Entry No. 12 — the San Antonio file — filed under: speakeasy
Pink Shark / The Shark Side
The front room is a whimsical shark-themed cocktail bar with a mossy photo wall and $.99 oyster hour — but slip through a discreet back door and you're in The Shark Side, a hidden speakeasy with a mirrored, shark-shaped disco ball spinning over its dance floor.
The story
At 203 N. Presa Street, wedged between Market and Commerce in downtown San Antonio, the front room leans entirely into camp. You'll find shark sculptures you can sit on, a mossy photo wall, and a bar pouring signature drinks out of shark-shaped ceramic mugs alongside $.99 oysters during Shark Hour.
The main trick, however, requires looking past the front room's bright tropical aesthetic. Tucked into the back wall is a discreet, unmarked door. Slip through it and you drop straight out of the oyster bar and into The Shark Side—a hidden back-room speakeasy and dance club.
Inside the back space, the mood shifts entirely dark and reflective, anchored by a custom mirrored, shark-shaped disco ball spinning over the dance floor. Depending on the night, the room toggles between late-night DJ sets, karaoke, and low-lit cocktail lounge territory.
What it's like
Walk in off Presa Street into the bright front bar, where you can grab a stool during Shark Hour for cheap oysters and a Sharktail served in ceramic jaws. Once you have your bearings, scout the back wall for the discreet door into The Shark Side. The back space fills up fast on weekends once the DJ or karaoke starts up under the disco shark, so arrive earlier in the night if you want a spot near the bar before the dance floor gets crowded. Confirm their current schedule online before heading out.
The move: Start with Shark Hour oysters and a Sharktail served in its own shark-shaped mug up front, then duck through the hidden door to The Shark Side for karaoke or a DJ set under the disco shark.
- 📍 Downtown (Market & Commerce)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 203 N. Presa St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Southtown House of Spirits — Trade pink shark mugs and disco balls for dark candlelight and gothic vampire decor half a mile south.
- San Antonio Scottish Rite Library and Museum — Swap a hidden speakeasy door for two 2,500-pound bronze cathedral doors housing Masonic archives four blocks away.
- O. Henry House Museum — Pair your downtown drink run with a quick daytime walk to a tiny 1855 adobe cabin saved twice from demolition.
Good to know
How do you access The Shark Side speakeasy?
Walk into the main pink shark-themed front room at 203 N. Presa Street and look for the unmarked door toward the back.
What are the food and drink specials up front?
The front bar serves $.99 oysters during Shark Hour alongside signature cocktails poured into shark mugs.
What happens in the back room?
The Shark Side operates as a hidden dance room and lounge featuring live DJ sets, karaoke, and a custom shark disco ball overhead.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · sacurrent.com · Yelp
last checked: 2026-07-20