The way you want a university bar stop to feel. Friendly, just enough, exceptional food, drink choices to make the most finicky happy, and TV's broadcasting ALL the events live! First time here, located across from the Rec, and a short walk to all the events and campus activities. University of Houston Campus gem. Go Coogs!!! read more

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What a fun spot. Reminded me of my college days! The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the staff are friendly. Not a fancy place, but perfect for a chill night out on campus. read more

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Walking into The Den at 7pm on a Monday I was expecting a decent atmosphere and normal service. There was no rush by any means, it was a modest setting. It took about 14 minutes before I could get my first drink, because a worker by the name of "Chicho," would not bother taking my order at all. I was with my sister and we both have experience in the hospitality industry. Our family owns a sports bar, I know what it's like to provide a welcoming experience firsthand. Anyways I made eye contact several times with Chicho and not even a simple "I'll be right with you," or anything. A guy by the name of Lars came to the rescue, Lars could notice the service that was not being provided. I give him a thumbs up for being able to read the room. Other than that the bar is pretty cool. Would be awesome if they had a second floor for seating that overlooks the place. There's an idea. read more

Fast friendly service. Nice atmosphere. Food was hot and fresh. Nachos were really good even eaten alone & were super oily. Great tasting guacamole wish they offer a bigger serving of it along with the nachos read more

I went to UH 25 years ago and stepping on campus today is jarring with all of the new construction since then. Coog's Den was a bar at the basement of the University Center next to the arcade and was a place where we would go for beers and snacks between classes. My professors would always be annoyed about this but they shouldn't have a bar on campus if they didn't want students showing up to class after drinking. Today's Den pays proper tribute even with a different location next to campus. They have liquor and a number of flat screens to watch sports. What surprised me was the number of customers on a weekend during the summer semester. They get a lot of regulars here from the neighbourhood and former alumni. Prices for drinks are reasonable as a campus bar should and their kitchen is stronger than the previous iteration. They don't have too many vegetarian items on the menu, but the cauliflower wings and fried mac & cheese are great. Shelby, our bartender, was great. read more

The Den - Smashberry - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Stopped in for a drink to wait for my son on campus who needed a ride since he recently had surgery. Nice energy and fast service. Prices were really good since they cater to college students. My drink had a heavy pour and was only $8! They have various daily specials. Hasn't changed much since I was a student 30 years ago. Definitely worth a stop if you are by campus. read more

The Den - Drunken Golfer (Deep Eddy Tea and lemonade) - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The Den, a favorite bar/hangout spot for UH Coogs and guests for years! This special place is where to go for good drinks and eats! Located across from the Campus Rec Center and adjacent to the UH Welcome Center, this quaint establishment packs a punch with it's plentiful choices of tasty American-style food and draft beer, and a cool place to chill in between classes, before or after a game, or during the lunch hour. Decked out in all things UH, you feel the Coog energy as soon as you step inside. There's ample seating at the bar, a table or booth, or even outside in the patio areas - especially when it's not buzzing with students. My only wish is that I wish this place were bigger. Seating may be a challenge if coming with lots of people and trying to sit together, so keep that in mind and plan accordingly. Having been aware of this place for years, I never took the time to actually eat here until now. On the recommendation of a colleague I had to try it! I went with the 0-4-4 sandwich (with a choice of crispy or grilled) and it did not disappoint. This sandwich was so good! Nestled in between a warm, soft sourdough hoagie roll are chicken tenders drenched in a tangy buffalo sauce, provolone cheese, and their yummy housemade ranch! And to top it off, a side of their famous (thin steak cut-style) French fries that are seasoned just right with a light crisp on the outside, soft and potato-ey inside. Omg! I see why folks like them so much- my tastebuds were dancing and my belly was very happy! At just a little over $12 for this meal, you get a hearty portion of food and it's filling! It's a nice portion size whether for lunch, or dinner. I can't wait to try their other menu options, but the 0-4-4 was a great starting point. The Den has found a repeat customer for sure! I can't wait to come back! read more

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Visiting UH campus with family and staying at the Hilton nearby. Great place with good vibes and service. Solid bar style food menu and daily specials. Drinks were strong and its location cannot be beat. Nothing like this was available when I went to school a million miles away almost that many years ago. read more

Great food. Definitely recommend. Priced right for a campus bar...................................................................

