This... this place is so unique on soooo many levels. Where do I even start... When you first…read moreenter, there's a lot of antique stuff, animals, and mannequins. And randomly that's a chess table haha. In the back, there is a small bar that has cocktails, some with Asian inspiration. There's a staircase nearby that takes you upstairs. Every time I went, the door was closed, and there is a second bar that overlooks the first floor kind of like a speakeasy. But the journey continues of a spiral staircase next to this second floor bar! You take that, and you end up in a small outdoor area -- it's surrounded by buildings, so it's not quite a rooftop vibe. Seating is very limited and a lot of people smoke out there. But you can go inside on this third floor, and there is even more vintage stuff, and another bar behind a window. There are a bunch of rooms with different vintage stuff that kind of reminds me of this bar in DC I used to love. But what really kept me coming back was the sound dome. No matter where you stood in there, other people could hear you because of how the sound carries. There were some stimulating visuals on the ceiling, and you can Bluetooth to the rather epic stereo sound system. The comfy stools and the bean bag couches make it the perfect spot for an impromptu listening party. What other places have things like this?! Out of all the places I went to in houston, I found myself coming here the most. The Sunday night karaoke was a bonus too :).

Unconventional in every way, Nutsouh has been one of my favorite venues in the city. Founded 30…read moreyears ago by local artists Jim Pirtle and Missy Bosch, it got its start as a coffee shop before becoming a site for art installations and live entertainment. The name is simply "Houston" spelled backwards. The decor is quirky, eclectic and goes hard on the taxidermy. There are all kinds of animals from land-based to sea creations in all kinds of positions, along with very unique art and ambiance to explore. The multi-room layout makes the place a fun spot to explore and check out the different levels. The darkly lit ambiance makes it a bit hard for photographs, but it is no less a dizzying and fascinating space. My favorite part of the entire place is on third floor, where there is a sound dome that doubles as a visualizer, a communal space, and a trippy acoustics wonderland where music can be played via bluetooth and tourists and locals would enjoy it. The sound system is excellent and a perfect place to chill out. There's more than just sensory overload, the drinks also deserve a bit of mention. The jalapeño palomas and hibiscus mules are fun, despite feeling a tinge overpriced. Bartenders are nice people, and service as a whole is a thumbs up. The parking situation will be challenging, since this is Downtown proper. Street parking is available just down the block, and if one can avoid the crowded weekends, the weeknights are an ideal time to visit. It's hard not to be impressed with the distinctiveness of the place, which is truly one of the city's great local favorites.

This is such a cool patio bar it gives off treehouse vibes as you have a view of being high up in…read moretrees from the patio. Such a lovely view. Real cool spot to kick back and relax. Board games available and they do bingo nights and other fun events. Drinks were good, service is good. Very spacious area. There is a second floor so you would have an even higher outdoor view from there. Food trucks available, when I visited Lotus seafood was there and a crawfish tent.

Yes, yes! We visited this place for the Mexico vs. England match and managed to reserve a whole…read moretable for a group of ten. The service is excellent, and the drinks are delicious! This place is so cute and good for dogs on the patio.

A nightlife mainstay amongst dive bars, Catbirds has been a part of the Montrose scene for the last…read more3 decades. After closing for a hot minute close to two years ago, it was revitalized with new ownership which made some significant updates to the interior while preserving the old school vibe. The neon signs, LCD TVs perched high above the bar, the lively patio area, and even the pool table really add to the overall experience. I tend to find myself at the bar mostly, slamming back a few of what they do best: affordable libations. My recent string of $5 well tequila drinks were appreciated, along with a series of shots form other ddddd The friendly bartenders are a plus, along with the occasional food vendors that make their appearance in pop-up form or the randoms selling overpriced tamales. There are some nights where it's relaxing jazz with a martini, or a weekend evening full of crowded college-aged kids with music so loud that I can't hear what I'm saying. Bathrooms are always a flight risk during times of desperation and the prices have remained steady despite hikes across the rest of Westheimer. The parking situation is limited to a few spots out front, which are so tight that backing in is a gamble and going front in might result in an angle. it's a tight squeeze for larger cars, but these are coveted spots for the bar hopping kind (#1). Catbirds is a nice place to start and potentially a solid place to end, but here's hoping that the changes from new ownership will take this place to new heights. Montrose will forever be thankful. ___________ (#1) Which definitely includes me.

