Post-COVID: Palace Is Open. Basically a Bikini Bar at the Moment.

Showed up on a Sunday. The club had been open for a couple of days. $10 cover and a touchless temperature check. Waitstaff and the doorgirl had masks on. Other staff did not. There was a tape perimeter around the bar on the floor and no stools. Dancers didn't have masks on stage but did while sitting with customers. Customers didn't have to wear masks. $6.75 bottled beer. Tables were spaced apart, but they're usually spaced pretty far apart on the main floor and it didn't look like there were fewer tables. The side stage by the front entrance was taped off and not being used.

Very slow. Only two girls dressed and on the floor the entire time I was there. Monica (blonde hair, light skin) and Natalie (black hair, brown skin). Both pretty and friendly. Stages dances few and far between, which was okay since there were only two girls and cutting the stage dances allowed them to mingle. Not that many customers. I had to wait a little while because the dancers were tied up when I arrived. Dancers went topless on the second song on stage, again no mask while performing on main. The palace main stage is pretty high off the floor, so customers could tip stageside so long as they didn't linger. Club was lit just as bright as ever. Pre-COVID this is one of the better clubs in town for dancer talent, but the vibe is not as much to my liking as its sister club.

Onto the dances, there were no lapdances being offered. Private dances I was offered were table dances. No touch at a distance. $20 a dance. On the main floor out in the open. I bought them because why not? They were awkward, but the dancer keeping me company was game and did some sexy wiggling. Used a chair at the table. Like a scene out of so many towns that have lousy strip clubs. It's San Antonio, which isn't a lousy strip club town, but things are what they are while the phased reopening is happening. I wouldn't be going back here until things are back to something like normal. If you liked Palace before the lockdowns, check to see if your favs are around and maybe go check it out. If you're not a local, not sure there's much to see here at the moment.