Bar Buena was a surprise find after we participated in a cooking class at Sur La Table across the…read morestreet. After the byob cooking experience, we figured "why not!?" So we walked on over to this little speakeasy and were immediately greeted by the bouncer. On a Thursday night, it was quite crowded, but were able to find the last remaining seats at the bar. We were seated at the left end of the bar, which was nice because we had our own little "nook" away from the rest of the bar. Adjacent to us was the server station - the one server tending to the tables, Marilyn, frequently came by and we immediately befriended her. She gave us excellent recommendations and provided her opinion on several drinks. Robin was the bartender who took care of us throughout the night. She was super friendly from the moment we sat down and gave us stellar recommendations on food and drinks. She was happy to tweak a couple of their seasonal drinks to our liking, and even offered to mix other drinks that weren't on the menu. Fantastic service from Robin throughout the night. I started out with Tommy's Margarita - this was just their take on a classic margarita, nothing super special. I then ordered the Oaxacan Old Fashioned - think of an old fashioned made with tequila and mezcal in lieu of bourbon. I was a bit cautious about this one since I am not a fan of mezcal, however the smoky flavor was not very apparent in this one, which was a huge plus! I also got the Ardilla - very unique drink made with mexican corn whiskey, cocoa nibs, sherry, and a milk punch. I award this drink for most unique I've had in a while, definitely give it a try if you're up for something new. To finish, I had the Cariña - their take on an espresso martini made with reposado tequila. I really liked this espresso martini - it was a great way to finish out the night and I left feeling inspired to make my espresso martinis at home using tequila now! With the little room we had left in our stomachs, we tried the Pato Tinga Memela, which was duck leg (no bone) with beans and onions and cilantro atop a memela. I haven't had memela specifically per se, but consider me a fan. It is basically a mini "cake" of masa that is pan fried to a slight crispiness. An Oaxacan speciality, where else can I find these in Houston!? We also tried the Guacamole y Tostadas. The guacamole was unique in the sense that it was Oaxacan style, so contains pepitas, pickled onions, and queso fresco. The tostadas were super crispy and reminded me of how they serve guacamole in Mexico (rather than with chips/totopos). Fun fact is that this bar is owned by Goode Company. Next door to this is Goode Co. Cantina, so it's nice that they created an adjoining restaurant + speakeasy concept within the same strip. At one point in our visit, Levi Goode was standing next to us. We didn't know until after he left and Marilyn informed us, that that was THE man. Just doing a casual check-in of his bar. We really had a good experience at Bar Buena and look forward to returning. The food menu has quite a few offerings I wanted to try had I not come from a cooking class. We were also told that the seasonal drink menu was set to change shortly after our visit, so I look forward to trying these drinks!

Bar Buena is brand new and already bustling! We stopped by right after 5:00 and were greeted right…read moreaway by the bartender. We did hang out in their standing room area for a little bit but were able to order drinks and snag a table pretty quickly. When I tell you this is the friendliest service I've ever had at a bar or restaurant, I mean it! All different members of the staff were checking in with us to make sure we were having a good time and enjoying everything. We tried out three of their drinks: enamorada, uno amargo, and their classic frozen mezcal margarita. I say this as someone who is stupid about cocktails, but I think if you're a fan of old fashioneds you'll be a fan of the uno amargo - it'll put some hair on your chest! I loved the frothiness that the egg white brings to the enamorada but I think the frozen margarita was our winner. Imagine your favorite frozen marg but better - the mezcal brings an earthier flavor to a cocktail that us Texans all know and love. Finally for food we had the pato tinga memela, gulf crab tostadas, and carnitas flautas. I genuinely loved them all so much, every protein was so juicy bursting with flavor, which makes sense considering everything is made to order. If I had to pick a favorite I would struggle (I'm not kidding, it was all that good), but I think the crab tostadas won us over with their freshness. We had such a great first visit to bar buena and I can see this quickly becoming a cozy date or after dinner drink spot!

