Smoke Skybar — Restaurant in San Antonio

I like to keep an open mind & experience things for myself before I judge based on reviews. I have a friend who DJ’s here & he promotes this place a lot on FB. I always read the comments & there are always mixed reviews. We wanted to check this place out for ourselves & see what it was all about. 1 of the things I read was that they turn people away w/neck tattoos. I personally don’t care if you have tattoos (I have plenty) but if that is going to be one of your rules have it apply to your staff too. I counted at least 6 staff members with BIG neck tats. When I commented that to a staff person she said that it is not so much a rule as it is a preference on the security guard at the door. If it looks gang related you are not coming in. Okay, whatever but again, if your staff has questionable tats, then make the rules apply across the board. Food. I’ll be honest it really wasn’t that bad. A bit pricy for the quality but I would not call it Texas BBQ. The brisket mac & cheese was good. The brisket was tender & we were lucky that we got that special piece of the end oh it was damn near melting in our mouth. The sausage skip it. I was disappointed. We want to try other items next time we go. Drinks. This is a tough one. While our drinks were cold they were expensive. 1 beer is close to $6. Go for the bucket. While still expensive you at least get more bang for your buck. We also tried the Mango Fresca & the Watermelon Blast. Pretty good depending on which bar tender made it. They were not consistent. When our friends showed up they tried mine & went to order one & it was not at all the same. While mine was delicious the 1 they ordered was not good. Music/DJ. I can’t begin to tell you how fun the music was. From New Edition to Depeche Mode to DJ Laz to La Mafia to Midland to Metallica to Kendrick. Not once was I not singing or dancing in my chair. I don’t know who was DJ’ing but they were entertaining. 10/10. Now I understand the aesthetics this place is going for but I am almost certain you could invest in some sort of shade & still have the place look nice. The heat was almost unbearable. Thank goodness we were standing next to a table in the shade & they offered it to us when they got up to leave. If that didn’t happen we probably would not have stayed. One thing I didn’t like was the amount of “security” walking around. They were everywhere. I love feeling safe in an establishment but they made me feel on edge. Don’t sing too loud don’t have too much fun don’t accidentally trip on a rock because they are out in full force to throw you out. It would have been nicer if they just stayed in the corner or the sideline to watch but at one point there were 4 guys in full gear standing in front of our table. Make your presence known but not in everyone’s face. We came to relax not feel like we were out for our hour break from our jail cell. Things I feel need to be mentioned: For the love of g*d have your staff wear masks. Especially since they are handling our food & drinks. That was extremely disappointing. Have someone clean the porta potties more often & add some light. I had to use my phone flashlight to see. Also, where did the hand washing station go? Thank goodness I always carry hand sanitizer with me. And lastly, the only thing that kills my vibe on anywhere I go is the way the owner responds to people for their reviews. No, you are not hurting in any sense when it comes to business but the sarcastic & rude way you respond to YOUR customers & possibly returning customers is deplorable. Being a business owner you will no doubt get bad reviews along w/good reviews but be professional with your responses. All that tells me is you really don’t care about what your customers have to say. At the end of the day…we will go back. It really is a fun place and my friends & I had a blast. Music beer laughter & fun is always...

Great for going with friends or even family to catch a game, for good music or just to spend some fun time together. A very casual place that's great for anyone to come and spend time or just to try the food!

Very outdoorsy and sports / party focused it's a pretty spacious area outside with plenty of seating and large screens as well as a live DJ. There was some seating inside but it was only 2 tables so it's best to go and expect to sit outdoors under coverings; despite being mainly in the outside elements the place is kept spotless so don't let looks or expectations deceive (the outdoor bathrooms are ok but nothing perfect yet they didn't seem dirty just most likely weathered and aged). During warmer months I'm sure it's a lot better and more active while during the colder season (which is when we went) it wasn't a active and there were barely any people. A lot more orders were take out vs dining in so if you like a festive and active environment compared to one that's more slow and mellow I'd recommend dropping by during maybe spring or summer. Despite the cold weather, they did have heaters that they turned on in areas so that people could stay warm and still enjoy the game. We did eat indoors however and there was heating inside but it wasn't overly hot, just comfortably warm. Pretty simple design with wooden walls, small tables with stools and a few posters here and there mainly of ads. It serves like a blank canvas of not trying to take away from the experience you make with others during your time there but isn't so bare that it feels run down or anything. While being a tad more on a louder environment, the music and sports keeps the energy up no matter the temp!

