• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Best New Bars

    Best New Bars of 2014: Bumper crop of swell places to sip cocktails and have a good time

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 30, 2014 | 11:00 am

    After a banner 2013 that saw the arrival of heavy hitters like Camerata, Captain Foxheart's Bad News Bar and D&T Drive Inn, it would have been easy to expect 2014 to be a bit of a down year for Houston's bar scene. Coming into the year, it seemed like almost every possible niche had been filled.

     
     

      All offered something slightly different in terms of concept, execution or location that make them compelling places to visit. 

     
     

    Yet, this year produced a bumper crop of new drinking establishments. From Houston's first dedicated tiki bar to a late night ramen shop to a high-style ode to the South, bars in 2014 all offered something slightly different in terms of concept, execution or location that make them compelling places to visit.

     

    Also, I'm giving an incomplete to a couple places that may ultimately prove to be worthy entries on the list if only I had more time to form an opinion: Sanctuari at Triniti, which I need to revisit in the wake of talented bartender Leslie Ross's departure; Love and Squalor, the bar at Weights + Measures with a '70s vibe that officially opened December 28 and Wooster's Garden, the Midtown cocktail and craft beer bar with a beautiful space and a compelling mix of offerings.

     

     Lei Low
    If this list inspires you to try only one new establishment, it should be Lei Low. The tiki bar in a North Main street strip center blends the husband and wife team of Russell and Elizabeth Thoede's passion for tiki culture with a space that transports patrons to a tropical island — or, at least, a tropical island with a healthy dose of post-World War II kitsch.

     

    The drinks mix fresh fruit juices (the bar goes through a staggering amount of pineapple every day), with house-infused rums and complimentary spirits to create cocktails that are boozy but also complex. Theme nights and a backyard patio further enhance the atmosphere. Places like Voodoo Queen, Under the Volcano and Double Trouble may have tiki elements, but none have so thoroughly embraced the concept with such delightful results.

     

     Moving Sidewalk
    Credit the owners of Goro & Gun for two important realizations: first, people who hang out on the 300 block of Main are more interested in drinks than food; two, bartender Alexander Gregg deserves his own establishment. Enter Moving Sidewalk, which trades Goro's whimsical decor (no more Pee-wee Herman or money cat) for a subdued look that puts the focus squarely on Gregg's talented staff.

     

    While it might seem that the block already has enough places to get a drink, Moving Sidewalk takes advantage of its full kitchen to create syrups, infusions and other cocktail components that separate its drinks from neighboring establishments. Also, a service-oriented attitude means that drinks come out quickly, even when patrons are three deep on a rollicking Saturday night.

     

     Julep/The Nightingale Room
    Both of these concepts from the Clumsy Butcher Group (Underbelly, Anvil, etc) are built around the personal interests of the talented people the company has partnered with to run them. At Julep, Alba Huerta's passion for Southern cocktails comes through in the elegant design, extensive cocktail menu and cold seafood offerings. At The Nightingale Room, Mike Criss's desire to give the 300 block of Main a high energy music venue stems from the massive vinyl collection and fun drinks that include a variety of creative shots.

     

    Julep is obviously the more fully-formed venture at this point; it's bourbon selection alone makes it a destination, but don't miss the killer French fries and hush puppies on the food menu. However, the Nightingale will grow in 2015 when it starts hosting live performances from its elevated stage. Together, they're raising people's expectations for bars around the city — and forcing other operators to step up their game.

     

     Public Services Wine & Whisky
    When I visited Public Services during its soft opening, I wondered about the audience for a bar with a limited selection of pre-mixed cocktails and a lengthy list of wine and whisky. In time, I've come to appreciate that this bar from sommelier Justin Vann and Oxheart chef/owners Justin Yu and Karen Man uses both its menu and its pretty Victorian era decor to separate itself from all of the other recent openings downtown.

     

    Whether during a quiet weeknight visit or during a more bustling Saturday night service, the bar seems to attract mostly upwardly mobile young professionals who appreciate the ability to pair a well-chosen glass of sherry with their whisky of choice, as well as the hyper-knowledgable service led by Vann and general manager Sean Jensen. Add in bar snacks from the Oxheart kitchen, including a cheese plate that features Mann's peerless biscuits, and Public Services becomes the sort of place that's both intimate enough for a date night and comfortable enough for a small birthday gathering with friends.

     

     Stone's Throw
    Credit Shawn Bermudez, the principle behind Pistolero's, Boondocks and Royal Oak, for knowing his audience. As he's gotten older, each of his successive concepts have gotten a little more mature, a little more comfortable. With a Juliet balcony and plush booths, Stone's Throw probably won't appeal to the T-shirt wearing, Lone Star-drinking crowd at Boondocks, but it does appeal to someone like me, a guy in his mid-30s who wants to enjoy a lively atmosphere and good drinks without too much of a fuss.

