My coworkers and I visited this really cool Japanese-themed speakeasy after work one day and even though I was going through a sober challenge so couldn't partake in any of the beautiful and delicious-looking cocktails and other drinks, I greatly enjoyed the mocktail the bartender made me based off of me telling her what I like and the food from Hando next door (geez I think that was the worst run-on sentence I've written in a while). The mocktail made for me was expertly made even with my vague answer to her question of "what do you like"? Plus, it came in a super fun red fish cup (see in pictures). Unfortunately, I could not take the cup home but it was fun drinking out of it. The food from Hando next door was good for small bites while sipping on drinks; not too overwhelming and not underwhelming either in terms of size. I did think that the taste could be better though. Every dish felt like something was missing. Service was amazing. There was only one bartender when we visited with a party of eight and she took care of us masterfully. read more

See all

Little speakeasy area behind the sushi place. There was some parking in the back for exact entrance, but you can park in the lot and it's just in the hallway. It was packed on a Wednesday, but the area itself isn't too large. Shrimp: Well cooked! Decent size. Sauce was yummy and not too overwhelming. 7.8/10 Fish Taco: easy to eat. salmon was good quality and the yuzu(?) marinate was tasty. 8.7/10 Drink: did not taste the alcohol so was yummy. 8.2/10 read more

See all

Tried this place out for thirsty Thursday. Quaint and quirky with an unexpected vibe. My friend and I made it just before happy hr ended so we decided to indulge. We tried all the happy hr food except the Takoyaki and an order of shrimp lollipops. Food: Shrimp lollipops tempura fried served with a delicious Serrano aioli Spicy edamame. Edamame is always good and the spice just gives it something extra Curry croquette the onion curry is the star Geso karaage fresh and fried well Vegetable bao good but it was a little doughy and thick for a bao Spiced chicken tsukune nice glazed slightly dense for a meatball For drinks we ordered: And yes we mixed liquors on a weekday. Lol 1.Green tea smoked old fashioned ( prefect for a tea lover who also loves old fashioned) 2.Welcome to yam rock ( if you're a fan of Ube this week not disappoint) 3.Hando clarified milk punch (the cup was cool and the drink was decent more smooth no task bite and it gas a light refreshing flavor) 4.Matcha painkiller 5.The quiet storm They have so many unique options it was hard to choose every drink was well crafted and bursting with flavor. Plenty of parking and plenty to choose from. This place is hidden with limited seating. But I'm sure you'll have a great time and vibe out to the classic R&b tunes. I can't wait to come back and try some more food items and drinks. read more

See all

Came here with Yelp friends. While I have visited Hando in the past, had not visited their secret teeny bar. We came in the afternoon, a little before the end of happy hour on a Saturday. There were a few other folks seated at some small tables, but the bar seating was open. Service - the one bartender slangin drinks was kind enough to honor happy hour prices even as time moved just after happy hour. Drinks - I was only able to order one drink at a time per bartender, fair. So I ordered the Sweet Gin Music as my only drink. Enjoyed it. A ton of ice, so would be nice on a hot day. And fun spicy. I think my friends thought their drinks were fine. Food -I tried the Takoyaki. Which is the octopus balls. They came hot, which I appreciated. Wasn't bad. I owe this place more time spent to get a better feel. I saw a karoke sign, another hidden room? read more

See all

I did not realize this place was associated with Hando and decided to stop in with some friends. The drinks were very pretty but they tasted alright. The Thai Tea Gin Fizz only had a hint of the thai tea taste. Welcome to Yam Rock yummy but a little too sour for my taste. The Japanese Swizzle was pretty good and the pistachio was super subtle. Service was quick and the bartenders were very friendly. There's limited seating, but you can stand! There's also a back entrance and you don't need to go through the front entrance. read more

Kanpai Club - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

This is a great speakeasy! The happy hour is a great deal! The "Liquid Swords" drinks on the menu are unique to Kanpai Club and not in Hando. The bartender is nice and knowledgeable. The beef skewers were tender. The music was a bit loud for me. To get there, walk past the front desk through a swinging door and then there'll be a sign for the restrooms. There's a red door on the left that is the entrance to the speakeasy! I would definitely come again! read more

Kanpai Club - Cocktail and small plates menu - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Houston, Texas

