The suburbs can be a great place to raise a family. Good schools, nearby dentists and doctors, a wide choice of grocery stores and room to grow make suburban life a choice for a number of people. At some point, many of us make the decision to leave Houston proper and getting more square footage for less cost.

And that's exactly what my husband Classic Rock Bob and I did when we were expecting our first child over two decades ago. We were living in Oak Forest at the time and loving the proximity to clubs, restaurants and entertainment venues. A look around, however, for homes in the Heights, Oak Forest and Garden Oaks showed how little we would get for what we could afford. Plus, we had parents eagerly awaiting a new grandchild's arrival. So, we moved further north of Houston to be close to our families.
Now, though, as our progeny get ready to fly the nest, CRB and I find ourselves on the brink of being empty nesters. It allows for a sort of freedom, meaning we can leave whenever we want without having to arrange for childcare or returning home by the babysitter's curfew. So, when friends suggested getting together at The Upside Pub in the Garden Oaks area, we headed down south for drinks and conversation.

My husband and I often lament the boon of new restaurants and businesses in the GOOF are. Where were these brew pubs and eateries when we lived on Wakefield? Back then, our late night cravings had to be sated by fast food. Our entertainment choices meant driving into the city.  And we never had a neighborhood pub in our years living off the 610 Loop.

Now the area has The Upside Pub which is exactly that. It's frequented by mostly nearby residents or people invited, as we were, by locals. It opened in August 2022, as we reported here in the Houston Press.  Owners Paige and Andy Lujan were new arrivals to the area and saw the need for a local hangout.  Andy is a former Army Ranger and finance guy while Paige has hospitality experience including being a founding partner of the Artisanal Brewers Collective in Southern California.

I had actually visited The Upside Pub soon after its opening. My daughter had recently turned 21 and we were in the area. Though she sipped tentatively at her margarita she enjoyed the food we tried including Potato Latke Balls and Queso Fries.
On this evening out with friends, I worried the pub might be cramped. It's very narrow inside and its outdoor patio running parallel is also long and thin. However, we found a perfect space right for our group as we walked in. It used to have bean bag chairs and a small game table but now more tables and booths have been added, which the space really needed.

I was also worried (yes, I worry a lot) that we might have to park at Graham Park which is right by the pub but we easily found a space in the Garden Oaks Shopping Center. The Upside Pub shares the center with a liquor store and the adjacent Pink's Pizza. The aromas coming from Pink's were very tempting but we knew The Upside Pub had a food menu and we wanted to give it a try.

Our friends arrived in due course and once we were all seated with drinks, the merriment began. The bar at the pub is quite small. For those looking for foofy cocktails, the pickings may be slim but they have enough options spirit-wise to make most classic cocktails. We started with margaritas on the rocks, though they do have a frozen machine. The house draft margaritas were well-balanced with the lime and sweetness, though not particularly strong. They're made with Lunazul Blanco tequila and we were charged $8 though the menu says $10. It was before 7 p.m. so maybe it was a happy hour price.
Some of our friends got straight to ordering food. It was 6:30 p.m. so most of us had not eaten yet. The menu isn't huge for a restaurant but for a bar, there's quite a bit to choose from and it covers many bases. My companion to the left ordered the Chicken Shawarma Wrap. She offered me a bite and I regret not taking her up on it. She said it was delicious and messy. Another friend, who lives in the area, ordered their usual, the Chimichurri Sandwich. They also recommended the California Burrito which is filled with carne asada, quacamole, pico de gallo and fries.

I had a hard time deciding. I remembered liking the Potato Latke Balls but I wanted something different. I was torn between the shrimp tacos and the patty melt. I tried to convince CRB to order the tacos so I could sample them while still getting my patty melt but his heart was already set on the Pub BLT. I resigned myself to requiting only one of my heart's desires and went with the Super Bomb Patty Melt.

There is no table service at The Upside Pub, so ordering is done at the bar. The friendly staff do bring the food to the table sometimes and remove empties but much of it is counter service.  After CRB placed our food order, he got us another round of drinks. This time, we opted for the Irish Hello from Saint Arnold's Brewing Company. It's an Irish-style Stout with a fairly low 4.3 ABV. The Upside Pub had it on nitro draft which gave it the right amount of carbonation. It was a little lighter and smoother on the palate than Guinness Stout with less bitterness but also less complexity. Later, when I was game for another one, the keg was unfortunately empty. CRB and I opted for glasses of red wine instead.

The wine, served in stemless tumblers, was at the right temperature and easy drinking. Unfortunately, I had no idea what we were imbibing at the time because my server, aka CRB, did not ask. Our receipt said Carmel Road Cabernet so I am going to assume that is correct. For $10, the wine pour was ample.
Our food arrived quite quickly. My Super Bomb Patty Melt was a thin smashburger patty with Swiss cheese that had also received the smash treatment giving the edges of the fromage an interesting crispy texture. The marble rye sandwich bread was from Kraftsmen Baking as was the sourdough on the Pub BLT. The flavorful marble rye was a good choice for this sandwich.  One slice was the heel of the loaf so it had a little more softness than the other slice. I could have used a few extra caramelized onions and the beef patty was a bit on the thin side. The horseradish cream was just a smear which was fine by me. It was a quality patty melt for $12.  The fries served with the sandwich were hot and crispy and I ate every single one.
My husband was quite taken with his Pub BLT ($15). The sweetness of the brown sugar candied bacon and honey-roasted tomatoes wasn't cloying and the Romaine lettuce was fresh and crispy adding a nice contrast to the bacon. I couldn't really taste the jalapeno ranch condiment, though. CRB was very happy with his choice. He and I both took home half our sandwiches for the next day. It's always a little thrill when you open your fridge to find a treat from the night before.

While our table was getting louder with laughter and conversation, more patrons were arriving. Most seemed to know the lay of the land at The Upside Pub, easily ordering their usual beverages or pub meals. It was an array of casually-dressed locals within the age range of 35 to 55. The whole atmosphere was one of laid-back comfort for grown-up people.
The small interior is intimate but the length of the building belies the amount of people it can fit. On a Saturday night, it might be a squeeze but on this Thursday, it was a trickling in of people, though the bar itself was getting filled up. The Indie Mix music fit the clientele with tunes from Kings of Leon, The Cure, Modest Mouse, Oasis and Wolfmother. So, Indie music for older adults.

The ambiance and our companions had us staying out a little later than we should have on a weeknight but then that's the sign of a comfortable neighborhood hangout. And when there's delicious food to go along with good, reasonably-priced drinks, it becomes more than just a bar. It becomes a destination.

And I am trying the Shrimp Tacos on my next visit. Or maybe the California Burrito. Or the Chicken Shawarma. Or the Chimichurri Sandwich.


The Upside Pub
3402 N. Shepherd
832-667-8487
upsidepub.com