Situated in the heart of Midtown is Fao—Houston’s true gamer arcade. Featuring a 400-square-foot center bar, the space comes complete with couches for lounging, 360-degree barstools, and just the right number of TVs. The menu includes small bites like nachos and popcorn, as well as pizza and hot dogs. And there’s more than just screens for you eyes to take in—the arcade has a beautiful skyline view and an elevator ride up.

Kung Fu Saloon is the Austin-based arcade bar with multiple outposts across Texas and Tennessee. Its Houston location is home to vintage arcade games like Galaga, Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, Golden Tee, Big Buck Hunter, and plenty more. Along with those nostalgic games, Kung Fu Saloon is filled with table games like ping-pong, foosball, and shuffleboard.

Located in EaDo, Neihl’s Bahr is a late-night hangout with video games and karaoke nights. Within walking distance of the Dynamo Stadium, Warehouse Live, and Minute-Maid Park, Neihl’s also has an extensive comic book collection.

Amid the whirlwind of entertainment options at this popular Bellaire neighborhood hotspot, including bowling, arcade games, immersive VR, sports simulators, and more, there lies a hidden gem of a bar with its own dizzying array of offerings. The beers on tap are plenty and varied, wines flow from California to Chile, the whiskeys are a “Scots Dream,” and the signature cocktails are abundant and affordable. Palace Social’s bar is like an arcade for grown ups.

Like one of Matthew McConaughey’s famous lines, “Party at the moon tower,” and in this case, it's the Moon Tower Inn, Sudworks & Cookshack. This beer garden has never played around. For a while its website URL was “damn good food cold ass beer dot com.” While they’ve moved on from that website, Moon Tower does just that, offering hefty burgers, a Wagyu weenie, juicy tacos, and tubesteaks with wild game—like rabbit, pheasant, buffalo, elk, duck, wild boar, deer, and lamb—all served on a pretzel bun. Not only are beers like Equal Parts, Elder Son, and B52 on the menu, but Moon Tower produces its own ales, including the Panther Hawk Pale, a golden straw colored beauty. No colorful chairs or Instagrammable areas here; just picnic tables, grub, and brews. Cheers.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sometimes after work, all you need is a beer, and Onion Creek Cafe always delivers. While you can call it a biergarten for the extensive list of brews—there’s more than 100 to choose from, 22 of which are on tap, and mostly local—there’s also wine, rotating frozen drinks, and a full bar for any cocktail you desire. There’s never a need to dress to impress; just bring your dog, your friend, or your phone, and chill out on their funky patio to take a beat. Don’t forget to go with an appetite, whether it be for brunch or dinner—everything on the menu is stellar. There’s nothing like biting into the in-house smoked brisket tacos, paired with a cold one. Or munching on the Ranchero Cobb aside a frozen Blue Moon.

Like many of the spots on our list, King's BierHaus is primarily a restaurant. In this case, a German bier garden with a few Austrian and American twists. But also like many entries, their beer and cocktail list is just as extensive. While it’s beer that takes center stage, and we’re talking Lagers, Pilsners, Hefeweizens, and Dunkels galore, they also have a decent list of cocktails and wines. So next time you’re in the Heights (or League City) stop in to Kings BierHaus and visit the old country for a schnitzel and a bier. You can leave your lederhosen at home.

This Houston mainstay in Northside lays claim to being Texas' oldest craft Brewery. And since 1994 has been brewing their special blend of year round go-tos (like their Lawnmower, a German-style kolsch), and seasonal and limited favorites like Spring Bock and Summer Pils. Great for picking up a sixer and taking home, or enjoying in their massive beer hall with a group of friends.

West Alabama Ice House isn’t just a bar, it’s also an outdoor bar, a sports bar, a dog-friendly bar, a bar with a pool table, and a bar with a Ping-Pong table; it’s also a bar with a nearby food truck, and a bar with a slew of delicious craft beers. In essence, it’s a Texas ice house, a place for folks to gather and enjoy a nice cold drink (among other leisurely activities) with friends and neighbors. It’s also one of our favorite bars.

