San Antonio Home & Garden Show returns with HGTV star

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Photo courtesy of San Antonio Spring Home & Garden Show

Almost everyone has something they'd like to change in their home. It could be a threadbare beige carpet in the bathroom soaking up stray glops of Garnier Fructis. Perhaps it's a Tuscan kitchen that's one breadstick short of announcing, "when you're here, you're family." Luckily, the San Antonio Spring Home & Garden Show will soon be back to provide plenty of inspiration.

The family-friendly exhibition will be returning to the Alamodome February 24-26 with hundreds of experts showcasing up-to-the-minute home products and services. Real estate developer and media personality Ati Williams will headline and maybe spill some behind-the-scenes tea on HGTV's popular DC Flippers.

Other diversions include live painting from aerosol portrait artist ShenShen210, interactive gardening advice from Gardening Volunteers of South Texas, and spring tablescape workshops from Jordylolo Events. The main stage also offers practical guidance on subjects ranging from trending design ideas to solar power.

The event also recognizes that kids can only endure so many discussions of artificial turf before getting fidgety. Under the guidance of pros, the younger set can complete their own DIY project at the Home Depot Children's Workshop. Though the show hasn't announced specifics yet, the final creations are sure to be more impressive than summer camp pinch pots.

And should the shaggiest and scaliest family members feel left out, guests can discover an array of products at PETopia. Fuzzy friends will also be available for adoption throughout the event. And, of course, there will be tasty treats for all at the venue's food court.

Advance adult admission is $9 online through February 23 and $11 once the show starts. Community heroes with valid IDs will be welcome free of charge on special promotional days. Hero day invites active military personnel, veterans, and first responders to experience the event on February 24, and Teacher Day thanks teachers and faculty on February 26.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia

7 spectacular surprises inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Fixer Upper castle in Waco

Royal revelation

“Are you ready to see your fixer upper?” the enthusiastic tour guide asked, channeling Chip and Joanna Gaines and their famous “big reveal” line from TV’s Fixer Upper. This time, it wasn't the home owners waiting outside a first glimpse at their home makeover; it was a small group of tourists gathered on the porch, ready to step inside the Gaineses’ most ambitious renovation project yet — a century-old castle in Waco.

For the first time ever, Texas’ king and queen of renovation have unlocked the doors and let the public into one of their famed fixer-uppers before it’s featured on their Magnolia Network show.

Known as the historic Cottonland Castle, this three-story, 6,700-square-foot residence was started in 1890 and finished in 1913. The Gaineses purchased the dilapidated structure in 2019 and designed and executed a regal flip that will be featured on an eight-episode special called Fixer Upper: Welcome Home – The Castle, beginning October 14.

They plan to sell it in the fall. But before a home sale comes an open house, and for three months only — through October 29 — the castle is open six days a week for guided tours.

Hour-long castle expeditions take visitors through every room, nook, and cranny — from turret to toilettes. Knowledgeable guides dispense history, impart design information, and reveal behind-the-scenes stories from Chip and Jo that may or may not make it on TV.

For Fixer Upper fans, Magnolia maniacs, and Gaines gangs, it's worth a drive to Waco to experience the castle transformation in real life before it hits the small screen. A tour offers the very rare chance to walk through the door (in this case, a 10-foot-tall, 400-pound, solid-oak door) into the world of a Chip-and-Jo reno.

Without revealing too much, here are seven fun surprises you’ll find behind the castle walls.

1. History meets homey. A castle museum, this is not.

“Chip and Joanna’s vision was that they really wanted to honor it with historical pieces but also make it more practical for the modern family that’s going to live here in the future,” guide Megan Shuler said at the beginning of the tour.

While many original features — including seven fireplaces — were restored, the castle has been fixed up as a home for the future, not a shrine to the past. One-of-a-kind and collected antiques (such as the kingly dining room table from Round Top, Texas) blend with pieces from the Gaineses’ own Magnolia Home collection. A 17-page “Castle Sourcebook” lists design elements and products and where to buy them. And in the ultimate modern touch — a branding tie-in — a forthcoming “Colors of the Castle” paint collection will be available through Magnolia this fall.

