Definitely worth popping into for a drink while you're in San Antonio. It's in a pretty neat area, plenty of cool shops and restaurants are around the hotel. The hotel itself has been completely renovated and has that cool industrial vibe. Lights are low and seating is cozy in this bar. It's the perfect place to go for an intimate drink on a date or a casual meet up with friends. Drinks are a little on the pricey side, but man are they good! Our group tried traditional cocktails as well as their specialty ones and they were all amazing! We also tried a few of their appetizers which were delicious but definitely overpriced for the amount of food you got. Service is also top notch here! read more

What an exquisite bar. With summers so hot in San Antonio this is the perfect stop to cool off. The architecture is all the remnants of the old pearl brewery. Designed into the old brewing equipment the owners just enhanced into perfection. read more

Sternewirth Bar - Old brewery ceilings accented with old Spanish style lighting! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Apparently isn't a place for straight couples on Sunday brunch. I used to love coming here but up until we were accused of discriminating against a man who was dressed as a woman, I think these days we would describe this particular person to be a transgender. I was here along with four other couples and we were sitting across from this person who was by themselves and they assumed we were chuckling about them but instead reminiscing about another time. They moved locations in the establishment, after cussing at us, and decided to tell the manager. We were asked to leave and while leaving that individual decides to video tape us with their phone blatantly obvious in front of everyone to cause a scene. I walked back to kindly let the manager know that you are actually instigating a scene and assisting the person that is responsible for doing so. We paid out and let them know we will never come back again. El Mirasol is much better with way better margaritas and better views anyways! read more

Great lounge area. Good drinks. Really well decorated make it really fit in to the hotel Emma atmosphere. Bathrooms could use some tending too. read more

It's in the Hotel Emma, how could it not be amazing? Atmosphere, food, signature cocktails, all perfect. Many cozy areas to relax. Service has been excellent for us each time we have visited. read more

Place is amazing. I'd describe it as a huge living room bar. Service is friendly and quick. Drinks are ehh bit pricey but only like $2 more. Had the lamb meatballs and it was delicious. My only suggestion is a bigger wider bowl. History of location is what makes this bar special. Definitely worth for a date, after work, or just going out for a casual drink. read more

This place is beautiful. Bartenders were unique in terms of personality and customer service... don't expect friendly service! Don't expect accurate service, either. My husband ordered wine off the menu which they didn't have, so the substitute was recommended, which was at a better price point, and actually, met the standard & quality. Then, we walked up to the bar together to order for 4 people in our group. When we asked for the same wine, we got something different at double the price. Then, we asked for a fruity shot (anything!), the bartender rolled her eyes! Oh well, spent a lot of money there... Will not return there! Good luck! read more

Great atmosphere, terrific service. Try the Red Irish microbrewed beer - it was AWESOME! We didn't realize The Emma Hotel was connected to this tavern. The next time we visit San Antonio Riverwalk, we'll be staying there as well. read more

Edit: Really had a nice time the last few visits. They seem to have worked out the new bar kinks, and the service has become friendlier and less fussy. Drinks are very nice though decidedly expensive. It's got a super cool vibe, all manner of repurposed brewery equipment converted to artwork and furniture. Sort of steampunk meets 19th century industrializing America. read more

Although Sternewirth is located within a hotel, its opulent appearance and well-curated drink menu would make it an appealing choice for a date. While some Yelpers have noted issues with getting into the bar, the policy isn't as patently ridiculous as it sounds. While Sternewirth could easily hold a few hundred people within its space, the acute focus on hand-crafted cocktails makes wait times for drinks a bit loathsome. Throw in too many people, and it can be an even greater issue. Whether that particular operations management decision was a great idea in the first place is certainly debatable, but the point is this bar delivers decent cocktails at fair prices in one of the better spaces I have seen in the city. While I'd like to see a bit more artistry and creativity in the drinks to match the space, Sternewirth is still worth visiting. I'd come back. read more

Agree with majority of reviews thus far. Have been here three times in the hope of seeing improvement. Let's just say that experience has been 100% consistent. Consistently bad, that is, and we are unlikely to return. Amazing ambiance with inexplicably and unforgivably lousy service each and every time, including hours when venue was near empty. Orders take forever, are often wrong and one must send a search party to get attended. Drinks are nothing special for the high price. Waitstaff seems to have a very high opinion of themselves based on not much of anything. In the evenings, presence of a "bouncer" at the bar entrance via the hotel lobby is absolutely pretentious, unnecessary and laughable. This ain't South Beach. Try Cured next door for consistently cheerful, attentive and knowledgeable staff. Even during peak hours. read more

