The New Bar Universe

New Midtown bar promises to serve only "American" craft beer: Is the USA, USA chant next?

By Desiree Alvarez

06.18.13 | 5:33 pm

It might be only a matter of time before bar crawlers abandon Washington Avenue completely in favor of Midtown. Yet another new bar is joining the clan of saloons that populates the S ...

The Make-Out Bar Returns

Houston's secret make-out bar rises again with surprise reopening: Windowless fun is back

By Whitney Radley

06.14.13 | 11:01 am

Well, that didn't take long. Just two and a half month after Marfreless closed its unmarked blue door for good, the legendary make-out bar is already planning to reopen again.  It ...

The Best Party Brunches

The best party brunches in Houston: When the morning after needs to have a groove

By Amy Chien

04.20.13 | 5:50 pm

There are two kinds of people in the world: The kind who cures a hangover with an Advil, and the kind who cures a hangover with a Bloody Mary. Me, I’m all about the hair of the dog. If yo ...

A Replacement Bar

A new bar rises from the grave of another in River Oaks: And this craft beer spot is very local

By Jodie Eisenhardt

03.23.13 | 2:16 pm

Local Pour — a new so-called “classic American tavern” in River Oaks plaza (in the spot that formerly housed Sherlocks and The Laff Stop before that) — is hardly r ...

Feast on this

Your cheat sheet to St. Patrick's Day: The best parades, concerts, pub crawls and parties

By Joel Luks

03.15.13 | 12:00 pm

Even I, a mutt of Jewish, Catholic, Peruvian, Canadian, Belgium, Polish and German descent can pass for Irish this weekend as St. Patrick's Day activities continue. These days of enchantment &m ...

Boozy News

New casual Midtown bar highlights craft beer and edible cocktails: Enjoying the Good Life

By Whitney Radley

03.09.13 | 9:02 am

Jeff and Darren Van Delden, the same brother entrepreneurs that brought you Red Door, Saint Genevieve and the shuttered Sawyer Park (which is now supposedly not closed forever but just "closed ...

Anniversary Party!

Hay Merchant, a year later: Game changing craft beer bar dips into its special beer cellar to celebrate

By Darla Guillen

02.13.13 | 1:22 pm

Although it might seem like Hay Merchant has been a Houston institution for decades, the widely acclaimed craft beer bar is actually celebrating its first anniversary this week. The well-regard ...

CultureMap Exclusive

Prolific entrepreneur opening a new Mexican restaurant & a Texas beer bar on Lower Westheimer

By Whitney Radley

02.13.13 | 7:27 am

Between his recent retail takeover, his food trucks and his successful bar and restaurant ventures on Lower Westheimer, California native Shawn Bermudez seems to have quite enough to keep him ...

Bottoms Up CultureMap Video

Boozing it up for a good cause: OKRA Charity Saloon swizzles a Caribbean-inspired cocktail

By Marcy de Luna

01.26.13 | 1:35 pm

OKRA Charity Saloon, located downtown near Main Street and the Market Square Historic District, is not the first bar to open its doors at 924 Congress St. The original occupant, Casino Saloon, serv ...

Rodeo Roundup Pub Crawl

02.16.13

In anticipation of RodeoHouston, The Firkin & Phoenix is hosting a pub crawl. Registration and pre-gaming begins at 2 p.m. and the pub crawl kicks off at 3 p.m. Dress up in your best r