The Porch

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

Treff's Tavern

3.7(36 reviews)

0.7 mi

Fantastic local hangout. Two pool tables upstairs and the bar food is good. Clean for an older…read moreplace.

I went here for the first time and loved it. It is such a vibe & close knit place. The bartenders…read morewere amazing and provided great service.

Gotta love the Tavern!!

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Sean Patrick's Irish Pub + Texas Grub

3.2(201 reviews)

0.1 mi

The kids wanted to take me out for Mother's Day and we needed a dog friendly location. The day was…read moreperfect for sitting outside, the staff were great. They even brought us a picture of ice water and makeshift bowl for our dog! I stuck to my fish and chips and my daughter had the paddy melt which was really good. My son had a Reuben but you couldn't taste the corn beef due to a ton of sauerkraut. He had to take some off. Anyone wanted true Irish pub food should check them out.

This place is so cool and unique. We stumbled upon it on our way to Austin. The food and drinks…read morewere so good. Everyone working there was so nice! We'll def be back!

Mushroom Cheeseburger is good

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Beer menu

Pluckers Wing Bar - San Marcos

3.5(794 reviews)

0.9 mi

Michael was our server, and he was more than great! This wasn't our first time having him, and he…read moreeven remembered us. His attitude was great he made our dining experience even better. We would definitely come back to see him again!

food is great as always and the service is wonderful!!! And of course the atmosphere is the best!!!read more

Side area and buffalo Buffalo Chicken Salad

Waffles fries and cheese

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15 Wings

54th Street Restaurant & Drafthouse

3.8(453 reviews)

1.2 mi

Family-owned & operated

Gluten-free friendly

Came to drop our daughter off at Texas State and stopped here to eat, it was delicious! We decided…read moreto come for the 2nd day to eat! Definitely on my top list of restaurants to stop at when we visit.

I tried the Let's Do Lunch menu and decided to go with the Grilled Avocado Chicken Sandwich--and…read moreI'm so glad I did! I opted out of the fries and chose the vegetable medley instead, which was absolutely delicious. The sandwich was completely loaded with avocado, pesto sauce, melted cheese, and two perfectly cooked pieces of bacon on a soft, heavenly bun. Every bite was packed with flavor and perfectly seasoned. The cheese was melted just right, and that bacon was cooked to perfection! And let me tell you about the vegetables--zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli--so good! I would definitely order them again. The service was really good, and of course, you can't go wrong with the atmosphere. I absolutely will be ordering this sandwich again! I highly recommend trying the Lunch Special! Delicious food, great service, and a wonderful atmosphere.

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Railyard Bar & Grill

3.3(251 reviews)

0.2 mi

They were out of a lot of basic Menu items. The server was hardly helpful or very friendly. I asked…read moreabout specials for the day and they wouldn't honor what they had online.A lot of the appetizers were the same price as burgers or a dollar or two off. To me it was high. Maybe that's just the prices closer to campus? We did enjoy playing pool. Everyone seemed to enjoy the Texas state game that was on.

This was our first time here, and my review is mixed. So I'll start with the positive…read more We went to see our friend play, so we were excited to come here. The parking is very limited some spots in the parking lot, more on the street around the area. The place is small, but the sound was great. Small stage, but big enough for a 5 piece band. I really enjoyed the out door patio area. Plenty of space to move around. A gas fire pit. Some spots to play games. I got to sit outside and smoke a cigar. The bathrooms were clean, but no paper towels inside. Now, to the bar. Had to wait for 15 minutes to get a drink. I asked what they had on tap, and out of 8 taps, only one had a keg. So I asked for an IPA, and they told me they only had uncle dunkle, was the only IPA. I rollED my eyes, cause that wasn't an IPA. They didn't have any mint, so I couldn't get a mojito for Maria. They could make a margarita for her. While I was waiting for my drinks, there was a lady waiting for her food, she said that she has been waiting 30 minutes. While the band was playing, I got me two more beers, cause the bartenders were pretty busy. After a while I noticed the lady come back to bar looking for her food. By this time it had been well over an hour. She was told that they gave her order to someone else. Waiting for service here was the worst. Then not having stuff to make drinks.

My cigar.

Great appetizers!

