San Antonio’s Bars: The Good, The Bad, and The Silly I like bars. I like dive bars and hipster mixology bars and every sub-genre of bars in between. I’ve always preferred eating in bars to drinking in restaurants, and I’m old enough to have some perspective on that distinction. I like meeting people in bars and being surprised by their intelligence, kindness and humanity. I like music in bars, live jazz or rock or folk, or a well-curated juke box. In his 2013 Best Bars in America column for Esquire Magazine, David Wondrich poses the question, “are they [bars] places to escape reality, or are they places to marvel at how a drink gets made?” I prefer to think that bars fill a need much greater than the service of those two masters, that bars can be ‘both, and’, versus ‘either, or’, but I do understand, and I agree with David’s larger point that in some ways, the cocktail revolution has already become a parody of itself. Best of lists have also become a kind of parody, a meme of social media, which means, by definition, they are recycled without attribution or confirmation. My list is my own, personally researched drink-by-drink, must-try and must-miss locations both. With my base on Houston St. in close proximity to the Cocktail Conference, this list is limited to the bars within walking distance, recommended by bartenders and fellow bar patrons. The Esquire Tavern – I first discovered The Esquire shortly after its revival and shortly before its recognition as one of the top 50 bars in the country by Esquire (no relation – insert smiley face) Magazine. That golden age of The Esquire lasted about two minutes, but, oh it was glorious. The food was good, the cocktails, under the direction of Jeret Pena, among the most innovative in the country, without being overwrought or pretentious, just beautifully conceived, expertly crafted drinks that delighted the senses. All of that, and you could sit at this 108 foot long wooden bar and enjoy a quiet conversation with the handful of other patrons, or talk shop - artisanal bitters and hand crafted tinctures - with the passionate-about-cocktails bar staff. Ah, but commerce insists. Happily, the quality of the cocktails has not changed, though the menu continues to evolve. And the food is better than ever, now in the capable hands of Chef Brook Smith. To the (I suspect) delight of owner Chris Hill, The Esquire is packed every night, live jazz (over-amped) and the din of the crowd making conversation, though certainly not fun, a challenge. Try the Loving Cup, made with Krogstad Aquavit, apricot, lemon, Loving’s 5-spice bitters and egg white. A selection of cocktails are half price at Happy Hour, and there are five $3 small plates offered. Read David Wondrich’s column here: esquire/features/best-bars-in-america-2013-6#slide-6 Luke - Located on the lobby level of the Embassy Suites Hotel, Luke is the creation of New Orleans Chef, John Besh. The food is mostly very good, though some items, like the Pork Dumplings, are a disaster of either conception or execution, which should, in either case, be jettisoned from the menu. The bar is the place to be at Luke, and Happy Hour is the time. Luke offers a selection of 8 local beers on tap, many more by the bottle, as well as a serviceable wine list and excellent cocktails. I particularly like their take on a margarita with St. Germain replacing the orange liquor, and bartender Martin’s “Spring Fling”, a variation on a Rob Roy with Springbank 10 Scotch, sweet vermouth and honey; intensely smoky, savory and sweet. Sadly, their Sazerac is the saddest version of that grand cocktail I’ve ever been served, like drinking maraschino syrup. Cocktails are half price at Happy Hour, and gulf oysters on the half shell are 75 cents each! The burger here is outstanding, 12 ounces, with expertly caramelized onions, thick cut bacon, bibb lettuce and tomato. The bar staff is friendly and knowledgeable and generous with tips about other San Antonio bars. The Last Word – It’s almost unfair to discuss this 2 week old bar that is evidently still trying to find its identity, but it is the bar that’s getting all the buzz right now, at least among the hipsterish crowd. This is the newest bar in Jeret Pena’s expanding portfolio, so I look forward to visiting again in a few months. The walls are papered with a stylized books on bookshelves design. There are also faux books on real bookshelves flanking the bar, and ten bright red frames with pictures (9 photos, 1 drawing) of literary figures. Truman Capote, head in hands, hung above our high top table. The next table over had a photograph (note: photograph) of Edgar Allen Poe, which I overheard a young woman misidentify to her as Nathanial Hawthorne. My drink, called Mas Chingoni, containing Milagro Tequila, Casino 1814, Carpano and Mescal, was bitterer than I like, and I am not shy about bitters. My companion’s cocktail, the Southtown Swizzle, mixed with Beefeater Gin, Lemon, Cucumber and simple syrup, was a nicely balanced, delicious drink. It’s too soon to pass judgment on The Last Word, but for now, the cocktails are hit or miss and the service is spotty. There is also currently no food served, and it’s unclear if there will be food in the future, which is unfortunate, since the neighboring restaurants are not the sort to accommodate a drive-by. Brooklynite – Jeret Pena’s Brooklynite has probably the coolest back bar I have ever seen, its house-made tinctures and bitters in hand-labeled apothecary bottles, aging in barrels, all flanked by a vast array of spirits, some of them local and all of them top shelf. In a tequila mood, I ordered the (go ahead and laugh, if you must) “Smokey Tiny