Must-see nightlife in East Texas

Set in Houston's oldest building (1848 or thereabouts), La Carafe has to be the city’s most atmospheric bar. It's a warmly lit drinking den, with exposed…

On restaurant-lined Main St, look for the door marked with law offices, then ascend the stairs to this elegant cocktail hideaway. Take a seat at the long…

Wander down tiny Carnegie Alley on the backside of Main St and you'll discover this fabulous, offbeat bastion of alternative joy. There are tables and…

A simple shack with an edgy Warehouse District vibe, Moon Tower Inn draws a lively crowd of young and old. They hunker down at picnic tables in its huge…

One of the biggest and best patios on the Washington nightlife strip. Picnic tables are close together, so you'll get to know your neighbors as you tip…

Housed in a 1950s-era tire store, and still with the original bare-brick walls and industrial piping, this bar has got one of the best beer selections in…

Texas' oldest 'ice house' (where people really used to come to get their ice; now an open-air boozer) draws the crowds, from bikers to lawyers. We think…

An Aggie tradition since 1974, you can't say you've seen A&M if you didn't drink at the Dixie Chicken. Burgers and pitchers of beer are the usual fare…

Take an arty interior with vintage pinball games, add a festive back patio with a baby-boomer-friendly Kool Aid man statue, and you get one very cool,…

Open for early-morning coffee and breakfast tacos through to late-night cocktails and house-smoked brisket sliders, Onion Creek is the quintessential…

The only bar in Houston to keep a completely temperature-controlled wine cellar has an earthy Italian enoteca (wine bar) feel. Knowledgeable bartenders…

It may be fairly new but this is already a classic Heights bar, given its huge patio, cheery yet juiced crowds, live music and good, cheap eats from the…

Great drinks (especially the margaritas), music and good times are the norm at this two-story house, complete with wraparound porches. There's tasty,…

Among the excellent beers you can enjoy on the fine patio at this downtown microbrewery are a great IPA and a coffee ale.

This popular Montrose gastropub has a dazzling selection of craft beers on draft from around the US and the globe, with everything from easy-drinking…

A jukebox and a vast selection of wines by the glass in a coffee shop? Yes, please. OK, so not everyone's discussing Greek philosophy here, but the…

You really can't get more kicked-back than a giant shaded deck with sports on the TVs and so many beers on tap. One of several around town, the Rice…

At this big beer bar there are more than 200 types of brews, including drafts from local Houston microbreweries like St Arnold and elsewhere in Texas…

English pubs in this town are commonplace, but not ones in gorgeous brick buildings with lovely patios and giant outdoor chess games. There's typical pub…

Start out on the chill back patio at this long-running – and welcoming – women's bar; after midnight, when the DJ comes on, migrate to the dance floor to…