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    Sip and Shoot

    Houston's new bar blitz: From a Champagne room with a view to high-end tequila

    Marcy de Luna
    Apr 30, 2010 | 10:18 am
    • Cha Champagne and Wine Bar
      Photo by Morris Malakoff
    • Cha Champagne and Wine Bar
      Photo by Morris Malakoff
    • Treat yourself at Salt.
      Photo by Prudence Allwein
    • Live music at Salt
      Photo by Prudence Allwein

    Has your going out routine become predictable? Are you in a social rut? Fear not: Several new bars are hitting the scene and Houston’s nightlife has never looked better. Cheers to the latest and greatest — here's the inside scoop on a bunch sure to become fast favorites.

    The brother duo of Adam and Alexander Kliebert have teamed up to open a new bar near the Rice Village (name TBD) on the other side of that litigious apartment complex. Although they plan to keep their day jobs, the home-builders came up with the concept of converting their former office space into a drinkery as a solution to a lackluster local real estate market.

    The original building will undergo a slight modernization with the addition of stucco and extra square footage, including two outdoor patios (with retractable walls and air conditioning/heating, no less). The main room will feature a sexy lounge area plus a small kitchen that will offer up a bar menu. Also on tap, bottle service and plenty of parking. Opening date: mid-summer.

    Mark Twain once said, “too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.” Oscar Wilde sipped it on his deathbed. Winston Churchill couldn’t get enough. While the focus of Cha Champagne Bar + Wine Bar, under the direction of General Manager Todd Leveritt, may be just that, it also has an extensive wine and beer list. The couches are extra comfy and several conversational art pieces adorn the walls. Relax on the small second floor terrace and order up a snack like caviar or a cheese board. This one is already open on Waugh in the River Oaks area.

    Sugarcane, spearheaded by Bryan Johnson, Andrew Adams and Doyle Adams, will soon occupy the group's old Corkscrew location on Washington. The choice of name stems from the use of sugarcane not only as a bio fuel, but also as a textile to make clothing and an ingredient found in rum. Sugarcane promises a drink list that is either organic or local, and the bar will also present a wide variety of non-alcoholic drinks and one of largest organic wine lists in town.

    The interior will showcase a large, tranquil mural, and the bar itself is made from 100-year-old recycled cypress wood. Opening date: Monday.

    Calling all country and western enthusiasts: With more than 18 years of bar ownership experience under his belt, Dewayne Hefley, owner of Kay’s Lounge, is set to open Hefley’s in Midtown. Aesthetically appealing, the space is all limestone and hardwood floors, and even the restroom décor will feature several Tiffany lighting fixtures. A full kitchen is in the works as well as an outside deck with an unobstructed view of the downtown skyline.

    To quote the owner, Hefley’s will “feel like the hill country, offering customers everything but the river.” Opening date: late May/early June.

    You can have too much to drink, but you can never have too much live music. Salt, sister bar to Pearl, is now giving Houstonians a destination to listen to live music every night of the week. Adding to its appeal, Salt is also a high-end tequila bar. You will find every kind of tequila imaginable plus a full bar and frozen margaritas in this new Washington Avenue corridor spot. There is never a cover and Tuesday is singer/songwriter night.

    In other news, word on the street is that the owner of Boondocks is getting ready to open a new bar, Royal Oak, in the space formerly occupied by Bartini on Westheimer.

    Got any deets? Feel free to e-mail any noteworthy nightlife to submissions@culturemap.com

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    Hot Headlines

    New owner of Texas Renaissance Festival revealed in our top 5 stories

    CultureMap Staff
    May 17, 2025 | 11:01 am
    Amid scandals covered by multiple documentaries, the nation's largest Renaissance festival opens for its golden season.
    Photo courtesy of the Texas Renaissance Festival
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    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week. Details emerge on the new owner of the Texas Renaissance Festival, plus high profile restaurant openings are on the horizon. Catch up on our five most popular stories below, then visit this guide to plan your weekend.

    1. Winner of Ren Fest lawsuit plans to keep the event mostly unchanged. Following a recent court ruling, the Texas Renaissance Festival will soon be under new ownership, but much will remain the same as it has for the last half century. CultureMap has the details.

    2. Houston's most pretty-in-pink restaurant quietly closes in Upper Kirby. PostScript, the posh pink restaurant that opened to considerable fanfare in early 2024, has closed for good.

    3. Massive, German-inspired beer garden coming to new Energy Corridor project. One of Houston’s most successful bar operators is bringing his talents to the Energy Corridor with a new beer garden slated for early 2026.

    Katy Beer Garden outdoor patioThe new beer garden will be similar to Katy Beer Garden. Photo by Eric Sandler

    4. Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse. Mark your calendar for Houston’s newest steakhouse, opening May 21.

    5. Luxury bus service Vonlane adds new departure from The Woodlands. The Texas-based luxury motor coach will roll out daily service between Dallas and The Woodlands in June.

    hot-headlinestexas renaissance festivalclosingsopeningsbeer gardenenergy corridorsteakhousevonlanetravelmost popular stories
    news/city-life
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