Houston comes alive at night, with dives, cocktail bars, and nightclubs dotting the city. In our Houston Nightlife: Best Bars, we’ll cover the best night owl watering holes in each neighborhood.
One of Houston’s must-see gems, the 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park stretches from Shepherd to Sabine between Allen and Memorial, running along the Buffalo Bayou all along the way. The park boasts running and hiking trails, a skate park, and plenty of other opportunities for fun, making it a choice destination by day and in the evening, especially when you hit up these nearby nightlife bars after your visit.
The Best Bars Near Buffalo Bayou Park
- Beer Market – Head up Studemont and you’ll find this rad craft beer pub, which rotates through 24 taps and houses a killer bottle selection in its beer vault. Nightly specials include Local Mondays and Wing Night, Texas Taco Tuesdays, Steak & Brew Wednesdays, Friday Steak Night and Bingo with a live DJ and more. Click here for directions.
- Public Services Wine & Whisky – The east side of the park provides easy access to Downtown, where you can pop over to the nearby Market Square Park and check out this elegant wine and whiskey bar. Located in the historic Houston Cotton Exchange Building, the space exudes old school class, with a cherry-picked selection of fine beverages and excellent bar snacks (think smoked sardines, cured meats, and Marcona almonds) to boot. Click here for directions.
- OKRA Charity Saloon – Also in Downtown near Market Square Park, this fan-favorite watering hole donates all of its proceeds to a different local charity each month. Click here for directions.
- Julep – Over on the nearby Washington Avenue, this Southern-kissed charmer comes from bourbon baron Alba Huerta, and it’s easily one of the best cocktail bars in Houston. Sip the namesake julep, or try Southern classics like the perfectly poised Ramos Gin Fizz; and slurp up oysters, cheese boards, and hot duck confit while you’re at it. Click here for directions.
- Pimlico Irish Pub – Only in Houston can you find an authentic Irish pub experience across the street from a Whole Foods. With a prime location near the park, this Irish-owned and operated joint is serious about its pours, pouring one mighty fine pint of Guinness. Click here for directions.
More Great Bar Options in Buffalo Bayou Park
Look out for pop-up happy hours at The Dunlavy, a glass treehouse restaurant and bar set right in Buffalo Bayou Park, and sip al fresco cocktails at Blue Bar at Brenner’s on the Bayou; check out karaoke and drag queen shows at Guava Lamp; hit the bar at Piggy’s Kitchen & Bar; and hop to the bars near Market Square Park and along the Main Street Strip, including old school joints Char Bar, Warren’s Inn, and La Carafe, and hotspots like The Pastry War, Tongue-Cut Sparrow, El Big Bad, and Frank’s Backyard.
