{"id":173215,"date":"2026-02-20T18:42:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T18:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/173215\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T18:42:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T18:42:13","slug":"first-look-new-san-antonio-bar-merci-jones-pairs-unforced-cool-with-top-notch-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/173215\/","title":{"rendered":"First Look: New San Antonio bar Merci Jones pairs unforced cool with top-notch service"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheThe experience at Merci Jones merges elements of two other Empty Stomach Group favorites: Barbaro and Double Standard. Credit: Kat Stinson<\/p>\n

In France, politeness begins at the door of any establishment with a bonjour. <\/p>\n

At Merci Jones, 1101 Broadway, the newest spot from San Antonio\u2019s Empty Stomach Group (Hot Joy, Petit Coquin, Barbaro, Double Standard and more), the welcome starts at your feet. \u201cMerci\u201d is etched into the mosaic tile at the entrance \u2014 a small but deliberate thank you every guest crosses on the way in and out.<\/p>\n

The establishment itself is anything but stuffy. It reads like a mashup of Double Standard\u2019s sweeping, curved bar and Barbaro\u2019s unfussy cool \u2014 anchored by a deep green wall hung salon-style with framed art and the occasional piece of understated taxidermy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CustomCustom lanterns stamped with bold red lettering hover overhead at the new nightspot. Credit: Kat Stinson<\/p>\n

A checkerboard floor stretches from the mosaic \u201cMERCI\u201d at the door to the warmly lit backbar, while custom lantern pendants stamped with bold red lettering hover overhead like tongue-in-cheek French caf\u00e9 signs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The crossover isn\u2019t just aesthetic: Barbaro\u2019s cult-favorite frozen coffee even makes an appearance on the menu. Speaking of the menu \u2014 Merci Jones is drinks only. If you\u2019re hungry, stroll down the block to the building\u2019s other occupants, Pumpers and Hot Joy, for a juicy burger or late-night Asian fusion fare. You\u2019ll likely want something substantial after a round or two at the bar.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe menu at Merci Jones is drinks only. Credit: Kat Stinson<\/p>\n

The drink menu keeps things playful and to the point. The \u201c7 for $7 till 7\u201d happy hour features classics including a Mai Tai, Gold Rush, Salty Dog and Army Navy \u2014 no overthinking required. Fans of Hands Down will spot a welcome resurrection: the beloved frozen gin and tonic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Beyond the staples, two signature cocktails \u2014 accompanied by a cheeky menu note confessing that \u201ca lot of nerding happened in the back prep area\u201d \u2014 include the fruit-forward Oops! All Berries and a Mango Marg. There\u2019s also a lineup of nonalcoholic items the menu promises \u201cdon\u2019t suck,\u201d plus a curated selection of wines from Little Death, another concept from Empty Stomach.<\/p>\n

\"MerciMerci Jones is located at the emerging culinary hotspot around the intersection of Broadway and Jones. Credit: Kat Stinson<\/p>\n

During the Current\u2019s onsite visit, Merci Jones\u2019s bar manager Steven Santillan worked diligently serving up customers, setting the tone for the kind of attentive, unpretentious hospitality the space embodies. Alongside fellow bar veteran Rachel Villalobos, Santillan helped craft the bar\u2019s straightforward menu from the very beginning \u2014 a thoughtful, well-executed program that lets quality and care speak for themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fitting reminder that at Merci Jones, and in bars across the U.S., the best way to say merci is to leave a generous tip for the bartender.<\/p>\n

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