The hubs conducted a happy hour Yelp search, zeroed in on Lawless, as there aren't many in the top 10 that we haven't tried, and we made our way over! Lawless gives speakeasy vibes as from the entrance (I wish they'd pull that carpet as there's a stale smell when you walk in), you don't get the full glory of this spot. Now, once you head upstairs, there's a different (and much more exciting) story to be told! The street view, the balcony, the decor, and the "dark loungey" aesthetic is giving! We had a round of drinks ($3 off for happy hour)! The hubs had an old fashioned, and I ordered the pineapple ginger beer -- which is actually on the mocktail list, but I wanted it and added tequila. Danny, our fantastic bartender/server, was excellent (personable and attentive). He manned the bar and checked on us frequently. We ordered the fried ravioli and the meatball appetizers and (although they took quite a while to arrive) they were delicious! All in all, we'd definitely recommend and return with friends. Cheers! read more

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If it's not clear from the Yelp listing, this place is an event-only space. Not open to the public.

My family and I visited this establishment for a graduation party. The ambiance was nice. I love the quotes around the establishment. The catered food provided was all very good. They offered a nice vegetarian taco, which I very much appreciated. My cousins all liked the chicken tacos and sliders. The servers were great. read more

The ambiance of this place is amazing! Love the outdoor rooftop and it's always a great crowd to mingle with and good drinks.

This joint used to be State Bar which was a legendary gin joint to wander into to meet a ladykin or zombie, depending on your read of the iconic Casablanca - similar to Pride and Prejudice vs Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. State Bar was one of my favourite neighbourhood watering holes for the ten years I worked and/or lived downtown. Then, State Bar closed. This joint reopened as Lawless and really made some major updates to the space. If you had been to State Bar in the past you will enjoy the first experience of taking that staircase up into an entirely different world. State Bar looked and smelled the same inside for about three generations of lawyers, back when discovery disputes were settled by fisticuffs in the silent era and menacing "why I oughta!!!" schoolyard bully posturing in the Back to the Future era. Now in the Futurama era matters are settled when the largest lawyer just simply eats the other one. Lawless now looks like an upscale hotel bar, in the good way. Everything is proper clean. Not like lick and a promise clean like American tweens will do around the trap to get their socialism bux in weekly allowance but more like Mary Poppins clean, like a British chimneysweep type of person on her hands and knees scrubbed everything twice kind of clean. With a no deal Brexit the British maid category is about to be flooded with desperate ladies seeking work in a real country so our homes are about to be clean enough to start bringing tinder dates home again instead of the pay by the 15 minutes motels out by the airport. The lighting is bright, gay, and elegant which really stands out late at night. The fancy liquor bottles and cabinetry ensconce the VIP seating area. The bar is even more brightly lit making it open and inviting for you and your friendos. There are also tables elsewhere. State Bar was dark and meant to be Transylvanian imposing, like a proper vampire's lair instead of the over the top scene in Lord Harkon's Castle Volkihar in Skyrim where long pigs, blood, and blood chalices are strewn about like it was an edgy aesthetic more than just really not giving a heck about what it looks like when your Dawnguard suitor comes to take your hand in more ways than just the one. Meanwhile Lawless wants you to see who you are chatting up at the bar and think it over one or nine times before taking that tinder date home where she destroys your River Oaks mansion - oh wait, that only happened to that one mayoral candidate, not the rest of us, experiencing what has been dubbed the most expensive tinder date in history. The one and only major downside to this place hit me right in the kvetch - no prices on the liquor menu. They have a great Scotch menu, the other main kind of Scot to admire besides Chibs from SOA. But trying to determine whether you need to show some nip to afford it or take out a ninth mortgage really hits you square in the naches and the oy gevalt when you see that they have Balvenie 14 year Caribbean cask which is sweet sweet mana of heaven delivered unto us by the big man downstairs as an energy granting elixir of life. The bartender had to go in the back and check what my drink would cost before I was going to commit to my favourite drink, because we had already been drinking at the Cottonmouth Club earlier in the evening. She came back with an answer eventually, but still. If your bartender doesn't know what it costs you desitively have a problem somewhere in there. Like I am the first beautiful bitch that ordered it in the history of this place which is odd for a place with such a nicely curated scotch menu, or the whole experience is designed to be a bit mysterious and absurd at the same time. What does it cost? I don't know and you don't know, how fun!!!! The patio is still hella, so that is one thing that did not change in the transition from State Bar to Lawless. Add prices to your menu homeys and everything is aces in this beautiful space with a grand patio. read more