The wait staff were really nice and friendly! The nachos were delicious and the drinks were good. Everything was reasonably priced. Nice to just come grab a bite close to campus. read more

The Den - The nachos are really good - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I've never had such rude bartenders. I think her name was Katie or Kailey but she definitely needs to be in a new profession because she was so rude and slow. They never looked at you or smiled and when you ask a question your given such a dirty look. I've also never seen bartenders openly vape behind the bar which was disgusting. The food was good. But get new staff. read more

weather delay on game day - the den came in clutch. affordable drinks. good but small wings. delicious fries - thin potato wedges. read more

The Den - $8 margarita - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Sup Yelpers!!! Came to watch the Saints play.. I didn't realize this place was on the the U of H campus. Lucky students. The vibe was cool, Austin is a sweetheart and was very attentive. They have specials everyday of the week so check out their website.. this place is open to the regular public and I think it's missed because there are so many other bars in the area. However if you want to come to a place Downtown that's reasonably priced and not full or harasser's, come here. Drinks are good and food is good too. I will be back. Hopefully I can convince them to put the sound on for my Saints game over the Texans HeHe read more

The Den - Traditional Wings and Fries Plain... Good!! - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food was not bad, the service was ok. But the ambiance was the coolest. We were tired after moving in our kid to school and needed food and drinks. Will come again read more

The Den - Burger - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We recently stopped by before a UH basketball game. The Den team brought their A game. A big thank you to Camron, Chuco, and Hanna--we'll definitely be back. As always, Go Coogs! read more

I'll be a senior at UH this year, and unfortunately I will probably never go back to the Den or bring any friends to the campus bar. It's sad, because after going here with my friends for a couple of years, I would imagine the same bartenders would recognize me. Unfortunately, the younger guy behind the bar with shaggy hair barely took one look at my ID before loudly telling me it was a fake on a busy Friday night. First, I am 22. Second, I have a regular Texas ID, nothing new for a bartender that's worked at the Den a while, and has served me on multiple occasions before. He also told my friend, who I was with, that her ID was also fake, BUT told the youngest person out of all of us (just turned 21 weeks prior) that her ID was real. Obviously, I told him to look at it again and he kept refusing. After going back and forth, I finally told him to go show the older guy behind the bar, who's also served me before. Within seconds after showing another bartender, he comes back looking embarrassed and trying to laugh it off. Doesn't matter though because all the frat boys and older folks sitting at the bar started rudely yelling at me and my "underage" friends to "get tf out" until the bartender came back trying to play it off. Bartender covered our drinks for the ordeal, but really wasn't worth being loudly humiliated in front of an entire full bar when I'm the legal age, and took way longer than necessary to be resolved. This place definitely needs real training for the bartender who can't tell the difference between a real ID or a fake one... in his own state... at a college bar.. serious problem & a perfect way to lose a group of customers. Nice way to remember regulars at your local campus bar! read more

The bartenders are friendly and there's a few parking spots, but, unfortunately, The Den doesn't have much to else to offer. ‍ Visited after a Houston Cougars basketball game. Seemed to be a lot of regulars and college students here enjoying themselves, it's not the sports bar vibe we expected. At 5pm on a Saturday with rap music blaring it's more like a pregame spot for UH students to hit up before going downtown. read more

The Den - a group of people at a sports bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We were leaving a comedy event at the Cullen Performance Hall and wanted something in walking distance. The Den was a 6 minute walk and did not disappoint. The staff was attentive, the fries are fresh cut, the wings were really good and the drinks are cheap. Can't ask for anything more. Lucky UH students to have such a cool campus bar!!! read more

Great food on Wednesdays! I love the mixed drinks and margaritas on a Friday night. Also a patio to smoke for those who partake.

