Whistle Wetting

The Official 50 Hottest Bars in Houston

From beloved old dives to experimental cocktail hubs, there's never been a better time to drink in the city.

06/16/2025 By Emma Balter, Sofia Gonzalez, Meredith Nudo, and Daniel Renfrow

Keeping the Classics

How Two Local Houstonians Are Saving the City’s Dive Bars

Bobby Heugel and Peter Jahnke have rescued Catbirds and Blue Lagoon Club from almost-certain extinction.

06/10/2025 By Sofia Gonzalez

Watering Holes

These Dive Bars All Have Their Own Story to Tell

Trendy bars are on the rise everywhere, but Houston bar owners are doing what they can to preserve the old-school dives.

06/10/2025 By Sofia Gonzalez Photography by Anthony Rathbun

Face the Music

How Meow Wolf Blends Sound Design and Visual Art for Peak Immersion

Radio Tave and its companion dive bar Cowboix Hevvven engage multiple senses to take visitors on a mysterious interdimensional adventure.

12/16/2024 By Sofia Gonzalez and Meredith Nudo

Spirited Away

Houston's 50 Hottest Bars of 2023

From the clubby to the dives, these watering holes deliver on all fronts.

04/11/2023 By Daniel Renfrow, Geneva Diaz, and Meredith Nudo

FOOD CITY

What’s New in Food This Week

Agricole Hospitality to open a new Heights dive bar; upscale pop-ups at Bludorn and Golfstrømmen; and Phat Eatery is expanding into The Woodlands.

06/22/2022 By Daniel Renfrow

Last Call

Celebrating Alice's Tall Texan, Houston's Kindest Bar (Seriously)

The venerable watering hole will close for good at the end of the month, but the memories remain.

08/13/2020 By Timothy Malcolm

Best New Bars

The Houstonian’s Essential Guide to the Best New Bars

We drank (a lot!) to find these 47 incredible watering holes.

12/01/2019 By Houstonia Staff

11 Simple Rules

When Should You Bring Kids to the Bar? Ever?

And yes, you really do need to watch your child while you're there.

03/21/2019 By Timothy Malcolm

Newcomer's Guide

The 10 Best Bars in the Bayou City

The essential cocktail lounges, vinotecas, beer gardens, dives, and other watering holes for when you need a drink.

08/30/2018 Edited by Gwendolyn Knapp

Ice House

Where Have All the Dive Bars Gone?

Charting the demise of the Inner Loop dive bar, an increasingly endangered species

10/24/2016 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Early Morning Rounds

D&W Lounge: The Shifting Shift Bar

Despite shrinking third shift crowds, the iconic Eastwood dive bar continues its early wake-up call.

08/29/2016 By Jeanne Lyons Davis

That's the Spirit

Houston's Best Neighborhood Bars

If you haven’t yet found your own personal Cheers, let us be your guide to Houston’s 60 best hometown bars across 12 neighborhoods.

01/28/2016 By Houstonia Staff

Best Bars 2014

The Best Dives & Ice Houses in Houston

Ours is a city with dive bars in abundance, but we dug a little deeper to put together a list every Houstonian must know.

11/30/2014 Edited by Katharine Shilcutt By Dan Derozier, Catherine Matusow, Chris Abshire, and Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Best of Houstonia

The Best Bars in Houston

A spirited guide to drinking in Houston

11/30/2014 Edited by Katharine Shilcutt By Dan Derozier, Catherine Matusow, Chris Abshire, and Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Eat This Now

Dish of the Week: Po-Boys at Voodoo Queen

The Second Ward dive bar serves food until 2 a.m. every day.

08/20/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt

In Vino Veritas

Bartender Beat: Ross Mohr of Voodoo Queen

Banana Hammocks and Bloody Marys make this bartender happy.

05/09/2014 By Alice Alsup

Houston Pride

Montrose: One Of World's Best Gayborhoods

Well, according to Buzzfeed anyway...

11/15/2013 By John Lomax