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We had our wedding here in February of 2024. The space is so incredibly beautiful. It would have been worth it for the view and the vibe alone. To our enormous delight, the staff is also unbelievably friendly and helpful, and the cocktails are to die for. Lawless did not charge an event fee, only the food and beverage minimum, a small fee to do the ceremony on site (ours was $500) and a fee for a day of coordinator (so worth it!). This is a game changer for a wedding budget. We selected the plated dinner, and they were flexible with us on plating when we asked for small adjustments. Every time we had a question, they were extremely responsive. We had concerns about accessibility for our guests with wheelchairs, but the team at Lawless provided detailed instructions on how to access from The Rice elevators. We cannot thank Mel, Emily, Courtney, Morgan, and Caleb enough for making our special day run smoothly and look perfect. read more

Stopped in for a pre-dinner drink. The atmosphere was interesting with a lounge vibe and the drinks were fine. I only had one drink so I can't weigh in too much. The lavender martini was pretty good! This seems like a good place to have a drink or two with friends after work. We walked from our hotel, so not sure about the parking situation. I wasn't blown away by this place but it was nice. read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Lavender Martini - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

What a HORRIBLE experience! I will NEVER return. I came for a birthday happy hour, ordered a Red Bull from the bar, and left my tab open in case I wanted a cocktail later. At the end of the night, I went to close out, (I didn't buy another drink) and the bartender tells me my tab has already been closed. I asked how? When I didn't visit the bar again and I didn't sign a receipt. He replies he doesn't know. I ask him to show me the ticket, and he pulls out a ticket with my name on it and a balance of $16 and some change. I asked how could this be my ticket of all I got was a Red Bull. He says "one of your friends must have ordered a drink under your name". -___- none of my friends would do that and I don't have a common last name for anyone to just remember. So I ask for the manager, he says he is the manager very smugly. So now he's going back and forth with me about how someone in our party put a drink on my tab. Long story short, when we FINALLY get to the bottom of it (about 15 minutes later), another bartender charged someone else's drink under my name. Very simple common mistake which I would have forgave, but the fact that the bartender/"manager" went back and forth with me and didn't offer me an instant rectification really did not sit well with me. I told him if he doesn't correct the ticket I'd have to call my bank and dispute it. And he literally said, "well you're just going to have to call your bank and dispute it!" He was very rude and arrogant, never verbally apologize, just told me he'd "take care of the ticket", a $3 or $4 Red Bull. Huge loss on his end. How nice of him. read more

Why someone would recommend the flatbread to us I'm not sure. It was super average and served at room temperature I will however say that the wine was good so I will come back to have a glass of wine or have a cocktail but I'll make sure and eat before hand read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Average pizza - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

The life of the wedding was wack until Kenzie came through and provided over the top customer service. From holding both doors open with her sheer will and providing a bubble fan that changed the trajectory of the party, there's no way she's paid enough. Can't recommend this place or her enough. read more

