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    Services - The Podium

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    THE PODIUM ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - The Podium

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    Victoria N.

    Absolutely love the concept and ambiance of The Podium. It's perfect for working from home or studying during the daytime and a nice place to hangout with a chill ambiance in the evening. I went during the day time and ordered an iced chai latte. The chai was fragrant and good, not too sweet.

    Inside bar
    Peter P.

    Although it's a cafe there is a section for the bar for alcoholic drinks. Unfortunately I just came for the matcha latte and the tiramisu latte which both were amazing. The matcha latte is refreshing and paired with oat milk is a must. The place was surprisingly crowded since we came here in an event. We waited about 30 mins for our drinks and the highlight would be the tiramisu latte since I am a sweet drinker.

    Albana O.

    Great location for some laid back, car-centric vibes. The coffee (one cappuccino and one flat white) and pastries (sausage kolache) were surprisingly delightful, with the price being about average. I highly encourage a visit, especially if you're into cars. The missing star is for the lack of enough outlets, as others mentioned. Other than that, there's ample seating and great customer service. I'll definitely come back!

    Christy L.

    I actually really like the Podium for studying and doing work. The interior is eclectic and well decorated, in true Porsche spirit. The tables and chairs were classy and comfortable. The main downside is that there are not enough outlets in the coffee shop. I try to cop the big table if I go study with friends, which has some outlets, but otherwise finding one would be tough. For drinks I tried the matcha with mango puree and it was delicious! The cashier let me put extra scoops of matcha, so that was a bonus. I also tried a latte; the coffee flavor itself could have been better. I am giving this place a five stars for the vibes over the coffee taste (I am also just really particular about the espresso taste so take me with a grain of salt.) I want to come back for their cocktails and happy hour. I can't wait to return!

    Caramel macchiato
    Katherine D.

    Came during the day to try the coffee and do some studying. It is very open and spacious and the tables are pretty spaced out. They have some plugs along the wall. I like how bright it is bc of all the windows and overall has a really cool atmosphere. The only thing was the music playing was really interesting I guess. Like I wouldn't say there was a specific genre, it jumped around lol. So maybe keep in mind if you wanna come to study! The drinks were really good. They have a variety of syrups and milk alternatives. Also the people working were so nice and fun to talk to. They were really helpful while ordering and they bring the drinks to the table too. Parking is a little crowded and there's a small street in the back that more ppl parked at but still there's not like a ton of parking. Overall I really like this place and would love to come try the cocktails.

    Shatoyia N.

    I stopped here to do some work and this place did not disappoint. Love the ambiance and vibe of the coffee/bar. The staff is really sweet and recommended different drinks to try. I tried the petal power, cheese danish and a rum cocktail. The cheese danish is really yummy but very sweet. I love that it's not too crowded so I was able to get a table next to the plug outlet. I also love the open garage concept. My only complaints are this place is right off the freeway so it gets loud at times due to the cars passing. Secondly, they don't have many plug outlets incase your laptop or phone dies. Thirdly, maybe add a few more food items. Especially to offset the cocktails since I think of danishes and croissant with coffee. Definitely will be back next time I'm in the area.

    Raven T.

    The ambiance was so chill and had a good little study session. The woman behind the bar was super nice and welcoming. The latte she made was probably one of the best I've ever had! Can't wait to come back for a casual outing and a drink.

    Arya N.

    This spot is at the Porsche dealership in River Oaks. It serves as both a cafe and bar. The Podium was easy to find and had plenty of parking. I was immediately greeted when I walked in. After reviewing the menu, I ordered the German Chocolate Latte (coconut milk, cream of coconut, caramel syrup, espresso, bittersweet chocolate drizzle). The drink: I don't drink much coffee, but I thought it was tasty! It wasn't too sweet, which I appreciated. However I wasn't a fan of the flakes on the cup (see image). Initially I thought the cup had overflowed when they made the drink, but I realized it was a purposeful choice for the presentation. Vibes: I liked the tall ceilings, large windows, and the garage doors, which allowed for plenty of light. The decor was obviously Porsche themed. There was plenty of open space inside, and I agree with another reviewer who suggested putting a car on display. The table was sturdy and the chair felt comfortable and high quality. I approved of both the music selection and volume, which wasn't too loud and allowed me to focus on my work. One shortcoming was the shortage of outlets. I also don't think the television screens fit the aesthetic of the cafe/bar. In addition, the restroom had a strange odor. The filter for their water fountain also needs to be replaced. Overall: Consider stopping by if you're a Porsche fan. I recommend adding more non-alcoholic drinks and food items to the menu. The addition of more outlets would make it easier to use this space for studying or work.

