Houston comes alive at night, with dives, cocktail bars, and nightclubs dotting the city. In our Houston Nightlife: Best Bars series, we’ll cover the best night owl watering holes in each neighborhood.
Small but mighty, EaDo—or East Downtown—has affectionately been called the “Art & Soul of the City.”
This slice of Houston is the original home of the old Chinatown (before it moved to its bigger digs out west) and was once warehouse-heavy no man’s land; but these days, it’s on its way to be the city’s next haute neighborhood.
So it’s no surprise the area offers a host of fun and funky nightlife options.
Note: For the purpose of this list, EaDo is defined by this map.
The Best Bars in EaDo
True Anomaly Brewing
The brainchild of four friends and employees at NASA, True Anomaly Brewing has grown from humble beginnings in EaDo to notching a plethora of beer awards—including Best Brewery—from the Texas Craft Brewers Fest and World Beer Cup.
The spacious indoor taproom comes equipped with a huge assortment of board games, and special events throughout the week that have helped it grow a faithful following.
True Anomaly’s award-winning beers have become so popular that the team has moved production to a massive new facility on Navigation Boulevard in the East End, giving their prime EaDo spot more room to host guest, introduce a daytime coffee program, and more.
Come by to enjoy their rotating selection of hop-forward ales, Belgians and sours.
8th Wonder
With a brewery and taproom, dispensary, and distillery, 8th Wonder is a hometown powerhouse.
Hit the brewery’s taproom and patio to sip through cult classic suds like throwback cream ale Dome Foam, UH-inspired Cougar Paw red ale, and classic pale ale IP8.
The neighboring distillery’s tasting room is also open for your imbibing pleasure, with shots and craft cocktail pours.
Lightnin’s Good Times
Agricole Hospitality has transformed the old Miss Carousel space into laidback hangout Lightnin’s Good Times, offering easy drinkers from wallet-friendly cocktails to an extensive library of beers and spirits; plus a live music stage and spacious dance floor to get the “good times” rollin’.
Sip classics like Margaritas, Ranch Waters, and Lightnin’s Gin & Tonic (The LGT), then hit the floor and grab a slice from neighboring Vinny’s Pizza to keep the party going.
Chapman & Kirby
The trendy Chapman & Kirby pours up craft cocktails while serving up indulgent bites along St. Emanuel.
Named after two of Houston’s founders, Chapman and Kirby regularly welcomes revelers and diners with stylish, upscale atmosphere and a food and craft cocktail menu that celebrates the city’s cultural depth and heritage.
Guests can enjoy live music, drag brunches, the annual Far East Fest, seasonal live music, and other events in the heart of EaDo.
Little Woodrow’s EaDo
The EaDo outpost of local favorite sports bar Little Woodrow’s—recently expanded into a massive new indoor and outdoor space by the soccer stadium—offers 35 beers on tap, flatscreens for big sporting matches and fight nights (it shows all UFC games and is an official pub partner for the Houston Dynamo), arcade and yard games, and some pretty awesome daily specials and events.
Coors Banquets are $3 all day and night, Monday rocks deals on Texas drinks, and steak night is every Wednesday.
Neil’s Bahr
Unleash your inner gamer at Neil’s Bahr, an admittedly nerdy, fun-loving dive known for its stiff and cheap drinks, comic book collection, and a smorgasbord of video and board games (Mario Kart, anyone?).
Don’t miss the late-night hangout’s lineup of happenings, from movie screenings and Smash Bros tourneys to trivia and karaoke nights.
Nickel City
After much success in Austin and Fort Worth, ATX original Nickel City has boomed onto the Houston nightlife scene, bringing its brand of “Rust Belt Chic.”
Open from noon to 2am daily, the playful bar is set in a converted 1940s warehouse, offering a spirit-focused “Bar inside a Bar” and rum-fueled Patio Bar.
Pitch 25
Association football fanatics will want to book it to massive sports bar and beer park Pitch 25, co-founded by Dynamo legend Brian Ching.
The go-to soccer hangout rocks a soccer pitch inside the bar, plus a Texas-sized selection of nearly 100 draft beers and top-shelf wells, plus all sorts of fun happenings, from in-house sports tourneys and games to trivia, live music nights, and more.
Truck Yard
With a working Ferris wheel and lineup of tasty cocktails on tap, sprawling indoor-outdoor bar Truck Yard is truly an adult playground.
You’ll want to grab a seat in one of the truck beds and stay a while thanks to fun stuff like live music, tons of booze, a lineup of food trucks and an in-house cheesesteak shop.
Look out for its themed monthly parties, too.
More Great Bar Options in EaDo
Spend weeknights, starting on Wednesdays, on the patio at laidback hangout Around the Corner, loved for its delicious Thursday steak nights and hopping Sunday brunches; hang with locals at neighborhood bar East End Hardware; celebrate the night at the brand new Austin import Lustre Pearl with its massive rooftop overlooking Downtown; watch soccer on the big screen alongside pints and Indian pub grub at King’s Court; play volleyball, soccer and more at sports facility and bar Sports Creek; and catch skyline views on the rooftop at Sunset Rooftop Lounge.
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