like skee ball and they even have a Photo Booth and a nice photo wall for your social media photos. They are open starting at 5 pm. I definitely recommend checking this place out if you want a good drink with chill ambiance and the option to play some fun games.

10 rotating beer taps, including seasonal and local brews!

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Full-service back bar in the game room as well.

Showdown

4.1(82 reviews)

1.1 mi

It has been awhile since I've been here. Great place to get a beer for sure. Also great place to…read morerun into people you haven't seen in a few years. There's a pool table, and plenty of seating, at the bar, tables, upstairs as well. Found out that they have food, which I didn't know. We got some burgers, to make sure they were good. And they were. Just good. I did love the fries, done week done, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had onion rings with my burger, they were just alright. The service is good, plenty of bartenders. Super nice and helpful and patient, took me awhile to order. The bar has a mug system, not sure how it works, but they have discounts daily for mug owners. Pretty cool idea. Plenty of TVs on, music was playing.

Attentive bar tenders. Low key locals ( went 6ish on a Thursday the week after parents dropped off…read morestudents) crowd probably much different hours later& weekends. Didn't eat. Only had a few drinks. It's dive bar vibes.

Decor

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2.15.25

Freddy C's Lounge

3.7(17 reviews)

Met up with an old friend. Just happens San Marcos is our half way point to meet. Neither of us…read morehave been to Freddy C's. The bar is like split in two. Not sure if the other half is the same bar or a different bar. But I walked straight in and sat at the bar. While I was waiting for him I ordered a drink. I said anything sweet and vodka based. He said do you like strawberry, I said, I love strawberry. Then he said he would fix me something nice. And he was right. Strawberry lemonade. The drink has a mellow strawberry flavor, so it's actually not too sweet. Had like 4 drinks. The bar was pretty quiet for a Saturday night. It's in the heart of down town San Marcos I would imagine. Looked like the town hall was across the street. There was a group of people that came in, maybe a dad and his son, and son's friends. Maybe a birthday celebration. they actually were doing shots and they ordered one too many and offered it to me. Thank you kind Sir! Sweet of you. No idea what the shot was when I joined their toast. Down the shot went and I was like, no way did I just do that. Like is this really a thing? Pickle juice? Seriously? Haha. Well, just popped my cherry, pickle back shot. Had a great night catching up. Laughs, drinks, memories, and well, it was just nice to step away for a short time. Parking situation. It's all street parking. Didn't have a difficult time finding a spot. And pretty much everything is walkable.

Left my purse at the bar, when I asked if I left it a lady told me she'd would go look and never…read morecame back to give me an update. I noticed all the bartenders were at the end of the bar laughing and joking so I left. As I'm walking out they walk out with my purse. Everything was there but my wallet with $100 cash, a vintage heart locket necklace, my debit and credit cards and my student ID was definitely stolen. When I tried to act upset about it they harassed me, laughed at me and shined a bright flashlight in my face. Not sure if it was the bartenders or another customer but they just handled the situation horribly, will not be coming back.

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Taken from Facebook page

Axis

3.2(13 reviews)

Bouncers have developed a reputation for taking ids and only returning them for a cash fee. My…read moredaughter's real, government issued id was taken and they wouldn't return it without another proof of id. (Which of course she didn't carry much with her when going out.) They claimed not to believe she was as tall as her id stated. Police were called, but it was going to be a while before they would arrive. They did this to several women while she stood there waiting for the police. One paid $70 to get her id back. My daughter's friend paid $40 to get it back and be done with the situation. I am livid at the fact that these guys would take advantage of potential customers and blackmail them for extra cash! Management needs to know the scam the door guys are working.

He was amazing. Bartender af. Made me a tequila sunrise instead of a tequila soda and told me I…read morebetter like it. I did. 20/10 recommend

Our Logo

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Putt Pub

4.2(52 reviews)

0.7 mi

My husband and I had a great time playing pool, ping pong and putt putt!! It was a very hot day…read morebut the fans were a nice touch! Friendly staff

Had a great time here! We went right when they opened so we had the whole place to ourselves. The…read morebartender was so friendly and helpful. The food truck was closed--I guess because it was still early? Drinks were cold and lots of options. The whole place is cute and the course was so fun.

Ping pong champs!

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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

15 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Alicia P.

