Stopped in Merkaba to catch game 6 between the Spurs and the Thunder (OKC) and it was lit. Turned out to be a great choice. The atmosphere was fun and intense. San Antonio loves their Spurs. The DJ kept the energy going during every commercial break, making it feel more like a club lounge than your typical sports bar. It's a great place to watch a game at night with good drinks. They are known for their creative cocktails. It's located right off of Riverwalk. After the game we grabbed some gelato from the nearby ice cream shop and took a stroll along the river. It was a perfect way to wrap up the evening. If you're looking for a place with good drinks, music, and a lively vibe, this is a solid stop downtown San Antonio. And remember to bring your ID. read more

Merkaba - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I sadly give this bar 2 stars because the service was horrible, which is quite unfortunate because the music was pretty good and I loved the Como la Flor sign. I was hoping for a much better experience. We actually had two free drink tickets to start with and we tried to get a drink from all sides of the bar for about 30 minutes. Other customers even tried to help us and weren't able to flag anyone down. It wasn't even super packed. On a Saturday night it looked like they had 2 bartenders. It wasn't even worth the free drinks, so we moved onto another bar. read more

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Abso-FUC'ing-lutely! We are San Antonio natives and don't normally do the tourist thing. HOWEVER!!!!! This place makes the exact definition of a hybrid from bar/club and it works like peanut butter and chocolate. Like pizza and ranch. like Rocio Ducal and Patsy Cline (try it). We had such a blast people watching, dancing, drinking and puro pinche party! The bartenders are some of the best of this city and watching them work is like watching Michael Angelo paint the Mona Lisa! As a local this bar makes the tourists thing feel like a local thing. And saying that, they don't over price drinks either, which is good! read more

Merkaba - Badass night doing the tourist thing! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I went on a Thursday night and it was Karoke. I loved it, the atmosphere was amazing - the drinks were stellar - I was greeted at the door and the place looks amazing - I stumbled upon this place and I can't wait to go back, it was so much fun read more

**This review is based on an event during which this location was rented for a crowd.** Nice atmosphere and really attentive employees. I was here for an event during which this joint was rented to us. Not sure who catered the affair, but everything was phenomenal. The house band was mediocre but fun. The bar had plenty of bottles. If I were 30 years younger, I could totally see myself hanging out here. read more

I ended up at this place by mere luck and the minute I walked in I knew I was in the right place for my liking. I was greeted by the manager Eric and he placed me on the vip list and gave me a vip band. Eric was friendly and very nice. As a vip I had access to happy hour all night long which was a big plus. Upon entering there was a live band doing an acoustic set and it just happened to be a local musician I've worked with before in the music scene. They played three acoustic sets for the rest of the night and they even did request. The music itself was spot on for the place. It went well with the atmosphere and I was at ease just listening to music in here. My waitress Ruby was real friendly and tended to my alcoholic needs all night long. As I mentioned before I had access to happy hour all night and it was a real treat. Low prices and good adult drinks, I definitely plan on making plans to come back on another time. On a side note happy hour happens everyday from open till 10 pm but if get vip band you have it all night. read more

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Merkaba is my go-to place to go for drinks before and after Howl at the Moon! The cocktails are pretty stellar and they have a wide variety of liquors. If you are into "pretty drinks" and are always looking for that instagrammable moment, they have some large mushroom-looking drinks that are perfect to share with a group. Merkaba is not just cocktails, they also sell cigars, which you can purchase and smoke at their outdoor sitting. If you are coming here after work, they have a special happy hour which also include small bites by a restaurant in the Riverwalk area (can't remember the name). The staff is always super friendly and very helpful! They also take reservations for birthdays or special occasions. Make sure to check them out next time you are in downtown. read more

Merkaba - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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This place was so much fun. We were here with a group if coworkers and everyone had a blast. The bartenders are ok, nothing amazing or incredible. The DJ was the best, really played to the crowd. If the DJ wasnt good I may have had a very different experience. Everyone was dancing, kinda club like feel with a bar twist to it. You can get tables/bottle service. Cover was $5. read more

Vibe turned up early and bar was quick. Drinks could be lil stronger but had a good time on...on to the next.. read more

Merkaba - Quick drink dj turnt up. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Overall not bad. Drinks a bit on the expensive side which we did not discover until the next day. We visited on a Saturday night and it was not overly crowded. We had a great time meeting people and dancing. The service was excellent and everyone was very friendly. I do recommend and will visit again. Now for eye candy, well eah not bad but not great. I would hold on my final thoughts there until next time. I do recommend a visit. read more

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Small club but they play good music!!! it gets crowded but super fun! Diverse group of people!