Okay...so I think I may have fallen in love with Clarkwood's espresso martinis. I've been on the…read morehunt for my favorite espresso martini in Houston, and while surprisingly, my favorite so far was at Postino's, but man. Clarkwood really does know what they're doing with these espresso martinis! I loved the added touch of the burnt marshmallow on mine, and the coffee seemed pretty good quality too. The second time I visited I also enjoyed their spicy watermelon margarita. Also amazing. It tasted a little bit like a spicy jolly rancher? SO good! They also let us know that if we posted and tagged them on our instagram, that we could receive a free round of shots. So, of course, me and my two friends posted to get some shots too. We were able to try the Mexican candy shot, the raspberry lemon drop shot, and the mini matcha martini shot. Honestly all were really good, but my favorite in order were the 1) raspberry lemon drop shot, 2) Mexican candy shot, then 3) the matcha martini shot. The matcha martini was good but as it's creamier, I think having it as an actual martini than a shot is more appropriate. Still, it's a great way to try a new drink and just sip on it rather than taking it as a shot. Also - the venue is so elegant and charming and such a cute spot for a date night. The music was a littleeee loud for me considering it's such a small space, but that's okay. Either way, I loved Clarkwood and will be coming back again :)

I've visited Clarkwood before and had a wonderful experience. The drinks are exceptional, and it…read morewas a place I had recommended to others. This weekend, I returned with fellow MBA classmates and was unexpectedly stopped at the door and asked whether we had a reservation or were on the guest list--a requirement that was not in place during my previous visit. We respected the boundary and began to leave. However, we later discovered that several of our classmates were seated inside without a reservation. The only difference was that they were dressed more formally, as they had come directly from our gala, while we had changed into business casual attire. I approached the bouncer to clarify the misunderstanding, and he admitted that the reason we were denied entry was because one of my classmates was wearing a sleeveless top and had a visible tattoo. While I appreciate his candor in that moment, it would have been far more respectful had he been transparent from the beginning. Unfortunately, the inconsistency, lack of honesty, and discriminatory treatment we experienced speak volumes about the establishment's values.

Vibe: Grown and sexy. Heels required for the ladies. $10 valet…read more Drinks: Our bartender killed it. The cocktail "The Dream" was amazing. Highly recommend. 9/10. Fruits of the earth was huge but tasted like juice (came with a little show). A little too big to be holding.

Sante is a chic, cocktail bar/lounge located in Upper Kirby neighborhood. It's best to probably…read moreuber here or they have valet service as well. The ambiance is very lively and always a good time. I've been here a couple times for happy hour and at night as well. Service is actually really good for a bar that's always busy. The waitresses check in often and bring drinks quickly. I've tried the picante drink, fruits of earth (pineapple and pass fruit mix so it's sweet), an expresso martini here. I enjoyed it all! The happy hour specials are a great way to try out the menu $7 cocktails, $5 martinis, discounted caviar service at $47. It's a great place for happy hour with friends or a stop when out bar hopping around town.

Stopped in for drinks with a couple girlfriends. Bartender knew plenty of great options are an…read moreaffordable cost. Everyone was super friendly. The patio had plenty of seating for each group to have their own space not on top of each other. My friend ordered the buffalo chicken sliders with truffle fries. Thankfully she chose to share. Both were tasty. great portion size too. Meanwhile while checking out we smelt the butter chicken which makes me want to go back just for that. Overall great time. Only issue was some bug issues but that's most likely since it was after the rain.

The unassuming hideaway provides a quaint respite from the busy workday. The gentlemen behind the…read morebar are loquacious and boast about the food. Sadly, drinks and food just don't dazzle nor hold muster with the potential that this neighborhood oasis could be. I ordered the fish tacos, Brussels sprouts, and onion rings. Each dish was mediocre.

Came here for a friend's birthday party recently on a Saturday night and we had a great time. Our…read moreserver impressively managed our whole group of 30+ people efficiently and quickly. The DJ was also bumpin'! Song choices were fitting and he mixed the music seamlessly which made the vibes so much more fun. We loved the Prosciutto Flatbread, the toppings were generous and the crust was perfectly chewy but crispy. We also got the Papas Bravas, which was pretty standard. For drinks, we got the Situationship, Lychee Lemon Drop, Smooth Operator, and Blue Tile IPA. All the cocktails were very tasty and perfectly balanced. Food and drinks here are definitely on the pricier side for a typical Houston bar.

