Bar Buena

Really enjoyed this new neighborhood bar in River Oaks Shopping Center. We stopped by for a drink with friends on Friday around 6pm. Upon arrival there was not a table available but we were able to order drinks at the bar until a table for 4 opened up. The bar itself is very moody and dark and cool. Vibes are great and the service was exceptional as well, but as some other reviews have mentioned, it is LOUD. Like really really loud. Hard to hear your friends, hard to hear your server, hard to hear the voices in your own head. Despite how loud it was, I would still recommend. My husband tried the Enamorada because he saw the bartender making one for someone else and it wasn't his favorite because he said it was quite "smoky", but I really enjoyed my tequila flight and they make a solid negroni.

Bar Buena is an absolute gem in River Oaks! This new spot has an intimate, speakeasy vibe that makes you feel like you're in on a well-kept secret. From the moment you walk in, the staff is warm, welcoming, and genuinely fun to chat with. Aurora, the bartender, is a standout, she’s incredibly knowledgeable and clearly passionate about her craft. Her recommendations were spot-on, and every drink was thoughtfully made and perfectly balanced. The food was pretty impressive, the ribeye tacos were delish! Highly recommend checking it out!

Great date spot w/ excellent ambiance and great drinks. A few small food items, but we didn't try them as we'd already eaten Lots of solid tequila and mescal drink options.

Love the atmosphere here. I’m no photographer so it wasn’t easy for me to take good photos because of how dark it is inside. Very good cocktails.

The place has a nice atmosphere, but the service was very disappointing. We only received one round of drinks (2 total) and guacamole before being left waiting at our table for 40 minutes. Our server never returned after a larger group arrived, even though he checked on them multiple times. Unfortunately, we ended up leaving without getting any further service.

Nice new bar. Almost like a Speakeasy. Drinks delicious

Looking for a chill, sexy date night spot? Bar Buena is where it’s at! This was our first time in Houston on a girls’ trip before my bestie gets married. Since we all love tequila and tacos, this seemed like a perfect match! Walking into Bar Buena is like stepping into an authentic Mexican cantina. We had some cocktails with Mexican gin and whiskey- so yummy! Sampling some mezcal flights took our experience to a whole other level. Our server, Marilyn, was amazing & and very helpful in steering us towards delicious tacos, aguachili and guacamole. If you like dark and moody upscale vibes and 5 star service, I highly recommend Bar Buena!

I really enjoyed my time here solo. Perfect place to have a drink lowkey or an after dinner drink with friends. The pick your own tequila or mezcal flight was the perfect way to try a few. The crab tostadas were so yum. I'll be back.

Bar Buena is brand new and already bustling! We stopped by right after 5:00 and were greeted right away by the bartender. We did hang out in their standing room area for a little bit but were able to order drinks and snag a table pretty quickly. When I tell you this is the friendliest service I've ever had at a bar or restaurant, I mean it! All different members of the staff were checking in with us to make sure we were having a good time and enjoying everything. We tried out three of their drinks: enamorada, uno amargo, and their classic frozen mezcal margarita. I say this as someone who is stupid about cocktails, but I think if you're a fan of old fashioneds you'll be a fan of the uno amargo - it'll put some hair on your chest! I loved the frothiness that the egg white brings to the enamorada but I think the frozen margarita was our winner. Imagine your favorite frozen marg but better - the mezcal brings an earthier flavor to a cocktail that us Texans all know and love. Finally for food we had the pato tinga memela, gulf crab tostadas, and carnitas flautas. I genuinely loved them all so much, every protein was so juicy bursting with flavor, which makes sense considering everything is made to order. If I had to pick a favorite I would struggle (I'm not kidding, it was all that good), but I think the crab tostadas won us over with their freshness. We had such a great first visit to bar buena and I can see this quickly becoming a cozy date or after dinner drink spot!

Dark, vibey, lovely, intimate speakeasy vibes. Friendly service, delicious bites (holy heck those crab tostadas are going on my last-meal list!!). Righteous cocktails. BUT. BUUUT. IT'S SO STUPIDLY LOUD!! All you and your group and the staff can do is smile and nod cluelessly at each other and have a nonsensical back and forth, ie: Me: "What kind of mezcal is this?" Server responds: "We opened two weeks ago" Friend chimes in: "I'm all set" Server responds: "Yeah, I was in real estate before" I say: "Oooh I've never had this. Can I see the bottle?" Server points: "Bathrooms are through that door" Me: "Absolutely delicious, thanks for asking" Like...... huh????? Maybe come here AFTER you've got a solid buzz AND your noise meter is already cranked up and busted. OR with people you don't want to talk to under any circumstance but feel obligated to hang out with. OR if you love the sound of cackling ricocheting off tin ceiling tiles and metal tabletop. THEN THIS IS YOUR PLACE!

BRILLIANT!!! When I moved to Houston in the early 80's (yes...I'm am old f***er) I moved within stumbling distance from Goode Company Barbecue; and to this day their joint on Kirby has been my moniker for BBQ. And while there have been other BBQ joints with more notoriety, GCB is where I take visiting friends from around the country and around the world. But I digress. I cannot be more proud of the Goode family and Mama Nifa for joints like this. Both should be rolling in their graves with excitement for what their families have continued. With respect to this bar, I am so fired up Houston has a place with a heritage like this.So come...sit at the bar...chat up your neighbors...and thank your lucky stars you live in Houston, Texas... And not in Dallas!!!