More details are emerging on Midtown's newest "American craft beer" bar. Fidan Baca, partner and marketing manager for ownership group KCH Entertainment, is sharing exclusive photos and info on the soon-to-open 3rd Floor Bar with CultureMap.
A recent tour of 3rd Floor's digs revealed that the Washington Avenue competition appears far afield, but places like Midtown's Dogwood and Drinkery might want to worry. They could notice a change in foot traffic when 3rd Floor opens its doors in what Baca predicts is "less than a month" in an elevated spot at 2303 Smith Street.
Baca shrugs when asked if he or other partners felt hesitant to compete with neighboring bars like Pub Fiction, Celtic Gardens and Shot Bar though. It's all good to him. KCH owns and operates those bars too. 3rd Floor is just their latest.
"We wanted to make a place as casual as we can."
“It’s a very different environment," Baca says of the new bar. "It’s not a sports bar or a patio bar and the offerings are different and that’s good for the whole area. “
3rd Floor Bar, designed Studio Red Architects of Houston, figures to be one of those places you just have to visit to know its worth. The space is relaxing and floor to ceiling windows offer amazing views of the city — no matter where you decide to park yourself. If you get tired of sitting, you can let the sweet automatic glass doors lead you to one of the two patios.
One patio sits above Pub Fiction's patio and overlooks the Medical Center and the Galleria area and the other faces Hadley Street for a stunning view at downtown.
“We wanted to make a place as casual as we can," Baca says, "so people can socialize, hangout with great beer and great wine.“
3rd Floor will not have a dress code. It is a come-as-you-are environment complete with community tables, custom-made furniture and shuffleboard, all adding up to a rustic urban feel.
As CultureMap previously reported, Baca assures that the bar will only sell "American craft" beer, saying, "If we can't get it, we will make it ourselves." While the bar's Facebook page touts 50 varieties of wine and of beer, Baca says (with a straight face) that there actually will be "48" selections of each.
The bar also plans to feature four pre-mixed cocktails on tap that were created by a certified mixologist. Baca is keeping those drinks under wraps, but he did allow that happy hour specials are in the works.
Chef Jared Estes, previously of Nordstrom Bistro, will create the food menu and make his own bread. Cheese boards will be on the menu and what Baca calls "hand-wiches" will be made in-house with Estes's fresh baked bread and ingredients from "around the world." (The American-only mantra just applies to the beer, apparently.)
With the bar nearly staffed and only minor details left to fix, 3rd Floor seems primed to open.
“Nothing is finalized, but we are working on picking a charity to join us in the grand opening," Baca says. "We will have a soft opening and see where we need to work out the kinks, then we will have the official grand opening.
"Just keep checking (for a date). We are big on social media so . . . to be continued.”
When it opens, Midtown's 3rd floor Bar will offer 48 varieties of wine and 48 varieties of beer.
A vintage picture of chefs EJ Miller and Ryan Lachaine. Photo by