Before 2024 is tossed into the compost bin, a few San Antonio food trends have emerged. This week's restaurant news is a microcosm of some of the biggest ones. Spooky concepts are in, craft beer is out, and restaurants are making decisions as fast as ever.

Openings and closings

Two days after celebrating its third anniversary, Man Overboard Brewing Co. has decided to take permanent leave. On December 9, the company announced it was shuttering on December 22. A social media post didn't share any reasoning behind the sudden move, only saying it was made "with heavy hearts."

Hell is other people for Stone Oak's Billie Jean Bar & Grill. In a December 6 Instagram screed, the 10-month-old business recounted the circumstances that led to its closure. According to the bar, a neighbor has made several noise complaints with city officials, quibbles the company calls "false accusations." On December 12, ownership will convene to decide whether to make the temporary closure permanent.

Continuing San Antonio's boon of macabre openings, another eerie concept has entered the ghoulish game. Monique and Manny Martinez, aka The Grim Bakers, have opened their first brick-and-mortar inside the Wonderland of the Americas food court. Manny is now best known for winning the Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship in October.

Alamo Biscuit Co. & Panaderia is gearing up for a busy new year. Weeks after announcing a new location at the Shops at Rivercenter, the popular brunch restaurant filed Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation paperwork for another outpost near Brooks City Base. The planners expect the buildout at 7514 S. New Braunfels Ave. Bldg 3 to be completed by November 2025.

Although CultureMap rarely reports on national mega-chains, we'll make an exception for Wienerschnitzel, if only because the mascot — an anthropomorphized hot dog named The Delicious One — often seems terrified. The emotional frank now has another worry. On December 4, San Antonio franchise operator Samantha Garciaopened the chain's latest local outpost at 8302 Waters Edge Dr.

Other news and notes

Grizzled sideshow performer Hulk Hogan was in town promoting his Real American Beer in San Antonio's Hills & Dales Ice House on December 10. The beer purports to be clean and crisp, contradicting several facets of the pro wrestler's biography.