We hosted one of our La Maison Houston events at Plume this past Saturday, and it was an amazing…read moreexperience from start to finish. The vibe is always great, and the team truly went above and beyond for our group. Crysta, the Manager, was wonderful to work with and had our space set up beautifully, including a personalized menu, saxophonist and great DJ, that made the event feel extra special. Cristian, our server, took such great care of us and our guests all night and made sure everything ran smoothly. Jordan, the videographer/content creator, was also capturing special moments throughout the evening, which was such a nice touch. I would 100% recommend Plume for events or a night out, and we will definitely be back!

I went to Bar Doko with one of my girl friends after dinner at Doko Sushi, and just like the…read morerestaurant, I'd definitely recommend making a reservation here too. It's a very quaint, intimate space. As soon as we sat down, they brought out complimentary pretzels, which was a nice touch. My friend ordered a highball, which she thought was super strong. The drink I originally wanted was sold out, so I ended up ordering the "Shizuka Ame" (Silent Rain) instead -- honestly, it was a blessing in disguise because I absolutely loved it. First of all, the drink is gorgeous to look at, but more importantly, it tastes incredible. The foam rose on top was sweet and creamy and paired perfectly with the cocktail itself. I ended up having two because it was that good, and I genuinely still think about that drink. It definitely leans sweeter, which is exactly my preference. They also offer bar bites, and my friend ordered the wagyu toast. It was hilariously tiny, but the bite I tried was actually really good. Overall, I already booked another reservation for later this month. I'd absolutely recommend giving this place a try, whether it's for a date night or just catching up with a friend. The atmosphere is dark, intimate, and moody without being loud or overstimulating -- just a really nice spot.

We came here on a whim after dinner nearby in the same Autry Park area. The manager of that…read morerestaurant highly recommended that we check out Bar Doko and given that we had never heard of it, we figured why not!? We walked in without a reservation around 9:30pm and the place, while small, only appeared to be at about half capacity. We were turned away and told that they were "booked on reservations" until 11:30pm. This was slightly confusing but we still wanted to keep the option open, so we went over to Doko across the way and enjoyed drinks and sushi. We were able to talk to GM Alejandra about getting into Bar Doko and she made a point to take care of us at Doko first, during which I made an OpenTable reservation for Bar Doko later that night. Alejandra then kindly walked us back over to Bar Doko to make sure we got seated. Excellent handling by her. As soon as we were seated, we were given warm towels and bar snacks - a great way to start the experience. For drinks, both us got the Enso Requiem - The Circle, Completed. Both of us really liked it! On the boozier side but I do like me some Japanese whiskey, so the Suntory was perfect in this. For our next round of drinks, we got the Aki Fall highball. I have never really been a highball person, but this one changed my perspective. It was made with cherry bitters and jasmine wine, which were both unique for this type of drink. I could drink these all day, especially on a hot afternoon, as it was very refreshing. I will definitely give highballs another go next time I see them on a drink menu. Despite eating tons at dinner and then at Bar Doko before, we still wanted to try the food here, so we got the A5 Wagyu Toast and the Tuna Tostada. Both were small bites - each one came out as two individual pieces that were a bite's worth each. The A5 wagyu was super tender and full of flavor and the toast balanced out the moistness of the meat. The tuna was also very tasty and the tostada had a similar effect of soaking up the wetness from the fish while providing a nice crunch. It was topped with kimchi which gave it a nice Due to the trouble earlier, the bartender ended up making our second round of drinks on the house. With that said, the bill was still a bit pricey given that the drinks start out at $18+ and the food is in the same price range. I will say that drinks here are more expensive than you'd find at other cocktail bars around Houston. We had a disappointing-experience-turned-good here at Bar Doko and I'd be glad to give them another chance. The bartender and food runner were both very friendly and made sure we were taken care of. Definitely make a reservation before coming, even if it's same day.

Had a great time. JJ the bartender was very welcoming and gave me some local recommendations as I…read morewas visiting from out of town. The food was the perfect amount of food for a late night meal and everything was fresh and flavor. I regret I don't remember the name of the drink I had, but it had rum, Ube, spices, and guava.