This retro-futuristic hot spot is full of surprises. Upon entering, you’re greeted by a neon lightscape that makes you feel as if you’ve unwittingly entered into a Bond villain’s hideout. The bar keeps that cinematic vibe going throughout. Behind a secret door on the first level you’ll find another bar that is an exact replica of the bar from The Shining. Then, upstairs, you’ll find an expansive, red-hued room that was designed to evoke the vibe of Blade. If you have a Bond villain side to you, you’ve found your new lair.

Relive (or live for the first time) all of the excesses of the 1980s at Downtown dance spot Cherry, a retro-themed club from the minds behind Rosemont and the Commoner & the Boulevardier. The walls of this electric dance club are lined with paintings of ’80s-era icons like Michael Jackson, David Bowie, and Madonna, and the nightly DJ music reflects the art. The bar’s over-the-top vibe extends from wall to wall and from its zebra-print flooring to its ceiling, where you will find a giant rotating disco ball shaped like a unicorn. Cherry is maximalism to its most maximum, and that’s perhaps why we love it so much.

If you don’t have the star power to light up a bar when you walk into it, then maybe it’s time to go to a bar that lights up for you. This Montrose club, located next door to Rudyard’s, features a futuristic design that includes tables, benches, and walls that all are lit from within with neon-hued lights. It’s an effect that makes you feel very much like you’re in a bar from Tron—albeit the only racing you will do here is through your dance moves to the bar’s constant supply of high-energy DJ music. 

South Beach is less of a drinking establishment and more of a high-energy, dance-fueled, laser light show spectacle. Sure, you can get great (and strong) cocktails here, but to be clear this space, which just reopened, is more about dancing, partying, and letting loose. A preferred nightspot for the city’s gay community, South Beach features 10,000 square feet of space for go-go dancers, multilevel dance floors, and even a liquid nitrogen cooling system when things get too hot. Who knows, you may even get lucky and catch a performance by one of Houston’s many talented drag queens.

Admittedly the bar here is fairly mainstream with a variety of beers and wines. But what got us to stand up and take notice is their Ethiopian honey wine, often called tej, a sweet beverage typically made from fermented honey. This unique drink is considered one of the oldest in history and is most often enjoyed in African countries like Ethiopia and Eritrea. Some people call it a modern day mead. We call it a revelation. And then we had to call a cab to get home. It’s best enjoyed here on the weekends, when the normally laid-back lounge and restaurant transforms into a full nightclub with live music, couples dancing between tables, and hookah on the patio.

We dare you to try a few cocktails at this downtown legend and try to say its name five times fast. Bad News Bar offers a speakeasy vibe next to Market Square Park and a rotating seasonal menu based off its extensive spirits list. From absinthe to Zirbenz (an Austrian pine fruit liqueur), “something for everyone” isn’t hyperbole here. Whiskey fans will be especially interested in their extensive list of labels from around the globe.

The name may conjure images of fancy derby hats and Benoit Blanc drawls, but Julep celebrates more than just a Deep South palate. This 2022 James Beard Award winner and Washington Avenue mainstay dedicates itself to showcasing all the diversity and culture that make Houston great. It also serves a local beer if you’re not in the mood for liquor. And if you can’t make it out to the bar, owner Alba Huerta has published a book with some of Julep’s scintillating secrets that you can explore right in the comfort of your home.

Yo ho ho and a bottle of fun! Okay, so Lei Low may actually sport a retro “South Pacific as interpreted by GIs and Don Draper” aesthetic, with nary a pirate in sight, but it does have a devotion to all things rum in common. Enjoy the heavy pours and tropical flavors inspired by the likes of Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic’s, and Mai Kai (the legendary bar homaged in Lei Low’s recent New Year’s celebration).

Located in an apartment above Anvil, an exquisite cocktail bar in its own right, Refuge provides an intimate space to enjoy a drink away from Montrose’s vivacious nightlife. There are more than 200 spirits to sample, but only 50 seats, which makes it an ideal spot to settle in for a while. There’s a drink for every mood. Order up a classic (THAT SAZERAC!) or something more experimental and fresh. Show up early, though. Reservations are extremely limited.

