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101 18th Street Dickinson, TX 77539
281-339-2600
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202 Sawdust Spring, TX 77380
281-363-2574
http://www.19th.cc Way out on the border of the Woodlands, in what is technically still Spring, lies the smoky, dimly lit 19th Hole. It's really several bars under one roof: Sports bar, neighborhood hangout, pool hall, and music venue on nights when the curtained-off back room is open. Behind the pool tables up front, any of the clustered mass of tables has a great view of the bar's many big screens; some booths have their own televisions too. Don't be surprised to hear 19th Hole's bartenders asking customers if they'd like "the usual," either. More >>
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10555 Pearland Parkway Houston, TX 77089
713-991-0453
http://www.facebook.com/2ADAYSSPORTSBAR This is Pearland's de facto sports bar, in a growing town that is still sweet on the bring-your-own-liquor dives and the odd chain wing joint. 2 A Days location off Pearland Parkway makes it almost centrally-located for the drinking suburbanites and the folks who live off the adjacent Beltway 8. There is live music galore every weekend, with rock n' roll cover bands trotting out the hits until last call, with an emphasis on modern-rock classics. 2 A Days is large, with a smoking patio that expands yards outdoors and lets the drinkers fan out and smoke up. When this place gets busy, expect a few minutes for a beer, but the scenery, with suburban beauty queens and amateur bodybuilders preening for each other, should make you forget the wait for your Shiner draft. 2 A Days is next to a Spec's liquor store if you feel like tempting fate. More >>
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3111 N. Ferry Road Katy, TX 77449
281-579-2008
http://www.20belowsportslounge.com This shiny new sports bar boasts 28 different martinis - hence the glass in the logo - and a massive 200-inch projection screen. The large single room is split by a U-shaped bar top, with 25 barstools awaiting customers. The right side of the bar has games such as pool, darts and Golden Tee, while a stage is on the left. A lounge-style landing, complete with fireplace and plump leather couches, sits in the back corner. 20 Below's kitchen pumps out food daily, from sliders and bigger burgers to a "Sunday NFL Breakfast" during football season. More >>
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2828 Southwest Houston, TX 77098
713-942-2111
http://www.fourpoints.com/houstonsouthwest 2828 Lounge is the hotel bar of the Sheraton Four Points near Greenway Plaza, so most of its customers are either passing through Houston or meeting someone who is. Lacking the distractions of club lights and loud music, the bar is well-lit with plenty of cozy seating, a few televisions and a pair of computers, and a full slate of libations. 2828 might not be a traditional hotel lounge, but it makes a good hideaway for those wanting a spot a bit off the map. More >>
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4601 Washington Avenue Houston, TX 77007
713-677-0398
http://www.360sportslounge.com At first glance, 360 Sports Lounge may look like another faceless sports bar. But the inside is filled with marble tables, high-backed chairs, dark lighting, a separate room for pool sharks, a small area with a sectional leather couch to watch things without balls, helmets or nets. Provided you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere away from the two-story sports bars and super-chains down the street, this one will satisfy. The night we stopped by, the only yelling going on here came from the two guys locked in what sounded like a life-or-death match at the video-golf machine. More >>
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2600 Travis Houston, TX 77006
713-526-8282
http://www.reefhouston.com Few Houston bars allow their clientele to enjoy a nationally acclaimed menu as well, but Third Bar does - it's part of Midtown seafood restaurant Reef, which The New York Times called "electrifying and surprisingly intimate." Located to the left of the building's entrance, 3rd Bar serves finger foods like oysters on the half shell and shrimp spring rolls as you knock back a few cold ones. (Reef proper, where you'll be greeted by smiling waiters in blue jeans, is to the right.) Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner or a quick escape from downtown's hustle and bustle, 3rd Bar offers quality service in an upscale yet relaxed atmosphere. Be warned that parking is not always easy to come by, though. More >>
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7410 Fairbanks N. Houston Road Houston, TX 77040
713-896-1381