Let's talk about winning, shall we? I came across this joint by a recommendation from a friend. I'd never been. I'd never heard of it, and decided something new is good. It's tucked away on a cross street of downtown. I had a slight issue finding it, shout out to the Rice valet guys for the heads up. And then, I entered... The place is awesome. The decor is balls to the wall fancy. Whoever designed this, needs to come fix my house. I rolled in at 7. Which is when happy hour ended. The bartender comes over, lets me know what's up, and says he'll put me on happy hour since I came right at the threshold. His generosity already made me like this place. But it gets better. In addition to Nicole, both the fellas behind the bar were also named Jason. It was a sign. I was meant to drink here this night, and return for drinks of the future. All the staff were super cool. This is the happy hour team you want to be drinking with. I started with Kimm's Cup. It's Cointreau, ginger ale and other fixins mixed in. Delicious. Second round was an Irish Martini. You know I love my gin. Also bomb. My friend got the bobbing for apples. It was tasty. For the foodstuffs, I went with the Brisket Potstickers and the Bianca Flatbread. Again, bomb. So to recap, 2 very good food items and 4 professionally badass drinks on happy hour =$43 and some change. Also known as winning. The bar itself is a good spot to be social, not a quiet place during the peak hours. But if you go in between the happy hour and night rush, it's quite chill. They also have a patio section outside. I didn't get a chance to partake, but it's on my to do list for round two. The place is great for happy hour, private gatherings, and I've heard rumors of brunches. Check it out. Another good spot amongst the downtown lineup. read more

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Downtown is really my favorite part of Houston. I hit up Lawless Spirits & Kitchen for happy hour on a Thursday. Even though I was there for a special event, I took a look at their happy hour menu and I was impressed. Before I dive into the culinary offerings, Lawless is located right next to Sambuca. It's on the second floor with the entrance at ground level so finding you're way in can be a bit of a challenge. As is parking. Since it's downtown, your best bet is finding parking on the street. Lawless has a great happy hour on both food and drinks. I focused on the cocktails and the apps which are all discounted for happy hour. The craft cocktails include drinks such as a cucumber mojito, Moscow mule, and more. The food offerings include the brisket grilled cheese, pulled pork sliders, and much, much more. All with a nice view of the city. I'll be back to attack the happy hour menu with more ferocity the next time I'm in the area. read more

Such a fun time. Travis the manager was so nice and treated my group. They also have a great rooftop and picturesque decor. read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great place for a sexy happy hour! The food is pretty amazing as well as the drinks! I've only been for happy hour however it seems like a great spot to meet friends out and definitely a nice spot to start the evening of fun at read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Charcuterie Board Charcuterie Board - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

We went to Lawless on a weekday during happy hour. Their happy hour prices are fabulous. We had about 10 drinks and 6 appetizers for about $200. All the drinks are great; This isn't a place where you have to second guess the bartenders ability to make it right and order something simple instead. In terms of advertisers here's what I tried: Kobe Burger sliders: This was by far my favorite of the appetizers. Comes with a set of three sliders. Brisket nachos: We ordered two plates of these as they come with literally eight chips. Each chip is loaded up with carnitas, beans, cheese, and sour cream. Sweet and spicy chicken taco minis: We ordered one of these. It comes with three mini tacos. Pretty good but nothing to write home about. Buffalo chicken sliders: The chicken was really good and I like the bun but I'm not a blue cheese fan. Had I known that was in them I don't think I would have ordered it. Last chips in the bag: these were really good. Definitely recommend. read more

We popped in looking for a bar that offered light bites, cocktails and TVs to watch some March Madness games (without being a full-on crowded sports bar). Lawless was an ideal choice. They have a menu of flatbreads, sandwiches/burgers, and small plates for sharing. We only got the brisket pot stickers, but those were pretty bomb. I can't stand the flavor of pork, so this was a delicious alternative. Service was friendly, but the staff needs to work out some training issues. Our server admitted she was new, but no one else on her team knew how to make a gimlet or a greyhound. Since it was my first time in since the revamp, I asked what the bartender what they're known for - whiskey selection? Cocktails? She had no idea. Hopefully they can work that out and know/share their concept with patrons - because it's in a great location, they have a lovely patio, food and TVs. read more

I would give 5 stars if Yelp would let me! Atmosphere is amazing and so are the cocktails. My fav is El Pepino it is very refreshing. They have a nice balcony space to enjoy the evening outside. Bartender Javier is the best! Can't say enough good things about Lawless. It's great for large groups or an intimate date. read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - El Pepino - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

