The Most Flavorful Pubs in Houston

The Maple Leaf Pub

★★★★☆ 3.9 (310) • $

"A nice cozy feeling social pub at Midtown. Cosy as in not small, but warm. Its chic, located in a very good area, with lots of food options including vegan. Used to be a heavily occupied place, Covid had made it pretty quite soo much that when we visited after it had just reopened, we were the only other group. We sat there hydrating ourselves while we caught up on the last year and munched on snacks. The added bonus was the games in the house.We ate samosas, these came with green and tamarind chutney, and naan bites which came with yummy hummus and loaded tortilla chips. We relished all items. I have to mention that they do have a long exhaustive menu of various entrees as well, its just that we did not try any that day. Now the games, there was dart game, billiards, computer games, mini indoor basketball, board games, card games and many more. Price is appropriate to the location and ambiance. We had a wonderful time. Its a great place to catch up with buddies and really chill."

Front Porch Pub

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (350) • $$

"Never knew this place existed in Midtown until someone mentioned it to me. After our hookah session at Cafe Layal, we sauntered over here to continue the night and enjoy some drinks outside late into the evening.I appreciate some of the signage inside; the message about going to hell while I go to TX had me chuckling. TVs are around for sports/event watching and there's plenty of seating inside and outside. Also they serve food here although we didn't get any grub; just drinks. Went with the irish mule which was tasty and served in the proper mug. A bit pricy at $13 for a cocktail such as a mule; they must've been victims of inflation sadly.I'll have to try the food next time I roll here. Glad it's near Layal and provides another drinking option."

Baker St. Pub & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (297) • $$

"The service and food are always very good here consistently. The ambiance is good inside and outside on the patio. There's karaoke on Thursdays, which is nice, and the drinks are priced nicely and I've never had a weak drink. Wonderful location at La Centerra, no complaints, and I've been there a few times."

The Bull & Bear Tavern & Eatery

★★★★☆ 3.6 (212)

"Politics sucks... I can't Bear all this Bull anymore. So I come here instead.I probably would have given it five stars just for having a cool trivia night and some pretty tasty food, although it's not exactly my fave food or is it really British to me, who is British, but it's decent by any means and it does have a few British items on the menu and it's not bad.It gets maybe at tops a four star rating for the food and then one extra for the atmosphere and the fact that they have a quiz and the fact that they are locally owned, but then I take one more star off because most places don't charge for trivia and I think it's better that way, because after all trivia is bringing you in to spend money (lots of money) at the place anyway and it seems like special events to bring people in shouldn't be extra $$."

Porch Swing Pub

★★★★☆ 3.5 (222)

"Overall seems like a nice place to grab drinks, has trivia every Wednesday and happy hour and food specials throughout the week.We came for trivia (Wednesdays 7pm) one week but found that all the tables were reserved which was really annoying. Why wouldn't you save a few tables for walk ins? Anyways, we went somewhere else that night and came back next week with reservations. Our friend was able to make the reservation the day before we went.FoodWe ordered the chicken tenders w/fries and Caesar salad, both were good. The salad came with a good amount of grilled chicken but I wished there was more lettuce.Wednesdays food special is a steak or chicken for ~$10, I didn't try it but was tempted lol.DrinksI tried the Mexican candy shot, $5, it was good!TriviaOn Wednesdays they have trivia night, 8 rounds, 5 questions each, with a picture round at the end. My friends seemed to go pretty often but it was my first time, and they commented that it was a lot harder than normal. Either way, I had a good time.ServiceOur waitress was great! She kept our cups full and kept up with all our orders on separate checks. Other staff would help refill waters too. The only confusion was that I saw signs saying HH (drink specials only) is until 7pm weekdays, Thursday all day, but our waitress gave us conflicting information (said it was all night even though it was Wednesday). ParkingThey have a lot with a good amount of parking space. I didn't have issues at 6:30pm on a Wednesday"

The Social Pub and Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (147) • $$

Henderson Heights

★★★★☆ 4.1 (122)

"Came here after a nice dinner across the street. Our original choice for after dinner drinks was closed on Monday so we ended up here. This is a cool little spot off Washington in what looks to have been a house turned bar. I really enjoyed the quirky look of the place as well as the humorous signs all over the place. It looked empty when we walked in, but almost everyone was outside enjoying the space out there. We decided to take a seat inside. Everyone ordered random drinks. I made a basket in the hoop inside so I got a free shit as well. Drinks were just ok. Service was good. I would highly suggest sitting outside as the inside was pretty toasty which made is finish our one drink and hop to the next spot. I would come back if in the area."

