Ripcord

Ripcord has a reputation for being a "rough" bar thanks to its more than 25 years as Houston's premier "Leather and Levis" establishment and weekend nights can sometimes look like a reunion of the cast of Cruising. Go during the week, though, and you'll find much more of a neighborhood vibe. Thursday is classic rock night, a definition that seems to include everything from .38 Special to Television. Maybe not the place to bring your straight friends, since the scrotally enhanced painting over the stage seems to draw a line in the sand, but a great place to meet for drinks and good bar conversation in an attitude-free zone.