Sits on the Second Floor by the Rice hotel. The entrance is on Travis. We had a wonderful rime at this establishment. All of the food was great, the taco, deviled eggs, flatbread, and drinks.... all is good here. Even that ambiance is chill and relaxing. read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Ladies night out - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Crappy ass service. I was charged a drink that I didn't order. SO WATCH OUT about mysterious drink orders on your tab. Stay away from this place. read more

We came here for our friends birthday last weekend and it was pretty relaxed. The servers were nice, a little slow, but nice. The environment was very dark inside too. It would be a great date spot if that's what you were looking for. This bar is also on the second floor so you can go out to the patio and look down on the downtown streets. The drinks prices were a bit high, $10-$14 for cocktails and $7 for beer, but its downtown so to be expected. I would consider coming back for date night. read more

Good bar, great atmosphere but does occasionally break my heart by being closed when I try to go in after work in spite of the posted hours. On these inexplicable instances, I'm forced to go patronize Sambuca and let's say, diplomatically, that it is an inferior experience. read more

Came here for a private event so I can't review this bar as a true patron. With that said, I will give this place 4 stars because the staff was really great and the event was a success. We attended a Great Gatsby-themed celebration and Lawless seemed to fit that perfectly. The ambiance is a nice blend of romantic industrial. Plenty of seating options for either intimate or group settings. Nice happy hour menu. All in all, a very chill spot with a sophisticated feel. read more

We hosted a baby shower at Lawless. The place is beautiful. Everyone was so nice and helpful. They are adhering to covid precautions. We felt very safe the whole time. read more

Great happy hour specials and delicious food to accompany! I came here with a friend on a Tuesday after work. We both had a few glasses of wine that were discounted a few bucks a glass to do the happy hour special from 4-7. For food I chose the prosciutto and fig flatbread, while my friend had the Korean chicken tacos. Both of us raved to each other about how good our food was. My flatbread had a delicious crisp crust and the sweet fig, salty prosciutto, and tart goat cheese complemented each other wonderfully. I tasted the Korean taco - and wow, getting that next time for myself! There was a cucumber pico on it that had the best Korean inspired flavors. The atmosphere here is beautiful with tall ceilings, exposed brick, swanky vintage furniture and art deco decor. There is a long bar area, where we sat, but there are also some small tables around the edges of the room that are quite intimate. This would be a great spot to bring a date. In the middle of the room and also near the kitchen there are two larger group tables that would be ideal for a birthday party or just a group outing. I will be back for sure. read more

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Lawless has been on my to-visit list for a long, long time. It sits above Sambuca in that awkward part of downtown in between where I work (south downtown) and the legendary Main & Congress intersection, but I was finally able to venture out here for a Thursday happy hour after a long week. And damn, this place is awesome. The interiors are, to say the least, indescribable. Upscale and classy, yet modern and chic, and "refer to pictures" are the only words I can say. Even the pictures don't do the ambience here any justice. I felt like a million bucks, easily, just by walking into this bar. And that's just the inside. The outside has arguably one of the best bar views in Downtown Houston, especially during a sunset. A warning for chronic Instagrammers: your pictures may break the like button within minutes of posting. The staff here are equally parts friendly, cool, and expert mixologists. Their Old Fashioned is good--not the best in town, but definitely well above "solid"--and their "Punch Me in the Moonshine" is a delicious original (?) cocktail. My group had nothing but great things to say about the drinks we received. Their food was surprisingly very good and diverse for bar food. Their food menu is short but it's got everything you need: From charcuterie to burgers to lobster to...hell, even pot stickers! Being Asian I had to try the pot stickers (and criticize them for not doing it right). And the pot stickers didn't disappoint! The alcohol may have helped, but if you served me the same dish in an authentic Chinese restaurant, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. That scores some serious pointage in my book. Though warning: the portion size is quite small, so you may need to order 3 to feel satisfied. The Verdict? Awesome place. Definitely worth a (return) visit for the ambience and view of downtown alone. Not a big crowd on a Thursday afternoon/evening, but that's the way it should be at Lawless. If you're looking to break from the typical Main & Congress and/or Midtown mould, or you're looking for the new "spot," this place is a must-visit. read more

