We had a fantastic dinner at Bankersmith! The catfish was excellent, cooked perfectly, and seasoned just right. We also ordered the beignets, and they were absolutely delicious! They were light, fluffy, and had the perfect texture. Honestly, they were so good that we ate almost all of them before I remembered to take a picture! Overall, a wonderful dining experience with delicious food. We really enjoyed ourselves and would definitely come back, especially for those amazing beignets! read more

Bankersmith - Beignet - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

We had an awesome time at Bankersmith and honestly there's a lot more here than I expected. It has that rustic, slightly quirky Texas Hill Country atmosphere that feels genuine instead of manufactured for tourists. We ate here and really enjoyed the food -- big portions, good drinks and a very relaxed atmosphere. Between eating, hanging out, seeing the animals and exploring the property, there was plenty to keep us entertained. We even ended up making friends with the sweetest little cat inside, which became one of those random funny memories from the trip. The live music/dance hall atmosphere and all the old Texas décor give the place a ton of character. It's definitely not some polished chain restaurant, and that's exactly what makes it fun. We also stayed in one of the Bankersmith suites, which made the experience even better. The room had a really cool rustic Western style with wood walls, vintage furniture, Texas artwork and a small living/kitchen area. Being able to enjoy the area and then stay right there instead of driving back into town was a huge plus. We paired our Bankersmith stay with a visit to nearby Grapetown Vineyard & Farm and one of their animal experiences, so the whole thing made for a really memorable Hill Country getaway. Good food, animals, music, drinks, a unique place to stay and a ton of Texas character. We took an absurd number of pictures and had a great time. Definitely somewhere we'd come back to. read more

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Stopped in for Friday steak & oysters night before heading over to Luckenbach for their Friday free dance! Enjoyed live music, cold beer, excellent food, and attentive & friendly staff. Don't forget to pet the goats! And don't skip this hidden gem when you're in the area! read more

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Amazing!! We were looking for a place to eat dinner after watching millions of bats fly out of a cave at Old Tunnel State Park. This was a perfect ending to a perfect day!! The atmosphere, the food, the drinks, a petting zoo.. from 10 years old to 83, the whole party had a great time! Do not leave without having the oysters!!!!! We had crab, oysters, catfish, chicken tenders, fries, wings, and a burger - nothing was leftover it was so good!! The staff was incredible - made the whole experience. Truly a great family memory we will take back with us to CA, MI, and Johnson City. Do yourself a favor and stop here - you won't be disappointed! read more

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Great place and like a dive joint to me really cool atmosphere. They have TVs and a bar as well as a petting zoo! Rustic but very cool. The beignets are fantastic. read more

One of a kind place!!! Friendliest staff in the Hill country. Cajun boil Sports bar and grill with a petting zoo and Airbnbs!!!Goats, alpacas, pigs, sheep, and rams to feed and pet. Sports on all the TVs so it's perfect for a day out watching football. Cold beer, frozen hurricanes, wine and liquor to quench your thirst. Come out with the family or hop on your Harley and stop for a beer and some out. We had a blast and hope you do too!!! read more

Bankersmith - Dancehall and AirBnbs - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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Great spot virtually in the middle of nowhere! A mix of bar/hangout and petting zoo! They also have a good menu (though we didn't eat). We will definitely be back! The alpacas have a bit of an attitude - you've been warned! ;) Also, they are open well before 4pm on Saturdays (maybe other days too)! read more

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Christy is the best!!! You cannot go wrong with this place! Good food, drinks, great people, phenomenal vibes! Best dive bar I've been to in a long time read more

Bankersmith - Christy is our girl!! You cannot go wrong with the food, drinks, or overall vibe!! - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Add this to your list! Super cool local bar spot in Fredericksburg to break away from the winery scene. They've got food, full bar, tunes! Rustic vibes with some cool photo ops. Bartenders were super kind and welcoming when we came in! read more

Bankersmith - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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The shrimp was great, nice portion size, with potatoes, corn and sausage. Old bar feel with live music on Saturdays. Will stop again the next time we're in the area. read more

The service and food were great! Kids enjoyed petting the animals!!! Just a bit up the road from the Wine Vineyard.

