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!

Dark, moody, took a minute to adjust from the bright sunshine into this little haven. But the…read moreMexican wine and tequila selection? Absolutely worth staying for.

Come here if you love Japanese-inspired cocktails--especially creative, unique recipes with great…read morepresentation. Bar Doko checks all the boxes. It's an intimate, vibey spot with a smaller menu that shares some items with its next-door neighbor, Doko. I really enjoyed both cocktails I ordered, and they were as fun to look at as they were to drink. I'd definitely come back to try more of their cocktails and grab a few bites next time.

Really cool little speakeasy-style bar in Houston with an intimate and private atmosphere that…read moremakes the experience feel special from the moment you walk in. The ambience was excellent -- dimly lit, cozy, and perfect for a relaxed night out. The drinks were fantastic and clearly crafted with care, and the staff were friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout the night. Definitely one of those spots that feels like a hidden gem. A great place to unwind and enjoy quality cocktails in a more low-key setting.

went back again and absolutely loved it! Recommendation:…read moreReserve a table online Try the English rose if you like it sweet!

If you want overpriced cute drinks and a vibe, this is the place to go…read more I came to De Fortune with my cousins for a little girls' night, and the aesthetic and ambiance are definitely the highlight. It's cute, moody, and has that feeling like you're not even in Houston anymore. It's not a big space, so it does get pretty loud between the music and everyone talking. The music was just okay. If you like house music, you'll probably enjoy it here. The DJ did mix in some popular hip-hop, R&B, and reggaeton songs throughout the night, which I appreciated. We started with shots that were really good. They tasted almost like a shot of honey, but unfortunately I can't remember the name. We all ordered the Dolce Limone next, which was sweet and refreshing. For the next round, my cousin got the Mango something, and I ordered the French Connection. The French Connection was awful. It tasted like straight-up cough syrup, and I couldn't even pretend to finish it. Our last round was Palomas, and those were good. In between drinks, we ordered the meat and cheese board. It was cute and made for a nice little snack, but there was nothing particularly special about the selection. The waitresses were nice, and overall we had a good time. I genuinely don't have much bad to say about the place other than the drinks. They're not bad across the board, but they're also nothing particularly special, especially for the price. There are definitely better cocktail lounges in Houston if you're looking for actual mixology and cocktails that justify the price.

I'm newer to Hudson house but have been four times now over the last couple of months and it is…read morepretty consistent. I've been to both locations so I will leave this review on both... Although I like the Gray St. location a little better taste wise for my dynamite shrimp, I think that the University Blvd location is easier to get a reservation. This is a really good choice for date night, a family event or a girl's night. Always nice, clean and bright. Surprisingly, the chicken Parm is one of my favorite dishes here. It's probably top two for me and I've had a lot of chicken Parm. The burger is my second choice; it is so good! One of my favorite appetizers is the Dynamite Shrimp and the salad that's under has a fire dressing that they should bottle. But overall, I've tried several things with the people I've gone with, and there's nothing bad on the menu. Definitely get a reservation in advance... This isn't really a place you can just walk in unless you're sitting at the bar and you've gotten there at a good time. Parking is valet at the gray street location. It's very hard to find regular parking there. You can find parking pretty easily at the University Blvd location. My only real complaint is the service is slow... And I've had different servers at different locations and they all don't really move with a sense of urgency. It takes them a while to get back to you so you can place an order... It takes a while for them to bring out your drinks. Overall, just slow service and that's why I deducted a star.

To start, we had a reservation for 7 people, we arrived early, we very courteous and ordered…read morecocktails. The cocktails were O.K, one margarita came out as tequila on the rocks, which was just ridiculous, and the staff have a basic idea of what goes into a mojito, but no real skill at making one. We were five appetizers into the experience when one of the hostesses sauntered over and loudly proclaimed, " Due to very busy, you dining experience is limited to 90 minutes" Yes, she spoke that way. She them proceeded to mean mug us for the next 45 minutes as we pushed past 90 minutes as a form of protest. We quit purchasing food, and drink and just sat there looking at her, daring her to come over and enforce her little power trip time limit. Never happened. The food was amazing, very well done. Thee waiter was amazing, he understood the mission and was tipped very well. But the bartenders, and the hostesses brough the experience down to a lowly one star.

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.

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.

So... I went to the clurb. Haven't done that in a minute, but let me say that we had a blast at…read moreEberhard. We (five of us) dropped in on a Saturday night after Clarkwood's cocktails got us into a vibe. No line, no cover... we headed straight to the dance floor. We didn't try any of their craft cocktails by this late in the night--it was straight tequila and soda. The two-story/balcony overlooking the dance floor was perfect for people watching. And there was plenty of open lounge seating for my tired 40-something legs. The DJ--a female, yussss baby!--was amazing. So many old skool tunes and the dance floor was packed the entire time we were there. And yes, I danced. The crowd ranged mostly 20-30-somethings... but we weren't the oldest in the room. Loved seeing a group of ~50-something ladies celebrating something special with bottles popping. Get it, honey!

We went this past Friday because their website and other listings showed happy hour from 4:00-7:00…read morePM. We arrived around 5:00 PM, but an employee told us we were too early and to come back in about two hours. As they said it, they made a dismissive hand gesture for us to move along, which came across as rude and unwelcoming. No explanation was given for why they weren't open despite the posted hours. Unfortunately, the interaction left a bad first impression, so we decided to go elsewhere and ended up enjoying happy hour at another spot. We'd still be willing to give this place another try, but I hope they either update their posted hours if they've changed or open at the advertised time to avoid confusing future customers.

Love the place but the music felt like one long song, literally almost fell asleep. The drinks and…read moreservice was good tho

Great ambiance got here as soon as it opened to secure a table…read more The Dj is great and the place is a vibe it gives Miami vibes. Highly recommend Marissa was our cocktail waitress and she was great

This was a one of a kind experience. I made a reservation for one along with a group of six other…read moreladies for the Arc Room. This was a tasting room in between Clarkwood and Casa Kenji. They told a story of the history of Italy through drinks. The presentation was and the bartenders were warm and funny. I will come back for a date night. More people need to experience this!!

So I finally went to Clarkwood. This gal has been living under a rock... that, and I usually…read moresupport East End and Downtown businesses, but this is close! Clarkwood was more than what I expected. It had a great vibe on a Friday night--getting livelier as the night went on. DJ playing great tunes, servers ON TOP OF IT, great people watching--all walks of life. Def a mirror of Houston. I had a citrusy G&T, some sort of watermelon shot brought over from management... and wine. I'd def go back for their social hour. My ONLY qualm is the restroom sitch: There are only two stalls. And the line for the women's restroom was always long. Would be great if they made both restrooms gender-neutral... and maybe add a few more. Bonus: They are registered with the InKind app, so you can get a % of cashback if you pay through that platform.

This place has the best fooood and vibes ate great check em out in the heart of downtown!!!! Love…read morethe drinks!!!! Friendly and amazing staffff love it !!!! Check em out check em out Much love

Flight Club Houston was actually a great spot for a work event -- and I could definitely see it…read morebeing a fun date night too. It's not just regular darts. They have a bunch of different interactive dart games, the sensors are surprisingly accurate, and food and drink service was quick even while we were playing. Another nice perk: they validate 2 hours of parking for free, which normally would've been $10.