Went to this bar for New Year's Eve and had a great experience! My boyfriend is a whiskey and bourbon connoisseur so we made this as our first stop in Houston. The bartenders were amazing! Very knowledgeable about all whiskeys, very friendly, and super conversational! There are other drinks of course so I got a margarita which was one of the best I had. Highly recommend this place is your are a whiskey drinker read more

Reserve 101 - Margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Best bar in Houston. Quality drinks for a low price? Come on mane. Review needs more characters so here it goes, best freakin bar in Houston. read more

Fantastic bar ! Randomly stumbled upon this gem and will continue to come back ! Service is impeccable. Bartenders are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about their craft. They creates a custom flight whiskey flight for us which was amazing. Got some non alcoholic cocktails which weee amazing as well. Espresso martini 10/10! read more

Chill watering hole with good drinks and prices. great service. Laid back ambiance, attracts singles and couples.

Beautiful place. Amazing selection, everything from bourbon to Canadian to Irish to Scotch to Japanese I mean wow. Their patio has barrel tops for counter seating & I can't wait to smoke a stogie out there. Will definitely be back & Shaun/Shawn was very helpful with accommodating my date read more

Reserve 101 - View from outside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Excellent downtown bar with lots of options and 11/10 service. If you like whiskey you should give this place a try. There's limited space in the room with the bar but there's a huge back room that's great for large groups. Definitely will be back here. read more

Stopped in after reading the yelp reviews and was underwhelmed. It took us a good 10 minutes of waiting before we were able to order a cocktail. The cocktail was decent though. No atmosphere, no hospitality. Bar was pretty empty too. We had one drink and left. We headed to the Four Seasons Bar & had the best time. Would not return here. read more

Reserve 101 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Whiskey makes me frisky ... or at least warm and fuzzy, especially when it's cold outside. So on a rainy night after a concert at HOB, a little whiskey action at Reserve 101 is perfect. Well, almost. They have a wonderful selection of sour mash, which is great if you want it neat, on the rocks, with a splash of H20 - or if you're me, with lemon. (don't judge) But they also have a selection of mixed drinks. Unfortch, not one single cocktail on the menu was a hot toddy, nor did they have the capability of making one (no heat). The mixed drink that I did have - the St. Marks - was second best to a hot toddy. Sweet, sour, strong ... I like. (Makers Mark, St. Germain, lime juice and OJ) This is a great spot for an afterword (or mid-day) drink. Happy hour is 2-6pm Mon-Fri. They also have regular tastings, so sign up. And because they're known for their selection, don't be surprised if you find promo gals there handing out free shots/sips. I had decline many o'times. The service we got was okay. Seems as though you're better off ordering from a fella named Frank. Cheers. read more

I'm not all that familiar with all the great spots to go downtown, but since meeting new people on Yelp, I am also finding new fantastic spots to try! While staying at the Hilton Americas for my birthday weekend, Yelper Eddie met my girl friend & myself & led us to Reserve 101 for drinks. I loved this spot as soon as I walked in! Although pretty small, there is plenty of room at the bar & there are also stairs which will take you up to some cozy tables if you'd like. When we got there, there was only one or two other couples there. I don't know jack about beer, but I do know that I'd like to get away from Bud Light. My girl friend feels the same. Well, between Eddie's knowledge & the bartender, they were able to Pick out a perfect beer for us!!! I was happy with the music selection, but really enjoyed the conversation with my friends & the bartender. I thought, this guy is really cool! We're all talking about the crowds that were out for black Friday, & he jumped right in & shared his stories from that day & the good buys he came across. After a couple of beers each, the 3 of us decided to head back towards the hotel. As we were leaving, I saw a couple of small (2-4) groups heading in to Reserve 101. Looks like Yelper Eddie got us there right before the rush!!! This cozy cool spot gets 5 stars in my book, and I have a feeling I will be returning very soon!!! read more

We've briefly stopped by this place a few times now, usually after some sort of sporting event or post downtown-festivities. Reserve 101 seems perfect for that, although it might be perfect for whenever - not that I ever remember that it exists when I'm thinking about going somewhere outside of the usual. So whiskey galore up in here! I like my liquor clear, so I can't comment on the virtues of the expansive selection, but I've surely enjoyed most of my drinks here, though the Sazerac fell short of successfully conjuring up good happy New Orleans feelings. I am especially fond of the larger seating area - the entrance is to the left of the bar. The times we've made ourselves at home, it's been mostly empty and quiet - just the way I like it! Bah humbug! Service seems fairly consistently prompt, but I don't think we've ever been here when it's slammed with patrons . . . mostly because we've only been here while everyone else is probably in Washington area or Midtown. To which I utter my best Grumpy Cat "GOOD." read more

