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Catbirds

3.6 (106 reviews)
InexpensiveBars
Open • 3:30 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

Catbirds Photos

Business Info

CATBIRDS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Divey
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Catbirds

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Elaine D.

Fun and cool spot. They have free pool night on a Sunday. Great happy hour and their steak night was delicious.

Daily specials
Daniel L.

When you need to visit a bar on Caturday you better make hecka sure that the name involves the word "cat." Catbirds is a Houston institution in that it is one of the last remaining /dive bars/ in the Montrose area where million dollar townhouses and developers fueled by oil money greed and excesses have rubbed out nearly all of the more interesting elements of the creative class enclave over the past several years. You can even buy cigarettes here. There is a lit up Camel sign on the wall leading towards the restrooms and packages of a variety of Camel lines (including Camel Crush) are on the right hand side of the bar. It smells nice and smokey when the door to the patio briefly swings open and close - it reminds me of a kinder and gentler Houston back in the aughts when going out to a bar included coming home smelling nice and smokey regardless of whether or not you had smoked anything. But now Houston is just like Palo Alto where smokers are relegated to the third class of citizenry and the nonsmoker vanguard say smarmy things like "nobody has ever died of second hand heroin" unlike second hand smoke. Catbirds still looks the same as it did when it first opened, or more accurately for a point in time and space when I first moseyed on in new to the Houston scene back in the aughts. It's nice that some things never change. This is like that bar in Cheers except most of the patrons are hipsters with great big bushy beards, tats, and a fuckton of extreme piercings on and around the facial region. It's not the kind of bar you would bring your mother to for a genteel and sophisticated $11 cocktail (like at Stone's Throw across the street) because she would be under the assumption that you live more of an unorthodox hardcore S&M sex dungeon lifestyle than you actually do given your advanced level of Star Wars knowledge. With that being said, it is so /dive bar/ it is an enjoyable experience once you get past all of the negatives. Well drinks are $3.50 on special during a Caturday afternoon so you can have not just "tee many martoonies" in the parlance of Elliot Richards - but three many without even denting your pocketbook. Since it caters to "regulars" in a very cult-like (exclusive) way if the bartender(s) don't know you on a first name basis to discuss which of your mutual friends have been hookin' up lately, then you get prioritized last for your drink order. I learned some new "adult content" from the patrons that I did not need to even look up on urbandictionary on my iPhone, I got the mental picture from their stories. And based on those stories that young lady needs to spend more time in church, just sayin' As a non-regular I am of the opinion that the service is not very good. It took 20 minutes to place the order for our first round of drinks even though there were only seven other people in the bar, with none of them actually needing another drink at the moment besides me and my drinkin' companion. 20 minutes is as incomprehensibly bad as the service at OKRA to glare at a bartender just chatting up their homeys meanwhile I am dying over here in need of a drink. We nearly left to go back across the street to Stone's Throw. It's a tiny bar and it is obvious when two gentlesirs walk in, sit down at the bar, and require sustenance in the form of party liquors because why else would they be sitting there instead of the bar at the TGI Fridays out by the airport? Service is not that great for a bar (dive bar or not) if they make you wait a long time to get your hooch, the place is hella dirty too ... I know it's a dive bar but a good wash behind the ears might be all she needs to turn from the side chick you hesitantly tell your friends about into wifey material that you tell everyone and their mother about. The longer my drinkin' companion and I stayed the more I softened up to the place. In need of a second round of drinks it only took 10 minutes of obvious groaning and complaining before we got to place the order, and then the drinks came out quite expediently. Later on when the popcorn machine was fired up the bartender brought over a styrofoam cup for us. It is unique for such a grimy dive bar to still be standing in Montrose, I will give it that. I think they could vastly improve their star quality on the yelp dot com if they got brothers their hooch more quickly - work first, disgusting sex talk with other patrons later when nobody else inside the bar is trying to order their next round.

Inside the bar on a Saturday night around 9-10ish pm.
Electric Pixie D.

Such an unexpected wonderful find on a Saturday night! Went on a night out trying bars around Houston with a friend, and on our way to Anvil (which of course is uh-mazing) we popped into this little spot because it looked so lovely, friendly and inviting. Guess what? It was! People were chill, kind, chatty. Crowd was a mix of basic conservative Houston (25-35) with some 30-45ish millennial hipster/GenX "alterna" types in the mix. The bartender made a super tasty basil gimlet that was solid. Unpretentious bar that still knows how to make cocktails! Would be a lovely local spot if I lived here. Seems like a spot you could go to to hang with friends, go to before hitting a more packed club later, go on a 3rd date, a 3 year date, or even meet someone to date. Thank you Catbirds!

a wooden sign for a bar

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18 years ago

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15 years ago

great local bar...reminds me of the bars on frenchman street in NOLA....i'll be back time and time again...

