We were hungry after a long day of work and wandered into Pat O'Briens. We weren't looking for anything fancy, just needed some food in our stomachs. Pat O'Briens did the trick. The dinner menu wasn't very big- I'd say it had about 10 entrees. I ordered the Shrimp Creole. I thought it was good, but not extraordinary- the rice was a little hard (maybe it's supposed to be that way- I just prefer it a little fluffier).
Some things I did like- The strawberry cheesecake! It wasn't gourmet by any means, but it was tasty. The specialty drinks sampler was neat. They serve you a flight of 6 Â or 7 mini hurricane glasses filled with a wide assortment of adult beverages (not just Hurricane drinks... I just thought it was necessary to mention they were served in hurricane-style glasses- it added to the novely of the sampler). It was fun to try the speciality drinks because the flavors vary so much (i.e. coconut, grape Kool-aid, Hawaiian Punch). I also like the fact that there was a band playing on the outside patio. It's nice to hear some live music every once in a while.
Absolutely pathetic service. I ordered their famous hurricane, tasted like Koolaid and vodka and my wife ordered a tea with no lemon and she ended up with lemon tea. She told the waitress and she responded just take the lemon out. A group came in after and they had to put their own tables together while the staff watched them do it and did not offer to help. The waitress never came back to out table after serving our drinks. When were ready to leave we had to go find her to get our check. My wife took the check up to the bar to pay for it and the bartender was extremely rude and demanded she needed to close her ticket out with her server and my wife "politely" told her she would have if the waitress would have brought us our ticket. Remind you this place was not busy and had several staff doing nothing. We WON'T be going back. The good thing about San Antonio, there are several places that love to serve you. Don't waste your money
Review Source:The first bar we came to on our first night in San Antonio. It was fairly packed, and drinks were flowing all throughout the night. The bartender was even able to hook me up after last call. Although it was humid, there is a large outdoor patio that is great to enjoy your drinks and share conversations. Prices were fairly cheap, but the bar area was slightly dingy.
Review Source:We only wanted a light lunch, and didn't intend to eat much, so we started with drinks. Â A long, tall Hurricane (or two!) - outstanding! Â And a Rainstorm - cool and delicious! Â Oh, yeah - we had some food, too. Â Really good Cancun Shrimp (coconut shrimp with a fruit dip), and The Trinity - a decent portion of the NOLA favorites Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, and Chicken Gumbo. Â Rose was our server, and was very attentive and friendly - a big plus for our overall experience. Â The outdoor dining area was cozy and comfortable, a quiet little oasis in the San Antonio Riverwalk area. Â Ya gotta go!
Review Source:My husband and I stopped in Pat Obriens during our 5 yr anniversary, spring break 2013.  I had heard stories about it being haunted, so I wanted to experience the paranomal.  The only haunted thing about the place was the ghostly service.  We sat for almost 10 minutes before even being greeted.  The bar wasn't packed..so I don't know why they were so slow.  Once we ordered drinks and received them, we didn't see our waitress for the remainder of our stay.  They received no tip.  The  atmosphere seemed very dull.  The drinks were just okay.  We will not be returning b/c I didn't feel like a valued guest...which makes me sad.
Review Source:1. The outdoor patio has a water fountain that includes FLAMES. Just wanted to get that out there.
We came here for a welcome reception and had what I imagine is the entire top floor to ourselves. It is a beautiful space, and has separate rooms, a stage, restrooms, and a bar all up there. The bartenders were really nice. That's all the staff I came into contact with.
The drinks were a little weak until I tried a hurricane, and then hooooey is that a lot of alcohol.
The food setup was well done. We had some fruit, vegetables, warm cheese dip, warm meats/sausages/egg rolls, and I really enjoyed it all.
And the bonus? The band was playing Fastball. Nuff said.
We picked a bad night to come in. There was a 5 dollar cover, it was crowded and to top it off, there was a bachelorette party in the piano room. The performers, all told, were not that bad if you averaged their talents. The drinks were ok as long as you ordered just the hurricane simply for the value of the deal ($8 for a good sized thing of it). Beers are almost 4 dollars - ridiculous. I feel like maybe on a different night, the music would be better. They were playing Texas songs all night, which I understand is because Texans have so much pride, but come on. Not the establishment's fault so I'm not considering it as part of the review, it just bothered me and I thought you should know.
