Cock-Eyed Seagull Dont flinch at the huge Open Water-esque shark frozen in mid-lunge over the bar, its all part of the maritime theme here, which also encompasses murals featuring more-or-less cartoonish sea life and scuba divers. In fact, the entire place is decked out to resemble a ship, all the way to the outdoor observation deck. Rock and blues bands with sufficiently developed sea legs play here every Thursday through Saturday, theres never a cover charge, and the poop deck is perpetually scrubbed, so drink up, me hearties. Or whatever. Marina Gate Center, 1010 NASA Rd. 1, ste. B, Webster, 281-335-5400.
Continental Club The crowd at this Midtown country/roots rock club runs the gamut from alt-country hipsters and Brylcreemed rockabilly fanatics to the occasional nine-to-fiver dropping in for happy hour -- basically, if you're not uptight you're welcome. While the place books name national and regional acts, Houston favorites like the loungy El Orbits also appear regularly. Cheap drinks, pool tables and shuffleboard in the back room, a large back deck and groovy vintage accoutrements like a giant bingo board and Atari tournaments on the bar TVs give the place a casual vibe even when it's packed. 3700 Main, 713-529-9899.
The Corner Pocket 5626 Red Bluff Rd., Pasadena, 281-991-6979.
Cosmos Cafe By day, it offers some of the best burgers and grilled tuna sandwiches in town. By night, it fills with hipsters in their forties and fifties and the local, almost-famous acts they've always loved. Want to be regaled with tales of old Washington Avenue, when Herschel Berry, the Dishes and the Cold Cuts ruled the roost? Come to Cosmos and hear the survivors tell the tales, in both words and music. 69 Heights Blvd., 713-802-2144.
Cotton Exchange It's hard to find plusher surroundings to knock back a Sazerac or two on the entire Gulf Coast than in this living reminder that Houston has a history. Vaulted ceilings encrusted with painted-on cotton plants overarch a marble bar and cozy nooks dotted with couches and Tiffany lamps, and the walls are festooned with pictures of Houston when cotton was king. Back in the day, this handsome high Victorian pile near the bayou was the center of the Houston economy and remains a place of negotiations; most of the clientele consists of bankers, lawyers and oil men cutting deals over Macanudos and single malt. That said, it would be a great place for a third date -- a deal of another sort. "Drink In the History" is the motto here, and better advice was never given, but if you go, make sure you're in high cotton; the drinks are pricey. 808 Franklin, 713-236-0499.
Crawdaddys 1053 FM 2094, Kemah, 281-334-2292.
Crooked Ferret 11835 Jones Rd., 281-894-0055.
The Crown Club 5001 Treaschwig, Spring, 281-443-0003.
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Houston's "summer shed" hosts the A-list national touring acts and packages across all musical genres. But while the seated areas provide a better view for a pricier ticket, the best action is often found on the lawn. That's especially true during rock shows, where the ant-free green carpet isn't the only grass being enjoyed up high. 2005 Lake Robbins Dr., 281-364-3010.
Dan Electros Predominantly an older, blue-collar crowd congregates at this guitar-shop-cum-nightspot on the eastern fringes of the Heights, which offers an intriguing mix of Texas-style rock, blues, bluegrass and country. Glass cases full of strings, picks and capos line the walls in the listening area, while out back is a lush garden under a canopy of live oaks where ferns, flowers, fountains and fragrant smoke provide a subtropical nirvana. 1031 E. 24th, 713-862-98707.
Darkhorse Tavern Housed in old 1920s five-and-dime, the Darkhorse feels like a bit of a relic. Nevertheless, this Sixth Ward bar features one of the best jukeboxes in town (Hooray! No Eagles!) along with better-than-average bar food. The laid-back and refreshingly eclectic drinking crowd is something of a novelty; youll feel welcome whether youve come in for a cold beer or a wine spritzer. 2207 Washington Ave., 713-426-2442.
The Davenport DJs and the bar staff spin a wildly eclectic cross-section of modern music at this Shepherd Plaza retro-lounge, where hipsters and button-downs alike flock in the early evenings. There they flop down on Jetson-style couches and Eames chairs and imbibe single malts, martinis and some of the most notoriously potent cocktails this side of moonshiner's convention. Walk, don't drive, to the Davenport. 2115 Richmond, 713-520-1140.
Dean's Credit Clothing You can browse through racks of vintage threads while you imbibe at this thrift store-bar hybrid. A typical night finds it packed with pretty people who wish they had better jobs and more interesting lives drinking expensive cosmopolitans -- in other words, the most palatable of the uptight downtown bars. Live bands playing improvised rock and DJs spinning acid jazz provide the musical backdrop. Dean's is a dark place, so be careful who (or which article of clothing) you go home with. 316 Main, 713-227-3326.