Ach. Evil Olive, where to begin? Okay, I'll just recount the good, the bad, and the ugly as I come to it. The name - Evil Olive Elixir Lounge. A bloomin' stroke of genius! Ditto with the logo - sooo cute. Smoking is not allowed inside - though it is permitted at the outside tables. Service is great: friendly and efficient. The bar area itself is gorgeous, as is the ladies' room - with its nice fixtures and granite countertop. Unfortunately, though, the remainder of the space is....well, lackluster. The chairs and tables aren't comfortable or welcoming, and the uninterrupted expanses of olive-green wall don't spell "hospitality" to me. It's as if either money or time - or both - ran short before the opening, and the decision was made to go forward, anyway. The food, for me, is also a mixed bag. Phil's Texas Diner serves excellent, smoky, barbecue sauce - the best I've had in many years; brisket is all right, too. Creamed corn is not, in my opinion, good at all: a dollop of corn kernels plunked into canned, evaporated milk (yes, I DO use shelf-stable milk, so I know it when I taste it!). And prices are a little steep, too: $7.50 for brisket nachos; $8.00 for brisket sandwich; and $3.00 for a glob of aforementioned "creamed corn". So what I see is a terrific start, with great potential. I hope that when I return, some months hence, that EO will have evolved past the "newly opened" stage, and that Phil's will have perfected that menu. read more

No bueno, took forever to get service an it wasn't even busy. When I finally got the beer they were warm.

Staff here is super friendly. As soon as we walked through the front patio someone greeted us very exuberantly (Cici's Pizza style). This was stop #6 of our T-Givin' San Antonio Pub Crawl. This place is so cute and trendy looking. I was distracted with all the cool tile work they did on this newly remodeled place. The bartender informed us they were doing HH all night just for that night. Woo hoo! Three beers for $8? Hellz yea! read more

Evil Olive - Lounges Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

So I came here this last Saturday night. There was a live band, 2 bartenders and a barback and maybe about 25 people there total. The music was less than impressive and all the people here looked older than I am (I'm 26) anyway I just wasn't feeling it. Kind of sucks because I had been looking forward to checking this place out for about the last year. The most exciting part of the whole place is they do have plenty of TVs to catch up on sports and they have a large front patio area for smokers or people who don't dig the band. Simply put, I will not be coming back here again. Too boring!! read more

I went for a friend's going away party. Its a large area and a nice looking bar and a nice looking patio -- but the this place has just the basics -- its not the place that I'd want to stay all night from a table and chair comfort stand point, which is sad because the food and drinks are good -- and GREAT prices -- the menu is pretty good. There were about 15 of us in our group and the small tables lend themselves to groups of one or two people (wait , I guess one person isn't a group eh) -- so we ended up putting all the tables together for our group -- which left no tables for anyone else. Try the fried pickles and BBQ nachos -- and the cheese sticks -- its all great. read more

Modern style bar with attentive bar staff. Lets just say I didnt have to wave down a bartender and wonder if I'm being intentionaly ignored like it is at Jacks. Anyway. what Can I say, they got decent drink specials. okay fine I'll just get to the point. Phil's BBQ. I had the smoked and fried hot wings. Probably the best hot wings I have ever had in my life. They were outstanding. Couple that with my dos equis and life is good. My wife had the brisket quesadilla. Let me just say you cant go wrong with a quesadilla. But when you add tender tasty brisket to it, you can definitely go right. and how. The atmosphere is nice, laid back. A little akward and too spacious. they need some lounging areas, maybe some couches or booths. Music was a little too loud. I guess I'm getting old. anyway I'll definitely be back in only for the BBQ. read more

I came into Evil Olive on a whim and asked Derrick what was great.. he immediately helped me define my tastes and offered a selection of the best hand crafted cocktails I've ever seen. Devotion lends to artistry, and Derrick exemplifies this to a T. The smoked old fashioned was the perfect compliment to my meal! read more

Evil Olive - Smoked old fashioned - Lounges Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Good local hangout. Cheap drinks, music and a few games like pool, darts and corn hole. Had the chips and queso based on another yelp recommendation, it was not good! I would not recommend them, chips were a strange texture covered in too much season. Queso tasted like it was from a can. read more

