Jingle Bell Bar

I went yesterday to Jingle Bell Bar with a group of ladies at opening. We were the only customers there and it was an hour + before anyone else came in. We went as Merry Hour is from 4-6 M-F. Instead of drinks being $16, they are $10 and food is discounted 25%. We did not make reservations. The waitress was attentive and answered questions, making recommendations. I had 2 drinks (relatively small portions) during the 1.5 hrs we were there. Drinks were good (but not amazing). Our group ordered a charcuterie board which was adequate to share. All the rooms are decorated over-the-top and Christmas music is blasting. We were only allowed to sit in the two downstairs rooms but we able to take a quick peek upstairs. I would recommend upstairs as it has better ambiance. We went down the street for dinner and walked by around 9pm and the place was jumping.

I went to the Jingle Bell Bar on a Wednesday night, and there was a decent crowd. (We made a reservation to ensure we had a table.) I had never been to Jingle Bell Bar (or Aero) before. Summary Good vibes, great food and drink, mediocre service Atmosphere The music was spectacular and the host was friendly. The decorations were best in the candy cane room and the lodge. We were in the front area, which had fewer decorations but still felt quite Christmas-y. The music is on the loud side (at least in the front room), so it can be difficult to carry on a conversation and order. Food and drink The food and drinks were spectacular and were served within a reasonable time frame. Service The waitress was attentive in taking our order. Staff members were overly attentive in clearing our table, interrupting conversation multiple times to ask if they could take dishes, including ones that still had food on them. We had trouble getting a refill on our water and had to ask several times. One of the staff members reluctantly filled it, and we received refills without prompting thereafter. The waitress clarified how we wanted to split the check when we initially ordered, so I believed settling the bill would be smooth and quick. However, when it did come time to pay, only then did she split everything up, asking each of us what we had. A 20% tip was already included without notice. Texas law requires restaurants to clearly disclose mandatory tips to customers before they place their order or receive their bill. Additionally, I personally did not feel the service warranted a 20% tip. Price 1 La Tortola (nonalcoholic) $14.00 1 Charcuterie Board $28.00 The charcuterie board was enough for 2 to comfortably share.

Popped by Botonica at 6pm on a Saturday before a dinner reservation. I wasn't sure if we could just walk in or not so I made a reservation for 6 people. Upon arrival it was pretty sparsely populated so we would have been fine just showing up, but it's always nice to come prepared. The lounge is pretty large and split into a front space and a back space. Our table was in the back room which had lower lighting and a bit of a sexier vibe. The cocktail menu here is extensive! Everything that we tried was great and the service was very friendly and shockingly quick (though keep in mind it was early evening). Noise level in here was also a huge plus in that our group of 6 was easily able to have a conversation without shouting at each other. Lots of new cocktail bars popping up around Houston and this one feels like a good addition.

Upscale and atmospheric Halloween pop up with the Cursed Caldron at Botonica. Ambiance: 5/5 Parking is available on the street or paid for parking in the garage behind the bar. Highly recommend making reservations to secure a spot as it can get busy. I do enjoy a good themed bar, and It was moody and felt lush and well planned in their pop up setup. They have different areas to sit in, from the bar area to a more lounge space and then the upstairs, which I didn't get to experience because it was closed for a private event. Service: 5/5 Upon entering I was greeted by the hostess, she was also serving the tables when I got there. Elizabeth was friendly and attentive in refilling my water and checking in regularly. Food: 4/5 I got a beef and a chicken "IMP-enadas" (empanadas but Halloween named) . The chicken was flavorful, warm and my favorite, , but you only get one per order, which adds up if you're hungry. Additionally, the food I ordered came served on paper plates, earlier I mentioned the lush feeling when you walked in, I was a bit confused since that was unexpected. Would've thought maybe some hard plastic plates, but not paper. For the pop up experience, they had additional bites, but I didn't try them. Drinks: 5/5 Presentation is part of the experience with a pop-up and Botonica made sure to have the piece covered along with the names and of course the most important part, TASTE! The cost is pricey, but if you manage to get there for happy hour that ends at 6, you'll get to enjoy some spirits. Coven's Calling - is gin based and very refreshing. Very well made and balanced. Old Magic - their take on an old fashioned with whiskey and smoked. It had a mix of flavors from vanilla, citrus and black walnut amongst additional savory flavors. While it there was a delay in getting the drinks, there was only one bartender at the time, but will say the wait was worth it for both drinks. I do plan on returning and might consider it a favorite depending my next experience.

