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.

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.

I'd rate my experience at Alchemy a 5! My fiancé and I went for a day party and the venue had a…read morelive DJ. Good crowd in attendance and the music was pretty good mostly reggae (new music though not older like Bob Marley which makes a difference). They also had a food truck on site - Kai's Carribean Fusion which was delicious! I only ordered a Jack and coke here so the drink was pretty standard. It's good vibe for sure and worth checking out.

Full Service Bar - no longer BYOB*, no food on premise but great drink and hookah prices. Mondays…read morethey have $15 hookahs and Mexican candy shots are $4 everyday. They have an outside and inside area. Very cute spot.

I'm not sure where to find good employees but I think I can take a note out of how you do it here…read more Everyone was super pleasant but George was by far my favorite. Super friendly and so outgoing. From the second he got to the table, we were talking like we've been friends for years! I went in just to grab a quick bite to eat and winded up staying way longer than planned just to chat. Food was great but George made the whole experience next level. Definitely coming back again.

I hadn't been here in a bit and was very happy to join some work, friends here for a drink and some…read moredinner. As far as rooftop bars go, the views from this place are not gorgeous. Great night, sky and cityscapes, but you're not facing anything that is particularly beautiful to look at. That said, the outdoor area of this sky. High bar is very nicely appointed with great music and nice views. I did not have any cocktails just go round. I just had a beer and all that was great. We had great service and I decided to try the crispy chicken Cobb salad. Now for those of you that are old enough to remember the "real men of genius" Bud Light commercials I refer you to the inventor of the giant taco salad... Fried chicken strips, bacon, fried onions, and a little bit of lettuce... Lol! Delicious!

First time here rooftop bar & bites a wonderful place beautiful ambience, beautiful photos can be…read moretaken out on the rooftop deck at sunset, service was very warm, sat at bar David was phenomenal!!! Our food was delicious phenomenal!!!! Such a nice spot!

- fabulous views! - alright drinks…read more- salad in large portions -wife thought omelet was alright - alright breakfast taco i liked how they used naan - steak was approprioate portion i liked the steak frites - tasty potatoes - i did not like the coffee

So I bought brunch tickets for the drag show on Sunday. There was definitely no brunch. They only…read moreoffered breakfast tacos. Which were not that great. The drinks were great. The service was great and the show is amazing. Definitely worth the tickets. But just know that you have to bring cash to tip the performers.

Overall a pretty disappointing experience. They advertise food on the website but they no longer…read moreserve food and haven't updated their menus. The waitress working with us was so kind and tried her best to be accommodating but she was clearly left with nothing to work with. They didnt have a lot of supplies so she wasn't able to make a lot of the drinks with certain ingredients they were missing. All of the cocktails start at $16. I ended up getting one glass of chardonnay and was shocked they even charged $16 for that.

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?

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.)

Downstairs is the best place ever, I love coming here for a fun drink, and cool vibes. The service…read moreis a little slow, but the ambiance made up for it in my opinion! Best kept secret of San Antonio Riverwalk.

Such a disappointment! It was highly recommended and I went out of my way to visit the downstairs…read more It was dark and cozy but the staff was talking shop at the end of the bar not engaging with any customers let alone myself sitting right there,nice but not friendly or accommodating I would not comeback and in a tourist town with other places I visited more welcoming and friendly.

Not even three seconds after walking in, the staff greeted me right away. They were super warm and…read morewelcoming. The drinks were great and our bartender Mia was a total vibe. I loved the feel of this place and it really makes you feel like you are in a vintage style grandma's house in the best possible way.

Pastiche is a place that I've always really enjoyed but I recently went and had a very bad…read moreexperience. The menu seemed to have changed the last time I went & lowered in quality significantly. I'm not sure if it was new management or a temporary condition but I would say that the drinks were nearly inedible. For example the old fashioned riff I had was bourbon, angostura bitters, and anise. It seemed to be missing a sugar component like a simple syrup. It was also smoked but the smoke was very synthetic in flavor. Additionally some of the other cocktails ordered by the group were just of a much lower quality at Pastiche. A lot of the drinks were artificially sweet & had chamoy & tajin rims. I think these drinks are good for certain places in San Antonio but I've come to expect much better from Pastiche. I'm so very bummed by this new development in what is usually a very great experience & atmosphere with some amazing cocktails. I hope this isn't the beginning of a "new pastiche"!