    My son and I at their networking event to get a late night coffee.
    Hailey C.

    Love this place for its vibes! Staff is always friendly and they give good drink recommendations as well. We know our friend Max who was our bartender a couple of times and a few others too! They host events here, so be on the look on their instagram. Cocktail drinks are very good with non alcoholic as well (did this when I was pregnant) !! Coffee is very smooth as well. Glad everyone loved our little son and welcomed him as the new little car enthusiast.

    Tiffany M.

    This place has great potential once they work on marketing a bit more. I've passed by a few times and was always curious if it was open to the public or part of the dealership next door. The Podium serves as an event venue but also is open to the public serving coffee and cocktails. I went by for the first time yesterday and it was quiet with a handful of people. I love the concept of the space and love how simple yet chic it is. They do have roll up garage doors and no a/c when I went thankfully it was 8:30pm so it wasn't crazy hot but I was a bit sweaty. To clarify it seems like they have HVAC but if the roll up gates are up you either can't feel it or it's not on, so dress accordingly. The barista/bartender was super nice and extremely attentive. They have a large menu offering cocktails, mocktails, wine, and coffee. I had the margarita and expresso martini, both were great! Flavor was on point and the presentation was great. I'm hoping when it gets a bit more busy they extend the hours. Highly recommend swinging by to get some work done, pregame with friends, or a casual date night!

    Iced mocha latte
    Cathy S.

    I've driven by this place many times and saw when it was being built. I had no idea what it was until I was looking for coffee shops on Yelp and saw this place pop up and decided to give it a try. This is a cool place right next to the Porsche dealership, so everything is themed towards that. The vibe is very chill and the space is large and open with plenty of seating area. The other cool thing about this place is that it's a coffee shop, cocktail bar, and an event space! You could literally stay here all day, work, and grab a drink for the occasion as well! I only had time to try their coffee, and I got their Iced Mocha Latte which was pretty good. Light on the espresso side, but still delicious. Their coffee comes from boomtown and I did get to try a few sips of their brewed coffee and it was great as well. The baristas are very personable and friendly. I enjoyed their service and how welcoming they are. Overall, a great coffee shop with free wifi where you can work and a great list of drinks and some pastry items to choose from! My one word of warning was that Google was trying to get us to go through the back way to get to it, but their parking lot is in the front of the building, so it might be easier to access it from the feeder road.

    Josefina M.

    Hubbs and I love trying new coffee shops in Houston. Podium has been on our try list... we went on a Tuesday and it was so quiet and relaxing. The coffees were really good, the blueberry muffin was also good! I didnt finish it so I brought it home. I heated up the muffin three days later and it still taste good. The service was good- not much engaging but it was good.

    Ham and cheese + iced matcha

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    8 days ago

    Great service! A lot of beautiful cars to look at I had a coffee and then an hour later I got myself a cocktail 10 out of 10

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Podium

    Review Highlights - The Podium

    Trenton, the barista/bartender, provided excellent service and made us wonderful drinks.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Refuge - Mocktail

    Refuge

    4.4(97 reviews)
    1.3 miMontrose
    $$

    I've wanted to check this place out for a while so I was so excited to stop by! Speakeasies always…read morehave the best, most creative drinks. We went to the upstairs area which was dimly lit and played 80s/90s hip hop. We tried few drinks. Lion's mane tail, brown butter washed whisky, mushroom (which I found so unique). It was quite strong and was nice to switch up from the usual old fashions we try. Second drink was sharp turn. It was super fresh and crisp. Clear as water but I definitely felt it. Service was really good here too. I like that the bartenders all create their signature seasonal drinks so they genuinely are so well versed when describing the drink menu.

