I love it when I find a hidden gem! The Growling is an unassuming little beer establishment located strategically amongst pizza, Ramen and sushi joints.The beer selection is only the best and 100% Texas. The bartender is an expert of the kind that you can only hope to encounter. I strongly suggest you try it out!

Perfect place to drink a beer and listen to live music. Bartender was great! The bands, “Left To The Wild”, “Misguided Intentions”, and “After Dark Society” killed it last night!

A nice spot for a relaxed hang out with friends. Relatively small, but very good selection of beers on tap. The beer selection and amount of options perfectly suit the atmosphere. Something for everyone but not too much to overwhelm. The small pool table and board game selection round out the chill hang out ambiance.

Manny and Ted run a really really good bar. Great atmosphere and radical selection of beers and ciders. Highly recommend!

Cozy, friendly. Great beer selection. The manager is a great beer host and all around nice guy.

Its a fun place with good beer and a vampire bar tender. What more do you want?

This is a really cool place to stop by and get a pint of a regional beer or refill your growler with your favorite brew to take home (growlers only, no crowlers here).Friendly, and more importantly, knowledgeable tap masters that can match your beer tastes to the selections on tap.You can order a pitcher of beer at this place! I don’t see this in many growler stations.All in all, it’s a very fun place. The staff and the customers are very chill and down to earth.It’s in a strip center at the corner of LBJ and East Sessom Dr. The address is listed on LBJ and while you can enter there, it’s a lot easier if you enter from East Sesson Drive. And there’s a LOT more parking on this side.

Best beer around. Music is just as tasty. Cool art on the walls. Best pool table in town (and it’s free).

Absolutely wonderful experience. The bartender was very informed about each drink on tap. He gave us or flights in the best tasting order. The beers are very well priced. It was a great environment as well, very chill.

Easy going, great craft beer selection. Everybody is friendly!

Really like the atmosphere. Awesome beer selection. Fantastic customer service. Love this place

This is an awesome little bar with a ton of craft beer on tap. The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable and the atmosphere is very chill and hole in the wall, but in a good way. I also enjoy that the patrons are usually laid back and easy to strike up a conversation with. They have one pool table, a handful of board/card games and a couple of arcade games if I remember correctly. I also heard they have an open mic night that Id like to check out sometime soon. Definitely a nice bar to keep you away from the rowdy scene on the square. Plus they are near a few restaurants with good food.

Nice place. Lots of beer choices.

Great selection

Friendliest people in town, locally owned, and an amazing all Texas brewed beer selection (24+ beers on tap.)Its comfortable and theres always something interesting on the TV. They have live music on most Friday nights, and a pint night with a free pint glass to take home on most Thursday nights. The crowd isnt your typical square mix, its a bunch of people enjoying pints and good conversation.They also encourage you to bring your own food and have several restaurants nearby to choose from. Like the other reviewer said, its San Marcos best kept secret.

Daughter took me there for Fathers Day. Great selection of brews. Pint House (California) on tap, was our favorite. Very personable owner/manager/bar tender. Relaxed and happy atmosphere. Dogs welcome, contributing to the atmosphere (friendly). Bring your own games. Bring your own eats if youre hungry (nearby establishments offer carry-out). Happy Fathers Day, indeed!

The bartenders know what theyre talking about, the decor is one of a kind, and the beer is always great!

If you’re wanting the best selection of craft beers in Hays County, look no further! Manuel and Ruben do a Texas-only draft wall, which is a concept I love. There are always an excellent variety of delicious brews on the board from stouts to sours, for any level of craft beer snob or beginner. Manny and Roo are always willing to give each guest more insight to any beer on tap. Great guys...highly recommend!

Great place to discover new and great craft beers! Tuma is super knowledgeable about the brews. Very relaxed, homey feel, and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Highly recommend this place.

Ive been coming here for a few years. Ive always loved the vibes. Pool table, unique beers, games, instruments, open mic nights, growlers, beer education.. This is by far the best beer bar in San Marcos.

Monday Movie Night was a cool night to try this place out. I was incredibly surprised at how cheap a pitcher of craft beer could be. Ask for a house blend. They also have card and board games like Catan and apparently all of the pieces for it, so thats nice.

I dont usually do reviews, but Ill be damned if The Growling doesnt do everything right. Manuel, Sagel, and Ruben are always friendly towards patrons and helpful to those new to craft beer. They put relationships first and business second.The atmosphere is wonderful. There is always a movie playing and live music isnt uncommon. Their craft beer selection is top-notch as well. A lot of variation.

Great bar atmosphere, pool, darts, and board games (I think). The best part was the beer selection and the price, had 20 or so beer on tap. This is the place to go for a beer with a friend. The owner was friendly and knowledgeable in the beer selection.

This is the best kept secret of San Marcos. They have the best craft beer selection in town and work with tons of local breweries. Great wifi too! Its a great place to study and drink a beer on a week night. Occasionally they have live music. If I lived closer I would be here all the time. Also, you can order food from neighboring restaurants and enjoy it at the growling. I seriously can not recommend this place enough.

We had such an awesome time visiting The Growling! Great selection of beers and wonderful conversation with owner, Manuel! His recommendations and history behind each beer added so much to our experience! Laid back at home feeling....recommend!!

