A new Boerne bar is keeping Hill Country nightlife action-packed. Darkside After Dark, on the Dark Side Brick Oven Pizza Co. compound at 25 Truss Dr., is now serving cocktails, beer, and wine in a Predator-themed space, complete with an ill-fated chopper caught in a tree.

Owner Michael Hawes opened the pizzeria in May 2024, dishing out Neopolitan-style pies in a sprawling dining room showcasing his vast collection of pop culture memorabilia. The spot is a wonderland of Gen X nostalgia with life-sized figurines of E.T., Teen Wolf, Superman, Yoda, and more tucked into every corner.

In March, the spot became a national viral sensation after creator Bethany Tucker (AKA @tasteoftexas) posted a video walkthrough of the space on TikTok and Instagram, garnering millions of views. After Dark grew out of Dark Side’s growing popularity, offering visitors a place to hang out while waiting for a table.

Hawes quickly got to work turning the waiting area into an experience.

“I believe, obviously, with the determination, but mostly the passion for something you truly love, you can make it happen,” he said in an earlier video.

After Dark sets the tone by making guests walk over a wooded bridge to a separate building from the main pizza joint. Once through modern glass doors, revelers are transported to the jungles of the fictional Val Verde in Central America.

Almost every inch of the bar is covered with artificial greenery, from vines crawling down faux stone walls to the central tree cradling the aforementioned helicopter. Cocktail tables, oversized lounge furniture, and cushy barstools bring some creature comforts. Live jazz sets a relaxed vibe.

But be wary. A meanie from the extraterrestrial tribe Yautja is lurking in the corner with no one around to save you. The statue of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer is in the main restaurant and unavailable to “get the choppa.”