Young Professionals' Guide to Houston Nightlife

"How do I find the best Houston Nightlife?"

That's the first question that came to mind when I moved to Houston a few years ago as an early twenty-something. Since then I've been to just about every bar and nightclub in Houston. I've searched through all of the websites and online reviews. And I've found some really great places!

I like to visit all kinds of nightlife venues; bars, nightclubs, lounges, pubs, dive bars, comedy clubs, and live music venues. And I like to take lots of pictures!

So join me (Kristy), Kelly, Alexandra and others on a tour of Houston Nightlife...

Featured Event

Explore Houston Nightlife by Neighborhood

Each of Houston's neighborhoods has its own nightlife "personality."

When exploring Houston Nightlife the first thing you will notice is that the bars and clubs are clustered in a few neighborhoods. You'll hear locals using terms like Washington Corridor, Upper Kirby, the Richmond strip, and Montrose.

Each neighborhood has its own personality. It's hard to describe the different areas without throwing a lot of stereotypes at you...but I've tried. Scroll past the map for a description of different neighborhoods.

Map of Houston Neighborhoods

View Houston Night life in a larger map

Washington Avenue has seen a huge boom in bars in the past few years and is now competing with midtown as the hottest nightlife area in Houston for young professionals.

Montrose is known for its gay bars, dive bars, and live music venues. If you're looking for a unique nightlife experience then I highly recommend visiting Montrose.

Midtown attracts young professionals from all over Houston because of its large selection of sports bars, lounges, nightclubs, dance clubs, and wine bars all packed into a few blocks.

The Heights bars are eclectic with favorites like Onion Creek, Dan Electro's Guitar Bar, The Usual, and Sixth Street Bar and Grill. Enjoy one-of-a-kind bars neighboring fine dining establishments.

Downtown is not the hottest place in Houston for young professionals, but there are a few venues that you just shouldn't miss.

The Galleria area is great because the venues are mostly well-established, quality bars and clubs and not merely trendy "see and be seen" places.

Upper Kirby has mostly neighborhood sports bars and pubs, and cozy wine bars.

Sugar Land nightlife is concentrated primarily in Town Center. You can find a nice variety of bars and lounges nearby that rival the trendy spots in Midtown or on Washington Avenue.