Bask in great weather at our picks for the best outdoor and rooftop patios for the fall at restaurants, bars and more in Houston.
It’s time to get out of the air conditioning and into the great outdoors as fall is arriving in the city of Houston.
Across town, you’ll find no shortage of spots where you can post up outside and enjoy a beer or a meal while you take in some of the best breezes we’ve had in months.
We’ve whittled down Houston’s sizeable offerings to 20+ notable ones that you shouldn’t miss if you’re on the hunt for an outdoor patio experience in H-Town.
20+ of the Best Fall Patios in Houston
Post Houston in Downtown
Already a bustling spot for Downtown explorers, culinary adventurers and concertgoers to the adjoining 713 Music Hall, Post Houston is an expansive build-out of the former post office facility that sits on the northwest edge of Downtown.
The centerpiece is the neon-gilded food hall which features a tour of global eats available from many local chefs, but the view atop Post in the Skylawn is tough to beat.
Enjoy Houston’s best weather days in the neatly manicured Skylawn and drink in views of Downtown skyscrapers that sit just across the bayou.
Z on 23 in Downtown
Sitting atop the 23rd floor of Downtown’s Le Méridien hotel, Z on 23 serves up craft cocktails and light bites among the city’s towering skyscrapers.
The open-air rooftop bar provides some of the best views in Houston and makes for a great nightcap following a meal at Zutro, the American dining restaurant on the ground floor. Reservations are not required.
West Alabama Ice House in Montrose
Nearly 100 years ago, this neighborhood haunt got its start as a literal ice house, selling blocks for home refrigerators.
Now, it’s serving ice cold brews for you to enjoy at one of its signature red picnic tables that sit along the street and in the spacious backyard, solidifying its status as one of the city’s bonafide communal watering holes.
Swing by for a beer and pair it with offerings from nearby taco truck, Tacos Tierra Caliente—and other occasional food truck visitors.
Saint Arnold Brewery Beer Garden in Greater Fifth Ward
Nearly 25 years after launching out of the garage of founder Brock Wagner, Saint Arnold christened a new addition to its brewery footprint in 2018, opening the expansive, semi-covered beer garden to the thirsty masses.
The cathedral-like space features fanned out tables that provide plenty of room for crowds on gamedays, weekly events, or those in search of stunning skyline views.
Stop by to enjoy the storied brewery’s taproom lineup alongside an elevated pub food menu.
8th Wonder Brewery in East Downtown
Known for their love of H-Town, the 8th Wonder campus in East Downtown combines its beloved brewery with a nearby distillery and dispensary for a three-part experience that keeps fans flocking to their spacious outdoor patio.
Through the taproom anointed by gear and memorabilia from Houston’s sports past and present, you’ll find a sprawling backyard with picnic tables and generous seating, overlooked by David Adickes’ towering sculptures of the Beatles, as well as the iconic “We Heart Houston” sign.
The space is prime for special events, so keep your eyes out for crawfish festivals, concerts, markets and more that take place on good weather days.
Around the Corner in EaDo
Join the laid-back crowd at beautifully restored bungalow and patio, Around the Corner.
Enjoy skyline views and a lineup of weekday specials, including Wednesday All-Day Happy Hour with $2 off all shareables, draft beers, cocktails, and glasses of wine; Thursday Steak Night with $24 ribeye and $20 bottles of wine; and Friday Tacos & Tequila specials.
Truck Yard in EaDo
Part-treehouse, part–honky tonk and an all around good time, Truck Yard in East Downtown features an adult playground atmosphere, complete with a towering Ferris wheel that overlooks sprawling outdoor digs.
The dog-friendly patio makes for a great social hang where you can sip on local drafts, enjoy live music on the weekends, or bite into flavorful cheesesteaks from the on-site kitchen.
Original Ninfa’s in Second Ward
One of the most storied Tex-Mex restaurants in all of Houston also features an enclosed patio where you can enjoy the hot spot’s delicious fajitas, tacos and enchiladas while sipping on the classic Ninfarita and margs with other flavorful twists.
Time your visit right and you can keep the outdoor fun going with farmers markets that take place on weekends at the Navigation Esplanade across the street.
You can also find the same food and drinks on two warm, welcoming, and fully-covered patios at Original Ninfa’s in Uptown—complete with a larger-than-life mural by Anat Ronen that unites Mama Ninfa with notable Houstonians like Beyoncé, Simone Biles and Bun B.
Axelrad Beer Garden in Midtown
Between the tap wall of Axelrad and the next-door Luigi’s Pizzeria sits this sprawling patio that makes for one the most bustling nightlife spots in the city.
With live music nights, movie screenings, hammocks and a ton of seating, Axelrad Beer Garden is an event-heavy venue that’s prime for social hangs and colorful Instagram posts.
Be sure to try their flavorful cocktail specials and deep list of local and regional brewery favorites.
