What’s hot (and not) in nightlife

By Spring Chenjp     9/17/24 11:19pm

Is your 21st birthday coming up? Do you want to experience nightlife off campus for once, or have a drink fancier than Tito’s and Great Value cranberry juice? Look no further than this list of the best — and not so best — clubs and bars around Houston.

Blur Bar

This queer Montrose nightclub brings the party on weekends, with a thumping mix of Top 40, Latin and club classics. Blur has the notable advantage of admitting everyone over the age of 18, though with a higher cover charge than for those 21-and-up. Getting there does require hailing a rideshare or a kind-hearted sober friend with a car, but ranks among the most reliable night-out experiences close to campus.

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Numbers

Also in Montrose, Numbers tends to see an older crowd than Blur, especially on Classic Numbers Fridays, which focuses on ’80s music. The dance floor features a respectable laser system, and Numbers hosts underground DJs, alternative artists and kink-positive events throughout the year. Celebrating its 45th birthday this year, Numbers has stuck around as an unpretentious neighborhood classic.

Escapade

Through the front doors of Escapade is a massive dance floor filled with couples swaying to Latin jams. Though not a traditional nightclub experience, the second floor features more fast-paced beats and great balconies to people-watch from or just take a breather. A trip to Escapade will set you back 20 minutes of driving and $10 or $20 at the door on weekend nights, depending on whether you arrive before or after 11 p.m. (earlier is cheaper). Escapade could make for an adorable date night — or leave you feeling painfully aware of your lonely singlehood. 

Wooster’s Garden

By virtue of being three stops north on the Red Line and boasting considerable savings during happy hour, Wooster’s Garden is the friendliest bar for a cash-strapped Rice student. Half-off house cocktails Monday through Friday 4-6 p.m. means a drink made with exotic ingredients such as celery bitters, nori and malic acid starts from $6. The cocktail menu is divided into approachable sections by flavor profile for novice drinkers, and the open-air patio’s teal swinging chairs make for a great photo. 

Poison Girl

Decked out in scarlet walls, sticky countertops and a healthy dose of nude female paintings, Poison Girl is a gritty, grimy little dive bar in the heart of Montrose. We say that with love. In the twenty years since it opened, Poison Girl has charmed locals with its cheap-ish drinks, life-size statue of the Kool-Aid Man and oft-broken pinball machines. Try their impressive selection of whiskeys (they have over 500 offerings — we counted) in a Sazerac or a fan-favorite $3 house shot with Sprite and blackberry. Disclaimer: the cheap drinks may save your wallet, but the $6.50 photobooth won’t.

Double Trouble

Do you need to cram a paper in the a.m. and unwind (after turning in said paper) in the p.m.? Cafe-bar Double Trouble, also three stops north of Rice on the Red Line, could be what you’re searching for. Slinging lattes by day and cocktails, often coffee-infused, by night, Double Trouble is great for a group with both drinkers and non-drinkers. Be warned that seating — both indoors and outdoors in an enclosed patio — is limited, so arrive alone or in a small group. The space tends to be louder than your average work-friendly cafe once it hits 5 p.m. 

Cidercade

Arcade-bar Cidercade is a winning concept with hundreds of retro and modern gaming machines. Despite the novelty, Cidercade won’t disappoint those looking for a well-crafted drink — their beverage supplier, Bishop Cider, brews exclusively for Cidercades across Texas. The current lineup includes novel flavors such as bananas foster, butterbeer and a champagne-style cider. Cidercade is great for groups large and small, but does require driving. Arrive after 9 p.m. to avoid families and children. 

Bodegas Taco Shop

Tex-Mex joint Bodegas makes the cut purely for its margaritas, single-serving or in a $35 pitcher. Split between four or more people, the pitcher is a decent bang for your buck. It’s somewhat walkable from the north side of campus and Red Line-accessible from anywhere else. Stay for massive portions of the build-your-own tacos, burritos or any other entree. A single order of nachos can be comfortably split across two people for your next night out.

Truck Yard

Visitors to Truck Yard will encounter a lively atmosphere with plenty of outdoor seating and its own Ferris wheel. Unfortunately, that’s all Truck Yard has going for it. The drinks are fairly pricey for being nothing special, the crowd tends to be older and the Ferris wheel is small and not free. Though a good group of friends can definitely rescue an outing at Truck Yard, why fight fate? Choose someplace more fun.

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