Country Dance Venues
Among other things, Texas boasts something no other place can: Country Dancing. I am a California transplant in Texas, and as such, I never listened to country music growing up, let alone danced country. In my home town of San Diego, there is only one country dance venue, and they ONLY line dance. In fact, the more people I meet from other states, even those midwestern cowboy-type regions, I have found that they don't 2-step or partner dance either. Just line dance. Here in Texas, specifically San Antonio, we don't line dance. We do the real thing. And as a Texan now, I am proud that we not only country dance, but we have both country bars as well as family friendly dance halls. The bars in town are great, but I personally think the historic Texas Dance Halls are our pride and joy. In addition to the dance venues within San Antonio proper, I am including the hill country and outlying areas because there are some places worth driving to. Most places are 18+ but all the old Texas Dance Halls are all ages.
11th Street Cowboy Bar, Bandera
Address:
307 11th Street
Bandera, TX 78003
https://11thstreetcowboybar.com/
https://www.facebook.com/11thstreetcowboybar
Live music Wed-Sat (outside huge patio)
151 Saloon
Rating:***
Address:
10169 Westover Hills Blvd
San Antonio, TX 78251
https://www.facebook.com/151saloon/
http://www.livemusicsanantonio.com/
Fri and Sat 9pm Live country music
COVER: $5, 21+
This is a good venue. The medium sized dance floor is concrete. NW side of SA.
Albert Ice House/Dance Hall
Address:
Albert, TX 78671 (Just South of Stonewall)
https://www.facebook.com/alberttexas/
Live music Wed-Sun, early music usually 6-9pm,
Anhalt Dance Hall
Rating:*****
Address:
2390 Anhalt Road
Spring Branch, TX
COVER: $15 adults, 12 and under free.
Anhalt is a huge dance hall off the beaten trail. It is a ton of fun and lots of people come, meetup groups, singles, couples, families. $15 adults, 12 and under free.
Bracken Ice House
https://www.facebook.com/BrackenTexasIceHouse
Live music outdoor, Music 3-7pm Sundays.
Country Nights
Rating: ***
Address:
12130 Oconnor Rd, 78233
https://www.facebook.com/crazydsbar/
Live music starts 9:30pm. 21+
Friday & Saturday Country
COVER: none
This hole in the wall has a smallish-but-big-enough-sized dance floor but it is concrete. The patrons are an older crowd and dance with the parties they come with, so it would be wise to bring a partner or group of your own. The bands are great and there is no cover. NE side of SA.
Address:
101 Hoxie St
Coupland, TX 78615
(east of Round Rock)
https://www.facebook.com/couplanddancehall
https://www.couplanddancehall.com/
Every Fri/Sat 8:30/9pm $10-20
Cowboys Dance Hall
Rating: ****
Address:
3030 NE Loop 410 @ I-35, 78218
http://www.cowboysdancehall.com/san-antonio/
https://www.facebook.com/CowboysDancehallSanAntonio/
Open Wed, Fri, Sat,
Dan teaches lessons Wed 7p-8:30 Fri 7-8:30p
COVER: $
Cowboys is the most well-known and biggest dance venue in San Antonio. It's huge. The floor itself is not very well taken care of and they allow drinks on the floor so there are spills. They have a house band. See schedule because Saturdays and random Fridays, they host concerts and they don't have lessons on those nights. The crowd has a good mix of young to middle-age people until about 10:30 or 11pm when the 18-mid 20's spill in and the older ones retire. People are friendly and strangers will dance with strangers, so no need to bring a partner. NE side of SA.
Doc Browns
Rating: **
Address:
6511 W. Loop 1604 N
San Antonio, TX 78254
Wednesdays 7:30pm Live Country Band
(other nights are DJ club music)
Has concrete floor. The alternative Wed night hangout for those who went to Cooter Browns before it closed.