I came to Kanpai Club for a solo Happy Hour and had a wonderful time. I found a seat at the bar and…read morethe bartender was very attentive. He made me an Everything's Lychee Keen and a freestyled cocktail with vodka. Both drinks were super delicious and reasonably priced. The decor was super cute inside and I really enjoyed the overall aesthetic of the bar. I highly recommend for a casual place to get a drink and relax. 10/10 experience!

Mr. Nice is a great intimate cocktail bar. I love the atmosphere with the dim lighting and upscale…read morecosmopolitan vibe. Since it is a smaller space, seating can be limited, but I visited on a weeknight, and was able to get a couch right away even with it being fairly busy. The service is great. It was quick to get a drink and everyone working was friendly and attentive, checking up on us. The espresso martini was wonderful - and I'm pretty picky about those. They had a DJ that kept the energy going! They have a valet parking lot and some street parking available (though hard to find).

Lovely cocktail bar! I went here on a Friday evening for pre dinner drinks! This was the perfect…read moreplace to start the night and offered the best drinks we had that night too. I ordered the pornstar martini (also served with a side of Prosecco) and my fiancé ordered an old fashion. Both were well made drinks! The ambiance inside was quiet, nice. We got there around 8pm so I'm sure we beat the bigger crowds. This was my first time in the Harlow district area so it was definitely a vibe.

We stopped into Jethro's Cocktail Lounge while we were out at the Vintage Community Market hosted…read moreby Faculty Club Never, and it ended up being one of those places you're so glad you randomly walked into. First, the vibe. It is warm, stylish, and very Montrose in the best way. It feels elevated but still relaxed enough to just sit, talk, and enjoy your time without feeling rushed. We came during happy hour and it was such a great deal. I ordered the Sweet Like Peach Tree, which was light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced with the peach and ginger. My husband got the Frozen Paloma and it was just as good, super smooth with the right citrus bite. We also shared the churros and they were honestly a must order. Warm, crispy, and paired with Nutella and caramel. What really made the experience stand out though was our bartender, Manny. He was incredibly welcoming from the moment we sat down, had such a great personality, and made the whole experience feel personal. You can tell he genuinely enjoys what he does, and that kind of service is hard to find. He also told us about their upcoming two year anniversary party on May 3rd with rotating live DJs, which sounds like it will be such a fun time. We will definitely be back. Between the drinks, the atmosphere, and the service, this place really gets it right.

On my weekly walks through midtown, I got to watch Jethro's be built and come to life. First visit…read morewas a big HIT for me and I love finding time to come back. The vibes are immaculate! It's a little small inside and a small parking lot, but if you're lucky and can walk there, do! The quality of the drinks are really excellent and the burgers have been voted some of the best in town! I can't speak for them, but the drinks and the spot, are phenomenal. They have bingo nights, dj nights, and other themed events that keep the place packed out. Maybe once I try the burgers, it'll be 5 stars, but the smallll parking lot and lack of safe street parking keep me at 4.

Stopped by The Hidden Bar for drinks and let me just say... the ambiance is EVERYTHING the…read moreaesthetic is super cute, very picture-worthy, and definitely gives that "night out with the girls" vibe. They even have a selfie ring light on the wall, which is such a fun touch for pictures (because if you didn't take pics, did you even go??) Now--fair warning--we went on a Friday night and it was PACKED. We were lucky enough to find seats, but it was so crowded we could barely talk without yelling, and we were basically shoulder-to-shoulder with the people around us Other than that, it's a really nice spot to grab drinks, hang out with friends, and get some cute content. Would I go again? Yes... just maybe not on a Friday night

Hello, Fellow Seekers of flavorful delights!…read more I gotta say - not only is Norigami the freshiest fish in town BUUUUT they have the coolest speakeasy. I would not DARE spoil where the entrance is from the sushi bar (SHHH!). The origami hanging from the walls is SO COOL. Makes me want to relearn that art... I would say their most exquisite drink yet is the Tiramisu martini. That just SOUNDS amazing - just you WAIT for your tastebuds to interact with it. Wow. Just wow. Kindred spirits, Bella