VetTix Scammer. We love VetTix. They are an awesome non-profit that give reduced price tickets veterans and first responders. Bankersmith takes advantage of that situation in order to scam people to showing up for their "events." We saw an "All you can eat crawfish festival" on VetTix. Signed up and thought we were lucky enough to get 4 tickets for an all you can eat crawfish festival We drive 2 hours to get there. At the door, we are told our tickets are just good for entrance, but the all you can eat crawfish is 40 dollars per person. However they did give us each a free ticket for a sangria. The was no festival. There was a mediocre one man guitar show, but otherwise this was just a dive bar. Admission for a dive bar? No large pot of crawfish anywhere. Seems they were doing HEB crawfish packs in the back. I went back and forth with the lady doing "admission." She seemed kind of upset she was doing this to people. Said she would upgrade our sangria tickets to beer tickets. Immediately after getting past admission, another vet customer came up and asked, "You thought this was on VetTix for all you can eat too?" I said yes. They said they drove for 2.5 hours. They were kinda pissed to. I mean, we are grateful to get free stuff, but when you drive 2+ hours because you think you are getting a great deal and then find out it's a ticket to get into a dive bar... that kinda sucks. So... we went to the bartender and ordered a couple of drafts. We saw the plastic tank of sangria and the tiny glasses they were handing it out in. Glad we we got upgraded to beer. She handed over the beers and we handed over the tickets and she looked confused. She said, "oh... okay." I asked what was wrong. I said the lady at the front said we could upgrade for beers. She then said, "OH. YOU ARE THOSE PEOPLE" really loudly. Way to make people feel welcome. Was planning to tip bigly for the free beers at least, but not after that. We drank our beers quickly and left. It's been a few weeks. Reported to VetTix. Saw they are still doing "all you can eat" festivals of various kinds. do not recommend. p.s. There is a petting zoo for the kids. A few cute animals. Drawback, the outdoor area smells like poo. read more

This review is more for the place not the food. The food is ok... nothing really to give a review about. And I honestly wouldn't be back for the food at all This review is for the establishment how cool and old it is and how it gives you the greatest Texas vibes! If you want a road trip through the hill country I suggest stopping by that place. They have goats roaming around and climbing an old bus and living their best life! The service is quick and they are friendly. You just feel you are in someone's backyard... I recommend checking it out! read more

Great service with a smile! We are Harvest Host members so we stayed here in our RV for free at the winery. This is an awesome fun place to visit. You have a winery a bar a dance hall food great place to spend a couple days. read more

Service was prompt and efficient. Eric and Briley were amazing. Try the steak excellent price for a great cut of meat and add fresh lobster tail for an amazing meal!! Grilled oysters magnificent!! read more

One word, Briley. My friend and I came in from Houston yesterday and decided to stop in Bankersmith. Briley made us feel at home as soon as we walked in! If you're from a big city and trying to capitalize on that small town experience, he's perfect and the location is perfect. Like stepping into a rustic Texas version of 'Cheers'! read more

Highly recommend! This is a great place to visit. Wendy and Briely treated us very well. Very welcoming, friendly environment. Great food and cold beer. We will definitely a hidden gem and we will be returning very soon read more

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My wife and I are traveling the country and we found this gem...Bankersmith Boil Shack Sports Bar in Texas!!! We ordered steak, crab and shrimp...delicious!! Great service, awesome vibe, great live band! We found this amazing place through Harvest Host! We are staying on the property "Grape town Vineyard" which has a variety of exotic animals and farm animals!!!! Great experience!!!! Highly recommend!! read more

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Catfish was fantastic and the atmosphere is really unique. Lots of tv's also to watch your favorite sports team!!