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Holy AMAZING place!! Do yourself a favor--run to this place! Their Happy Hour is AWESOME! Go in and ask for the Hannah Afternoon at The Pool. Refreshing. Not too sweet. SO GREAT!! read more

Lawless is a nice spot with good drinks and foodie snack options. The drinks go from basic to creative--the "bobbing for apples drink" is delicious and tastes like candy, in a good way. I tried ordering the duck fat fries, but, even though they're still on the menu, they don't make them any more. But the brisket grilled cheese was delish. Service was OK. Overall, everything was fine with Lawless, but it isn't my favorite spot. read more

Went here for a date night and they were setting up for a private event so our seating options were not great. But the location is great and right in the middle of downtown, close to anywhere you'd want to go. Our waitress was okay and friendly. We ordered drinks and 3 apps, as it was still happy hour and they have a decent HH special. Notes: The brisket grilled cheese is EVERYTHING! That bread was perfection and the flavor was delicious. Melty cheese and seasoned brisket. So good. The charcuterie was fantastic as well. You don't get to choose what comes on it, but ours was great. The spicy pickled carrots were my favorite. The ambiance is perfect for couples and the view is excellent for downtown with a nice patio as well. The drink list was so-so and my drink was fine. Not very strong, but it was HH and I expect most places to skimp a little during HH. The food list wasn't long, but everything on it was great. read more

Love the place it's a great hang out on the weekends and the service is great. It's also located to other bars so it's ideal for bar hopping, if you're into that like my girl friends read more

The building/decor is really hipster cool. We arrived during a happy hour before a concert and they were terribly understaffed. The kitchen was closed and and they were taking orders off the downstairs separate sister business menu. Our bartender was sweet but very inexperienced. Still received great happy hour cocktail discounts and half off appetizers is a deal when most places only knock off a couple bucks. This place could be popping with more staff and efficiency. read more

Awesome bar and bartenders. Super nice and accommodating. Made some of the best cocktails I've ever had, no joke. Would come back for a drink in a heartbeat read more

We came here over the weekend for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised! The atmosphere is really chill, has a lounge type of vibe with plenty of space for groups to come and hang out. The DJ Friday night had the best music playing and the waitress we had was really friendly! We tried a few shots, one that had the sour apple candies that came with it was my absolute favorite! The outdoor patio was amazing. You get a really nice view of downtown Houston, and you also get a picture backdrop for all your Instagram posts! We thought we would bar hop, but we ended up staying at the bar the entire night. Great company and great drinks. I would definitely host a party here or something if given a chance! read more

Personally I think this bar is worth it just for the balcony view of Travis and Texas, so I give it four stars. Lawless is a solid drinkery, with a crafty-er menu that isn't hand spun like Capt Foxheart's. Prices are a bit high for the cocktail caliber, but the view more than makes up for it. The crowd is generally young professionals, but tends to be more heavily weighted to a male crowd during happy hour. Overall, it's a solid place to start before you head out to dinner or the rest of Main St. And the patio makes it a must see. read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Love the feel of drinking above traffic - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Our wedding reception experience at Lawless could not have been more perfect. We originally were planning our reception in their sister space, the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice. While this historic Houston space was equally as beautiful, Covid had other plans for our reception and venue. It's rare that wedding receptions go completely without a hitch, but ours DID! Courtney and Emily did an amazing job ensuring our vision came to fruition, and Courtney was amazing as our day-of coordinator. Here we are six months later and our guests are STILL raving about how good our food was! Drinks were revolving quickly, our DJ had a great space/dance floor, and we even had a cigar roller on the terrace. Seriously, book your event today at Lawless! We maxed out the space with 85 guests and the room still felt spacious. Our floral and cake deliveries were also handled seamlessly the day of. I couldn't recommend a better venue. Additionally, an organization I'm part of for work has booked this space for corporate events, so you're working with a dynamic venue. read more