I visited this upscale cocktail bar and event space one weekday during Cursed Cauldron's Halloween pop-up event. Unfortunately, I booked on the one night the upstairs is closed, but the reservation system let me book that particular area on that day regardless. The host of the event emailed a few days beforehand to let me know I need to pick another day or just sit in one of the downstairs sections. If I knew what I know now, I'd have either have picked a different day or requested to sit in the rear section since it was decorated more elaborately by the pop-up event. The ended up placing me in the front section near the front door. The actual Botonica space was nice and modern, taking up 2 levels at the NW corner of the building. Limited free retail parking is available and located in the garage east of the SkyHouse building, which is where I was able to snag a spot. During my visit, I came on the night of the tarot card mini readings, meaning you wait nearly an hour to speak to the one person doing the readings, and get about 2 free minutes with him, then any follow up readings, which are the informative ones, cost $20 each. I felt it's kind of a gimmick to get you to spend more money. We tried 2 drinks, an app and a dessert, during the visit. Lillith's Lullaby and the Old Magick. We also added the spicy beef empanadas and a cinnamon roll. Lillith's Lullaby - a tequila-based drink with a lot of garnishes on top. A fruity, sweet drink but unfortunately my companion pushed the stringy garnish into the drink and basically contaminated it halfway through, so that each time you take a drink, you get a mouth full of the garnish. The Old Magick - a smoky old fashioned with rye whiskey. Nice presentation as the server lights the embers on the lid which generate smoke for the drink down below. Once the lid has been removed, the smoke slowly fades away, but the smokiness stays with the drink until the end. Cinnamon roll - this was a little disappointing because the bottom half of it was hard as a rock and made it hard to cut and chew. Otherwise, it was ok, but nothing gourmet by any means. Spicy beef empanadas- the empanada was tiny but tasty. The green sauce to dip it in is what makes it spicy, but I enjoyed it. It was just too tiny. They auto add a 20% gratuity here, so that's something to be mindful of; however, the server did let us know this when checking out. Overall, I really enjoyed the space, but one thing I was most disappointed with was the fact that this was a Halloween-themed event with about 40-50 customers at my seating time but other than myself, there were maybe 6 other customers that even dressed up. At least most of the customers (who didn't dress up) still dressed nicely. The hostess and at least 2 other employees were in costume as well.

The Cursed Cauldron experience at Botonica was a fun way to celebrate spooky season! Botonica went all out decorating the space with all things creepy, mystical, and magical! I definitely recommend the upstairs lounge as it felt more intimate than the larger space downstairs which was very loud and crowded. A reservation is required, and I did see multiple people without reservations get turned away at the door. Parking is rough, but free valet is offered. As we walked upstairs, we were met with sparkling lights, a bubbling cauldron, and spooky sounds! We were sat at a table near the "fire place" and given themed menus. All of the drinks and food items were curated for a Halloween experience. My friends and I tried several different drinks, my favorite being magical sec on the beach. We specifically requested that our drinks be served in "the cutest cups available", otherwise, you get standard glasses. We also ordered the pumpkin cinnamon roll with pecans, which was a bit of a let down - nothing special and too expensive. The drinks were great, but each cocktail was $16. Ultimately, I would recommend visiting The Cursed Cauldron at Botonica at least once if you are someone who enjoys Halloween!

What a gem! I had an amazing experience at Botonica--the vibe, and the service, were all on point. Dennis was an exceptional bartender--friendly, attentive, and made some killer cocktails. The empanadas? Absolutely delicious--crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and flavorful on the inside. I can't wait to come back and try more from the menu. Highly recommend!

Food is amazing. I want to try different drinks but can't stop drinking the suavecito!