After a recent concert at House of Blues, I headed over to Reserve 101. A long, slender space, Reserve is a "real" bar. Clearly an older building, they respected the bones during renovations. They have an amazing choice of liquors for any type of drink you can think of. They have an extensive menu of specialty drinks or you can tell them what you like and they will hook you up. I tried one drink off of the menu and then had a vodka soda. My friend had a dry martini and a rum drink off the menu. Everything was yummy and well made. The crowd was fairly young and the bar was full at midnight on a Saturday. Reserve has some interesting twists that make them unique in the bar scene in Houston. They have over 130 whiskeys, they have a featured spirit of the month, and special events in conjunction with their neighbors (like their Astro's Opening Day event.) You can sign up on their website to receive email notifications. Reserve 101 is the perfect downtown bar for a date or cocktails with girlfriends. They DO have tv's if you'd rather watch the game their instead of going to one of the nearby venues. read more

Reserve 101 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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OUTSTANDING liquor selection including some bourbon's I've never seen before. OK atmosphere - spartan but nice. 3-stars for some really crappy bartending. Out of our party of 8, some had cocktails that weren't measured and were just poorly made. You could try the same cocktail that 2 people had and it was like tasting 2 different drinks. Bartender forgot parts of the order. Overall indifferent service and it wasn't jammed when we arrived. It did look like our bartender was newer and being "trained" by someone else there. She seemed to be hired for her large chest and tight t-shirt. I'd go back and try it again though. read more

Love this place especially those awesome push pops they have! I believe they make those in house and they usually only have a limited supply. We got there around 10pm and they only had 2 push pops left! We also tried the Japanese whiskey which was really smooth. Service here can be good or bad. The very first time I came here we were basically ignored while the bartender was too busy not doing his job, however, the second time around the bartender we got was extremely nice and was on top of things. YOU MUST TRY THE PUSH POP! read more

I recently moved down to Houston and have been looking for a good whisky bar to frequent. Back in Seattle, I would always go to Canon and was looking for something similar. Although the whisky list isn't as impressive as Canon (very few bars can match them) they do have all of the favorites and even some more obscure whisky's that most bars wouldn't carry. I came for the High West distillery tasting and what I really loved about this establishment is the sense of community it brings. In the back room, they have an intimate little location with some ridiculous whisky porn (I spotted a bottle of Port Ellen 34 year, Brora, Bruichladdich PC8, etc etc). The host of the event was great, and he was able to work well with the proprietor of High West. Unlike other more esoteric bars, these tastings accommodate everyone, from the novice to the whisky aficionado. The one thing that I would like to see changed for future tastings is to give the people who attend a proper glass to assess the whisky. I can understand that with so many coming out they give out small shot glasses to everyone, but I wasn't able to fully appreciate it without a glencairn or a copita. They do have stemmed glencairn glasses in the front of the house, but there were only about 5 or so. If a bar wants to take themselves seriously as a whisky bar, they need to invest in the proper glassware. Overall, I love this establishment and will definitely be a frequent customer. read more

Reserve 101 - David Perkins from High West! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! It is one of my favorite spots downtown - great for happy hour or drinks after concerts. I love the location and the atmosphere is laid back. My friends and I have spent many evenings hanging out at Reserve. (Sometimes we even have pizza delivered.) While I don't really drink whiskey, I do love beer - and they have a great beer selection. Our bartenders Jace and Frank always make us feel at home. If you're looking for a place to hang out or just grab a quick drink downtown, I highly recommend Reserve 101. read more

By far one of the best bars in Houston. I was here this past Saturday and the bartenders are amazing and they know what they are doing when it comes to yummy drinks! Especially dirty martinis will be back!! read more

Best of the full service bars we visited downtown. Small place with large windows for people watching and a huge selection of liquor. See pics for house drinks. read more

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My friend wanted to go to a whiskey bar, so this was one of the few options we found in Houston. The bartender was very chill. They were out of one of the whiskeys on their menu that my friend wanted to try, but she was very helpful in recommending a similar one. I got the Single cocktail and it was honestly one of the best cocktails I've ever had. The egg white that they put in there just makes the drink so creamy and the drink overall was slightly sweet--just the way I like it. Most cocktails I order tend to pride itself on being a 99% sugar, but this was not and I appreciated that. Next I tried the Manhattan and was not impressed. My friend was happy with the whiskeys he got. There's plenty of seating and lounge areas and the lighting is dim and candlelit, giving it a good atmosphere. There's paid parking in a lot behind the bar. I would definitely go back! read more

Reserve 101 - Singles (AMAZING COCKTAIL) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Bar hoping in Houston; and I met the best Bar tenders David & Josh, let me tell you these men know what "customer service" is. It's a point they ask you how you like the drink. These men need raises 10/10, would recommend. That old fashioned is 100/10 recommended it's bomb! This man knows what he's doing! Not from here but lemme tell you when I visit I'm stopping by read more

I purchased a private tasting for my husband and several friends as a Christmas gift. He absolutely loved it! Will definitely do it again.