Great service, and even better ambiance. Very nice people and bartenders that are quick to serve.

I have never been treated so horribly by bartenders before coming here. Mind you I have been here once before and enjoyed the aesthetic. I came again with friends and they claimed my ID was a fake(it was not) tried to say my friends was also a fake(it was not) but decided she was okay. Then they refused not only to serve me but my friends as well (even though their IDs were considered "real") because they had asked questions regarding why mine was being considered a fake. I had been served by this bartender previously and it is absurd that they would do this to a returning customer. Needless to say I was able to take my business to the Nook and was served without any problems. Will never be going here again and will recommend the Nook over this establishment any day. Worst part is that it would be the perfect campus bar except for the horrible service. read more

First our waitress was the BEST! Although it was game day she hustled the entire time making sure all the tables were taken care of. The drinks were spot on and I enjoyed the Shrewball PB&J drink of the month. The food was tasty as we enjoyed appetizers, Habanero Mango Traditional wings and the 0-4-4. They had games going on all TVs so was easy to keep up with all the games in action. Definitely will be back & recommend to all. read more

This place definitely needs a bouncer for game days. It puts the bartenders in terrible position to be serving and kicking out people who have been tailgating all day. We watched the bartender serve a group of kids multiple rounds of 14 shots, then cut them off understandably. But when they refused to leave she couldn't do anything about it. Meanwhile she was also yelling at patrons to stop standing on a table in the opposite corner of the restaurant. Cmon it's a matter of time before something awful happens here. About 4-5 people actually dropped and broke glass drinks while we were there. Maybe consider switching to plastic cups for this crowd. The other bartender served us bottles after we asked for draft on 2 separate occasions. They just didn't have enough staff. And they stopped serving food at like 6:30 or 7pm because it got too busy. In summary: yikes! read more

The wings are simply fantastic. Crispy exterior, juicy moist interior. The buffalo sauce is perfect, bit of heat while having that buttery taste. The fries are also great, more like flat rectangles than your traditional fry but still outstanding. read more

This is a bar that really just knows its identity and it's clientele. Tucked in a corner of campus near the Athletic Center, Business School, behind a couple of campus ministries, the Den is a great spot for students who are looking to grab a cheap drink after classes or before a game. They have a variety of daily specials, a decent happy hour, and cheap food. It's like a college student's dream bar. I've never had the sandwiches, tacos, or anything else, but from what friends have told me, it's mediocre bar food. Then again, for such low prices, what would you expect? The place is PACKED when the Coogs are on the road, and they're well equipped with a big projector screen along the far wall from the entrance. Staff is friendly and service is quick, but on game days you'll be waiting a while. read more

I like coming here after a long day for being lost and pretending to know the curriculum I should know by now. You know what I mean. read more

The Den - The bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Who remembers the old Cougar Den in the University of Houston UC Underground? For all you Cougars out there, you know it was that campus run dive where you could get beer, booze and questionable fried foods. It had absolutely none of the ambiance of Rice U's Valhalla, but we could call it our own. Well that place shut down I don't know how many years ago, but lo and behold, a new place has opened up with hearts and minds of students, faculty, and staff (that's me) in mind. The Den is a new campus bar located on Calhoun across from Entrance 1 and the UH Wellness Center. The key to my 4 star rating is great location (for UH folks) and the low cost. Two buck wells, two bucks for 20oz domestic drafts, and four bucks for 20oz Guinness. They have a decent sampling of 18 beers on draft and the usual call drinks. No food, but you can unofficially BYO Pizza from the Hut next door. Minus a star for spartan accomodations and potentially bad parking (unless you have a UH parking permit). Word is that the owners are hoping to be the first stop for people heading out on the town, and the last stop on the way back (for those Residence Hall folks). Me, I'll just go work out at Wellness Center, and then replenish my electrolytes at The Den. read more

