First Look: New San Antonio bar Slow Ride brings ’70s sleaze to Government Hill

Adorned with wood paneling, velvet paintings and a poster of bare-breasted biker babes, newly launched bar Slow Ride promises to bring the sleaze to Government Hill.

On Friday’s opening night, bikers and after-hours revelers from The Black Angels’ Stable Hall show packed the spot at 1524 E. Grayson St. Its location near underground music venue Snake Hill and punk java-joint Folklores Coffee House adds one more anchor to an emerging nightlife strip just outside Joint Base San Antonio-Ft. Sam Houston.

Owned by the team behind St. Mary’s Strip honky tonk the Lonesome Rose, Slow Ride took over the former location of Betty’s Battalion, a military-themed tavern popular with veterans. Betty’s closed in April 2023 after 37 years in the spot.

In addition to a pool table and an outdoor patio, Slow Ride has a vintage jukebox stocked with era-appropriate rock ‘n’ roll, from Heart to Hendrix. And yes, that includes the Foghat song that’s the bar’s namesake.

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This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2024.