This bar's sign, complete with the classic image of a pool player about to break, beckons from a lonely stretch of Fairbanks-North Houston Road. Despite its forlorn location, the hazy 510 is full of chatty regulars, most of whom will introduce themselves in short order. The corner stage hosts a rolling karaoke night, shuffleboard is free, and friendly challenges for the video bowling machine are commonplace. Brews are cheap and cold, and a pair of pool tables awaits those drawn in by that sign. Bustling even on a Tuesday night, 510 Bar feels a bit like a small town, because it almost is a small town. More >>
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510 S. Mason Road Katy, TX 77450
281-392-5555
510 Bar is full of regulars who call each other by name, some of whom are so dedicated that they've each bought one foot of track on the "510 Railroad" that runs above the old wooden bar top. Don't be surprised to hear a "Gig 'Em!" or three: This small spot on Mason Road is Aggie-owned, as several signs throughout proudly testify. A few pool tables rest on a landing to the left of the door - they're free on Wednesday and Thursday - and a small stage in the back hosts music on weekends. More >>
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3401 Gulf Freeway Dickinson, TX 77539
281-614-5703
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2900 Travis Houston, TX 77006
832-474-3394
http://www.5thamendmentbar.com The goal of 5th Amendment is clear: To provide a spot where fun and frivolity abound. Velvet ropes guard the door, and just slipping past the doorman is a feat in itself. Inside, a large dance floor bustles with movement, with women, liquor, and men fawning over both. Fog machines pump in a hazy atmosphere while a professional lighting rig bounces lasers around the room. Private tables, complete with bottle service, line the dance floor as well as an elevated landing overlooking all the action. The two bars inside are big enough to handle quite a crowd, and a patio is available when escaping the dancing is necessary. This one is a favorite with local rappers and visiting celebs, so you'll never know who you may be run into in the restroom. More >>
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611 Hyde Park Blvd. Houston, TX 77006
713-526-7070
A converted house with green wood panels, antique Tiffany lamps and beat-up barstools, the 611 (aka Hyde Park Pub) is more intimate than the flashier nearby venues. The décor and lively regulars hovering around the bar give it a neighborhood feel, with a pool table and dartboards available as standard barroom amusements. Country, pop and rock fill the air inside, but the patio offers a quieter option to spend your evening hours. More >>
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818 Travis St. Houston, TX 77002
713-222-2254
http://www.atmosphere211.com
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2736 Virginia St. Houston, TX 77098
713-520-7001
http://www.88keyshouston.com The term "piano bar" often signifies a saloon-like singalong atmosphere filled with pop, country and rock tunes. Not at 88 Keys, however. Big, antique furniture fills the spacious rooms, drinks come across a gorgeous marble bar top, and the ivory-ticklers at this upscale River Oaks lounge are professional pianists of the highest scale. True, we walked in to a smooth version of "Dust In the Wind," but then came Chopin and Lizst, and all of a sudden it felt like the hotel bar of the Ritz-Carlton. More >>
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2002 N. Ferry Road Houston, TX 77084
281-579-2390
http://www.abbeypubkaty.com Making its home in a strip center tucked off of Fry Road, this neighborhood pub has an older charm. The bar still allows smoking inside and plays host to a weekly comedy showcase, a monthly metal night and cover bands on the weekend. The large interior houses three pool tables, several bar games, plenty of seating and a performance stage. Three televisions hang over an angled bar that has room for around 20 people. The blackened windows create a dark atmosphere that makes the Abbey a comfortable hideout no matter the time of day, and a large projection screen pulls down over the stage. More >>
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609 Richmond Houston, TX 77006
713-528-7575
http://www.absinthelounge.com Absinthe overflows with lush libations in an unmarked lower Montrose building that looks like an office warehouse. Ideal for date night or a low-key nightcap, the low-lit lounge offers a variety of martinis, beer and wine to accompany signature "Green Fairy" cocktails such as the Hallucinating Melon, Inferno or Hemingway's Revenge. Only $3 during happy hour but available until closing time, Absinthe's pizzas (named for famous bohemians like Picasso, Manet and Voltaire) and paninis can help even out the absinthe or serve as a casual meal. The bar seating is supplemented by some couches up front and tables in the back room. More >>
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1712 Westheimer Houston, TX 77098
713-526-7212
http://www.agorahouston.com Westheimer's vital wine-and-coffee hotspot teems with life every night of the week. The Greek-themed Montrose study-like drinkery is perfect for a night studying with fellow collegiate types, or just a quiet first-date night, to suss out whether or not your current crush is worth keeping around. Plenty of wine varieties are available for the discriminating palette, and be sure to check out the jukebox. More >>