Nestled in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Montrose strip center, this beachy hideaway offers its own take on tropical standards like the Painkiller, Zombie, and Hurricane, alongside the distinctly Texas delights found in its Tropic Like It’s Hot (featuring jalapeño tequila) and the mango-chili Rings of Saturn. Soak up your drink with one of their hearty entrees featuring flavors from around the world. It’s like a trip to Galveston without all the sticky tar balls under your feet. 

From its diner-style checkerboard tile to its string lights, vintage arcade games, and CD-playing jukeboxes, this eclectic Heights watering hole oozes classic dive bar charm. Catch some local live music in an intimate setting as you sip on Big Star’s expansive (and affordable) selection of craft beers. In the cooler months, pull up a chair around the fire pit in the bar’s large backyard and share stories with friends and the bar’s resident cat, Orange Julius (yes, Big Star is pet friendly!). Whatever the season, you’re sure to find a sense of community and a few good stories at this quintessential dive.

If Montrose had a mayor, their office would most definitely be Catbirds. As the Westheimer strip has changed around it, this dive bar staple has remained the same. Home to some of the best cocktails you can find in a low-key environment, Catbirds stands for quality without the pretension, just how we like it. It also hosts regular DJ nights and live bands, meaning you’ll always be entertained during your visits.

 

 

 

 

 

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Is there a dive in Houston more hallowed than Grand Prize? The Museum District staple has been a prime stomping ground for Houston’s creative community since it first opened back in 2010, and it’s easy to see why. The bar hits all of the dive bar hallmarks: pool tables, arcade games, string lights (and lots of them), ample patio space, and an expansive menu of both cold beers and craft cocktails. The murals inside this two-story establishment (there’s a bar on each level) also make it stand out from the rest of its competition.

When the owners of this buzzy dive in the East End were trying to come up with a name for the spot, they tried to come up with the most ridiculous name possible—and in that pursuit they were most definitely successful. “Lil’ Danny’s,” as people have come to call it, is one of Houston’s most quintessential dive bars. It’s a great spot if you enjoy playing pool or chilling on a patio with one of the delicious frozen cocktails. It’s an even greater spot if you like variety in your bar food as the bar features a rotating crop of pop-up food vendors every night.

Since it’s named after a song by psychedelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson, it goes without saying that this Midtown bar has a bit of a free-spirited vibe. Owned by former Grand Prize bartenders Lindsay Rae and Billy Boyd, this little tucked-away bar is as divey as they come, with a regularly updated cocktail menu, including a slew of creative frozen drinks. Divey design touches like decoupaged vintage Playboy magazines on the bathroom walls and a colorful, eclectically decorated outdoor patio add to the place’s unique personality.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a swankier hotel bar in Houston than Bar No. 3 at La Colombe d’Or. The historic mansion that houses it was completely refurbished a few years ago, and the end result is a bar so refined in its design aesthetic that it could grace the covers of any design magazine. While the emerald-hued room makes quite a statement, so do the bar’s craft cocktails—especially when paired with small plates from the kitchen. With a fireplace and plenty of plush seating, we can’t think of a better rainy-day escape than Bar No. 3. 

There’s no bar in Houston that more perfectly encapsulates the Space City experience than Space Cowboy, the Heights House Hotel’s bar. While the tropical-inspired cocktails here are tempting, you also can’t go wrong with shots poolside as you take advantage of the bar’s outdoor cabanas and pool. While there, be sure to satiate your hunger with some of the bar’s killer tacos and quesadillas. While you’re at it, you might as well rent a room from the hotel, because this whole place screams staycation. 

