meet the tastemakers

Houston's 10 best bars of 2026 power a diverse drinking scene

It’s been a brilliant year for Houston’s bar scene, and the 10 contenders for the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards’ Bar of the Year are all heavyweights in their own right.

From bar veterans teaming up for new endeavors to longstanding watering holes that continue to draw loyal patrons, this year's nominees demonstrate just how much Houston loves a good drink. There are frozen cocktails, martinis, and tallboys; dress codes and reservation-only lounges alongside cigarette machines and pool tables — together painting a picture of the wide range of people and places that make up the city.

Join us on April 16 at Silver Street Studios to honor the category winners at the Tastemaker Awards. Attendees can enjoy bites from nominated restaurants, sip cocktails from event sponsors, and watch as the winners are announced live in our short and sweet awards ceremony. Get your tickets now before they sell out.

Augustine Lounge
Hotel bars have an air of mystery with patrons from afar gathering over cocktails. The Augustine Lounge is no different, but it also comes cloaked in accolades, with its hotel earning a Michelin Key among several other awards. The beverages and bites are both whimsical and elegant, such as the Point of Origin, a tequila drink with lime, smoked sage, agave, and “stardust.” Tuck into a wagyu hot dog or smoked salmon dip with housemade potato chips while enjoying tunes spun by high-profile Houstonians during vinyl nights.

Bandista
Tucked into the Four Seasons Houston Hotel, this award-winning speakeasy-style bar is an intimate affair with seating for just 20. Here, bartenders deliver ambitious drinks such as the Ménage à Trois, which presents patrons with a fog of cognac perfume, a made-to-order Brandy Alexander ice cream, and a glass of cognac. The Almost Famous is another highlight — an herbal, citrus-forward mezcal drink with pineapple and epazote. Guest bartenders frequently take over the bar, offering Houstonians a glimpse into international cocktail scenes without leaving the luxury of the Four Seasons.

Berwick’s Bird of Paradise
Berwick’s Bird of Paradise quickly gained a loyal following for its elevated tiki-esque vibes. Veteran bartender Robin Berwick of Double Trouble aimed — and succeeded — in bringing a bar to the Heights reminiscent of resort holidays. Tropical drinks such as the Swift Kick in the Pants, a dangerously delicious frozen combination of dark and light rums, coconut, pineapple, orange juice, and Angostura bitters, set the tone. Order the fried fish sandwich with a side of crinkle-cut fries to complete the transportation to a beach vacation.

Catbirds
A linchpin of the neighborhood dive bar scene since opening in 1995, Catbirds continues strong under the guidance of Bobby Heugel (Better Luck Tomorrow, Refuge, Anvil) and business partner Peter Jahnke. It can still feel like the ’90s inside Catbirds, thanks to a happy hour that boasts beer and wells for $3.50 or less, plus half-off Houston beers when the Astros are winning. Even more impressive, the Montrose spot stays open 365 days a year until 2 am.

Donna's
It only entered Houston's nightlife culture this past Thanksgiving, but Donna’s is already a mainstay thanks to fans of co-owners Jacki Schromm and Bobby Heugel. The cocktail-forward spot offers unique creations like Good Will, with miso, banana, bourbon, and chocolate bitters, alongside classics like a sloe gin fizz. A vintage sound system with reel-to-reel and turntable adds a personal touch, while comfortable sofas and armchairs scattered throughout encourage conversation.

EZ's Liquor Lounge
Vintage neon signs line the walls alongside taxidermy while patrons sip craft cocktails at Formica-topped tables. Face off in a friendly game of pool before hitting the cigarette vending machine and heading to the outdoor patio to light up. EZ’s Liquor Lounge is the bar we all imagine our parents patronizing — a laidback spot that emits cool while still delivering a well-crafted cocktail. Freezer martinis, gin and tonics, and Old Fashioneds are served alongside Lone Star tallboys and frozen margaritas.

Lee's
Nestled next to its sister restaurant, Milton’s, this cocktail lounge snagged a James Beard 2026 semifinalist nod for best new bar and recognition from Bon Appètit. Under the direction of bar manager (and Tastemaker Awards Bartender of the Year finalist) Chad Matson, Lee’s has become a date night destination with enticing drinks such as the Corner Store with limoncello, grapefruit, vanilla, honey, and soda. The food menu has expanded recently to include heartier fare like pizzas and fried ravioli. The perfect girl dinner is also on the menu: two martinis with duck fat fries and a Caesar salad.

Melrose
A place to see and be seen, Melrose is a sultry spot from co-owners Army Sadeghi (of Clarkwood), Brandon Duliakas, and Dan Wierck. The cocktails are as chic as the interior, such as a gin and tonic with aloe and rose, a peach and orange blossom martini, and signature shots. Tatemó chef Emmanuel Chavez of Michelin and James Beard fame developed the small bites menu that features dishes like spicy bluefin tuna on crispy rice and smoked franks wrapped in puff pastry with poppy seeds.

Starduster Lounge
Leather, vintage tile, and wood elements add warmth to the nearly 100-year-old building that houses this West Texas inspired bar. Will Thomas, co-founder of White Oak Music Hall and owner of Dan Electro’s, teamed up with Benjy Mason of Johnny’s Gold Brick and Winnie’s, to create the refined yet rustic watering hole. Starduster Lounge's ever-evolving menu has the requisite ranch waters, margaritas, sazeracs, and Old Fashioned, alongside specialty cocktails like the Lavender Lullaby (gin, chamomile, tonka, lemon, milk clarified, lavender ube foam). Boilermakers, beers, THC bevies, and alcohol-free options are also available.

