I went to the Esquire to meet a friend for a drink. Â Upon arrival, I noticed an open booth and slid in to secure it. Â As I was sliding into the seat, I was approached by a heavyset black woman in her 40s. She asked if she could sit on the opposite side of the booth until my friend arrived because she was waiting on someone herself. Â I told her that would be fine as I felt bad that she had just missed the only open booth by a second or two. Shortly after she sat down I noticed that she was acting peculiar and that she appeared to be somewhat intoxicated or on drugs. Â She was talking loudly and brashly. Â I just smiled and looked at my watch. Â The waitress came by and the crazy woman asked her (rudely) where the menus were. She ordered a sandwich and an alcoholic beverage, all the while I'm just chuckling to myself and starting to feel embarrassed. Â The waitress was looking at me like, "why are you with this woman?"
Once the waitress left, the crazy woman asked me if I "liked her titties." Â She was wearing a tank top and was displaying quite a bit of cleavage. Â Before I could respond, she proceeded to pop out her right breast and began sucking on her own nipple, all the while maintaining eye contact with me. Â I was taken aback and asked her to put her breast away. Â As she put her breast back in her shirt, she began to tell me how much she loved to lick assholes and much more graphic sexual practices that I won't repeat here. Â I smiled nervously as I fidgeted in my seat. Â I was about to excuse myself to the bathroom, so that I could get away from her when an Esquire manager approached our booth and asked me if I was waiting on someone. Â I said "yes." Â He then asked if he could speak to me privately. Â I said "sure," got up and followed him down to the other end of the bar. Â He then turned to me and said, "Sorry about you being bothered by this woman. Â I know that you're aren't with her." Â He then asked me, Â "Are you Ok with this? Â She did this earlier to another patron." Â I responded that it was fine with me if was fine with them and that it was just entertainment for me at this point. Â I was about to tell him about her behavior when out of nowhere it seemed, the woman appeared beside us. Â "What's going on?" she asked. I told the woman that she should go back to the booth. There was no way I was going back to that table to sit with her anymore. Â I headed to the restroom.
The crazy woman followed me. I walked into the men's restroom and amazingly, she followed me in. Â I went straight for the stall. Â She caught the stall door as I was about the close it. Â "I want to suck your d*ck," she said to me. Â "I need some privacy please," I responded. Â I then shut the stall door, locked it and sat on the toilet. Â The restroom attendant spoke up at that point, "Ma'am, this is the men's restroom. Â I have you ask you to leave." Â She left the restroom and I felt it was safe to come out of the stall. I had decided I was going to complain to the manager once my friend arrived. I stepped outside and someone who worked for the restaurant approached her. Â He said to her, "It's come to our attention that you're saying inappropriate things to our guest and are entering the men's restroom." Â I was able to escape the woman as she was occupied in conversation with the restaurant staff and about to get kicked out from what I could tell. Â
My friend had arrived. Â We ordered drinks at the bar. I was telling him everything that had went down when the crazy woman approached us with a receipt in her hand. Â "Here," she said, as she handed it to me. Â The man (bar manager) who had stopped her outside of the restroom was with her. He must have made the good decision to kick her out, but first wanted her to pay her tab. I looked at it and it was the receipt for her sandwich and drink, totaling $24. Â "What do you want me to do with this?" I asked. Â "You said you'd buy me dinner," she said. Â I laughed. Â "I certainly did not," I responded. Â The bar manager said, "well, someone needs to pay for this." Â I looked at him and told him that I was not going to pay the crazy ladies tab. Â They left. Â I turned back in amazement at my friend and we both were in awe. Â A few moments later, the first man (floor manager) that I had spoken with approached us at the bar. Â This is where the story gets really crazy..... Â He asked us if we had already paid for our drinks. Â We told him we had. Â I was expecting him to tell us that the next round was on the them due to the harassment that I had to endure in their establishment. Â Instead, he says, "We're going to have to ask you both to leave." Â WTF?!! Â After some back and forth, he said that if we moved to back patio, out of sight, we could stay. Â After moving to the patio and finishing our drinks, my friend and I decided that we didn't like being segregated from the rest of The Esquire and that we would be leaving. Â Horrible way to treat customers.
