Kicking back and relaxing over great food and great drinks is a delightful way to enjoy yourself after a long day of work or after an exciting day venturing out and exploring the Texas Hill Country, and the 1856 Tavern in Bandera serves up both!

The 1856 Tavern is the third successfully launched family owned and operated restaurant by local restauranteurs, the Gibson family. Their two other locations, Brick’s River Cafe and Sid’s Main Street BBQ have long been favorited by both area locals and visitors alike, and the 1856 Tavern has made a big splash since their opening just over a year ago.

Featuring tavern style food and a full service bar in a casual steakhouse setting, a sampling of their offerings include hand-tossed artisan pizzas, burgers, USDA Prime steaks, fish, seafood, pasta and more, as well taste-bud bursting appetizers, deserts, ice cold beer on tap and bottles, substantial wine offerings, and of course, refreshing cocktails…after all, we are talking about happy hour here!

During happy hour they offer both appetizer and drink specials.

Their appetizer menu offers a variety of choices, a few of our favorites are Devils On Horse Back, Pork Shanks with Cajun BBQ Sauce and their Jumbo Lump Crab Cake.

Devils On Horseback may sound a little frightening at first, but no need to fear, after devouring the 4 jumbo shrimp stuffed with fresh jalapeños and cheese, wrapped in bacon and served with melted butter for dipping, your tastebuds will thank you!

Hearty and mouth-wateringly delicious, their meaty chargrilled Pork Shanks with house made cajun BBQ sauce are extremely satisfying and brimming with flavor.

When we are looking for something a little lighter, we always go for the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. They pan sear the crab cake and serve it atop a bed of spring greens with a side of House Remoulade for topping.

Ready to be refreshed? One of the few Bandera establishments with beer on tap, we love the fact that they periodically rotate the brands of beer they serve so we have new brews to try. Some of the varieties they have served on tap include Shock Top Belgian White, Real Ale Brewing Company’s Firemans #4, Alaskan Brewing Co.’s Alaskan White, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, as well as standards, Shiner Bock and Dos Equis. If bottled beer is more your style, they have a good selection to choose from.

Happy hour specials include their house wines, Ritas On The Rocks, Bloody Marys and well drinks. If you love a great Bloody Mary as much as we do, we recommend you order one. Bloody Revolution is their Bloody Mary mix of choice and is available in a variety of zesty flavors such as wasabi ginger, pickle zest, rib-eye, smoked habanero and original, giving you the option to choose your favorite blend. The bar staff adds their own special touch to the mix base to create a truly refreshing cocktail.

So now that we’ve shared some of our favorite appetizer and drink specials, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty happy hour details:

1856 Tavern Happy Hours:

Monday- 4-10 pm

Tuesday through Saturday 4-6 pm

Happy Hour Specials:

$2.00 Off All Appetizers

$5.00 Ritas on The Rocks and Bloody Marys

$3.00 All House Wines

$2.00 Domestic Longnecks

$1.00 Off Draft Beer and Well Drinks

1856 Tavern is located at 702 State Highway 16 South, Bandera, TX 78003.

Want to see more? Check Out The 1856 Tavern Website

Articles Hill Country Fare