A great night club and great music, did know what they are doing. Good drinks as well read more

I finally tried this place out. I went on a Saturday for happy hour with some girlfriends. I did fall prey to their giant $46 drink. It was cool for pictures and all, but not worth the price when it comes to the contents. It's definitely more ice than drink. I still don't regret it. It was insta-worthy. Definitely try out their happy hour. With drinks at $5-$7, you'll enjoy a few without breaking the bank. The mule was pretty good and it came with a chamoy stick. A live band was playing the day I went. It played a good mix of music. Of course, I'm sure this place is full of tourists. Everyone was dressed pretty laid back. Tip- located next to howl at the moon read more

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Was good stood drinks. Had a great view for people watching the riverwalk. Interesting and fun read more

Merkaba - Desert Flower margarita and rum/coke - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Music, drinks and atmosphere were all great! Awesome place to hang out, people dressed up and not so much but a really good mix of people.

Had a great time at this place located on the River walk upstairs. Warm fire heaters outside, live music and a huge assortment of fun cocktails. The music and vibes in this place are very inviting. Came on a Sunday night and only place open till 2am. read more

Merkaba - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Horrible service, never go to this bar! This is insane how to the servers and personal security treat the costumers. The worst experience go to this place! read more

Merkaba is located in the Southbank area on the Riverwalk. It's definitely a fun place to check out if you're in the mood to party. It does get pretty crowded so get there early! Their drinks are delicious and fun - also you can go upstairs to Howl at the Moon afterwards for more fun! They do have karaoke on some nights as well. Also great customer service! read more

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Thursday night little cold and raining after spend some time and having some great drinks by the amazing bartenders at the sound of the hot music All became hot and nice . Great location for drinks at the river walk area read more

Merkaba - Just some drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

It's so nice to have a place with truly strong we'll tasting drinks on the river walk. It is expensive but it's expected with the ambiance and location. Bartender Shuga was so nice and helped us throughout the evening. Decor is a mix between Tiki and nightclub but in a classy way. Drinks are so creative! Try the rainbow room! The only complaint I have is that there aren't hooks on the back on the doors in the bathroom nor underneath the bar seating. read more

Merkaba - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Been wanting to try Merkaba since it opened, I was having a ladies night and we wanted to dance after having dinner in that area. It gets pretty packed on the weekends, since it's in the heart of downtown area right by Hard Rock Cafe. There wasn't a line to get in, we sat at the bar area and ordered a drink. I wanted to try one of their speciality drinks we got the Sherpa Mule which is a Texas Size drink can be shared with 4 plus people really. Super strong and tasty but be prepared to be there a minute to finish haha it's huge. Atmosphere was on point we enjoyed the music and people were fun. It's a good place to dance and have a cocktail with friends. read more

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Good time! The music is what drew us in as we were walking by. I will say the place is pretty small and has minimal seating. Was extremely crowded by 11pm on a Friday night but what do you expect in a bar right? We had a blast! The music selection was diverse and nothing but good tunes! Drinks fairly pricey but I enjoyed them! Will definitely be back! read more

Merkaba - $6 Jello syringes! Yum - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

They got the wrong guy and wouldn't let me back in after my party bought multiple bottles. Won't be back. Steer clear of this place.

I saw the dress code and had to rethink what I was packing since I'm from out of town... so disappointed when I got there people wearing warmups!! Leggings!!! And let's talk about the drinks.... So watered down. I drank like 6-7 shots and one of those shareable drinks plus a regular one.... Barely a buzz and mind you I rarely drink so it not like I have high tolerance of alcohol..... so disappointed. Plus the girl walking around with the shots never came back with my change, plus had 3 of those shots and still not a buzz... the DJ was great tho. read more

Great atmosphere, nightclub ish setting, bouncer was very nice and welcoming. They play mixed music from rap to reggae-ton, which was definitely cool! Would be a great place if you're trying to go out and dance/drink! read more

Aztec candy bar! This place is a weird mix of Aztec/Mayan themes, outer space, and candy. I'm not sure what they're going for here, but they've got a cool place on the Riverwalk. I always prefer going to the local places along the Riverwalk. It was explained to me that a Merkaba is some sort of Aztec space ship that's really your inner soul, and through deep meditation and plenty of libations, you can release your inner space ship and travel the cosmos through space and time. This place has these giant drinks filled with booze and candy, which help with the transcendental intergalactic meditation. The signature drink comes in a hand-blown glass bowl, which looks like a piece of Dale Chihuly art on its own. It's mostly a fishbowl full of booze, and topped with that sour ribbon candy. The bar even has bowls of candy for free! Score. They even sell cigars here, with a fantastic selection in a carefully curated humidor. Smoking is allowed on the patio, overlooking the Riverwalk. Restrooms were clean. Parking can be a challenge, since it's on the Riverwalk, but there's a paid lot across from Hard Rock, and lots of options if you know where to look. This bar is where Swig and that pizza joint used to be. It seems that they knocked out a wall to expand this bar. There's outdoor patio seating, and would be a wonderful place to catch the River Parade or Fiesta events. It's a great location! read more

