New Braunfels is about to turn city business into dinner business. A 97-year-old former city hall in the heart of downtown is slated to reopen as Old City Hall Restaurant & Bar on Feb. 17, under the ownership of Wiggins Hospitality Group. The restored landmark will seat roughly 200 guests and will start with dinner service only, with reservations opening Feb. 9. The project turns one of the town’s most recognizable buildings into a full-service destination for locals and out-of-towners who prefer their municipal history with a side of steak.
According to WhatNow, the menu leans on elevated American classics, including peppercorn filet mignon, steak frites and spicy vodka rigatoni, along with local nods such as Texas beef tartare. The same report notes that the bar program will feature martinis, Negronis and frozen gin and tonics, and that reservations open on OpenTable on Feb. 9.
Menu and reservations
Industry listings and the restaurant’s own site outline a fuller menu and service plan. Offerings highlighted in press materials include tuna tartare, a little gem Caesar and a “Mayor’s Cheeseburger.” As detailed by FSR, the dining room will seat about 200 guests, and Friday and Saturday service will run later into the evening. The restaurant’s website lists operating hours and contact details for opening-week reservations.
Old building, new life
The brick structure dates back to 1929 and has worn a lot of hats over the decades, serving as the police department, a World War II medic training site, museum archives and municipal offices. MySA traces the building’s near-century of civic use, while Community Impact reports on a roughly 4,000-square-foot addition that will house the bar, a private dining room and a patio. The Wiggins family purchased the property in 2018 and has overseen a renovation that preserves historic elements while adding modern kitchen and service spaces.
Who’s behind the tables
Old City Hall is the third permanent concept from family-run Wiggins Hospitality Group, which launched McAdoo’s Seafood Company in 2009 and later added La Cosecha Mexican Table. “The Old City Hall project has been a labor of love for our team,” Wiggins Hospitality partner Turner Wiggins said in a statement, as reported by MySA. Bios and staff listings on the Wiggins Hospitality site indicate that local operators are expected to handle day-to-day service at the new restaurant.
What this means for downtown
The opening adds another anchor to a downtown that has seen a steady run of new restaurants and renovations designed to turn Seguin Avenue into a Hill Country dining corridor. Coverage from Axios San Antonio and the San Antonio Current frames Old City Hall as part of a wider push to attract more evening traffic and visitors from San Antonio and Austin. For locals, the extra 200 seats could help ease weekend waits at popular downtown spots and provide more space for private events.
How to book
The restaurant is slated to begin taking reservations on OpenTable on Feb. 9 and open to the public on Feb. 17, according to the announcement and the venue’s site. The official Old City Hall page lists the address as 200 North Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130, and includes hours and reservation links for opening-week service. Walk-ins may be possible, but diners should expect high demand during the first weeks.