The bbq here was amazing and had a lot of good flavor that can be hard to find at most spaces. The meat stayed tender, juicy and there was a perfect balance of dry rub on the meat. The portions were also nice to share since we weren't really hungry but was still a good filling meal. Bbq sauce was offered and it had a nice sweet but mostly peppery smokey profile to it which I love as it had a nice kick but wasn't spicy. The side items for the beans and macaroni were also pretty good (although I'm pretty picky about what kinds of beans I eat these were surprisingly good and I found myself choosing to eat it more than the macaroni). The brisket was favorite of them all with the wonderful char on the outside and the softness of the inside balancing out the flavors and textures the strongest but the ribs were a strong second. I also love the versatility of being able to add the brisket to make a sandwich (as bread and pickles are an offered side by default) or putting it into the mac and cheese (which I also highly recommend trying if you haven't). A distinct taste and bold flavor yet still not overbearing, the meal was fantastic and I'm sure would make any fan of bbq quite proud.

Friendly and relaxed upon entering. Most items there were self serve so there wasn't too much interaction needing to be done, but they were very welcoming and made me feel at ease figuring out how the place ran and where to leave our trays, get refills, etc. since it was our first time there. A nice and neutral space where you can easily get in and out service without feeling like you're being rushed.

Although not a connoisseur or major fan of bbq, I'd love to be able to go back as it's one of the best bbq places I've had here. I strongly recommend anyone in the downtown area of visiting through to give the place a try and to bring friends and family with you to test out the amazing food they have here and enjoy the open space...

We celebrated my husband's graduation at this venue, and while the space and food were both quite good, the experience as a whole was deeply frustrating due to poor coordination and lack of professionalism—specifically from the event coordinator, Kimberly.

From the start, organizing the event with Kimberly was a challenge. She initially told me that underage guests were not allowed on Thursdays, which turned out to be incorrect. After going back and forth—and finally speaking with the owner—I was informed that Thursday is considered a family night, and underage guests are welcome. Only Fridays and Saturdays after 10 PM are 21+, which I was fine with. Kimberly eventually agreed to help plan the event, but her involvement continued to fall short.

I confirmed and paid in full for 25 guests with catering included, thinking everything was in order. However, when we arrived at the venue at 10:15 PM (for a 10 PM reservation), staff seemed completely unaware of our booking. Despite the catered food already being in the kitchen, no one knew who we were or why we were there.

After a confusing 20 minutes of trying to get answers and attempting to reach Kimberly—who was on-site, by the way—she never once came down to speak with us or offer an apology. No tables were set up, and staff looked completely unprepared. The venue was not even busy; there was one other event happening downstairs.

Eventually, around 10:30–10:40 PM, some staff began moving tables and bringing out food. In the meantime, our guests just stood around awkwardly. It was incredibly unprofessional considering we had booked and paid in advance.

We were also told by a waitress that they were extremely understaffed—only two servers for the entire venue. After that, we didn’t see her again. The only person who truly stepped up was Raul, the bartender upstairs. He went above and beyond: bringing out plates, mixing drinks, setting tables, fetching silverware—essentially running the entire event by himself. He was the one bright spot in an otherwise disappointing evening.

This reservation was made a full week in advance. There was no excuse for the lack of preparation or support. If you're considering this venue for a special event, think twice—and if Kimberly is assigned as your coordinator, I strongly urge you to request someone else. She was unhelpful from beginning to end and had a significant hand in turning what should have been a joyous celebration into a stressful and...