After class, I had the bright idea to go grab a cocktail. It was an excellent class--the teacher…read moreand I put on a therapeutic show. So I went to Bar 1919 in Southtown, a tucked-away speakeasy-style bar. I'd heard it could be difficult to find, and that mystery is part of the charm. Once I stepped inside, I was struck by how polished and inviting it felt: low amber lighting, dark wood, intimate seating, and a quiet hum of conversation that made the room feel removed from the rest of the city. The atmosphere was elegant without feeling stiff. The dim light glowed against the bar, and the cozy layout made it easy to settle in. There was something satisfying about searching for the entrance and then emerging into such a carefully designed space. [NAME] took care of me, and the service was warm and attentive. I was there by myself, but I never felt awkward sitting alone. The bartender checked in without hovering and made the experience feel relaxed from beginning to end. He also made me a from-scratch cocktail. [COCKTAIL NAME/INGREDIENTS] The drink was beautifully balanced, with [YOUR WORDS ABOUT THE TASTE/QUALITY OF THE DRINK]. The aroma rose from the glass before the first sip, and the flavors unfolded gradually rather than overwhelming one another. It tasted fresh, deliberate, and carefully prepared. I also had [FOOD], and [YOUR WORDS ABOUT THE FOOD]. The dish arrived [DESCRIBE PRESENTATION OR TEMPERATURE], with [DESCRIBE TEXTURE, AROMA, OR FLAVOR]. Each bite added another layer to the experience, and it paired especially well with the cocktail. Bar 1919 was exactly what I needed that night: a small escape with thoughtful service, a handcrafted drink, and satisfying food. The hidden entrance gives it a sense of discovery, while the intimate setting makes it easy to linger. Excellent idea.

This is my go-to spot for an after-dinner nightcap or a relaxed place to meet for drinks and…read moreconversation. The service has consistently been exceptional, and I particularly appreciate their impressive bourbon and whiskey selection. Over the years, I've visited for everything from informal business discussions to evenings spent with close friends. The intimate lighting, softly glowing candlelight, and thoughtfully curated ambiance create a warm and sophisticated atmosphere. Combined with a moderate noise level that allows for comfortable conversation, it's an ideal setting for both meaningful catch-ups and professional engagements.

Fun fun fun! This is such a unique place, the drinks are amazing, the service is great. The best…read morepart of everything is the ambiance, great for date night!

they have 2 reel-to-reel tape decks on the wall. really should get them going! seems like happy…read morepeople come here after 11 on fridays. where's the karaoke?

For a very solid, real tiki bar experience, this is the destination in the Alamo City. (That place…read moreeast of here is an **extremely** loud dance club with some tropical decorations--NOT a tiki bar.) Inside and out, Hugman's Oasis (named to honor the godfather of the Riverwalk) is a true tiki bar. Signage, furniture, lighting, music, interior finishes, fantastic decor, and (of course) drinks are well-done. If they had stayed open later, we would have tried all of the drinks, so there's another visit to come soon. Our bartender knew requested off-menu classics, which was impressive. We will not hesitate to seek refuge from the downtown streets in this oasis again any time.

Stopped in for a drink and snack. Seated right away, overlooking the river. Great happy hour…read moreprices! Food was great and we would have ordered more if we didn't have dinner reservations later. We ordered the Poke Dog and Spam Musubi. Is it the drive?...yes

My husband and I enjoyed our couple hours we spent at the bar thanks to Daniel, our bartender who…read morewas extremely knowledgeable and entertaining! We will be back!

Update to first review below, rating updated from a 3 to a 5 star (drinks & bartender would get 10+…read morestars if we could rate that high): Saturday night: Went back for after dinner drinks at the Downstairs (a "speakeasy" throwback, look up the history of the place to see why). Drinks were AMAZING! Bartender Rob made the best Negroni I've ever had. I asked him to use whatever gin he thought best--result was an artistic smooooooth full-bodied drink. Told him when I was done I'd lick the glass if it wasn't considered so uncouth for a 'mature' lady like myself to do so Hubby's Buffalo Trace bourbon old fashioned was also outstanding. Rob was the bartender last night who did such a great job, and his work was even better tonight. We highly recommend The EsquireTavern for excellent cocktails. We love the long wood bar and high copper ceiling upstairs, but love the intimate speakeasy atmosphere downstairs even more. We'll definitely be back every time we're in San Antonio! First review, Friday night: Drinks were great (Manhattan and Bourbon Old Fashioned). REAL drinks, no complaints at all about those. And the bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Those aspects of the Esquire get 5+ stars from us. But the appetizers were not good, close to inedible. It was about 8:30pm or so, so maybe they were getting ready to close out the kitchen but the chalupitas with chicken tasted like rubber, and no flavor at all. The seafood platter had something in it that was breading with shell inside, but no meat of any kind. We couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. The shrimp was good and the fish was good but those other things... We'll always love the drinks, the long wooden bar, and the ambiance at the Esquire Tavern, but we'll eat somewhere else and come here for before or after dinner drinks. (See update above to this review for when we returned the next night for after dinner drinks.)