2. Sweet nods to the castle’s past. Posted on the wall in the foyer is a poem written by Alfred Abeel, the owner who completed construction in 1913. It talks of making the castle “‘home sweet home’ all seasons of the year.”

On the center of the dining room fireplace mantel is Abeel’s family crest, along with the phrase (in Latin), “God’s providence saves me.” Next to it, children’s heights are recorded from the 1930s to the early 2000s, the last time a family lived here.

3. A cozy nook in the turret. The original design was modeled after a small castle on the Rhine River in Germany, and there is one tower turret. A space historically used (in “real” castles) for military defense has, here, been turned into one of the coziest corners of the house. Tucked into a corner next to the winding staircase, two comfy chairs sit under an antique-y light fixture from Austria. It's the perfect place to curl up with a book from the library upstairs.

4. Rooms with storylines. “One of the challenges Chip and Joanna had when they bought the castle was, there was no one, really, they were designing it for,” Shuler explained. “So they would create storylines for each room to help tell their story.”

Two of the four bedrooms, for example, are the “boy’s bedroom,” and “girl’s bedroom.” The storylines are that the future homeowner’s son would come back from college and stay in his childhood bedroom, and that the future homeowner’s granddaughters would stay in the room while hanging out at the grandparents’ house.

The boy’s room contains more masculine furnishings and decor, including a watercolor portrait of Roy Lane, the famous architect who helped complete the castle. The girl’s room is painted in “Rose Pink,” a color named after Joanna’s grandmother.

5. Bodacious bathrooms. There are three-and-a-half “throne rooms” in the castle, and they’re some of the prettiest spaces, mixing metals, woods, and tiles; even original radiators look like works of art. One of the most spectacular rooms in the house, in fact, is a grand, gleaming bathroom — which (tease!) will be fully revealed on the show.

6. Party in the basement. “Gathering spaces” are a hallmark of Chip and Jo’s homes, and in the castle, they take place in the dungeon — er, basement. A “card room” for poker games or family game nights sits next to the family room, which houses the only TV in the castle. The guest bedroom’s also in the basement, along with a laundry room and a former wine cellar now left “blank” for the new owners to reimagine.

7. Behind-the-scenes tales and tidbits. Fixer Upper devotees will devour the charming and quirky tidbits about the Gaineses shared throughout the tour. There are a few design elements and furnishings originally meant for their own home, including an item banished to the castle by their daughters. There’s a fun story about what Chip did when they found bones — yes, bones — in the basement. And, the prime selfie spot for Fixer Upper fans is a large mirror that, the tour guides say, Joanna used to touch up her makeup during the filming of the show.

Castle tour tickets, $50, are available through the website, with 20 percent of proceeds benefiting The Cove nonprofit organization. (Note that the home does not have an elevator and requires guests’ ability to access three staircases.)

Tips for a Magnolia pilgrimage in Waco:
Shop: No castle jaunt would be complete without a stop at the Magnolia Silos complex. A new 8:15 am tour, offered Monday through Saturday, takes visitors behind the scenes and on the roof before the crowds (and the heat) arrive. Hint: August is a “slower” month at the Silos, and Tuesday through Thursday are less crowded. Tour tickets are $25 and come with a free coffee from Magnolia Press.

Eat: Chip and Joanna’s Magnolia Table cafe stays busy all day, every day. If you don’t have time to wait for a table, visit the takeaway market next door. Grab to-go items like pimiento cheese and crackers, a butter flight, banana pudding, and chicken salad sandwiches, and enjoy them on a table outside (if it's not too hot).

Stay: Availability at Magnolia’s four vacation rentals can be hard to come by, but watch the website for nights to pop open. Make it a girls’ getaway with a stay at the grand Hillcrest Estate (which sleeps 12), or go solo and book the darling Hillcrest Cottage, the Gaineses’ newest and smallest lodging, which opened in fall 2021. A forthcoming Magnolia boutique hotel, in the historic Grand Karem Shrine building downtown, is slated to open in 2024.

The castle will be on tour only through the end of October, before it's featured on a special season of Fixer Upper - Wecome Home.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia

The castle will be on tour only through the end of October, before it's featured on a special season of Fixer Upper - Wecome Home.

