This is a really cool place to stop by and get a pint of a regional beer or refill your growler with your favorite brew to take home (growlers only, no crowlers here). Friendly, and more importantly, knowledgeable tap masters that can match your beer tastes to the selections on tap. You can order a pitcher of beer at this place! I don't see this in many growler stations. All in all, it's a very fun place. The staff and the customers are very chill and down to earth. It's in a strip center at the corner of LBJ and East Sessom Dr. The address is listed on LBJ and while you can enter there, it's a lot easier if you enter from East Sesson Drive. And there's a LOT more parking on this side. read more

The Growling - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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Awesome bar, Manny the owner is a cool guy! Lots to observe, good conversation and great beers! He plays movies too! We will definitely be back! read more

The Growling - Outside - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

I didn't see any food, plus we were going somewhere else to grub. We stopped to kill some time. Bartender was super nice, and knew what he had on tap. This is a taproom, with only Texas beers. So it was limited, but I still think it had a very decent selection of beer. This place is pretty laid back, dart board, pool table, movie night, and my favorite, bring your own vinyls for them to play. The decor is pretty cool. Not a lot of places to sit, but you can sit outside as well. I would come back with the guys, but not anytime in the future. read more

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Great place! Great atmosphere! Great freakin' service! Knowledgeable with beers-(IPAs)- Wish they were here where we live-in a Lubbock suburb. read more

The Growling - a glass of beer on a table - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

There is a great ambiance and amiable staff. The night I went for a drink, I met the owner. He was very attentive when we needed a drink. I recommend this place to my friends. read more

This is a great little dive bar in San Marcos with lots of local beers on tap. The bartender was very nice and knowledgeable and it was not very crowded at all. I love the music they play there as well. It is very low-key so if you feel like just sitting down and having a couple beers in talking with the regulars it is perfect perfect read more

The Growling - Middleton Pecan Amber! - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Well it would have been really nice to experience this bar as my fiancé and I were really excited to try their beers - except it took one phone call for us to never try this place. My fiancé wanted to find a new place to enjoy a couple beers with our pups. He came across this place and saw numerous pictures of animals in the bar, as well as reading reviews that had mentioned them being dog friendly. Just as a precaution, I called them to make sure dogs were welcomed and this is how the conversation went: Me: "Hello! Do y'all allow dogs?" Employee: "Is it a service dog" Me: "No" Employee: "I'll ask again... is it a service dog?" Me: *thinking we got disconnected or he didn't hear me* "No, sir" Employee: "Then have a nice day." So, yeah. I was taken back and giving him the benefit of the doubt that maybe the lines were breaking up or something. My fiancé called back asking the same question and he got the exact same attitude and unneeded snarky remarks, even raising his voice after my fiancé asked for a simple yes or no. So, we took our business and our dogs elsewhere. Very sad. read more

If you like craft beer, this place is a gem. There are many styles to choose from, all from Texas breweries. The owner Manuel is very knowledgeable and helpful about the beer selection. We met several friendly people there. Try it out! read more

The decor of this place is very unique. You pretty much just have to see it for yourself. The walls are loaded with artwork for sale from local artists. Very interesting pieces. But enough about that. This place is loaded with craft beer from Texas. Texas is apparently pretty big in that regard (and nearly every other regard). For a place as small and intimate as it is, there's a lot of seating packed in it and even some outdoor seating. There's games, lots of games. Card games, board games, darts, pool, and sometimes even a live DJ. If you dig the craft brew scene this place is surely right up your alley. If you find yourself in San Marcos come check em out! read more

The Growling - Old school street fighter 2 - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Excellent customer service and the beer was great after a hot tour of the campus. Would definitely come back. read more

If you're looking for a variety of beers in a laid back spot- this is the place. We tried a variety of beers from a variety of places and the bar staff was very knowledgeable in guiding our visit. Definitely enjoyed, and will be back! read more

Part of what makes The Growling so delightful, is the atmosphere. I'm new to the craft beer scene -- and this was a perfect welcome. The staff is friendly and can also help me decide what to order if I'm unsure. I've had fun trying to new beers and discovering what have become my go-to selections. (Bonus : All the beer they serve is from Texas!) Between the mix of good people and good beer - this has become my favorite bar. read more

The Growling - Just a girl & her growlers. - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Went to this local brew house last night and I was absolutely blown away. They have all Texas craft beers, 28 on tap, fresh, and they even have a few selections in cans and some wine! I was shocked when I saw they had The Infinite Monkey Theorem Rose' ....impressive. The vibe is awesome. Super laid back, chill, artsy, and hipster. Loves it. The owners are lovely people. So nice, great service, and very informative on every single beer. They make it their priority to get the perfect beer for you. They have some savory oyster crackers for you to enjoy while you booze it up. Cards Against Humanity is also available to play for free! The decor was my favorite. I was super into the refurbished wooden pallets, the art work, the baby succulents, and the colors! Will definitely be returning many more evenings. read more

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I love this bar! There are dogs! I repeat, this is a dog bar! I wish we had dog bars in San Antonio. I had no idea San Marcos was so cool. This is the first bar I visited in SMTX and I was very impressed. Very cool vibe, lots of dogs to pet and neat art on the walls. I like that they have board games and such. I would definitely go back! read more

The Growling - They let dogs in! - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

We were just gonna share 1 beer and go but Ted was so cool that we sat here and talked with him and kept drinking until their first karaoke night back since last year !!! Yassss!!! Good times good vibes good beer good peeps and good space !!! read more

This place has the best tap selection in San Marcos, hands down. No place in town even comes close to getting the quality beers that this bar does. The owner is always a great help for beer selection and a super cool dude. Try a craft beer or get your growler filled. I highly recommend The Growling! read more

