Hills & Dales Ice House

Very laid back beer joint with a wide variety of drinks. I loved how they had Texas craft beers. We will definitely be back.

If you loved this place before, just skip it now. Hold on to the memories you had. The new owners have destroyed what was once the best ice house in town. If you enjoy drinking beer with grown ass folk, this is not the bar for you. There was a time when a variety of people hung out at this bar and now it’s very one dimensional. In their efforts to be trendy they’ve taken this place and destroyed the charm and character.
Highs: None
Lows: No more self service beer and the bartenders are in no hurry to serve you, maybe if she cared half as much about tending bar as she did her lipstick you might actually get a beer. They actually had the large tv screen inflated to watch TNT with an edited for TV movie and the sound superseded the jukebox. I actually had to ask twice for them to turn down their music so I could play the jukebox. There were children allowed outside so their parents could drink (If I wanted to drink with kids I’d stay at home, which is what they should have done). I have nothing good to say, just nothing. So so disappointed.

The worst service anywhere. Guess this was a fun place before, but the management now is sorely lacking. Slowest, dullest bartenders I’ve ever witnessed.

This place was once great, but the changes of a decade ago have long worn off. The beer is overpriced and they do not regularly clean the lines so it tastes bad. This is completely preventable, but they have demonstrated a lack of concern for the quality of their draft products. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.

If I could give zero stars I would. The new owners ruined a San Antonio icon. No iced beers no parking for the bikers no more great beer selection. SKIP IT.

There’ve been many good changes however the program to drink every draft and get a plaque on the ceiling is totally broken and is now a scam because they are still selling the cards and not ordering the plaques when the card is filled. I’ve got 3 waiting to go up a friend of mine has 5 waiting to go up. They can’t seem to figure it out. Don’t waste your money until the owners fix the program!

How sad to see an icon ice house go down hill (no pun intended). The new owners don’t have near the personality that created the original atmosphere people came to know & love as «Hills & Dales». They’ve drastically reduced their hours to the point that you can’t count on them being open when you show up. When we arrived 10 min before they were open they made no effort to even acknowledge us, as in, «thanks for coming by. we’ll be open in a minute». Lame in comparison. We’ll only make the trip in that direction for the awesome food at the Singh’s & Buddha Belly food trucks.

As a beer nerd I had high expectations when I heard of the change in management. I’m a craft beer lover who usually can be found at the Hoppy Monk or the Flying Saucer. Back in the 90’s, Hills & Dales was one of my favorite dive bars to hangout at because of the vast selection of imported beers.
Visit Occurred: Tuesday evening around 9pm for a Spurs game.
Positive:
* Laid back outdoors drinking area with a big screen TV for the Spurs game
* A wide variety of beers on tap
* Lot’s of refrigeration space. Huge potential to bring in craft beers from all over the country
Negative:
* With only 6 people in the bar it took 14 minutes to get a beer from a bartender. The girl behind the bar seemed more interested in talking with friends than helping me out with my order
* What made this process worse is there are no menus or boards where you can see what’s available on tap. It was dark and i spent quite a while trying to read each tap from a distance. A chalkboard, menu, or print out is badly needed
* When I asked the girl behind the bar about which Dogfish Head beer was on tap, she seemed to have no beer knowledge whatsoever
* The TV lost connection halfway through the game and nobody new how to fix it. Everyone was forced to go inside or go somewhere else
Overall, it was a poor experience for a place I had such high hopes for. I will be going back to the Hoppy Monk. The combination of beer selection and knowledge is hard to beat. With a bit of attention to detail and some beer knowledge, Hills & Dales has a lot of potential. However, right now it still needs a lot of work.

The good: the patio where the bikers used to hang out is now a nice seating area with colorful seats and not necessarily a nice view, but it is quite nice. The insides have been cleaned up but not necessarily updates so it still has the rustic cheap biker bar look. Bad is the variety of beers is now very one dimensional with a lot of focus on hops and the prices are nuts. This is not that nice a place for them to charge those prices. 3 trips and not impressed. The first trip was the only time the bartender actually knew the beers and could talk knowledgeably about them. The other times, they were just pint slingers.
I would rather sit in my backyard!