All in all, I'd say this is probably a great place for locals but you're bound to be bored if you're just visiting.
I came here with a huge group of girlfriends about a week after going to Howl at the Moon.
Hurricanes.... get one!!! Or two, three... ten?! They are stiff, just the way I like my drinks and they are reasonably priced. As well as all of their other drinks.
Like any bar, very limited seating and standing room. We were all huddled in the very back corner of the bar.
There is a huge open terrace patio where you can go take a smoke break and there was a live band playing. Limited seating and standing room.
Bathrooms were HORRIFIC. OMG it smelled putrid. The cleaning lady WAS there, but I don't know what she was doing...?!
There were 2 grand pianos, not a full band set, but the duelers did a damn good job at involving the crowd and amping us up, so they get credit for that.
Overall- I had a good time, but just like with the other piano bar, it took alcohol for me to have fun. I guess piano bars just aren't my thing?
Great place to come and grab a beer or ten. Â
Reasonably priced, has cover charge when live bands are playing. Has 3 or 4 different bars with different themes.
I enjoyed an evening here after a Christmas party at the Marriott next door. Great place you can talk on the patio or dance to the live band.
My first time ever coming to Pat O's was on my 21st birthday. Needless to say, The I tried a majority of their drinks and woke up the next morning with one of their menus, a napkin with fork and knife, and other random objects in my purse. Â That was also, a few years ago. But it hasn't that hasn't stopped me from continually coming back here!
They do offer their own signature drinks but if your not in the mood for those, they have a full bar and can make anything.
You definitely can't visit without trying a Hurricane!
They have an inside bar, which if you go on weekends, is usually way over crowded. The outdoor patio is nice and they usually have live bands that play, which is always a ton of fun.
If your not in the mood for those, then you can head upstairs were they offer a more of a club scene. It has a full bar and dance floor.
I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven't already!
Pat O'Briens is a great place for drinking and dancing. Â They choose excellent live cover bands that play my favorite 80s, 90s, and pop songs. Â It is often hard to find a place to sit in this place around 10:00pm, but it clears out as the night gets older. Â
I highly recommend Pat O'Briens for Mardi Gras. Â They keep a lively atmosphere and it was really fun---- even when my sinuses were messed up and I couldn't partake in the hurricanes!
Pat O's is both indoor and outdoor... if you don't care much for the live music on the outdoor patio downstairs, you can wander up to the dancefloor and upstairs bar with more modern club music playing.
Admit it Yelpers- sometimes you just wanna get red-tongued off hurricanes and shake your ass.
Everyone should know by now that you don't go to Pat O's for exquisite cajun food or five star service. You go to Pat O's with a group of your favorite fun people looking to drink a lot. Here, you can booty bump to the latest club bangers inside, or find a seat on the patio and "Sweet Caroline" your heart out with the cover band.
Beware, you may lose a few people in your group among the various dance spaces, or due to the sneakiness of the hurricanes, but what's a fun night out on the town without having some friends go missing?
Great place for events! Â
I had my wedding reception upstairs in the Grand Promenade. Â It's a beautiful little secret right on the Riverwalk. Â Large rooms with great ambiance, high ceilings, big windows, wood floors, and a private balcony.
The sales people were great to work with and very flexible. Â They were open to my suggestions and helped to keep the cost down. Â There is even a room with table decor (vases, candles, rocks, etc.) that we could help ourselves to. Â Crystal had several recommendations for DJs, florists, and bakers.
The food wasn't the best I ever ate, but wasn't bad either. Â The Andouille was a personal favorite. Â The wait staff were polite and incredibly helpful. Â
Only downside is that it's not too handicap friendly. Â In other words, there isn't parking nearby, so our guests had to walk 1-3 blocks from the hotel or parking garage. Â We were able to overcome this issue by having some friends shuttle those needing a lift.
I will definitely use Pat O'Brien's for future events. Â The location is too good to pass up...especially if you have a lot of out of town guests!
Service...not so superb. When I found out a Pat Obriens was in San Antonio, I had to get the glass that matched my Hurricane glass from 1985, New Orleans. Infact, I've been thirsty for an actual hurricane drink for some time.
