2016 is an exciting time in Houston, as well as the entire state of Texas, for the beverage industry. We are living in a golden age for beer especially; a renaissance of sorts. 30 years ago this transformation began in Colorado and the Pacific Northwest with breweries like New Belgium, Deschutes, and Widmer Bros opening. Fast forward to today, and the United States now has more breweries open than before prohibition.
What does this have to do with Houston? The Houston area now has over 20 breweries/brewpubs in the MSA (which includes 8 different counties) which can be broken up into three main regions: Gulf Coast, Houston/Katy, and Montgomery County. Yet, with all these breweries creating excellent brews the vast majority of well known bars/restaurants are still confined to the IH-610 area.
So, where do you go to get a good beer out in the suburbs? Depending on which highway you are on the Houston area has quite a bit to offer. There are well known locations outside of 610 (Nobi Public House in Webster, World of Beer Katy and Sugar Land, Mellow Mushroom in Spring, to name a few) where both excellent food and vast varieties of great beer are available, but what if you needed a back up plan? What if your favorite hot spot outside of Beltway 8 is packed? Where would you head for the evening? Depending on which highway you are near there are quite a few places that you can set your sights on for a nice time. I hope that the remainder of this article will help you find your next favorite spot out in the “Burbs.”
Interstate 45 South
Clear Lake/Pasadena is where I call home. While I love Nobi Public House I found that I was slipping into a routine of just going to the same place over and over again. With a bit of exploration I discovered the following:
J. Henry’s Draught House & Kitchen: Great food, better beer selection. Opened in 2015, and like most places it took a couple of weeks to really dial in the service, food menu, and beer selections. Since then it has been a great place to call home for dinner. I highly recommend the Fried Egg Burger. 52 taps and a drive through Growler Bar.
J Henry’s Draught House and Kitchen
1105 Clear Lake City Blvd, Houston, TX 77062
Gordon Street Tavern: From the birthplace of of Nolan Ryan comes Brazoria County’s first Brewpub. It started as just a pub with 33 taps, and has evolved into a brewpub that is gearing up for an expansion after 1 year of production. They offer 6 house beers along with various other offerings from around the nation. Swing by for a great burger, or one of their various appetizers. They are on Tap Hunter if you wish to scout the wall before heading down.
Gordon Street Tavern
114 N Gordon St, Alvin, TX 77511
State Highway 288
Center Court Pizza: Center Court has two locations near 288 (1 off 518, and the other off Hwy 6), but they actually have 4 locations around the city. Every location has 16 taps, and a great pizza selection. Looking for a great Monday? Large, 12 topping pizza for $11.99. Check out their website for location information.
Center Court Pizza
Wurst Haus: 102 taps on 49.5 feet of wall. 102 TAPS! None of them repeat, so that means 102 individual beers on draft to choose from. If it is a style available in the state there is a better than good chance it is on that wall. Couple that with a solid bottle list, good cocktails, and an excellent food menu and you have a great place to visit. What’s the catch? Well it is in Lake Jackson which is right about 30 minutes south of Pearland. There is plenty to do in that area though, and it is only a stones throw to Surfside. You can make it to Galveston in under an hour down FM 2004. Take a drive out to the country, and sit a spell at Wursthaus.
Wurst Haus
102 This Way St, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Highway 59 South
BR Vino: Tucked into the back of Brazos River Provisions in Rosenburg you will find an eclectic Wine/Beer Bar named BR Vino. It opened back in 2011, and is owned by a lovely couple named Mike and Laurie Mercado. They helped found the “The Grapes on the Brazos” committee at the Fort Bend County Rodeo, and brought a passion for great wine and food to their Provisions shop in Historic Downtown Rosenburg. It is the only place I know of where you can get a drink, and then walk through a large building filled with antiques and consignments. They have a great wine list, and a small but well crafted beer list. Take a trip, and hang out for an evening. Maybe take in a show. There is a theatre right above the bar.
BR Vino
1917 Avenue G, Rosenberg, TX 77471
Sugar Land Town Square: Before someone calls me out for this…. I know that the Sugar Land Town Square is an area and not a bar…. jesus….
But seriously if you haven’t walked this area you are doing yourself a grand disservice. The beer scene is anchored by the Flying Saucer, but within eyesight of their patio you have:
The Golden Mule
Guru Burgers
The Rouxpour
Around the corner and into the courtyard you find:
Baker Street Pub
Jupiter Pizza and Waffles
The Burning Pear (Restaurant inside the Marriot Hotel)
That is before you count a sushi bar, two fine dining establishments, and potentially a Partridge in a Pear Tree. There is also shopping galore, and it is a block from First Colony Mall. What’s not to love?
Sugarland Town Square
15958 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX 77479
Interstate 10 West
Center Court Pizza has a location in Cinco Ranch off FM 1093, but there is more to be had out in this area.
The Growler Spot: This beer and wine bar is located in Fulshear, and opened back in 2013. 26 taps, a nice bottle list, and an amazing atmosphere gives this bar a great feel. They are open Wednesday – Monday with an average opening time of 5pm. They aren’t open super late (usually closing around 10pm… 8pm on Sunday), but you can still get in a good happy hour here. They also offer appetizers and sandwiches with an active tap list on their website.