Turkey Leg Hut in Historical Third Ward
The sprawling seating here is always filling up for the famous stuffed turkey legs, served up in a variety of glazes with fillings like spicy dirty rice and Cajun crawfish macaroni.
Weekends are the biggest draw, with crowds showing up early and all day to snag patio spots for brunch, hookah and fall-off-the-bone turkey legs.
Bar Boheme in Montrose
One of the most lively backyards in Montrose, Bar Boheme is situated in the heart of Fairview Avenue, offering a wide selection of wines, craft cocktails and globally-inspired foods.
A great place for a low-key hang, the drag show brunch on Sundays and Friday night live music are can’t-miss events if you want to see the Montrose hideaway in its full glory.
Brasil Cafe in Montrose
A longtime Montrose staple, Brasil Cafe features an inspired menu of pizza and flatbreads, tamales, burgers, sandwiches and more—including vegan options—to enjoy on its two outdoor patios.
The first sits in a small, greenery-flanked area on the corner of Dunlavy and Westheimer that makes for great people watching on one of Houston’s busiest corners; while the more expansive backyard patio is a quieter retreat and a top-notch spot for special events like movie screenings.
Hungry’s in Rice Village
The two-story mainstay on Rice Boulevard is known for its generous menu of casual offerings, from sandwiches to classic brunch fare, but it’s the outdoor patio that elevates any dining experience at the Houston institution.
Not to be missed, you can also head to Upstairs, the second-level drinkery that boasts happy hour specials and another outdoor patio flanked by the tops of live oaks along the Boulevard.
Lucille’s in Museum District
In the middle of the Museum District, Executive Chef Chris Williams and Chef de Cuisine Khang Hoang combine to deliver one of the city’s best dining experiences in Southern cuisine.
For more than a decade now, the restaurant that pays tribute to Williams’ grandmother, Lucille B. Smith, has been serving up some of her most famous recipes and refined Southern classics throughout the cozy, vintage house and a patch of patio that makes for a gorgeous good weather meal.
Memorial Trail Ice House near Washington Avenue
Just blocks from Memorial Park, this popular ice house near the Washington roundabout features a restored 1930s property with a sprawling outdoor patio and ice cold drinks.
A no-brainer for Sunday Funday, the laid-back bar also offers discounts on cocktails, beer and shots by the daily and is open to families and four-legged friends alike.
B&B Butcher’s on Washington Avenue
Along Washington Avenue, this brick building has sat for more than a century where it now is home to the in-house butcher shop and upscale steakhouse known as B&B.
Where you want to be, however, is on the covered patio on the second floor, which overlooks Washington and affords some terrific skyline views to go with an equally tremendous dining experience.
Cottonwood in Garden Oaks
Sprawling patio bar Cottonwood has become a neighborhood go-to for good reason. There’s the 40+ taps of beers to start, then the fire pits, corn hole, live music, and full bar and kitchen, too.
The dog (and kid) friendly spot is also known to host fun Sunday happenings from seasonal crawfish boils to Sunday brunch.
Heights Bier Garten in the Heights
Just off Shepherd and 15th Street in the Heights, this sprawling beer garden offers plenty of shaded outdoor seating suitable for all sorts of weather and boasts an impressive beer list that you can sample from multiple bars throughout.
Televisions posted up across the beer garden offer line-of-sight on sports action, and the vast patio provides seating for parties of all sizes.
German-inspired eats—think pretzels, brats and brunchy sandwiches—are sure to help you keep pace with the deep taproom list.
If you’re looking for a laidback time on the weekends, consider arriving early as parking and seating tend to get packed.
Rainbow Lodge in the Heights
Housed in a log cabin that dates back over a century, Rainbow Lodge offers elegant dining on succulent wild game like elk, bison and quail alongside traditional surf and turf options.
But the cozy interior is just part of the dining experience, as you can also grab a seat on the multi-tiered deck out back that winds down to a scenic creek flanked by beautiful greenery for one of the city’s most romantic meals.
Kirby Ice House at Multiple Locations
With locations in Upper Kirby, Memorial and the Woodlands, each of the Kirby Ice House outposts are known for their roomy outdoor patios and covered spaces.
Sports fans and college alumni are known to turn out for gamedays, but the ample seating makes for chill hangs with friends, colleagues, and pets alike.
In addition to a full slate of cocktail, beer and wine offerings, you can pair it with delicious eats from visiting food trucks or on-site events like steak nights and more.
B-52 Brewing in Conroe
Over at B-52 Brewing Co., the freshly tapped brews are just as beautiful as its hidden woodland setting.
Pop in for a rotation of beers like the Breakfast Stout or Taeda Hazy IPA, as well as special one-of-a-kind releases to pair with visiting food trucks like Nomad BBQ, who tops by to serve up some seriously good Sunday brisket.
Brooke Viggiano contributed to this article.
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