George’s Restaurant brought a little Waco flavor to the 2023 Texas inauguration events on January 17th. The Inauguration Committee selected the Texas Restaurant Association as the culinary partner to showcase the diversity of restaurant fare across the state- George’s was one of just a handful of restaurants from across the state chosen.
In July of 2022, our very own Sammy Citrano was inducted into the Texas Restaurant Association Hall of Honor. Sammy has worked endlessly on bettering George’s since he became sole owner in 1994. Sammy was one of two in the entire state to be inducted into the Hall of Honor this year, so we want to take the time to recognize everything he does for the George’s community.
George's expanded, opening its second location located at 1201 Hewitt Drive Waco, TX.
Since opening the catering side of George's we have gotten the opportunity to cater for some cool events- like catering for George W. Bush when he was elected as President!
Sammy was honored in 1998 as a recipient of the Greater Waco Chamber Outstanding Business Award.
Texas songwriter Pat Green has captured the history of George’s in his original song, George’s Bar and his new hit Collage (and thanking Georges Bar for all the classes that he missed) and he is definitely the most popular vocalist in our jukebox! We are proud to have George’s as part of a Waco and Baylor tradition.
After Baylor became a contender in the Big XII, George’s pushed forward even more by creating “The Party Zone!” for game fans. George’s Big”O” tent continues is the hottest gathering outside of McLane Stadium for the coldest beverages around, during all Baylor home games. The new Party Zone location is at 1314 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
In November 1993, Sammy was handed the George’s torch. He and his family, with the help of the George’s staff, have taken that little bar that started out in 1930 and expanded its history and notoriety.
George Betros bought Harry B’s in 1966 and changed the name to “George’s.” It was at this time that our most famous drink, the “Big O™,” received its name. A waitress by the name of Lucille Brown called them Big Oranges, the rest of the staff shortened it to “Big O™,” and it stuck!
The original building, consisting of the bar area with a small kitchen in back, began in 1930 as “Harry B’s,” named after owner Harry Urmeister. Harry was a founding member of the Nose Brothers organization, a long-standing Baylor tradition. An avid sportsman, he developed a strong relationship with Baylor athletics, pairing the two together for all these years.