What a fun place. So many cozy spots to sit and relax. The Three Emma's cocktail is a must to try. read more

Sternewirth Bar - The Three Emmas and a Pearl Brewery Beer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Very neat atmosphere but the food and the drinks are a complete rip off. I ordered the tater tots for $9 which consisted of about 5 tots. Guinness was poured improperly and in a 10 oz glass for $7. Place was empty and service was slow. read more

This place is gorgeous! Stopped in for last call on a Wednesday night. The bar was busy, but not packed. We ordered a "Hazy Shade of Winter" which had apple brandy, mezcal, maple, cinnamon, lime, and cider, and a "Maple Leaf" which had bourbon, maple, and lemon. Both cocktails were very well balanced and delicious, and reasonably priced. The 2 cocktails were $19.99, for craft cocktails, in a hotel bar, this is very reasonable. We took our drinks and wandered around the huge space that the bar occupies. The vaulted ceilings are at least 25 feet high, there are sofas and easy chairs throughout the space instead of your usual tables and chairs. They even had some seating inside the old silos for a more intimate setting. It was like you were going from one living room to another as we walked around. They have a small selection of snack, unfortunately, since they were doing last call, we did not get to sample. I will be going back to try some of them though, the venison meatballs and smoked dates sound really good. read more

Came here last night after dinner for drinks and although the atmosphere was great I wasn't to impressed with the drink quality that came out, the presentation was pretty but the taste and overall quality of the drinks was not what I expected compared to other craft cocktail bars in the city. read more

Great vibe, great drinks, but the bartenders seemed a bit less than excited to be there. We stopped in for drinks before catching dinner there in the Pearl. The vibe was Texas-stylish, with a blend of generations filling every nook and cranny. By the demographic that night, it seemed as though there wasn't a group in San Antonio that didn't like Sternewirth; black, white, old, young, yuppie, discrete executive, straight from the ranch...you name it, someone fitting that demographic was there. Despite the crowd, the bartenders were efficient. Perhaps that's why they weren't terribly pleasant. Don't get be wrong, they were attentive despite a constant flow of patrons. But, every person behind the bar was wearing either a frown or a look of indifference. It was quite striking. A customer would greet the bartender with a smile and a warm "Hi" or "Hello", and in response would receive a blank look, sometimes accompanied by silence, sometimes by an impatient request along the lines of "What would you like?" This isn't an ultra-lounge, where you just want your drink so you can get back to your crew or working a hook-up with the person next to you. Sternewirth is a stylish bar inside an upscale boutique hotel. I don't care how lousy the bartenders feel. They should greet customers warmly, and present a welcoming image. The bartenders' demeanor aside, ours mixed great drinks. And, once we were seated, we enjoyed both our libations and the environment. I'd highly recommend catching a drink here. read more

Went here last night, great atmosphere. Drinks were well made, a bit on the pricy side but it's to be expected at this location.

This place is SO COOL, such a niche hip, rustic fun place. you can sit in giant SILOS! Plenty of places to sit, the most gorgeous bar I've ever personally been to,staff was VERY friendly and the bartenders really know what they're doing and how to make a drink,if your stopping by San Antonio in general please stop by and check this place out! read more

Ignore the dummies in this thread. Killer atmosphere, killer drinks, killer service. Done.

