Private and Luxury
2–3 hours
Taking safety measures
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$85.00
per adult
The Barwalk
The Barwalk
5
Bar, Club & Pub Tours • Walking Tours • Private Tours
Read more
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Monday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Friday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Full view
About
A pub crawl/boutique walking tour of downtown San Antonio that incorporates stops in historic and unique bars and taverns. The tour features the history of the bars as well as the general history of the area and stops in each bar long enough to imbibe one drink before moving on.
Tours and Tickets by The Barwalk
Private and Luxury
2–3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
$85.00
per adult
Private and Luxury
5–6 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$200.00
per adult
Private and Luxury
3–4 hours
Taking safety measures
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$100.00
per adult
Travelers talk about
(11 reviews)
(2 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
123 reviews
Excellent
116
Very good
6
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
0
djc76
14 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
What more could you want than ghoulish tales mixed with the fascinating history of SA and a raised blood alcohol content? Emzy, yes his real name that has a story of its own, has researched his tour so well it’s truly fascinating. Having visited from abroad we got talking about wider topics and bonded with Emzy over a few too many cocktails. Passionate about his work he makes sure that his bar crawl is not like others being dragged along the riverfront drinking frozen cocktails instead you get a history tour, a ghost tour and the bars he’s picked out serve some really good quality drinks. We’ve recommended his tour to several friends all of whom have enjoyed the tour and the company of the man himself. Cheers!
Written November 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J Layton
Washington DC, DC3 contributions
Apr 2021 • Friends
This barwalk tour was awesome. We took the 2.5hr tour. Emzy was very personable and knowledgeable about San Antonio and its history. He had a lot of trivial information, as well. If I return to San Antonio in the future I will definitely sign up for the 5hr barwalk. I wish we would have done this on our first day in San Antonio. Emzys sight seeing tips and food recommendations were on spot! This was one of the highlights of our vacation. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys history and a great drink!!
Written April 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma C
1 contribution
Oct 2014 • Family
I can't say enough great things about our Barwalk tour last night with Emzy. Never in my life have I met someone with so much knowledge of a city and its history. You can tell by the way he talks that he is extremely passionate about what he does, and has a genuine love of sharing his love of the city. Plus, it's clear he's done his research! He was about to answer every question our group had and had the facts to back it up. Emzy went above and beyond for our group, and made it a night to truly remember. This absolutely the best way to see the city.
Written November 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate C
Austin, Texas, United States4 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
I initially went on The Barwalk because it is the combination of two of my favorite things - history, and alcohol. Not that I'm a huge drinker, but I do enjoy a nice cocktail from time to time, and I also think that it's a great way to see a city that I'm visiting. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with the Barwalk, what information would be covered, where we would wind up - all I knew is that we were starting at The Alamo.
That was the first pleasant surprise - growing up in Texas (Austin), I thought I knew pretty much everything there was to know about the Alamo. I was so, so wrong. Our guide Emzy started the evening with a brief talk on the Alamo, and actually made it interesting! That hasn't happened in a few decades.
We went to four different historic bars in downtown San Antonio, learning the history of both the bars and the city itself. The bars ranged from fancy to dive-ish (I wore jeans and a nice T-shirt and felt comfortable everywhere we went) and I had time for a drink in each one, which I think is about the perfect amount. I think we walked about a mile total - not too far, but I did feel like I burned off a few of the calories I was drinking.
My favorite spots were the first stop, the Menger Hotel bar (which was this fantastic combination of rustic and fancy, with just a touch of Teddy Roosevelt) and the last, The Esquire (the balcony looks out on to the Riverwalk, and the French 75 and grilled pimento cheese sandwich were *fantastic*!).
What really makes The Barwalk, though, is the history. Emzy is both knowledgeable and entertaining, and skillfully covered centuries of information, all the while making it sound like a conversation and never a lecture. My favorite aspect was how the traditional history was interspersed with pop culture, and that there were a few sordid tales in there as well. I have a much better feel for the character of San Antonio (okay, now I think San Antonio has character).
A few tips – keep your drink orders simple (for time management, at least until the last bar), bring cash for the drinks (save the hassle of a bar tab) and have a snack before you show up. Ultimately, If you are in San Antonio for a night or two and looking for a fun way to see the city, The Barwalk is definitely way to go!
That was the first pleasant surprise - growing up in Texas (Austin), I thought I knew pretty much everything there was to know about the Alamo. I was so, so wrong. Our guide Emzy started the evening with a brief talk on the Alamo, and actually made it interesting! That hasn't happened in a few decades.
