Chicken-on-a-Stick Fiesta favorite chicken-on-a-stick is basically the supreme food booth snack from all of Fiesta. San Antonians look forward to eating it all year, and usually commemorate their first chicken-on-a-stick of the season with a selfie. It’s inspired chicken-on-a-stick necklaces, earrings, stickers and more from local designers, and has appeared on menus across SA so folks can get their fix. Thank goodness for that. Photo by Jaime Monzon Credit: Jaime Monzon

When it comes to keeping the party going during Fiesta San Antonio’s many events, it can be a good strategy to find nearby places to rest, refuel and recuperate.

These locally owned bars and restaurants feature cold drinks, hearty eats, and perhaps most importantly, air conditioning in walking distance of some of Fiesta’s busiest celebration sites. We organized them by proximity to La Villita, the carnival at the Alamodome and Market Square.

You’re welcome.

La Villita

Pink Shark // Cocktails, bar snacks, DJ music. 203 N. Presa St.,  instagram.com/pinksharkbar. Walk time: 3 minutes.

Be Kind & Rewind // Retro vibes, full bar, casual eats such as pizza, burgers and fried mozzarella sticks. 115 Alamo Plaza, (210) 951-1980, bekindandrewindsa.com. Walk time: 6 minutes.

ReRooted:210 // Cozy industrial space offering charcuterie and Texas wine. 623 Hemisfair Blvd., Suite 106, (254) 661-2721, rerootedwine.com. Walk time: 5 minutes.

Dough Pizzeria Napoletana // Neapolitan-style pizza, house-made burrata and wine. 518 S. Alamo St., (210) 227-2900, doughpizzeria.com. Walk time: 4 minutes.

Nonna Osteria // Homestyle Italian fare and an extensive wine list. Located inside the Fairmount Hotel. 401 S. Alamo St., (210) 224-8800, nonnasa.com. Walk time: 2 minutes.

The Little Rhein Prost Haus // German beer and eats with River Walk views from the patio. 231 S. Alamo St., (210) 890-2225, littlerheinprosthaus.com. Walk time: 0 minutes.

Box Street All Day // Brunch food, cocktails and hip-hop in an Instagrammable setting. 623 Hemisfair Blvd., Ste. 108, (210) 476-5705, boxstallday.com. Walk time: 4 minutes.

Carnival at the Alamodome

Cuishe Cocina Mexicana // Food, wine and cocktails inspired by Central Mexico. 119 Heiman St., (210) 960-8935, cuishemx.com. Walk time: 5 minutes.

Toro Kitchen + Bar // Tapas, paella, beer and wine. Flamenco music is also on offer several nights a week. 1142 E. Commerce St., (210) 592-1075, torokitchenandbar.com. Walk time: 7 minutes.

The Cherrity Bar // Onsite ramen shop Kuriya slings Japanese fare, and some proceeds from food and drink support local nonprofits. 302 Montana St., (210) 598-0496, cherritybar.com. Walk time: 4 minutes.

The Dakota East Side Ice House // Community gathering spot offering tacos, pizza, sandwiches and boozy drinks. Note: mostly outdoors. 433 S. Hackberry St., (210) 375-6009, thedakotasa.com. Walk time: 12 minutes.

Alibi’s Sports & Spirits // Laid-back dive bar with jukebox tunes and multiple TVs. 1141 E. Commerce St., (210) 225-5552, Facebook.com/AlibisSportsandSpirits. Walk time: 7 minutes.

Market Square

Sojourn Trading Co. // Small bites, oysters, charcuterie, cocktails and wine. 244 W. Houston St., (210) 455-0357, sojournsatx.com. Walk time: 6 minutes.

Double Standard // Daily happy hour features $1 East Coast oysters, $2 draft beer and $3 well drinks. 114 E. Houston St., (210) 977-0005, doublestandardsatx.com. Walk time: 3 minutes.

Pico de Gallo // Longtime downtown Tex-Mex restaurant with full bar and mariachis nightly. 111 S. Leona St., (210) 256-9350, picodegallo.com. Walk time: 4 minutes.

The Indian Night // Halal curry, tandoori and other Indian eats with all-you-can-eat buffet Monday through Saturday. 136 Main Plaza, (210) 888-1235, theindiannight.com. Walk time: 10 minutes.

Mi Tierra Cafe // Well-known Market Square destination serving Tex-Mex dishes and authentic pan dulce. 218 Produce Row, (210) 225-1262, mitierracafe.com. Walk time: 0 minutes.

La Margarita Mexican Restaurant & Oyster Bar // Traditional Mexican food and margaritas in a lively atmosphere. 120 Produce Row, (210) 898-1745, lamargarita.com. Walk time: 0 minutes.

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This article appears in Mar 22 – Apr 4, 2023.

Nina Rangel uses nearly 20 years of experience in the foodservice industry to tell the stories of movers and shakers in the food scene in San Antonio. As the Food + Nightlife Editor for the San Antonio...