Not to be confused with Monarch Bar and Lounge on Memorial, this Monarch is the stylish restaurant/nightspot in the Museum District’s Hotel ZaZa. While the food menu, which leans Mediterranean, is perfectly delightful, it’s the bar and lounge where things get really interesting. Sleek black wood floors, white linen table tops, and a light smattering of art-deco-meets-tiki-bar touches immediately evoke the feeling of a super swanky Cuban club in the roaring ’50s. And the tequila- and rum-forward cocktail menu only serves to reinforce that vibe. We recommend grabbing an Audrey Hepburn or Diablo Paloma and heading out onto the terrace, where you can enjoy stunning views of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Mecom Fountain.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t begin by mentioning H Bar’s over-the-top Black Gold burger, which features virtually every gourmet item in one bite, including Wagyu beef, foie gras, truffles, and caviar, served with a bottle of 2006 Dom Perignon, all for the tidy sum of $1600. We’d love to tell you how it is, but sadly we blew our expense account on the french fries. At any rate, that should give you a sense of the level of luxury you’re dealing with at this Post Oak hotel’s “darkly opulent” night spot. But if you’re feeling frisky and have a few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket, H Bar is unique, and definitely worth a look. Even just for its 46-page bar menu, which quotes everyone from Dorothy Parker to Homer Simpson.

Hotel Granduca’s cozy lounge and piano bar, Giorgio’s, is “a taste of Tuscany in the heart of Houston.” The warm and inviting decor is perfect for grabbing a small bite and unwinding with a martini around the gorgeous grand piano. On weekends, the space welcomes excellent live music by some of the most celebrated jazz and classical musicians in the business. The cumulative effect is a festive, almost home-like atmosphere for hotel guests and visitors alike. All enjoyed best with their signature Giorgio’s Negroni.

This neighborhood restaurant may be known for its unique Gulf Coast–inspired take on rustic Italian fare, but it should be equally well known for its stellar beverage program. The restaurant’s cocktail menu includes must-tries like the Coltivare Classic Gin+Tonic and the Coltivare’s Old Fashioned, perfect libations to sip while enjoying a meal out in the garden. Equally compelling is the restaurant’s wine selection, which has a little something for everyone. And if you’re in the mood for beer, but without the buzz, you’re in luck. Coltivare’s beer menu comes with nonalcoholic options.

Upscale Vietnamese restaurant, Le Colonial, is best known for its exquisite Vietnamese food, but this River Oaks District hot spot should be celebrated for its sophisticated cocktail program as well. The restaurant’s well-rounded cocktail list includes everything from tropical-themed mezcal libations to tamarind-sporting scotch cocktails and lychee-flavored vodka marvels. Our favorite? The Le Colonial Gin & Tonic, a simple cocktail with house-infused Bombay gin, Benedictine, Vietnamese spices, and citrus tonic.

No lounge in Houston packs quite a punch like the one at Goodnight Hospitality’s March. Designed by Houston’s Curtis & Windham Architects and New York City’s Studio Robert McKinley, this sleek, 700-square-foot space is one of the most dapper spots you can find in all of Houston. Featuring warm hues and elegant furnishings, this sanctuary will transport you to a more sublime plane of existence as you take advantage of the restaurant’s 100-page wine list, or sip on some of its refined cocktails. There’s just no other place like it.

Montrose’s Kâu Ba (“cow•bah”) claims that its Viet-Cajun-inspired restaurant is “humble dining with an edge.” But we could say the same thing about the restaurant’s bar program. Led by Houston native Chris Morris, the highly conceptual and well-crafted cocktail menu is at once traditional and visionary, incorporating a head spinning number of exotic ingredients (many from Vietnam or surrounding countries), including arette reposado, pho spice syrup, lime, grapefruit soda, habanero, peychaud’s, and thai basil (and that’s just one drink! The delicious Pho Loma). Somehow, very gracefully, Morris has managed to perfectly distill the flavors of East Asia and Southern hospitality together into one satisfying sip. 

Hugo’s elevated Mexican cuisine is perfectly complemented by its robust cocktail menu. Their extensive list of twists on classics like the Margarita and the Paloma is impressive enough. But they also feature a host of “Modern Agave Creations” that ups the ante on what you can do with tequila and mezcal. We recommend the Sweet Sting. A cocktail of prosecco, altos blanco tequila, litchi brandy, liquid alchemist prickly pear, and lime, which goes perfect with something light like their ceviche verde, or even a fuller meal such as the Chamorro De Puerco. Heck, there’s also nothing wrong with just ordering one to enjoy on its own.