GO TO THE ESQUIRE TAVERN! Your inner foodie will rejoice!
It was late, I was tired and really needed a drink. My family and I had just arrived in San Antonio and decided to walk on Riverwalk to find some refreshments.
We had put The Esquire on our list due to their reviews and history in the city. I am so glad we went there first. It set the tone for our 2 day adventure in San Antonio. Most places on the Riverwalk were tourist stops and the generic burger and beer places you can find anywhere in any city. Esquire Tavern blew all these places out of their water.
Hand crafted cocktails, an excellent menu, cool location and atmosphere... and AMAZING staff. Our waiter, Matt (Matthew?) was so knowledgeable. He gave great recommendations and made us feel like we were the only ones in the restaurant.
What I enjoyed: A Pimm's Cup and Chicken Salad..... the perfect summer late night meal!
All the food was amazing and the drinks were delicious. If I could have, I would have ordered numerous items... but my waistline would have not thanked me later.
Leave the touristy restaurants behind and make this your first stop on hitting the Riverwalk.
Yes, go here. It's on the riverwalk and has outdoor seating that you can enjoy on a good day. It was way too hot on the times when I went though, I opted for the AC. The decor is as impressive as the location. They opted for a saloon style, replete with dark woods, low lights, and soft humming of fans. I'm not a huge fan of that maroon wallpaper print, but then again, it's a bar, not my house. If you're a fan of peering at taxidermy while you drink, and I'm sure you are, then you'll love this place.
They were out of some foodstuffs when I was there but the chile relleno was good. The fries were well done and they make their own ketchup, a little sweet.
The drinks are really good. The Moscow Mule, though lacking the gingery punch that usually mark the best ones, was nonetheless strong and refreshing with a healthy amount of lime. I also have to give kudos to a place that actually serves them in the proper copper mugs (to discourage those who may want to spirit such a mug for ones personal collection, they charge a 25 dollar deposit). The draft list, though only 10 or so deep, features some prominent Austin breweries (512, Independence, and Live Oak especially). I'll forgive them that they had ran out of Live Oak Primus Weizenbock, a beer that any self-respecting German beer aficionado should order.
Lastly, I give them props for what is a key indicator of bar tending superiority: a good old fashioned. They combined a strong rye  with bitters, sugar, a slice of orange for a nice citrus edge and a aesthetically pleasing square block of ice. Other bourbon drinks were similarly excellent. I would've preferred a bit more grapefruit in my brown derby, but I'm just being persnickety at this point. Oh, and the best drink I tried? The maple leaf. A little sweeter than some bourbon drinks yes, but the combination with the maple syrup, a bit of lemon, and a hint of cinnamon is fantastic. Make it your mission to order.
Well done, Esquire. I shall return.
This would be a great venue to host an event, on top of a fun group dining spot - here's why:
Big luxurious bar space. Â How can a bar be luxurious, you ask? Â WEll, I think the velvet wallpaper and the huge taxonomy collection explain that when partnered with the big booth and high cielings. Â
Still not enough to convince you? Â Try the happy hour beer specials and the delicious food. Â I sampled the Fried Pickles (i don't actually like pickles, and I was willing to eat these). Â The portions are big - my $9 Beet and Goat Cheese salad was more than filling enough for the entire evening out. Â It was perfectly flavored, too.
The service was superb, and the crowd was all my kind of people (meat-eaters and beer-lovers). Â Excellent non-touristy spot on the river walk.
If only we could sample a few more items here...but alas our time in San Antonio was limited.
My husband and I were visiting San Antonio for an extended weekend. We had read the reviews of this place and decided to stop in for a Friday lunch.
We ordered the deep friend pickles, chips and Texas dip, pimiento cheese sandwich, big red  empanada and dulce de leche cake.
For me the winner was the big red empanada!!! The crust was perfect, and had a nice touch of heat with the tasty beef. I would come back just for that. The other items were also very good. It was my first time to try fried pickles - and I liked them too. I was also surprised to see dessert on the menu - and am happy to say that their dulce de leche was yummy.
