Essence

Reserving stars simply because it was afternoon on MLK Day and place was understandably dead. Bartender was friendly. However only TWO beers on tap? And told him how to make a chilton & it was horrible. Should have specified a vodka.
I doubt that we will frequent this place. We are more low key and a guy dancing in a g-​string on a brass pole or in a see-​thru shower cubicle isn’t our idea of a great show. I’m sure it’s a lot more fun at peak times and for a younger generation.

Drinks were cheap. Male strippers were hot. A little unconventional, but that’s why I like San Antonio.
Definitely on the dive bar spectrum of things. Bathroom was not the cleanest, but I was also one of very few women there so what are you gonna do.

For fans of Dalton, he has returned and is just as cunning as ever! The place always seems livelier when he’s there. Yay, Dalton!
However, I have to point out something really egregious. I get it if you’re not into your job, but if you’re a stripper, you do need to look mildly interested. Last night, one of the guys was up on the bar dancing while eating a bag of Skittles. Wtf?

So, this place is a dive, but what else would you expect from a gay strip bar?
Having said that, the staff is very nice, there’s a juke box, an outside area for smoking and on Sundays they have a great float the keg special. I enjoy this place, as I’ve always felt welcomed, the drinks are decently priced, and it’s a great place to watch the demise of the gay civilization with closeted men bitting their lips as they watch a boy twerk on the ceiling.
Also, no photography. There should also be a «no drunk straight girl» clause, as there will inevitably be a straight girl and her gay best friend showing up and getting ratchet.

The essence is a great bar! Gotta love miss kayla who is an amazing bartender:) all the strippers are freak in amazing! I go there every week to visit my 3 main people!

I rarely ever go to bars but this one has a great atmosphere even on days when they aren’t busy which is usually during the week. I’ve come here more often than I usually would, lol love the tarantula shots

Easy going, laid back place but always has a tempo to move shake what ya momma have ya. Boss tunes, great staff. Some of the staff is easy on the eyes to be anatomically I mean… Naw them folks in the underoos are a sight for sore eyes who am I kidding let’s not lie. I’d recommend it to friends and enemies, maybe bit enemies don’t funk up good digs. Did I say there are men in underoos?

This place gets a bad rap from people at the other gay bars. IDK why!!!
I went last Saturday to have one beer with my sister and we ended up staying the enitre night. All of the bartenders are fast here. The male dancers were very fun too. No meat heads with stank attitudes :)
The DJ was really funny and good looking. I think his name was Gumbee. This guy played all kinds of music from Britney Spears to 2Chainz. My sister even got to dance on the pole in their strip contest LOL! She won me a free tshirt just for trying. I would definitely recommend this place to my friends. CHEAP drinks, casual atomosphere, and great variety of music.

Essence is not a strip club… it’s really not even a club, more like a dive bar. Although there are sexy mens dangling from the ceiling so *maybe* it can be considered a strip club? Your call.
What Essence IS, is a nice laid-​back, bitch-​free bar in which you can have some of the strongest yet least expensive drinks around, all while admiring a little eye candy (weekends only). I have never had a problem with pretentious people here, and at the same token I have never had a problem with any trashy people here, either.
They have a security guard so it seems pretty safe, and their response time is always very fast should a fight break out (face it, it’s a bar, it happens when immature people and alcohol are mixed together).
As for the bartenders, there are fewer and fewer bartenders here who I know but I do love how I can always rely on good old Stan and Alex to mix my drinks with love :) They make a lot of specialty drinks and shots and have a great selection of well drinks, with Red Bull on tap to mix with the poison of your choosing.
Perhaps the only «iffy» thing about Essence is the bathrooms… one single bathroom for ladies (sorry ladies!) and a not-​so-​clean bathroom for the guys. If you go early enough, this is not a problem, but you can tell they get a little behind and a little short-​staffed as the night progresses.
Essence is a great place to have a few pre-​drinks before hitting up the actual clubs and I just love how there’s always a diverse mix of people here, people of all ages, races, colors, and persuasions! It makes it that much more fun! As for the music, I’m not sure what happened to DJ Gumbi but I must say, he has been the best DJ at the Essence so far.

Let me start off with saying this place just isn’t my cup of tea. It is just one large room with a bar in the middle and a pool table. There is also a lovely glass shower built into the wall for the male strippers walking around to perform in. There is a tiny stage with a stripper pole for them to dance on and when they arent up there they are walking around talking and making that money. The crowd is usually the older gay scene so if that’s what you’re looking for then you have found the right place!

Essence is the kinda fun you have when you think no one can see you lol. Gin. Sin. Skin. Fun.
This place is pretty much a judgment free dive with strippers running around serving up shots, dancing on bars, and taking showers in their undies for your pleasure/​entertainment. They offer up some great (cheap) drink specials too so don’t miss out. Just remember to keep «the buddy system» in full effect while you’re here and you’ll be just fine. And don’t forget to bring a fist full of singles with ya ;)

Since I’m not gay, nor a frequent strip club customer, I think this review should serve as proof that Essence is just plain FUN for anyone. Simple as that. I ended my Saturday night here this past weekend, thus the reason for my necessity of vitamin G the next morning. SO. MUCH. FUN.
If boys in g-​strings swinging from the rafters could possibly make you uncomfortable, then Essence might not be your thing, but you should know that there are literally ALL kinds of people here. Straight, gay, a lil of both, old, young, black, white, etc. It’s a great place to meet new people, as everyone is really friendly and you will undoubtedly strike up a conversation in the bathroom line with the most interesting person you’ve ever met, or get hit on by a lesbian. It’s flattering to be hit on by any gender, right?
My favorite thing about this place is the music. Hands down, the best music selection. This talented DJ plays the best hip hop, old and new, to keep the crowd dancing all night long, plus it doesn’t hurt that he’s as easy on the eyes as he is on the ears. I have yet to find a club in San Antonio that plays consistently good hip hop besides this one.
Word to the wise, the jello shots going around are dangerous. You may as well ask the young, half-​naked man serving them to go ahead and roofie you. Just depends on how much fun you really want to have.

Great prices. Lively and mixed crowd. Jukebox.

On a Thursday night I walk into the bar for a friends birthday, recognize the door guy, so we start catching up on things. Suddenly a man wearing only a thong comes to grab me in places only my lover should. Shocked, I ask, «why would a gay guy do that to a stranger?» Then the door guy says «he’s not even gay». That was pretty ballsy half naked non gay dude. Very very ballsy.
So, if you like that sort of attention, come get fondled here.

What can I say? Skin. I’ve certainly been to better strip joints in Montréal and new york. San Antonio needs to catch up. Enough said.