San Antonio's River Walk sees honky-tonk revival
The former Pat O'Brien's property on the River Walk reopened as The Rowdy Spur, a honky-tonk bar aiming to capture locals and tourists.
The Rowdy Spur, which opened in late February 2026, features live country music, karaoke, and Texas-sized burgers. It replaced Pat O'Brien's, which closed its River Walk location in August 2025 after 22 years due to post-COVID challenges, Alamo construction, tourism fluctuations, and rising costs. The new honky-tonk aims to attract both tourists and locals with its country-first vibe. Inside, there's a cafe serving oversized burgers and wings, regular live country music, and a cigar-and-whiskey room called The Hideout. The Rowdy Spur also offers a karaoke room designed to feel like a recording studio. Several legacy venues on the River Walk closed in 2025, leading to a reshuffling of businesses. Other new concepts, like Sin Yolanda and Paradise Unknown, are also joining the downtown waterfront. Another honky-tonk, La Honky Tonk, opened in late 2024 and is co-owned by the same team behind El Honky Tonk.
