the esquire tavern

i've had really good service here before... but something has changed.. the waitstaff are much slower and they don't care about the customer. ive noticed that all the prices on food have gone up. no longer a place i can go to during lunch when working downtown.

we are big fans of the esquire!  this place has been around for years and once a real hole-in- the wall dive bar.  you did not enter without packing a little heat with you.  now days, it is a great restaurant serving up some of the very best cocktails san antonio has to offer.  the craft beers are great to have on a saturday afternoon with some appetizers of fried beets.

agree about atmosphere and service. been to "cool" places and biker bars around the world. never felt like an outsider. here, they strive to id and out
tourists here. too cool 4 school or anyone else.

great service thanks orlando. food was good and patio was relaxing. not bad for one of the oldest bars on the river walk (since 1933). i'll be back.

love the retro decor and the longggg bar. probably the only place in town where you get to order right away.

adrian - bartender: fantastic ability to suggest/modify drinks to suit your taste food - amazing! the fried pickles are to die for, the burger is perfectly-sized and taste ... ? only way to make it better is to put one of those fried pickles in it (oh yeah, too good for words) - and did i mention they make their own pickles and ranch dressing in-house??? just can't say enough good about this place

horrible. horrible. i can honestly say it's the nastiest margarita i've ever tasted in my life. and 12 bucks for it ???!!!?? ridiculous don't bother. walk through and say you have been there then leave. quickly.

i really wanted to like this place. there are lots of great reviews but...

we arrived around 6:45 on a wednesday night and asked for an outside table. there was a wait so we ordered appetizers and drinks inside and let our server know we were on the list for outside. after the first round we cashed out because our server told us it was time to go outside. there was no table available. we waited another hour and a half to sit outside.

after three hours there, the food was alright and the waiter forgot one of our drinks.

on a positive note, the margarita was good and we were given a small discount for our troubles. we still left good tips but would not likely come back. looks like communication between host/waitstaff/manager needs some work.

met out-of-town friends at the esquire and was very pleased with the service & food. starrted with fried pickles which were great..very crunchy batter. and the chalupitas were tasty but too small. a couple of folks in our little group had the bison burger & said it was very good. i had the blt & it was the best ever!! lots of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes & a wonderful aioli on a buttered toast…yum! drinks were a little pricey but it is a tourist hot spot. service was excellent & the decor makes it a very cool place to have dinner & party with friends. we'll be back.

fun bar with lots of energy. very friendly and professional bar staff. the monty collins was good. but the wanderlust king was a standout. enjoyed fried pickles and chalupitas. will return!

place so dark yet full of people , mostly delegates like is from the cancer conference we attend in this citu every december...happily chatting even at 11pm! when our orders came, we were blown away. though we cant see clearly the presentation of food (plce was dark yet homey), our palates were surprised by how delicious our food were eap the shrimp toast and red curry.

wonderful food, limited options for kids

loved the food, the atmosphere, and the service. the bison burger was one of the best burgers i’ve had. i guess my only complaint is that they do not offer a kids menu or even really anything options that small children would eat. prices are reasonable, good selection of food, and a great location. service was quick and friendly. would recommend!

i enjoyed the hearty, tasty burger for lunch with their seasoned fried. especially good were the homemade sauces, such as the cumin-based dipping sauce. this may be one of the best, simple burgers i’ve ever had! the atmosphere is dark and comfortable, a true early-20th century space—so unlike much of the loud places on the river walk.

i had read mixed reviews of the place, but since it's highly rated i decided to give it a try. however, i must side with people who've had a good experience here. my service was excellent. the waitstaff was really friendly & even gave us complimentary sides. he helped us with our food & drinks orders, and was quick to attend to us.

we went there mainly for its burgers, and we must say they were quite impressive. we had a bean burger (not vegetarian in case you're wondering) and a bison burger. both of them were cooked really well & had some great toppings. the flies were pretty average, but they were spicy.

in addition to the service, we were pleasantly surprised to hear of the history of the place. it opened just after prohibition and still looks like it's from that era. they still have a lot of decor & items from then which are in great shape. overall, it gives you a real prohibition era feel in a good way

walking in, i was immediately accosted by the faint smell of vomit that tends to accompany most bars. the hostess was in the middle of a heated phone call, so we were left awkwardly fidgeting at her booth, waiting to be seated. after several minutes, we were finally seated and soon after we placed our orders. the wait was arduous despite the dining area being relatively vacant. we passed the time glancing around the room at the dark wood furnishings, unique light fixtures and hunting trophies that seemed to be silently judging passersby. finally, my fried chicken sandwich arrived and though i would love to say that this sandwich tasted half as good as it looks, i feel that this would be a gross overstatement.