Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Near Dark

    4.4 (19 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Near Dark Photos

    Business Info

    NEAR DARK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Near Dark

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Menu
    Jen H.

    A cool, vibey, chill bar with lots of specialty cocktails. This bar is small in size but big in personality. It can be easy to miss the entrance, so be sure to look for the entrance sandwiched amongst a row of storefronts. They have a limited weekday menu, with additional weekend drink specials. If you need a bite to eat, there is a limited option between something sweet (i.e. brownie) or something savory (i.e. charcuterie). I tried the French 75 and Spank Me, and both drinks were divine. There is a lot of care and effort put into making each drink perfectly balanced and never light on the liquor. Pricing is reasonable for the quality and atmosphere. And there's even a secret door in the back that leads to a hidden room (hint--starts with rest, and ends with room). Be sure to check out this bar for an edgy night out!

    The Spank Me House Cocktail
    Oliver B.

    Near Dark is a very cool spot to grab a few cocktails when you are downtown. I was given the impression that it was a speakeasy and it wasn't. The bartenders were very friendly and talented. I highly recommend the smoked tequila old fashioned. Ask for it if it's not on the menu. It's my favorite cocktail they make. You all should stop by and check this place out.

    Drink Menu
    Briana B.

    We found this interesting bar while hanging out downtown. The ambiance was notably dim, illuminated only by small candles on tables. If you're not a fan of low-light settings, it might not be your ideal spot. I tried the Stay Freaky cocktail, which was great, but the Cucumber Vodka shot was my favorite! The bartender was very attentive and nice. In short, Near Dark is a cool spot to grab a quick drink.

    Stay freaky
    Jesse M.

    After visiting from a long weekend of Fiesta. This place was a refreshing delight. I appreciate how our bar tender/ owner treated us. Nothing but good vibes in a cool vampire bar.

    Stacy E.

    This place is a #VIBE. Come alone. Come with friends. Come with your partner. Just come. It's the kind of place that makes you want to try new drinks and once you try the whole menu, you'll want to try it all over again. Wide selection of whiskey, beers and mixed drinks. Seats go fast on the weekend. There's industry nights with cheaper prices so keep a radar on their Instagram. There's two other bars on the same strip, but this is my favorite! The bartender's know what they're doing when it comes to the craft of mixing drinks and it's in between the southside and southtown so stop by after first friday!

    Espresso martini
    Angela M.

    This is my second time around in a year and it absolutely did not disappoint. I love the espresso martini. It is really hard to find someone who can mix coffee well with alcohol and hands-down. They do it extremely well I'm so thankful that this cute little place is in Southtown near home. cocktails are outstanding & amazing.

    Cocktails anyone?!?
    Albert P.

    Amazing atmosphere. Great people. Knowledgeable mixologists. My wife and I highly recommend Near Dark. Great classic cocktails and more.

    Drink menu
    Valerie H.

    Dark but not dreary! Once the word gets out about this place I know it's going to be hard to get a seat here. This is a shot gun style bar so it's very limited on seating but the small space doesn't take away from the awesome atmosphere. It was giving me New Orleans meets heavy metal vibes..We got to chat with the owner who told us it's him and his friend that opened this spot, I liked hearing about how they did a lot of the handy work that went into creating the space. There's little details everywhere that tie everything together, kudos on that! Unlike a lot of cocktail bars around these drinks are coming out quick but still carefully crafted. A very nice addition to the area!

    Bar, old fashions, drinks, cocktails

    See all

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ms F.
    0
    16
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Bartender/owner Frankie is amazing!! Customers are treated right and drinks are amazing!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Friendly staff, drinks are a great deal, but their hours are inconsistent. They don't always open at 6.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Cruz C.
    1
    29
    59

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Near Dark

    Review Highlights - Near Dark

    There's industry nights with cheaper prices so keep a radar on their Instagram.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Cocktail Bars 996 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Esquire Tavern - Chili Salt Fries

    The Esquire Tavern

    4.1(3.6k reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown
    $$

    Great afternoon spent here...very personable staff, and engaging...wasn't too busy and atmosphere…read morewas great!

    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.)

    Photos
    The Esquire Tavern - Gorgeous full bar

    Gorgeous full bar

    The Esquire Tavern - Chicken Fried Steak

    Chicken Fried Steak

    The Esquire Tavern - Rum for the Hills
 
 dominican republic rum, piña amaro, gentian amaro,
 pamplemousse, pineapple, lime, demerara
 SERVED ON CRUSHED ICE

    See all

    Rum for the Hills dominican republic rum, piña amaro, gentian amaro, pamplemousse, pineapple, lime, demerara SERVED ON CRUSHED ICE

    Near Dark - cocktailbars - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...