Top 15 Places to Get a Beer in Houston, TX

#15: While it shows up at the end of our list, it would be wrong to let the horrid Houston climate force West Alabama Ice House off a list of great places to get a beer in Houston. So what if it’s an outdoor bar in a city that is 90+F and humid for nine months of the year, this just might be the best dive “bar” in all of H-town. WAIH is so old school… they still maintain a MySpace page! They are family and dog friendly, host live music, and serve free hot dogs on Friday. The hungry customer can also catch something from the food vendors that drop by frequently. The beer selection is a little average, but the unique charm lands West Alabama Ice House the #15 slot.

#14: While not necessarily a foodie nor a beer lover’s paradise, this quirky eatery became the only traditional restaurant on our list by being good in all the categories that count. The Hobbit is a perfect place to stop for dinner during an Upper Kirby pub crawl. I wasn’t aware Tex-Mex and Caribbean inspired foods were the preferred cuisine of Middle Earth, but I do know that Hobbits enjoy their drinking… and the Hobbit has a limited, but great beer menu, including several Texas craft beers on draft.

#13: It is a British Pub, so expect the typical Bass-Harp-Guinness-Stella draft selections. Some craft beers such as Anchor Steam and Fireman’s #4 also adorn the draft menu, all of which are served in 20oz imperial pints… nice touch. The pub grub here is exceptional. Baked Chicken Tandoori Quesadillas, uhh yum!

#12: The Ferm’s representation in The Woodlands vouch for this north-of-town bar. With around 30 taps, including many local craft beers, Molly’s earns our title of best dive bar in the W, and the only non-Houston bar to make the Top 15.

#10: You might be getting some sushi at Fish or a crepe at Coco’s, but when hanging out in the increasingly swanky Midtown, this small old house-like pub across from low rise mixed development condos just feels right. The forty something taps are nothing to sneeze at either.

#9: It would be quite an exaggeration to say the Mucky Duck is a hidden gem, but this stellar live music venue is probably underrated as a great beer bar. The tap list is impressive, and when it is not packed during a concert, the Mucky Duck feels like a comfortable neighborhood joint.

#8: This Heights hangout combines a coffeehouse, lounge, and bar with a neighborhood atmosphere. A previous “Best Coffee House” winner from the Houston Press, O.C. also has loads of beer options (both bottles and drafts). The menu also contains several good breakfast and pub food options. For those not sporting a hangie from the night before, this location also hosts the Houston Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings.

#7: Little Woodrows has a lot of beers… like 20-30 taps and 100 beers in stock. I find them good for meet up places or large gatherings. The place gets packed, so don’t expect to have a nice comfortable beer and a chat with your BFF here. Plus, the atmosphere is kind of reminiscent of a converted warehouse/garage. The Rice Village location, next Ginger Man, is a convenient place to play darts if the boards at Ginger Man are full but you still want a decent beer.

#6: While dubbed a British Pub, this is more of a dive bar and live music venue than a pub. The tap selection is great, including many Texas beers and other crafts. In the back, you’ll find a handful of dart boards. Rudyard’s has that local feel and is relatively pretentious free… a very good recipe for a great beer bar.

#5: Given the hassle of getting to and from downtown and the lack of a concentrated area of rock solid hangout options, I have a bias against most downtown establishments. State Bar is the exception for me. Its classy feel and location inside the Rice Loft mixed development (old Rice Hotel) makes it one of my favorite downtown hangouts. The beer selection is limited, but they usually have a Saint Arnold on draft and both the bar and couch areas are the kind of place you would want to bring your BFF (sorry Woodrows).

#4: You will be glad you made the effort to locate Stag’s Head, which is tucked away in a shopping center and located within the triangular convergence of Shepherd/Greenbriar/Richmond just north of Hwy 59. The British pub succeeds in satisfying the patrons seeking the pub experience, craft beer advocates, and sports fans alike. Although it’s been years since I’ve seen this deal officially offered, they still honor their old post-Astros game free pint deal if you give them your ticket stub. Stag’s Head devotes many of their 30-ish taps to craft beers, and they almost always have a cask tapped. The food is quite good too, making this as close to a gastropub as Houston may have.

#3: Petrol Station is hands down one of the coolest drinking establishments I’ve ever been to… anywhere. The bar is located in the middle of a residential area in a converted gas station. A peek at the 14 taps and two cask engines reveals an obvious dedication to providing all high quality American craft beers. Get ready for this folks; there are no Bud/Miller/Coors to be found here. As far as I can tell, the owner runs the place most of the time. Not in the mood for a fermented malty beverage? Petrol Station also has various coffee drinks available, all from coffee beans roasted in house. If I lived or worked nearby it would be easily move up a spot on this list.

Clear Lake area. Beer tap heaven.

You can lounge in an actual bank vault here, but being a Scottish bar and having been served stale beer on a few occasions kept this off the list.

A good bar, but missed the list because there was only so much room for Irish/British/Scottish pubs, and it is not as distinguishing as the others. Sister pub State Bar is on the list, so no harm no foul.

A great restaurant. Beaver’s has only a few taps and a limited (but good) selection of bottled beers. Beaver’s is a good place to catch a beer, but you’ll get bored soon unless you move on to the great cocktail menu or decide to dine.

I hear from my fellow online beer drinking friends that this is a great beer bar. I’m willing to admit is mistakenly left off my Top 15 list. Why not just add it, you say? Embarrassingly I’ve never been. I never drink on the west side of town. I live about 10 minutes away, but I always drink after work (Med Center) or w/ friends (not westside). Sorry JP, I hear you are great. Someday I’ll check you out and write an apology post. Until then… I can only suggest you guys check it out and post feedback here.