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http://www.13celsius.com Over off a sleepy part of Caroline in Midtown, 13 Celsius is the mellow, sensible anecdote to the other fiery, wiry wine bars across town. The place wears its low-key rep like a badge of honor, serving wine and champagne with a working-class charm rarely seen in other vino joints. There are plush couches throughout for quiet conversation and reflection, and a cozy patio in the middle to accommodate folks who wouldn’t mind some stars and smoke to go with their Cabernet. Sunday nights most glasses of the fermented stuff are half-price, making it also a hella thrifty late weekend date-night venue. A variety of decadent cheeses and sandwiches are available to pair with your poison of choice. More >>
Directly across the street from Fitzgerald's, the Sixth Street Bar and Grill is highlighted by a large front deck, where you can safely gander at the intersection's sprawl. The modest interior has a nice long bar, plenty of tables and six high-def screens tuned to the night’s sporting event. Over a dozens brews are on tap, some of which are included in the daily specials, though they also have a fine selection of liquors and wine. More >>
http://www.aldenhotels.com/aplus Though this bar is located on the first floor of the Alden Hotel (formerly known as the Sam Houston Hotel), don't think it's some generic lounge you'd find in a Ramada. Mixing sleek contemporary furniture with a classy gold trim and a solid oak bar, this is the über-lounge for the young, bold and beautiful. The easygoing crowd is a mix of both hotel guests and downtown hipsters, and the staff has friendly cocktail waitresses and bartenders, making the posh space inviting. It serves as a great chill-out spot, whether for catching up with co-workers for happy hour or meeting up with friends before a wild night of dancing. The music is mostly lounge music and acid jazz, but its volume is set at a level where you can converse with friends without having to raise your voice. Plus, you won't ever have to hear a kitschy standards ensemble. More >>
http://www.absinthelounge.com If you think you'll be able to quaff a couple of the notorious “green fairies” of van Gogh and Gauguin infamy before painting your masterpiece, you've got another drink coming. Housed in a former wash-and-fold launderette, this hard-to-locate brasserie is the picture of civility. An older, docile crowd inhabits this roomy, albeit occasionally packed venue. Surprisingly excellent homemade pizzas serve as a nice respite from the usual bar fare, and the clean tile floors and a tasteful decor add a touch of class to a ramshackle stretch of lower Richmond. More >>
http://www.agorahouston.com The two-story Agora is our favorite place to crack open a bottle of Merlot and sink into a couch after a hard day of existence. The wine and beer selection straddles the line between happily obscure and wholly random. Chances are you will find your new favorite here and never change. The layout is perfect for couples and those studying or needing to catch up on school or office work. It's quiet, but the jukebox has everything from The Clash to Tom Waits. More >>
http://www.alsbar.com The name pretty much says it all. A mind-blowing 15-foot TV screen ensures you won’t miss any of the heavy broadcast-event action (even if part of you wouldn’t mind), and a selection of big-game video concessions leaves no shortage of chances to sort out the alphas from the betas — there’s even one of those plush-animal-grabbing machines so you don’t lose touch with your softer side. More >>
http://www.andersonfair.com This may not have been the first club on the Houston folk scene, but Anderson Fair has endured to become the mother church. Way back when, former locals Lucinda Williams, Eric Taylor and Nanci Griffith cut their teeth on the stage over the famous red brick floor, and there you can still catch aspirants to their thrones along with touring stalwarts amid a radical '70s vibe. A tiny kitchen dishes out mean quesadillas, while a small adjacent library serves up food for the mind. A stellar feature documentary about the venue, Anderson Fair: For The Sake Of The Song, came out just this year as well. More >>
http://anvilhouston.com Anvil Bar & Refuge is a throwback to a time just decades ago where slinging booze and liquor was an art, and the folks behind the counters had an almost religious devotion to their pours. You won't see one of the four bartenders sticking a plastic nozzle of carbonated generic soda in your glass, topping it off with hobo swill and charging you six bucks. What you will get is four main bartenders, who built the bar themselves, using three kinds of ice and pouring spirits the likes not seen since before Prohibition into antique glasses, filled with freshly squeezed mixers. Shots are frowned upon, and an open mind is applauded. Seriously, don't ask for anything with the word "bomb" or "slut" in its name. More >>
http://www.thearmadillopalace.com Stay all night at this saloon, a salute to all things Texas and the latest addition to über-Texan Jim Goode’s Rice Village-area restaurant/bar empire. Unlike at his other joints, the food, though excellent, takes a back-seat to drinks from the full bar and the Texas music from the stage, and there’s pool and other bar games, too. Vintage Texana is festooned upon all the walls, and best of all, there’s an enormous, smoke-breathing, red-eyed armadillo out front. Tip your hat to him on your way in and get ready to thank your lucky stars you’re in Texas. More >>