The Pub Fountains

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (282) • $$

"If I hadn't gone through pub-erty yet, I might not like this place, but I have, so I do.My rating isn't based on their food which is two or three stars, and in fact their prices also are just two or three stars. I would give them five stars for having live music and much of the music is pretty interesting and cool, if a little classic rock oriented, but you have to average in those other things - especially the pricing - and that's why it ends up being 4.But there's not that many cool places for live music around here so it's cool to have this."

Public House Heights

★★★★☆ 4.1 (106)

"With everything going on for Covid, I'm extremely happy that this place still carry the tradition of Steak Night Wednesday! They serve Pork chop, Rib-eye, to rack of lamb. Serve with two sides (Mash or Cold Pasta). Drinks are amazing!!! My favorite is cucumber cooler! Service is great as well! No complaint here. Omg! Don't forget to try their sauces with your steak. My favorite pick would be the ninja. Their signature sweet chili garlic sauce and tangy at the same time,"

Muldoon's the Patio

★★★★☆ 4 (102)

"I kind of didn't want to write a review for this place.It's one of my favorites little getaways and well kept secrets. Tucked away next to Beck's Prime, is a chill spot for the perfect quiet night. Nestled beneath the might oak canopy and lights, sits a small bar unassuming bar with a lovely soft lit patio.While I myself, am not an aficionado of spirits, my friend is. They have a nice selections. There are a few bar seats and tables available, but otherwise the seating is mostly outside, which is okay because of their gorgeous patio. Excellent spot for a night cap. The bartender Louie is very friendly and knowledgeable about his spirits. Nothing but great experiences, and I'll return again and again."

Thaicoon Restaurant & Pub

★★★★☆ 4.1 (76)

"I have gone to ThaiCoon in Pearland twice since it opened. Both times, I was greeted promptly on entering the restaurant and seated right away. The wait staff was very attentive both times. The ambiance was a bit quiet for me, especially for being a small space but otherwise it was pleasant.I ordered the money bags both times which were delicious and a filling snack. I ordered the Thai Larb with Filet Mignon the first time. It was delicious. It's a simple dish but really hits the spot for me. The second time I ordered the Blooming Pad Thai with Shrimp. I was blown away by the presentation and the taste was amazing as well. I chose the highest possible spice level and it tasted great to me. Another thing that I liked was that they carried one of my favorite Japanese Whiskeys at the bar. Pricey at $30+ dollars a pour but tastes so good. I'll be back for sure, to try all the curries, pork belly and Tamarind Duck Thigh. Looking forward to being a returning customer."

242 Pub & Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (152)

"Plenty of parking huge shared lot, plenty of tables and staff but it only Monday night, kinda slow so it's a nice chill setting.Both NFL games are on but not to loud or crazy.Waiter greeted me promptly and took my drink order.I knew what I wanted to get and order fried jalapeños, French fries and 6 piece bone in wings mango habanero.The fries were hot and fresh, the fried jalapeños were also really good and the wings were perfect and the mango habanero sauce was kicking!Will return for sure.."