I do realize it's fruit punch koolaide and rum. But they are strong and good. And I drank one,and was tempted to drink another, but the staff was running around like I don't know what. It was 2:45 on a Thursday afternoon, and it wasn't full. I also asked for water, which they forgot.
I ordered red beans and rice. It was good, but they forgot my silverware. They brought me my food, with a soup spoon. No napkin, no regular spoon (I hate soup spoons), no fork for the sausage, no knife.
You really think I'm going to eat just a bite without a napkin nearby? Probably not a good idea. So I began eating it with a soup spoon. I drank the hurricane pretty darned fast. It was good....San Antonio...my new favorite city to kill brain cells and walk around inebriated in public without no one knowing it....
They finally bought me my silverware, and water, while I contemplated a second hurricane, which I should've gotten.
They gave me a clean glass, nicely gift boxed, and now I'm home, and it flew safely stuck in my backpack. Yes, It's a get drunk tourist trap. One I wish we had in Kansas City.
Pat Obriens, San Antonio....been there, done that, and if I return, I'll drink another hurricane. Oddly it's one of my favorite nonfrozen drinks.
Pat O'Brian's has always been one of my favorite bars since I can remember, and that's no easy feat since their signature cocktails pack a potent punch! Yes, I've been to the original Pat O's in New Orleans and I must say that the San Antonio location does an excellent job creating a fun spacious atmosphere with a Texas twist. There is seating option to satisfy all members in your party. From the large outdoor patio with a pretty fountain to the piano room blasting air condition and tunes to sing along with at the top of your lungs.
Now I must confess that I've never experienced a crowded weekend night as I've only participated in day drinking at this establishment. It's absolutely perfect for a pit stop when your strolling near the Riverwalk to take a breather.
Two of my favorite things about Pat O'Brian's are the creative signature cocktails and the ability to purchase their cool glassware for souvenirs. Pat O's and I have been through every natural disaster together and somehow survived. Â Um, just barely sometimes. From their famous Hurricane to the Cyclone to the Rainstorm. Â New fun drinks are the Sky Lab, The Rainbow, The Purple People Eater, and The Fuzzy Leprechaun. I'm not even going to begin to tell you how many glasses I have, but every time I go they have a new one that I simply have to purchase to commemorate my experience there. At least that's what the booze tells me after I've had a few. Glasses are $5 each.
But now Pat O's has stole my heart for an entirely new reason that I believe every bar should follow suit. For the indecisive people like myself, they have a drink sampler or better known as a flight of their famous signature cocktails for just $13!!! This is the answer to all my problems as I can never make up my mind between the 4 or 5 drinks I want to try and now I don't have too without ending up on the floor! All of the drinks are 3 oz and come in mini goblets hanging from a round iron carousel. You definitely get a lot of bang for your buck and don't have to commit to only one flavor of drink and worry about not liking it. It is definitely worth ordering!!!
Cheers Pat O's to the many great memories we've had and to many more tropical storms to come in the future
St. Patrick's Day/Week Celebration
My last and final "Irish" Bar in San Antonio.
I've always wondered why the notorious Pat O'Briens would open a location in San Antonio. Why us? Anyhow, they do not have a draught system so if you want beer it comes in bottles. I didn't even bother asking what kind they had.  You come here for the hurricanes, their primary weapon of mass brain cell destruction.  Now we all know what goes in a hurricane, well they make these in mass quantities so the wait time for one is almost  nil. There's a dance room upstairs, outside patio with live music, a piano bar in the back. So plenty of walkaround space. Wacky Wednesday's is the cheapest night. I don't think they have a cover charge every night, but they do on most. I know they have food, I've never seen anyone eat there.
Also, one thing, if you wander around I'm not sure if you have to keep going back to the same bar to order drinks or if your tab follows you. It's not a bad place to hang out  with a group of friends. Truthfully, if you want to a Pat O'briens experience then you should just save some money and go to New Orleans. From what I heard it's worth the time and money. San Antonio's version, not really worth it.
I've had nothing but positive experiences here, but maybe I'm approaching it differently.
Pat O'Briens is a nice little diversion from the typical River Walk scene. The large outdoor space is off the street, has seating and is especially nice on a pleasant afternoon. Perfect for a drink or quick bite without having tourists bump into your chair and a constant stream of humanity walk by.
