What is Club Bwana Dik in San Antonio Texas?

Answer 1

Answer - a start anyway...This was an "island theme" bar in downtown San Antonio. To my memory, it was open as late as 1980. It was popular with servicemen (particularly recruits from Lackland AFB). It was seedy but was a good connection for "company" as the riverwalk area was evolving from a hangout for hookers which made it famous (particularly in the 1950's when my Dad was in basic training there) to the tourist magnet it is today.

The outside had tiki torches burning and various island type decorations.

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No, no no... Let me 'refresh' your memory... it wasn't island themed, but psychedelic African safari themed - "B'wana Dik, get it?". There were some torches, but not 'tiki' torches. It was a very popular, very loud, psychedelic nightclub / bar that you entered from downtown street level. It had wide circular staircases that led down to successive levels of tables and dancefloors, with D.J.s and 'convenience' bars - had very loud rock 'n roll dance music. Had strobelights and blacklight African animal skin artwork on the walls. On the lowest level was the full bar with big wooden swinging doors out to a small patio / cafe type setup on the Riverwalk. I was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston (1976 - Army) - which, by the way, you never saw any of the Air Force guys downtown in the late seventies, because they had to wear their uniforms off post, while the Army was allowed to wear their 'civies' - Air Force stuck to the outskirts of town. Drank many of the club's specialties - the "Blue Zebra" - a tequilasunrise made with blue curacao instead of grenadine. Actually dated a waitress for awhile! (That's another story!). When you came out to the Riverwalk, there was an overhead bridge down to the right, and a place to rent the pedalboats, and a Mexican restaurant. Further down was an elaborate stone staircase up to street level. If you went to the left coming out of the club, there were more bars and farther down and across the river, there was a great Italian restaurant (don't remember its name), but you could sit out on the Riverwalk to eat.