We wanted to come back one more time to sample more items on the menu - but there are just so many different places to try in San Antonio...maybe on our next visit we'll be fortunate to return to Esquire.
I. love. this. place. It's right on the Riverwalk and also has a street entrance. I was originally attracted by the back, which faces the Riverwalk, as it looked very rustic. We went in through the street entrance and were faced with a lovely, very old school interior. Think Gettysburg: an authentic downtown bar that has preserved the history and true spirit of their building out of respect. They have tons of old fashioned cocktails on the menu, including one with absinthe, and a "Stinger," which my grandmother always tries to order but can never get. What can I say, we're a drinkin family? The service was very friendly and prompt. While we did not eat there, I did notice a Bison Burger on the menu, which I will definitely be trying upon our next visit. This place is actually one of the reasons I see myself returning to San Antonio for further exploration. I'm definitely a fan.
Review Source:This place hit the mark in so many ways. As soon as you enter you feel the cool vibe immediately, are greeted by friendly staff and can view the stuffed animals. (ones that were alive at one point, not the care bear type.) And who does not want dead animals around while eating. Not me. :)
Drinks are amazing, especially the texecutioner.
On the downside they were out of the two things I REALLY wanted (Red Empanada and one other item), and it was early in the day. So my recommendation to mgmt is, plan better. Also, while I appreciate attentiveness in the wait staff, we had four different people coming by in 2-minute increments, which got kind of annoying. They should figure that out better.
A note to people considering coming here, don't be scared away by the unassuming facade. It's good on the inside. Enter. You'll walk away happy you did.
If I hadn't read about the tavern online, I never would've walked in here, because it looks a little sketchy from the outside. However, I am so glad I found it! The Esquire Tavern is awesome - really good beer (try the 512 IPA), delicious food (we had chicken mole and pulled pork stuffed chile rellenos), and a totally funky vibe. Hipster meets old Texas here. Way cool.
Review Source:Came here on our last night for some final drinks. Located in the Riverwalk, you go up quite a few stairs, and there's a small patio with patrons outside. Squeeze through and find lots of tables and a long bar. Able to catch up over drinks and watch sports highlights, this place is super chill. Would recommend this place if you are looking to grab some drinks with friends.
Review Source:I really like this place. Although, both times I went they messed up our drink orders... but once we got the correct drinks they were delicious (kudos to the bartenders xo).
I LOVE their fried pickles! They are cut thick and have a nice crunchy batter on them. Â I've also ordered the fried beets, which were really good as well. They come with a tarragon sauce that I thought was fantastic. Another delicious item was the bloody mary shrimp cocktail. yummy! My cousin ordered the chili salt fries-eh, they were kind of dry.
CONS:::::I made reservations for the patio and when we arrived there was not a table available. The host said he would give us a table on the patio as soon as something became available but he must have forgotten about us as people were continuously coming and going from the tables outside....
The inside has a nice old style ambiance but the Patio over looking the riverwalk is the best place to sit, in my opinion.
This is the best bar in downtown San Antonio, which isn't saying much. I wanted to avoid the river walk and all the other crappy, touristy bars in downtown and found this place. Their food is just okay but they've got an excellent selection of liquor and a good amount of seating. My friend got a Moscow Mule and a Manhattan and both were super disgusting versions of a very popular, easy-to-make libation. How they could mess those up is beyond us. The service was a little disgruntled in the booth we got but we moved to the bar when it opened up and received much more attention. I would go back here if I didn't want to go down to King Williams area or up to The Luxury.
Review Source:We were wandering about and Equire Tavern looked interesting. Â Because we're both esquires . . . haven't heard that joke before, right? Â
So yeah, the vast zoo of taxidermied animals throughout the establishment - probably not my favorite thing. Â But I guess it's "interesting," and adds to the eclectic ambiance of the place? It has a saloon-but-more-elegant sort of feel, not that that makes any sense to you at all. Â Per our taxi driver the next day, evidently Esquire Tavern had been in absolute shambles and had rightfully earned a reputation as a sketchy-ass place until it recently changed ownership. Â The new owner then extensively renovated and upgraded the bejesus out of the place and now it's well regarded by locals and tourists alike. Â Don't you love happy endings? Â Can't say those taxidermied animals can share in that sentiment.