Great local spot, dive-bar feel with friendly staff and approachable atmosphere. Certainly a…read more"come-as-you-are" spot, which I enjoy. Great happy hour specials and affordable drinks overall. A great place to kick off the night. Several parking spaces out front, otherwise street parking available.

server Sophie was super duper kind and friendly, amazing service and the food was delicious,…read moreambiance is pretty cool and amazing overall place!

Fun place to grab a drink and bonus if it is Tuesday Steak Night!…read more Fun vibe, nice outside seating (when the weather is cool like tonight). Big TVs to watch the game. Bocce Ball and Corn Hole courts. Fun place! Order at the bar. Or for steak night order from a QR code at your table. You can't order drinks on the same check though. So keep that in mind. I had the rib eye. It was good, not great. Had an interesting rub on it that I couldn't decide if I liked or not. Decent size steak though. Sides were green beans and mashed potatoes. Wish the sides were larger, but all good. Over all, for $30 not a bad steak. I'll definitely be back. Great place to hang out with friends!

Angel Share is a long time staple in downtown houston. It's a must stop, not just for the…read morecocktails, but because of the concept behind it. Every drink earns you a token to vote for one of four local charities that change monthly. At the end of the month, the charity with the most tokens receives a donation. I love to see the wall of monthly winners, and note the difference this bar has made in our community. This has to be a win for all given you can catch up with friends, enjoy a drink, and support a good cause all at the same time. The space itself is beautiful. Don't forget to look up and check out the stunning glass ceiling, and of course, you have to snap a photo with the iconic Dolly mural while you're there. Staff is always warm and welcoming, and they make fantastic cocktails. Don't miss this spot whether you're stopping by after work, before a downtown event, or winding down after dinner, it's a great place to spend an evening. Drink recommendation: The Giving Bee.

Beautiful bar with a fantastic idea of donating part of each bill to local charities. Kira was very…read morefriendly and gave me a couple of recommendations for dinner spots while I was in town. I explored quite a bit of the menu and enjoyed every drink I had. I didn't try any food while I was there so I cannot speak to that. Absolutely worth stopping in and enjoying the atmosphere and a drink or two. Good happy hour specials too.

I went for their Monday industry night, they were supposed to have $5 specials on rumpleminze,…read morerepo, and Jameson. I ordered 3 Repo drinks and got charge $58 dollars. I get it, bars got to make their money, but most I was expecting on three $5 drinks was to pay $25, $15 for drinks and another $5-10 with tips/tax. Only reason I'm giving them a 3 star rating and not a 1 star rating is because the DJ was fire. Had a lot of us dancing, if I were them I would stop promoting the specials if they will not come true with it. Other than that, the people there were a vibe and the music was fire.

Three cocktails for three people for $70. Tito vodka/sprite, Tito vodka/coke, and Lemon drop…read moremartini. Does this make sense?

Unfortunately, I won't be returning to Little Woodrow's after my experience here…read more While the drinks are severely overpriced, the reason I'm leaving a 1 star review is because of the behavior/service from the bartenders. In my opinion, the bartending staff appeared to make assumptions about who they believed would or wouldn't tip based on appearance, and I found that incredibly disappointing. My guest and I waited roughly 20 minutes just to get a single drink while multiple bartenders spent time talking among themselves. When we were finally acknowledged, the service we received was noticeably different from the experience of other customers seated nearby, who were greeted promptly, checked on frequently, and treated with a much higher level of attentiveness. What makes this especially frustrating is that I was a bartender while I was in college many years ago. I understand the service industry, I understand that tip-based jobs can be unpredictable, and I also understand that not every guest tips the same. Some leave 20% or more, some don't, and that's simply part of the profession. Personally, I always tip well above the industry standard because I've been on the other side of the bar. The problem is that it's not a bartender's job to decide, before serving someone, who is or isn't worth their time based on how they look or how they're dressed. Every guest deserves the same respect, courtesy, and level of service. Great hospitality means giving everyone a fair experience and letting your service--not assumptions--determine the outcome. I also think about the couples who work 60-hour weeks and only get one date night a month. Imagine finally getting that one evening together, looking forward to relaxing, only to have the experience soured because someone behind the bar decided you didn't look like you'd tip enough to deserve good service. That's a pretty disheartening and disrespectful way to treat paying customers. I sincerely hope management reminds the staff that exceptional service should be consistent for everyone, regardless of first impressions. Until then, I'll be taking my business elsewhere.