Red River Ice House

★★★★☆ 4.1 (70)

"If you have a friend visiting from out-of-town and want to show them a taste of Texas, Red River Ice House is an authentic experience. Ice houses started out back in the day as your pretty much bares bones bar. There are quite a few ice houses spread throughout the city and I've now been to Red River about five times. I play tennis in the area so it's become a post-tennis happy hour and dinner spot. Located right off of Main street, Red River is super close to the highway (which takes away a bit from the experience as you hear the noise of cars zooming by). Red River is an open air concept with the "indoor" portion consisting of a long bar, some table top stool seating, pool, and darts. There are a good number of TVs too (Though they typically don't play what's live so you may have to ask them to switch the channel.). The outdoor patio isn't huge but you have some tables and seating out along with a few TVs. Plus a food truck!The food truck has po-boys, wings, burgers, nachos, and more. Plus, you can order a pizza. Standard pub fare. It's not great food but does the job if you get hungry while downing some brews. You order at the bar and the bartender will bring the food out to you. By the way, the female bartender is great! She's super friendly and a great conversationalist so it's been nice to get to know her a bit. Happy hour goes until 6 with discounts on draft beer and well drinks. An older crowd comes here (40s and up) so we're usually the youngest people here. The casual Texan vibes keep us coming back!"

Jive Bar & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.8 (80) • $

"I have been living there in the area for about 10 years now and I've never stopped in to jive bar lounge. I'm really shocked and I'm barely finding out about this place. We really enjoyed our time here. Very smoky, and one of the patrons has their dog all over the place. I mean I love dogs but not everybody loves dogs so if you bring your dog and you need to be a little bit more considerate and don't have your dog begging for food from everybody. That was quite annoying! Nice dog tho. Food: the food is the real winner here! The southwest egg rolls were so dam good! They came out piping hot and we were not given plates so they kept spilling. The wings were very good! Cooked to perfection. Some really amazing wings! The food here is excellent!Service: is quite slow as there is only one lady working this entire place. She definitely tries but needs some help. No way one person can tend to this many folk. They do have pool, darts and shuffle board games. Only drawback was got dam. So much smoke. I feel like I have lung cancer now."

1886 Humble Backyard

★★★★☆ 3.6 (83) • $

"My review only takes Sunday mornings into account.We stopped by in chase don't be a good Bloody Mary. Our crew is mixed in Bloody Mary criteria. One likes a good presentation, one can drink them like Kool-Aid, and then there's me -- I show up for the snacks.When we pulled up, we weren't sure we had the right place. There really weren't cars in the parking lot and the building to the left looked like it was from the Hills Have Eyes or something. Still, our desire for munchies made us overcome and reservations - and we went in.We ordered three one for each of us. They did take a little while to come out, but when they did, for a moment the world revolved around those glasses. The drink was great - the food was great -- we could tell that each other was happy simply by eye contact.The wind just blew....that means my arm has been twisted to go back on Sunday."

The Den

★★★★☆ 3.7 (76) • $

"Sup Yelpers!!!Came to watch the Saints play.. I didn't realize this place was on the the U of H campus. Lucky students. The vibe was cool, Austin is a sweetheart and was very attentive. They have specials everyday of the week so check out their website.. this place is open to the regular public and I think it's missed because there are so many other bars in the area. However if you want to come to a place Downtown that's reasonably priced and not full or harasser's, come here. Drinks are good and food is good too. I will be back. Hopefully I can convince them to put the sound on for my Saints game over the Texans HeHe"

Ashford Pub

★★★★☆ 4.1 (51)

"I truly cannot give this pub more than 3 stars.Why?Very simple answer to that query...this New Orleans native is a rare breed, and do not drink. I am an eater, not a drinker!Yet, all in all, I can see the quality of why someone would come to chill here.I went on Friday night. Walk in to tunes being spun by a live DJ. That DJ played a variety of music from Country to Hip Hop. Truly, he wasn't that bad of a DJ.Looking around, this is a small place with 2 pool tables, a shuffleboard that is out of order, and HUGE Jenga blocks that makes a lot of noise when someone loses and they hit the floor!Because I don't drink, I truly cannot speak on the pricing of the drinks, the potency of the alcohol, or anything of that nature. What I can speak of are multiple television screens around the place with sports playing, and a whole bunch of people sitting around, chatting and truly enjoying themselves.Someone that drinks, go give this place a once over for me, and see if my critique holds merit!"