Still good, but missing it’s old charm. We had a good time, but nothing is self service any longer and the wait staff is not attentive. The young lady behind the «new» bar was more concentrated on eating her dinner at the bar, than in serving guests.
The new owners spent money where it didn’t seem needed and didn’t spend money where it was. For example, there was plenty of seating outside, yet the added many new tables, yet they left the bathrooms a disaster.
Not a successful makeover and I’m sad to report that if they don’t clean up their act, then the center of the universe may no longer exist. Sad!

Been coming here for years and this place never let’s me down. Their selection of drafts are tops! It’s A Very Relaxed And Friendly Atmosphere that is great for meeting friends after work or on a beautiful weekend. The inside is pretty cool because if you enjoy beer maybe one day you too can have you name on the bar like the couple hundred customers that have accepted and completed the beer challenge.

Incorrect info. Bar online on multiple sites (Google, Unilocal and Facebook) states place closes at 2:00am. Ubered over, spent $ 15 on über just for the place to be closed at 12am. Which is the new closing time, that they have yet to inform anybody of. My review rating will go up when I feel the time is right. I just feel cheated at the moment.

Super sad to see the changes at this landmark… and now they’re not even open??? At 1230pm on a thursday??? Numerous regulars have walked away from the center of the universe today.

Great chill outside atmosphere. Fun divey feel inside. Cool new owners that also own the friendly spot a bar in soflo part of SA. Beer is a little pricey, but great selection of draft and icehouse style drinking. Good hangout joint. Great customer service.

Great spot to hang out and drink beer in an unpretentious atmosphere. The new owners are very friendly and are definitely on to something here. With over 50 taps of Draft Beer to choose from, outside seating, and a cool-​laid back atmosphere inside this is a neat place to hang out and grab a few drinks.

Definitely a great spot to chill and drink a beer outside of 1604. I’m glad this place is close, because we are sorely lacking in cool spots out here.
They offer the drink card for $ 2, where you can get your name on the wall/​bar if you drink all of their ~54 beers on tap. A pricey little endeavor, as most of their beers will run you about $ 5.50 or more, but I still bought the card. A girl can dream.
And they offer some great beers on tap, too. Of course they have the regular beers, but they offer many of the local breweries as well as some I didn’t recognize.
Hills & Dales ALSO has a ton (I mean a TON) of beers in bottles and cans. You could drink for days and never try the same beer twice. From the outside of this joint, you wouldn’t think they’d have so many options. But as it states on the sign, it really is the Center of the Universe for beer drinkers.
*People with peanut allergies: BEWARE. I’m really sorry, but I don’t think you can enter. They offer peanuts in bags, but I saw them open on the picnic tables inside, so if you’re pretty sensitive don’t even try it.
But all you other people without this terrible allergy, get to Hills & Dales quickly… before all the wall spots are taken.

Came here last Friday night on our way home, after a nice night out for dinner and wine. This place is awesome, I still make comments about their extensive beer selection, and the staff was super friendly, talkative and didn’t treat you like an idiot for not knowing which type of beer to choose. They even let you try it first to make sure you like it.
Long picnic tables are inside, a few pool tables and darts, and a jukebox that we fed quite a few dollars. We don’t live around here but I would be here often if we did! Love the atmosphere, wish they had a few more snacky items (they sell peanuts, beef jerky, etc.) because you need a little something in your belly after drinking all the delicious cold beer! There is a food truck outside in the parking lot but it was closed by 11:00.

I love Hills and Dales it is super fun. It has a HUGE beer selection, definitely one of the biggest in SA. The drafts are on the wall but bottles you get yourself out of the old gas station icehouse fridges. A lot of motorcycles stop here on the way to hill country, but they are nice motorcycle riders it seems — I am mostly sure there won’t be a Waco style brawl at any given time. Also a lot of college kids go here too. Inside is dark and a little dingy but there is a cool patio out back and motorcycle people hang out in front seemingly to look at and talk about their bikes whilst drinking.

