The Ostrich

The Ostrich is located behind a wooden door at the bottom of a stairwell around the corner from Crust Chandler. The name of this basement bar could suggest an ostrich burying its head in the ground, but actually, this was the room where ostrich feathers were stored by city founder Dr. A.J. Chandler himself. A little more history about this bar: It’s housed in the historic tunnels that connected the golf course clubhouse of the Crowne Plaza San Marcos to the nearby railroad station. Today, the antique mugshots, decorative barrels, vintage books and life-size ostrich sculpture all pay tribute to this early Chandler era. The dark drinking lounge opened in 2015 and serves classic and complicated craft cocktails. We recommend the Vieux Carre, a New Orleans-born tipple made with whiskey, cognac and Benedictine or the Trunk Murderess, which blends the flavors of bourbon, amaro, pistachio and coffee.