A man is lying on the bed looking at his phone.

Houston/Galveston area bars receive mostly good reviews 


By Johnny Trlica

From mobile phones, restaurants and dental services, to bars, many people never frequent a business without checking its online reviews first. Having easy access to the web has radically changed the way people shop for almost everything today. 

NiceJob.com reports that 88 percent of potential customers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends. More importantly, 94 percent of online shoppers reported that a negative review has convinced them to avoid visiting a business. 

Let’s review how Houston/Galveston area bars stack up against one another according to their Google reviews (as of April 18), along with selected comments from the reviewers. 

HOUSTON 

KIKI: 4.6

“Amazing fun place! Great music, great vibe! Love the BIG screen! The lighting is spectacular, and the audio is perfect! You can chat with friends and not be drowned out. Absolutely love it!†—Johnny G. 

Neon Boots Dancehall and Saloon: 4.6

“Queer friendly dancehall with Latin and country nights! What an absolutely wonderful place! They have karaoke in one room, a vast back patio, and a dance floor with a DJ who plays excellent music (including requests without complaints!) My partner and I will absolutely be back!†—Tae G. 

Ripcord: 4.5

“Ripcord is such a nice leather gay bar! I enjoy having a drink there almost everyday weekend, the stuff and doormen guys are the best! They’re quick and friendly!  The best in Montrose tbh. Highly recommended.†—Ameer 

Michael’s Outpost: 4.5

“I make it a point to come to this place every single time that I visit Houston. Bryan is always an awesome host and extremely welcoming. Never a bad experience here!†—Logan M. 

ReBar: 4.5

“We had the most amazing time! Went for drag brunch and had a blast. A party of 5 so we had to put a card down as a deposit, but it was so easy and worth it. Food is decent, not the best, not the worst. But the food and drinks are VERY fairly priced for today’s economy. The show was fun, interactive and entertaining. Definitely check it out, we had the best time.†—Fernanda R. 

Tony’s Corner Pocket: 4.5

“This place is real nice. It’s a gay bar. With male dancer. Just 1 note, these dancers take tips for a dance… drink here are great. And good price. Tony’s that’s for a great night.†—Nigel B. 

“I went with a group of friends on their Thirsty Thursday night and wooh man I am definitely coming back. The dancers were FANTASTIC and lots of fun. Everyone is very friendly.†—Haley J. 

Pearl Bar: 4.4

“Every time I go, I get amazing drinks and have an amazing time. Safest space I’ve ever been in within the Houston bar space. Every time I’ve visited I’ve been served by Emma at the bar. She makes killer drinks and has great energy! My go place and go to bartender :)))†—Bethany E. 

Buddy’s: 4.4

“After Bayou City closed, I was scared that the next establishment might not be too friendly to the Black community. Chris and his crew at Buddy’s surpassed my expectations and I love it. My friends and family love Wednesday Steak Night the most. Overall, this is an all-inclusive space and it’s definitely what the Montrose area needed.†—Recess games 

Eagle Houston: 4.4

“We had the best time here. We were downtown and decided to take a ride over here. We stayed almost all night. What a great time. Thank you for an excellent time.†—Kenneth T. 

“Attentive friendly staff. Absolutely LOVE this bar. I’ve met Amazing people that I’ve stayed in touch with. Being a single straight gal, I have an awesome time at this bar. I can actually carry on meaningful conversations, dance the night away and never stop smiling!!!†—Ashley W. 

Crocker: 4.3

“Normally I have fun here but my last few experiences have been poor, the catty behavior of patrons to the antagonizing attitudes of security & staff is beginning to become too much. I say this as someone who regularly visits this bar. Hopefully things turn around soon.†—Ken O. 

The Room Bar and Lounge: 4.2

“First time going. It was before 10 pm so I got the sense the vibe hadn’t picked up yet. A lot of regulars and inside jokes it seems. Still though it was a nice little bar welcoming of all people. I’ll need to go once the place fills up to get a better sense of the place. For now, though I would go again for sure.†—Keith S. 

George: 4.0

“This bar seems to get a lot of bad reviews for the bartenders. Not sure what that is about. He was friendly to me. I liked the vibe, and the prices and the bartender was a calm friendly dude.†—Nicolas J. 

“I wish I had never gone to his Montrose legendary bar because now everywhere else I go seems soooo damn boring! I always meet the nicest staff and patrons at George’s! Anytime I’m downtown and get off work early this is my go-to spot!†—Elaine M. 

JR’s Bar & Grill: 4.0

“This is what a classic Castro bar looks like when it is in Houston. This is my favorite bar. The drinks are excellent, the atmosphere is festive and welcoming, and the staff are absolutely wonderful. I love the back bar. It is cozy and delightful on a winter evening. Gay heaven.†—Michael T. 

“I just moved back to Houston from Vegas. This was my first stop. Bartenders and other guests were super friendly. I really enjoy this spot. If you’re ever in Montrose, make sure to stop by.†—Carlos T. 

South Beach: 4.0

“Awesome experience.†—Patrick T. 

“Nice and clean. Quick service, decent prices on drinks, great drag show and music.†—Randall B. 

Blur: 3.7

“Trashy, dirty, ugly place and the clientele matches.†—Ted D. 

Crystal Nightclub: 3.2

“Friendly treatment, excellent atmosphere, mixed music for all tastes.†—Alejandro G. 

Papi’s: 2.6

“Unsafe, unsanitary, unsane. Avoid.†—Pamela M. 

“2 drinks for $60. Naaaaah.†—Nino LZ. 

 GALVESTON 

Island Time Beach Bar: 4.7

“Great new place, love how they remodeled the inside and the outside. One drawback which would be a one off, the new paint on the benches outside must not have been dry enough because it left all of our butts blue. Maybe they could’ve been left unpainted. 5 stars since they did great with everything else.†—Edgar I.W. 

23rd Street Station Piano Bar: 4.6

“Stopped here on a local recommendation-really glad we did. Hole in the wall spot with good drinks and great ambiance. We had a great time listening to pianists. What a fun time and glad we stopped here.†—Sabra B. 

Robert’s Lafitte: 4.5

“Bar was definitely a dive, but sometimes those are the best. It was cheap and entertaining. Cowboy Tom is nice and a great socializer. AND they have a bar (bodega) cat, which I’ve never seen before!†—John Q. 

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