Three Star Bar Announces Summer Opening
May 29, 2021 - Downtown
Three Star Bar. The newest addition to the downtown culinary scene, will open its doors in July 2021. The bar/eatery plans to provide a cozy and welcoming atmosphere with its vintage food and drinks. Bottom Images: Jeret Peña of the Boulevardier Group and bartender Rob Gourlay. Courtesy Images.
By Valeria Torrealba, Senior Reporter | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Three Star Bar, a new San Antonio eatery, will open its doors in July 2021.
- The bar/eatery plans to provide a cozy and welcoming atmosphere with its vintage food and drinks.
Three Star Bar, the latest endeavor by Boulevardier Group Owner Jeret Peña, Chef Josh Calderon and bartender Rob Gourlay have taken on, is set to open its doors just north of downtown San Antonio in July.
The new 7,000 square foot eatery will feature deli-inspired cuisine and comfort food in addition to boasting a full bar with a focus on high quality whiskey and local brews. Three Star Bar will seat approximately 140 people and will be located at 521 E Grayson St.
The luxurious and casual restaurant was a concept of Jeret Peña, who owns the Boulevardier Group, Hello Paradise and is involved in the cocktail programs at Esquire Tavern, House of Má, Hugman’s Oasis and more. Peña is the co-owner and beverage director at Three Star Bar, while co-owner Rob Gourlay serves as general manager and Josh Calderon takes the helm of the kitchen as the chef/culinary director and co-owner.
“We’re really excited to open Three Star Bar,” Peña said in a press release. “It’s a really casual concept that doesn’t sacrifice quality. The food and beverage menus are relaxed, but still use high-end ingredients.”
Chef Calderon previously ran the kitchen at Cookhouse as Executive Chef and managed Bud’s Southern Rotisserie in San Antonio after moving back to the city from California, where he served as the Executive Chef for the Belcampo Group. Calderon received his certification from The Culinary Institute of America San Antonio campus and later earned his associate's and bachelor’s degrees at The Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park campus in New York.
For Calderon, the idea behind Three Star Bar stemmed from the lack of casual whiskey bars in San Antonio. The idea of wanting to mix a delicious culinary experience with a refreshing beverage — a classy bar where patrons can take a bite out of a great sandwich and casually enjoy a drink. Calderon mixed his experiences from having lived in California, New York and Pennsylvania into the restaurant, striving to combine the traditional, iconic foods with the bar’s menu.
“With everything going on around us, there’s not a good place that’s not a corporate place where you can get just a good sandwich,” Calderon said. “There’s not a good sandwich place. It evolved from what we wanted and what we couldn’t get in the area.”
The menu will offer appetizers like whiskey and maple glazed meatballs, deviled eggs and borracho bean hummus, while the main entrees include a variety of fresh sandwiches filled with pork, meatballs, cured beef and more. The cocktail menu will offer a variety of spirits but focus on high quality whiskeys, local brews, a selection of wines and more. A full menu and opening date for Three Star Bar will be announced at a later date.
The bar will have a welcoming atmosphere with nods to vintage food and drink memorabilia.
“We want it to be casual. Not fuzzy. We’re only outside of downtown. We wanted to see a casual place to come hang out, relax, come grab lunch, come have a lunch meeting if needed,” Calderon said. “You don’t have to make a reservation nor do you have to get all dressed up to come out. Just enjoy yourself. We want it to be a very casual, low-key fun experience for everybody.”
Valeria Torrealba is an opinions columnist and public relations assistant at the University Star, a student publication of Texas State University. Email her at reporter@sasentinel.com