Winnie's
The brightly painted, pink-and-green Midtown spot is part sandwich shop, part cocktail bar, and entirely a good time, with a laidback patio, frozen drinks, and Louisiana-inspired comfort food fueling long afternoons that turn into late nights. Draft cocktails like a Pimm’s Cup, Paloma, and the Cherry Bop with cherry vodka, St-Germain, and lime, along with originals like the Smoke Show (tequila, mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, hibiscus tea, orange, and cinnamon), keep diners’ thirst slaked while they dig into oysters, po’ boys, and some of Houston's best wings.

@winnieshouston Instagram

Winnie's is a Midtown staple with its expansive patio and cocktails on draft.

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The Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Houston by Maker's Mark, Culinary Khancepts, Herradura Tequila, Ritual Zero Proof + Seedlip, Shutto, NXT LVL EVENT, and more to be announced. A portion of proceeds will benefit our nonprofit partner, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

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Martini Guy Thursday

Chris Shepherd stirs up 3 of his favorite martinis in Houston

Photo by Arturo Almos

Martinis are $10 from 5-6 pm at The Marigold Club.

The martini has forever been a symbol of celebration. It’s the cocktail for the hard day, the power lunch, the old-school steakhouse dinner, and those nights where you just want to feel a little bit fancy. It’s elegant, timeless and let’s be honest — you look pretty damn good holding one.

It’s crisp, refreshing, and somehow always feels right for the occasion. Not that the martini ever went out of style, but I feel like I’m seeing it everywhere again these days. Maybe that’s just my orbit, but I’m completely here for it.

I love the ritual of a pre-dinner cocktail or that first drink before settling into a bottle of wine. Hell, I love a martini anytime it feels appropriate, which honestly can be pretty often.

The martini is this massive world of choices, and that’s part of what makes drinking one so much fun. It’s one of the few cocktails where you can truly tailor it exactly to your taste. Shaken or stirred. Dry or wet. Olive or twist. Gin or vodka — or maybe both. When you start getting into the different styles and brands of spirits, the possibilities feel endless.

Can you imagine trying to customize an Old Fashioned with that many variations? The bartender would probably stare at you sideways while slowly pointing toward the door.

But at its core, the Martini is beautifully simple: spirit, vermouth, ice, and garnish. That’s it. A few ingredients that somehow create this entire universe of possibilities.

The Martini Capital of the World

A while back my wife and I went to London on vacation and fully committed ourselves to running the martini gauntlet. And why wouldn’t we? London has such a deep history with the cocktail, especially dating back to the 1920s when it really became part of the culture.

One stop we absolutely had to make was Duke’s Bar, which might be one of the most famous martini bars in the world. Legend has it that Duke’s is where Ian Fleming found inspiration for James Bond’s famous “shaken, not stirred” line, although technically Bond was drinking a Vesper, but we can save that conversation for another day.

At Duke’s, the martini is made tableside and it’s beautifully simple. Frozen gin or vodka, an ice-cold glass, a few drops of vermouth, and then the spirit gets poured straight from the freezer. A fresh lemon peel gets twisted over the top so the oils hit the surface and that’s it. No shaking. No stirring. No dilution. Just ice-cold booze served with intention and confidence. It’s clean, powerful, and honestly kind of perfect.

And while you’re in London, you have to make your way to the Connaught Bar, where the martini service is next level. It’s theatrical without being over-the-top and incredibly thoughtful. They even use their own house gin and prepare everything tableside with a precision that somehow still feels relaxed and welcoming. You understand very quickly why this bar is considered one of the best in the world year after year.

Three Houston martinis

I have different martini orders depending on where I am, what mood I’m in, and what kind of night it’s shaping up to be. Houston has some spots that are absolutely crushing it right now.

First up is The Marigold Club, which has a true dedication to the ’tini. They offer five different martinis on the menu, and every single one feels intentional and polished. If you’re a gin martini person, go for the Marigold Martini which uses three different gins to balance all those botanical flavors together beautifully. If vodka is more your thing, the Mayfair Martini uses the same thought process with multiple vodkas layered together for texture and balance. They really take this stuff seriously in the best possible way.

During Golden Hour, served daily from 5-6 pm, you can grab a martini for 10 bucks, add a shrimp cocktail for $12, and suddenly life feels pretty damn good.

Then there’s Navy Blue, where I recently sat down and immediately got distracted by joy when I opened the bar menu and saw an entire section titled “The Martini Program.” It felt like finding a treasure map. The whole thing is designed so you can build your own martini, and they even offer mini versions so that people can experiment a little bit without fully committing. It’s smart, playful, and delicious. Order some Clams Casino while you’re at it and settle in because that’s living right there.

I’m not usually an espresso martini guy, but if that’s your lane then you absolutely need to get over to J.A.M Viet Kitchen & Bar for their Vietnamese Egg Coffee Martini. This thing is wild in the best way possible.

Egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk get whipped into this rich luxurious foam that sits on top of a Vietnamese coffee martini. It’s decadent, delicious, and one of those drinks you immediately start texting people about after the first sip.

In conclusion

To me, the Martini just symbolizes fun. Simple as that. It’s celebratory, a little indulgent, and always tied to a good moment.

It happens all the time when my wife and I sit down at a bar. Maybe I order a Negroni because that sounded right in the moment. But then I hear that unmistakable sound of the cocktail shaker working away behind the bar, and I see that cold frosted glass waiting for that silky smooth pour.

Suddenly I’m sitting there thinking…Damn it. Why didn’t I order a Martini?

Have fun out there and be safe. Cheers.

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Where’s your favorite place in Houston to order a martini? Let Chris know by emailing chris@chrisshepherd.is.

Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $15 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund. Catch his TV show, Eat Like a Local, every Saturday at 10 am on KPRC Channel 2 or on YouTube.

Photo by Arturo Almos

Martinis are $10 from 5-6 pm at The Marigold Club.

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