COVER: none, 21+ NW Side of SA
Floores Country Store
Rating ****
Address:
14492 Old Bandera Rd, Helotes, TX 78023
Open for dancing 1st and 3rd Sundays Family Dance 4-8pm
COVER: none
It is actually one of the Old Texas Dance Halls, opened in 1942 with a concrete dance floor and café. With all the tables, the dance floor is pretty small, and you have to maneuver around a couple of poles, and people that don’t understand the flow of traffic. But I love that it is family friendly. My kids don’t dance, but they love to go out back and run around. They host concerts on Fridays and Saturdays…but Sunday evenings are family night with a live band. From 6-10pm, bring your family for food and dancing, all ages welcome. Best if you bring your own dance partner(s). Be aware they don't play DJed music between sets. NW side of SA.
Gruene Hall
Rating: *****
Address:
1281 Gruene Rd
New Braunfels, Texas, TX 78130
https://www.facebook.com/gruenehalltx/
Live band throughout the week. Check schedule.
COVER: 0-$ Varies. Often free events.
One of the old dance halls, this is a place you need to see. Lots of fun and friendly atmostphere. But beware, there's no air conditioning so it gets really hot in the summer. Tuesdays in the summer, they host swing dance lessons prior to Two Tons rockabilly band, free dance (lessons cost $8). Usually all ages, check schedule. Far NE side, north of SA.
Hangin' Tree Saloon
Address:
18424 2nd Street
Bracken, Texas 78266
Just outside San Antonio: located 2 miles north of Rolling Oaks Mall off FM 2252
Friday and Saturday: Love music and dancing 8pm-midnight
NW side of SA
COVER: None
Address:
1135 FM 3351
Kendalia, TX 78027
Address:
2114 N. St. Mary's St.
San Antonio, TX 78212
https://www.thelonesomerose.com
Live music 9pm Fri and Sat
Address:
4174 Hwy 290
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
https://www.facebook.com/lonestarbarandgrill1/
live music 6-9 Wed and Sun, 6-10 Fri and Sat
Luckenbach Dance Hall
Address:
412 Luckenbach Town Loop
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
https://www.facebook.com/LuckenbachTexas
https://www.luckenbachtexas.com/
Live Music 4th Saturdays $10-20
Max’s Roadhouse
https://www.facebook.com/maxsroadhouseTX
Live music Fri-Sat 9pm
257 Old San Antonio Rd
Buda, TX 78610
https://buda.mavericksdancehall.com/
Dance lessons on Thurs, Fri, and Sat 7:30pm
Martinez Dance Hall
Rating: *****
Address:
7791 FM 1346
San Antonio, TX 78220
https://www.facebook.com/MartinezDancehall/
http://martinezsocialclubdancehall.webs.com/dance-schedule
COVER: $10-$15 for 13+, all ages welcome
This old Texas dance hall is large and beautiful and the floor is kept in pristine shape. Like most of the dance halls, they host bands that play traditional country music good for 2-step. They also play a lot of waltzes here. The crowd is mostly senior citizens, but don't let that stop you if you love to dance. The place gets pretty busy, especially on a Sunday afternoon! East San Antonio
Mercer Street Dance Hall
Address:
https://www.facebook.com/MercerDanceHall
https://www.mercerdancehall.com/
Friday 8-11pm
Saturdays 8-11:30pm
Sundays 3-6pm
They have redone the paneling and put in a wood-ish floor. Strong AC but still feels like a classic country dance hall.
Pardners, Kingsland/Highland Lakes (Buchanan Dam)
Rating *****
Address:
15615 E. Hwy 29
Buchanan Dam, Texas, TX 78609
https://www.facebook.com/pardnersnc/
https://pardnersnightclub.com/
Cover: $15
If you are visiting Inks Lake, Longhorn Caverns, or happen to be in the Highland Lakes Area, stop by this bar. It has a nice new medium sized dance floor, smooth and well-kept. It feels like a real country honky tonk.
Quihi Dance Hall
Rating: *****
Address:
Co Rd 4517
Quihi, TX 78861
http://www.quihidancehall.com/
Open: 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, live bands, 9pm-1am.
COVER: $10 cash, all ages
This beautiful old Texas dance hall is out in Hondo but worth the drive from San Antonio. It is large and air conditioned and very well-attended. They host traditional country bands good for 2-step, swing, and waltz. It can get pretty crowded, but it has an amazing wholesome atmosphere, made up of families and friends for a good time. Far west from SA.
The Roundup (CLOSED?)