12 years ago

If you just have to have Chili's I highly suggest driving a few miles to the one in New Braunfels - the San Marcos one has bad service and bad food. I personally would not frequent this place but have several friends that always seem to want to go despite the bad service and food. Last time we went it took about 10 minutes to be acknowledged - which really doesn't bother me, but what did was the avocado burger and fries. It looks like they slapped a tiny spoonful of avocado on top of the meat (maybe a tablespoon at the most) It I am paying $2-$3 more I expect it to have more than that. The burger was very bland tasting - no flavor at all. The french fries were freezer burned and we sent them back - they replaced them with more freezer burned fries. The waitress apologized and said there must be something wrong with the batch because someone else had complained as well?? AND YET THEY KEEP SERVING THEM??? All I know is when your kids won't eat the fries you know they are bad. It is well worth the drive to go some place else read more

Denise F.

9 years ago

I took my niece, she's been visiting us from New Mexico to eat @ Chili's for lunch. I was very pleased with the service. We beat the lunch crowd, so we got seated right away. The restaurant was clean and the staff made you feel comfortable. Our hostess was amazing. Her name was Amanda, she seated us right away and was very helpful with our ordering. The wait for the food was short, we got everything just right, it was all delicious from the Tea's to the main dish. We will be returning and brining more family & friends with us. Thank you for the nice experience, have a great day! read more

Sara N.

330

11 years ago

I love and dislike Chili's at the same time. wierd right....it's like my go to but sometimes they take too long or something just ain't right. I did have lunch there today and really liked my 6 oz sirloin. I love rewards too. I have been going to Chilis since childhood they must put a chemical in the food to make me go back there again and again read more

Isaac G.

6 years ago

this place is trash, host was a bitch and a liar, she said i only had to wait 45 minutes to have mango margs but i had to wait 1&1/2 hours. i don't even want to see her face again, and the cherry on top is that i was already at another restaurant by the time i was able to be seated at this raggedy ass chili's. read more

Corbin C.

667

359

10 years ago

Worst chilies ever. Last 5 times iv been there the food has been awful. The chips are always stale, the food comes out cold, and the service is mediocre. read more

Angela B.

2 years ago

Service was excellent and food was great!!! We were very impressed because the Chili's in our home town is terrible. We will definitely be back! read more

Robert C.

4 years ago

don't bother calling them about anything. they refuse to answer i was on the line for five minutes and no one answered.

LaDonna M.

318

9 years ago

We had a large party and our waiter was so nice and attentive the food was very good as well.

Lucas P.

5 years ago

they always take forever and have incredibly undertrained staff and mismanaged leadership.

Chris M.

9 years ago

Worst drinks ever, I will not go again. And the salad was ass sloppy!!!

John B.

11 years ago

i'm embarrassed for most of the reviewers here. you all seem so petty.

Lucy M.

10 years ago

My boyfriend and i love coming here getting their 2 for $20 deals !!

Fabian L.

3 years ago

food was cold. service was awful. find another place to eat

Tracie W.

250

12 years ago

Bad service. They served me raw chicken.

Cari S.

106

208

12 years ago

Just like every other Chili's!

Chili's - tex-mex - Updated September 2026

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(223 reviews)

Yes it was great! Food is yummy! Waiter was good! Atmosphere is nice.Would recommend and also…read morefamily friendly!

This was my very first time to a Chuy's. The staff was great, the ambience was warm and inviting…read moreand fun. The food was a mixed bag... Chips were really good for the most part! Delicate and crispy and salty, and the salsa and ranch dip were very tasty. We did get a couple chips that really let us down (see pics). Enchiladas were also quite good, if a touch heavy in the stomach. Our sever was awesome and helpful though, and I do think I'd give Chuy's a second chance!

Chimy's Cerveceria

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(129 reviews)

This place is a perfect spot to start the night off with your friends before bar hopping. Drinks…read moreare good but the food is hit or miss. I got the nachos and it was truly the most disappointing nachos I've ever had in my entire life. The nachos consisted of a few tortilla chips, few pieces of chicken, lots of fake cheese and large slices of onions throw on there and that's it. It was just overall disappointing. My friend got the burger and it was ready an hour after we ordered it. Once it arrived, both the burger and fries were cold. However, my other friends got the steak chimichanga burrito and the chicken burrito and it was truly amazing. Again, I think it's a great pregame spot but don't have high hopes.

Employees are nice. We came for the happy hour because on their website and menus it said HH starts…read moreat 2pm BUT the bartender said it actually starts at 4pm. I was annoyed but still got a chilton, it was great. I wish they would fix their website and menus, it just feels like lying if the HH is not accurate.

Red Lobster

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Came for an early sunday lunch with a friend. We got there very early so it wasn't very crowded. We…read morewere seated quickly but after that everything seemed to slow down. Maybe it was because they were just gearing up but it did seem we were waiting for longer periods of time for things like more water or more biscuits. Definitely a first world complaint and not that big of a deal but it was enough that my friend and I talked about it to each other. The food was good though. Nothing to rave about I'd say standard for red lobster. If you've been to one, you've been to them all; but there is something to be said for consistency across restaurants! The server was sweet as well. So overall it was a pleasant experience.