I will say that the boyfriend very much enjoyed the chicken mole entree. Â Like raved about it, although it was a teensy bit undercooked, and even wanted to return here the next day to sample more of their food (didn't happen, got distracted). Â I failed to take advantage of the allegedly fantastic cocktails, d'oh! Â But um, the booth we sat in was great for concealment purposes, in that I nestled myself close to the wall to avoid prolonged eye contact with the freaky glassy eyes of the dead creatures.
Didn't try the food but the cocktails were great! My buddy had an old fashioned and I had a maple leaf. It was good stuff. The place was dimly lit and had an old timey feel too which I really like. Don't come here if you're looking for a club scene with cheap drinks and loud annoying music.
Review Source:Brilliant cocktails, delicious food, good service. Maybe wouldn't be 5 stars in a city with lots of options, but for San Antonio, and especially for the Riverwalk, absolutely. Only place we saw on Yelp that wasn't eyewateringly expensive or a tourist trap, and it did not disappoint. I'm a sucker for pre-prohibition and inspired cocktails and they were excellent. I had the chile relleno and my girlfriend had the fried fish sandwich. Both were very well executed. Highly recommended!
Review Source:My colleagues and I were looking for a new place, and after reading the earlier reviews, had to try this place. Â At first, we were a little concerned with a little musty smell in the front of the bar area, but it wasn't very noticeable in the dinning area. The drink and food menu was creative and unique! Â We really liked the deep fried beets app, and the steak and mole were big hits! Â They don't skimp on portions.
But what really put the diviner over the top was our server Rachael! Â See was great and fun!
A James Beard nominee for their cocktails, The Esquire is a San Antonio legend. The bar opened on the day prohibition ended in 1933 and claims the longest wooden bar top in Texas. The old, rough shot interior was updated with swanky style and class. Even better than the cocktails is Chef Brooke Smith's amazing food. It transcends the traditional bar fare with local meat and produce, homemade everything, and the best fried apple pie that I have ever had. The patio is lovely and overlooks a less traveled portion of the riverwalk.
This is an absolute must if you are visiting town.
Everything a bar should be,
Strolling the Riverwalk in search of a nice place to plop down for a cocktail, we looked up and say that the metal steps led up to a place called the Esquire Tavern. Â My buddy and I decided to give it a shot and have been grateful ever since.
This is what a bar should be: dark woods, leather upholstery, a super long bar, live music and even food. Â Perfect enough but then you toss in some exceptional cocktails and you have yourself a world class place sir.
We managed to score two seats at the very busy bar and went with some basic cocktails, although the drink list was tempting. Â Drinks are good sized and made properly. Â The bartenders are spot on and were making chit chat with us and even offered us some different versions of the liquors we were drinking - without us asking. Â
There is a very long line of high backed booths along the entire  length of the place - and it is long.  The booths are very private and with the perfectly dim lighting in there, can be a very romantic hideaway or just a place to have a great conversation.
We didn't eat so I cannot comment on the food other than the portions were large and everyone eating seemed to be totally enjoying what they had.
Great live tunes and great drinks made for a fun few hours until we had to be at our dinner appointment. Â This place is a winner from start to finish and heads and tails above all the chain restaurant crap along the Riverwalk.
You must try it!
Great spot for trendy food and great drink with quirky meets wild-west taxidermy decor. Â
Pros:
-good location without too much commotion from the throngs of people below on the riverwalk
-great beers (one of few places I found that actually carried local beers on draft)
-very appealing menu
Cons:
-really really dark inside
-difficult to eat while sitting at the bar (large ledge)
-didn't have the food item on the menu that I wanted
Score! Best place on the River Walk easily.
I was looking for a cocktail bar and my friend wanted to catch some March Madness. We stopped into Equire and were quite happy.
These drinks were awesome. They had a great unique version of a dark and stormy with more alcohol. Sometimes that may not work out but it tasted great. Got their hefenweizen, some of my typical bourbon and rye drinks. All of which were top notch.
