The Korova

Sound quality sucks. Please work on that and having food and other things to encourage the place not being the run of the mill unambitious San Antonio joint that every artist regrets going to. How bout a dart board? Anything!!! Please promote bands better too. Saw reverend Horton Heat there and it wasn’t even packed. Legendary shack shakers? Dead! Oh and tell Hank III to come play there please. SA has so much unused potential… sadly. Cmon Kirova!

Ok, was pissed off about waiting line in the cold when it said 7:30 on my ticket. Open mind now that I’m in.

Live sound is great! Park in the big lot, no its not free. Lock it up and hide your valuables. Like any rock venue, the bathrooms are a bit gross. But thats to be expected. I have seen Suffocation here, as well as Dying Fetus with Cattle Decapitation and Cerebral Bore. They were great shows. I dont know how much the drink prices are because I didnt have anything to drink either time.

Nice little location for a show. Though the drinks are a bit overpriced, that’s just to be expected at any bar setting like that. Since this venue is rather small, I really enjoyed being able to get so close and personal to the stage while seeing my favorite band at the time. Also, if you’re a smoker or need a brief moment of fresh air, they have an area right out front that you can freely go in and out of. No complications of getting in and out of the doors like I’ve seen at other locations. Pretty chill and laid back place for people to have a good time from what I saw. Worth checking out.

If I could give this place zero or negative stars, I would. We’ve been here twice and never again. The bathrooms are utterly disgusting, the sound was horrific, and the employees were rude and not helpful in the slightest. The women’s bathrooms are some of the worst I’ve seen. The first time we were there, there was mud, urine and questionable substances caked on the floor, one of the toilets didn’t work at all and the other barely flushed. This time, the floor was cleaner but one of the toilets was out of toilet paper (which the employees knew about. The women of the staff didn’t bother trying to find more), and the other toilet was covered in toilet paper, urine, and signs telling you how to flush it. The sound was terrible. It was so loud that I’m still afraid I might not get all of my hearing back, the instruments drowned out the vocals completely, and what vocals you could hear every now and then were shoddy at best. There was a great line up tonight and we were severely disappointed. The only band that sounded good was the one that brought their own sound tech– and they weren’t even the headliner. This was a $ 10 quality show, and thats being generous. We paid much more than that and spent most of the show hiding the the bathrooms or outside because those were the only places where the music sounded good. The employees (other than the bartenders) were rude. They wouldn’t help you if you needed it, and if they deemed you worthy of a reply they wouldn’t even crack a smile. Behind the bar, there are unused taps that look like they are either covered in plastic wrap or mold, it was hard to tell in the low lighting. I have never wanted to leave a show so badly in my life. The only reason why we stayed was the price of the tickets and the fact that we don’t get to see these bands too often. But if they’re ever going to Korova again, I sure as hell won’t be attending.

Been kicked out of this place before for no reason… saying I let someone jump the gate??? Ummm, Do I work here??? its not my job to keep people out. LOL place was a dump anyways, drug deals constantly going on, people trying to grab you since everyone’s packed like sardines in there.
place sucked,

Although this place isn’t the best looking venue I had a great time here!!! I got to be face to face with one of my favorite bands while they played. It was a totally different experience than other concerts I’ve been to (Meaning I didn’t have to fight through a huge crowd of flailing, kicking rockers to get up close to the band) also the bartender who served me was friendly and actually held conversation with me, unlike other places where they are in a hurry to serve you your drinks and move on to the next customer.
I will be back for sure!

I was at the Korova last night for the Rotting Out show. The doors were supposed to open at six, but didn’t until around 6:45 so we had to wait out in the cold. Almost every show I’ve been to hasn’t opened on time but there wasn’t any apparent excuse for this. Even the people that payed in advance couldn’t get inside on time, out of the cold weather. Once we were in, everything was great. Great staff, doing their job the best they can. Clean restrooms, clean furniture, large space for merchandise. There was a fight in the pit that was quickly stopped by the staff and handled well. I can’t comment on the bar because I am under 21, but everyone else seemed happy with their drinks. Overall, great experience, just wish I could have gotten into the warm building a little earlier.

Aha. Aha. Its Stanley Kubrick themed. Aha. Heh. Ew.
This is, by far, the dirtiest bar I’ve ever been to; which after thirteen years of going to punk shows, I promise is not a compliment. Broken toilets, sketchy atmosphere, horrible brick wall of sound guy that kept bottoming out, surly bar manager, and six dollar Shiners. I get that this is a concert venue, but come on – you have to have something going for you. Anything. Oh, and the ATM is the digital equivalent of Russian Roulette. Just great.
Half a star for the bartender with the musical notes tattoo, he’s a sweetheart. Else wise, I can’t imagine any band actually playing here unless it was the only possible option in central Texas.
Yuck.

It’s just good not great, it was better when you could go downstairs. Only performers can go downstairs now

Weak mixed drinks, cash only cover, limited bar, and mediocre acoustics. Nothing else to say. To have a better live music experience, head to The Cove, 502 Bar, or Sam’s Burger Joint.