Amazing selection with fantastic and knowledgeable staff. Recommended! Whiskey selection: 5+ Stars. Service: 5 Stars. Environment: 3 Stars. read more

I went here for their anniversary celebration and it was pretty packed around 5PM on a Saturday. They were also rolling out new food menu items on that day as well. It was pretty hard to get a room at the bar so my friend and I got a space near the window. First, this place does have a great selection of Whiskey and Bourbon, domestic and international brands. Since I'm not a spirit advocate but I do like my mixed drinks, I got myself an Old Fashioned first to see who good they can make it. I don't recall if the bartender asked me any certain types of whiskey I would like but never less it came out pretty good and strong. At the same time, I put in my order of chicken quesadilla and oh boy, I shouldn't have done that. It took about almost 45 minutes for the food to come out, I was pretty hungry already. When I took a bite into it, it was pretty average tasting quesadilla. I couldn't really even finish it. I had to wash it down with another drink so I got myself a Moscow Mule as I know the ginger beer would help me cleanse my palate. I didn't try anything else on the menu because of the disappointed quesadilla but hopefully things have already improved upon there for the food wise as they got the whiskey and cocktail things down good. read more

Located downtown right next door to Dirt Bar and across the street from House of Blues, Reserve 101 has arguably the best whiskey/scotch selection in town. It's a relatively small and long bar with some seating at the bar, one or two couches in the back, and a standing area. I'm not much of a brown liquor guy so take this with a grain of salt. I'm sure if I was I'd be singing the praises of my scotch drinking friend. They have happy hour from 5-6:30 which includes around 12 or so $5 cocktails. Half are whiskey/scotch based while the others consist of vodka cocktails including Moscow Mule and several gin cocktails for the most part. Pretty nice selection and good prices especially if you're not a whiskey drinker. Good spot to have a drink before a Rockets game given the proximity. read more

Bartender has a stick up her ass. Not personable and not interested in discussing whiskey! Love my whiskey, love learning more about it. Not happening here. Super slow too!!! Good drinks. Interesting combos. Great list of whiskey's! read more

Amazing whiskey bar. There are not many places with a Whiskey selection like this place. The staff is friendly and welcoming.

I had been meaning to go to Reserve 101 for the last couple years, and when we finally decided to go here last weekend, I was extremely excited (I love whiskey, so how could I not be excited??!!). But, our experience there was just close to average. I'm a firm believer that the experience at any bar is affected by the people you're with and the bartender. Our bartender was very unhelpful (its not as if he was busy, the place barely had 10 people) and really didn't care at all or provide his input. Despite the poor service, we really liked the two whiskeys we tried (Bushmills and one from KY) and that's the only reason I'm giving Reserve 101 three stars!! read more

Amazing location and super cool vibe. Me and my friends ordered the whiskey flight and we we're not let down. I had a bit of indigestion and the bartender was quick to make me a ginger ale drink with a splash of bitters. To my surprise it worked like a charm and I continued on with my flight. I would highly recommend that you go during the afternoon read more

Reserve 101 - Yes - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Bartenders are trained well and know what good service means. All are personable and treat their clients well. They can make anything you want skillfully. read more

I stopped here to grab a quick drink while waiting for my sister. We were heading to the Bruno Mars concert. I ordered a Moscow mule, which was great. read more

I like whiskey, I like bars that have a variety of different whiskeys. I like bars that can make great cocktails with their whiskey. I like nice and confident bartenders who when I express doubt over how good can an old fashioned be when served with a ton of ice, they prove me wrong and make a great one. Props to Rachel for that. This place does exactly what you'd want it to do and I would come back when in the area. read more

Reserve 101 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love this place!!! I have wandered in here a few times from other bars near by. I have to say that I think this might be my favorite spot downtown!! Some girlfriends and I were here last weekend and really enjoyed not only the people in the bar but our excellent service! I believe our bartender said his name was Frank. He was super friendly and answered every extensive question that we had about their selection of liquors.... BTW they have a great selection of tequila including Don Julio 1942 :) You guys are too cool for school!!! We will soooo be back again!! read more