Jack's Pub

★★★★☆ 4.3 (46) • $

"The most amazing fried catfish with homemade tartar sauce! And the best thin crust pepperoni pizza! Amazing food in a local hangout. And service was prompt and great! Highly recommend"

Einstein's Pub

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (73)

"First time here tonight and overall I'd say it was a pretty good experience. I had a girl named Kim serving me. From the Jump she noticed I wasn't exactly sure if they just had bar service or if I could take a seat and have someone come up to me. She let me know how the place worked and took care of me for the rest of the night. She had a great attitude all through the night even with it being a Saturday and extremely busy. I'm usually not one for super busy Bars so would definitely prefer this place on a weekday instead of weekends, but if that's your vibe, THIS IS THE PLACE. Lots of people, good music, fun arcade games and GREAT drink prices. My only issue was how much drama was going on, my first night there and I watched 4 different fights break out, that has nothing to do with the establishment though and everything to do with just drunk people. But the security 100% did there job and diffused every situation before it got out of hand. I recommend everyone try this place out atleast once. The location in Richmond texas is also great."

The Golden Retriever Pub

★★★★☆ 4.1 (44)

"I come in all the time and the bartenders are always friendly, but Katie was such a delight that this bar has always secured my business! Always ask for Katie, Natalie, or Reid. They will always take care of you here!!!"

Olde City Pub & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (51)

"I've passed by this pub numerous times but never visited until one Sunday when they were having a St. Patty's day pre-party with a DJ and crawfish on the patio.It's actually a pretty cool place that is larger than it looks from the outside. There are numerous rooms, sitting areas, bars and places to lounge, and drink.One drawback for me was smoking which is still allowed inside, but it wasn't very strong at least. I was able to sit on the patio since it was a nice day outside.They serve hot food, which is a plus with more than typical bar food, like Shepherds Pie.Prices are reasonable, crowd is friendly, bartenders are nice. What more can you ask for?"

Friends Pub

★★★★☆ 4 (45)

"Warning Texans fans & other non-Cowboy fans! The walls inside Friend's Pub are covered in Cowboy's colors and tons of memorabilia. Even in the hallway to the restrooms!If you can overlook all of that ;) then this is a cool pub with TONS of TV's. This is also a good place for smokers to gather as they allow cigarette smoking inside. Cigar smokers usually sit on the patio. *Note: the patio is in the front and you may walk through smokers on the patio to get inside. I always get the hummus plate to start. That way if I eat "bad" bar food, at least I got a few veggies in first. The gyro wrap is delicious, especially with their house-made chips."

Velvet Oak Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.4 (37)

"I really enjoy this newish casual bar. With great happy hour and daily specials, great bar food, plus a roomy outdoor patio, this place makes a great stop for the evening.I've been here a couple times now for weekday happy hour and chilling with friends. This place doesn't really get crowded then, which is fine by me. They do offer a limited menu serving up some classic bar food including burgers, wings, nachos, etc. My last visit was on a Wednesday, when they were offering a daily special of six wings for six dollars. I chose the buffalo lemon pepper flavor, and man were they tasty and good sized! I also loved that they offered guava cider on tap, which is not something you find often. The patio is my favorite feature though. There's a covered space with barstools and mostly not covered space available. At night, the glow of string lights illuminate the patio space in a nice pinkish hue. Another feature I love is the TouchTunes jukebox, which one can easily use digitally by downloading the app.Definitely will be returning! They advertise having a dj on the weekend."

Scotty's Pub on the Bay

★★★★☆ 3.8 (45) • $

"Attended another drag brunch this afternoon at Scotty's. A great time, as always. Wanted to commend the staff. Food and service both keep getting better and better. We were very pleased with our choices today from the new drag menu. Please see photos. Especially good was the Van Wales BLT. Salmon was perfectly prepared. Enjoyed, again, the roasted Brussels sprouts. Thanks, again, Scotty's!"

Uncle Albert's

★★★★☆ 3.7 (47) • $

Timeout Sports Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (45)

"I've been coming to Timeout for the past couple of years. Biggest reason, I'm a Packers fan and they host a group of for every game. That being said, the food is great, and I've never had a problem with anything I've ever eaten. My only "knock" on the place is ... PLEASE start serving Guinness on tap! I've seen some of the other reviews complaining about the lack of servers. Personally, I've always sat at the bar, so I've never experienced it. Plus, Darian the bartender is a Major League Hottie!"