Photo by Charro Photography

Texas builder unveils sleek prefabricated luxury homes starting at $600,000

High-end housing

A Texas homebuilder has brought a high-end approach to a type of housing that has often been lumped into the low-end category.

Escobedo Group, based in Buda, a suburb of Austin, has introduced a “panelized” construction system that enables a luxury home to be prefabricated and then installed on a homesite within roughly five months. So far, more than 70 of the company’s DARIO Villas homes have been built.

Over the years, prefab construction has frequently been associated with cheap, mass-produced housing. Following World War II, the British embraced prefab construction to address a severe housing shortage. Amid the 19th century’s California Gold Rush, prospectors relied on prefab homes to quickly provide shelter.

In recent years, prefab homes have gained fans as construction techniques have grown more sophisticated.

“DARIO is a better way to build. The construction method we have designed is more efficient and dramatically reduces construction waste while saving the client the most precious commodity — their time,” David Escobedo, co-owner of Escobedo Group, tells CultureMap.

Escobedo Group, founded in 1987, official launched the DARIO brand in June.

DARIO touts the ability to construct and assemble a home in a matter of months rather than, in some cases, a few years.

A buyer can choose from among three floor plans with one, two, or three bedrooms, and then select an interior package. A one-bedroom DARIO home starts at $600,000. Larger options go for $1 million or more.

A DARIO home measures anywhere from 800 to 20,000 square feet.

Escobedo constructs the home panels at its 60,000-square-foot facility, then delivers them to a homesite and puts together the new home within hours. The panels include all of the components needed for a home, such as the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. Each home features steel framing and a pier-and-beam foundation.

Optional add-ons include:

Roof-mounted solar power
Battery storage to supply electricity during power outages
Eco-friendly water collection, storage, and filtration

The end product is sleek and modern, like any built-from-the-ground-up luxury home.

Escobedo’s DARIO homes are currently available in Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. The company says they can be placed in pretty much any residential setting, from a rural ranch to a cliffside locale.

“Whether you need a new guest house, vacation retreat, or expanded living space, this is truly revolutionizing the way building is done. The complications and mess of construction are a thing of the past,” the homebuilder says.

Escobedo Group uses a “panelized” construction system to prefabricate luxury homes and install within roughly five months.

Photo by Charro Photography

Escobedo Group uses a “panelized” construction system to prefabricate luxury homes and install within roughly five months.

Courtesy of DH Photography, Compass

Unique glass home featured on HGTV hits market in Austin for $1.2 million

Life in a glass house

A treehouse-like home near Austin's Lake Travis that’s been featured on HGTV can now be yours for $1.2 million.

The 1,653-square-foot house, just south of Hudson Bend at 2803 Manitou Dr., offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and plenty of rugged yet modern charm. The home is in the Apace Shores neighborhood.

Highlights of the contemporary home, situated on a half-acre wooded lot, include 30-foot-high glass walls and 11 sets of sliding glass doors. The two-story house, built in 2003 as architect John Allen’s own residence, is one of the few homes in the vicinity that provide private access to the Indian Creek hiking trail.

Allen “believed that the rugged and what many called ‘unbuildable’ lot was the perfect spot to accomplish his vision of living one with nature due to the greenery of the adjacent hiking trail, along with the sun, moon, stars, and thunderstorms as seen through glass walls and balconies,” the listing agent, Monica Fabbio of Compass, tells CultureMap.

Aside from being featured in 2007 on the HGTV series Look What I Did, the house recently served as the main shooting location for an upcoming movie. Viewers of the movie will notice that decks and patios grace all four sides of the hillside home, which is set back from a cul-de-sac. Nearby waterfalls and a spring-fed creek add to the ambiance.

“A dramatic rock wall and bridge entrance to the home make for amazing settings,” the listing says.

An adjacent second lot, which is undeveloped, is included in the sale.

Allen, who originally designed the glass-and-steel home as his “bachelor pad” before eventually getting hitched, sold the house in 2007 to the current owner.

“We heard the word ‘impossible’ more than once when it came to building our house,” says Suzanne Allen, the architect’s wife. “It’s a word that would discourage many people, but for John and me, the word invigorates, motivates, and inspires. In the process of building our house, we proved that with imagination, persistence, and resolution, the impossible idea becomes an achievable reality.”