I’ve come here twice for shows– once, the show was cancelled with no explanation or apologies from management. We assumed, like most musicians, that they were just running late, but by 10PM we finally asked and were told.
In the staff’s defense, I wouldn’t have stayed and bought three watered-​down drinks if they’d told me at the door.
What could be a great concept and space is poorly executed and bathrooms might as well be imaginary because you won’t be able to get to them if there is anyone on stage. Or around the stage. Or in front of the stage.
Drink selection has improved and the lineup seems to be targeting an audience other than teenagers, which has helped improve the image here– now if only it could motivate someone to actually clean this place.

Surprisingly… impressive!
I’m still kinda shocked by that… I’ve been to the Korova a handful of times over the past couple years, but never reviewed for lack of a single nice thing to say about it. Seriously. Not one.
This time though (last night, Mad Caddies show)…the sound was flippin’ awesome, and the beer selection was *vastly* improved and reasonably priced (partner-​in-​shenanigans and I drank $ 5 bottles of Left Hand Milk Stout — out of their actual full glass bottles like grown-​ups and everything, wooo! — and there were also Sierra Nevadas and several other great offerings there keeping the standard Lone Stars company). Every staff member I encountered was smiling, friendly, and efficient, and — probably best improvement of all — the place did not (literally) stink. No funk whatsoever! :)
Good times!

This place is dirty. The bathrooms are really bad. When we got there it was pretty much all teenagers moshing. When that act was over they all left & there were only about 20 people left. I wasn’t familiar with the headliners but they were alright. The beer selection is ridiculously small. Some of the beer served was warm. I don’t know what types of shows play here because I’m not from the area but unless it was someone I really wanted to see I wouldn’t return.

A small but good venue for music. This place doesn’t get big names but they do get up and coming and those on their way out. The cover is usually reasonable, as are the drinks. There is a main stage and a tiny stage in the basement, that usually hosts local groups. I’d say main stage area can hold 500 standing room.

I just want to apologize to Mr. Peter Murphy of The Bauhaus for having to endure a set with a sound and mix that did not compliment your artistry and to you as a true visionary! After all what singer doesn’t want to be able to hear himself as he sings, as well as the audience that he hopes will connect to his music. I must have counted five or six instances when the microphone had to be changed, by the sound man, as none of them was up to task. And to listen to him run through his legendary and extensive Bauhaus catalog and to hear constant feedback is unacceptable and embarrassing!
The door people were fantastic! The bartenders were amazing! And the place itself, I have seen lesser places transformed into palaces for the ear with a great PA. system! I had red in an interview that it is the Korova’s acoustics that are the causing the terrible sound there and if that is the case than it must be fixed, BY THE OWNER!!!
If you want to appear as a professional establishment and want to work with artists of the like, your venue must be the same. These are people that play arenas and small clubs interchangeably and expect excellence. Shouldn’t you be demanding the same of your club? I certainly do!

I really do prefer this music venue over others. Mainly because it’s spacious. There is room for the standing crowd, place to sit, have a drink and enjoy the music, or just enjoy the bar. There is an upstairs stage and a basement stage. Usually two different types are music are going on which is always a plus if you indecisive with music taste as I am.
I’ve seen both national acts/​bands and local bands at the Korova. They have a wide selection of music genres coming through. Everything from local DJ’s to punk rock bands from your youth. The sound is usually really good. Not over the top loud and clear.
The bar has a decent selection of beer. It’s added a lot of options since my last visit so that’s a plus. Bartenders are friendly. I haven’t tried the mix drinks here but from the looks of it they have a good stock for options.
On the downside bathrooms are decent but not the cleanest. Then the No mirrors in the bathroom situation. What is a girl to do? Parking can be a bit of a pain. There is no designated parking lot. Never had a problem finding parking though. A little walk won’t hurt.

I’m all for live music, heck even dance music, especially in places called The Korova, but ever since they divided the down stairs from the upstairs and segregated the smokers to the parking lot, the Korova fails me.
Just to point out some additional flaws, the stage is set up with foldable chairs as the stairs. I mean, how is that safe? I know its rock and roll, but some times taking short cuts is not only cheap, but its an eye sore! Another blemish is the restrooms. When this place first opened it was gorgeous, the past two times I’ve visited the entire place seems to be falling apart (the stage, the chairs, the haggard toilet seats). They’ve even taken down all of the amazing Clockwork Orange paintings and is far from similar to the Korova milk bar in that film. The Korova just needs revamping.
Its too bad, because there is so much potential to be a real awesome live music venue with the wide space, great view and excellent bar.
While this is all tolerable when your favorite band comes to town, its not a place I would go just for fun on the weekend anymore. I would imagine management and the crew will step things up during the spillover from SXSW. Let us hope the club will be up to par for our out of town musical guests.
Also on our recent trip (2÷24÷12) the bar was cash only with a convenient ATM machine located just a few steps from the bar.

For a place that used to be a strip club and a coffee shop, Korova isn’t too shabby.
This is the place to be to hear awesome punk rock in San Antonio.
There’s plenty of room. It’s nowhere as tiny and cramped as Emo’s in Austin.
Drinks are cheap and the bartenders are friendly.

Just ok.
Restrooms are hard to get to for the men if it’s a crowded show like last Sunday’s Mute Math was.
Bar drinks were good.
The sound kept going out — not sure if it was the venue’s speakers, soundman, or the band’s issue — but whatever — the sound shut off in different areas at least 3 times — very annoying and unacceptable for paying ticketholders. Not sure if they pushed it too loud, if the speakers overheated or they were blowing fuses.
Not sure I’d drive all the way from Dallas to see another show here :-(