    Refuge is such a high quality bar. You can tell that they put immense care into the quality of…read moretheir drinks and service. I ordered 2 mocktails and my husband ordered two drinks. I thought that the catch 22 ( mocktail) would be too sweet or vinegar forward but it was tangy and light. My husband actually said he liked my mocktail more than he liked his cocktail which was good but a bit sweeter than he likes. The second mocktail I ordered was off the menu. I asked for something tropical and not too sweet. It was pretty good but not as complex as the catch 22. My husband liked the jaded merchant better than the dew drop. He also was sipping far too much of my mocktail which speaks volumes about how good it was. Love the moody vibes, drinks, and service. I've only visited three times but should make it one of the places we come to more often.

    Photos
    Refuge - December 26

    December 26

    Refuge - Espresso martini

    Espresso martini

    Refuge - Martini

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    Martini

    Bar Buena - Ardilla

    Bar Buena

    4.6(12 reviews)
    1.6 miRiver Oaks, Montrose

    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!

    Bar Buena is brand new and already bustling! We stopped by right after 5:00 and were greeted right…read moreaway by the bartender. We did hang out in their standing room area for a little bit but were able to order drinks and snag a table pretty quickly. When I tell you this is the friendliest service I've ever had at a bar or restaurant, I mean it! All different members of the staff were checking in with us to make sure we were having a good time and enjoying everything. We tried out three of their drinks: enamorada, uno amargo, and their classic frozen mezcal margarita. I say this as someone who is stupid about cocktails, but I think if you're a fan of old fashioneds you'll be a fan of the uno amargo - it'll put some hair on your chest! I loved the frothiness that the egg white brings to the enamorada but I think the frozen margarita was our winner. Imagine your favorite frozen marg but better - the mezcal brings an earthier flavor to a cocktail that us Texans all know and love. Finally for food we had the pato tinga memela, gulf crab tostadas, and carnitas flautas. I genuinely loved them all so much, every protein was so juicy bursting with flavor, which makes sense considering everything is made to order. If I had to pick a favorite I would struggle (I'm not kidding, it was all that good), but I think the crab tostadas won us over with their freshness. We had such a great first visit to bar buena and I can see this quickly becoming a cozy date or after dinner drink spot!

    Photos
    Bar Buena - Bar is bueno

    Bar is bueno

    Bar Buena - Interior

    Interior

    Bar Buena - Oaxacan Old Fashioned

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    Oaxacan Old Fashioned

    Five Central

    Five Central

    4.1(162 reviews)
    0.9 miUpper Kirby
    $$

    We had a 2:30 reservation, showed up at 3:30, and they were completely chill about it. Great first…read moreimpression. Free parking lot right next to the building -- convenient and appreciated. Party of 8 was seated right away with no hassle. We ordered a mimosa tower for $50, which came out to about 2 mimosas per person, and hookah for $20. Since we came during happy hour there were also shot and drink specials, so the timing worked out perfectly. The DJ was genuinely interactive the whole time -- kept our energy up to the point where we ended up inviting more friends out to join us mid-visit. That's the mark of a good time. Now the food -- almost an afterthought with how much fun we were having, but it delivered. I got the Five Central breakfast, which is a mountain of food. Easily 4 eggs, plus all the fixings. My friend ordered the lobster and grits and it was so good I immediately had order envy. That's my order next time, no debate. The bathrooms were clean and the mirror lighting is genuinely great for photos if that matters to you. My meal came to $21 before tax, very reasonable especially during happy hour. Just note that gratuity of about 18% is added automatically for parties over 6. No surprises if you know going in. Will absolutely be back.

    stopped into Five Central with high expectations the kind you get when a place looks like it has a…read morestory to tell. The space is visually striking, layered, and honestly just a cool place to sit, soak it in, and be part of the scene. It feels like something Anthony Bourdain would've paused to appreciate that raw, curated vibe that promises more than just a meal. We ordered a spread: chicken wraps, fried chicken, a couple of Ketel One drinks, and finished things off with red velvet cake and bread pudding. On paper, it reads like a lineup that should hit. In reality, it landed somewhere in the middle. Nothing was bad but nothing really sang either. The fried chicken had the right idea but didn't quite deliver that crave-worthy punch. The wraps were fine, the desserts decent, and the drinks did their job. It all felt... acceptable. Like the kitchen understood the assignment but didn't fully commit to it. What stood out most was the contrast the menu is ambitious, the atmosphere pulls you in, but the food doesn't quite translate that same energy to the plate. It's the kind of place you want to love more than you actually do. That said, it's still a solid spot to check out, especially for the vibe and the experience. Just don't walk in expecting fireworks think more along the lines of a slow burn. Overall, I'd call it a decent restaurant that leans more on its aesthetic than its execution.