Relive the days of Prohibition (just without all of the pesky temperance pushers) at Bandista, a 1920s-inspired speakeasy with a strong Latin vibe that opened in 2022 inside Four Seasons Hotel Houston. This reservation-only spot, open Wednesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight, is home to an innovative cocktail menu that presents artistic interpretations of both classic and contemporary cocktails. Featuring an entrance hidden behind a bookcase and dim lighting throughout, Bandista is a safe spot to lie low while enjoying the high life.

Leave it up to the late-night joint Cantina Barba to create a fun side-quest on your already debaucherous evening. After devouring one of their famous cheeseburgers, and a spicy margarita or michelada, walk back out just the way you came in, and you’ll find Mijo’s Mezcal Bar straight ahead. Inside this cozy and dimly lit eight-seater, the walls are covered in black skulls, the green LEDs brighten the back of the bar, and the options of mezcal seem endless. Grab a mezcal flight, or if you’ve found a second wind, order another marg. This is the type of place where friends and memories are made y’all, just as long as you can recollect them the next morning.

It’s no secret that the tiki-inspired restaurant and bar Toasted Coconut has one of the best smash burgers in the city, but what stays a bit more under the radar is the a la carte bar Quiote. Hidden behind a wall of greenery, the recently reopened bar features an entirely separate food and cocktail menu, mostly focused on Mexican cuisine. Order raw or roasted oysters, pozole, crudos, and a hefty amount of vegetarian dishes. Get boozy with Say Elote My Little Friend, one of the many elevated drinks on the menu, created by head bartender Elena Vann. The cocktail is made with Del Maguey mezcal, Nixta Licor de Elote, Damiana Herb Liqueur, and grapefruit, all shaken into an herbally delight. While Quiote is open late, it takes no reservations, so try and grab one of the 14 seats close to 10 p.m.

As we reported back in 2021 when it opened, this 400-square-foot bar, owned and run by Jason Andaya and Ray Chan, is one of our favorites. With seating for only about 10 people and a narrow almost alleyway-like space, Kanpai Club is an intimate and cozy late night spot to grab an innovative cocktail and a tasty small bite. Our favorites are the Wagyu Gyoza and Brussels sprouts paired with a Tokyo Layover, (a combination of Bruxo mezcal, aperol, vecchio, lemon and yuzu kosho). There’s also a late night menu (starting at 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends) with Japanese fried chicken, an assortment of flat breads, and the best damn curry waffle fries you’ve ever had.  

If you like your bars like you like your musicians (dark and moody) then The Ready Room might be for you. This sexy hideaway has its roots in the city’s historic blues scene (back when it was known as Reddi Room), and still features weekend jazz performances by local musicians. We like to take an occasional evening off to enjoy some smooth sounds and sip on some of the tastiest cocktails this side of the prohibition. 

With locations all over Houston and a huge variety of special and seasonal events  (including movie trivia, weiner dog and turtle races—although thankfully, not at the same time), there’s always something going on at Little Woodrow’s. Catch every University of Houston college football game of the season there while you (and your dog) hang out on the patio with a ranch water and a slice of pizza. You can get your name on the wall at Rice Village for joining the Big 50 Club by drinking every beer on their list, or try your hand at some duckpin bowling at the Shepherd location.

This colorful bar, located in Lindale Park, sports the laid-back vibe of your favorite neighborhood cantina while sporting a craft cocktail program you would expect to find at some of the city’s toniest bars. The drink menu here is tequila and mezcal heavy, which is just how we like them. There’s also a killer frozen cocktail menu, including a riff on a piña colada that is what dreams are made of. Equally compelling is the bar’s food menu, which includes everything from build-your-own pizzas to fajita tacos, wings, burgers, and aguachiles—enough variety to satisfy even the most eclectic of tastes.

Patterson Park is a dog-friendly patio sports bar in the Heights, with food trucks, cocktails, and a variety of happy hour specials throughout the week (cyclists receive 10 percent off seven days a week). The sports bar offers a revolving food truck schedule with different cuisines to pair with your glass of wine, draft beer, or unique cocktails like Booker Tea, a boozy variation of one of Texas’s other favorite drinks, sweet tea. Plus, the laid-back patio bar atmosphere makes watching any major sports team win an even bigger community event.