Who can honestly compete in San Marcos? If you want a diverse selection of Texas craft beer, this is the place for you. The atmosphere is so cool you’ll forget all about global warming.

Such a great spot to try out all kinds of new beers. Ruben is such a great bartender/host. He is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about his beers, and he always has a story to tell! Nice, laid back spot for a craft beer and some live music.

Outstanding selection of Texas beers in a very cool, laid back atmosphere. Owner is very personable, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Great music, cool movies, and dog friendly. Love this place!

Best little beer bar around this area! The staff is friendly, the selection is broad and the music is always on point!

Best GOOD beer selection in San Marcos. Super informed bartenders. Always quiet. 10/10

So many beers. So much goodness. So much happiness. So many stars. Nah, in all honesty, this is a down to earth place that does it well. 25+ rotating taps of Texas craft beer. Good beers, good conversation and the best atmosphere.

Cute bar. Lots of parents in here with their kids. Nice selection of craft beers from Texas. You don’t come here for the service.

They have so many activities here, from local bands to stand up nights she so much more. They have some of the best IPAs Ive had in a long time, and they can recommend you specific IPAs based on your drinking preferences .

Amazing list of crafts beers and ciders. Knowledgeable staff and great atmosphere!

Great place to grab beer. Awesome staff, bring your dog. Bring your own food,try new beer:)

Best craft beer place around. The place is chill the staff knows their beer and are real polite. Ill definitely go back. They introduced me to the Texian Aurora apricot sour beer Amazing!

Nice little place, great Texas beer selection, bartender knows his stuff and makes good recommendations, tucked in the corner of a strip shopping place so gotta keep an eye out for it. Beer menu comes with a list of places and their menus of places that will deliver food.

Great Texas craft beer options. Dog friendly. Live music and local art. Super chill atmosphere.

Quick, friendly service and reasonable prices for a delicious assortment of craft beers in a warm, comfortable environment. Would definitely recommend!

Place is great and the owner is great. Our kids played video games while we watched fantastic planet and drank mead

Best place in San Marcos for a pint. They have a good variety of beer on draft and a few bottles and cans. On Tuedays, its dollar off pints all day.

Good beer selection.

Cool place with really cool art pieces and great beer!

Seriously the best beer bar in San Marcos. Highest level of staff knowledge, the best beer selection, and the coolest crowd.

Awesome selection, really great prices, amazing service. Checked this spot on a whim, in no way could I have been more satisfied. I recommend bringing a growler or two with you if youre a craft beer fan. Went about 4pm, very chill atmosphere.

Great service! An awesome selection of all Texas brews. Relaxed environment.

Absolutely love these guys!!! Great selection of Texas Craft Beer. Atmosphere is awesome. Live music on Wednesdays is a plus

Nice chill place with live music on Thursdays. Cool random movies playing behind awesome music. Must check this place out.

I think i might become a regular. it has a good atmosphere.

Great selection of taps by the pint, pitcher, or growler. A knowledgeable staff is happy to help you find the right beer for you.

My favorite craft beer bar I have ever been too. Live music, great beer selection, and the staff is knowledgeable.

Hands down the best place to get beer in San marcos. I try to go here at least twice a week so that I can try out new beers. The selection is unique and reuben is always making sure you get the exact beer you are looking for. On nights that there are full moons they play old werewolf movies which are so fun to watch. This place is the only thing thing that keeps my time in San marcos enjoyable. I am looking forward to them eventually getting a Crowler.

If you like Texas, if you like craft beer, this is the best bar in San Marcos. hands down.

Great atmosphere and excellent beer selection.

Quiet. Friendly. Helpful staff. Tasty microbrews!

Excellent selection of excellent beers. Only complain is that they need to put the name of the beer (not just the brewery and style) on the chalkboard.

Great beer selection and atmosphere even if it is in a shopping plaza.

Ruben is the best. Great customer service

Great beers, friendly bartenders, sweet location.

Great staff and great place to grab a beer

If Rubens not busy ask him to tell you about Celis White or just order the Chocolate covered Espresso Bean before you have to go to Alkek!

Staff is always friendly and will customize the drink to be right for you!

Amazing beer, wonderful atmosphere, perfect service.

Awesome Texas beer selection.Chill place to go enjoy a drink!

Always have a good conversation and great beer when Im there

This bar did not really stand out in the masses. The only thing out of the ordinary was when they played star wars on he small tv.

Go. Just go. You drink beer, and you were in the area anyway. Go.

Only been there once, pretty cozy place

Great place, great Texas beers and very friendly and engaging staff!

Cool spot with dogs but fairly pricey

Great beer selection and very friendly owners.

Fun night! Will be back.

Excellent source for locally brewed beer

🍺❤️😽🏠🐾Give your 💰to these guys!!

Great idea and unique beer selection.

The bar tender was very knowledgeable and helpful!

Great selection.

Amazing varieties of beer!

Staff and beer are pretty spectacular.

Selection and prices are top.

Texas beers. Texas hospitality.

Visiting the Growling has become similar to visiting old friends.

Great selection of craft beer

Always had great beer

Always an excellent experience!

Best place for craft beer in San Marcos

Supreme.

Best taps in town!

Awesome selection of Texas beer

The best bar on N LBJ

Dogs!!