The best cocktail bars in Houston you need to visit right now

Houston’s cocktail scene goes far beyond the ordinary—these are the bars and lounges worth lingering in all night long.

Tasty libations are not hard to find in Houston, but sometimes you want a cocktail experience that is truly outstanding.

Whether that involves exclusive access, sophisticated décor, live music, or unique cocktails you can’t find anywhere else, you have your pick of some of the best cocktails in Texas right here in Houston.

This guide to the best cocktails in H-Town considers different bar vibes, a range of prices, and a variety of experiences. But the one thing our picks have in common is a terrific cocktail experience that stands above your typical “grab a drink” bar. These are lounges where you can—and should!—support local businesses by hanging out for a while and enjoying a night on the town.

Emilia’s Havana

Located at: 1800 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 6170

A true speakeasy—you must walk through the kitchen of The Annie restaurant, past shelves and through a hidden door to find it—entering Emilia’s Havana is like emerging on the other side of the wardrobe into Narnia. It’s unexpected and absolutely delightful.

While Texas has its share of speakeasies, the 1950’s Cuban vibe at Emilia’s Havana feels unique. It pulses through the ornate lounge, where gold lamé drapes the ceiling and is anchored by a crystal chandelier. Palm tree decals around the bar add a touch of tropical whimsy and remind you of the Latin flavor you’re about to experience.

Live bossa nova-style music and dance fill the small room that seats only 50, so you’re assured an intimate atmosphere. Drinks are fun, flirty, and mostly rum-based: Old Cuban, Hemingway, and Mojito. But the full bar is open for any taste. It’s a place to stay for a couple of hours and forget that the rest of the world exists.

Plume

Located at: 1800 Post Oak Blvd.

If Emilia’s is old-school Cuba, Plume is old-school Hollywood.

The bar glows. Banquette seating is plush with velvet. Gold palm fronds envelop orbs of light. And beautiful people fill blue upholstered bar stools, ordering drinks like the Frozen Porn Star Martini and Texans’ favorite drink, Ranch Water. Fancy shots like the Lychee Lemondrop and Mexican Candy remind you that sometimes it is all fun and games.

Just don’t leave without getting serious about Plume’s signature cocktails, which showcase the talents of its mixologists. The Lemongrass Tequila Highball is perfectly aromatic, and the Dragonfruit Caipirinha is unlike any caipirinha you’ve had.

Moon

Located at: 1800 Post Oak Blvd.

Moon isn’t meant to yell; it’s meant to whisper. And it all starts with a quiet elevator ride from the end of a Post Oak plaza. Just look for the red velvet ropes that seem to lead nowhere—you’ll actually be taken to a moody little gem of a cocktail lounge that is so much more than cocktails.

The idea behind Moon is that it feels exclusive, like you’re in on a very special secret. But it’s also otherworldly, like a glamorous dream in which you’re meant to feel like a star.

Michelin-recognized mixologist Rubén Rolón applies his creativity to well-loved classics, adding an astral component that mirrors Moon’s vibe. The theme is fitting for a city made famous by its space program, and Rolón embraces it with drinks like Space Jam, a concoction of peanut fat-washed WhistlePig, PiggyBack bourbon, raspberry-infused Campari and Cocchi Rosa, Framboise liqueur, and raspberry shrub.

Lei Low

Located at: 6412 N. Main St.

You wouldn’t expect to find the Polynesian spirit—or spirits—in the Heights, but never underestimate H-Town, which proudly gives you Lei Low.

This bar is where you go for a tropical good time. Jump in with The Zombie, a surprisingly mellow drink despite its strength: three different types of rum, a syrup made of cinnamon and grapefruit, lime juice, falernum, bitters, and absinthe. Prefer to stay somewhat sober? Go for the sweet-lovers Pearl Diver, which mixes vanilla ice cream, butter, brown sugar, and caramel, and pretend you’re just eating a sundae.

Lei Low is a proud Tiki bar and not afraid to show it. Your drink will always come with an umbrella or equally beach-adjacent garnish. Your glassware may be a parrot or a skull. And you’ll smile the entire time you’re here, raising your clamshell-shaped glass to Jimmy Buffett.

Julep

Located at: 1919 Washington Ave.

In Houston, Julep is considered the gold standard of cocktail bars. It tops every Best Of list and has a reputation for creative cocktails that highlight the best of every ingredient without being gimmicky.

Julep has earned the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program and a spot among North America’s 50 Best Bars in 2022, yet there’s nothing about it that highfalutin. In fact, it positions itself as a neighborhood bar, easy to dip in and out of, and conveniently located near restaurants and the Arts District.

This bar does indeed serve juleps—all the time, not just during the Derby—and every Sunday, it plays host to a jazz night featuring a new Celestine Series cocktail that is more about botanicals, infusions, and florals than it is about booze.

Santé

Located at: 2309 Richmond Ave.

If it’s fancy you’re after, Santé delivers with a chic elegance that makes you feel like you’ve finally arrived.

Yes, you can sit back and enjoy oysters and caviar, but you’re here for the cocktails, so let’s stay focused. Each drink is named after a painting and is meant to be a work of art on its own. Fruits of the Earth, named after the Frida Kahlo work, blends passion fruit, pineapple, and mezcal.

The menu is rounded out by classic cocktails, elevated shots, accessible wines from respected vintners like Prisoner and DAOU, and, of course, champagne. Drink them alongside 300-year-old olive trees inside the lounge or in the courtyard-style patio.

Note: Check dress code requirements on the website and be sure to make a reservation in advance.

Anvil

Located at: 1424 Westheimer Rd.

When it comes to legendary bars in Houston, Anvil in Montrose is a universal favorite. With its selection of over 100 cocktails—a list that was first created to prep new bartenders for any order and evolved into the actual menu—there’s literally something to love for everyone.

It’s hard to fathom, but in addition to its 100 classic cocktails, Anvil crafts seasonal cocktails just to shake things up a bit. As the temperatures warm, it’s the perfect time for a Pliny’s Tonic made with French gin, cucumber, lime, mint, and habanero. Find it on the menu, and you’ll also find the name of the Anvil bartender who invented it.

On your way to a game or a show? Order any food item or artisanal cocktail to-go.

Refuge

Located at: 1424 Westheimer Rd.

The dual-purpose concept of Refuge serves two distinct needs. Downstairs, you’ll find the hopping coffeehouse where you can get your cozy caffeine fix. Upstairs, you’ll find the sophisticated cocktail lounge that feels like your own private hideaway.

The seriously innovative drinks will make you do a double-take. They come with flavor notes to give you a heads up as to what you’re getting into. Case in point, the Lion’s Mane Tail, described as “umami forward and balanced.” It’s concocted from brown butter-washed whiskey, mushrooms, sauternes, amaro, pimento, and acids, so no, this is not really the place for a rum and Coke.

Refuge is a sister restaurant to Anvil, so you’ll see some crossover, but certainly no duplicates. The El Rosita, for example, uses Anvil’s private barrel El Tesoro Reposado tequila as its base but then fortifies it with Forthave red aperitivo and Cocchi Dopo Teatro vermouth amaro.

Even if you can’t pronounce a single ingredient on the menu, you’ll love the flavors of these original cocktails. And as you bar hop your way through the city, you’ll find that the Houston bar scene is nothing to shake a swizzle stick at. In fact, some of the best bars not just in Texas but in the U.S. can be found right here in Houston.