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No dp :(

SYT Sport Bar

5.0(1 review)

0.6 mi

Nice new pool place that opened up in San Marcos! The tables are sweet. Don't forget to get some…read moreThai food. They own the Thai food restaurant next-door very good as well.!

Palmer's Restaurant Bar & Courtyard

3.9(784 reviews)

0.3 mi

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.

I came here for my graduation dinner, and overall the atmosphere was calm and relaxing, though I do…read moreagree with my family that the lighting was much too dark. The food portions were surprisingly small for the price -- honestly small enough for a toddler. However, i prefer the Graduate plate and I will say the mashed potatoes were incredible and probably the best I've had anywhere but the pot chop tasted like turkey and had no flavor. Unfortunately, the service was the biggest disappointment. Our waiter never really welcomed us or made us feel appreciated as guests, especially for such an important occasion with a party of 13. As the graduate and guest of honor, I felt completely ignored the entire night, which especially upset my mother. He mainly interacted with only one family member the entire evening and came across as cold and uninterested. I understand he may have had a broken wrist or was having a difficult day, but it still felt disrespectful and lacking basic hospitality. I might consider returning someday to try the regular menu instead of the preset graduation menu, but I definitely would not want the same waiter again.

Bacon wrapped meatloaf, rice & mashed potatoes Redfish, chef's rice & a kale sweet potato mix

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Twin Peaks

3.3(151 reviews)

1.1 mi

On my way back to Austin, I decided to make a quick stop at Twin Peaks. Emma was my waitress, and…read moreit was her very first day on the job. I was only her third customer, but you'd think she'd been there for months. She's a real cowgirl with a great personality and a cute Southern accent. She was super attentive, kept my diet coke full, got me some toast, and somehow managed to survive all my questions. When she's not working, she's out hunting with her dad, fishing, or riding horses. Somewhere between the toast and the conversation, I also gave her a free seminar on how to handle guys who keep asking her out after she's already said no. Emma got a waitress tip and a life lesson in the same shift. Great service, great attitude, and for a first day, she absolutely crushed it. Thanks, Emma! Management should probably charge her for all the extra training she got today!

Lovely ladies helped us at the bar today! They were very friendly, attentive and great at their…read morejobs! We had the cheesesteak baked potato and spit it. It was amazing! I highly recommend it but warn it is big so either be hungry or split it! Best of luck on your last day Jaya!

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Harper's

3.0(38 reviews)

0.0 mi

The staff is horrible. The refused to give me back my property and lied about having it when I have…read morean AirTag. Had to stand by the managers office and show that my wallet was in there. Ryan was the staff member that refused to even look for it and just said they didn't have it. Don't recommend this bar.

Great place to meet people and do karaoke! The host was super sweet and the music was a vast array…read moreof artists. Good vibes.

Our Wings Are Huge & Delicious!

Some beautiful creations!

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The Irish in my bloodline is such a small percentage but that doesn't mean that I won't enjoy a green brew on St Patricks day!

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5 reviews that are not currently recommended

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

Maddy S.

6 years ago

Don't visit this establishment. They discriminate against people with tattoos and call the police if you refuse to let them kick you out for having hand and neck tattoos.... what a joke. read more

Kayl C.

12 years ago

If I could give it less I would... They were rude before we even got in... They wouldn't let me and my friends in with no explanation

Karson E.

8 years ago

This place is fine. The owner is completely unpleasant. Good atmosphere, 1,000% disrespectful individual who owns it ‍

Jake G.

11 years ago

Refused to serve alcohol to an out of state license. Can't even visit another state and grab a beer.

Alex K.

9 years ago

Excellent service. Thanks for the good vibes, Milton.

The Porch - sportsbars - Updated September 2026

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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.

