Nightlife is entertainment in places like bars, pubs, restaurants and sports bars, that starts mid-late evening and ends in the early hours of the morning. And the South side does not disappoint when it comes to nightlife. Here are a few ideas for a night out.
BARS
El Luchador–622 Roosevelt- A lucha-libre themed just south of Southtown. Hours are Monday 6PM-12AM, Tuesday-Thursday 6PM-2PM, Friday and Saturday 5PM-2PM and Sunday 3PM-12PM.
Frank Diablos–1301 Roosevelt Ave- Small bar themed with sugar skulls and urban legend history, served one shot at a time. Try their signature shot “The Flying Chancla!” Hours are Monday, Friday, & Saturday 2PM-2AM, Tuesday-Thursday 6PM-2AM, Sunday 12PM-2AM.
Bar 1919– 1420 South Alamo Street (Inside the Blue Star Arts Complex)- Swanky speakeasy-style spot where hipster bartenders mix classic cocktails & also serve charcuterie. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 4PM-7PM, with drinks priced at $7, $5, $4 and $1 off all draught beers. Bar 1919’s drink menu features a wide variety of absinthe and cordials, beer (draft, domestic, imported), cocktails, gin, rum, whiskey and wine.
Halcyon Southtown- 1414 South Alamo Street (Inside the Blue Star Arts Complex)- Hip hangout featuring a range of coffee drinks, elevated cafe fare & creative cocktails. Halcyon Southtown is a coffeehouse by day and a bar and lounge by night. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 4PM-8PM. Every Tuesday night from 8PM-10PM, they host Pub Trivia Night, sponsored by Sporcle.
BAR & GRILLS
La Tuna Grill & Icehouse– 100 Probandt Street- Relaxed, artsy mainstay with burgers, nachos, fish tacos, outdoor dining & an adjacent beer garden. LaTuna has been a Southtown staple since 1992, with the Grill open for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday and the Icehouse open 7 days a week. The Icehouse has 40+ types of beer, hard seltzers and wines.
Southtown 101– 101 Pereida Street- Classic bar with an industrial edge doing craft beer & cocktails plus live music, DJs & karaoke. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3PM-2AM and Saturday & Sunday from 10AM-3PM, which feature $3.25 for wines and $2.75 for well drinks. Every Monday night is Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night, while every Tuesday night is 210 Karaoke Night. They also feature a live DJ Thursday-Saturday nights and live music every Sunday night.
The Aquaduck Beer Garden– 9214 Espada Road- Inside, The Aquaduck features a full bar and pool tables, while the outside features a stage, playground, tables and yard games. Their bar menu features a wide selection of beers (domestic, craft, import and draft). Most nights feature live bands in an array of music genres including Blues, Country, Rock and Tex-Mex.
BREWPUBS/PUBS/BREWERIES
Blue Star Brewing Company– 1414 South Alamo Street (Inside the Blue Star Arts Complex)- Eclectic microbrewery with an array of craft beers, upscale pub fare, live music & an outdoor deck. Some of their bar menu favorites include the Flying Pig Extra Pale Ale, the King William Ale, the Spire Stout and the Texican Lager. Every Tuesday night, from 8PM-10PM, the Blue Star Brewing Company features Big Band Jazz Night, with live music from local musicians.
Brooks Pub– 3354 Lasses Boulevard- No-frills bar with basic diversions like pool, darts & video games, plus live music on weekends. Great drinks, daily specials, adorable and hilarious bartenders and free Wi-Fi.
Freetail Brewing Company– 2000 South Presa Street- Small-batch craft beers, pizza, TVs & scenic views are among the draws to this bat-themed brewpub. The Freetail Brewing Company was named after the Mexican Free-tailed Bat, the Official Flying Mammal of Texas. Featuring core and seasonal beers, a couple customer favorites include the Bat Outta Helles, a Bavarian-Style Helles Lager and the Soul Doubt, an American IPA. Every 3rd Saturday of each month, from 8PM-10PM, the Freetail Brewing Company hosts Hoppy Endings Comedy Night.
