The Esquire Tavern
San Antonio, TX
Year opened Originally in 1933, the year Prohibition ended. It closed in 2006, and the current owner, Chris Hill, reopened it in 2011.
Distinguishing features The Esquire claims to have the longest bar, at over 100 feet, in Texas; a patio overlooks a quiet stretch of the city’s River Walk; taxidermied wild animals adorn the bar and walls.
Who drinks here Downtown dwellers, tourists, local artists, journalists, employees from the nearby courthouse and anyone who prefers their cocktails stiff
Signature drink Moscow Mule with house-made ginger beer served in a copper mug
On the record Esquire was nominated for a James Beard award for Outstanding Bar Program, and when celebrity chefs are in town, they try to quietly stop by–but word travels fast
Jennifer McInnis is the wine and spirits writer at the San Antonio Express-News