You’re not welcome unless you drink beer, new management won’t allow set ups! No wonder bikers or anybody else for that matter doesn’t want to go there anymore.

Cool spot, biker and family friendly (oddly enough). Singh’s food truck across the street is great. So is the Mexican place next door earlier in the day.

This is a dive! Don’t come here if you’re high maintenace. This place is fun and has some great beer options and it’s nice to bring your own mug for a cheap fill-​up! Imagine rustic meets Flying Saucer for 20% less!

I don’t drink much. 4 tiny sips of an adult beverage is about all I can handle. After that… WHERE’S MY EPI!!! Yeah… cheap date :/
So can I still review this place? I don’t see why not. The nice folks here are kind enough to carry sodas, water, & juices for wimps like me who still want to hang out with the cool crowd. I appreciate that.
And as suggested by my Unilocal buddy, Sunay P., the best time for a misanthrope like me to crawl out of my hole & join the living is Sunday afternoon. It’s pretty empty & quiet. No one getting drunk & rowdy. No smokers. Perfect :)
Singh’s Vietnamese food truck is right across the street & we can bring food in from there. Bonus! Would I come back? Sure.

I always forget that Hills & Dales exists… and that’s a damn shame, really. Before this past week, I hadn’t been since my college years (ahem, 10 years ago-​ish). I’d pass H&D infrequently on the weekend… see a buncha motorcycles & think «I gotta get back there!». Put a food truck out front & I make the extra effort/​my memory improves…
The description of «ice house» is perfect… don’t go expecting anything fancy. It’s clean, but über casual & nondescript. There’s a nice seating area with picnic tables covered by big shady trees. The parking lot is big, dusty, & unpaved. The inside has picnic tables, ‘frigerators along the wall with various bottled beverages, both alcoholic & non-​alcoholic. There are pool tables & dart boards… which, I’m convinced are «cheat» friendly as I actually HIT the dartboard most of the time. The dart didn’t bounce off onto the floor but a few times.
Anyway, the bar is on your right as you walk in & has about 50 different taps. Get the card for $ 2 cause once you drink all of ‘em, you get plaque on their wall (yeah, Flying Saucer style, but H&D is the O.G. circa at least 30 years ago). I wasn’t aware a cost came with the card and I was flagged on my way out that I owed $ 2. Ah well. Beer prices are norm & selection is plentiful.
The owner is a sweet, thin older lady with glasses & a cute accent… she’s from Wales, her husband is from either Wisconsin or Minnesota, I can’t remember. The rest of the staff is lovely as well. All the patrons are unbelievably friendly & didn’t seem to have a care in the world… which is contagious. One even tried get us to keep the party going to some other bar nearby. The age varies from college to 50s. It’s a calm, quiet kinda fun… not some raging frat party with loud, annoying, aggressive drunks.
Keep an eye out for fun signs & be sure to write something funny on the chalkboard in the bathroom!
P. S. Holla to the cats who were drinking out of legit German beer steins, from Rothenburg ob der Tauber!

My name is on the wall. Yessir. I drank all the beers on tap with my hubby (boyfriend at the time) over a year’s time in 2001. Since then, I have nursed a second punch card that I can’t seem to get filled.
I love sitting at the picnic tables indoors and eating peanuts while sipping on a few colorful brews. The biker dudes only enhance the experience. They still take your I.D. if you wanna throw darts, and the jukebox is always rockin something cool.
I have written my name on that chalk board in the bathroom so many times. I used to always put «Brande & Marc Forever» — but now I know it’s true, so I don’t feel the need to write it down anymore.
TIP: Three of those puppies on tap will put your *bleep* in the dirt, so get a DD or go careful.