If you like whiskey, this is your heaven. Its an unreal amount like 150 types of whiskey - You can choose American Whiskey, Bourbon, International Whiskey, Single Malt Scotch, Blended. Its overwhelming. We tried a Makers Mark infused with apples and pecans and cinnamon that was like a dessert. (Note: they also have other liquors there and yes, they serve beer) Its a simple place, a bar, a few sofas. The bartender knew her stuff though. She answered ever question we had and shes does research on scotch and the history of them. Wow. That is serious about your job. We met the owner and he was super friendly and approachable. He suggested some other places/things to do in Houston and told us a bit about how he picks the whiskeys in the bar. I love stories like that. I love meeting owners who actually show an interest in their customers. The place was clean, but simple, not really alot in it. Its super close to the Toyota Center so great place to stop and get a drink pre-game. No food though. Just an FYI. read more

Ok, they just went up big time in my book! If I understand correctly, during their tastings, donations go to Lucky Dog Rescue. And, you can donate at any time to the rescue, too. How freaking cool is that?? Good drinks, nice atmosphere, AND they support rescues! read more

Reserve 101 - Awesomeness... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I don't usually go to bars, but this one caught my eye because it was clear that it was a shrine to whiskey based on the signs on the window. I don't see many whiskey bars near me. I went with 2 colleagues for a beer after we got into Houston for a conference. I'm totally not a beer drinker, so I asked the bartender for a recommendation. I told him that I wasn't a fan of overly bitter beer, so he recommended a honey lager that he had on tap. It was one of the best beers that I've ever had, and I'm totally bummed that I didn't get the full name of it. It was $3.50 for a pint, not bad for good beer. The bar is very small, and I could see where it would get uncomfortably packed at the end of the work day. There is a second floor, which is where my colleagues and I went to chat. It's a bit tight up there also (only 3 tables, I think). It was also freezing cold up there, which is an incentive to drink more beer (or whiskey) to warm your innards. Behind the bar is positively filled with whiskey, so it would be very hard for you to not find something you would like. I only went that one time, but I totally would go back for another round or three of the honey lager beer. It is 3 blocks from the Hilton. read more

My buddy and I were visiting Houston not too long ago, and we were wandering around town looking for some hard liquor. Turns out, they stop selling booze early so we felt hopeless and headed back to our hotel. UNTIL...we saw Reserve 101. We walk in, it's not packed and we decided to give this place a try. Ran into Frank (the guy with the beard) and he was an awesome bartender. Shots were super cheap, then all the sudden I'm 10 shots deep and I'm having a blast. Called up my group staying back at the hotel and told them to head over and the next thing you know it was a party. The next night we were here, and the night after. So I think I definitely approve of this place. Thanks Frank! read more

Cool spot. Great happy hour. Very chill atmosphere with good music. Granted I'm here 3pm so it's cool after work. Huge selection of drinks. Primarily business professionals at this time. No college kids at this time. Good spot to have a small business meeting. read more

Very cool place. Reserve 101 is on the corner of Caroline St. and Dallas St. and they are close to all the action, so you can start you night out here or wrap it up here. Its a block from the new Discover Green Park and The Grove and the House of Blues when complete will be right across the street. Very Nice! They have a full bar but their specialty is a big selection of Scotch. They also surprisingly have a nice selection of wine by the glass. I was hanging out here when the Rockets happen to be playing at Toyota Center and after the game it was rowdy, Great crowd. The best part is the up stairs loft area furnished with nice leather chairs, it over looked the bar so it was the perfect place for people watching. Plus they have great music playing in the background, I must warn you though its probably from one of the bartenders ipod. I highly recommend this place it is very cool and laid back. read more

After some terrible bowling at Lucky Strike, my friends and I continued a birthday celebration here. My friend called ahead and the company kindly closed off the upper section for him. The establishment is very small and intimate. It was actually refreshing to be able to sit with a group of friends comfortably and talk over drinks. There wasn't a cocktail waitress, but we were all having such a good time I don't think anyone minded having to go downstairs for additional rounds. I love whiskey, so I'm sure I'll be back to Reserve 101 in the near future so that I can leave a more detailed review. read more

Very small, but an excellent drink selection. They have Blanton's Bourbon, which is my favorite bourbon and can be difficult to find. The place is pretty small...it was a Japanese restaurant before it became Reserve 101. It's dark and relaxing...a good place to have a drink and talk. The bartenders are nice, and the times I've been there (it's never been too busy), they are very attentive. The best part is that it's across the street from the House of Blues, and the drinks are MUCH cheaper. So if you're going to a show at HOB, I recommend stopping by here and grab some drinks beforehand. read more

I've passed bye this place multiple times before going in and it seemed small & lame. It was actually a good spot to free-lax and socialize in. There's an upstairs lounge i noticed and that gave it an extra 4th star for me. On the list of bar-hop spots for downtown. read more