Everything was free. We loved the couches, but almost got caught taking a quick cat nap so we decided to sleep on the rice hotel couches instead (right next door). Great energy, great service. Matthew was the man, but I made them change the music about 97 times so the staff was probably annoyed. Love this place!! No hand guns! read more

Lawless Spirits & Kitchen - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Houston, Texas

A nice rooftop bar with a lovely view of the theater l district. French themed decor invites you to sit, have a drink, nibble on delicious bites while you recount the adventures of your day. A perfectly placed oasis! read more

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The old State Bar & Lounge on the side of Sambuca. Not much has changed appearance wise. With 2 bartenders and barely anyone there on a Saturday night, at 10:30, service was extremely slow. The bartender spent more time punching things in on the cash register than making the drinks. The patio/balcony is nice if you can catch a breeze on a humid night. Plenty of outdoor seating. You can hear the music coming from another bar while you're out there. Left since it took too long to get a drink. I don't see this place lasting long. Definitely nothing "hot and new" about it. read more

The old State Bar cleans up real nice! This new iteration on the original downtown stronghold still maintains its vintage feel without toeing the line of kitsch. The Sazeracs we ordered were smooth, moderate sips: with bartenders that pull a straw test behind the bar, each cocktail was assured to be well balanced and quality controlled. Even better: their happy hour prices are VERY generous and definitely encourage drinking sessionally. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the flatbread pizzas too. Usually, flatbread pizzas are tossed on the menu of these cocktail-centric locations as a quick and easy way to dish out stomach-liners to imbibers. They're usually hard, crumbly, low quality, and unoriginal. Not these! Both of ours - fig+prosciutto, and the spicy chicken flatbreads were generously - though not precariously - topped with high quality and well prepped ingredients. Both boasted strong flavors and interesting textures spread over a flatbread base that didn't crumble like a stale saltine. The final touch that sealed the deal for us was that the manager came over, introduced himself, and briefly told us the story of the bar's facelift and reopening. The history and personal touch of this small exchange really brought the experience home for us. Can't WAIT to go back. read more

Very nice looking upscale bar there's a lot of history behind it. There's a patio with a nice view they have a few bar food items it was pretty good the staff was really nice and gave me free samples to try on a slow weekday. It gets busy on the weekends. It's a pretty place to take pictures. read more

Really unique in terms of both decor and drinks! This bar is located above Sambuca, in close proximity to the theater district downtown. The entrance is to the left of Sambuca, not heavily advertised along the street - a sign that you are onto something good. When you walk upstairs, the first thing you think is 'this place is just really cool.' It has a laid back, but upscale atmosphere (think swanky), with a variety of unique but comfortable seating options like high-backed chairs in groups of two, leather couches & chairs for larger groups, and high top long tables that are perfect if you decide to order food. There is a large patio that overlooks the street below, it was too chilly to sit out there the night we visited, but it looked like an amazing spot to socialize at on a warmer day. There was a variety of people there - some dressed up, some dressed down, but it was a little older crowd than some of the more trendy bars downtown, lending to the easy ambiance. We had no trouble carrying on conversations within our group across the table, a refreshing change from the typical Friday night bar experience. The cocktails are creative and come in old school stemware (think Gatsby style), adding to the overall speak easy vibe that this bar starts to emit after being there for a bit. My husband loved the Bootleg Old Fashioned, and the Moscow Mule was also deliciously light and refreshing. We ordered the charcuterie plate to share between six adults, and it was perfect as just something to snack on while we enjoyed our cocktails. One thing to note is that there was not waiter service when we were there, so you just have to go up to the bar to order both drinks and food. Overall this bar is just really cool - definitely one that we'll be back to when the weather is nice! Cheers! read more