They also serve food and not just bar snacks like many cocktail places do. They serve actual food. My friend got the bison burger which he thought was good. I wish I could have eaten because some items looked great but I was too full. Only had room for drinks.
They also had televisions as I mentioned. Only two and were on separate sides of the bar.
We would have stayed longer but we wanted to catch more of the games at some better angles.
Please make sure you stop by the Esquire when on the River Walk.
This was my haunt while in San Antonio. I came across this lovely place on my first night in San Antonio and tried to make it back every other night after.
For eats I had  Chili Salt Fries on the first night - delicious and a huge portion. My reason for coming here was the nice choice of Texan beer on tap - the pecan porter was hands down my favorite.
If you can get a spot on the patio, do it. It's small - maybe 4 tables? But just such a beautiful view of the river walk. If you can't sit outside, not to worry as the interior is absolutely beautiful too. I overheard one of the boat tours say that the wooden bar in the Esquire is the longest one in all of Texas! I didn't get the chance to sit at the bar but it was always busy. Great local place to get some downtime and grab a pint.
Easily my favorite place on the riverwalk.
Not because it was Bourdain approved, but it was a unique throwback to bars in the 1940's. All wood interior, black worn in leather seating, and scarce lighting contributed to the dark ambiance that contrasted with the energy from the customers.
If the interior wasn't a throwback enough, just one look at the drink menu and reading through the complexity of the cocktails will make you wonder, "Is this real life?" Look to drop a dollar or two on the cocktails, but rest assured, they're made with top shelf stuff, and all of their flavored spirits are made in house. Not to mention, they're made with the utmost care and respect.
The food is top quality bar food at its best. The hangar steak sandwich is still something I think about to this day. The meat so flavorful and buttery, it's probably the only reason why I would ever go back to San Antonio.
If you're ever on the riverwalk, come here for a cocktail, or two or three. You'll thank me.
I cannot comment on the food here, but I do love the atmosphere, the drinks, & the bartenders. I have been here a couple of times after dinner elsewhere just for the drinks.
First of all, I don't think many people know about this quiet, not so little spot on the River Walk. If you spend most of your time trolling the River Walk instead of street level, you may miss it altogether. On the River Walk entrance, it has only a small patio up a flight of stairs on the Houston-Commerce end of the River Walk. However, on Commerce Street, you can't miss the bright, red, neon sign "Esquire".
As you walk in, it's like stepping back in time. With the velvet textured wallpaper, to the dark wood & dimmed, old-fashioned lighting, you are transported into a time of old. I love the antique mirrors & the deep, large, private booths with burning oil lamps. Definitely lends itself to a romantic night out or just a fun get together with friends.
And then there is the drink menu! I have to make a note here: They drinks are pricey! That being said, it is still worth a stop for one, at least once. The drinks are just as old fashioned as the decor. All have strange, interesting ingredients that many of us have never even heard of. Some even have egg whites in them! I had heard of that before, but never tried it until The Esquire. Actually pretty good, if you don't have issue with consuming raw egg.
I have had at least a sip of several of their drinks & they have all been good, even if a bit odd to my taste buds. It is the kind of place where your curiosity gets the better of you & you start asking everyone you are with if you can try theirs. Make sure everyone gets something different, as this can be quite a little trip for the palate. And if you don't know what something is or don't know what to order, the bartenders are fantastic! Just describe a bit of what you are in the mood for and voila! It's done.
So if I were on the food network show "the best thing I ever ate/ guilty pleasures" : The Esquire's Big Red Empanada all the way.
Big red braised short ribs in a flaky crust with chimichurri, salsa verde & cilantro cream. Â Sweet, spicy, flaky, warm with enough cleansing from the cilantro cream sauce to dive into your next bite. It will be gone quickly and leave you wanting more. My girlfriend had the chile relleno which was stuffed with pulled pork. It was quite delicious and will be what I order when we return.
Cocktails are world class with decor to match. Â Nice craft brew selection as well. It is a bit on the hidden side from the river walk & does not seem to attract that many tourists.