Dancer”, a mix of tequila blanco, mescal, crème de cassis, simple syrup, egg white and lemon. This, like several of Brooklynite’s formulas, is shaken twice, first to marry the flavors and chill the cocktail, and again to froth the egg white. The bartenders wear neckties and attractive bib aprons and fashionable haircuts. Their technique is flawless and without pretense, no contrived flair or parody about it. I prefer my bars a little less dark, and that may be my only complaint about Brooklynite. They don’t serve food, but have partnered with the excellent Locavore food truck, parked out front. There is also the terrific Pete’s Tako House next door, which serves excellent tacos for about two bucks. The crowd at Brooklynite is mostly 20’s and 30’s, but not exclusively so, and the acoustics, especially in the back room, are meet a new friend and conversation friendly. See Jeret Pena’s Eater interview here: eater/2013/10/28/6347081/san-antonios-jeret-pena-on-the-esquire-the-brooklynite-and-two-new The Bar at Bohanan’s – Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood is the place to get your old school swank on. If you want to dress like a grown-up for a grown-up night on the town, dine at Bohanan’s. And if you just want to sample the Bohanan’s experience, sit at the bar during Happy Hour. The bartenders are knowledgeable without, in spite of the hipsterish, oversized ice balls, making a fuss about their mixology creds. The Old Fashioned is the best in San Antonio. They also have a select number of $7 cocktails during happy hour and some elegant bar food, such as Hummus 3-ways, Lobster and Corn Fritters and a nice Cheese Plate. On Houston St. next to the Sheraton Gunter Hotel. Soho – SoHo Wine and Martini bar, located in the San Antonio Loan and Trust Bank building, is a fun, unpretentious bar that caters mostly to locals. The wine list is all the usual suspects (see Kendall Jackson Chardonnay) of quaffable labels. The martini menu feels a bit dated, all chocolate and sweet syrups designed for 17 year old palets, but the bartenders can mix a competent cocktail, and their Classic Martini and Vesper Cocktail are pitch perfect. House made infusions, such as ghost chile vodka, brisket bourbon and cinnamon vanilla tequila are a specialty. The brisket bourbon is oddly delicious in a Manhatan. The atmosphere is lively, with a local DJ Thursday through Saturday. They do not serve food, so enjoy the brisket bourbon. Waxy O’Connor’s – I’ve tried to understand why this bar shows up on best of lists. It shouldn’t be on anyone’s list, and I leave it on mind to set the record straight about this wannabe Irish Pub. They do pour a perfect pint of Guinness. If that’s enough for you, then by all means, I recommend this bar. If, like me, you think a perfect pint of Guinness is the table stakes to get into the Irish Pub game, then I have a different recommendation. The Waxy O’Connor’s website makes a big fuss about the pub being built at the Truwood Joinery Shop in County Monaghan, Ireland, by Irish craftsmen who took great pains, blah, blah, blah, to crate and ship the pub to Galveston, where it was trucked to San Antonio and blah, blah reconstructed. So, here’s my recommendation: take a look around, it looks really authentic, have a pint or two, or one of the excellent whiskeys or whiskys (spelling with the “e” typically refers to Irish or American, while without is common to Scotch and Canadian), as you prefer. If you must eat here, know that the food does not really even pretend to be Irish, though the Irish of New York get a nod with the Corned Beef and Cabbage and Reuben Sandwich – mine was served on slightly stale rye toast, with corned beef sliced a bit thick, and, unfortunately, with the grain. The burger is pretty good, fresh and hefty, served on a nice Kaiser roll. Or just do what the real Irish of New York do and drink your Guinness with Buffalo wings. Boudro’s – Boudro’s on the Riverwalk is famous for its tableside guacamole and its prickly pear margaritas. I am not a fan of frozen margaritas – I don’t like my beverages that cold, and they are usually meant to hide inferior spirits – and the prickly pear margarita is no exception. My drinking companion, my lovely wife, on the other hand, loved hers. The top shelf margarita, made with Don Julio blanco tequila and Grand Marnier was competent, though a little too sweet, and served, oddly, in a martini glass, without the requested salt. The tableside guacamole is good, though by design, hastily made and therefore served too chunky, flavors not fully married. There are few nicer places to enjoy a cocktail than the patio at Boudro’s overlooking the river, and I heartily recommend a visit for the requisite pairing. I do not recommend dining inside, as the dining rooms are cramped and the rest of the menu is over-priced and reliably mediocre. You dream the vacation you want, well get you there. • 952. 204. 7259, • jpullis@cruiseone, • johnthetravelguru • SeaLuxe/jpullis John Pullis, owner of John Pullis CruiseOne, a full service travel agent committed to helping clients create their vacation of a lifetime, every time they travel. John spent 26 years as a critically acclaimed chef and restaurant executive, creating innovative hospitality experiences with premier brands including Lettuce Entertain You, Capital Restaurant Concepts and Tavern 45. John is passionate about finding the worlds greatest culinary experiences, whether in Michelin starred restaurants or the local street food stalls. 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Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:31:44 +0000
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