Many called the lot at 2803 Manitou Dr "unbuildable," but architect John Allen saw its true potential.

Courtesy of DH Photography, Compass

Many called the lot at 2803 Manitou Dr "unbuildable," but architect John Allen saw its true potential.

Facebook/Magnolia Network

Texas' Chip and Joanna Gaines unveil long-awaited launch date of new Magnolia Network

TV news

Fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines have been ready to see their Fixer Upper reboot — and the rest of their Magnolia Network content — since they announced their new cable network in 2018.

After a couple of coronavirus-related delays, they've finally revealed a launch date. Two launch dates, actually.

On July 15, 2021, Magnolia Network will debut on a new Magnolia app and the streaming platform Discovery+.
In January 2022, the new Magnolia Network will debut on cable TV.

“In what has been the most unconventional of years, our plan and timing for the network launch has evolved, but our original vision for this network has remained the same," the Waco-based reality TV entrepreneurs said in a statement February 11.

That vision is still to "tell good stories — stories that unite instead of divide; stories that serve to inspire and uphold beauty; stories that entertain and draw out curiosities; stories that feel like home in all the ways a home should feel," they say on the network's website.

Notably, the Magnolia Network will feature their Fixer Upper reboot, as well as Joanna Gaines' cooking show called (what else?) Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines, and Self Employed, a series about entrepreneurs hosted by Fort Worth resident Jonathan Morris.

The first 10 Magnolia Network shows were unveiled in a TV special last spring. Content focuses on people who are living life passionately and authentically, the Gaineses say, and covers topics the couple themselves are passionate about: home design, restoration and renovation, gardening, cooking, wellness, business, family, and traditions.

According to Deadline, Magnolia Network was supposed to take over DIY Network in October 2020, followed by a direct-to-consumer product at a later date. COVID-19 shut down Hollywood production, which pushed everything back.

"Meanwhile, Discovery launched their SVOD platform Discovery+ last month as the pandemic accelerated traditional media companies’ shift to streaming as a leading distribution method," Deadline says. "The Magnolia brand has been a key — and growing — part of the Discovery+ lineup with previews of many of its original series, led by the new season of the Gaines’ hit Fixer Upper."

While Fixer Upper: Welcome Home can be seen now on Discovery+, starting July 15, the platform will stream an expanded lineup of Magnolia shows. The Gaines' Magnolia app is expected to stream their original series and over 150 hours of unscripted content.

Discovery+ currently costs $4.99 per month, with a free trail available here.

Those who don’t want to stream yet another service will have to wait patiently for about another year until Magnolia Network launches as a rebranded DIY Network on their cable or satellite provider. In January 2022, the new TV network will carry not only Magnolia originals but new seasons of favorite DIY shows, they say.

Photo courtesy of HGTV

Chip and Joanna Gaines relaunch Fixer Upper after 2-year hiatus

TV news

Are y'all ready to see more Fixer Upper? Apparently Chip and Joanna Gaines were, too, as the HGTV home renovation show that made them stars is getting a new season on their forthcoming Magnolia Network.

The Gaineses announced the Fixer Upper return in a short video, filled with their signature lovable quirkiness, posted to social media the morning of Tuesday, August 4.

In it, they're driving around their home town, Waco, when Joanna says to Chip that she saw his hammer and tool belt in the car. "What's that about?," she asks, to which he replies, "Just in case." He declares he has a surprise for her, and when they arrive at an old house, he tells her he's signed them up for another season of Fixer Upper.

"I've kind of missed it," Joanna admits, and they walk toward the house.

Fixer Upper — HGTV's biggest hit of all time — ended in 2018. Since then, the Gaineses have had a fifth child and created their own Magnolia Network, which is set to replace the DIY Network. Magnolia's launch was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fixer Upper was not included as part of the Magnolia lineup revealed in a sneak peek back in April, though the network promised plenty of Gaines family footage. On the heels of her second cookbook release, Joanna will be cooking with friends, they promised. And Chip will get plenty more "demo day" action as they continue to take on big renovation projects around Waco, they say. (Here are the first 10 shows revealed on the network.)