The Growler Spot
29615 Farm to Market Road 1093, Fulshear, TX 77441
Ray’s Grill: Once you have finished with happy hour at The Growler Spot take a trip further down 1093 to Ray’s Grill for an intimate Fine Dining evening in Fulshear. Ray’s is really for the wine and cocktail lover as their bar is equiped with various spirits, and an extensive wine list. Highly recommend making a reservation before had as they do get quite busy. They also offer a great brunch menu. The downside? Ray’s is a bit pricy. A couple can expect to spend anywhere from $30-$50 a person just on food during dinner. Is it worth it? Yes it is. If you want proof head out and order the Zinfandel Braised Lamb Shank.
Ray’s Gourmet Country Grill
8502 Farm to Market 359, Fulshear, TX 77441
Highway 290/249
The Spring/Cypress area has an interesting search for good drinks because this area is still developing. There are not many places that most people wouldn’t already be familiar with. Rockwell Tavern, Mo’s Irish Pub, and Mellow Mushroom really anchor this area. These are great independently owned bars where you can settle in for a nice evening. There are some up and coming spots though well worth looking at.
The Farm Drinkery: The Farm opened in 2014 with the tag line of “A Hipster Dive Bar”. Well it really wasn’t that, but it did have its own charm. Over the past year it has evolved into a nice location for a good beer on draft. The Spring area really needs more of what is going on at the Farm and less corporate chains taking root in a long standing community. They don’t have an official website yet, but take a look at them on facebook.
The Farm Drinkery
16646 Champion Forest Dr, Spring, TX 77379
Vintage Park: So this is a lot like Sugar Land Town Square. There is so much going on in this shopping center that it warrants a visit. From a beer/whiskey perspective it is anchored by Mo’s Irish Pub and an Alamo Draft House (probabl the best one in the state), but that is the tip of the food and beverage iceberg here. Brix has a wine bar AND a Craft Cocktail spot in the complex.
Feeling Brazilian? There is a Rodizio (another term for Churascaria) in Facon Brazilian Steak House.
Want beer togo?There is a world class HEB in the area with one of the two HEB Growler stations in it plus easy access to highway 249 for a quick trip out of the area.
Seriously, if you haven’t been to Vintage Park you need to.
Vintage Park
110 Vintage Park Boulevard, #270, Houston, TX 77070
Keep an eye on the 209/Barker Cypress area over the next few months. Companies opening in the area of note:
World Of Beer
Mo’s Irish Pub
Interstate 45 North
Look…. Im not going to lie. The Woodlands/Conroe area is DOMINATED by corporate chain restaurants with little to no craft beer service, but a smattering of decent cocktail lists. You have some great tap rooms available to you with the following breweries in the area:
Southern Star
B-52
Copperhead Brewing
There are a few hidden gems in North Houston though.
Red Brick Tavern: This is a great little restaurant in downtown Conroe that is around the corner from the Conroe Theatre, and the Conroe Coffee Company…. yes almost everything on that block is named “The Conroe” something…. but it is a really nice area to hang out. Think San Marcos Square, but more shopping and less college kids. Red Brick offers 12 taps and an odd, and ever changing, bottle list. Their wall is on Tap Hunter, and they prefer to support local over regional brands. As of this posting they currently have the Fetching Lab Bound and Determined Stout on tap. Fetching Lab is a very small Micro-Brewery from Algoa (which is just outside of Alvin on Hwy 6). Now they do carry larger regional brands (Odell, etc) but they will go to varying lengths to make sure that the local Houston Area breweries get prime placement.
Red Brick is not cheap though from a food perspective. A table of 2 should be prepared to spend around $50-$60.
Red Brick Tavern
119 Simonton St, Conroe, TX 77301
Hop Scholar: Hop Scholar is 100% worth the visit. It is a everything that a great craft beer hub should be for any area that is going to help blaze the trail for more independent pubs to form. 47 rotating taps (two of which are reserved for Cask Ale), and a great Growler Program. Enough said? Good.
Hop Scholar Ale House
610 Rayford Rd Suite 642, Spring, TX 77386
Highway 59 North
In the past, the Humble/Kingwood/Atascocita Area has been an abject disappointment for good booze intake…. except for one great place named Mojo’s Sports Bar. **Writer’s Note: I haven’t had the opportunities in the past to really explore this side of town… so calling it an “Abject Disappointment” might be a bit strong. If anyone knows of other places out there please let me know so that I can visit them.**
Mojo’s Sports Grille: 60 Taps, Cold Press Coffee on draft, and good pub faire makes this place a must visit if you are around Lake Houston. Terry Collier is a great guy to get to know, and his staff are well trained and versed in the ways of beer, wine, and booze. While the focus is on the beer and spirits (it is a sports bar after all) they do have a small, but well rounded wine list. Mojo’s is a great place to catch any and all sporting events. IF you are an Indianapolis Colts fan or a Texas A&M fan this is really the place for you. Terry is both a Colts and Aggies fan, and he is damn proud of it.
Mojo’s Sports Grille
18323 W Lake Houston Pkwy, Humble, TX 77346
Did I miss your favorite place to get a drink? Do you feel I snubbed any location unfairly? Don’t agree with what I have to say? Hit me up on twitter, and let me know. As always you can find me @Das_Bier_Dude. I am always up to find new places to eat, drink, carry on, and be merry. So with that being said…. as always…
Thanks for Reading!
Eric Andreas
Twitter: @Das_Bier_Dude
Untappd: Gevetyn