Drove from NB to our favorite bar for dinner. Thank you Amy for great drinks and food. Can't wait to come back read more

Bankersmith - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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went there today and darn what a great place. Aimee was absolutely the BEST!!! We are so glad we stopped for the goats but ran into the best menu and bar drinks. Worth the drive from Austin, TX. Friday night seems the place to be for Prime Rib ... read more

This place is great, what a beautiful day to pictures of food to follow, the sangria is deelish

Great service, great food and good variety of drinks! Live band was great too! I got the ribs and they didn't disappoint! read more

Bankersmith - Patio bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Swung by here just because it looks so cool at dusk right after we finish watching the bats go crazy out of the Old Tunnel State Park. It was Wednesday evening and it was karaoke night and the locals were here going at it! Fantastic atmosphere, beautiful evening, Just enjoying the moment. The beer was cold and that was all that mattered. read more

We found this stay through Harvest Host. It was awesome to find a spot to boondock for free while passing through for some gigs in town. They have several donkeys that greet you when you enter! We stayed in a big open field and we were the only ones there. Definitely a great spot to stay. Thanks for having us. read more

Bankersmith - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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Cold beer excellent wings and great musician. What more could you want? Goats? Oh yea they've got those too! So unique great time.

Excellent stop - great food and music ! Definitely make it a destination. We loved everything about the place.

Spencer and Aimee were awesome! They treated us like family from the second we walked in. True Texas Southern hospitality here! Drinks and food were great! They even had live music. We found Bankersmith through the Harvest Host app and will definitely visit again when in the area. Highly, highly recommended!! A true Hidden Gem! read more

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We came for the Lobster fest. The location is awesome. Patio with lots of seating. Even a fire pit to keep you warm. They had an awesome band playing. The bar service was fantastic, quick and helpful with suggesting other places in the area. We will definitely return. read more

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So relaxing here...great bands and great scenery! There's always events going on here and always a great time! read more

Bankersmith - Having the band set up...Always playing great music and great setup!!! - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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WOW! Hidden gem out in Hill Country! Do yourself a favor and check it out - the food was DELICIOUS, there was live music and beers! We stayed the night camping across the street with all the animals and it reset our hearts and minds to get out of the hustle and bustle of Dallas. Thank you!! read more

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Just tried the food at the new Boil Shack at Bankersmith and we were VERY disappointed with it. We ordered 2 Catfish and Shrimp Baskets which come with 3 catfish and 3 shrimp only received 2 catfish in each. The Catfish was HORRIBLE, it was Greasy, it tasted like it had been made in the morning and left out all day under heat lamps. The portions were small and only came with a small container of shrimp sauce. nothing else! Will never recommend or eat there again ​ read more

Nice vibe, mix of locals and out of towners... Relaxed, but lively chatting, friendly people. Live music. Great backyard area with a fire pit. Dog friendly. Fish & Chips, poutine, prime rib and loaded baked potato were all delicious We loved Banker & Woody the kitties. read more

Bankersmith - Banker the sweetest cat! - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Great spot for the family! Service with a smile! Food excellent. Great Texas atmosphere.

Food AND service beyond expectations! I really bargain and promptly and politely served! Waitress Kelly, was very informative and accommodating. read more

I love this bar and the other bar patrons! Aimee is so attentive and Lilly's food was amazing. I absolutely recommend visiting and enjoying the music as well. read more

I came here this past Sunday for a working farm tour that met at this location. This place is a hodgepodge of many things; it's a Saloon, Dance hall, Petting zoo, B&B , Souvenir shop, Kids play area and Food establishment. This place really represents the heart of the Texas Hill Country. It is a short drive from downtown Fredericksburg, and is set in a historic Texas Railroad Town. While many reviewers have taken issue with the events/festivals that occur here, I can not comment on that...what I am reviewing is the experience that Thing One and Two had here and the hospitality of the business owners. While here, we purchased beverages, food and Thing Two used the play area and busted her butt on the swing set (and like any good parent, I laughed in her face when it happened). Anything purchased here is excessive as this is a tourist area and many are only coming here for a "once in a lifetime" type of experience. However, for us local folks of the hill country, this establishment should be visited if only once just to see what the hype is all about. Places like this are highly subjective as each experience here is unique. read more

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Great little bar with great food and great live music. Tonight we listened to an artist - named Bill Goodge - don't think he knows how good he is! Goats are the best added touch that you didn't know you needed. read more

Very cool vibe with live music and good food and drinks. We camped in their field among cows, donkeys, alpacas, longhorn cattle, and more. Awesome experience. read more

Very cool little hidden gem!! Great food, drinks, and live music! Will definitely be back!! read more

Bankersmith - Fried pickles - Dive Bars Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas