I'm here for the World Cup. Taking the train back to downtown I spotted this gem at the McGowen…read morestop. Best ripcord I pulled in a minute. Jerry knows how to make a mean cocktail. Improv sazerac is spot on. I can't understand how I'm the only one in this place. Will be back after the Dutch match Saturday no question. Look for the British phone booth outside

We stopped in for a quick nightcap on a Monday night. We were able to park right in front of the…read morebar which was convenient. Street parking is free after midnight. I didn't catch the bartender's name, but he greeted us immediately. There was only one other patron and the staff was decorating the bar with Christmas decor. The bartender informed us that the bar wasn't fully stocked but asked us what types of drinks we like. Based on my preference, he suggested a Martinez. I had never even heard of a Martinez but I was open to trying it. He made it, looked at it, and said it didn't come out right. He asked if it would be okay for him to redo it which I of course obliged. I appreciated the fact that he didn't serve me a drink that wasn't properly made. The wait was worth it. The Martinez tasted like a sweeter Negroni and I really enjoyed it! I'm glad I was able to visit one of the oldest bars in Houston. It was super low key and chill which was a perfect way to end our evening.

This is a cute little date spot. The outside area is huge. The lighting and setup is really cute…read more They have parties and poetry nights here. No food but there has been a taco truck and pizza maker on site depending on the day I'm guessing. Free parking is street parking and very scarce but they do have a valet lot. Bartenders are nice. Drinks are average priced.

Went to the Speakeasy Burlesque show Friday night and had a blast. This is a very small and…read moreintimate venue area which made the show an even better show as the ladies were able to interact a bit with the audience. Loved the New Orleans speakeasy vibes of the place. The ladies were beautiful and funny will definitely be coming back as they did inform us there are different ladies each night.

"Not All Who Wander Are Lost"...And what I found was some great food! Atmosphere is casual, service…read moreis friendly, the vibe is definitely Viking (and from what I have heard, it's really popping during brunch!). We came on. Friday after work during happy hour and the prices could not be beat, especially with their lobster bites (was sitting at about $30, and we got them half off!) Drinks were fantastic! I selected the "Golden Cadillac" that comes with a miniature bottle of Grand Marnier inside of it. Very good. My company decided on an array of appetizers for his "main course", while I went with their Fried Salmon (served with Mac and cheese, and collard greens). Omg! So tasty! The pepper was prevalent throughout, but it did not over power the flavor! I make collard greens at home (and learned from one of the best), and even I found theirs to be pretty good! My company selected fried ribs, along with the lobster bites, and crawfish queso dip, and their wings! I tasted what he got, and we both agreed that the wings were "off the chart" delicious with a beautiful straight off the grill smoky flavor! So good that he got another order to go! Lol. What made our experience there amazing was our server Ray (Rajean = think "the 90's TV Show "Living Single"..."smooches"!)...she was the best!! From her hello, to walking us through the menu (as first-timers), her recommendations, her energy, her smile, and her being very relatable. Loved her! My only gripe was the bathrooms, the ladies room needed attention (and could use a spruce all around). It doesn't help that it is a bit small, but yeah, they need to focus some efforts on ensuring it's upkeep. As for seating and parking, there is a bar area and limited seating toward the front of the restaurant, but it does extend to back of the house with additional seating. There is also patio seating as well. Because this place seems popular, it is best to reserve ahead to ensure your seating. Parking is very limited! They do however, offer valet (but at $20+). There is off-street parking, but be careful since this is a residential area and nothing is secure. All in all, I really had a great time and left with my belly full! Definitely worth checking out! What was lost is now found! Enjoy!

Came in on a Saturday night around 9:340ish... we ordered…read more.... fried salmon a side of fries While the salmon came out...... my fries didn't lol! The bartender even mentioned about the fries coming out first. But I sat for a longggg time before my side of fries NEVER CAME! At 10:13 I canceled my fries! Usually I'd chuck it up to it being packed.... But baby this place wasn't packed...... I'm ngl I feel a lil played.. but whatever. I heard back in the day this was the place to be.. but babyyyy not no more smh! Honestly the prices don't match the place or match the menus (they were clearly done, and needed to be replaced) Overall will I be back.......!? Nahhh I'm good!

Been eyeing this place for a little while so I decided to finally hit it up tonight for some late…read morenight delivery. Was craving a shawarma and a Greek salad, both of which they had. They were running a BOGO promo for the shawarma, which made it even better. The shawarma actually wasn't too bad at all. I've had some better ones but I've had wayyyy worse here in Houston. Greek salad was pretty good too. I'd probably buy this again honestly. Definitely recommend. Only reason why I gave a 4-star is because they messed up my order and forgot to give me two shawarmas. Overall still pretty good though.

Joined friends at Cafe Layal for a nightcap and hookah after a concert and we had an okay…read moreexperience. The restaurant has a large indoor seating area as well as a covered outdoor patio. It's BYOB, offers hookah, smoothies, fresh juices, teas, and an extensive food menu with plenty of great priced food options. The service was decent, but the waiter could have been more attentive to our table. Unfortunately, the hookah wasn't the best. The shisha flavors weren't prominent enough to really enjoy not even the mint flavor. I don't think a hookah has to be made with Love 66 to be flavorful, so that was a bit disappointing. On the bright side, the food was delicious and reasonably priced. Four seasoned lamb chops for under $30 is a great deal! I ordered mine medium well and substituted the hummus for french fries and kept the rice. The meal came with a white garlic tzatziki sauce and what I believe was a red spicy sauce called harissa sauce. The tzatziki sauce was very good with the rice and is definitely worth trying. The menus description of mixed vegetables was misleading to me. Instead of an actual scoop of mixed vegetables (what I thought I was getting) it came with a single slice of onion, tomato, and bell pepper, which felt more like garnishes than a side. I didn't get a chance to try the chicken philly sub or gyro wrap because my friends cleaned their plates before I could grab a bite. From the emptiness of their plates that should tell you all you need to know about how good the food was. Overall, Cafe Layal is a convenient spot with plenty of parking. It's a good place to study, hang out with friends, or enjoy affordable hookah, plus it's BYOB with only a small corkage fee. Yes, the hookah and service could use some improvement, but the food and value really made it worth the visit.

if I could start off by giving this I would. I went there to have a good time every 5 to 10…read moreminutes. A waitress approached me trying to get me to buy a bottle. After I already bought the as well as a a waiter ended up walking up to me and telling me even though you bought the section. You're holding it up because there's other people that wants to buy bottles. Which made no sense to me since I've already would not recommend going here. Not only is the service bag, but waitresses are pushy like sales people one out of 10 would not recommend.

Love the hookah here!!! So smooth! We had watermelon passion fruit mint, a good combo. Maddie (sp?)…read morewas our waitress and she was very personable and friendly. They serve drinks here which are strong. The atmosphere is very nice and relaxed. They play a mix of music which is mostly R&B, which I really like. I plan to come here a lot more!!! Great place!

Oh how I love the settings, the service, and the price here…read more Even though I didn't come during Happy Hour, the price is still affordable. I always ordered one for myself, not sharing, so I stay like 2-3 hours there. I could even bring outside food/drink to this place. I have looked elsewhere and no other places have as cheap of the price with nice sofa like here. They refill the coals very often too. I would definitely come back every time I'm in Houston. I came here twice one day after another. It made such a good impression on me.

One of the best clubs in Houston, HANDS DOWN…read more I came here for a birthday celebration with my friends and they made sure we had a good time. We had a section and the bottles kept coming. This is a Nigerian club, so the music is always on point. The bottle girls were nice and beautiful as well. Plenty people, liquor, and fun. No complaints at all.

Good place to go to be in the middle eastern culture. Great food good entertainment, they have…read morebelly dancing and live music. It's always busy so you feel very lively. The juices are freshly squeezed and so good. The hummus/ yogurt plate is good as well. Service is also good. Staff is entertaining.

Ordered: Mint Lemonade (~$7)…read moreHookah on Orange Head (~$18) with Iced Hose (~$3): Tropical Mix with Mint flavor Aya's take: Out last night in Houston and so glad we ended up here! We wanted to do something chill and hookah is the perfect activity for that. They have more chill seating (couches, etc.) and also table seating in front of the stage which is nice for when the bellydancers perform (started around 9pm on a Sat). The Mint Lemonade is a must whenever I go to a hookah lounge and this one was spot-on; delicious and refreshing. The hookah was also well-made and although we had to ask a few times to rotate the coals, the workers came pretty quickly. It lasted over 2 hours overall. They even gave me a buzzer in case I needed anything to call someone over. Shout out to Abdul for being a great waiter!

We received an invite from one of the owners and wished that we had went just a little earlier. The…read moreparking in the area was a challenge and we had to walk a little but it was worth it in a full moon. The DJ was on point all night and thank you for the birthday shot-out for my girl Mendy. Our waitress served us quickly and when we could not remember what we needed for the second order, she remembered all the drinks. Last, the security was on point. They continued to walk back and forth. There is a small seating area outside with cover and the security man tilted the fan to cool me on this hot night in Houston. Good energy vibe, happy people, and hookah love

Perfect atmosphere to get get both the Houstonian and touristic experience…read more In the heart of third ward it's easy to here and walk and enjoy 3rd ward. Pros: The Houston experience Good variation of music Hookah Great DJs Wonderful bartenders Parking Clean restrooms BOB Owner was nice and welcoming t Cons: None