A San Antonio-area country bar and grill is celebrating the start of a “new chapter,” according to recent Facebook posts, and it says it means a new menu and new vibes, but the same heart.
On Friday, March 27, Specht’s, Texas, located at 112 W Specht Rd, San Antonio, TX 78260, near Bulverde, celebrated a ribbon cutting with the Bulverde Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce.
The restaurant recently came under new ownership a little over a year ago, and it was recognized as a “local favorite” by Texas Monthly in 2023, thanks to its pulled pork nachos and spicy burger.
“Come raise a glass with us, enjoy live music and be part of this new chapter,” the restaurant said via social media.
The restaurant has been open since 1890, originally serving the community as a general store. According to online information, and written proudly across its menus, it has been, the bar and grill thrived even during Prohibition, functioning as a hidden speakeasy. For more than 136 years, it has been a cornerstone in the Hill Country. Today, it’s known for its food, drinks and live entertainment.
Owner Aaron Selinkoff, who took on his new role roughly 16 months ago, told MySA that the Specht’s team has started adding new menu items, like a pork chop, a king ranch chicken, a chocolate chip coconut pie and other “pies of the day.”
“One of the things that really has attracted so many of our guests, and our repeat guests, is that we’re truly authentic,” Selinkoff said. “A lot of people try to emulate what we are — we’re iconic.”
In addition to Specht’s updated playground, and newly climate-controlled patio, he says the Hill Country staple also continues to see a wave of new customers, who quickly turn into regulars.
“They come in and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, what a hidden gem,’” he said. And then, they see that we’re getting busier and busier, ’cause they think it’s, like, their secret spot. But I think we have enough Specht’s to go around.”
They’ve also expanded the bar, offering more beers on tap, and built an enclosure around their new playground, and climate controlled the back patio for sports fans to enjoy this summer.