Brian O'Neill's Traditional Irish Pub

This Rice Village bar is a fixture on that neighborhood's bar scene, and it's a mandatory stop for any party blazing a path through the 'hood on the weekends. There's a roomy outdoor patio, cover bands reel out the hits on the weekends, and you can always expect to leave walking at an angle. Since 2002 it's been a proving ground for Rice University livers and a favorite of the older set who enjoy the dark ambience and — gasp — accessible seating. Space at the bar is cramped with guys and gals flirting, so make sure you just post up at a table and make nice with a roving waiter or waitress to keep yourself lubricated.