If you want a decent beer selection and much better than normal bar food, this is the place to be. Go Monday-Thursday night, that's when their best bartender, Forrest, is there. He makes the best drinks. The owner is a really awesome guy and comes in sometimes. The brisket nacho are fantastic, and they usually have great guacamole, too. read more

The first time I heard of this bar I thought, "Awesome! Cool martini bar in SA with a witty name, I'll have to check this place out!" Yeah....not at ALL what I was expecting. I imagined a trendy lounge/bar setup with a variety of martini's and your usual full bar offerings. But this bar is just another dive joint with a cool sign. The drinks are cheap which is nice, especially if you are on a budget, but the music is so random that it almost had me laughing out loud...OUT LOUD! Not in an ironic way, in a "WTF why is this playing right now and how do people not notice this??" kind of way. Apparently the food is good, so that might be the saving grace that I am missing out on. Two stars just because the place is clean, the bartenders are really nice, and it IS in a good location. This might be a cool spot to meet up at so that your friends can all carpool somewhere else... but yeah, I won't be spending an entire night drinking at Evil Olive if I can help it. read more

Great atmosphere! Food at Phil's was awesome. I just went for lunch and it was amazing. Everyone should try this place. Pulled pork and chicken were wonderful (BBQ sauce was great) and the creamed corn was excellent. Prices are a little steap but nothing you wouldn't expect from a BBQ place that you order by the pound etc. Will definitely be back for dinner and bar soon. Keep this place going. read more

Weak, overpriced drinks and weak bands. Greatest moment here: *girl walks up* "Would you happen to have a cigarette? ....I do a lot of cocaine, I need to use the cigarette as a bookmark." read more

Good neighborhood bar, treated well by staff and good service. They have a lot of Who Dat activities, so being a Louisiana native, makes me feel right at home. read more

I've been to this restaurant many times. I usually stop in after work or an early evening on Saturdays. I like their hamburgers and the customers are friendly. I've been a patron for at least 3-4 years. Tonight was different. Tonight was absolutely disgusting. There are usually regulars in all bars. The Evil Olive regulars are to your immediate right as soon as you walk in. It's their area. It's their comfort zone. It's their spot. I'm fine with that. Tonight however, the regulars were openly displaying party favors. The first was a miniature, black blow up doll, approximately 24"-30" with an 6"-8" penis. The second party favor was a huge black penis, approximately 8"-10", attached to a long wooden stick. This is unacceptable. The two bartenders were completely aware of their props. They were taking photos with the party favors, laughing with the party favors, very festive with these offensive party favors. At one point, the large, black penis was pointed DIRECTLY at the taller bartender and the holder said "Can I just put the tip in?" The bartender said nothing. She did not ask him to put it away, among all the laughter. As stated, I frequent this establishment. I cannot believe what took place tonight, and more importantly, I cannot believe the staff did not ask the regulars to leave. I guess a larger question is, what else is tolerated in this bar? What else do they look away from? What else do they turn a blind eye to. I was there tonight between 1845 and 1905. It was disgusting. read more

I've only been to Evil Olive a few times... so far so good! The drinks are too pricey, usually have had good drink specials. The atmosphere is pretty cool, nice place to just sit and enjoy a drink with a friend. Tried the brisket quesadillas, and they were pretty darn good. Not the best place i've ever been, but nice place for a change. read more

The good, the bar, the bartenders & the people The bad, the new kitchen, see review here http://www.yelp.com/biz/brasato-gastro-pub-san-antonio The ugly, oh, that would be me. read more

Husband and I went here on a Saturday early evening for a drink. It has a cool, tattoo parlor type vibe. Foosball, darts, a stage and windows all over to let in some good light. It was a great little find. We just ate the threesome chips and they were good. Great guac! I ordered a whiskey sour that was seriously weak. After I ordered a michelada that was amazing so I left happy. Overall, it's a do over! read more

Evil Olive - Michelada was amazing. - Lounges Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

If this review were only about the food, I'd give five stars - no question. The pulled pork BBQ was delicious. The fries were outstanding. And the cream cheese-jalapeno-bacon burger... well, it's hard to go wrong with a combination like that. I guess we went there on a dead night. The place was pretty empty and the overall environment seemed a bit lackluster. Service was fast, pleasant and helpful though. I look forward to seeing this place develop. read more

Glad there was a more diverse crowd when we were there yesterday younger too. Last time we went it looked like a teachers lounge (1 yr ago). They may be under new management. People mostly drinking beer, my vodka tonic was very forgettable. Bar food is same. read more

Place is cool for something down the street. The food is good and have drink options. Sitting outside in the cool weather is nice!

