A spirited evening

Open Christmas night: Houston bars continue the holiday spirit with festivecocktail specials

Bar Boheme is open Christmas
Courtesy photo
On tap at the West End: $15 bombers of Karbach's Fra Gee Lay, $5 pints ofBuffalo Bayou Brewing's cedar-aged 1836 and British mulled wine at $6 a glass.
The West End/Facebook
Under the Volcano will be pouring tasty cocktails to complement your uglysweater and are offering their normal happy hour specials.
Photo by Julie Soefer/Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Harp is offering specials that will cap off your night better than an Irishlullaby.
Courtesy photo
Bar Munich offers $3 German bottle of beer.
Photo via Bar Munich/Facebook

When all of the Christmas gifts have been unwrapped and the Bûche de Noël and ham devoured, come out and find a sippable present that wasn't under the tree.

You can stay in the holiday spirit for a little longer because local watering holes will be offering festive cocktails at prices that agree with your post-Christmas-shopping wallet. Here are some Houston bars that are open Christmas night and most are offering specials:

The West End

The Galleria area’s resident craft beer and cocktail bar is getting into the spirit of giving at 7 p.m. Christmas night with $15 bombers of Karbach's Fra Gee Lay and $5 pints of Buffalo Bayou Brewing's cedar-aged 1836. If you’d rather honor the bar’s character, go for the British mulled wine at $6 a glass.

Marquis II

The Bissonnet location will be offering its usual $6 Texas tea and $7 flavored house teas from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Christmas night. If you’ve never had these legendary teas— have one. It’ll make for a Christmas to remember . . . or one to forget.

Brian O’Neill’s, Ginger Man and Little Woodrow’s

These Rice Village neighbors are open and pouring winter brews at discounted prices. Brian O’Neill’s continues its daily promotion "Name Night" for Christmas, which means that anyone named David (this night only) pays 25 cents for well drinks and drafts from 9 to 11 p.m.

Brian O’Neill’s continues its daily promotion "Name Night" for Christmas, which means that anyone named David (this night only) pays 25 cents for well drinks and drafts from 9 to 11 p.m.

Ginger Man will be tapping new winter beers to celebrate Christmas’ nightfall. Stop in, meet a David and walk over to Brian O’Neill’s to keep the deals going.

Under the Volcano

Christmas colors never tasted as good as the strawberry basil margaritas at this Rice Village patio bar. They’ll be pouring tasty cocktails to complement your ugly sweater and are offering their normal happy hour specials.

The Dirt

Just because popular musical acts (ahem, Lady Gaga) make this spot their post-concert must-visit destination doesn’t that mean you can’t stop in this Christmas for $4 cocktails and $2.50 beers. The downtown staple is open from 6 pm. to 2 a.m., and the deals go until 9 p.m.

Cottonwood

Make sure and fill up on your family’s home cooking before heading here for Christmas cocktails. The kitchen will be closed, but the bar and gaming patio will be ready to keep your holiday fun going.

Kung Fu Saloon

The arcade and drink specials at this Washington Avenue watering hole will make you as excited as a kid finding a Nerf Blaster under the tree. Plus, many other open are bars are all in walking distance and offering Christmas deals of their own.

Bar Boheme

Even though the kitchen is closed, cheese plates, hummus and their signature cocktails are up for grabs as early as 4 p.m. Get there for the muggy temps and stay until the 30-degree drop to enjoy the mulled wine.

The Harp

This Richmond drinkery is offering specials that will cap off your night better than an Irish lullaby. Starting at 7 p.m. you can get your fill of holiday drink specials at this low-key hangout and stay for Christmas trivia with friends.

Kenneally's Irish Pub

The Shepherd pub will be pouring Irish coffee and local brews alongside their famous paper-thin pizzas to help continue the holiday feasting with friends and family. After all, everyone’s Irish at Kenneally's, so technically family time continues here.

Bar Munich

The Midtown bar that never seems to close for any holiday won’t disappoint this Christmas. While goose is the traditional German Christmas fare, a $3 German bottle of beer might be more your speed. Get there as early as 5 p.m., and be back home in time for post-dinner conversation.

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one last squeeze

Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter

Photo by Leah Wilson

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The original location of Ben Berg’s fancy burger joint will soon serve its last meal. B.B. Lemon on Washington Avenue will close after service on Sunday, June 1, the restaurant announced on social media.

In response to CultureMap’s request for comment about the decision, a representative provided a statement that reads in part:

“It is never an easy decision to close a restaurant,” Berg said. “The love Houston has shown B.B. Lemon-Washington over the years is what made it such a special place. Thank you for making us part of your everyday moments and life celebrations.”

The statement continues that the restaurant is “no longer part of our strategic plan,” referring to Berg’s company, Berg Hospitality Group. However, the location of B.B Lemon that opened last year in the downtown tunnels will remain open.

Open since late 2018, B.B. Lemon takes inspiration from iconic New York City restaurant JG Melon, including its signature green-and-white checked tablecloths. Thanks to a spacious patio and a lively atmosphere, B.B. Lemon soon found favor with area residents and downtown office workers, who made it a happy hour favorite.

Like its decor, B.B. Lemon’s menu also takes inspiration from the East Coast. In addition to a diner-style, wagyu cheeseburger, the restaurant serves an array of comfort food that includes fish and chips, a lobster roll, and blue crab beignets.

Berg’s decision to close B.B. Lemon follows last year’s closure of Benny Chows, its New York-inspired Chinese American restaurant. In January, the company closed NoPo Cafe to make way for a new location of Bagel Bob’s HTX.

The group also opened three new concepts in 2024: live fire steakhouse Prime 131, retro diner Buttermilk Baby, and upscale steakhouse Turner’s Cut. It will open a second location of Buttermilk Baby in Sugar Land this summer.

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