Great bar vibe at this breath of fresh air on the chain-laden San Antonio River Walk. Â Sat at the bar and would've stayed there all evening if I could. Â Got the bison burger and was pleased - the pickled onions were a creative touch - although I have to admit that I was sort of wishing I had ordered the empanada instead, just for the sake of getting something different. Â What made it all worthwhile was... get this... the cumin aioli. Â It came with the chili fries (which are not spicy, but very tasty) as a side with my burger. Â I guess I'm a sucker for the little stuff if my meal can be made by something that is supposed to accompany a side to your main meal. Â But cumin aioli. Â I was dipping not just the fries in that stuff but the burger, too, by the end.
Anyway... good local tap beer list, and from what I could tell by watching and listening them (I didn't order any mixed drinks), the bartenders really know their stuff. Â This is definitely going on my list of places to revisit whenever I'm back in San Antonio.
Riverwalk is such a tourist trap, but it's still cool to walk down, especially your first time. Â We were horribly disappointed in the bar/food selection on riverwalk but Esquire was acceptable so we went there twice on our visit to SA.
The drinks were good if not slow in coming.
Basically, if you're stuck on the riverwalk then this is a decent place to hang, otherwise find someplace else away from downtown for better food and service.
My husband and I visited San Antonio and were looking for somewhere to go for drinks. Â I came across The Esquire on Yelp and decided to go....the reviews looked good and it just so happened to be right across the street from our hotel (Drury Plaza). Â
I made an Open Table reservation, but it wasn't needed. Â There were plenty of tables when we showed up at 7pm. Â We were told to seat ourselves. Â We chose a booth about halfway back. Â The bar has a great ambience and just looks and feels cool. Â Not hip, but cool. Â There were all kinds of patrons and the servers seemed self assured and knowledgeable. Â
I started with an amaretto sour and my husband had a locally brewed ale (can't remember the name). We also ordered a basket of chili salt fries. Â My drink was delicious - the best amaretto sour I've ever had. Â The bartenders hand craft all the drinks. Â They don't use any mixes. Â The fries were good, especially dipped on the cumin aioli. Â My second drink was called the Appeasement - it was a citrus & vodka drink. Â Very good, but I wish I had gotten another amaretto.
We left after our second drinks so we could walk around the Riverwalk. Â I was tempted to go back after our stroll, but we had to get up early and I didn't want a hangover! :)
Definitely check this place out. Â Whether you go for one drink or several, it would be worth your time to visit the oldest bar in San Antonio.
While in San Antonio for a conference, frequented this tavern several times. The first night, I came with a few co-workers as we were waiting for our table next door. We ordered a specialty cocktail each and the fried beets (we were starving and these were delicious!).
On another occasion, I sat at the bar with my boyfriend. I put in orders for drinks (and they kept telling me they were out of the ingredients to make them-- a bit disappointing but understandable). The bartender ended up making me a drink with egg whites which was just okay. We also tried the homemade waffle chips with onion dip and the chicken mole (both were pretty good, but not amazing).
Overall, still my favorite bar on the River Walk and would definitely recommend.
This is the best kept secret on the Riverwalk! Ok, maybe it's not really a secret, it is the oldest restaurant on the Riverwalk after all. But among all the over priced, Tex mex and Irish pub nonsense going on around here, it's really hard to find a quality place to eat. Enter Esquire Tavern. Totally awesome decor and atmosphere, really freakin' good simple American cuisine, & just about some of the nicest servers, & bartenders in the city.
We came here for dinner on a Sunday night after being unimpressed with most other restaurant menus on the Riverwalk. We ordered the bison burger ($11), pimiento grilled cheese ($9), and the pulled pork sandwich ($10), & everyone loved everything they ordered. The sandwiches were all stuffed to the rim and came with a side of pickled veggies. We also ordered some fries on the side, which were seasoned & delish. Follow up this meal with a drink from their fancy drink menu & you got one heck of a start of the the night!
Love this place. Â So many great things to try on the menu. I am going to eat here everyday I am in San Antonio. Â I tried a few other places and the service, food and or all the above came no where close to this place. Â I love it here. Â
The decor was awesome. Â Food was delish. Â Super cool band played. Â Hip & cool but NICE servers. Â Just a great vibe all the way around just when I was starting to think there was no good places to eat or hang out we stumbled upon this great place.
