Dark, rustic and welcoming are the feelings that greet patrons of College Station’s newest bar and grill, Holleman Tavern. Behind the tinted windows are comfortable seats and friendly smiles from the staff. The bar sits in the middle of the space, TVs are scattered throughout playing MLB, NBA and the Fightin’ Texas Aggies long into the night, and humming Shiner Bock and Coors signs light up the walls of the rural interior.
Holleman Tavern opened in October 2023 when Jason Seymour noticed how the west side of College Station was developing and decided that the students and families living towards the edge of town could use easy access to a place they could kick back and relax with friends.
“We found a spot on Holleman Road and opened a Tavern,” Jason says. “So, we decided to call it Holleman Tavern!”
Jason has been in the bar and grill business for the last 19 years of his life and grew up surrounded by bar culture, he says. To Jason, bar and grills have always been a family business and he feels an incredible sense of pride in maintaining that legacy.
“My great-grandfather owned a bar and we hung out there all the time growing up so it’s been a family thing for a long time,” Jason explains. “Joe’s Place, which is the third bar I took over, has been in my family for 86 years. It opened in 1940.
“Back in 10th grade, I worked at a bar called The Ptarmigan,” Jason laughs. “I’ve been around the business all my life. I’ve been in the bars since I was 15.”
Since opening, Holleman Tavern has enjoyed steady growth as a business seeing more and more patrons with each passing week. The restaurant is considered a hidden gem tucked behind a gas station and surrounded by The Barracks Townhomes, condominium developments and duplexes. Holleman Tavern is one of the only genuine restaurants that residents on the west side of Harvey Mitchell Parkway can visit without having to drive for 10 or 15 minutes.
With a full menu of burgers, melts and southern comforts like apple cinnamon rolls, Holleman Tavern has something for every variety of taste buds. The rooftop outlook is a perfect place to hang out with friends with its hanging seats, couches, full bar and heaters for when it gets cold.
“We’ve got a lot of positive feedback and it feels good,” Jason adds. “People think our food is good, our servers are great and [customers] like the concept. It just keeps getting busier and busier each week we’ve been going on.”
Jason loves to use his businesses – Holleman Tavern, Joe’s Place, Smitty K’s and Yesterdays – as ways to give back to the community.
Some ways he gets involved are by partnering with the sheriff’s department to put on a toy drive every Christmas and donating to FFA and 4-H to fund student projects.
“Being local and having that local support from the community at our toy drives and fundraisers, I really feel blessed that the community has always supported us with all the stuff that we do,” Jason says. “About all my best memories over the years have been us being able to give back to the community.”
In the long term, Jason is looking to live the island life and take things a bit slower.
“I’m looking to move down to St. Croix, and probably open a little bar down there,” he says.
In the meantime, Jason plans to keep growing Holleman Tavern along with his other restaurants around town.
“[I live life] one day at a time,” Jason adds. “If it ain’t that good today, it’ll be good tomorrow.”
Holleman Tavern is located at 3164 Holleman Dr. S. and opens its doors to hungry mouths at 11 a.m. seven days a week. Visit hollemantavern.com to view the full menu.
