Nightclubs and bars in Houston

Baker St. are a chain of popular English style pubs here in town, with the original one in Rice Village having been around for quite a few years now. A typical dark "pub" decor is used in all of the locations, along with the standard assortment of English and Irish beers on tap, as well as many domestic and other foreign beers. They do have a decent menu; appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, salads, etc. But very few people go here for the food, especially Thursday - Saturday nights, when the place can be packed full of people. On the weekends all the locations usually have a live band playing playing a mixture of rock and pop music. The Village location is the smallest in size of the 3, and tends to have a younger, college-age crowd, as opposed to the other locations, where you will find a little more mixed crowd. Generally a great place to hang out, grab some pints and listen to some music, but can be a little over crowded at times.

Dress Code: No dress code here! Well, just make sure you have clothes on, thats about it!!! :)

Fitzgerald's has been around a long time...I recall going here to watch my friend's band play here many times in highschool. There are two parts a downstairs for local, lesser known acts and an upstairs where the tours and better known acts would play.

I saw the Smithereens, Fishbone and the House of Love here. Its a good place for live music easy to see the stage and it is an intimate small venue. There is an deck on the upstairs to get a break from the music and smoke.

Dress Code: None whatsoever!!!

Great fun downtown in the Spring. I remember going here back in the day to watch free live music.

Admission is free for the urban party, which begins at 5 p.m. and runs until 10. Persons under age 21 are not permitted unless accompanied by an adult. Jones Plaza, located at 615 Louisiana, is a public venue owned by the City of Houston.

Thursdays: So SkyBar closed a few months ago, and the new spot on Thursdays is The Horn (6025 Richmond @ Fountainview). $5 cover and live music with the band that used to be at SkyBar, Salmerum. Free Parking if you get there early, pay for valet afterward.

Fridays: Newest spot is Club 26Ten (2610 Sage Rd). $10 cover, covered garage parking/valet available...so no excuse to party, rain or shine this is your spot. Located across form Macy's in the galleria.

Saturdays: Club Tropicana (3222 Fondren @ Richmond)...this place has been around forever and is the premiere latin music club in Houston. $12 cover, valet parking only.

Dress Code: Dressy preferred, can get away with jeans, but no sneakers, jerseys, hats, etc.

This mostly college student - "20 something" hangout has a Tiki Bar theme to it, complete with a thatched roof over the bar and the outside patio, as well as south pacific idols and artwork adorning the walls. But most people who frequent here couldn't care less, as a primary concern here is drinking alcohol, and drinking lots of it! On a typical Saturday night, you will find this place blasting loud music, completely packed with people attempting to make their way to the bar, which can be a challenge in and of itself! The popular drink of choice here is the dangerous frozen screwdriver. But a warning, these drinks are fairly high in alcohol content, and have an almost Schnapp's-like concealment of it. On a hot summer night, these cool, tasty refreshments can go down pretty smooth, and before you know it, you are more than a little inebriated! Strong drinks, tight spaces, and loud music. Enjoy.

Dress Code: You'll find quite a mix here, some people in shorts and flip flops, others in "dress to impress" clothes

The Davenport is a great little lounge known for their extensive knowledge of cocktails, and a wide variety of spirits to make them with. It is a fairly trendy place, with modern decor and trance or ambiant lounge music playing. For a relatively small establishment, the place has quite a bit of seating area, lots of tables, chairs, even a few sofas and loveseats. And the crowd is generally a mix of 20 & 30 somethings, enjoying the quaint, relaxing atmosphere. Oh yes, and the drinks! Well, as a general rule, if there is a spirit you would like for a mixed drink, they are sure to have it, and mix it well! :) Great place!

Dress Code: Typical "going out" dress, semi-casual is fine

Bronx Bar is a popular lounge in the Rice Village, generally frequented by a younger, "20 something" crowd. Inside you will find the place to be a little on the small side, especially on a Saturday night when it is overflowing with people. Outside in the front there are a few tables to sit at, and the extra area out here tends to get crowded as well when the inside is packed. There is a small sitting area with a few chairs and a sofa when you first enter, and along the wall facing the bar there are a couple of standing tables. But other than that, you will find most people standing. There ambiance & decor are fairly typical of a modern lounge, with dim lighting and either hip-hop or house music playing. Of course, like many trendy lounges, the crowd is what people come here for. I must say on most Saturday nights it is a great place to do some people watching. So much so that the owners feel the need to have a cover charge to get in, which goes against the unwritten rule of establishments in the Rice Village not to have one. But nonetheless, if this is your type of scene, it can be worth the few bucks to get in.

Dress Code: Tends to be a "dress to impress" type of scene

The basic concept of beer drinking & sports watching has been perfected here! Do you ever ask yourself, "where can I go watch any and every sport known to man, drink beer and only beer (well, a little wine too if desired), and have it served to me by pretty girls"? Well stop asking! :) Little Woodrow's is at the top of my list as far as sports bars go. Very simple place, no fancy decor here. But plenty of televisions with a wide variety of sports being shown, a choice of over 100 beers, with 30 on tap, and an extremely nice staff of all-female servers and bartenders! :) No, it's not Coyote Ugly or something like that, with the bartenders dancing atop the bar. But it is a great place to hang out with friends and get your fix of sports-watching. The Rice Village & West Alabama locations also have fairly sizable outdoor patio areas as well. As stated, nothing over-the-top with this place, just a great place for the sports bar enthusiast!

Dress Code: Whatever you can find to cover yourself! Casual is king here. Even the staff wears tanktops and flip flops most of the time!