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. THE OAK BAR Upscale, exclusive, and hand in hand with the next bar on this list, The Oak is one of the newest -- and nicest -- additions to the River Oaks bar scene. DJs spin dance music most nights, and it's common to find folks dancing on the couches, balancing glasses of champagne and super-high heels with expertise.
2736 Virginia, 713-568-9198, facebook.com/oakbarhouston
9. 1919 WINE & MIXOLOGY A hybrid of wine and specially-curated cocktails right next door to The Oak Bar, 1919 Wine & Mixology manages to get both right. Featuring about 140 different wines from around the world, including sustainable and organic options, it also carries a full list of craft cocktails if wine ain't your thing. The decor is simply gorgeous, with a kind of antique-meets-modern elegance that creates an ambiance definitely worth a trip outside your dive-bar comfort zone.
2736 Virginia, 713-568-9197, 1919wmb.com
Despite its name, Cru isn't just another wine bar. Sure, it's got a sommelier to bring you up to snuff on all things vintage, but there's nothing stuffy or old-school about the vibe. Here you'll find half-price bubbles on Thursday, lots of delicious bites, and of course lots of pretty young things. For a wine bar that's basically a requirement.
2700 Kirby #113, 713-528-9463, cruawinebar.com
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