So I know what you’re thinking… But I love bars like this. It reminds me of the east coast dive bars I used to frequently visit, and the best part? The beer selection here goes far beyond Budweiser products. There are many beers on tap, and many more bottled. Left Hand Brewing milk stout? Yes, please. There’s plenty of space here, inside and out, with pool tables and a great deck. The bathrooms are clean and everyone seems chilled out. I’ll be visiting here again… especially since Singh’s camps out across the street most of the time!

Finally got to this place which is sad considering it’s 5 minutes from my house! Plus the days we’ve wanted to go the weather was crumby and sitting inside makes me a sad panda.
So we sat outside last night and it was beautiful. There’s a resident stray cat, super friendly and would walk around the table purring. Has got to be someone’s or a run away.
The bartender was the sweetest lady — welcomed us for the first time as she didn’t recognize us. Yep, this is a local hangout for sure. Told us the place is usually packed on weekends but there was some event going on in Bandera which is where most of her regulars were. We only had 1 beer, enough time to relax and just enjoy the surroundings. I’d say 2 dozen picnic tables are outside — all under a «roof». Indoors has 2 or 3 long cafeteria style seating, a few pool tables, and dart boards. It’s pretty large — I was expecting a cramped space judging by the exterior. It’s definitely not a sports bar, I recall only 1 TV.
They had over 50 beers on tap {I previously reported 12… Never trust your husband to get you correct info ;-) } and large coolers with your typical bottles beer — those were only $ 3! Yes! We had 2 ‘on tap’ beers, $ 10 total. Still not bad. They accept cards :-)
Bathrooms were clean and more than 1 stall.
Plenty of parking — there’s a lot in front and in the back. There’s a sign to not park on the restaurants side (in the front) b/​c they are known for towing.
I must add: you can purchase mix/​match 6 packs and get 30% off… Or you can just buy whatever you want and take it home. Bar & beer pit stop in 1 place.
Singhs food truck is located in the parking lot — hoping to check that off my list. We plan on going back today, this time taking the bike. Gotta take in the sunshine while we can!

It is shocking that I am actually reviewing a country ass dive bar like Hills & Dales. Never thought our paths would cross b/​c it really isn’t a typical place this city girl would go hang out. So letting me review this place is like asking a yankee review a southerner or asking a big city snob (yea call me a snob) review a redneck. Regardless the result isn’t going to be pretty. Unfortunately it wasn’t a love tale you see in the movie the notebook where a city girl fell for a country boy. It was a tragedy this time!
It all started when i wanted to try the Asian food truck across the street. Their generator blew off so I needed a place to sit while waiting for my order. If it wasn’t the summer in Texas, I’d have just stood on the street. But the heat was unbearable! Reluctantly I walked pass hundreds of bikers into this country bar wearing a maxi dress, wedge heels and all dolled up. Oh, boy! While sipping a Smirnoff mango (wow, they actually sell it here) and watching everyone else drinking beer at a picnic table, I thought I was on Mars. Wait, maybe those people thought I was from Mars.
Two star because of the Asian food truck outside. That’s all.

Lots of different people from all walks of life. Who doesn’t love a place that only has picnic tables indoors.
There is biker night on Wednesdays where you see lines and lines of all sorts of cycles. There is your happy hour work people from people is suits to scrubs to just about anything. Lots of local/​neighborhood people.
Nice selection of draft beer & very nice selection of bottle beer. No food sold here though you can get some peanuts (they give you a tray to put your shells in) & chips. You can bring in food from the outside even have domino’s or pizza hut delivered.
No children after 9pm.
Couple of pool tables, Darts.

After 27 freaking reviews, what the hell can I say that hasn’t been said already? Just get out there and enjoy all their craft beer and mingle with all the nerds, goths, emos, bikers, gays, cowboys, business stiffs, and geeks while sitting in rustic country décor (think picnic tables), all while enjoying everything whatever the H the jukebox is blasting at the moment.
Soak this San Antonio institution while having a beer. Or two.