Wow, I am surprised that this place doesn't have more reviews and/or isn't filled with people. Kanpai club is a family run business that mainly serves Japanese/Japanese-inspired drinks and small bites. They also have other Asian-inspired drinks which was super exciting to see (i.e. 'Welcome to Yam Rocks' which is Aged rum, ube, lime, guava, spices). I came in at 4 pm sharp on a Wednesday for Happy Hour (HH is daily from 3-6 PM). Since Kanpai club is a bar extension of Hando, you have to walk inside Hando and take a right- the red doors that lead to this bar are next to the bathrooms. The seating is quite limited (7 bar stools and a L shaped couch that maybe sits 10) and I'm not sure if you can make reservations so I'd double check but I can see this place getting busy at night/weekends. The inside is dimly lit and I love the interior (especially the Japanese snacks that are laid out underneath the counter as part of the decoration). Just a heads up, the music is a little loud so that's a deal breaker for you, this place might not be it. For drinks I ordered the 'Everything is Lychee Keen' and 'Shibuya Roll Call'. Since it was HH, they were both $7 each which is such a good deal. These were recommendations from the bartender after I told her that I enjoy sweet drinks. Both drinks were refreshing and spectacular- I genuinely can't choose over the other because they were both great choices. I will say though that the Shibuya Roll Call has a little bit of a spicy kick to it because it's made of ginger beer but personally, I loved that! As for food, I ordered the Geso Karaage, Curry Croquette, and Wasabu Shumai for $5 each. They were all delicious but if I had to pick one, the Geso Karaage would be the must get since I love squid and the yuzu kosho aoilo sauce was delicious! However, the croquettes were fried perfectly and I loved how the sweetness from the potato balanced out the savoriness from the onion curry (they were filling too!). As for the wasabi shumai, these are made in the house. Be careful though because you can actually taste the wasabi and they definitely got a kick to it so they're not playing! Aside from the delicious drinks and food, the service was great! I appreciate the bartender giving me great recommendations on these delicious cocktails and I enjoyed talking to one of other staff member (shoutout Mandy!!) telling me about this restaurant's story and how she got into the service industry. If you want to have a good time with your date, friends, or even just to treat yourself with a lowkey/hidden gem, Kanpai club is the spot! This place has intimate vibes, delicious food, and even better drinks! I cannot wait to come back and try more items! read more

See all

Behind Hando - Spring Branch, this small, well-designed bar is a great addition to the East Spring Branch neighborhood. Located in the same restaurant zone as Feges BBQ, Blind Goat, Cosmic Ice Cream, Slowpokes, Stuffed Belly, Barnaby's and Jinya Ramen, is a bar that is high design with a Karaoke room coming soon. Visit soon for the late night, reverse happy hour or a cocktail before dinner at the restaurant. Tell JJ hello. read more

See all

Great establishment! The drinks were just perfect and the music kept the vibes going. Me and a friend explored on their cocktail menu, yet the food smelt great. read more

What a vibe!! Came here on a date night this past weekend and had a great time. Kanpai club is located inside of the restaurant called Hando...when you walk inside, walk right past the host stand and past the first door like you're going towards the restrooms. There is a red unmarked door to your left and that's the door you need to enter. It's a small speakeasy bar, but definitely worth checking it out. They have a lot of specialty cocktail drinks that were fun to try. One of the first drinks that I tried was a Thai tea sort of cocktail. I can't remember the name of the drink and unfortunately when trying to look up the menu I didn't see that drink listed. But it has a fizz on top that kind of makes your mouth tingly at first. So it was meant to be sipped without a straw. That drink had an interesting taste, but not my type of drink. I can't really taste the Thai tea flavor as much. But I went on to try the Sweet Gin Music because I am a sucker for the specialty mugs they put the drinks in and also it was noted it was a spicy drink with Soshito peppers and jalapeños. It had a nice kick to it and that was more of my type of drink. My hubby tried the smoked green tea old fashion because he loves himself an old fashion. He wasn't sure on the green tea, but he tried it anyways. You can definitely taste the green tea, it wasn't overpowering, but if you're not a green tea drinker then you might be able to taste that more more than others and it can come off a bit of a bitter taste. I wish I took pics of our appetizers, but they had a few to order from. We tried the Brussels sprouts, Gyoza and beef skewers...all of them were my favorite! The brussel sprouts came with bonito flakes on top and if you haven't tried them before, they do have a fishy element to them, but I've had it before so I quite enjoyed it. The beef skewers are so delicious, a must try! It was nicely grilled with mushrooms and a nice sweet glaze on top. It came in an order of 2 beef skewers..most of the apps were $7 each. They're more of like small bites in between drinks. Overall, a really fun and cool experience. The bartenders were attentive and explained what each drinks were and offered excellent recommendations. Definitely will be back with some friends next time. And if you've read this far, don't forget to try their frozen sakeritas - it's like a frozen margarita mixed with sake. Perfect drink to cool down with on a hot summer day! read more

See all

First impression was that this bar was very cozy & inviting. The bartenders are attentive as well. We got started with their signature "welcome to yam rock" & the Thai tea gin fizz. They were both very creamy & strong. We later got their Shibuya roll call which in my opinion was my favorite! It had a hit of spice. The chicken kaarage, curry fries, & skewers are fantastic. Definitely will be back to try other cocktails & snacks! read more

See all

Cool vibes! Entrance is actually hidden from the back parking lot! Creative drinks and Cocktails! Decent late night small bites. Perfect for date night or an intimate group. read more

Fruit flies behind the bar, mosquitos flying up through the drains in the kitchen, tree roaches in the kitchen and bathrooms. You're paying a premium price for juices and mixers that are over a week old because the person running this circus doesn't like to throw things away Never order the shot special, it's just months old frozake mix repackaged as a shot so they can squeeze every last penny out. Lots of favoritism here as well. Don't see this place succeeding in spring branch. Coming from someone that's lived here their entire life. Keep that mess in the heights read more