Notsuoh

Owner Jim Pirtle's iconic downtown bar, music and art/performance venue Notsuoh (Houston spelled backwards) has by this time achieved a legendary, almost mythical reputation for weirdness. One of the employees we spoke with called the place an electric art dive, while Pirtle himself says the space is the result of a marriage between a historical building more than 100 years old with the collection of a thrift-store junkie. Just some of the wonders to behold include old bicycles hanging from the rafters, nude female mannequins turned into works of art, a knight's armor, and an old piano encrusted with what appears to be some kind of gems, remains of a stained glass window, dominoes, and assorted other trinkets. No two visits to Notsouh are ever the same; the place is certainly anything but predictable. Besides the often-eclectic and indie live music, poetry readings and comedy shows unlike anywhere else in town happen here. Not everybody gets it, but Pirtle says Notsouh is one of the least tribal bars in the city, where intelligent conversations can take place between energy-company CEOs, visiting Hollywood actors, hipsters and curious newcomers alike.