The Den - Cool sign, cheap drinks. - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I come for the cheap drinks and the 0-4-4 sandwich. Plus the potato salad is delicious. I wish I could get a huge bowl and eat it like cereal. read more

My favorite bar. Lots of people come in and out so bar never gets too packed. Try to make it out every week, especially on mondays. If you plan on going in often buy the mug, gives you a few extra oz's for the same price as the regular size cups. They have alot of brews on top, including some beers from Houston which is always nice. Bartenders can be jerks at times, but whenever they're in a good mood it's not bad. Owner goes in from time to time and judges your drink choices. Went in once and order a shiner and he said "you don't want to drink that". Offered me a craft beer (which costs more of course) and I tried it only because I saw that it was 8th wonder on tap. We talked for a bit after, but every time after that he never said anything and just mugged my group. But besides that, I have fun there. They have the a juke box that use TouchTunes which can be pricey, and doesn't have a large selection but can be fun to listen to a few songs. Never grabbed a bite to eat here usually just go, grab a few drinks and hit up somewhere else to grab a bite to eat. read more

The Den - Got to try new meatball sub with $2 brews in my mug - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Working at UofH, I can't complain about this place...and no, not of fear for my job security, but because it is a great option with excellent prices. Prices ranging from 2 to 4 or 5 bucks for a 20oz imperial pint??? Sounds good to me! I also devoured the SLAB sandwich--corned beef with sauerkraut on marbled rye. And yes...SLAB is an appropriate name because the sandwich seriously had a huge slab of meat on there. Fantastic! I do wish they had a larger kitchen, but that's no reason to knock 'em down...just enjoy what they do offer...inexpensive drinks and some pretty tasty sandwiches. read more

The Den - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great place to have a few drinks and grub! For the amazing quality if the sammiches, the price is low compared to eating anywhere else on campus. I'm loyal to the Ace of Clubs. It's darn tasty and extremely filling. If you're in there ordering chips instead of potato salad, I will give you the death glare. THE POTATO SALAD IS AMAZING! Honestly, it's good enough to be sold by itself. Overall, the place is never really packed as people are constantly going in and out but it's always an enjoyable atmosphere. read more

The Den - Redbull, pineapple, and vodka - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Pretty good sammiches! Nice, friendly service! Came over here to grab a quick bite before a wedding rehearsal at the A.D. Bruce Religious Center. Potato salad was YUMM! I remember coming here after a football game with my fiancé and devouring the potato salad QUICK! I got my sandwich very fast. Too bad I came alone, but overall it's a good place for a bite. Definitely will come by again when I'm on campus. read more

The Den - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

My fav campus spot. Collin is cool af, very relaxed but can also get rowdy. Come hang read more

The Den - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

What a great place to hang out and watch your favorite games. Full bar and lots of televisions and a great location. You must try the PB&J - that's pork, beef and jalapeño sandwich! I love the "shot wheel" if you have a hard time figuring out what to drink. So fun for lunch or late night. read more

The Den - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I love this bar. It has my heart and soul. Great food spot with a wide variety of meals. Great beer and it's all quality. The pinnacle of university of houston culture. Go here if you're a cougar or care about them. read more

adding tips to the tab that the customer did not leave is unacceptable. mountain of salt in my drink.

Home. Great bartenders, great customer service, been coming here for years. Shoutout Chucho and Sal for always working hard and even overtime. read more

Best place to get a drink after a stressful week of exams. Highly recommend it especially for UH students.

Great spot to kick it after or before class. The staff are extremely friendly and will remember a familiar face. The juke box is available to anyone with a wide variety of songs. Plenty of drinks on tap and bottles to choose from. read more

Omg the most amazing little gem in Houston. And on campus??!!! What? We're visiting from out of town but we'll definitely be back! Gina is the best bartender ever!!! And I'm not just saying that cause my butt is drunk thanks Gina we love you!!! read more

The Den - Gina is amazing! Everyone come to see Gina! She's awesomeeeewwe - Sports Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas