San Antonio rooftop bar Paramour faces last call after 11 years

After 11 years downtown, a posh San Antonio rooftop bar appears to be headed toward last call. Paramour’s future is uncertain as it faces being moved from its 102 Ninth St. home.

“We may be forced to move, and it is disrupting Paramour’s ability to keep our word to always be there for our family,” the business wrote on Instagram. “To live up to that commitment, we are considering pausing this version of Paramour while we plan the next evolution of this iconic San Antonio night spot.”

Paramour did not share when it expects to vacate the space, but the move seems very likely. The Phipps building, now known as The Paradigm, is currently seeking new tenants. According to a brochure from management company Foresite Commercial Real Estate, which includes Suite 400, the space Paramour currently occupies.

Although some downtown hotels like St. Anthony used their rooftops for socializing as early as the early 1900s, Paramour was San Antonio’s first modern rooftop bar when it opened in 2015. The decor was peak Instagram, with neon signs, kilim rugs, and birdcage chairs. And it hosted regular drag brunches, a rarity outside the Main Street strip.

The bar program was something new, too. Originally led by Chris Ware, the bar program was a serious mix of classics and originals, sold at a then-hefty price: $11.

In recent years, however, the business has been known as much for its controversies as its cocktails. In 2021, owner and attorney Martin J. Phipps was accused of harassing his ex-wife, charges that were later dropped. That same year, his law firm collapsed when several employees resigned, alleging a hostile work environment.

After running into financial troubles in 2022, Phipps reportedly sold the building to his friend and Fort Worth businessman Darren Connel. In 2025, he lost a bitter court battle; Phipps failed to regain the title and was ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in damages and attorney’s fees to Connel. In March, Paramour was briefly locked out of its home due to alleged unpaid rent.

A social media request for more information on Paramour’s future plans was not immediately returned. In the post, the bar suggested that it might move, stating that “the address might change,” but “Paramour won’t.”

Still, if the bar does change locales, it will face a much more competitive market for rooftop real estate. In the 11 years since the bar opened, it has been joined by a host of sky-high hotel destinations that offer a much higher vantage point than Paramour’s fourth-floor perch.