The drinks are too overpriced for service this poor. And I feel compelled to leave a review because it's not just poor service - it's a systemic problem with Sternewirths management. My husband and I have, to our chagrin, met friends who've wanted to meet up and hang out at this bar. We've taken visiting friends and family to The Pearl and have happened by this bar because someone wanted to take a cruise through Hotel Emma. And each and every time we've been rudely served. The last and most recent visit was on a Saturday afternoon during the Pearl Farmers Market. My parents were in town and my dad has trouble walking for long periods of time. It was early July, it was hot, he needed a seat and a glass of iced tea while my mother continued perusing. It without question took over 30 minutes to get 3 glasses of iced tea from a fully (read - over) staffed bar. After the first 15 minutes my father went up to the bar to ask why it would take so gosh darn long to pour waters and tea. The place wasn't busy, there were plenty of waiters and bartenders, and we saw folks who came in after us being served. My father got told with a finger in his face you'd wag at a misbehaving child that it was coming and to sit down. The waitress insisted she was making his order right that very second and he just had to wait his turn. He needed to be patient because it was being rude and it wasn't his turn. My husband and I watched it all go down and my husband damn near lost his marbles at how the woman spoke to my father. Normally my father can be pretty hot tempered himself but her attitude, condescension and disrespect was so uncalled for and unprovoked that he was speechless. I, generally the more level headed of the bunch in situations like this solely because I've waited tables before, immediately asked to see the manager. After some highly visual antics by the manager in conferring with his staff before speaking to us, he walked over with a slip of paper in his hand. We were asked our version of what happened and at the conclusion of our tale the manager insisted after checking the computer - our order was put in less than 10 minutes ago and it was well under their quality control standards as to when a drink is or is not timely. So not only was that beezy behind the bar rude, she was a lying sack of bologna. It became very apparent what happened - our order didn't make it into the system and was forgotten about. When we busted their lazy butts they punched it in real quick and insisted when we called them out and escalated their apathy to their manager that not enough time had passed for my father to be throwing a fit about our drinks. And the manager was told he was throwing a fit and we were being rowdy and drunk and obnoxious. How do we know? My husband asked for compensation and the manager refuted with "we cannot and will not comp alcohol, sir." At that point my own ears were running hot and I couldn't verbatim tell you what the manager then said about how their establishment also had a policy about not over serving alcohol. WE ORDERED ICED TEA AND WATER. The manager was visibly surprised but nonetheless backed his employees. He supported their version of events and stood by the timestamp our order was punched in despite us telling him otherwise. We were polite, and so was the manager, but his unwavering support of his employees is why they're so emboldened in how they treat people. They'll talk to you how they want. They'll serve you when they want, if they'll serve you at all. They'll call security on you for being unruly when you haven't had a drop to drink. This place is a place for Sternewirth and Hotel Emma employees and friends/family of employees to hang out. If you're not a cool kid and you don't know someone who works there or are with someone who's friends with someone who works there, expect to be treated like lowlife garbage not worth of their time (unless you look like you're going drop a ton of money and leave a big tip - even the snobbiest of waiters will turn into money grubbing whores when they smell a triple digit tip, and I've seen it happen here). There are plenty of other places to go. Avoid this place if you can. read more

First, the Hotel Emma and Sternewirth bar are really something to see. The decor and architecture are spectacular. I'm not a mixed drink person, but the selection seemed good. I like beer and the beer selection was decent. The snacks menu looked great too. Our waitress seemed rather uninterested in helping us, which is why I'm giving this three stars. I probably won't ever come back since I feel like I've experienced the best thing about this place. read more

Came here on a random Tuesday for a few drinks before dinner. We sat at the bar despite it being a little busy. Zach served us and he provided excellent service and knowledge on drinks. I highly recommend coming here and sitting at the bar. We were not sure on what we wanted and Zach made drinks we loved! read more

I love the look and feel of this bar. My friend and I walked in on a weekday evening and found it nearly empty. We weren't sure whether we were supposed to sit and order or order at the bar. Guess you can do both. We ordered at the bar then sat with our drinks and talked. We weren't particularly dressed up but I can see how that might be the expectation during the weekend. Nonetheless we loved being at a place more elevated than our usual /casual place. read more

The pinnacle of bars in San Antonio - people complain about the service but it's a very busy spot, that's what you should expect. Amazing, quirky drinks in a location that can't be beat. Get there early! read more

Was there with friends on Derby day and watched the bartender pick a fight with a nice couple from San Antonio and threw THEM out, when in actuality some of their "regulars" wanted the bar seats. I've never seen such a nasty display by a bar manager. Maybe some customer service training would be nice. As for us, we will book hotels elsewhere next time, as will all of our friends. UNPROFESSIONAL read more

Nice environment but the service was painstakingly slow. Our server was..shall we say "Less than inspired" to be there. I blame management for allowing such a poor service environment. They know what's going on bc customers are constantly getting up to find their server. Always missing in the back. Also, what's up with the guy reading behind the server bar? It's too bad bc it's a great space. Just too much work to get served read more

Outstanding decor. The signature margarita had no signature at all. Certainly worth visiting, cool place to chill with friends and family.