I Don't Know Bar

3.0

(13 reviews)

Located off of I-35 in a location that is borderline sketchy to cool, I Don't Know Bar is…read moreinteresting. The outside isn't exactly glamorous and I made double sure to lock my doors before entering. The place inside is exactly what one would think it would be like before entering. I'm about to get brutal so apologies in advance but the "devil is in the details." First I believe the younger, college age crowd sticks closer to downtown San Marcos. As my friend would say "there's no talent here." I'm not exactly propping myself up as some model, but most people here are calorie infused and starting about 35 years and up. In other words, it's a dive bar. Now before I let this go, all the people here were very nice and just wanting to have a good time. That means I felt safe. The staff were ok. I like the festive and cheap drinks so that's a bonus however I'm not sure how fast they are for serving if there's a crowd. When I was there it wasn't exactly populated. As for food I didn't order any so I can't be of assistance. Now, they do have a lot of large TVs and pool tables to keep one entertained. A word of advice, don't look up as the tiles look like they're holding back the mold. I'm not saying I Don't Know is horrible, I think they're just who they are. Since reviews can be factual yet subjective it's important to note we all enjoy different aspects of life. This place didn't jive with me so I won't be back. If it's close to you, I encourage you to stop by as it might be what you're looking for.

Initially we wanted to come here because of the name and we both thought there would be pool. In…read moreaddition to having pool the drinks were extremely cheap here!

Zelicks

4.4

(164 reviews)

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.

Showdown

4.1

(82 reviews)

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.

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

Riley's Tavern

4.4

(59 reviews)

I went here last summer and totally forgot to write a review after being surprised to see it was a…read moreBuffalo Bills bar! Was up visiting my daughter in NB and decided to stop here for a couple of beers. Love this old TX tavern that is a break from the heat and a place to warm up in the winter. Memories all around of the first bar to apply for a license after prohibition. Thank you Hunter TX!

A big fat no. Actually even embarrassed to have given this place a bit of my money to say the…read moreleast. Came here for an event posted on event bright. So disappointed. The bartenders were painfully slow as one had a hard time tending to her crowd of 3 (not all of which were actively ordering). She was very messy and just touched everything while making a drink. I could see the dirty fingerprints all over her pos and it grossed me out! Bathrooms, might as well just squat in the grass youll have better luck there. As for my one $15 dollar drink. I only saw her put juice in my cup I wasn't going to say anything because idk I'm not a bar tender maybe the soda in's have advanced right? It tasted like a caprisun. Not a single thing I can say nice about this place and I've seen good dive bars. Not this one! Save your money or go down the street to happy cow!

Devil's Backbone Tavern

4.3

(61 reviews)

great dive stop along this scenic road. live music in the dance hall and a jukebox in the bar area…read more ice cold beer as well as a bar. friendly service and an welcoming atmosphere. a must drop in spot!

Iconic Music Venue & Nostalgic Dive Bar…read more If you are in the mood for a cold beer and great music, then take a scenic drive out to Devil's Backbone Tavern! It first operated as a stagecoach outpost & blacksmith shop. And it famously built the Tavern in Comal County during prohibition. It wasn't until the 1950s that a dance hall pavilion was added to the property. And while the tavern wasn't made famous through country songs, it remained a popular watering hole for the locals. Today, the new owners have helped revitalize the dance hall and brought about a renewed appreciation for this musical outpost. Some of the greatest singer/songwriters come to play at Devil's so be sure to check out the list of upcoming shows. So put Todd Snider in your playlist, check your GPS, and take a drive out to Fischer for a cold beer and great music! On a more personal note, I would love to see more listening room / storytelling type shows and album signing opportunities where artists can take advantage of the great acoustics and intimate space. Tips Basic Outdoor Bathrooms Parking is free but limited A/C units but no ceiling fans Bring cash for tips

Gruene Tini's

4.2

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I really like the vibe here. The staff are my favorite. They are so friendly. The white chocolate…read moreraspberry martini is the recommended choice.

We arrived at 1:08 and it was closed. Around 1:13 we saw the lights come on and went inside. The…read morebartender did tell us she had to do some things before we could order, so we sat down until she was ready. This is a bar with only drinks. They do have different martinis, but they also have a full service bar. The decor is very girly. It is a perfect place for pictures. The place is small and it did get busy. The couches are arranged to where you will more than likely have to sit with others. I had the Mexican Tini and the old fashioned. Both were good. Prices are reasonable. Parking is on site. They do have an outside sitting area

Gruene Grove

4.3

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Fun outdoor venue with a variety of musical acts. Everything is self-serve. You can sit on a bench,…read morea planter, by a fire pit, at a table. The crowd and the ambiance are casual and entertaining. Go on a Sunday afternoon and have some fun!

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