Walking into Lawless feels like walking into an exclusive club. Tucked inside the iconic Rice Hotel in downtown Houston, Lawless is an old lawyers' hangout with an atmosphere that suggests it. Some of the dining chairs look like they were made for royalty, then later picked up in an antique shop. The rustic brick walls contrast with the elaborate chandeliers. And the lounge seating in the middle of the second-floor bar looks as though it belongs in a law library. The real appeal, however, is the balcony: It's one of very few downtown that isn't drowned out by dance music, ideal for a happy hour cocktail or glass of wine after a night of bar hopping on Main Street.