The perfect neighborhood dive bar. The drinks are great and very affordable, tons of friendly faces…read moreand regulars, awesome bartenders, great live music & DJs. It embodies the real homegrown San Antonio. Nostalgic vibes near Woodlawn lake, plenty of free street parking, and always a free or low-price admission fee. There is often a tent set up out front with food hot off the grill. Also, there is pool & darts. I love this place!!

The lighthouse is a chill, laidback bar. It's just around the corner from my moms and we love to…read morestop by every once and awhile and enjoy some drinks. Prices are amazing, great live music and karaoke on some days. It's right by Woodlawn Lake park. Bartenders are always so friendly.

Great location, nice atmosphere, nice and cool inside and lots of choices. Kind and friendly staff…read moreand great service!

The food and drinks were blah, the chairs were sticky, and the entire restaurant had the unsettling…read moreenergy of a men's podcast filmed in a basement. Then an employee named Bryan or Ryan or some other generic frat boy name told me it was "weird" that I wasn't married because I'm "so pretty." Apparently women are decorative merchandise that should be claimed by a husband before an expiration date. The food was underseasoned, but the misogyny was served generously. I came in hungry and left wondering whether the stickiness on the chairs was syrup or centuries of unwashed male audacity. Absolutely not.

I had never been to Be Kind and Rewind before, but I went for a Gathering event that was a…read moreRihanna-themed party. The drink specials were great, the service was solid, and the lighting and overall atmosphere really set the vibe. This place is definitely a staple of downtown San Antonio nightlife.

My husband and I came here for a drink based on a recommendation, and unfortunately, our experience…read morewas pretty bizarre. After just one drink, we were told we couldn't be served anymore. The strange part was that we had only had one drink, and neither of us were being disruptive, belligerent, or otherwise out of line. We ended up going to another bar afterward and had absolutely no issues being served. The bar itself is very cool and nostalgic, but the service really left us confused and disappointed. Definitely not the experience we expected. 0/10 would recommend!

West was absolutely amazing! He made us some of the best drinks and was so friendly and welcoming,…read moreespecially for my first night in San Antonio. He went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and gave us so many great recommendations on places to eat, visit, and explore around the city. You can tell he genuinely cares about making people have a great experience. Thank you, West, for making our first night in San Antonio such a memorable one! We'll definitely be back!

LOVEEE I went on a Sunday evening and it wasn't crowded…read more There wasn't a host to seat me but, after walking inside, the staff was able to assist kindly. I ordered the ceviche & Dancing in the rain for my drink, & the sweet waitress provided me with chips as well. Both of which were fantastic but OMG the ceviche was top tier, the coconut milk set it off the edger for me. The vibes were immaculate as well! Good music & views. Will definitely be back

Yes, yes, yes. My after spot when we go to the Tobin Center. An easy walk. LOVE the professionalism…read moreand personality of the bartenders. They gave great recommendations. LOVED the flat breads and my espresso martini. Adult grilled cheese with kettle chips were perfect. Vibe is oh so nice for couples, groups, or solo like me.

I really wanted to like this bar. It looked cozy and inviting from the outside. We were greeted by…read morea nice lady that talked too long, took our drink order and then everyone forgot about us. They were not busy and perhaps we should have said something but it took them 30 minutes and 2 different people to finally get our 2 drinks. The drinks were not good and considering we had plan to be somewhere when we finally got our drinks we paid the bill gulped down our not good drinks and left. This bar looks like it can be good but get better employees. If people sit at the bar they want to talk if they sit away from bar let them be. Serve the drinks and go away. The lady that kept talking to us was acting as if she ... Maybe this place will get better.

Drink was exactly the place I was looking for and it happened to be located right across the street…read morefrom my hotel. Drink Texas is a no frills, great dive bar with everything you need to have a good time. The service was friendly, my family all came to visit and we had a good time catching up here. The music was great, plenty of room and there was bar games. If you're looking for good drinks, a chill place to hang out and enjoy yourself, this is a good spot.

Definitely a chill spot downtown and affordable drinks especially on the weekend. Service was fine…read more Atmosphere was relaxed and fun. I recommend and would come back for sure.