Address:
https://www.facebook.com/TheRoundupTX
Outdoor concerts Fri and Sat
Address:
5480 S Interstate Hwy 35
New Braunfels, TX
Small dance hall, BYOB, newly opened during covid. Can't tell when they are open from website/facebook??
Stetson Bar
Rating ****
Address:
7350 Tezel Rd
San Antonio, TX 78250
(next door to Billy Bob's Beds)
https://www.facebook.com/thestetsonbarsa/
http://www.thestetsonbar.com/events
Bands on Wed, Fri and Sat Cover. 21+
No Cover
It is a neighborhood bar with a small dance floor. But be aware that they only have music on Friday and Saturday night. The new owners recently upgraded a few things about the place, including a new juke box that you can now hear from the dance floor. The people who frequent the place on Fri and Sat are local regulars. They crowd is older and the dancers are self-taught couples that do not know about dance floor etiquette and flow of dance traffic. Stetsons is not really the place to ask strangers to dance, but it has a nice cozy, welcoming atmosphere. For the people on the far west side of town, it’s a nice place to go as a couple or a group. Like Thirsty Horse and some other places, most strangers will think you are weird if you ask them to dance. This happens to be one of my favorite little hole-in-the-wall gems for its music, character, and location. NW side of SA.
Stetson Helotes
Rating: **
Address:
1181 Bandera Rd
Helotes, TX
https://www.facebook.com/stetsondancehall/
(where the old Cooter Browns used to be). They have live bands Th/Fri/Sat. Big polished concrete floor for dancing.
Tejas Rodeo
Address:
401 Obst Road
Bulverde, Texas 78163
(830) 980-2226
http://tejasrodeo.com/hours-admission/
Saturdays 9pm Live Music for dancing
COVER: $12 adults, $6 kids 6-12, 5 and under free
Texas Pride BBQ
Address:
2980 East Loop 1604 South
Adkins, TX 78101
https://www.facebook.com/TexasPrideBBQ
https://www.texaspridebbq.net/
Free Live Music outdoor concrete covered pavilion Fri and Sat
Thirsty Horse
Rating: ****
Address:
2335 NW Military Hwy., 78231
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=thirsty%20horse%20saloon
Open Wed-Sun 8pm-2am, DJ music
Sun line dance lessons by Shellie 7pm
Wed lessons by Chris & Sarah (Red Dirt) 7pm
Thurs lessons by Shellie 7pm
Fri & Sat lessons by Ray & Tina Santee 7pm
COVER: $5, unless otherwise specified, 21+
Centrally located, Thirsty Horse has a pretty large floor, nicely maintained. They have live bands that usually start around 9:30 or 10. The crowd ranges from 18 to 60. Central side of SA.
Twin Sisters Dance Hall
Rating: *****
Address:
6720 Hwy 281 South
Blanco, Texas 78606
https://www.facebook.com/TwinSistersDanceHall/
http://www.twinsistersdancehall.com/
Open: 1st Saturdays of the month, and special occasions, 8pm
COVER: $15 cash/card), 11 and under $5
This old Texas dance hall is out in Blanco but worth the drive from San Antonio. It is large and air conditioned. They host traditional country bands good for 2-step, swing, and waltz. It has a nice wholesome atmosphere, made up of families and friends for a good time. It's just once a month, so mark your calendars. North from SA.
Watering Hole
Rating ***
Address:
1390 McQueeney Rd
New Braunfels, Texas, TX 78130
https://www.facebook.com/theholenb/
http://www.wateringholesaloon.com/
Open: Live music for dancing Thurs, Fri and Sat nights
Cover: None
They have a medium size concrete floor, nice for dancing. Live bands, bring your own partner. Sew Braunfels is North East of SA
Watterson Dance Hall
Rating: **
Address:
1179 Watterson Road
Red Rock, TX 78662
.https://watterson-hall.business.site/
Cool review: https://dancingacrosstexas.com/2019/11/24/watterson-hall-visited-nov-23-2019/
Live Country band Friday nights. 8pm $10. Made famous by the scene in Sandra Bullock's movie Hope Floats.
Outdated, but still good resource: http://www.hillcountryportal.com/hillcountrydancehalls.html