Kunstler Brewing– 302 East Lachapelle Street- Chill sports brewpub, which features a wood plank-finished bar, offering handcrafted beers, charcuterie & cheese plates, plus TVs for major sports games. Their bar menu features an assortment of ales, ciders, IPAs, lagers, pilsners, porters and stouts. Every Thursday night, from 7PM-9PM, Kunstler Brewing hosts Brews & Brains Live Trivia Night.
RESTAURANTS WITH HAPPY HOUR
54th Street Restaurant & Drafthouse– 7307 South New Braunfels Avenue- Bar-style neighborhood grill chain offering a broad American menu & drinks in a relaxed setting with kitschy, eclectic decor. Their Early Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3PM-6PM and their Late-Night Happy Hour is every day from 9PM-11PM.
Big Lou’s Burgers & BBQ– 2014 South WW White Road- Convivial bar & grill offering BBQ, burgers, pizza & other American eats, plus beer & TV sports. Features Happy Hour every day from 4PM-7PM, with their full bar featuring domestic and imported beers, as well as a variety of cocktails. The big hit at Big Lou’s is their Super Big Lou Burger, which is a 12-pound burger (feeds 8-10 people) featuring a 6.5-pound angus patty, cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles, tomatoes, mayonnaise and mustard, served with French fries, hand-battered onion rings and tater tots.
Burgerteca– 403 Blue Star- Chef-inspired, owned and operated casual locale for Mexican-influenced comforts, cocktails & desserts in a vibrant, upbeat environment that features walls painted in bright lemon and tangerine, lanterns showcasing bold blue, green, orange and pink colors, as well as brightly colored Mexican folk-art sculptures. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Thursday from 3PM-7PM. Happy Hour specials include $6- Cantarito, cocktail made with El Jimador Blanco, as well as fresh grapefruit, lime and orange juice, $5- house margaritas and well drinks, $4- specialty craft beers, $3.50- draft beers and $1 off house wines.
Feast– 1024 South Alamo Street- Stylish New American eatery with a menu of Contemporary American and Mediterranean cuisine, unique cocktails, patio dining & a buzzy brunch. Their Happy Hour is Tuesday-Friday from 5PM-7PM, with $2 off court cocktails and wines by the glass. The 5 court cocktails are Jester, King, Prince, Princess and Queen.
Hot Joy Restaurant– 1014 South Alamo Street- Happening locale with eclectic, colorful decor offers creative Asian dishes & cocktails. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 5PM-7PM, as well as Saturday and Sunday from 12PM-7PM. One of the favorites from Hot Joy Restaurant’s tiki-driven bar menu include the Frozen Zombie, made with rum, lemon, lime, orange, grenadine and passionfruit syrup.
Il Forno– 122 Nogalitos Street- Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas are made from locally sourced ingredients at this chill, rustic spot. Il Forno means “the oven” in Italian. Their Happy Hour is Tuesday-Saturday from 3:30PM-6:30PM. Happy Hour drink specials include $12- 33-ounce mimosas, $6- house wines, $3- draft beer pints, as well as $8- Americano pizzas and $6- Margherita pizzas.
Liberty Bar– 1111 South Alamo Street- Eclectic window-filled eatery & bar in a restored convent serving unique American fare all day. The restaurant, located on the 1st floor, features a menu with an array of cuisine, from burgers, pasta and seafood to chicken, pork and steak. On the 2nd floor is their full bar with Regular Happy Hour (Monday-Friday from 3PM-7PM) and Late-Night Happy Hour (Every day from 10PM-Midnight). Happy Hour specials include $6 select cocktails, $5 house wines, $4 well liquors and $1 off all beers. At Liberty Bar, every Monday is Wine Day where all bottles of wine are half-price.
Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill Y Tapas– 2603 Southeast Military Drive- Family-owned eatery & bar that is known for serving tapas-style cuisine that showcase the flavors and tastes of Puerto Rico and Spain. Their Happy Hour is Tuesday-Thursday from 5PM-7PM, Friday from 3PM-7PM and Saturday from 9PM-11PM. Luna Rosa has an extensive drink specials list, which includes $6- select cocktails, $5- wines (red, white), $4- Altos Silver tequila, Don Q rum flavors, flavored margaritas and sangrias, $3- Dos X, Fireball Whiskey and house margaritas and $2.50- domestic beers and well drinks.
Nicha’s Comida Mexicana– 3119 Roosevelt Avenue- Family-run spot featuring authentic Mexican flavors and a Texan twist, with menu items ranging from breakfast favorites like Huevos Rancheros, lunch plates such as the Green Enchilada Plate and dinner delights like the Chicken Alambre. In doing the research for this post, I find that Nicha’s Comida Mexicana probably has the more complex Happy Hour, because of the fact that they offer 3 different Happy Hours. Their Cantina Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3:30PM-7PM and features $2 off all draft beers and house margaritas. Their Daily Happy Hour is Monday-Friday, all day long and features a different cocktail each day for $4.50. Finally, their Weekend Happy Hour is Saturday and Sunday, all day long, featuring $4.50- Bloody Mary and $3- mimosas.
Stella Public House– 1414 South Alamo Street- Hip, rustic spot for artisanal wood-fired pizza made with locally sourced ingredients & the finest selection of craft beer. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, Stella Public House features Happy Hour Monday-Friday from 4PM-6:30PM. Their beer list features 30 rotating taps, including ales, ciders, IPAs, lagers and stouts. Other bar menu items include cocktails, spirits and wines.
The Fruteria– 1401 South Flores Street- Fruit cups, smoothies, tapas & Mexican street fare, plus tequila & cocktails in upbeat, trendy digs. By day, you can order one of The Fruteria’s fresh fruit cups, smoothies and tostadas. By night, you can enjoy one of their bottled or draft beers, house margaritas and house wines, as well as Mexican tapas. Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 4PM-7PM and features $6- house infused margaritas, $5- house margaritas, $4- draft beers & house wines and $1 off- bottled beers.
Willie’s Grill & Icehouse– 7911 I-35 South- Long-running Texas chain for brews, burgers, chicken & seafood in a family-friendly setting. With 17 locations throughout San Antonio, Houston and College Station, the establishment is open Monday-Saturday, serving Cajun, Southern and Tex-Mex favorites. Their bar menu features a selection of beer (domestic and premium drafts, as well as Texas and premium crafts) and wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and White Zinfandel). A popular drink is called Big Willie, a jumbo swirled margarita with Midori melon liqueur, topped with Cointreau orange liqueur.
Wing Daddy’s Sauce House– 1115 Southeast Military Drive- Casual chain outpost serving wings, burgers & ribs, with beer, cocktails & sports on TV, with locations throughout Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. On Mondays, their 12-ounce cans of Lone Star Beer and Tecate Beer are only $1.50, while on Thursdays, their 18-ounce House Margaritas are only $3.00.
SPORTS BARS
B&N Sports Bar– 3705 Roosevelt Avenue- Spacious hangout drawing sports fans, also featuring billiards & regular live Latin music.
Buffalo Wild Wings– 7823 South Zarzamora Street and 3158 Southeast Military Drive- Lively sports-bar chain dishing up wings & other American pub grub amid lots of large-screen TVs, with 1,206 locations in all 50 states. The establishment is best known for their boneless and traditional chicken wings with 23 different sauces and seasonings. Buffalo Wild Wings has Happy Hour Monday-Friday from 2PM-6PM and 9PM-11PM, featuring $2 Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite drafts and $3 select premium shots.
