Boneshakers Tap House & Pizzeria

This review is strictly for Boneshakers as a MUSIC VENUE. I want to clarify that it might still be great for all other things, but as a MUSIC VENUE this place is not great. They do not always treat the artists with the respect they deserve. Bands and venues are supposed to work together to create the best night possible for fans/​patrons, and recently Boneshakers the venue has not lived up to their side of the bargain.

Just heard that this place will be closing. That’s too bad, but not surprising. Last time I was there I drove across town specifically for their pizza just to be told the oven wasn’t working. Beer over priced and limited. Great room but not worth the trip to this odd location. A real shame and waste of potential.

I may have gone on an off night, at least I hope so, but I don’t think I’ll give it another shot. It was a Friday night and they were out of half of their beer menu, they were also out of yeast for their pizza and was supposedly arriving soon so they were taking orders. There was a really good band headlining that night (rockabilly), so I figured why not wait and anyway, the beer they had was still better than most places (although a bit too pricey).
Long story short, they had a few opening bands. The second one ended up being this theatre music show that took themselves too seriously and just took forever. I waited almost two hours for my pizza, which had most of its dough burned, while cheese barely made an appearance. As much as I wanted to stay, I just couldn’t after the horrible «music» act about a mean Spaniard in a freakin’ poncho (really?! They weren’t even joking or being sarcastic) and eating that pizza (was starving!).
Three pluses was the decoration, the outdoor area and the one rockabilly band I didn’t even get to see, but at least they booked them. Again, I do hope that this was just the one and only horrible night they’ve ever had, so maybe one day I’ll go check it out once more time.

I like this place! The mr. and I rode our bikes here the other night to drink some brews and catch some live music. First impressions were great. I love the building: it reminds me of a bar you’d find in New Orleans, complete with squeaky double screen entry doors and high tin ceiling. They have interesting bars on tap, friendly bartenders, and decent pizza. The pizza could’ve been a little crispier (i.e. cooked longer), but the sauce had a good flavor and the olives were plentiful. My only complaint is that they don’t have bike racks! I find it odd a bar marketing itself as a «bicyclists’ destination» doesn’t have bike racks. (We ended up locking our bikes to the railing leading up to the Hay Street Bridge, but it just didn’t seem right.)

$ 5 cover when there is a band is fine. When the band is… Good? I guess good is like beauty. In the ear of the beholder. And lady, no need to sharpie my hand… You can easily recognize the 20 people in this establishment. I really appreciate the temporary tattoo I had to scrub off the remainder of the weekend.
So you only serve wine and beer and some food. Cool. But how about you serve me with that fancy iPad you take orders on. (Overkill)
Unimpressed with everything about this place. I never got an ounce of service while the people in my party did. I paid five dollars to listen to music I didn’t enjoy. And I left after half an hour with a written reminder from the door person on my hand that I was ever there and probably hearing loss.
Muchas gracias!
PS. Heard you’re closing? Ain’t mad atcha.

Awesome little destination bar and pizza joint downtown in a classic old building. Great beer selection and specials. Ride your bike on over!

I remember when this spot was on Mitchell Street, overlooking what was then the River Walk Expansion. But now it has moved downtown, but it still has taken its charm with it. A bike rider oasis for some. A place to eat, grab a Texas brew and check out some live music for others. I might also add that this was one of the first places to showcase exclusively Texas Brews before everybody jumped on that bandwagon. But for now, it is a great starting point for where the city should go. Intimate. Cozy.
They have a pretty cool selection of brews and some wines. It is very limited and cut to the chase as you will ever encounter. No need to feel rushed or overwhelmed by a 500 brew selection and the bartenders expect you to make up your mind quickly. No, here they are quite patient.
On this night, which was not too crowded the bartender asked if I wanted to sample any of their beers. I gave it a whirl. He was extremely friendly and let me sample it from a mason jar glass, no less an Austin brand and quite tasty. Typically when I have sampled a beer they give you a container much like the kind Taco Cabana uses for their guacamole. Which is not very helpful in making a definitive selection. However, the sample was big enough as well as helpful for me to make a decision.
They sell food here too, which is pretty good. I have had their pizza and it’s not bad. In all fairness the brew and food is not cheap here. But then again pretty much any bar, club or other spot located downtown is going to cost you something. Be it parking or time. And sometimes money. Why not let it be in supporting our local scene, that is in a club?
I think there has been criticism that this is a bit hipster~ish and divey. Well, it is and quite unapologetic about it. In some respects that demographics has the ability to raise the stock of any bar or club, that’s pretty much a given. But at Boneshaker’s it is in all good fun! There is not an ounce of exclusivity or pretentiousness here. It feels quite welcoming.
In addition they music here! Metal, punk, indie and folk. It pretty much runs the spectrum here on any given night. They have bands play inside and outside the club next the Hay Street Bridge as well. And depending on the weather and the time of night you can catch a glimpse of the San Antonio Skyline while listening to some cool tunes. Good times for all!
If you are feeling in the mood for a change of scenery or just want to broaden your horizons, in what the city has to offer, I suggest you go check it out. Just be careful not to get in the path of the bikers, glasses or moustaches that make their merry way to get there.

