Entry No. 34 — the San Antonio file — filed under: art
Southtown House of Spirits
An outdoor staircase off S. Alamo St is the only way in to this gothic, vampire-themed parlor of skulls, Victorian furniture, and dim candlelight, where the cocktail menu is billed outright as 'arsenal and arcane.'
The story
You leave the street-level chatter of South Alamo Street behind the moment your boots hit the outdoor stairs at 727. Southtown House of Spirits opened on Halloween 2024, taking over an upstairs space and immediately cloaking it in heavy Victorian furniture, dim candlelight, and human skull accents. It’s a dedicated gothic parlor designed to feel like a private sanctuary for night dwellers rather than a novelty pop-up.
Upstairs, the bright neighborhood art vibe gives way to velvet shadow. The drink lineup is framed around an 'arsenal and arcane' theme, leaning heavily into dark craft cocktails paired with boards of cured meats and cheeses. If you want to drink surrounded by Victorian macabre without having to wait until October, this second-story roost is where you go.
What it's like
Find the outdoor staircase along South Alamo Street and climb up to the second floor. Inside, the seating is dominated by plush Victorian parlor furniture and flickers of candlelight bouncing off skull decor. It fills up fast on weekends, so arrive close to opening if you want to secure a low-lit corner couch, sip from the arcane cocktail list, and pick at a charcuterie board without elbowing a crowd.
The move: Climb the outdoor stairs at dusk, order off the arcane cocktail menu, and share a charcuterie board tucked among the skulls and Victorian-parlor seating.
- 📍 Southtown
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 727 S. Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205 (upstairs, via outdoor stairs)
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Presa House Gallery — Take in contemporary DIY art in a converted Southtown home just two blocks away before slipping upstairs for dark cocktails.
- Déjà Vu Esoterica — Stock up on tarot cards and bagged herbs on South St. Mary's before heading over to drink among the skulls.
- Bar 1919 — Trade an upstairs vampire parlor for a underground basement whiskey bunker down at the Blue Star Arts Complex.
Good to know
How do you get inside?
Look for 727 S. Alamo St and head up the outdoor staircase; the bar occupies the entire second-floor space.
What kind of drinks and food do they serve?
They serve gothic craft cocktails billed under an 'arsenal and arcane' menu, along with bar bites like charcuterie boards.
When did Southtown House of Spirits open?
The venue made its official debut on Halloween night, October 31, 2024.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: sacurrent.com · Instagram · sanantonio.culturemap.com · news4sanantonio.com · mysanantonio.com
last checked: 2026-07-20