HERE FOR THE BOOS

Eerie new bar haunts historic Southtown San Antonio building

Meatballs from Southtown House of Spirits.

Photo courtesy of Southtown House of Spirits

This year's Halloween costumes may now be shoved in the back of closets, but a new bar will keep the spooky vibes going year-round. Southtown House of Spirits is now serving gothic cocktails and bar bites in the heart of the neighborhood.

The upstairs lounge debuted on October 31, taking full advantage of the season. The 727 S. Alamo St. building formerly housed Halftime Sports Tavern, the short-lived pizza bar from Queso Pan y Vino's Erik Rosales. The concept shuttered with little fanfare over the summer.

Although owners Hannah Brierley, Roel Garza Jr., and Derek Lyssyare are industry vets with a combined 50 years of experience, Southtown House of Spirits is their first project as owners.

Brierley tells CultureMap that the team wanted to create an intimate experience, but the 1892 surroundings inspired the concept's vibe.

"We have been daydreaming about a cozy cocktail bar for years," she shares. "The location found us."

Leaning into the eeriness of the historical building, the trio didn't tinker much with the foundation, keeping the original walls and ceiling. The team brought in period furniture and vintage details like lace doilies and china to decorate the space. Brierley calls the atmosphere "subliminally spooky."

The drinks follow suit with playful touches that add to the Bram Stoker ambiance. The initial cocktails program riffs on the classics but with playful Halloween touches. A purple-hued gin gives an otherworldly color to Ghost of Grimace, and tombstone-shaped ice cubes provide the Ghost Fashioned a cheeky bite. Vintage glassware adds to the fin de siècle feel.

The food menu, helmed by Elsewhere alum Lyssy, is more contemporary. Brierley describes the offerings as "larger, elevated bar bites," with heftier selections like charcuterie, flatbreads, and meatballs.

According to the bar's Google Maps listing, Southtown House of Spirits is open Thursdays and Fridays from 4 pm to midnight, Saturdays from 4 pm to 1 am, and Sundays from 2-10 pm. Once the upstairs bar is humming, locals should look out for another concept downstairs. Brierley says the trio is aiming for an early 2025 opening date.

bars nightlife southtown cocktails openings

Back to the Basics

Famous San Antonio chicken brand returns to original recipe from 1952

Church's Texas Chicken/Instagram

Church's Texas Chicken is bringing back its recipe — not that it's been gone very long.

A San Antonio staple that's become world famous is going back to its roots. Church's Texas Chicken is bringing back its original recipe, which was originally developed in 1952, with a few tweaks.

According to a news release, the "rejuvenated" recipe now includes richer spices. The chicken is marinated — to the bone, it assures — then hand-battered and breaded, resulting in a crispy texture. It also emphasizes that only one "batter" and one breader is needed, which it says makes for a more consistent product.

It's not clear exactly when the chain moved away from its original recipe, but it must have been fairly recent; it was still boasting that the recipe had never changed as late as 2018. In 2019, it underwent a rebrand that added "Texas" as a "middle name" to signify its origins.

Although Church's started in San Antonio — and it still has Texas right in the middle of its name — it's now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. That's because the brand was purchased by a different chicken company that was already located there.

“This return is not only a return to our roots, but also a strategic move to drive our business forward," said CEO said Joe Guith. "We’re confident that our guests will enjoy our exceptional recipe and iconic flavor, fueling our growth and success.”

George W. Church was the originator of the recipe. The first restaurant was located across from The Alamo, but now there are more than 1,500 stores worldwide.

Church's Texas Chicken retro exterior What Church's used to look like.Photo courtesy of Church's Texas Chicken

Despite more than 70 years in business, Church's has kept its menu simple. Some chicken is served on the bone, and some as tenders; some goes on a sandwich, and that's about it for variations on the main offering. Sides switch things up a bit, but still stick to fries or Southern classics like mashed potato, mac and cheese, corn, and fried okra, among others.

This doesn't mean the chain hasn't innovated. In 2024 it was featured on a Hulu docuseries called Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People. Over two episodes, it put out a call for a proprietary pepper to claim for a new ridiculously hot sauce. That became the "signature" hot sauce made with red chili peppers, red bell peppers, habanero, and roasted garlic.

However, it sounds like nothing can beat the classics for a brand that's banking on nostalgia.

"We’re excited to bring back our OG recipe to satisfy our guests' cravings for even more flavor, ensuring every bite is infused with our blend of spices our guests love," said the brand's corporate head chef Kevin Houston. "We extend a warm welcome to those who haven’t visited our restaurants in a while to rediscover our legendary chicken.”

More information about Church's Texas Chicken is available at churchs.com.

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