Over Under will soon open at 415 E. Cevallos St.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
A new bar opening soon in the Southtown area is a twofer.
Over Under, the first joint concept from longtime bar veterans Kristofer Torres and Michael McKinney could open as soon as next weekend at 415 E. Cevallos St. The bar occupies a roughly 3,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of the new three-story Fiesta on Cevallos building.
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The back at at Over Under has a nearly 70-square-foot video wall.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
Over Under Features an arched hallway with stylish wallpaper and lighting.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
Over Under will soon open at 415 E. Cevallos St.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
The back at at Over Under has a nearly 70-square-foot video wall.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
Over Under has two large bar areas separated by an arched hallway.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
Over Under will be able to host dart league competitions.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
Over Under will soon open at 415 E. Cevallos St.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
There are two distinct experiences at Over Under. The front bar has a relaxed vibe painted in a soothing mauve, with plenty of sofa seating and coffee tables. Take a stroll through a dramatically arched tunnel lined in stylish wallpaper, and you emerge into a back bar with a massive video panel measuring about 70 square feet. There are dart boards on one wall suitable for hosting league play. There’s still plenty of color courtesy of adjustable LED lighting, but the walls are a dark gray.
“The idea behind the space really was to provide a separate vibe if you want something a little more relaxed. There’s a lounge in this area to have a glass of wine and a cocktail,” McKinney said. “And when we walk back there, that it’s probably going to be the spot if you want to watch a World Cup game or the Spurs.”
Business partners Michael McKinney (left) and Kristofer Torres will soon open Over Under at 415 E. Cevallos St.
Paul Stephen/San Antonio Express-News
Over Under is in good company. La Tuna sits directly to the right. Johnny Hernandez’s Casa Hernan flanks the left. Across the street, Leche de Tigre is serving up the city’s best Peruvian fare. A little further down the road, you can sip craft suds at Dos Sirenos Brewing. It’s a booming part of town with, McKinney said, about 3,500 established and new housing units within a five-minute walk.
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“The quality of neighbors we have is insane. Johnny Hernandez is an institution in the city, and we’ve got newcomers like Leche de Tigre that are getting Michelin nods,” McKinney said. “This is something that’s not just for our neighbors, but all the guests of our neighbors, too.”
Up front, the high-style Over Under has the feel of a polished cocktail bar. Not surprising, given that both McKinney and Torres came up at the since-shuttered Blue Box under the tutelage of early cocktail champion and prolific bar owner Steve Mahoney. Torres said the nature of San Antonio’s cocktail scene has scaled down a bit since the heyday 15 years ago, but guests can still expect craft treatment at the new spot — without breaking the bank, he added.
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“There’s no really good bar to come and have a solid cocktail without spending an arm and a leg,” Torres said. “The options I want to have here, if you want to spend 25 bucks, have a few on a budget, you can. And if you want to spend a couple hundred and have high-end tequilas or mezcal, we’ve got that, too. It’s something for everybody.”
While Over Under won’t have a list of custom cocktails on opening night, Torres said those will come.
“We’re going to start off with a list of classics. Once we get a good flow and everybody’s comfortable behind the bar here, we’ll start implementing an educational program for the staff, assigning them research to do on their own, bringing in brand ambassadors to educate, and basically get their knowledge up on everything behind the bar” he said. “Once that’s done, we’ll start doing house cocktails, but everybody comes up with an idea, and then we’ll do research and development and create it together so that we can build it up from the ground as a whole team.
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“I don’t want staff coming here and I have a cocktail list done. I want them to have a sense of ownership.”
While an exact opening date is not set in stone, McKinney and Torres both said they’re aiming for April 3. Follow them on Instagram at overunder_satx for announcements.