JP Hops House

Beers from both well-known and obscure breweries abound at the sometimes quiet, but always colorful, JP Hops House. The far west Houston bar's walls are lined with retired brews that are either out of season, no longer available in Texas or have been discontinued entirely. Headquarters of the Houston Songwriters Association, the Hops House hosts a Sunday open-mike night regularly visited by musicians from not just Houston, but Austin, Nashville and New York. Monday is vinyl night, with patron-provided LPs - any kind will do - spun on the house speakers for everyone to hear. The bar turns into a hard-times soup and music kitchen Wednesday evenings, as friends bring in homemade soups and share recipes with one another while enjoying tunes from the troubadours.