     

    Daily specials, particularly Wednesday night's discounts on punch bowls, help keep the tab reasonable, too.

     

     Sassafras
    Every neighborhood needs a comfortable watering hole staffed by friendly faces who remember their regulars' favorite drinks. In Oak Forest, that bar is Sassafras. Opened by bartenders who worked together at Grand Prize and Big Star Bar, Sassafras offers a full range of spirits, an interesting mix of craft beers and a well-chosen smattering of wines to keep its regulars happy.

     

    The dimly lit room features a few video games for entertainment, but the focus is on hanging out with friends. One thing that separates the bar from its peers is a Monday night steak that features dry-aged Black Hills meat for only $20. It might be the best value in the city.

     

     The Springbok
    A California-based rugby bar with a classically trained French chef serving a twist on South African cuisine that opens on Main Street in Houston sounds like the setup to a joke, but The Springbok is a place for a serious good time. The bar first emerged this summer as a popular destination for watching the World Cup and has evolved to be a solid spot for catching American football, too.

     

    Chef Seth Greenburg's menu features elevated bar food like a wild boar Sloppy Joe alongside more elevated fare like lamb tartare. The beer and spirit selection caters to local tastes but also include some essential South African favorites. Together with Prohibition and El Big Bad, The Springbok gives downtown's emerging bar scene some solid food options, too.

     

     Ninja Ramen
    Let's celebrate Ninja Ramen for what it is rather than complaining about what it isn't. Whether the ramen has met owner Christopher Huang's aspirations to serve a dish that meets the level of "good" instead of just "good for Houston" is a subject of fierce debate; for what it's worth, I like what I've eaten there, particularly the dipping noodles in a soy cream sauce, even if Tiger Den is still my personal favorite.

     

    Regardless, it's both a solid late night dining option and a purveyor of an extensive selection of high quality Japanese beers and whiskeys at reasonable prices. Those are both good and valuable things, in my opinion, and worthy of celebrating.

    At Julep, patrons learn about the South's cocktail history through a creative menu.

    1 Julep, the new cocktail bar from bartender Alba Huerta August 2014
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    At Julep, patrons learn about the South's cocktail history through a creative menu.
    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    Houston is one of America's most overpriced cities, study finds

    This Houston suburb had the highest apartment rent prices in June

    Netflix chef's modern Mexican restaurant opens in Houston this month

    Matcha News

    TikTok star Keith Lee crafts matcha latte for Hill Country flood relief

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 11, 2025 | 9:30 am
    Keith Lee and matcha drink
    Instagram
    Keith Lee hoists his special matcha drink.

    The devastating floods that swept across Central Texas on July 4 are bringing out all kinds of charitable endeavors — and that includes a limited-edition beverage from Texas-based TikTok food influencer Keith Lee.

    Lee, a social media sensation whose online food reviews have benefited hundreds of small restaurants, is partnering with La La Land Kind Cafe on a special drink: Called the La La Land X Keith Lee Latte, it's a matcha drink in which 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards Kerr County flood relief.

    La La Land is the coffee chain founded in Dallas in 2019 with a mission to provide opportunities for fostering youth and individuals in need. It has three locations in Houston, along with 10 across Dallas-Fort Worth and six in Southern California.

    The new Keith Lee Latte will consist of double ceremonial matcha, with secret syrup, matcha cloud, a whole fresh strawberry, flaky salt, and matcha powder. (See Lee enjoy the latte in the video below.)


      
     
     
     
     
     
     
    View this post on Instagram
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    A post shared by Keith Lee (@keith_lee125)
     


    Matcha is the Japanese green tea powder that has experienced a surge in popularity, appearing in everything from drinks like the matcha latte to desserts like matcha mousse.

     Keith Lee Latte Keith Lee Latte is a matcha drink.Instagram 

    Lee, who relocated to Dallas in 2024, has been on a matcha kick ever since he tried it in Chicago, which he says "led me down a rabbit hole," and it has become his trademark drink. In May, he visited seven cafes across DFW in search of the perfect matcha in town, and that included La La Land, where he ordered a matcha with almond milk.

    He also has a charitable history, including a special visit he made to Taste Project in Fort Worth to donate $4,000 to support the nonprofit's mission to fight food insecurity.

    The Keith Lee Latte will be available at all La La Land cafes beginning Friday July 11, for a limited time only. From July 11-27, 100 percent of all proceeds will support flood relief efforts in Kerr County — "a community in our home state that’s hurting," La La Land Cafe says.

    mediaweathercelebrities
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    Houston is one of America's most overpriced cities, study finds

    This Houston suburb had the highest apartment rent prices in June

    Netflix chef's modern Mexican restaurant opens in Houston this month

    Loading...