Along with the Fixer Upper announcement, the Gaineses revealed to Deadline that two new shows would launch on Magnolia, and one has another Texas star.

"Self Employed (working title) follows Fort Worth, Texas-based entrepreneur Jonathan Morris as he travels the United States meeting some of the country’s most inspiring small business owners. Together, they will share stories of unwavering resilience, insatiable ambition and the winding roads they’ve traveled to successfully build their dream jobs," Deadline says, adding that due to the pandemic, the first season will likely be filmed in Texas towns within driving distance of DFW.

The other new show, they say, is an untitled series starring self-taught interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn.

According to a blog post by Chip, the new season of Fixer Upper will start when the Magnolia Network launches in 2021. He writes that he and Joanna were not expecting to bring the show back when they wrapped production a few years ago.

"I mean it when I say that it wasn’t more than a few weeks ago that we first talked about returning to the show," he writes. "I mentioned it to Jo, fully expecting her to tell me I was crazy. But instead, in a real sincere way, she told me she’d been missing it too. I get that it all may seem a little impulsive and that might be true. But the more Jo and I talked it over, the more we began to see it for what it really is: an opportunity to get to share with you some of the projects we care most about."

They're currently casting for season six in the Waco area. More information here.

Chip and JoJo are back on TV.

Photo courtesy of HGTV

Chip and JoJo are back on TV.

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Controversial comedian Dave Chappelle plots out 4 Texas arena shows, including San Antonio

Chappelle's Show(s)

Comedian/actor Dave Chappelle will soon bring his "Dave Chappelle Live" stand-up comedy show to arenas in four cities in Texas, including the AT&T Center in San Antonio on July 12

Other dates include the American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 29, the Toyota Center in Houston on July 1, and the Moody Center in Austin on July 14.

Chappelle is a complicated figure who's been celebrated for his trailblazing comedy and vilified for his controversial stances. Chappelle's Show, which ran from 2003 to 2006 on Comedy Central, was widely praised, and Chappelle remained extremely popular despite the abrupt end of the show and him choosing to recede from the spotlight in the following decade.

His re-emergence in the late 2010s brought success in the form of three straight Grammy wins for Best Comedy Album, but also continued jokes aimed at transgender people. He has been the subject of multiple protests over that material, and has even had a show canceled by a venue in Minneapolis after receiving criticism for hosting him.

As if to underscore the contentious nature of his comedy, no cellphones, cameras, or recording devices will be allowed at any of the four shows. All phones and smart watches will be secured in special pouches that can be unlocked at the end of the show. Anyone caught with a cellphone in the venue will be immediately ejected.

Tickets for the four shows will go on sale at 5 pm on June 5 at ticketmaster.com.

Endless creativity of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse keeps superhero story in overdrive

Movie Review

The blast of pure fun that was 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse accomplished several goals, but none more important than reclaiming the character from being part of just the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By not participating in the never-ending connecting stories of the MCU, the filmmakers could do whatever they wanted, first and foremost using Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) instead of Peter Parker as its main character.

It was also at the forefront of multiversal storytelling that has become the rage in the MCU and elsewhere. Given the multitude of Spider characters that have existed in the comics over the years, it was uniquely suited to telling a story with people from multiple universes. That concept is taken to the nth degree with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, a film that has seemingly limitless levels of creativity.

Miles, having separated from Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), and other Spider-people at the end of the first film, is doing well as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, casually protecting people from threats big and small. But when a highly unusual villain named The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) proves especially tricky, a series of events has Miles follow Gwen into a portal where he encounters every other Spider character in existence.

Lest you think that’s hyperbole, among the people he meets are Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider (Andy Samberg), and Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Revelations made while meeting all of them lead Miles to a whole new understanding of himself and the multiverse in general, with far-reaching consequences.

The filmmakers, once again led by writers/producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, fill the screen with so many visual elements that at times it can be overwhelming, but in the best possible way. Unlike most animated films, there are multiple different styles employed throughout, and never knowing what to expect gives the film a kineticism that borders on manic, although it always stops short of being incomprehensible.

The storytelling is much more complex this time around, no surprise since it involves so many more characters. But the personal stories of each of the Spider characters, especially Miles and Gwen, maintain a grounded nature that keeps the plot anchored even while delving into increasingly fantastical territory.

