It's that time again

Turtle races to hula hoops: Houston's 10 best patio bars

Cedar Creek
Little Woodrow's Thursday-night turtle racing is a summer favorite
Photo by Chris "Mojo" Denbow
Cecil's Pub is the laid-back king
Pearl Bar's enormous patio has beer pong and hula hoops to occupy your time inbetween drinks
Photo by laura0509
Poison Girl's patio is like your neighbor's backyard, if your neighbor decorateswith the odd tuba
Photo by mccheek
By our estimation, Minute Maid Park counts as the biggest patio in Houston
Photo by Caroline Gallay

Do you really want to spend your time drinking in some dingy, cave-like bar? It's Houston — get out on the patio and make a new friend.

Just don't waste your time on a bad patio. The 10 best patio bars in the Bayou City are a varied bunch, but they share one common trait: You won't be wishing you were somewhere else. So go out and try them all and tell us which one is your No. 1.

Little Woodrow's (Midtown) — Their Big 50 deal (try 50 beers and get happy hour prices for life any time Woodrow's is open) will keep you occupied all summer. It's dog-friendly, and Thursday nights you can immerse yourself in the long-forgotten art of turtle racing. If your red-eared slider wins, you get a free beer.

Cecil's — One of a row of incredibly laid-back West Gray watering holes (PJ's is another favorite), Cecil's is the type of place you could really be a regular. Biker dudes and academics drink side by side here. While it's not so much suited for crawls and I've never seen anyone dance, but it's a great spot to catch up with an old friend or make a new one.

Pearl Bar — On the Washington Corridor, Pearl Bar's back patio is as big as its interior. And it's got tons to occupy your time with beer pong, shuffle board, ping pong and even hula hooping.

Brixx — Although the crowd can occasionally get a little Ed Hardy-heavy for my tastes, this open-air bar has all-you-can-eat crawfish on Wednesdays and Sundays. It's also a prime people-watching spot for super-mixed patronage any night. I've had girls' nights out here and happy hour with my dad and felt equally at home.

Cha — I've yet to try it, but I'm headed here next week. Just-opened on Waugh drive, this champagne and wine bar is supposed to have a great rooftop patio with views of downtown.

Cedar Creek — By my estimate, the best patio in Houston. It's got a real creek, a fire pit, a bajillion tables and it's always, always packed with cute people and good-looking offspring. Honestly, I don't know how they do it.

Front Porch Pub — A favorite Midtown spot for bar crawls, the name does the ambience justice. The same folks own Porch Swing Pub in the Heights, and both are perpetually full of the after-work crowd. If you decide to extend happy hour, your walking-distance options are endless.

Poison Girl — Situated on Westheimer just a few short blocks from Anvil, Poison Girl's patio is like a neighbor's backyard — if your neighbor has sleeves like the Kool-aid man and collects chunks of life-sized Cabbage Patch Kids. Loves it.

Tila's — As the tagline claims: "Some of the best things you'll ever put in your mouth." If you want to sip margaritas outdoors, this is your spot. They use fresh lime juice (no concentrate) and have 60 tequilas to choose from.

Minute Maid Park — It's not the most traditional entry on our list, but by my estimation, it's the biggest patio in Houston. And the Stros need all the help they can get — so get out in the sun and support our trailing team. I recommend the pint-sized Dos Equis (with lotsa lime) and a right-field seat with views of Hunter Pence's backside.

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”