We went to four different historic bars in downtown San Antonio, learning the history of both the bars and the city itself. The bars ranged from fancy to dive-ish (I wore jeans and a nice T-shirt and felt comfortable everywhere we went) and I had time for a drink in each one, which I think is about the perfect amount. I think we walked about a mile total - not too far, but I did feel like I burned off a few of the calories I was drinking.
My favorite spots were the first stop, the Menger Hotel bar (which was this fantastic combination of rustic and fancy, with just a touch of Teddy Roosevelt) and the last, The Esquire (the balcony looks out on to the Riverwalk, and the French 75 and grilled pimento cheese sandwich were *fantastic*!).
What really makes The Barwalk, though, is the history. Emzy is both knowledgeable and entertaining, and skillfully covered centuries of information, all the while making it sound like a conversation and never a lecture. My favorite aspect was how the traditional history was interspersed with pop culture, and that there were a few sordid tales in there as well. I have a much better feel for the character of San Antonio (okay, now I think San Antonio has character).
A few tips – keep your drink orders simple (for time management, at least until the last bar), bring cash for the drinks (save the hassle of a bar tab) and have a snack before you show up. Ultimately, If you are in San Antonio for a night or two and looking for a fun way to see the city, The Barwalk is definitely way to go!
Written August 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
divegirl26
Miami, FL122 contributions
Great way to get to know a bit about downtown San Antonio. I recommend booking this trip early in your visit. Not only will you get a nice walking tour of the downtown area, you will get some good history, and try some great bars. The best part is it isn’t impersonal like a regular tour with a big group…there was only four of us (us and another couple) and we felt like we had our own buddy from San Antonio showing us around. You want to know where to get good BBQ? Just ask Emzy…have a particular interest and want to know the best places to go? Emzy can tell you. We also felt like the tour went at our pace…it NEVER felt like he was rushing us to get done in a certain timeframe. We had a great time…if you like a good drink, want to hang out with some cool folks, and feel like you are getting the real “locals” look at San Antonio, this is the tour for you.
Written January 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kris R
1 contribution
Nov 2014 • Couples
We had a great night on this tour and our guide was great! If you want to hear a little history about San Antonio that maybe you hadn't heard before this is a great experience. My husband was skeptical at first when I told him that I booked this. He ended up liking the experience so much that he told me to write a review. I recommend this to any adult that likes to have interesting drinks in interesting places. Good times!
Written November 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
risi59
Bluffton, SC743 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
We did the bus and river boat tours, but both paled in comparison to this experience. If you want scripted tours with corny jokes, this is not for you. If you want a down home, personal experience with someone who is entertaining, personable, and has immersed themselves in the history of San Antonio, this is the tour for you. You will walk away feeling that you not only have seen all the historical things to see in San Antonio, but you got an insiders view. We booked the tour the same day and was very surprised to find that me and my wife were the only guests. As a well traveled individual, I would not have been surprised if the tour was canceled. Instead, Emzy was as enthusiastic and as generous with his story telling as I could have ever asked for. It was clear that he enjoyed his work. It was like a friend was showing us around town. You have not seen San Antonio if you don't take advantage of this experience.
Written October 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kathryn_0813
New York14 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
We can easily say this Bar Walk was unlike any other tour we've experienced. While visiting San Antonio for a few days from New York, we wanted to see as much as we could. The Bar Walk was a great way to see some places that we would have otherwise passed right by.
We were supposed to meet our guide, Emzy, outside the Alamo at 7pm - and even though we were running late, if he was bothered by our tardiness, he never let us know. We were lucky enough to be the only two in the tour group on this night. After brief introductions, we immediately headed to the first of 5 bars that we visited on our walking tour. Emzy definitely started out strong, as we were blown away by the first stop on the tour!! Thanks to Emzy's knowledge of local history, each stop along the way was just as impressive. He shared a lot of interesting facts and details about each of the establishments we visited - and even the stories that may have sounded unbelievable, he backed up with scans of newspaper clippings and photos. In addition to the bars we visited, we also stopped a few times along the way between bars while our guide shared stories about other buildings and history of the area as well.
The Bar Walk was a great night out; we enjoyed Emzy's company - it was very relaxed and felt more like you were having drinks with a friend rather than a formal tour. Our guide had a great rapport with the bartenders at each location and all of them were great as well!
We'd definitely recommend the Bar Walk to anyone who will be in the San Antonio area.