Took a friend for lunch today, to enjoy the endless shrimp. The waiter, Marcos, was absolutely…read moreperfect! It's so rare these days, to have polite and friendly customer service, but Marcos is ALL of that! He responded quickly, got every item exactly correctly, including making sure there was no sour cream on my friend's baked potato. You would be surprised how often waitstaff fails on that one, simple request! So, it makes it worthy to mention that he took care with the order. Definitely try to sit at Marcos' section! The food was all prepared well, hot and delicious! A great visit today!

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant

3.7

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I don't get the lower average review score, it was good Tex-Mex, I've certainly paid more for…read moreworse. The chile rellano was very good, and my dad was very happy with his burrito.

When we first started going here, the service was impeccable. And the food was pretty darn tasty…read more And if you like spicy salsa, theirs definitely has a kick to it. The atmosphere is fun, and I will say it can be noisy. I will say, it feels like there was a change in staff or management recently. Didn't feel the food was as amazing as before, but it wasn't horrible. And, the service has definitely been lacking a bit lately. Of all the Mexican restaurant in town, this one rates in the middle for us. There's a couple others we would much rather go to. Don't let this review keep you from dropping in for a meal. Maybe recently when we went was just a bad day.

Centerfield Sports Bar & Grill

(174 reviews)

great food and great service every time I go in there. the other patrons are very friendly.read more

Stopped in with a friend after hearing good things from a local, especially about the cheesesteak…read more It was early on a Saturday night, so the place was pretty quiet, which wasn't a concern at first. After ordering, we were told they were out of ribeye, so we pivoted to burgers. We also ordered an appetizer sampler. The mozzarella sticks and fried pickles were decent, but the wings were a different story. The honey BBQ sauce tasted more like honey ketchup, and the wings themselves weren't crispy; the skin looked pale and boiled. When our burgers arrived, things really went downhill. We each took a bite and immediately lost our appetite. The bacon wasn't crispy and had an off, almost rancid taste. The onion rings were just okay, but you could clearly taste the oil they were fried in. The fries were the one bright spot and they were actually pretty good. On the positive side, our waitress handled everything well. She was understanding, attentive, and professional throughout, which we appreciated. Only reason why this isn't a one star. Unfortunately, the experience didn't end there. The next day, both of us had stomach issues. Safe to say, this is not a place I'll be returning to.

Freebirds World Burrito

(79 reviews)

First time here and we had an awesome experience. Longish line of mostly college students when we…read moregot there but it went fast. I had a freebird Texas Brsket with my choice of ingredients. The service was fast and friendly. I got to watch them make a super monster burrito for the guy infront of me. It was very entertaining. That gargantuan burrito could feed a family! We had ours to go and everything was still hot and delicious when we got home. I would not mind coming back again. Might try the chicken next time. Btw, they offer military discount as well.

Seriously??? 2 smalls tacos for $19????? It was made then…read morecame time to pay. My mouth dropped when she told me how much I needed to pay. Sorry that I left. Now it all went into the garbage where it belongs.

Palmer's Restaurant Bar & Courtyard

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(783 reviews)

Palmers is our go-to for special occasion dinners or hors d'oeuvres and a drink. The food is…read morealways good however I would like to see them bring back their previous calamari rings. Good customer service is hard to find these days however we have always had very personalized, excellent service. The staff is awesome. Recently we celebrated my wife's birthday in the bar. Our server Tyler was great, very personable and attentive. Don't forget to enjoy Tyler's artwork on your to-go box! Great experience as always.

I hesitate with this review, because then you'll know. You'll know what I know; one of our…read morefavorites in San Marcos. You'll experience the inviting ambience we've enjoyed the minute you step along the courtyard then encounter welcoming and accommodating hostesses. You'll discover the same unique, rich, warm interior we discovered; an elegance to be appreciated, which bows to unpretentious Texas hospitality. You'll again be greeted by a helpful, charming, engaging waitperson. Our latest waitperson was Sami, a delightful young lady who tended to us as if we were her only table. You'll discover a menu with great selections with Chef Monty's personal flair and reasonably priced. If he can free himself, you'll most likely meet Monty, both owner and chef. It's hard to imagine a nicer guy unless it's Kyle, the manager! Palmer's atmosphere is suitable for casual conversation over a meal, for Sunday brunch, an anniversary, or a romantic date night. One of our favorite activities is evenings in the courtyard with wine and appetizers. Also, it's difficult to resist their desserts, by the way! Reservations are accepted on a limited basis, but "call ahead" is always available. There, I've said it. Against my better judgement, you now what I you know. The rest is up to you.

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