|
|
 |
|
|
|
Klusoz Martinis & Tapas
is a club with a quirky name (inspired by the Pink Panther's Inspector
Clouseau) and an upscale atmosphere. The experience begins as a great happy
hour and light dinner consisting of a "globally inspired,” unique array of
tapas created by chef Eric Dannhaus, all complemented by live cover music on
the patio. Soon enough, however, the sun goes down, the regular lights go off,
and the interestingly shaped neon light fixtures come on all around the bar,
complete with loopy graphics on the flat-screen installations surrounding the
colorful bar. Most importantly, however, is when the DJs take hold and
the dancers take center stage.
The bar caters to people generally from their
mid-to-late 20s to the 30s age vicinity; the 50+ martinis and specialty drinks
make drink decisions difficult, but are definitely satisfying once you've made
your choice. The only way to avoid waiting in the line that ensues (short
of being a Spurs player) is by either getting there early or getting the VIP
bottle service (prices from about $125 and up). The bar is located off of 281
near Scout Bar and Mulligans.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Downtown
San Antonio
just added a dash of elegance and the classics to its nightlife, perhaps
comparable to nothing else the city has to offer. Mark Bohanan, owner of
the very successful Bohanan's Steak and Seafood restaurant, is opening a bar,
simply named Bohanan's, that will have a pre-Prohibition meets 1800s English
gentlemen’s club feel. Scott Becker, the restaurant’s General Manager,
told us about how the cocktail list, as well as the bar’s decor, is the result
of very extensive research and traveling. The leather-bound drink menus
will have a high concentration of cocktail drinks and "...a spirits selection
second to none, from your wells to your single malt scotches to your
one-of-a-kind bottles. If there’s only one bottle of it out there, we’ll
find it. We have already been told by many travelers and people in the
liquor business that we have the best liquor selection of any bar in the
country.” The spirits selection alone will be about 15-18 pages.
The cocktail list will contain everything from unique drinks to several pages
of classics, and their own takes on the classics. The handmade stemware
are replicas of 1920s cocktail glasses.
Mark Bohanan’s instructions to
interior designer Jill Giles was to create an old-world 1800s English
gentleman’s club feel. Antique mirrors and light fixtures, Chesterfield sofas, a
private library area, 1840s French-etched glass panels, piano... “It’s going to
be gorgeous, just gorgeous,” said Becker. They just got in some hand-made
replicas of an 1800s bar tray from an English gentlemen’s club and are sparing
no expense or effort. Jazz music will play as visitors sip their
martinis; this is no t-shirt and ripped jeans type of establishment. It
will also open for lunch offering sandwiches, salads and soups at a more rapid,
lunchtime pace. Speaking of classics, it seems as if the city’s about to
add a very special one to its list--one that’s here to stay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
For anyone not in the mood to dress up on a Saturday night
but still feels like knockin’ back a cold one and socializing, dive bars are a
godsend. Because these small, cozy
little joints are all over San Antonio,
sometimes, it may be a bit difficult deciding which one to visit. One lively dive bar worth visiting for a
night of entertainment: Oasis Lounge.
The tiki-themed bar is capable of keeping foosball fanatics,
dartboard addicts, and video game enthusiasts entertained for hours. (The bar houses
arcade machines and a Wii system so that you can bowl or play tennis, golf, or
baseball mid-Corona). True to its dive
bar status, televisions are all over the place.
Daily drink specials at the bar are as delightful as its Hawaiian
ambiance. Sitting at the tables outside of the bar on summer nights adds the
perfect touch of relaxation to the night.
The tables fill up fast. So the
next time you’re faced with the predicament of which dive to visit, just put on
some flip-flops, put a comb through your hair (or not), embrace a tiki theme
for the night with a Hawaiian-print shirt, and take a trip to Oasis at 502
Embassy Oaks (off of Bitters and 281).
|
|
|
|
|
|
The quirky art in the entrance of Soho Wine and Martini Bar
is a very fitting prelude to the rest of the colorful lounge/bar. The small
bar is composed primarily of three rooms—a lounge area, a bar, and a small room in
between the two. Soho is, in essence, a very fancy
neighborhood dive bar. The lounge, filled with tables, couches, and a mix of
both modern and antique-ified furniture, is especially accommodating for enjoying
a night of conversation with friends or a date, or perhaps a laid-back meeting with
colleagues. On the other side lies the bar, surrounded by chairs and high
tables aligning the colorful walls, which is great for a little more noise and easy
access to their fabulous drinks.
The magic to Soho's
martinis, however, comes from the small middle room. It’s in there where the
fresh fruit is chopped up and strained to make the juices for the fruity
martinis. No artificial, high-fructose corn syrups or processed sugars are
used for these drinks; they’re naturally sweetened with the flavors of the
fruit instead. Also available are the novelty martinis such as the Carrot
Cake Martini, which of course do include sugar (and a lot of whipped cream) as a result of living up to their name—in the case of the Carrot Cake martini, it’s hard to believe you’re not
eating an actual carrot cake. Other essentials,
such as classic martinis, wine, beer, and cigars, are also available. SoHo
is located in the historic San Antonio Loan and Trust Building, with the
original vault (that was used until 1892), currently serving as the bar's wine
cellar. Between the fresh fruit and socially engaging owners, there is
definitely nothing artificial about SoHo Wine and Martini Bar, located at 214
W. Crockett.
|
|
|
|
|
Page:
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
Next Page
|
|
|
