Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Dean's Downtown

    4.1 (158 reviews)
    Closed • 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Dean's Downtown Photos

    DEAN'S DOWNTOWN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Dean's Downtown

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Dean of admissions
    Fox E.

    I have run into a few Deans downtown, such as Dean Martin, Richard Dean Anderson, Dean Cain (that man felt like steel) and the Dean of admissions of the University Of Houston. But this one was new to me. I heard great things about the old Dean's, but the new one didn't really do it for me. I found the drinks to not be that great and Barbi - who is a drink expert - was not feeling them. It's priced like an expensive bar but looks like a cheap bar. I know there are a lot of bars like that now, but if you're going to charge this much for drinks, you better be really good.

    Bar area
    Julia W.

    Stopped by on a booze and boos ghost tour and loved the vibe and history of the bar. You wouldn't know by walking in the rich history behind it all (and the FIRST Electric elevator in Texas). The drinks we received were really good part of a special just for us but the staff were really great.

    Happy Hour Menu
    Jen S.

    Such a fun vibe at this historic downtown bar. They have a great Happy Hour... the Old Fashioned is only $5! And the bar tenders are fun and mix up great drinks! (we loved Chris) The lounge feel and comfy furniture adds to the overall vibe here. It's a smaller bar but still plenty of space to gather with your group of friends. We enjoyed all the drinks we tried but our overall faves were the Old Fashioned and Whiskey Sour. They don't serve food but Franks Pizza a block away will deliver so if you want some munchies with your drinks, just order online and enjoy with your cocktails. We have added this to our ongoing rotation for HH's downtown!

    a crowd of people at a bar
    Monica R.

    Top bar in Houston!!! Super fun , great music , & great drinks ' great vibes ! Super fun place to hang out !

    The drink menu! Their happy hour drinks are $5 any day from 5-8pm
    Melina B.

    This bar was very fun! The drinks were reasonably priced (their happy hour was listed at $5 for most cocktails between 5-8pm) and well made-the best I'd had all evening. The decorations, full screen showing Full House, and music choice was fun and well balanced (not too loud). There was a speed dating event, and the bartenders were doing great keeping the first-timers well stocked with drinks even as they were moving around every few minutes. Will definitely come back on a night without an event listed, and hopefully for the happy hour!

    Outside seating
    Craig W.

    I was telling my wife that I would love to find a lounge! Comfortable chairs and great drinks. This fit the bill! Chill inside with couches and chairs. Excellent liquor choices. Comfortable bar stools which I seem to find rare these days. Even extends outside if you're a smoker or want to people watch.

    Marc M.

    Great environment and excellent staff! Brittannie is the manager and is incredible! It's a downtown bar with a small town feel!

    Keisha F.

    Dean's is a spot I happened upon. The crowd is laid back and chill. The bartender recommended this shot with green tea and Jameson and it was delicious ! Dean's I will be back. It's like a little hideout spot. Check it out..the ambiance is nice!

    Outside patio
    Jessica B.

    First time in Houston, and got recommended this bar a lot. Eventually came around to going one evening (around 5PM) and only had a few folks in, and one bartender who greeted us right away. They were playing a good mix of music, and had lots of liquor to choose from, plus outside seating areas. Our bartender Joy, was the literal definition of her name. She was awesome to converse with, always checked in, and even made us an off menu drink that we had found at another bar. Leaving that place, I knew I had to leave a review just to make sure she got her shout out! We ended up going back there later that night and it was extremely busy, had a DJ, and a lot more bartenders. Definitely recommend when in the downtown area!

    the neon sign for dean's
    Casual D.

    Me and my wife came here for 2 days in a row! There was a bartender who was also djing on turntables while also making drinks at the same time on Sunday and that was just so cool!. The drinks were awesome highly recommend the old fashioned and whatever that is, our bartender Britney was very helpful in helping us choose the perfect drink for the night, we had so much fun we came back Monday and only planned on staying a short while but we noticed the same dj was now playing from a table! And there was 2 chefs outside with bbq plates that were too good to have time to get a proper picture.The atmosphere was energetic and felt like we were at a close friends place in short we ended up staying till close and even invited more friends to join us! We highly recommend this bar!