This review is for drinks only.
I found Esquire Tavern my first night in San Antonio and ended up back the next night too. If you're not a fan of touristy places like the Riverwalk, tired of the hustle as the lesser establishments try to tease you inside with drink specials and cute hostesses, and don't want to hit up yet another chain restaurant/bar, then this might be the place for you.
Despite being "on" the Riverwalk, it doesn't feel like it. The cocktail list is extensive and tasty. Tell the bartender the kind of drink you're in the mood for and if something on the list doesn't fit the bill, he'll come up with one of his own. I had a great Sazerac here, which is how I tend to judge a bar's quality. Any mixologist that can't make a good Sazerac either doesn't know what he's doing or he doesn't care.
At Esquire Tavern they care. While the drinks aren't cheap, they're made with quality ingredients by skilled bartenders. Not the slop together mess you'll get at other places in the area. Nice to see a place like this can survive in an area so prone to quantity over quality.
One of my favorite bars in San Antonio. This bar is the "longest bar in Texas" and offers handcrafted cocktails and quality food. The atmosphere is cozy, non-touristy, yet located conveniently on the riverwalk. Squishy booths and old-time wallpaper - this place is perfect for old souls. My favorite drink is the Pimms Cup - made with Pimms, Ginger Beer, Lemon, Cucumber and Strawberries - so refreshing and delicious! Ladies - if you want a classy, fancy looking drink, order the French 75: champagne, gin, lemon = sweet deliciousness. If you are a fan of margaritas, you definitely want to order one here! The ice cubes are humongous - which makes you think that you aren't getting much, but they are potent!
My favorite late night snack is the Chili Salt Fries - perfectly crisp, served with cumin aioli and vinegar ketchup - not your standard mayo and ketchup here! The onion rings are huge and the fried pickles are tasty. This place can get pretty crowded on the weekends - I recommend calling ahead to make a reservation if you're going to have a larger group.
If you are ever in need of a bar that may be touristy but does not feel so because of its local character, the Esquire Tavern may tickle your fancy. The dim lights, simple menu, and no-frills service bring an appeal to the table not typically offered at establishments bringing fame upon themselves by advertising themselves as the "first bar open after Prohibition ended", as Esquire Tavern--this joint just knows how to market itself.
You must acknowledge that the individuals working here are going to serve you well but going to treat you as a regular patron, not a tourist with a huge wad of cash waiting to dish out dolla dolla bills for an dirty pour or a free shot. They take care of you as any Mad Men-esque bartender would.
The beer selection lacks a little Texas oomph, but the cocktails here run shop. At about $10 a pop, they do not possess as much alcohol as I would like, but then again, my Boulvedier gave me just the kick I needed for an evening in San Antone. Sickness loomed over me as I ordered this guy up, and the tart, almost medicinal tang assured me that I would recover, and recover I did.
Everyone must have already recommended this joint to you, hence why you are reading up on the ET--of course you don't completely trust your friends' recommendations (it's OK; I wouldn't either)--to make sure that this is the hottest spot around. I approve.
Thank god appearances can be deceiving. Walking into Esquire Tavern I seriously doubted that I was about to have a delicious meal. Esquire Tavern boasts itself as the oldest bar on the San Antonio Riverwalk and it definitely shows. The place is dimly lit; mostly constructed of dark, polished wood; and has an "old" smell. There are also taxidermy animals pretty much everywhere. If this seems at all off-putting to you, I encourage you to look past it.
Esquire Tavern menu features mostly locally grown, organic ingredients and the quality of the ingredients is definitely evident in the meal. Most things here are made from scratch! I had the Niman Ranch Hanger Steak Sandwich and my friends both had the BBQ Burger. They both had excellent things to say about the burgers. I absolutely loved the steak sandwich. The combination of the steak and the cheese and the brioche bun and the aioli and the roasted tomato made for a phenomenal flavor combination. Complimented by a side of chili salt fries with a side of cumin aioli, this was the perfect meal.
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