The Concert Pub North

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (70) • $$

"I can only go off a brief encounter and experience with this place. I kept seeing a Groupon for this place, and despite many negative reviews, I opted to purchase the Groupon and give this place a discounted try. It is kind of hard to miss the place because it is attached to a huge boat restaurant. When I walked into this place I was informed that they did have eats, but looking at me, they can tell that I probably wanted a bigger variety. Well, I am never upset with having customer service recognizing my fatness! They did explain that they serve more of a pub style eating that was limited, and for a bigger variety, just walk over to the boat and use the Groupon.Well, you do not have to tell me twice to use my money towards more options. I thanked the staff and went to the boat restaurant to see if my Groupon purchase was worth my funds. Maybe I will give this place a try for food one day...but considering that they have a limited menu...more than likely not.I was pleased with the customer service."

Corner Pub

★★★★☆ 3.8 (30)

"The Corner Pub is located on Simonton and N. Main St. (oddly enough on a corner... ha!) in the heart of downtown Conroe. It's a classic watering hole and the perfect place to cool off with a cold beer and maybe grab a sandwich or salad. It is not only a great place to eat and enjoy a Top Texas Craft Beer, but also a wonderful entertainment venue featuring up-and-coming Texas musicians, comedians and poets. There are also a number of flat screens so you can catch that sporting event you've been looking forward to.The historic building which is now the Corner Pub was built in 1911 after the Great Conroe Fire of that year destroyed most of the town. After the tragic event, only three buildings - all made of brick - were left standing: the courthouse, the bank and the Conroe hotel. When I first walked into the Corner Pub, I knew right away it was my type of place. The high, vaulted ceilings bring you back to the time when this area was rebuilding and trying to get back on its feet. Come to find out, when doing some renovations they discovered the original ceilings.We sat at the bar and enjoyed a local favorite - Bombshell Blonde Ale from Southern Star Brewing Company. The Corner Pub has a number of great craft beers to choose from as well as a full bar if you want something with a bit more kick. You can see how cool the place is by looking at the photography. The bar staff and the locals we met were all very friendly and we enjoyed our conversations.After our beers, we went to the deli which is in another room in the same building. I asked what the local favorites were and we decided to get just that. We ordered the Summer Salad, the Reuben and the Club Sandwich.The Summer Salad was the perfect choice for a light lunch: spinach, strawberries, almonds, feta cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. The strawberries were so sweet - the perfect complement to the feta cheese and vinaigrette dressing. Loved it!Next, we split the sandwiches. The Reuben was a hot sandwich composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing stacked between two grilled slices of rye bread. The sauerkraut was great and the corned beef? Delish! The Club Sandwich consisted of sliced ham and turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on toasted bread. This classic sandwich was prepared well and tasted nice and fresh. It's tough to say which one I liked best as they were both good; you can't go wrong with either choice.We enjoyed our visit to the Corner Pub and the friendly chats with the locals we met. I look forward to my next trip to the Conroe area. Next time, I'll stop by at night to watch a live band perform. Good food, good people, good times, what more do you need? The Corner Pub is the perfect place to stop in and get a bite. They have everything you are looking for, and more!"

The Yellow Retriever Pub & Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (25)

"We found this place years ago on our way home from a festival in Chappell Hill, TX. So glad we did. Been back many times. Yes it is a bar and yes they allow smoking but the doors are usually open, they have plenty of outdoor seating, and the best burger anywhere near The Woodlands. The patties are hand formed half pound slabs of beefy goodness. So you're not getting a frozen or machine formed hockey puck. I appreciate this. They also hand make the onion rings and they are the best around as well. As far as the burger goes it is the standard lettuce, tomato, and pickle accoutrements but they actually take the time to melt the cheese on the burger before serving it. So many places slap cold cheese on a burger and send it. Not here. Not ever. On the bottom bun is a slather of "special sauce" that will have you making noises as you eat. And the bun is a classic sesame seed bun. Not the jalapeño cheddar defrosted Sysco bun everywhere around Houston has went to lately. I'm basic. I love this. If you're ever heading west on 1488 just south of Magnolia and you're even a little bit hungry, go to here. You won't regret it."

