the esquire tavern

adrian - bartender: fantastic ability to suggest/modifydrinksto 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

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 anddrinksinside 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!drinkswere 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.

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 &drinksorders, 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

absolutely wonderful place to eat! the service was outstanding and the food was to die for. not to mention this is the best place to havedrinksin san antonio!


-update-
went here again last night and they were pretty packed and i couldn't find a seat at the bar. my husband and i asked the hostess how long it would be for a table because we just wanted to have a fewdrinksand she suggested that we try their new downstairs location. she told us the entrance was on the riverwalk right below the stairs up to the restaurant.
so we went down and found a very well dressed gentleman waiting outside. when he saw us approaching he opened the door for us, greeted us politely, and asked how he could be of service to us. we told him that we just wanted to sit at the bar and enjoy a fewdrinksand he led us in, found us a couple seats together and even pulled my chair out for me! side note, they have a lounge as well if you don't want to sit at the bar.
the atmosphere was amazing. most of the guests were well-dressed and the staff were very sharply dressed as well. it was quiet and classy and to be completely honest, i felt like donald draper from mad men sitting there ordering a drink.
we were promptly greeted by a bartender's assistant who gave us waters and menus and told us that a bartender would be with us shortly (they were kind of busy down there too). the downstairs is mainly a place to order drinks, just an fyi. they have food but the selection is limited and very different from upstairs. a gentleman beside me actually received a cheese plate while i was sitting there and i was blown away by the selection and beauty of his plate. and the bartender knew what all of the cheeses were, their age, and was able to describe them in mouthwatering detail.
we were greeted by the bartender swiftly, who was beyond polite and respectful. my husband and i ordered a manhattan and an old fashioned and i watched as he made our drinks. the level of pride and care that went into them was mind blowing. i almost didn't want to drink it. and, of course, thedrinkswere amazing. literally the bestdrinksi have ever had in my life, no exaggeration.
i will be back. without a doubt. i wish i could give this place a 10 out of 5 stars. just go, that's all you need to do. go and enjoy a perfectly crafted drink.

good food if not high priced. great craft beer selection. had the frito-pie, bowel was a bit empty for the price. taste was fresh and unique. would go back fordrinksand appetizers. great atmosphere- dark pub like and good service.

food anddrinkstasty, but ceviche was a
small portion even for an appetizer. service was slow at the bar and the table. kinda disappointed... hoped for more after seeing the other reviews

love this place!!. we have been here several times fordrinksthis was the first for dinner. everything is so fresh and delicious. we had the pork stuffed chili relleno , it was amazing!! also had salads and barracho beans. everything was to die for, the service could not have been any better. if you not been, you must go, excellent!!

excellent presentation deserves better lighting. reviewed this place on my blog after lunch a few years back; went for dinner the other night & found it just as good as before. without the sunlight pouring through the large back windows, though, we weren't able to appreciate the excellent presentation of the entrées. too bad. they were beautiful (we know, because we took pictures). and the chili relleno, stuffed with pulled pork and breaded with panko, was among the tastiest i've ever had. not traditional but definitely exceptional.
the curmudgeon's ratings:
food: 4 chili peppers (out of 5)
service: 3 1/2 chili peppers
ambience: 3 1/2 chili peppers
value: food: 3 1/2 chili peppers,drinks1 chili peppers
(this, because their $12 margarita wasn't very good and cost more than either meal)

make a reservation, if not there will be a good wait. we think it's worth it. great food,drinksand the atmosphere is awesome! we were not disappointed!

this is the second time i have had the pleasure of going to the esq. tavern. and once again it doesn't disappoint.
we were able to sit out on the patio overlooking the river walk and it was a very nice experience. our waitress, lisa, seemed to warm up to us after recognizing us from the first time and realizing we were just busting her chops because we liked her.
we started out with the tacos con papas and the bloody mary shrimp cocktail. i loved the spiciness of the cocktail sauce. i'm not a big potato fan so i left those to the others at our table and they were gone in a minute.
ourdrinksranged from a top shelf gun and tonic to a micro brewed beer to a bottle of red wine. all were fabulous.
for dinner i ordered the texas wagyu ribeye for the second time and once again, it was cooked to perfection.
my companions went for the short rib empanada (loved it), the huitlacoche enchilada (huge portion) and the tried and true pulled pork sandwich which never disappoints.
we went there on a friday night and the atmosphere was pleasant and festive. all the staff seems to go out of their way to make sure that you're having a good time. something that is sorely lacking in a lot of the food establishments today. i am looking forward to going back to see garry and his staff on anice cool weekend night and enjoying myself once again.

excellency in food,drinks, and live entertainment. we experienced excellent food, drinks, and music during our time at esquire. this is the oldest bar in the area so it has some history and an eclectic atmosphere. would and will visit again. please see this place if ur in the area

visited the esquire before a comedy show. i was surprised to find this place right smack in the middle of commerce street. it has a laid back atmosphere. the place is dark with comfy booths and a nice long bar. the wait staff is fast and efficient. i had the cheese pimento sandwich and chili fries. i give both of them 10/10. the fries are sprinkled with some sort of spice that makes them edible without ketchup. i was not fond of the ketchup. the waiter told us it is homemade with tabasco and some other sauce. they did have a white dip that complimented the fries. thedrinkswere good. a lot of gin and whiskey on the menu. i would definitely go again.

this place was a favorite but the quality and service have dropped way off. thedrinksare now average and a long wait while the staff are busy texting is the new norm.


-----26 jun, 2011-----

the esquire is san antonio! all the old charm is alive and well mixed with new upscale amenities. hands down, my favorite place on the river

this place is awesome, talk about character! the atmosphere is incredible at night, very romantic, yet cool at the same time. i got the chicken mole and it is worth coming back for; the creamed corn was the best i've ever had.
my husband loved their burger but not a fan of the dijon mustard they slathered on it. you have to order a side as the burgers do not come with any fries.
thedrinksare amazing, but a bit expensive. though the food being incredibly reasonable makes up for it.
definitely recommend for an alternate experience when caught choosing from the many disgusting "mexican food" restaurants on the river-walk.