The name suggests an able and well-stocked martini bar, which it is not. This is more of a something-for-everyone kind of place, which is something I really like about it. The bar is bottle-stocked, but could use a better selection of tap beers. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, tho in keeping with the name could use a refresher on the outside of standard martini fare. What I really like is the live music setup. While many local bars offer some form of live music, the band is usually relegated to a dusty corner with few of the required elements to provide a good show. Not so the Evil Olive! This place did it right. There's a good sized stage just where you'd want it to be with a lovely backdrop of black fabric and lights and the PA speakers are top notch and never too loud. The music I've seen here tends to lean towards the folk-y side with some roots & Americana thrown in. Open mic on Thursdays brings out the younger singer-songwriters. Outdoor patio, live music, darts, food, good drinks, good people. read more

Love this place, great service, and great drinks.. my bartender was Tyler, he was awesome.. went there on a Saturday night.. off the hook.. definitely will b back.. read more

Great food but the draft beer is not cold enough. The service is not good. They need more servers and bartenders. Good prices. Nice place. read more

You know I've gone to this bar many times and as a business it's great good layout good food good atmosphere overall fun place however the bartenders have always rub me the wrong way... More specifically the one guy bartender who has been there for a long time not sure of his name but this guy treats me like I kicked his dog I'm thinking WTF did I do to you? One day I was at the bar and I was drunk and needed a ride home so he got me an Uber that cost eight dollars now I left and didn't reimburse him his eight dollars however the very next day when I went back first thing he says is where is my eight dollar? And I paid him immediately plus tip so I wasn't trying to screw this guy out of eight dollars I simply was drunk and didn't realize I didn't pay him there was no need to make a scene or any kind of big deal out of it furthermore I saw this dude wants with his girlfriend in another bar and I bought both of them shots and beer so where is the 20 Bucks asshole read more

Best Tater Tots ever. Lol. Swear they are handmade. I also had the Buffalo Bleu Burger which was mouth watering and filling. Chased it all down with a Deschutes Black Butte Porter. Pricing is perfect and atmosphere is great. read more

Tuesday nights. This is the place to be! $1 beer nights, awesome music, & great bartenders. This is my friends and I meeting spot almost every Tuesday. Parking is terrible is you make it out too late, got to park across the street in the HEB parking lot. Worth it though, nice little venue with an outside patio and pool tables inside. Mixed drinks had a gracious amount of alcohol in it, my girlfriend didn't like that. But other than that great place! Highly recommend read more

Stopped by evilOlive last evening with friends! Super nice atmosphere, friendly, casual, comfortable place to hang out. Drink prices are very reasonable! Adam, from Phil's Diner, sent us a complimentary dish of chips and queso and - not only was that a pleasant surprise - the chips have to be the best in town! Freshly made, served hot with a delicious creamy queso! Yes, I'll be going back. Give ths place a try. It' s nice to be able to stop for a drink or two without breaking the bank! Rick, the owner, is super nice and genuinely wants you to have a nice time while at evilOlive! AWESOME! read more

I love this bar the environment and the bartenders are awesome! Great music and crowd

We had great hopes for this place as it's so close to home. However, be warned that this is a college hang out during the week. I will probably not go back. The bartenders are friendly but the crowd they attract is less than desirable. I mean very very drunk 21 year olds, fights (I watched a guy's face get beaten in next to me while I tried to order a drink), and other things more aligned with a frat party than a bar. read more

