SAN ANTONIO — With Halloween fast-approaching, we hunted down a list of Yelp’s most haunted spots in town. On that list, The Esquire Tavern, located on 155 East Commerce Street. They're a local tavern with scary good food.
The downtown building is totally ghoul. You'll immediately see the long-table bar near the entrance, but the speakeasy below is where people go for a spooky experience.
"It's been a staple here in downtown San Antonio for 89 years, since 1933, December 5, the day of the prohibition, when we opened. But our downstairs speakeasy...it's been open about six, seven years. It's quite a different vibe than upstairs," said General Manager Michael Mahaffey.
He said that any paranormal activity or presence would be downstairs. "The staff, if they see anything or feel anything, where they hear a voice or their name or a chill or just a creepy vibe, so to speak."
But, this is Neighborhood Eats. So, we came to dine.
The Classic Esquire Tavern Burger
"Brioche bun, little bit of aioli, we cook it on the grill, depending on what your perfection you like -- medium, medium rare, lettuce, tomatoes and also pickles too. A little bit of onions, white cheddar on top as well," said Chef Teddy Liang.
They told us that it's their number one seller.
The Brisket Melt
"Smoked in house about 15 hours, chop it up and then we do two Texas toasts with a little bit of a sweet chili sauce and white cheddar," said Liang.
The Deviled Eggs
The Apple Pie
"We want to represent something that's also showcasing what San Antonio and Texas [is] with that little Mexicana style flavor that goes with it, too, as well. But, in a tavern look," said Liang.
It's a spirited place to immerse yourself into a year-round Halloween vibe.
"We got a fantastic view of the river. We've got a lot of character in the building, so, yeah, a little bit of everything for everybody," said Mahaffey.
For more information on The Esquire Tavern, like their full menu, hours and more, click here.
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