As our sister blog Eating... Our Words does, from time to time Rocks Off will be giving your our picks for the top taverns in various Houston-area neighborhoods. Of course, the lines can be porous, but here anything with a TABC license that cannot reasonably be considered either a restaurant, coffeehouse or live-music venue is fair game.
10. ALLEGRIA WINE BAR At first glance, there's not much to see at Allegria Wine Bar. It's tucked away into a little shopping center off Highway 3, and seems like your typical wine bar. Luckily, a dark, ambient spot with an ample selection and a knowledgeable staff. The owner can often be found hanging out with the patrons, giving suggestions to the novices, and chatting about everything from the weather to various wine regions.
And even if you're staunchly anti-grape, you'll be welcome to hang out at this cozy little place. Allegria specializes in not only wines but also martinis, and boy, do they have a selection of both. But their signature martini, the Allegria 365, is our favorite, if you must steer clear of the vino. Although that would just be absurd.
15210 Hwy. 3, 281-218-8585
9. CARLOS'S BEER GARDEN Never heard of Carlos's Beer Garden? Well, you're not alone; good luck finding this hidden gen by Google alone. Carlos's has left little imprint on the Internet, but it sure has on its happy customers. The beer is cheap, and the crowd has a kicked-back, old-sailor kind of vibe, which makes it a chill place to hang out any day. But when Carlos's really gets going is during crawfish season -- which is right now, fools.
18018 Hwy. 3, 281-332-4550
8. THE DAVENPORT This hip, modern little lounge sister to the hallowed Richmond lounge is always packed with the water-lovin' folks out that way, and for good reason. The Dav boasts 30 to 40 signature martinis, which always seem to come in glasses that are three times bigger than normal. Even if you're not from the area, it's still well worth the drive down 45. But call Uber or something, since we're only half-joking about those giant martini glasses. For real.
1235 Clear Lake City Blvd., 281-461-3283, thedavenportlounge.com
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