Any place i can get a glass of Nikka Coffee Malt whiskey earns an extra star in my book. Add to that the beautiful architecture of Hotel Emma and an upscale ambiance and more mature crowd and this cocktail bar transports you from the overly-casual San Antonio to a bar more fitting of the Upper West Side. A great departure from the sneaker and spurs tee crowds that crowd this city. Be warned however, the bar at 9 on a Saturday was almost impassable so come with some patience - and hey, if the throngs of attractive women are too much for you, pop over to Southerleigh for a quick bite first and allow me to thin the crowd for you! read more

Great place for cocktails. Beautiful architecture and great ambience. Ask for Megan:)

I'm giving this awesome bar 5 stars for a few reasons. 1. Ambiance. The rustic decor with an antique flair is worth seeing. 2. The drinks are made with fresh ingredients and developed by the bartending staff. Try the Texas Maverick. And 3. Norlan, provided excellent service when one of our friends didn't like the drink she got. Wish they had happy hour prices and better parking! read more

This place is ADORABLE! I ordered an old fashioned while we were waiting for a table at a nearby restaurant. My drink was good but the selection of House cocktails seemed small. For the basic drinkers in the group, it was difficult to make a selection. read more

The drinks were delicious and the atmosphere is spot on, but the waitress spilt a drink all over me and my dress. I totally understand that accidents happen, but then the wait for the replacement drink was a bit excessive and she never even offered to comp anything. It would have been a classy gesture to at least comp my one drink since I left with a wet dress and sticky shoes. read more

Local here to sa. Even stayed in this hotel over Christmas break. bartenders are so snobby and don't even want to give you time of day. Act like you're dumb when asking simple questions. Unfortunate because it's such an awesome spot and fries here are awesome. read more

I don't really get it. Have been there during the day and it's been a nice place to hang but terrible service. Then, on a quiet Thursday night there was a sign up announcing they were "at capacity" - not even full. Off-putting to say the least. Probably trying to limit the riff-raff, etc., but such exclusivity? Just a bit much in SA. But gorgeous decor! read more

Apparently "at capacity " means half empty. This bat could do so much better if it's goal was not exclusivity.

My friend and I showed up to meet several friends who had already sat down to eat dinner about 15-20 minutes earlier. We were both wearing T-shirts, shirts and athletic shoes and we were turned away because we were told there is a policy against wearing athleisure. We are both active duty service members visiting the area and traveled in this attire, unable to change. I borrowed a nice sweater from one of my friends but was still turned away. When the rest of our party began to leave with us and one of them asked to speak with the manager, we were told nevermind- that we would be allowed to stay. I think it would be wise to stick to a policy. Also consider accepting more casual-wear. read more

Let me start off by saying that the actual venue of Sternewirth and the Hotel Emma is fantastic. What a beautiful and inviting spot, with a nice class and elegance to it. The reason I'm giving it such a poor rating is the service here has to be the WORST I have ever received. I had read other Yelp reviews on this place before I went saying the same thing about horrific service, but I figured I would give Sternewirth a shot nonetheless. Our bartender had a horrible attitude, and acted like she was doing everyone a favor by serving them. I watched as she gave attitude to atleast 4 other customers, and could not believe she would treat patrons as rudely as she did. She would roll her eyes when you would ask her for more drinks, and would act like she couldn't hear you when other patrons were trying to get her attention. The drinks here are not cheap, so to get a bartender that was so rude is just bad business. I feel bad, b/c the place is actually really nice, but with service like this I will never recommend it to others. As a final note, I noticed the other servers there had similar bad attitudes. Sad. read more

Ben was an amazing mixologist. Too bad we're leaving soon or we'd definitely be back!

Drinks were overpriced and it was so busy there was no open seating. Nice location and very nice, rustic look to the bar but did not live up to expectations read more

Service is terrible. Not the first time we've been there. Always terrible. Servers ignore you. We finally went to the bar and ordered. This was at six o'clock. Not peak time. Another couple sat down and waited and finally went to find a server. She came over but never looked our way to see if we needed anything else. Boo. So bad. It's hard to recommend this bar when people are treated this way. read more