Gearheads Grub N' Pub

★★★★☆ 3.6 (27)

"Wow what a hidden gem! On Sunday they have the small block burger with cheese and fries for 5.50! I believe it's a real hand made patty too! You can't beat that price ! The fries seem to be homemade as well and the box is filled with them. They call this burger the small block burger and it is far from small. It's huge ! I couldn't finish it! Well I was also being a gluten haha and I got 8 wings as well. They were really good. I got 4 hot and 4 garlic parmeasean. I finished the wings. If you want a huge burger and fries come here! No place in the area can compete with this price! 5.50 great deal and great food! Will go back for sure !"

The Pub 529

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (63)

"My wife and I were the only 2 of 4 (not including Gator the bartender) that were there in a Monday evening. Gator is a solid dude, he definitely kept us entertained and shared some stories with us. Made us feel included that's always nice. I remember coming here years ago (maybe 4-6) and it would be dumb packed and of course it was later on at night when I knew it would be poppin'. Anyway I knew traffic from here would've or did die down since the pandemic and honestly didn't know if it'd last. Anyways, it's still here and like a record that ain't been played in a minute it was like blowing dust off and get ready to spin. We got to hear about some updated menu items, specials on the booze (cocktails, beer buckets, shots etc) they have a ladies night on Tuesdays, steak night Thursday and Saturday, karaoke on Thursday and Friday, midget mania wrestling every other weekend I believe might be wrong bout that tho. So for a Monday for the industry it's typically slow and we showed up there about 5:30ish so I knew it would be dead which we don't mind because it feels good to feel like you got a place to yourself and not have to flag someone down for a beer or something. Their backyard patio is as big as I remember and they still have their fire pit and fill bar area out back as well I'm sure that will open when it gets crazy busy which I hope it does for them. That place has been there since I was in my mid twenties when it to used to be Tobin's so I have fond memories of it. I'm glad they're still around my wife and I would like to try karaoke one day to see what it's like. Would def be back 8/10 would recommend Monday or Thursday and Friday. Weekends could be a hit or miss."

The Abbey Pub

★★★★☆ 3.5 (27) • $

"It's not located on Abbey Road, if it was, it'd be more expensive, and in London.So I love the girls working here, drinks are okay in terms of prices, and they have some cool local (loud) live music, which for me is the main selling point. Not everyone is friendly and the food is okay, but there's not a lot of great bars and pubs in Houston and so this is kind of a good spot, especially for the music and waitresses."

Union Tavern

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (36)

"Ok so it's a bar with no food. The staff is cool as f#ck and the prices for drinks are a bargain. You can always order from Dan's pizza or spring roll Express next door. They have live music some nights. It's a big place with pool tables and darts. Only thing is that the Juke box sucks balls. Very limited and edited"

Molly's Pub

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (33)

"My office had a Christmas party here and the pub was able to reserve tables for us. I was told the previous place burned down so this pub was newly built. It was nice, spacious and clean. The bar was fully stocked. The waitress served me right away when I came in. They give you the option to start a tab (since it is a bar) or pay in cash. I didn't drink but had their chicken tender basket. It came with 5 HUGE tenders and a whole lot of fries. I couldn't finish. I shared some with a coworker and took the rest home for my daughter. It was really good. I also ordered the grilled chicken burger to-go for my husband. He enjoyed it. Everything came out in a timely manner. My coworkers all seemed to enjoy their drinks and food as well. I wouldn't mind going back for a drink when I can drink again and also for burgers, appetizers or chicken tenders again."

Johns Place

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (10)

"Super duper smoky in here-like walk in for 2 minutes and come out with your clothing and hair reeking of cigarettes. If it were non-smoking-we would love to hang out here, especially since it's so close to home. Since it's not, we won't be back-smoke is just too gross here. Service was friendly, food was good, all of it overpowered by smoke so thick that your eyes burn."