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11 years ago

A very small lounge with jazz and quiet like ambiance. A perfect way to end a quiet night.

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8 years ago

Amazing bartenders. Was so pleasantly surprised by the liquor selection. Good service as well

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18 years ago

dive bars antoher haunt, werid muix of in diivuals

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Review Highlights - Catbirds

“Catbirds is the kind of bar where nearly anyone can feel at home, yet somehow it's not dowdy or divey.”

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Axelrad - Main bar

Axelrad

4.5(1.3k reviews)
1.4 mi•Midtown
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Axelrad is one of those spots that show up on every must visit in Houston list. After visiting a…read morefew times I can see why. Vibes are chill, beer selection is vast, they have some nice frozen drinks and cocktails as well. There's almost always some sort of event going on so it's a nice place to just stop by and check out if you have some time to chill. I've liked that there are random events and they can be hit or miss. Sometimes there's interesting musical guests, sometimes there are various vendors, sometimes there's a movie night. Regardless, I know I have a pretty good time and will be treated kindly by all the staff.

Axelrad is a great indoor-outdoor bar in Midtown with a really fun atmosphere. The place is huge,…read morewith tons of outdoor seating, covered areas, hammocks, swinging seats, and even a stage for live music and events. It's a great spot to hang out with a big group of friends. They have a pretty impressive beer selection, probably 30 to 40 beers on tap, along with cocktails, margaritas, and other drinks. There's also a Luigi's Pizzeria right next door that you can access from the outdoor seating area, and they frequently have pop-up food vendors. When we visited, there was a little taco stand set up as well. The place was absolutely packed when we went because they were hosting some sort of event with vendors and even a best-dressed fairy costume contest. I've been here for other events where they've had mechanical bulls and all sorts of different activities. It seems like there's always something fun going on. The bartenders were friendly, and while there was a bit of a line to get drinks, it wasn't too bad considering how crowded it was. My one complaint is their strange ID and wristband system. Instead of checking IDs when people walk in, staff periodically come around to groups that are already sitting down and hanging out to check IDs and hand out wristbands. I understand they transition to a 21-and-up bar later in the evening, but the system just feels a little awkward and disorganized. Overall, Axelrad is a really fun bar with a great atmosphere, plenty of seating, and a good selection of drinks. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a sports bar since there aren't many TVs, but if you're looking for somewhere to hang out with friends, enjoy some drinks, and maybe catch an event, it's a great option. Every time I've been here, it's been a lively and enjoyable experience.

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Axelrad
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Wooster's Garden - Bayou Bramble. Yum!

Wooster's Garden

4.3(698 reviews)
1.0 mi•Midtown, Fourth Ward
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Their drink menu is incredibly creative, with unique cocktails that are both well-balanced and…read morebeautifully presented. You can really tell the bartenders know what they're doing. The food was just as impressive - fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully put together, with plenty of options to pair with drinks. The outdoor patio is a huge plus, especially when the weather is nice, and adds to the overall experience. Overall, Wooster's Garden strikes a great balance between a laid-back vibe and high-quality food and drinks. Definitely a spot I'd recommend and look forward to visiting again!

As one of the most popular places in Midtown over the past decade plus, Wooster's Garden came to an…read moreend earlier this month after ownership (#1) decided that it was time to go. Considering the recent shutter of other places (#2) within the hospitality umbrella, it's not too big of a surprise that Wooster's would also be in the crosshairs. The space was always a nice mix of indoor and outdoor seating, which combined with its dedicated parking lot made this an easy drinking outlet for all kinds of occasions. The intimate indoor space was lovely and well ventilated, and it felt like there wasn't ever a moment where the bar wasn't slammed. The outdoor space was much of the same, with lots of tables and chairs, and even the trendy swing chairs facing the city. The only thing that was a little bit of a liability were those open flame heaters; it would only take on person to accidentally walk into one or trip onto it. For libations, the drinks were well priced, well made, and always potent. I appreciated the aesthetics, as well as the bartenders who made them. The only part that wasn't exciting was the limited food menu, which did its part as munchies for the drink heavy crowd, but was mediocre otherwise. The space is already undergoing the new facelift of a separate concept, one of which I hope will do the area justice, just as much as Wooster's did. ____________ (#1) The Kirby Group. (#2) R.I.P. Verde Garden: https://www.yelp.com/biz/verde-garden-houston-2

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Leon's Lounge - Classic cocktails

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4.0(181 reviews)
1.3 mi•Midtown
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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.

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Leon's Lounge - Bar from the back room

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Catbirds - bars - Updated November 2026

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