Beer Me

The 11 best sports bars in Houston for every team's top fan

You can't have this list and not include Biggio's.

Photo courtesy of Biggio's

Football, hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball — no matter which sport you support, it's way more fun to watch your favorite teams play when you're surrounded by other cheering fans.

But where to head for some cold drinks, hot food, and big sports action? In the spirit of CultureMap's newest signature event, The Tailgate, we're celebrating a season of sports with insider intel on all the ways you can enjoy it. (P.S. Tickets are on sale now).

Though by no means exhaustive, this list highlights sports bars in Houston that are definitely worth your overtime.

Biggio's
Named for Astros hall-of-famer Craig Biggio, the "not your average sports bar" inside the Marriott Marquis Hotel boasts more than 30 screens, including two massive, 30-foot-tall, high-definition screens. An extensive beer list is complemented by popular menu items like the chicken and waffles, loaded nachos, and crispy wings.

Pitch 25 Beer Park
With nearly 100 beers on tap, this 25,000-square-foot venue is Houston's go-to spot for good times — it's also only a 10-minute walk to Minute Maid Park. There's even an indoor soccer pitch, if the mood strikes to get a little sporty in between tacos, jumbo wings, burgers, and loaded fries.

Nick's Place
If it's good enough for the hosts of ESPN 97.5, who love to hang out here, then it's certainly good enough for us. Sports fans can't get enough of the authentic, homemade Italian eats, nor the 40 TVs, free WiFi, daily specials, and loyalty club, which nets you 5 percent off each purchase and $5 just for signing up.

McIntyre's
Looking for something a little more upscale? Hit up either location (Houston Heights or downtown) of this glitzy, indoor-outdoor spot, which combines the practical — three-sided bar, high-def TVs — with the fun — dog-friendly, so many swings! — for a distinct game-watching experience.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Passionate sports fans run the Houston outpost of this popular chain, which proudly displays the best craft beer wall in the city. Aside from the literal hundreds of different beers to try, there's German-inspired food and plenty of televisions. Don't forget to join the UFO Club and work your way toward entering the Ring of Honor.

Kirby Ice House
"The biggest bar in Texas" spans more than 30,000 square feet at each of its three locations (Upper Kirby, Memorial, and Woodlands), so you're guaranteed a good seat in front of any of the big screens. More than 60 beers on tap sets the tone, and pups are allowed with your pints thanks to the indoor-outdoor setup.

Little Woodrow's
From the Heights to Rice Village, Little Woodrow's is serving cold beverages to sports fans at six locations around town. Consistently boasting every imaginable channel and upwards of 20 TVs, these locations feature plenty of drink specials so you can post up for a full day (or night) of game-watching.

Maple Leaf Pub
Escape the Texas heat and pretend you're in Canada for a few hours at this hockey-focused, neighborhood pub in Midtown. Expect cold beer, hot poutine, on-ice action, and plenty of friendly fans — you can't help but catch the Canadian niceness.

Patterson Park
Boasting a 5,000-square-foot outdoor deck, treehouse vibes, and sweeping skyline views, this dog-friendly Heights bar sports 40 HD TVs for prime viewing. Bar specialties range from ranch water variations to the Schwayze (vodka, lime, grenadine, Sprite). Get game day grub from the onsite food trucks, and afterwards face off with friends with arcade and board games. Note to active types: cyclists receive a 10-percent discount on their tabs.

Pour Behavior
Feeling rowdy? Then this is your spot. There are 45 65-inch HD TVs and two gigantic HD video walls, plus DJs keeping the crowd hyped while they enjoy more than 25 craft beers on tap, expertly crafted cocktails, and scratch-made menu items (with lots of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options).

Ducky McShweeney's Irish Pub
Houston's newest Irish pub makes sports fan feels lucky with a delicious brunch menu on the weekends (check out the Shamrockin' Brunch Board for two), happy hour all Sunday long, and an extensive whiskey selection. The Galleria bar of course also features traditional Irish meals like bangers and mash and shepherd's pie, as well as a selection of sushi rolls from its sister restaurant next door, Sushi On Post Oak. All of its 13 TVs are tuned to NFL football games on Sundays.

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CultureMap's The Tailgate is happening October 27 at Silver Street Studios. Head here to buy Early Bird tickets while they last.

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Documentary News

Netflix series Waco: American Apocalypse debuts with newly unearthed footage

Waco: American Apocalypse

ATF agents at Waco compound in 1993.

Netflix has a new series on the tragedy that took place in Waco three decades ago: Called Waco: American Apocalypse, it's a three-part series documenting the standoff between cult leader David Koresh and the federal government that ended in a fiery inferno, televised live, with 76 people dead.

The series debuts on March 22, to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of the event which took place from February 28 to April 19, 1993.

It's an oft-told tale and not the only new release to try and exploit the 30-year anniversary: Jeff Guinn, former books editor at the Fort Worth Star Telegram, just came out with a book in January, also described as definitive, called Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage.

Waco: American Apocalypse is directed by another Texan: Dallas native Tiller Russell (Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer), who obtained never-before-seen videotapes of FBI negotiations, as well as raw news footage and interviews with insiders.

Those insiders include one of David Koresh’s spiritual wives; the last child released from the compound alive; a sniper from the FBI Hostage Rescue Team; the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit Chief; journalists; and members of the ATF tactical team who watched colleagues die in the shootout against the heavily armed members of the religious sect.

The FBI videotaped inside the hostage negation room, thinking they'd be there maybe 24 hours, not 51 days.

"These are video cassettes that were sitting in somebody’s closet for 30 years, that show the mechanics of hostage negotiations in an intimate setting - not the hostage negotiation scenarios you see in films, but a team of people grinding, day in and day out, for 51 days," Russell says.

He also procured footage from Waco TV station KWTX, who had a reporter embedded in the initial gunfight.

While the standoff was broadcast live on TV at the time, much of it was out of camera range. The film uses 3D graphics to recreate the details of the compound.

Russell acknowledges that the tale of the cult leader who was also a pedophile, the debate over the right to bear arms, the constitutional limits of religious freedom, dredge up painful conversations that continue today.

"It cast a long shadow, pre-saging the Timothy McVeigh bombing in Oklahoma, the shooting at Colombine, and a growing distrust of government, but I think it's important to reckon with our past so we don't repeat mistakes," he says.

"So much of what’s roiling in culture today can be traced to Waco, a story about God and guns in America with all these children at the center whose lives were determined by the adults around them," he says. "There was no playbook for what happened, everyone was out on a limb, and people made mistakes. But almost everybody was trying to do their very best."

"I think this is a story that's often recalled in politicized terms, with finger-pointing on who screwed up and how did we get here, but there's a profound humanity to it all," he says.

Watch the trailer below:

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Beer Me

The 11 best sports bars in Houston for every team's top fan

Documentary News

Netflix series Waco: American Apocalypse debuts with newly unearthed footage

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