Although this film deals with some darker themes, there is still plenty of humor to be had. The intersection of so many Spider characters highlights their differences, and the way they interact can’t help but be entertaining. Miles is still a 15-year-old kid, and the way he navigates the world(s) has a lightness to it that is a sharp contrast to the various adults in his life.

Moore, who’s not as well-known as some of his co-stars, has proven to be the perfect voice for Miles, making him relatable and powerful at the same time. Everyone else gives similarly great performances, although the fact that many of them are famous for their non-voicework doesn’t really play a factor in how well they come across here.

A third film, Beyond the Spider-Verse, is teased with a cliffhanger, and unlike other franchises where multiple films are unnecessary, there are no such reservations here. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse equals the success of the first film, and there is no doubt that the filmmakers will bring the same level of attention to detail to the end of the trilogy.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now running in theaters.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

7 go-to Father's Day spots for every type of San Antonio Dad

POP CULTURE

Despite all the propaganda that Father’s Day requires a slab of brisket, no two Dads are exactly alike. This year, treat him to something a little more curated. Whether he likes a dry aged steak lavished in butter or a simple sandwich paired with a quality brew, we have you covered with a spot for every Pop.

For the hop head: Alamo Beer Co.
Backyard barbecues seem fun on paper, but who wants to deal with all the heat and flies. This year, focus on the best part: the beer. The Alamo menu includes something for every type of drinker — poundable lagers, citrusy IPAs, and everything in between. The hearty food, a mix of fan favorites like nachos, sausage sandwiches, and soft pretzels, is ready for game day.

For the weekend warrior: Burnt Bean Co.
If the Old Man has wanderlust, take him on a road trip to one of Seguin’s brightest treasures. Chefs Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland pull off a rare feat — making food accessible enough to please everyone in the family while showing enough culinary finesse to be a finalist for this year’s James Beard Awards.

For the sports fiend: McIntyre’s
We’re not saying this Southtown spot can be seen from space, but it has enough glowing flatscreens to be seen for miles. Plus, the drink menu is varied enough to keep even fair-weather fans fueled. The beer menu ranges from domestic standbys to local craft brews to a propriety lager. The cocktails skip complicated drink craft in favor of the tried-and-true. Peruse the menu over a couple of rounds of cornhole.

For the amateur mixologist: Pastiche
If your Dad has a freezer full of specialty ice cubes and a cabinet stocked with various tinctures and bitters, he’ll have a blast at this East Side haunt. The cocktails — made with fortified wines, rare European spirits, and unique liqueurs — are the perfect prelude to a Father’s Day dinner — and tinkering inspiration for weeks to come.

For the plant-based pop: Pharm Table
Let’s face it, most of Alamo City’s vegan fare is hardly suited for a special occasion. Still, at least one place delivers in the clutch. From a smoked mushroom take on Nikkei ceviche to a lentil kitchari tempered by a coconut cilantro chutney, the worldly selections at this Southtown café feel like a proper celebration, especially when paired with a thoughtful wine flight.

For the meat and potatoes man: Range
Chef Jason Dady works with ranchers from the heartland to Central Texas to deliver some of the city’s best cuts of beef. The rest of the menu will leave Dad equally as spoiled. Skipping tweezered garnishes and fussy techniques, Dady tells a story of classic American cooking — from a creamy wedge with avocado mousse to traditional sides like potato confit and grilled asparagus.

For the barbecue stan: Reese Bros BBQ
A favorite of Texas Monthly, Bon Appetit and CultureMap readers, Reese Bros. could have gotten too big for its britches. Instead, the staff serves smoked meats with a welcoming smile. It’s easy to see why they are happy. They have easy access to arguably San Antonio’s best brisket, sausage, ribs, and sides. And they get to wear the joint’s cool Dad merch all day.

For the fine dining fanatic: Up Scale
Caviar deviled eggs with a fleck of gold leaf, lobster tagliolini, a very tony Beef Wellington…this year, Dad is getting fancy. Few San Antonio restaurants lay out the red carpet like this Southtown spot. Consider this the go-to if he insists on footing the bill.

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