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16203 Westheimer Houston, TX 77082
281-493-9797
http://www.alsbar.com The newly renovated Al's Sports Bar, on the edge of George Bush Park near Highway 6, is a lively, rowdy suburban watering hole. Besides lots of TV screens and tank-top-clad waitresses, the football goalpost by the bar leaves no doubt about Al's sporting nature - shouts and sighs carry through the establishment right up to the final play. Besides any game you could possibly want to watch, Al's features live music on the weekends, Texas Hold 'Em tournaments Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a weekly lingerie show on Wednesdays. More >>
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4904 N. Main Houston, TX 77009
713-862-0141
An East Texas beer joint slap-bang in the middle of the inner city, the Tall Texan is as country as cornbread. Ray Price, Charley Pride and George Strait vie for space on the bar's jukebox, and the parking lot is always packed day and night. The main attraction here is the beer with Shiner and Lone Star served up ice-cold in enormous fish-bowl-shaped goblets. A night in here will convince you it's 1962 again, and so will the low prices and the vintage Patsy Cline blasting out of the box. If she doesn't make you fall to pieces, then the cheap beer will. More >>
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2511 Bissonnet Houston, TX 77005
713-688-2345
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Antique-Bar
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1424 Westheimer Houston, TX 77006
713-523-1622
http://www.anvilhouston.com Anvil Bar & Refuge is like the Jay-Z of Houston bars. It can do no wrong, from the food to the drinks to the skill of the bartenders. Since opening in mid-2009, it has become the standard by which most other local bars define themselves. They either want to be better than Anvil, or not as supposedly "snooty" or "posh" as they think it is. Either one is a sign of the impact the Westheimer drinkery has had. You can't drive three blocks inside the Loop without finding a new gastropub either tweaking Anvil's concept or stealing it outright. Anvil makes drinks the way they should be made, with homemade ingredients, craft liquors, loving care, and no soda nozzles or Red Bull. More >>
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5015 Kirby Houston, TX 77098
713-526-9700
http://www.thearmadillopalace.com Easily spotted thanks to the giant silver armadillo leering at the passing traffic on Kirby Drive, Armadillo Palace is part of the Goode Company cluster of eat-and-drinkerys just south of Highway 59. Patrons can feast on the family's legendary barbecue and sip whiskey while taking in the various frontier décor lining the interior. Live music of the honky-tonk and Red Dirt variety sounds forth from the corner stage Wednesday through Saturday, and there's even a bit of room for dancing. (A bit.) Folks needing a little liquid courage before they take a spin need look no further than the large bar anchoring the center of the room. More >>
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770 W. Gulf Bank Road Houston, TX 77088
281-999-7600
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411 Westheimer Houston, TX 77006
832-519-1429
http://www.avantgardenhouston.com Millions of scenes ago, AvantGarden was called the Mausoleum, and then the converted house went through a variety of structural and aesthetic changes to become the folkie playground it is today. Local singer-songwriters' acoustic jangle routinely packs the house as listeners sip Shiners, Merlot or the venue's trademark fruit-infused homemade concoctions. (Try the sangria.) Many of Houston's best-known troubadors count AvantGarden as the first venue they ever played in front of a large audience, either in the upstairs performance space or downstairs among the fireplace, mirrored walls and European-style divans. Something interesting, if not downright captivating, is happening here most nights of the week - regular tango, jazz, and open-mike nights (both music and comedy), to name just a few. More >>
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4500 Washington Houston, TX 77007
832-356-9847
http://www.avenuehouston.com With a bare-bones dance floor, multiple landings, and pumping dance music, Avenue provides what might be described as an "ultimate loft party" atmosphere. The lounge crams as much dance floor as possible into its large space, removing the couches and crunching some tiered balconies along the wall, with VIP booths and bottle service for those looking for glitz and glam. Avenue gets plenty crowded, so its massive front patio offers not only extra space, but a second fully stocked bar. First, though, patrons must slip past Avenue's doorman; we recommend dressing as dapper as he does. More >>