We were supposed to meet our guide, Emzy, outside the Alamo at 7pm - and even though we were running late, if he was bothered by our tardiness, he never let us know. We were lucky enough to be the only two in the tour group on this night. After brief introductions, we immediately headed to the first of 5 bars that we visited on our walking tour. Emzy definitely started out strong, as we were blown away by the first stop on the tour!! Thanks to Emzy's knowledge of local history, each stop along the way was just as impressive. He shared a lot of interesting facts and details about each of the establishments we visited - and even the stories that may have sounded unbelievable, he backed up with scans of newspaper clippings and photos. In addition to the bars we visited, we also stopped a few times along the way between bars while our guide shared stories about other buildings and history of the area as well.
The Bar Walk was a great night out; we enjoyed Emzy's company - it was very relaxed and felt more like you were having drinks with a friend rather than a formal tour. Our guide had a great rapport with the bartenders at each location and all of them were great as well!
We'd definitely recommend the Bar Walk to anyone who will be in the San Antonio area.
Written August 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dean S
Texas9 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
Let me just begin by saying the Emzy is a really nice person, and obviously knows a lot about the history of San Antonio. He seems to know everything about the River Walk, the Alamo, and surrounding area. I wish I could say that the Bar Walk was awesome, and that I would recommend it to others, however I can not. In the description of this walk it says you will spend "20-40" minutes in each bar, because this is a 4-5 hour tour one would imagine that you would visit 6 to 10 different bars, nope. We managed to only visit three different bars spending about an hour and half in each. The pace of things is simply much to slow and by the end of the night you will likely be so bored you can't wait for the tour to end. Emzy has done a lot of research but didn't seem to know how to convey his knowledge in a concise manner. If you want to learn some random historical facts about San Antonio thrown at you without much continuity this is the tour for you. If you want to have a fun night drinking with some interesting history tidbits thrown in this is not the tour for you. I would also like to mention that the six other people we were with on the "Bar Walk" were great, and most of them were obviously as bored as we were by the end of the night.
Written June 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dean,
I am truly sorry to hear that you and Merium did not enjoy the experience especially since you chose to celebrate your anniversary with me. I strive to make each tour unique and as conversational as possible which I concede does sometimes dictate a slower and less regimented pace than other tours, especially when bars feature live music. As to the number of bars visited, I have chosen to only feature bars that have history worthy of highlighting, which is by its nature rather limiting but I will certainly review my marketing materials to ensure that the time spent in the each bar is more accurately conveyed.
I do appreciate you taking the time to leave your feedback and only wish you had responded to my attempts to contact you to directly to allow me an opportunity to redress your dissatisfaction.
Sincerely,
Emzy
Written June 29, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Randy R
Victor, New York, United States12 contributions
Oct 2014 • Solo
Had a great tour with Emzy! I was the only person who booked that night, so I was able to get a indepth, not hurried tour of San Antonio. We started at the Alamo, learned a lot for just standing there chatting with him. Toured a lot of downtown, and took nice breaks and grabbed beers at 4 different bars. Quite relaxed, very inexpensive. Tour guide ( and owner of the company) Emzy does a great job. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a nice, laid back tour of the historic downtown area and also stops at some really great bars.
Written October 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Unique G
100 contributions
What if I need to cancel? What are the terms and conditions? I'm super excited about taking this tour
Emzy K
San Antonio, TX16 contributions
Hi,
I generally hold people to a 48 hour cancellation policy. For any other questions please visit my site or give me a call at 210-774-0962. I look forward to meeting you.
Cheers,
Emzy
martykeith
Shenandoah, TX
This looks like a lot of fun, we are aged late 60’s and wonder how much of a walk is involved? Thanks!
Emzy K
San Antonio, TX16 contributions
Howdy,
We walk about a mile in total, hitting a bar every three blocks or so the distance usually isn’t an issue. We do a fair amount of standing but I am very mindful of accommodating any mobility issues and I have taken out several tours with 70+ year olds. Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Emzy
Rachaelnurse
5 contributions
I may want to do this tour by myself during the week, I am in town for work. Yay or nay?
Emzy K
San Antonio, TX16 contributions
Hi Rachael,
Your call all that I can say is that I have done plenty of 1 person tours that have all been good times. Just let me know.
Cheers,
Emzy
Rembrandt
Bedford, TX12 contributions
Are the drinks included in the bar tour fee or do you purchase the drinks separately?
DebKToronto
Toronto99 contributions
As others have mentioned, you pay for your own drinks on top of tour price. It's a great opportunity to try the bar's specialty. In a couple of places the bartender crafted us a special drink based on your favourite spirit.
However, you don't need to buy a drink at each place. For that matter you don't even have to drink at all. Much/most of the value of the experience is hearing the history of the bar, its architecture, or stories about events which have happened there and just soaking up the atmosphere. If you are travelling with others, you can also just share a drink at each place to try a bunch of interesting cocktails without getting tipsy.