Add some live music, a couple bars and an entertaining fountain and its a good break from the usual.
I would not tell someone to go here, I'm sure they can find something better.
The place was empty when we arrived... go with a group, a big, co-ed group, preferably with people you like so much you don't want to meet anyone new. Its perfect for... that. Our group was so big we were too big to move once someone suggested Pat O'Briens.
We had fun dancing and drinking but interactions with people outside our group, including dancing, lots of smoking, and if you changed rooms, including the (empty) piano bar, it reminded you that you weren't really in a great spot. Since we had so many people with us (we were tourists) organizing them all to leave and then to go find something "better" seemed like a big hassle, so we stayed and made the best of the night.
The 1 star is for the house DJ where our group danced, I didn't like the band, the dueling pianos, or the non house music room, where I'm pretty sure I saw group sexual activities upon entering. There was loud cheering and I looked over to see two girls not face to face... let's just leave it at that. The bouncers were not phased.
During the day a random Irish guy yells at you to come in and eat--- if I wanted random Irish guys to yell at me, I wouldn't have flown to Texas...
Too bad.
Disclaimer..... my first time here was on a Monday rainy night. Â The place was dead. Â
I hear good things about Pat O'briens. Â As my disclaimer says, there was nothing popping about this place the night we were there. Â I did like the indoor/outdoor layout. Â The outdoor area was nice. Â The prices were reasonable. Â I'd have to go back on a fun night to get a true review of the place.
When you visit Bourbon Street in NOLA, go to Pat O'Briens and enjoy the real deal. When you visit San Antonio, visit something local and enjoy the real San Antonio flavor rather than this pale imitation of the original Pat O'Briens.
This place exists to pull in tourists, and it succeeds in doing so. The drinks are only adequate. I've never eaten here, but looking around at the cleanliness of the place, I never have a desire to try their food. The men's bathroom is just disgusting--a cross between a storage closet for buckets and (apparently unused) cleaning supplies and a dive bar restroom. Â And the bars and tables tend to be sticky. Â Cleanliness is not a priority here, so I'd hate to see how its kitchen looks.
I expect more from a national chain, but this place seems like it is run at the cheapest cost because dumb tourists won't know any better. Â They must figure people visiting the city can be tricked once and then will never return, so why worry about building a reputation or clientele. Â As a San Antonio resident, I'd advise you to go elsewhere.
Don't get the food. Come here during the weekend nights to party, but don't come here for dinner. Food sucks, for reals.
But the Hurricanes are good, strong, & gets the job done. It's fun to party here on the weekends, so definitely grab your buddies and prepare for a night of 'getting shwasted'. :]
Man, I just don't know why I keep coming here every time I go to SA. Â I don't know why my friends are always here. Â Ok, so yes, if you want that Bourbon st experience, cool go here, or just go to Bourbon St.!
This place has a $5 dollar cover...for what the crowd? I guess if you feel like people watching you could pay $5 dollars. Â Drinks, no good. Â And expensive. Â So venture on, there is a courtyard, which is pretty I guess. Â But there's a piano bar in the back, which is...a piano bar. Â Need I explain more? Â Every time I come here I get some shit on me. Â Either someone's entire drink, or like last time, when a guy in a mariachi outfit walked in and threw up ALL over the floor, which included my shoes. Â And then walked away. Â I hightailed it outta there after that. Â
This is just "touristy". Â If you want an experience, go to NOLA. Now THAT is fun.
Quite the disappointment..
Upon entering we were notified that there was a $5 cover, despite the fact that there was no band and no crowd inside. The hurricanes are sickeningly sweet and the only alternatives are over-priced basic bar drinks that are heavily watered down. Definitely will not be returning.
We came here for lunch with the bf's family after going to The Alamo and The Riverwalk.
It was not crowded at all for lunch and the food wasn't bad. Most of the lunch items were under $10 which we thought was reasonable for such a touristy place.
The service was pretty quick and the food was pretty good. I would come here again if I were in the area.
The one thing I didn't like was how small the tables were. Our plates were practically stacked one on top of the other which made eating a little awkward.
