BARHOPPING
New neighborhood dive bar rides into San Antonio's Government Hill
Slow Ride is now in its soft-opening phase.
When Betty’s Battalion shuttered in 2023, it was the end of an era — both for the namesake proprietor of the 37-year-old Government Hill fixture and for a city grappling with the vanishing third place. Two years later, the group behind the Lonesome Rose has breathed new life into the East Side building with a new concept, Slow Ride.
Bucking against San Antonio’s current vogue for splashy bar openings, Slow Ride opened with little fanfare on June 29. Though the military memorabilia and strong lights went out with the previous owner, the new bar isn’t a left turn from Betty’s Battalion. The bathrooms may be clean, but it is decidedly a dive.
Anchored by a wood-paneled bar on one side and pea-soup Naugahyde banquettes on the other, Slow Ride has the air of a ‘70s rec room. Vintage kitsch dots the walls, including a latch hook rug, a wooden Garfield clock, and a watchful owl. A battered Spuds MacKenzie lamp watches over the rumpus, a nod to the former occupants.
The rest of the atmosphere follows suit. The long space is filled with the clack of pool balls and the occasional tune coming out of the jukebox. Save for the occasional disc from The Smiths or Depeche Mode (this is a San Antonio bar, after all), the latter is stocked with stars from the “Me” Decade — Bruce Springsteen, David Allan Coe, and The Clash.
Though a few top-shelf bottles line the shelves, Slow Ride doesn’t make any attempts at a fancified drink program. No cocktail menu is posted, although the bar staff is adept at the basics and can mix up a mean shot. Otherwise, the offerings include domestic and Mexican beers and a trio of wines.
The 1524 E. Grayson bar is currently in its soft opening phase, so no official hours have been made public yet. On a recent visit, the bar was hopping past 1 am. Follow Slow Ride’s Instagram account for further details.
