In France, politeness begins at the door of any establishment with a bonjour.
At Merci Jones, 1101 Broadway, the newest spot from San Antonio’s Empty Stomach Group (Hot Joy, Petit Coquin, Barbaro, Double Standard and more), the welcome starts at your feet. “Merci” is etched into the mosaic tile at the entrance — a small but deliberate thank you every guest crosses on the way in and out.
The establishment itself is anything but stuffy. It reads like a mashup of Double Standard’s sweeping, curved bar and Barbaro’s unfussy cool — anchored by a deep green wall hung salon-style with framed art and the occasional piece of understated taxidermy.
A checkerboard floor stretches from the mosaic “MERCI” at the door to the warmly lit backbar, while custom lantern pendants stamped with bold red lettering hover overhead like tongue-in-cheek French café signs.
The crossover isn’t just aesthetic: Barbaro’s cult-favorite frozen coffee even makes an appearance on the menu. Speaking of the menu — Merci Jones is drinks only. If you’re hungry, stroll down the block to the building’s other occupants, Pumpers and Hot Joy, for a juicy burger or late-night Asian fusion fare. You’ll likely want something substantial after a round or two at the bar.
The drink menu keeps things playful and to the point. The “7 for $7 till 7” happy hour features classics including a Mai Tai, Gold Rush, Salty Dog and Army Navy — no overthinking required. Fans of Hands Down will spot a welcome resurrection: the beloved frozen gin and tonic.
Beyond the staples, two signature cocktails — accompanied by a cheeky menu note confessing that “a lot of nerding happened in the back prep area” — include the fruit-forward Oops! All Berries and a Mango Marg. There’s also a lineup of nonalcoholic items the menu promises “don’t suck,” plus a curated selection of wines from Little Death, another concept from Empty Stomach.
During the Current’s onsite visit, Merci Jones’s bar manager Steven Santillan worked diligently serving up customers, setting the tone for the kind of attentive, unpretentious hospitality the space embodies. Alongside fellow bar veteran Rachel Villalobos, Santillan helped craft the bar’s straightforward menu from the very beginning — a thoughtful, well-executed program that lets quality and care speak for themselves.
It’s a fitting reminder that at Merci Jones, and in bars across the U.S., the best way to say merci is to leave a generous tip for the bartender.
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