You know a little part of me died the day I heard Pizza Italia caught on fire and Jack's Patio Bar experienced fire & smoke damage. Well, then bears the question what's going to happen to the building now that they moved. Congratulations 1000 Oaks you are now the proud parents of THE EVIL OLIVE! No more shunning smokers to never never land, for the patio is out front. Once inside they did a top notch job of the bar area itself. The bottles look so pretty lit up. I happened to drop in during the Spurs game, they had $2.50 Skyy & I think $1.00 draft. I don't know about you, but that's a helluva deal. And TV's everywhere. Phil's BBQ is served out of this establishment, I think till 1:00pm. So for those who drink and then get the munchies this is perfect. I haven't had any of the food, however I believe the Current or SA Express did an article on them and had good things to say. Now the downfall, the previous bar (Jack's) mainly focused on being a Live Music Venue. So needless to say, this place has some square footage and then some. So there is this space to the left of the bar that is begging for TLC's While You Were Out crew to come in and work their magic. Hopefully, the Evil Olive will hang in there and be able to complete their transformation. Hats off to you for at least trying to make it work and not let another abandoned building be an eyesore in our beloved city. read more

They need more bartenders , it gets pretty busy !! You have to wait to get some attention but I like the place.

If you like cheap beer, check out this place. I personally do not drink beer, so I asked for a Malibu and Pineapple. WEAK WEAK WEAK- watered down. Not impressed, BUT this place was very relaxed and clean with a nice stage and lights. There is also ample seating outside. If you are a cocktail drinker, avoid this place. read more

I love DJing at this bar because the regulars are very nice people and I love working with the staff. This is hands-down, one of my favorite jobs read more

Cool place, inside is a bit sparse but they have outside seating that is under big oak trees, good drink specials, good live music, good food from Phils (a little weird that the food they serve is under a separate business but whatevs). Beer selection leaves a little to be desired, but overall a really cool place. read more

We get a Groupon for this place a lot. $15 for $40 worth of food. We like the food. The gumbo is really good. The wings are yummy. They have housemade blue cheese with 9 different ingredients. The burgers are also good. They drink specials are cool. We only go early evening though when its close to empty. Cant say what the night time vibe is but its laid back between 4 and 8 pm. read more

I came here early on a Friday evening. Since it was still early, there weren't that many people, which was ok since I'm not one for crowded spaces. However, the small number of people coupled with the vastness of the bar, made it feel like we were in a place that was still under construction. The echo was too loud and distracting - everyone's conversations echoed in the huge room. So even though it wasn't crowded and I was sitting in close proximity to my friends, we still had to yell to be heard by each other. Other reviewers have said the staff isfriendly, and for the most part they were; except that several times when I went to order, it seems that since I was not on a first name basis with the bartender I got ignored and had to wait until she could tear herself away from the conversation. I did try the guacamole nachos and the fries. The fries were pretty good, nothing spectacular; a good salty snack to have with beer. The nachos, on the other hand, were very tasty. I would come back here just for the nachos! The beer selection and the non-smoking atmosphere are also pluses here. read more

This is one of the newest and nonsmoking bars on the north side. The owners are friendly and the bar staff quick and very well versed on mixed drinks. If you are near this place you need to check it out. read more

Screw this place. It forced me to put a single star, otherwise I would have put zero. Service is bad. And the bartenders all suck at bartending, and they only serve the people who have big tits, if you're a guy, good luck. I won't go here again. read more

A great relaxed bar is what I look for when I need my unwinding and The Evil Olive is just that but though I'm not much of a drinker, my friends love the place and anything we can all agree on must be doing something right. It helps that it's quaint too. I wouldn't know how to digest a super active atmosphere so it's like a perfect fitting suit and you know how great that can make you feel. On top of that the bar features a small but highly effective diner with food that I could do back flips for all day and trust me I can't do back flips. I was massively curious after the first taco I had completely took me aback, it was BBQ pork as I recall. I sampled these incredible nachos as well and I can tell you it was something anyone could have made, but damned if anyone else had. And since simple and delicious food is my favorite thing next to video games, I will definitely be a regular to Phil's Diner at the Evil Olive read more

My only gripe is that their beer prices are pretty horrendous, if you charge more for a bottle of something that you can get at The Hoppy Monk or World of Beer (two relatively expensive bars) on draft, then you need to rethink what you're charging your customers... This bar isn't a good enough scene to warrant dropping the coin they charge for an otherwise mid level craft beer. read more