I would recommend it to anyone who happens to be visiting the Alamo and looking for a place to eat.
I love Pat O'Briens...in New Orleans. I've spent many hours there, drinking Hurricanes and howling at the moon. I associate it with NOLA because it belongs there. Just as the Eiffle Tower belongs in Paris, not a cheap replica in an amusement park in Ohio (Kings Island).
This is like a cheap replica. The entrance and hallway look similar to the real thing, but the patio is all wrong and the fountain is laughable. It's like sex without the big "O".
Still, I had almost talked myself into eating here when a couple came blowing out and said "don't eat here, we sat for 15 minutes and were ignored." Tracked with what I've read here. On the fence anyway, that did it, and I was outta there.
I was not real pleased with Pat O's but stuck around because our San Antonio host loved this place.
The best thing in my opinion was the fire fountain in the courtyard area; but since you can see this from the sidewalk, there's not really a need to go inside. The staff at the door were among the rudest people I ran into in SA,TX and wish they realized that their job doesn't qualify them for cool points. The lone bartender wasn't terribly fast and could not handle eight people at a time trying to order a beer.
If you happen to be walking by and and hear great live music then $5 is probably a good deal, but if you're not feeling the music from the street than nothing inside is going to chance your opinion.
I've been to the New Orleans location several times (more than I'd like to admit), so I'd like to think that I'm fairly well-versed in the ways of Pat O's. Â So naturally I was curious about the San Antonio location. Â
My friends and I attempted to gain entry into this place around 1 a.m.-ish but we left in a huffy because the doorman informed us it was $5 to get in since they had a live band playing. Â
Ah ha ha ha, what? Â Because we should've been practically clawing all over ourselves to enter Pat O's, as is? Â With all eight people in the courtyard (band included)? Â I mean shooot, our very presence would've increased Pat O's population by 50%, which would've made me feel super self important, but this isn't about me, in that sense, at least. Â
Mind you, this was Friday night so I don't know man . . . maybe there were more people in the indoor bar area, but I somehow doubt it. Â
I mean I realize, cover bands have families too and they need to feed them and continue to support their 80's-early-90's music-loving bad habits, but we opted to skip out on this place mostly because we were only mildly curious about it and covers always feel like too much of a commitment. Â
Maybe it's livelier during Saturday or something. Â I don't know man . . . Hurricanes are hellaciously evil drinks anyway. Â Yeck.
We stopped in here for a beer and to relax for a minute in the middle of the afternoon. Love the patio - the fire and water fountain is very cool. Â Was sorry I didn't order a Hurricane and thought I would make it back during our stay to get one but it didn't happen. Â
I definitely liked the atmosphere and will return if I am ever in San Antonio again.
This is probably the only bar that makes me feel like I'm not in San Antonio and feel more like I'm in a pub in Europe.
There's shells lining the floor which is utterly disgusting if you're wearing open toe shoes but you get over it because it's hilarious. The piano guy is pretty amazing. I've never been able to sit near him because it always gets so crowded but they are most definitely coveted seats.
The bar itself is small so when it gets crowded it can be a little frustrating to get a drink. The prices are a bit high but you'll find that all along the Riverwalk. All in all it's a pretty fun place to start your evening.
We've been here twice. Â Really liked the atmosphere. There's plenty to do and plenty to see. We hung out at the piano bar the first time and chilled by the bar the second time.
Why so many stars??? The hurricanes are awesome. Drink more than two and you might just get blown away. HA!!!! Get it??? Blown away!!! Â Sorry bout the hurricane humor. Â
Now I'd like to issue an apology to the lady I... well I.... Anyway you look just like my wife from behind and I'd like to say I'm sorry.
The cover price is a laugh- you pay for the band that's playing that night .. but more times than any, you never see them or they're not that great. Drinks are ok. The "dance" area is also so packed and full of smoke. Unless you have someone there you like .. this place is just another bar. :/
Its better to go during the week or just earlier in the night ... not worth staying until closing.
Went on a non-busy week night (a tues? weds?) and had a nice time. I had to try the signature Hurricane, which did pack quite a punch. Don W's description is pretty spot-on, but I really love the hurricane glass.
Bartender we had was nice and whipped us up whatever we wanted. I thought the prices were fair, esp for being in such a touristy area.
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