Jefferson Market Icehouse, a stripped-down beer and barbecue spot from San Antonio bar veterans Olaf Harmel and Gerry Shirley, is in the final stretch of opening inside the former Jefferson Bodega building on Donaldson Avenue. The new icehouse is set to pour cold beer and margaritas alongside a tight menu of Texas-style barbecue bar bites, all in a compact neighborhood setting. The owners say last-minute prep is underway and they expect to start serving this week.
Harmel told MySA on Wednesday that "we are definitely opening up this week" and that "by the weekend, we'll be fully functional." According to the outlet, the interior buildout is nearly wrapped up, while the exterior now sports dark green paint and a rustic look. MySA lists the address as 1005 Donaldson Ave.
What To Expect
Describing the vision, Harmel characterized Jefferson Market Icehouse as a "simple Texas-style bar & eatery" built around margaritas, cold beer and "a little bit of barbecue bar bites," per MySA. Weekday hours are expected to run from 4 p.m. to midnight, with longer service planned on Saturdays and Sunday hours still to be determined. With its small footprint and neighborhood focus, the spot appears geared more toward casual drop-ins than a full-scale smokehouse experience.
Owners And The Building
Harmel and Shirley are already familiar names on the local bar circuit for their work on cocktail destinations The Modernist and La Ruina, as reported by San Antonio Current. Property records show the pair took title to 1005 Donaldson Ave. in 2025 and list both Shirley and Harmel as owners, according to Bexar County appraisal records.
If everything tracks with the owners' timeline, Jefferson Market Icehouse will add to the growing number of compact beer and barbecue hangouts cropping up around San Antonio. Hoodline will follow up with a confirmed opening date and a closer look at the menu once the team makes those details public.
