Inside My Table #74 | Restaurant listings
An Anglo-Irish Pub Crawl
Across the globe, every burg of a certain size has a pizza joint, a Chinese restaurant and an Irish bar. Of course, what passes for an Irish bar is usually a flag of Ireland, a prominently displayed shamrock and improperly poured Guinness. (The very similar English pub typically substitutes the Union Jack for the Irish tricolor and a framed photo of Queen Elizabeth for the images in green.) The food, if any is served, is usually calorie- and fat-laden, meant to sop up beer and satisfy hunger pangs rather than delight the demanding palate. The following are Houston’s most authentic and convivial bars that evoke the spirit of the British Isles.
BLACK LABRADOR, 4100 Montrose north of the Southwest Freeway, 713-529-1199. This attractive, comfortable and well-staffed Montrose stalwart is a great place to grab a relaxed drink after work or after dinner. Indoors, it’s cozy in the winter, and there’s an outdoor area for fine weather. A full kitchen features British specialties, but the beers and spirits are much better reason for a visit. $
BREWERY TAP, 717 Franklin at Milam, 713-237-1537. This scruffy beer joint hangs on with a band of long-time regulars, intermittent refugees from the nearby clubs and a very eclectic array from the downtown street parade. The flavor can be described broadly as either English or Irish, the homelands of the current and previous owners, though the most popular beer is the German Späten Lager, a holdover from a longtime bartender. No food.
BRIAN O’NEILL’S, 5555 Morningside bet. University & Rice, 713-522-2603. Festooned with a properly Irish decor, seemingly straight from a set designer in Dublin, this popular Village bar has a well-used patio, a full bar and a number of beers on tap, but not as much genuine charm as its neighbor, the venerable Gingerman. The kitchen, tame compared to its Village neighbors, churns out an array of typical bar food such as wings, burgers, hot sandwiches, soft tacos, fried calamari and salads. $
THE BULL & BEAR TAVERN, 11980 Westheimer at Kirkwood, 281-496-6655. This smoky, suburban pub is set in a strip center and has a fine selection of draft beers—if not always expertly poured Guinness—dart boards and memorabilia from a famous Glasgow soccer club. The functional kitchen has the expected greasy pub fare, such as potato skins and wings, but there are nearly a dozen British dishes including bangers and mash and fish and chips plus locally-popular dinner plates, such as chicken-fried steak, crab cakes and fried shrimp. $
THE HARP, 1625 Richmond near Dunlavy, 713-528-7827. This is a cozy spot on Richmond that is a welcome stop for a beer or cocktail. Though the bar’s decorations follows one of the proprietor’s Irish heritage and a good number of the patrons do seem to be consuming Irish products such as Guinness, Harp and Jameson’s, for a great many it’s just a good nearby hangout where friends and the game on the televisions are the biggest attractions. No food.
KELVIN ARMS, 2424 Dunstan bet. Kirby & Morningside, 713- 528-5002. The area’s only Scottish pub—and truly popular with local Scots—is similar in character to the English and Irish establishments, if the accent is different. The most noticeable Scottish characteristic is its fine collection of Scotch whisky and a shrine to the original James Bond, Sean Connery. There are a number of beers on tap, though it is unfortunate that many excellent malty brews from Scotland are not widely distributed here. Weekly steak night. $
KENNEALLY’S, 2111 S. Shepherd at Indiana St., 713- 630-0486. This long-time neighborhood bar takes on some of the Irish character of owner John Flowers, especially during the St. Patrick’s Day madness. The top-notch pub fare has won acclaim at this magazine, among other publications, for both its well-known thin-crust pizza and juicy, very flavorful burgers. If a full meal is not in the cards, remember that the homemade potato chips go well with anything from the tap. $
McELROY’S, 3607 S. Sandman at Richmond, 713-524-2444. This intimate setting is unmistakably Irish, befitting the homeland of the successful and affable namesake, Max McElroy. Though an inviting and unpretentious stop for a pint or whiskey or several, and a great place to bring friends, it is hard to recall, except during St. Patrick’s Day, that this began life as a hot spot over a decade ago. No food.
McGONIGEL’S MUCKY DUCK, 2425 Norfolk bet. Kirby & Greenbriar, 713-528-5999. Primarily an intimate setting with great acoustics for watching top regional acts such as Jack Ingram and Okkervil River, the Mucky Duck also serves excellent pub fare, both local and foreign in flavor, far better than what you will typically find in Britain and Ireland, and has a fine selection of beers poured into 20-ounce Imperial pint glasses. Ignore the very faux bookshelf wallpaper and the often-unfriendly person at the door. $
RED LION, 2316 S. Shepherd at Fairview, 713-782-3030. This recreation of a British inn is a little too new and well laid out to exactly evoke a pub in Kent or Cornwall, but the proper Imperial pints filled with fresh draft beer, a well-chosen slew of wine and spirits, along with a proficient kitchen make several reasons to visit. The food is some of the best local bar food, especially their rendition of fish and chips. $
RICHMOND ARMS, 5920 Richmond near Fountain View, 713-784-7722. The longest-lasting of the current British pubs, this has the strongest British pub-like air. It also has one of the best selections of beers in the area, all poured in Imperial pint glasses, and it has avoided the cheesiness that has long been a hallmark of bars on the Richmond Strip. The food is steadfastly British in character, too, which is … well, enough said. $
SHAY McELROY’S, 909 Texas at Main, 713-223-2444. This is the smaller downtown sibling of Shepherd Plaza’s McElroy’s. Located at street level in the Rice, it is even more nicely appointed with dark wood paneling and more unmistakably Irish in decor than the original, if maybe not quite as welcoming. Seats near the windows and on the sidewalk make for great people-watching at night on Main Street, especially with a MetroRail stop in eyesight. No food.
SLAINTE, 509 Main near Texas, 713-222-1033. Across the street and rail lines from Shay McElroy’s, this two-story pre-fab Irish bar in an old, high-ceilinged mercantile space in the heart of the downtown club scene can be the most atmospheric of Houston’s Irish-themed establishments. The balcony perched well above the traffic is a great place to watch the weekend bustle. During baseball season, the popular $1 cheap draft beers means that Slainte does not always cater to the most discriminating or docile drinkers. No food.
STAG’S HEAD, 2128 Portsmouth just south of Richmond, 713-533-1199. This inviting and attractive British-themed bar, a very short stroll across the street from McElroy’s in Shepherd Plaza, is a popular stop for happy hour beers and expected pub grub, but it has never captured the charm of the owners’ previous Inner Loop establishment, the much-loved Ale House. $