    Inside

    See all

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Fox E.
    4531
    16896
    49987

    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Love the vibes here. Music is diverse, vibes were nice and Jake was a dope bartender. Will definitely be back!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jen S.
    121
    222
    2654

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    My go to spot drinks always good great downtown spot! Dj is great and vibes are always calm

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joseph M.
    19
    156
    274

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kendra S.
    10
    16
    13

    3 years ago

    Super cool place with great history! I love the variety of cocktails and the bartender was amazing.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anecia E.
    280
    21
    6

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Adolfo B.
    10
    575
    791

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Belly G.
    756
    1187
    8282

    12 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Dean's Downtown Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Dean's Downtown

    How busy is it Saturdays around 7? I'm looking at this bar to pregame before birthday+dinner and show at Prohibition.

    Normally we’re not that busy at 7 o’clock on a Saturday. You should be good.

    What would be a good time to get here, say on Fridays to make sure I get good seating on the inside?

    Honestly; just go during happy hour and there's usually seating and sometimes busy from 3-7. If you don't want that, they're usually packed by 9ish so I would say 8/8:30

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Dean's Downtown

    “It used to be a department store and I believe it was the first place in Texas to have an electric elevator.”

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Lounges 4,287 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Sante - Covered Patio seating

    Sante

    3.9(162 reviews)
    3.8 mi•Upper Kirby
    •$$$

    Love the vibes here! House music & good drinks! They have…read morefire drinks which are so cool. Valet parking or uber def Quick and easy to get a drink! Lychee and pineapple shots were amazing!!

    The ambiance at Santé was beautiful, and the food was good, but unfortunately, the service was…read morequite possibly one of the worst experiences we've had at a restaurant. Our server, Camille, took our order and then would disappear for 30+ minutes at a time. At one point, when we asked where she had been, she simply said she was "walking around." Her overall approach to serving us felt extremely nonchalant and inattentive. The atmosphere also made us feel as though the level of attention you receive depends on how much you're spending--particularly whether you're purchasing bottles. The servers seemed more focused on creating a bottle-service experience than providing attentive restaurant service. It gave the evening a very transactional, "pay for attention" feeling rather than genuine hospitality. What really sealed the experience for us happened after we had already paid our bill. A host approached our table and essentially said, "Can you leave now? We need to seat someone right now." There was no gracious transition, no "thank you for dining with us," and no polite explanation--just an abrupt request to leave. For a restaurant with such a beautiful ambiance and good food, the service and hospitality were incredibly disappointing. Guests should feel welcomed and valued from the moment they sit down until the moment they leave, regardless of whether they're ordering bottles.

    Photos
    Sante - On Richmond

    On Richmond

    Sante - Bar

    Bar

    Sante - Bar outside

    See all

    Bar outside

    Z on 23 Rooftop - Golden hour cocktails with a view, 23 floors above downtown Houston.

    Z on 23 Rooftop

    3.5(292 reviews)
    0.3 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    I went to Z on 23 for a date, and the overall vibe was perfect for it. The rooftop felt intimate…read moreand had beautiful views of the city, especially while watching the sunset. It's definitely a nice spot to sit back, have a drink, and enjoy the Houston skyline. They even offer valet. The food was really good! We shared the sliders and charcuterie board, and both were great for snacking while having drinks. I do wish the bar had a little more variety when it came to specialty cocktails. For a rooftop bar with such a great atmosphere, I was expecting a more creative drink menu with more options to choose from. And it was bar service only, no wait staff. Between the city views, sunset, and intimate setting, this place is great for a date night spot. I'd come back for the views and vibe alone!

    Extremely disrespectful and aggressive staff, with clueless security…read more My friends and I came to celebrate a birthday. From the moment we arrived, one employee was unnecessarily rude and confrontational toward my friend while checking IDs by saying "are you going to show me your ID or not?!" Later, she grabbed my friend by the arm and made comments like, " Are you ok? Are you sure? Yeah, because I don't play that." When we were leaving, the same employee confronted my friend again simply because my friend looked at her. My friend tried to walk away and get into the elevator, but the employee followed her inside and cornered her. Instead of removing the employee or de-escalating, security blocked the rest of us from entering the elevator while our friend was being confronted. The employee tried to claim that my friend was "trespassing" which made no sense because we were all leaving. We repeatedly explained that we were only trying to get our friend out of the situation, but security did nothing to help. The employee continued following my friend even after she left the elevator. Like I said, disrespectful, aggressive staff and security that seemed completely clueless about how to handle the situation.

