The Stephen F’s Bar and Terrace at the Stephen F. Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel will don new apparel for the holiday season. The spot will transform into a holiday pop-up bar, Ralphie's on Congress, inspired by the 1983 film “A Christmas Story.”
Stephen F's Bar and Terrace is decorated with holiday lights, a Christmas tree, cardboard cut-outs and other holiday decorations for its holiday pop-up bar, Ralphie's on Congress. (Dacia Garcia/Community Impact)
Stephen F's Bar and Terrace is decorated with holiday lights, a Christmas tree, cardboard cutouts and other holiday decorations for its holiday pop-up bar, Ralphie's on Congress. (Dacia Garcia/Community Impact)
The details

The space is decked with twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling, a Christmas tree with retro-color bulbs and wrapped gifts, cardboard cutouts of actor Peter Billingsley’s character Ralphie in the film, fragile leg lamps throughout the bar and other holiday decorations. A replica of Ralphie’s Red Ryder BB gun is also set to make an appearance.
Stephen F's Bar and Terrace is decked with leg lamps, a call-back to the 1983 film 'A Christmas Story' that inspired the pop-up bar's theme. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
Stephen F's Bar and Terrace is decked with leg lamps, a call-back to the 1983 film "A Christmas Story" that inspired the pop-up bar's theme. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
Ralphie’s on Congress features a menu with specialty cocktails, including The Ovaltine with a mezcal base, the Fra-Gee-Lay with champagne and vanilla liqueur, the Angry Red Ryder with hard cider and Deep Eddy Peach, and the Oh, Fudge espresso martini.

Hotel guests can also add the “Ralphie’s Night Out” package to their booking to go along with the pop-up bar experience. The package includes cocktail vouchers, discounted valet parking, late checkout and a waived destination fee.
The bar menu offers appetizers such as a cheese board which includes, bread, crackers, a variety of nuts, fresh and dried fruits, aged goat milk cheese, moutonzola blue cheese and black truffle caciotta. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
The bar menu offers appetizers such as a cheese board, which includes, bread, crackers, a variety of nuts, fresh and dried fruits, aged goat milk cheese, moutonzola blue cheese and black truffle caciotta. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
Also of note

Stephen F’s Bar and Terrace began creating pop-up bar experiences in April 2023. The theme was inspired by a restaurant, The Austin, which used to be in the hotel in the 1920s. The pop-up paid homage to the restaurant with food from the original menu, as well as drinks from the era and 1920s jazz music, Director of Sales and Marketing Lori Hughes said.
The Stephen F's Bar and Terrace will offer specialty cocktails for its Ralphie's on Congress pop-up bar in additional to its menu that offers wine, beer, cocktails, spirits and cigars. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
The Stephen F's Bar and Terrace will offer specialty cocktails for its Ralphie's on Congress pop-up bar in additional to its menu that offers wine, beer, cocktails, spirits and cigars. (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
The Stephen F. Austin Hotel, which opened in 1924, celebrated its 100-year anniversary this year and held another 1920s-themed pop-up bar in April to mark the occasion, Hughes said.

The idea for Ralphie’s on Congress came from an ideation meeting with hotel staff and administration. The movie happens to be hotel chef Stephen McDowell’s favorite movie, Hughes said.
The Ralphie's on Congress pop-up bar by Stephen F's Bar and Terrace is inspired by the 1983 film, 'A Christmas Story.' (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)
The Ralphie's on Congress pop-up bar by Stephen F's Bar and Terrace is inspired by the 1983 film "A Christmas Story." (Elisabeth Jimenez/Community Impact)