    Photos
    Five Central
    Five Central - WEDNESDAY STEAK and Potatoes

    WEDNESDAY STEAK and Potatoes

    Five Central - Nice Set Up!

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    Nice Set Up!

    Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge - outside, covered patio area

    Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge

    4.7(120 reviews)
    2.1 miFourth Ward, Midtown, Montrose
    Free parking
    Happy hour specials

    We stopped into Jethro's Cocktail Lounge while we were out at the Vintage Community Market hosted…read moreby Faculty Club Never, and it ended up being one of those places you're so glad you randomly walked into. First, the vibe. It is warm, stylish, and very Montrose in the best way. It feels elevated but still relaxed enough to just sit, talk, and enjoy your time without feeling rushed. We came during happy hour and it was such a great deal. I ordered the Sweet Like Peach Tree, which was light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced with the peach and ginger. My husband got the Frozen Paloma and it was just as good, super smooth with the right citrus bite. We also shared the churros and they were honestly a must order. Warm, crispy, and paired with Nutella and caramel. What really made the experience stand out though was our bartender, Manny. He was incredibly welcoming from the moment we sat down, had such a great personality, and made the whole experience feel personal. You can tell he genuinely enjoys what he does, and that kind of service is hard to find. He also told us about their upcoming two year anniversary party on May 3rd with rotating live DJs, which sounds like it will be such a fun time. We will definitely be back. Between the drinks, the atmosphere, and the service, this place really gets it right.

    On my weekly walks through midtown, I got to watch Jethro's be built and come to life. First visit…read morewas a big HIT for me and I love finding time to come back. The vibes are immaculate! It's a little small inside and a small parking lot, but if you're lucky and can walk there, do! The quality of the drinks are really excellent and the burgers have been voted some of the best in town! I can't speak for them, but the drinks and the spot, are phenomenal. They have bingo nights, dj nights, and other themed events that keep the place packed out. Maybe once I try the burgers, it'll be 5 stars, but the smallll parking lot and lack of safe street parking keep me at 4.

    Photos
    Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge - Cheers to Papa

    Cheers to Papa

    Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge - Bar

    Bar

    Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge - Flor De Cana 12yr Daquiri and Redemption Bourbon Chocolate Old Fashioned

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    Flor De Cana 12yr Daquiri and Redemption Bourbon Chocolate Old Fashioned

    93' Til - Tator Tots

    93' Til

    4.4(269 reviews)
    0.8 miMontrose
    $$

    Whether you want a chill brunch or a hip, energetic evening, 93' Til offers both. With a casual…read moreneighborhood vibe that extends from the afternoon until the evening, the cocktails, coffee, and drinks are all equally great. Their chicken sandwich is a must try and has gotten well deserved accolades. Perfectly breaded, toasted bun, and very juicy. We paired it with the churro French toast, an almost cloyingly sweet (but perfectly cooked) dish that definitely needed a savory balance. Their bacon is delicious, super thick with a slightly herby flavor. The evening hours can get loud between the crowds and the DJ, but the vibe is still really cool and chill. Definitely one of the more unique, fun spots of the Montrose/Upper Kirby area.

    Super vibey spot with house music on the speakers, friendly staff, and tons of seating for dining…read moreon their delicious food or doing work. 93' Til has been on my bucket list for so long and I'm so glad I finally got to visit! The only unfortunate part of my experience was that the two of us at my table got the same dish - biscuits and gravy. The biscuit was dense but softened under the rich and savory gravy, and I got my eggs over easy to get the yolk mixed in. I also added some of their house-made habanero curry hot sauce, which is absolutely delicious. I'll definitely have to try a few other dishes next time! Their coffees are also great, with unique flavors for their lattes like spiced guava and molasses. Both of these were super tasty, hot and iced! Ultimately 93' Til is staying on my brunch list as a top tier choice, I can't wait to come back!

    Photos
    93' Til - Inside

    Inside

    93' Til - Amazing grilled cucumbers...who knew??

    Amazing grilled cucumbers...who knew??

    93' Til - Inside

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    Inside

    The Podium - venues - Updated May 2026

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