    Photos
    Z on 23 Rooftop - Light bites, cocktails, and good company above the city.

    Light bites, cocktails, and good company above the city.

    Z on 23 Rooftop - Cocktails in the making at Z on 23.

    Cocktails in the making at Z on 23.

    Z on 23 Rooftop - Golden hour from Houston's highest open-air rooftop bar.

    See all

    Golden hour from Houston's highest open-air rooftop bar.

    Credence

    Credence

    4.4(273 reviews)
    10.4 mi•Memorial
    Family-owned & operated
    Locally owned & operated

    The reason I'm giving this restaurant 3 stars is because the service was exceptional. Our server's…read morename was Dequan and he was excellent. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the food. This was my first experience with Credence and the atmosphere was new, modern and a little noisy. The lunch gnocchi was my first experience with gnocchi (in particular cornmeal gnocchi) so I have nothing with which to compare; I would probably not have it again but it wasn't bad. I have had plenty of beet salads and this didn't make the top ten. The grilled tuna salad my husband ordered rated a 0 on a scale of 1-5. The tuna may have been grilled as advertised, but there was no evidence of it, and there was absolutely no taste to it. I would have expected there to be some seasoning, but again, no evidence. The green beans were so crunchy they might as well have been fresh-picked and the sauce over the snow peas was so tasteless, Ranch dressing would have been a huge improvement. I could only eat one, and I really like snow peas. Until they get a better chef, I will not be returning.

    Credence was such a good experience from beginning to end. The food was outstanding, the service…read morewas attentive without being overbearing, and our server gave genuinely great recommendations. The ambiance was beautiful too, and the speakeasy was such a fun bonus. The monkey bread was the perfect way to start ! Warm, soft, and dangerously easy to keep eating. The baked potato was probably one of my favorite sides; it was super creamy with this crusted layer that basically melted in your mouth. The NY Strip steak was perfectly seasoned and definitely lived up to expectations. The branzino was fresh and cooked well, but the seasoning was a little too subtle for me, so it didn't stand out as much as the other dishes. I also wasn't a huge fan of the cabbage. Overall though, Credence absolutely delivered. Great food, great service, beautiful atmosphere, and plenty of dishes I'd come back for.

    Photos
    Credence
    Credence
    Credence

    See all

    Hidden Bar - More mini cranes!

    Hidden Bar

    4.6(64 reviews)
    4.4 mi•West University

    Now THIS is a speakeasy. I had no idea that I was going to get this experience when coming to…read moreHouston, but I couldn't be happier. The origami ceiling, lively bar, friendly staff, unique cocktails, fun bathroom, and photo booth in the corner made for an unforgettable experience. My friend said it was the busiest he had ever seen the place, and it was loud. But we got some awesome drinks that I swore I could've taken pics of -- the lighting was a little crazy, so I think I ultimately changed my mind with that. One was the periscope which was a refreshing and summery gin drink... And I think I tried the naked and famous too because I like mezcal. I had already eaten so I skipped the restaurant the speakeasy's connected to, but I cannot wait to return to Houston outside of a Con so I can really go all out on exploring. It was an amazing way to end my first night!

    Super cute speakeasy hidden inside a sushi restaurant. We went on a weekday evening and had no…read moretrouble getting a table. I ordered the Side to the Sun Rises (gin, yuzu, mint, cucumber) which was light, refreshing, and well balanced. I would recommend it if you enjoy gin-based cocktails with a slightly fruity flavor. My friends really enjoyed their drinks as well. They have all day happy hour on Sundays/Mondays. We did not get a chance to try the food, but the menu looked great. Overall, a fun spot with great vibes and definitely worth checking out!

    Photos
    Hidden Bar - Love the decor!

    Love the decor!

    Hidden Bar - Ceiling

    Ceiling

    Hidden Bar

    See all

    Dean's Downtown - lounges - Updated October 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...