Nesta Dive Bar

Good spot for a cheap beer and a punk show. If you’re looking for a good place to party, they only take cash, and they usually have good live music.

In the ongoing quest for the perfect dive bar in San Antonio, I ventured to Nesta Dive Bar last night. It’s in my neighborhood, walkable, and I was in the mood to shoot a little pool, so I figured I’d check it out and have a beer, maybe stick around depending on the crowd, the music, etc.
After about 30 mins from walking through the door under the multi-​color flashing neon light, I was sweating profusely and drinking my Lonestar tallboy more for hydration purposes than anything else. It must have been 95 degrees outside and 105 degrees inside (no air conditioning). Pool table and cues were in decent shape, and «free to play anytime,» however, it adds a whole new level of challenge to the game if your hands are sweating and the cue sticks to your hand inconsistently… ain’t no amount of hand talc gonna fix that.
If you were to stop by this place on a cooler night, it probably would be alright. DJ was setting up as I left, and I’ve heard this place brings some decent music. Outside tables are alright for chilling out as well. Price was right. Overall, I’d say this place is one of the diveyest of dives I’ve been in a while, more like an October through April type of place.

Living in San Antonio you begin to see the line between the highest and the lowest end of possible experiences is not that wide. On one end you might experience the time of your life in Stone Oak the same as you did somewhere say, in the Southside. But I have learned that the most fulfilling ones happen at the spur of the moment, when we least expect them. Enter Nesta Dive Bar, a place so unassuming you never knew it existed.
It is right across the street from St. Henry’s Church in Southtown. Before Nesta this place was once Wolff’s Bar, a seemingly seedy spot at one time. But now the formerTejano/​Biker haunt has been transformed into a Rock Steady/​Reggae Bar. Inside it is a bit dark, but there are candles on tables to guide you throughout the room. It is exremely small. There are a few tables. A billiard table sits with a jukebox accompanying it. In addition there is a counter where a bartender takes your order. First and fore most the beer is really cheap here. Since it is a Reggae/​Ska themed bar they sell Ska Brewing Co. beers like Mexican Logger or Modus Hoperandi, my personal favorite IPA of theirs. But they also carry Lonestars, Miller Lite etc. at low prices.
The bartender was extremely friendly and has a sense of the city and the music community at large. This is important since I suspect she is the one that principally books all the shows here. They have punk, rock steady, drone and other types of genres that play here on any given night. All different types of people come here, dread-​locked fellows and bookworm ladies but I suspect it is mainly the people that live in this area. It is laid back and chill. People chat over music and no one puts on any airs about themselves. This spot is pretty much as it specifies on its Facebook account, a dive.
I think this spot has a lot of potential. My only critique is that it does get a little warm inside. But they put tables outside so you can continue your experience here, which I noticed some people do, especially during a humid summer night.
Nesta Dive Bar is exactly what it purports it is, a dive bar. It is small. Music plays from a jukebox and you order cheap beers. The service here is great and the vibe is equal to that. If you are looking for the true defintion of a dive bar and you don’t mind a few crusty punk rockers with ten speed bikes then this might be your place.