This place is really nice inside. They have happy hour drinks for $5 and $7 dollars. The 2 drinks I had were pretty good (Fountain of Youth and Paranormal Mule). The mule actually didn't come in a copper mug like it usually does which threw me off slightly. I also tried the Temple'd Fashioned, it was too sugary and not much like a regular old fashioned. The service was really good. The music was a good volume, we didn't have to yell to hear each other which is always nice. read more

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Wednesday nights are LIT!!! Check out Lyn-z's drag show followed by dancing. Had a blast and it seemed like everyone in the bar had a good ! read more

Merkaba - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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This place is located in the old Swig Martini bar space. The specialty drinks were good but pricey. Honestly I felt they could've had a heavier pour. Went on a Saturday night and managed to beat the rush. Perimeter is lined with plush seating and candlelight to make a great date/seating area. Problem is that once it's packed there is literally no where to stand/dance/scratch your nose. Merkaba does have an optional outdoor seating area but then you just stare at the club goers in line. Music that day was more electronic and elevator-esque. I love a great drink but we left after 2 (I'll try anything twice) drinks to somewhere we could drink AND dance. Yes the staff is helpful and nice but overall not worth the over $10/drink pricetag and elbow room. read more

Music was good. Tall woman bartender with a red mohawk SUCKED!!!!  My friend and I ordered the rainbow drink that is to serve 4 people (mind you, one other friend and I drank it) also... I don't drink often and expected a good buzz and Nope, not at all.  This stupid drink cost $45!!!  No buzz at all.  She was rude & The odd thing is as I was observing her, I hope TABC catches this, but she would serve someone next to me that ordered a crown and sprite and she put a splash of Sprite in a glass filled with crown.  This is definitely a tourist trap.  If you go here, make sure you order beer, bc that's the only drink you may get that's a TRUE drink.  #FDTSA read more

Merkaba - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Horrible horrible front staff. Gentlemen need to get their act together because they are turning away good business by having horrible attitudes and dismissing patrons. Will never be returning here, I do not recommend going here. read more

Was a lot of fun. We went on a Friday and the live music was great and there were plenty of people dancing and singing along. The drinks were amazing and they had drink specials and our server helped me and my family decide what to drink. The band played some classics that my father (58) and me (21) both knew. read more

Merkaba - Had the fruit of life and it was delicious. This was also before the place got filled up with people. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Great place to come with your soulmate great service awesome drinks live music amazing come check it out 4 star because nothing is perfect

Nice place to have some cocktails, listen to music and relax. Good costumer service and really nice staff. Live music on a Monday night, very relaxing! read more

Merkaba - Mojito and Fruit of Life - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

This place deserves more space with the crowd it gathers. There's virtually nowhere to even stand due to the stairs hogging the majority of the entrance. The DJ's we're putting in work with what they had but it was literally a white fold out table that they performed on. In desperate need of an upgrade. read more

Worst, most expensive drinks ever!!! Don't waste your time here, especially your money!! Go to Pat O'Brian's, better drinking atmosphere and drinks worth the price. Mercaba has worst customer service ever!!! read more

I loved this bar when we went. Unfortunately I have no photos, but it was a great time. We went the day after Valentine's Day a few weeks back. Will definitely make our way back up here. The drink we got was HUGE (and cost 45 dollars!!) however me and my bf were fine with that and laughed it off. We didn't even finish the drink, it was that big and so heavy we couldn't walk away from the bar. Pretty spacious area too with good music. read more

Ruby was awesome! Took care of us, great service. Eddie at the door was stern but fair

This establishment is ridiculous. I was given no warnings about their rules and was immediately kicked out for "breaking" their rules. Be careful if you attend this establishment because they will kick you out for having fun read more

Bar looks pretty decent. If your a fan of lemon-aid, this is the place for you, as every drink taste just like lemons. Whether it's Mules, Mojitos, or any liquor drink you fancy, it will come out tasting just like lemons. The business is obviously in shambles, and I wish them the best, but they need to realize the difference between club soda and Minute Maid. read more