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Old 01-24-2011, 11:49 AM  
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Houston, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 51 | Kudos: +11
Best Happy Hours West Houston

I am planning a get together for some of my employees for a job well done...we do software work and we just put a new release out.

Last time we went to the Yardhouse, I was underwhelmed. The appetizer prices were fine during happy hour but the food was nothing to write home about. The beer selection was good, but overpriced.

Here is my dilemma: my team are educated white collar types but not yuppies, they run the age from 50's to mid 20's most are married, but not all. Location is important, since they work off of I-10 at Bingle and don't want to add to their drive home, they live all over. Most are married, some drink, but others are tea totallers.

Does anyone have any suggestions that combine the following:

Decent food, decent drink/beer selection and pricing, location between I-610 West and Beltway 8? Farthest south boundary would be Westheimer or Richmond. It could be a restaurant with a decent bar and happy hour.
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Old 02-20-2011, 08:57 AM  
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Houston, TX
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 16 | Kudos: +10
Richmond Arms has a decent beer selection and some food. Also Sherlock's on Westheimer near the Beltway has an okay happy hour but free food from like 5-8 or something. Mostly just cheese, sausage, veggies and dip. If ya find something better let me know because as far as I'm concerned there's not a good happy hour bar in all of houston.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KPatton View Post
I am planning a get together for some of my employees for a job well done...we do software work and we just put a new release out.

Last time we went to the Yardhouse, I was underwhelmed. The appetizer prices were fine during happy hour but the food was nothing to write home about. The beer selection was good, but overpriced.

Here is my dilemma: my team are educated white collar types but not yuppies, they run the age from 50's to mid 20's most are married, but not all. Location is important, since they work off of I-10 at Bingle and don't want to add to their drive home, they live all over. Most are married, some drink, but others are tea totallers.

Does anyone have any suggestions that combine the following:

Decent food, decent drink/beer selection and pricing, location between I-610 West and Beltway 8? Farthest south boundary would be Westheimer or Richmond. It could be a restaurant with a decent bar and happy hour.
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Old 02-21-2011, 06:47 AM  
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Houston, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 51 | Kudos: +11
Boycotting the Richmond Arms

Thanks for the response, we ended up going to the Yardhouse at Town and Country City Centre.

I have been going to the Richmond Arms for nearly 30 years. Since it was located on the south side of Richmond, in the lot where the garden supplies are located now.

No longer. They have seen my last dollar. Pity, I can't recall how many people I introduced to the place over the years. I even duck and goose hunted with one of the owners back in the 90's.

I am boycotting the place since the world cup. I attended the last US team match and spent over $100. I wanted to take the empty belgian ale bottles I had purchased with me afterwards and was told it was against the law. Then after speaking with the manager, got him to admit it wasn't it was just a house rule. The liar and idiot had to admit he didn't know what he was talking about when I pointed out that other places actually saved the bottles for me and gave me bags to carry them out in it I wanted any.

The whole affair got ugly when the semi literate dickless bouncer got involved. I am not one to easily be intimidated so he ended up looking stupid. Bottom line is for $4 worth of empty bottles, they have lost $1000s of revenues in lost sales from me.

I considered the Arms for my employee happy hour but for the reasons stated, I would not set foot back in the place if it were the last place serving beer in Houston. The same goes for the Black Lab inside the loop. I black liste that place in 1995 and haven't been back since. They cut off our table based on the size of our tab. It was a celebration of a stock award to a friend and people had been coming and going from the table for hours. I came in late and had one maybe two beers before we were cut off. I asked if I could start my own tab and was told, NO.

That is big brother at its worst. I don't know if it goes along with their close association with Rice Univ. or not. I have owned a bar and I know all about the Dram Shop laws and liability. But I also treat adults as adults. If someone is obviously drunk, yes, then cut them off. But to cut off a table simply because they have a large tab and everyone at the table? I have no patience or time for that kind of idiocy and will take my money elsewhere...forever.
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Old 02-22-2011, 07:35 AM  
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Houston, TX
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 16 | Kudos: +10
I've never had an issue but I agree with how you reacted. I've done that with a couple bars in Houston. Yardhouse is overrated. Serving Belgians in 6oz glasses for $5. No thanks. I guess that means there aren't any good bars in West Houston. I think you should open one up lol.
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Old 02-23-2011, 05:28 AM  
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Houston, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 51 | Kudos: +11
My wife and I now go to the Pub Hub, at the corner of S. Fry and I-10. Great place. They sell belgians on draft for $3 a chalice on Tuesdays. I was there last night and the bartender treated us right, filling the glasses to the brim (I tip them well, lol). We had 4 near pints and appetizer for $19. My problem in looking for a happy hour on the west side is finding one near my office. The pub hub is in Katy and was too far for most of my co-workers to go since some live south, east and north of our offices. I agree with your assessment of the Yard House, way over rated and over priced. My ex wife owns two bars in Katy, and I know how beers are priced, the Yard House prices theirs not by the type of beer, but by draft vs bottle. We priced ours based on our ounce price calculated on our price per keg. A belgian could be $8 per pint vs say a Guiness which was $4-5 bucks. Yard House and the Alamo Drafthouse both insist that they serve the high strength beers in thimbles because it is a TABC law. I had to call them on that bulls**t and pointed out that other places serve 22oz bottles of the same brew at the same strength or higher. Its all about price, they don't want to have to key in each beer based on differing prices so change the serving size. I bet people who know the bartenders get belgians by the pint and pay the regular price. I noticed the sell Salvator in smaller glasses too. Having been in the bar business for 6 years I would not own another. You are married to the place. You have to be there constantly or theft by employees kills you. Bartenders dealing drugs, vandalism, alcoholic customers are just some of the things you put up with. You get an abiding dirty feeling too, feeding peoples vices. Don't get me wrong, I'm not religious at all, its just that the alcoholics are your bread and butter. They are the ones who pay your bills. Everyone else is your profit margin. I saw the same people spending a thousand plus dollars a month day in day out. They'd drink lunch there, then be back at 4:30 or 5 to finish their day there, every day, 7 days a week. No kidding.
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Old 02-23-2011, 10:28 AM  
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Houston, TX
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 16 | Kudos: +10
Yea, I don't think the style of bar I would open would attract those types of people. Being into more of a craft style I think I'd limit the audience to those that appreciate beer as opposed to those who drink their problems. You can't get away from crazy bartenders and customers though so I could imagine it being a more than full time job. I haven't been to Pub Hub in Katy but I've heard great things and will definitely be going there sometime in the near future. Keep me posted with anything you find.
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