The first note for anyone to know is that parking is very limited aside from the surrounding…read morestreets in the neighborhood. I highly recommend folks ride share here. The second note is it's very common to have to present an ID at these types of sports bars so make sure you have it on ya! This venue has a decent layout but there are some areas that are not great. Particularly the tables near the bar where one has to line up to order. Alot of people will queue up in this area which becomes tiresome if you're sitting at these select tables. It's just a poor location to have placed the primary spot for folks to order and I feel this could easily be corrected (having owned a bar myself). The outdoor patio has a fair amount of deck chairs and patio tables, some uncovered, others under an overhang. This can make for a bit of trouble if it's a rainy day. The space is decently sized with enough TVs to catch the main events. This leads me to service. There are no roving servers so this effectively means one has to queue up and wait to place their order. This is what I like to call adding "friction" to the point of sale. This bar is hit and miss with queue times. They can have the same amount of bartenders and sometimes it's quick, other times you could be standing there a good amount of time. This means you're missing out on conversation with friends or looking for the tv that has the event you're interested in while you wait. All of these types of struggles could be remedied with changing how they operate. This typically isn't too large of an issue on a normal night but it definitely is on event days / weekends. The bathrooms can get pretty messy at times too (at least for men). I've never asked the ladies I come here with how their side is but I'd certainly hope it's better. Now, that leads to food and drink. Food is limited with vendors that come in and serve whatever. Crawfish, bbq, hot dogs, burgers, etc. Their website and socials will list these sometimes though they are not always up to date. For drinks, don't come here looking for any decent cocktails or wine selection. Sure, they can make basic ones or have some basic wines but it's limited. This is a liquor/mixer and beer type bar where speed/volume is the focus for the bartenders. Overall, I don't dislike this Little Woodrow's location as it is a bit more low key than some of the others but it comes with some considerations too. I will say, I do like that they tend to have more main events than other spots nearby and the vibe isn't nearly as off-putting as some of the others.

By the Wayside is not just one of the best bars to open in the East End, but is one of the most…read morepopular bars to open in Houston recently! I love that I get the chance to call this my local neighborhood spot. I'll say this louder for the people in the back, but the East End is way too underrated! Just down Navigation Blvd from Boo's Burgers (shoutout to them), is the new craft cocktail bar, By The Wayside. What's not to love about this place?! Think relaxed but refined environment, beautiful artwork, live music, bar food featuring meat from Eastbound BBQ, and thoughtfully made cocktails. Sergio was my bartender my first couple visits here and nothing, but excellent service from him. Their matcha cocktail, "This Counts As Self Care," is creamy deliciousness. Otherwise, I've had well made classics like their old fashioned, daiquiri, and Southside. Honestly the world cup games lately have been an excuse to come here more often. It's so convenient that they have their own parking lot as well. Cheers to my favorite bar in the East End!

*New Bar Alert in East Houston*…read more By The Wayside Bar is tucked away on the East End of Navigation Blvd, and it's definitely a vibe. This bar + listening lounge has been transformed into a creative hub where live music meets local art. What I loved most? It gives after-work hangout energy, the kind of spot you pull up to with coworkers or friends to unwind. From their specialty cocktails to the beautiful outdoor patio featuring murals by local artists, it's the perfect mix of chill + curated. And yesssss FREE parking. If you're looking for a lounge with live music, good drinks, and a whole vibe, add By The Wayside Bar to your list. They checked all my boxes: Beautiful Space Friendly Staff Specialty Cocktails Spacious Outdoor Patio Plenty of Parking