Where to Eat and Drink Before a Night Out at the Tobin

The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts' grand opening is right around the corner (September 4)! So we've compiled a list of restaurants and bars for a pre-show dinner and post-show libations. Did we mention that you can walk everywhere on this list within nine minutes? You're welcome.

What's not to love about a steak at Bohanan's?

Eat

If a night out in San Antonio means you have to eat some good Tex-Mex, Pete’s Tako House (502 Brooklyn, (210)2242911) is where you’re gonna wanna drop in. Their welcoming staff has been serving up all the tacos you’ve come to know and love since 1978. They’re great for the budget-conscious eater with their most expensive taco ringing up at $2.60. 2-min drive/8-min walk

Contemporary Tex-Mex takes physical form in Ácenar (146 E Houston, (210)2222362) on the River Walk. From their cabrito en chile ancho (it's a wee baby goat) to their duck tinga chalupas, they will challenge what you thought you knew as Tex-Mex. With their happy hour running from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. it probably wouldn’t hurt if you decided to show up early for your show. 3-min drive/9-min walk

Say, “bonjour” to the creatively simple menu at Saveurs 209 (209 Broadway, (210)6393165). This French bistro offers a modern take on its cuisine, but still stays true to its roots. If you’ve never tried French cuisine before, this is definitely the place to break the ice. 2-min drive/4-min walk

Sushi and Thai. What else should we say? After dropping into Thai Lao Orchid (116 Broadway, (210)4428110) you may just forget what you were supposed to do after. Start with some of their pan seared potstickers and follow it up with their pad Thai, but don’t forget your booze. Yes, you can B.Y.O.B or wine, but there is a $5 corkage fee that we feel is worth every penny. 2-min drive/5-min walk

If a list of restaurants doesn’t have a steakhouse, is it a list at all? Didn’t think so. Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood (219 E Houston, (210)4722600) has the ambiance, cocktails and prime cuts of steak that will really make your night out one to remember. If you’ve got the coins, you should definitely put Bohanan’s on your list. 3-min drive/7-min walk

Your night isn't complete without a nightcap.

Drink

Keep the night going across the way from the Tobin Center at Havana Bar (1015 Navarro, (210)2222008) inside Hotel Havana. Try a Martinique Punch, but if cocktails aren’t your thing you can choose from a menu of spirits, beer and wine. 1-min drive/2-min walk

You’ve already escaped the mundane with your night out at the Tobin Center, so follow that up with a gratifyingly unique experience at The Brooklynite (516 Brooklyn, (210)4440707). Forget ordering your Tequila Sunrise tonight and instead opt for one of their inventive takes on classic cocktails. The mad geniuses behind the bar will finish your night off the right way. 2-min drive/8-min walk

Nothing says class like a martini and a cigar after a night of indulging in the arts. If you agree, Swig Martini Bar (111 W Crockett, (210)4760005) is where you should waltz over to after the show. This cigar-friendly martini bar is open late and has more than enough martini options to serve as the perfect nightcap. 4-min drive/8-min walk

Q Bar (123 Losoya, (210)2221234) has situated their 55-foot bar inside the Hyatt Regency and they have more beer than you could ever consume in one sitting. Sit down for one of their 100 beer choices and just soak in the unique and relaxing environment with some great company. 3-min drive/7-min walk 

If you want a drastic change of pace from a night at the Tobin, march yourself down to the Ticket Sports Pub (420 E Houston, (210)2229722) for a fun sports bar experience. Grab some of their pub grub, a beer, and call it a day. 2-min drive/6-min walk

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