The Growling - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Nothing like a craft brew to quench your thirst any day of the week! What a great spot - the staff is very welcoming and friendly and are very knowledgeable about the different brews on tap to help you find the right one to fit those taste buds. The beer flight the bartenders picked/poured for me were great and I look forward to coming back and tasting the other brews on tap. Looks like I found a great alternative to overcrowded beergardens in Austin so cheers to more trips I'll be making to San Marcos! read more

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As far as growler places in San Marcos, The Growling is as good as it gets! With that being said, I've been to growler places in the greater Austin area & IMHO, I think The Growling is better than most of them. As previously mentioned, there are 28 beers on tap, all Texas-made stuff, but unlike other growler places I've been to they have a bar & you can drink a pint, invite friends, & just hang out. The owners are super friendly & work hard to set you up with the perfect craft beer experience! They even have a stage setup for live music & get live acts mostly on the weekend. Also, as previously mentioned, there is no kitchen but they allow outside food & with Pie Society, Bobcat nation, Dos Gatos, Mocas/Javas, Rose Garden (Chinese), & Thai Thai in close proximity; you won't have to go far to fight off those hunger cravings! They haven't been open very long (less than 2 months) so they're off to a slow start but hopefully as word gets out they'll start getting busier & maybe even expand on what's an already great start! If you're in San Marcos for the River, the Square, the Hill Country, or in school looking to skip class, The Growling is every bit worth checking out! read more

The Growling - a man standing in front of a restaurant - Beer Bar Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

In San Marcos for the weekend and checked this place out for a few beers based on the great Yelp rating. Yelpers are definately right on the mark here. Great selection of Texas beers. Very helpful staff who encouraged us to sample several based on our likes including several blends we may not have thought of trying. 2 beers led to 3 and then 4. Sad to leave but had a game to catch. Until next time, keep up the great cheer and beer! read more

This place is super duper dope! Great selection, continuously changing taps all from Texas. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, free street fighter, and chill vibes. Great place to hang out and drink delicious Texas beer. read more

The Growling always has good vibes, smooth tunes, and awesome art/entertainment selection tasty brews and great company with Manny and the undrownable countess ! read more

Great place to hang out at the end of a long day! There are games to play on the tables, cool music, and good films running on the tv. Sometimes they have live music which is always great! Come by and check them out! read more

Great selection! Very relaxed and mellow atmosphere. They always have tons of beer on tap and they are all Texas beers. Plus the staff is very helpful at suggesting beers. read more

The place is amazing, you can walk in with your dog and order food from outside. Barman is amazing, actually they take turns, the one I like is the one who lets a scorpion and is super crazy. He will always recommend the right craft beer for you. Enjoy! read more

Best selection of beers in sm!! They have electric jellyfish. they'll give you samples till you find what you want! Amazing service. A little pricey for a drink in a college town, but appropriate for the establishment I think. read more

So glad to discover this place! Excellent selection and awesome atmosphere, bar guy, and fellow customers.

Seriously awesome local beers. The bartender is extremely knowledgeable. A true hidden gem for craft brews of Texas.

The Best spot to grab Texas craft beer inbetween Austin and San Antonio. 32 taps beer, wine, mead, cans, growlers. All Texas craft, all big and tasty. Bring your dog and play some board games or watch a cult classic film (the movie colletion is impressive). Music and great staff. read more

Best craft selection in town. You'll spend money on nice beers here. Staff was really nice. If they had board games available, like Settlers of Catan, that would be pretty sweet and would make good use of the tables. read more

Great selection of Texas beer! Ruben knows his beer let me tell you. He will find the perfect beer for you.

Finally a bar in San Marcos that caters towards craft beer enthusiasts! Excellent beer selection. Knowledgeable bartenders. Nice atmosphere. Definitely gonna be here often! read more

Stopped by to kill time while waiting to pick up a pizza in shop nearby. Reuben the bartender was a great host and very knowledgeable about Texas craft beers. I sampled several including his personal concoction of a pecan flavored beer with a chocolate flavored stout. With just a few patrons and an attentive bartender, it felt like Cheers. I went back several weeks later on a Thursday night and the place was packed. read more

Had a great time here. Very knowledgable about their beers & quite a friendly atmosphere. Although the concept isn't new, they only serve TX beers, it was a change of pace for SMTX. Will be back again for sure. I also love they have plastic growlers for floating down the river with. read more

Just Awesome! Didn't know the area and stumbled into this place. They know about craft beer and made me feel at home. Great selection, great staff and great time! Ill defiantly be back. read more

Solid beer selection and friendly service! It is highly likely I may end up here to grade papers between classes.

Friendly, awesome environment with a great selection of Texas beers. I enjoyed the twisted X jalapeño Pilsner!

Great selection of craft beers from around Texas, wonderful service, friendly folks, and a convenient location. And, you can bring your kids; they have root beer on tap! But, for me, the neat thing about this place: Lone Pint's Yellow Rose! A still nearly impossible beer to get if you live in San Marcos, and they have it! read more

Wonderful bar, wonderful staff, fantastic beer selection. This place is a hidden gem right across from campus. I love that they have all my favorite craft beers, and the atmosphere is great too. They play 80's movies on the background along with an eclectic range of music. Check it out! read more

My home away from home. Roo & Miguel are very friendly and are more than willing to help anyone who is new to the craft beer scene. The best selection of Texas craft beer in San Marcos. read more

29 Texas beers on tap, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere. Ignore any bad reviews this is one of few places I frequent in San Marcos.