Fun little dive. It was completely dead when we went for lunch, so we had fantastic service and amazing beer to go with our pizzas.
The Greek salad has pepperoni in it and everything we tried was super tasty.
It’s hidden on the service road for 281 so keep a look out for it.

A cool place with a lot of potential but poorly managed. The lady at the bar had no knowledge of beer, she didn’t know the difference between an IPA or Lager, five kegs were tapped out and the Live Oak Big Bark was flat. Ordering pizza was an even bigger surprise after an hour and a half wait we got a mediocre pie which they didn’t even charge us for? I would rather pay and get a quality pizza in a timely manner… Never again life is to short for this type of punishment…

Boneshakers has every making to be the city’s mecca for mustache twirling hipsters, a venerable cyclist’s bar that could rival any other town.
However…
The wait staff application surely must have read ‘no experience required.’ I had to flag her down to put in my order… after she already ‘took’ our table’s order. She was noticeably slow on the uptake on an already slow night.
There is a classy bit of beer selection, nothing particularly brilliant and it stands as an average craft beer draft line. It’s not The Cove but better than most downtown spots.
The pizzas are great. They are. They’re also a bit overpriced and take far too long to come out for a flatbread-​cum-​puffy-​crust medley.

Why in the effhole are they charging $ 7.50 for a freaking 512 double ipa? I mean, this place is pretty awesome, but… damnit. It’s a regular shakedown at Boneshakers.
Just needed to get that out. Ok, on to other matters. The food is good here (when the kitchen is not randomly closed) and the beer selection is primo. I balk at the prices, but one can have the same beer mentioned above for $ 3 during their extensive 3−9pm happy hour. Not too bad; good enough.
The band selection is quirky and eclectic. You can catch acoustic guitar next to free jazz, with a Japanese all-​girl punk band palate-​cleanser, such as on this night.
All in all, a must visit place. But for gods sake, man, do something about those beer prices!

Living nearby, I was hopeful prior to going to Boneshakers. This there new location, which I think has been open 3 or 4 months now. This review is based solely on service and drinks, as I did not eat.
The place was dead, although it was 10:30pm on a Wednesday. The bartender was friendly. She informed us they were lacking much selection tonight because they usually get new beers right before the weekend. We had a choice of 5 or 6 Texas beers or wine. The beers were fine but rather pricey, $ 12.50 for two beers before tip.
The atmosphere was lame. I like funky places, this place is most definitely that. Parking outside is questionable in terms of vehicle safety. Inside, the music was indie rock but it kept skipping.
Next time, I’ll try the pizza but I may just do carry-​out.

Goddam brah!
I keep getting amazed everytime I go back and try something new.
This place is a hangout for cyclists (don’t hold that against them) but the people there are always pretty friendly and cool. They have great bands and a good list of Texas craft beer.
Now. Let me tell you about the food.
I’ve been there several times and I keep getting impressed at the quality and taste-​probably San Antonio’s best kept secret. It’s a hidden gem that, well, I want to keep hidden for my own selfish ways.
Their pizza is superb, probably the best I’ve had this side of the pond. Try their Wilburnia (prosciutto, arugula, black olives) or the Choke My Sammy (Italian Salami, roasted bell peppers, artichoke and goat cheese)
And for dessert, wait for it…
If you check in on Unilocal,you get a scoop of ice cream. Not just any ice cream but Texas craft beer ice cream. Yes. I said it. I know it doesn’t sound good but, craft beer lovers everywhere, rejoice! Oh sweet lord I’m home! Definitely one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Give the Chunky Prison Dream made with Independence’s Convict Hill Stout. CRAZY GOOD. If stout is not your thing, try the one made with 512 Pecan Porter. This one has chunks of pecan and chocolate chips.
Nuff said. Peace suckas.

We had been seeing and hearing all the positive talk about this place and decided to give it a try and we were extremely happy. This place looks like nothing from the outside let alone a place you can grab a bite but I was wrong. When you walk inside there is a lot of art and photography of the next door hays street bridge decorating it. It has a «Austin» vibe to it which is good for SA, something different. We went on a Sunday about 1p and it was loud but in a good way; people just eating and taking with one another. One family even brought their baby which you wouldn’t think would be ok but it actually was, at least during that time frame; I wouldn’t take a kid there at night though. They had a separate room with a stage for a band and at the time were playing jazz and early 80’s R&B which was cool! We ordered the chicken and waffles with bacon and that was enough to feed two. The waffles were tasty and the chicken was a soft type of breading; very tasty. We also ordered «the porky» which is two pieces of ham fried into a cup shape an filled with a over easy egg and some other unk toppings. I had never had anything like that and I really enjoyed it, from the presentation to the actual food it was on point. For a drink I just ordered a water and they serve you in a mason jar. They also had tons of beer selection more so from a local stand point but I did not try any at the time; I’ll go back during the evening sometime to try the night scene. The restrooms were the only thing that looked modernized; I don’t mean that in a bad way. The restrooms were very clean. I am not sure if it was the owner or just the chef but he was very friendly and nice asking everyone if they enjoyed their meal. If you check in there on Unilocal you get a free beerscream, I was the only one that had Unilocal and checked in but the owner/​chef gavel entire party free beerscream, pretty cool. We also took advantage of the Unilocal offer of paying $ 10 for $ 20 worth of food and that worked out really good; kudos to that! All in all positive, very positive experience we will be back for sure; I am glad that area is starting to revitalize. The only negative thing, and it’s not too bad they are still new is that they were lacking employees. I am not sure if they didn’t expect a Sunday afternoon to get that packed but it did and the wait times were a little long, but I won’t let that stop me from returning. Their friendly staff, awesome food and good vibe will bring us back again!!!

If you want a Lone Star or a Budweiser, don’t go to Boneshakers. If you don’t like craft beer, don’t go Boneshakers. If you don’t like meeting some locals, having a handmade Pizza or sandwich, don’t go to Boneshakers.
I was in San Antonio for a conference and missed the mixer, so I fired up the Unilocal app and looked for best beer selection nearby, and Boneshakers popped up. So I scared up a cab and 5 minutes after leaving the Riverwalk, I was at Boneshakers. It was a bit confusing at first, as it still has the signage from the carpet place next door, but as an intrepid beer hunter, I figured out which door to go into and took a place at the bar. It was quiet on a Sunday night, but the bartender, whose name I forget (sorry) was very nice, as were the owner and cook. I had a local Austin beer, an IPA, ordered a pizza (excellent) and settled in. After trying another beer, I realized I couldn’t try them all and still function the next day, so I asked if I could get taster sizes. They indulged me by providing tastes of all 15 or so beers on tap.
Summary, great local beer selection in a casual environment. Looks like they play a lot of live music too.

Went on a Sunday afternoon when we were nearby with our two small kids. OK, it’s not necessarily «good» for kids, but it worked with my 4 yo and 2 yo on a Sunday at 3pm. Anyway, the beer is fantastic, and the pizza is INCREDIBLE! It was a little spendy for the pizza, but they use only the best ingredients, and it shows. The staff was super friendly, too.
Don’t be alarmed by the hole-​in-​the-​wall, middle-​of-​nowhere location. It’s a great place to stop for a bite and a brew. And the bathrooms are the cleanest «bar» bathrooms I’ve ever seen!

I don’t know why there wasn’t anyone here for brunch, other than maybe because they were all here last night and needed time to recover. But the Jazz Musician was too good not to be heard by many. The bottom less $ 6 mimosas help brighten your day. The Domingo eggs were delicious-​gourmet! Chicken n waffles were good enough. And Prices were great.

Disclaimer: This is just my opinion from a place I once knew as Boneshakers. There is absoolutley nothing wrong with the new one, it’s just nothing like the old one. Maybe this was their plan and I never got the memo. With all that being said, here is my review:
This is not the same Boneshakers from the Southside. All craft beer, Not a Lonestar in sight, No Miller, No Budweiser. Just craft. I told the bartender the kinds of beer I like and asked what she would recommend, after several minutes of awkward silence, and a long stare at the wall of crap. (freudian slip forgive). craft beers, she let me sample a couple, and it was not pleasant to my tastebuds. If you like this sort of beer, then this is your place, I however just wanted a simple beer without all the fluff. I ended up with a Shiner cheer. Well IMO. if I want fruit in my beer I will drink wine. Honestly not trying to dig on the joint, it just isn’t for me, I wanted the awesome relaxed place I once new, to name it Boneshakers is a serious disappointment and a farce. Again as I said above, maybe this was their plan, a re-​invention. Who knows. I feel like I went on a blind date with Pat.

What can I say? This friendly establishment has drawn me like a moth to light. However, my timing blows… I discovered it riding my bike and hitting the SA river trails. The large DOS EQUIS banner caught my attention as I thought, that’s an awesome house they even have their own personal bar. Then it dawned on me that it’s an actual bar!
It was the afternoon so they were closed, so then I decided to hit it up on Thursday night while I was representin Southside. Just as my entourage and I walked up a nice door girl ran up with a cash box and was told to charge everyone $ 5 cover (sad face.)
My main mission that night was to savor my liquid courage and not check out bands. Also, my entourage was poor so I didn’t want to shell out admission for everyone. So alas, Boneshakers I will return and get my foot in the door so help me.
Oh the parking kinda blows, there’s a vacant lot across from it. It’s more park at your own risk and walk to your car at your own risk. Also, that night if you rode your bike then you weren’t charged a cover. Hence, Bicycle Pub and lack of parking.
(This was when it was located off Mitchell by the SA River.)

What a list of Texas beers! They ONLY sell Texas beers. They have quite a variety, from high end beers, like La Bestia from Ranger creek, but also have Lone Star for those with ultra-​discriminating tastes.
they don’t accept credit cards, which is a bummer. They point you to the ATM that does accept your credit card for a hefty fee.
There’s live music, and the place is quite bicycle friendly. In fact, they probably could stand to add a few more bike racks even!
The art is eclectic, and fun. It’s got a great vibe to it.
I was super impressed that they actually poured the beer properly, into the proper glassware. My friend’s heffeweisen came with the proper stemware!