This Midtown sports bar boasts 45 65-inch HDTVs and two gigantic HD video walls for watching all major sporting events in high-tech, ultra-modern style. The bar is always offering watch parties for Astros playoffs, UFC fights, and college football season. The cocktail menu offers signature, seasonal, and classic drinks, along with 25 local craft beers to go with your choice of pizza, burgers, or calamari. You can also rent out the bar for private events. Be sure to keep an eye on their Instagram for other social events, like Friday-night happy hour with live music from local bands.

Watch your favorite teams all season long or catch the big games on Social Beer Garden HTX’s big-screen TV (and yes, they also show the Dallas Cowboys). There are 44 beers on draft, more than 100 craft beers (including local Houston breweries like Saint Arnold and Karbach), seltzers, ciders, mead, and kombucha available. For food, there’s a rotating food truck calendar, but the newest thing is a three-minute pizza carry out machine by Pizza Forno, the only automated artisan pizzeria in North America. Choose from various pizza toppings such as pepperoni, barbecue chicken, honey and goat cheese, Hawaiian, and a four-cheese blend.

Take a trip to Italy without ever leaving Houston when you visit 13 Celsius in Midtown. This cozy 1920s-era Mediterranean-style building has an unbeatable range of quality wine. For a casual evening, order a wine flight and a beautifully curated charcuterie board (or impressive panini) with friends while sitting out in the open-air courtyard (created when a portion of the roof fell). For a more intimate evening, 13 Celsius hosts wine tastings and partners with outstanding local chefs to create wine-centric dinners and special events throughout the year. 13 Celsius also has an impressive beer selection, with more than 30 bottled beers highlighting seasonal and small-production brews. The full wine and beer collection is available for retail to take home at 20 percent off.

Visit this super chill neighborhood wine bar in the middle of Second Ward, where you can order wine by the glass from a menu that changes daily or buy bottles to go from the retail wine room—all while scoping out the ever-changing local art on the walls. Visit for wine-centric tasting events, seminars, bottle swaps, classes, and, most recently, “East End Mondays,” where everything is 25 percent off. If you’re planning an event, and want to incorporate a little wine and cheese, How to Survive on Land and Sea is ready for you.

Some places make you feel right at home, like going to a friend’s house party, only they serve loads of wine, and you bring your own food. Light Years Natural Wine Shop+Bar, located in Montrose, is just that place. Head over for a natural wine tasting hosted weekly, or for more upbeat energy go on a weekend, when you’re sure to meet some new friends and bond over your shared love for vino. The bar specializes in natural wines, which means they’re usually produced without pesticides or herbicides and with few or no additives. The interior is cozy, with different nooks to relax under a disco ball. Co-owner Steve Buechner is known for being very helpful, allowing you to taste the wines before purchasing a bottle. Light Years is approachable for those newly interested in wine while also being perfect for those who already have some knowledge.

Pur Noire Urban Wineries is changing the way people view wine in hopes of spreading knowledge to those who may be unfamiliar but are very interested in learning more about the scene. Owners Carissa and Kenneth Stephens noticed that there were not many other minority-owned and Black-owned wineries. So they started their winery, whose name translates to “Pure Black,” as a nod to Carissa’s Creole roots and their identity as minority business owners in the wine industry. Gather your friends and colleagues for a wine tasting and game night, hosted every Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. No reservations are required.

Vinology is equal parts wine shop, wine bar, and education center. The owners of Vinology, who also owned Montrose Italian trattoria Divino, set out to bring a comfortable, educational experience to their wine shop and bar, where guests can explore new wines in various ways. Enjoy weekly wine flights and by-the-glass pours, wine seminars and tastings led by winemakers and industry professionals, private events, and consultations. Favoring primarily small, family-owned wineries crafting limited production wines, Vinology carries more than 300 wines from around the world. Appointments are required for consultations and private bookings.