Julep

"If a fresh southern lily bouquet were a cocktail bar, she would probably be Julep. Oozing class and refinement, choosing the Sixth Ward bar as a date night spot lets anyone know you are in the mood for romance or want to drop major cash on julep riffs with hibiscus-infused mezcal and trays of oysters. While most of the drinks here are takes on classics, each one is served with attention to detail without the need for any flash smoke, mirrors, or ridiculous glassware." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi

"As the 2022 James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Bar Program, Julep is the crown jewel of Houston’s cocktail bar scene with 10 years in the game. Here, Alba Huerta and her team create classics, including a whiskey-fueled Cherry Bounce Sour and the bar’s namesake cocktail, the julep. Try one of its three varieties on the menu, including a Tepache Julep — a combination of sous vide pineapple wine, mezcal, Maraschino, raspberry, and tamarindo poured over crushed ice." - Brittany Britto Garley

"A bar owned by mixologist Alba Huerta, awarded Outstanding Bar Program by the James Beard Awards in 2022." - Courtney E. Smith

"The backstory of Tommy’s Margarita at Julep is that it was created in the ‘90s by Julio Bermejo of Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, and according to the bar pros at this acclaimed Washington Avenue cocktail bar, it is the best representation of tequila in a margarita. Made with only three ingredients — tequila blanco, lime, and agave nectar — it’s a simple pleasure." - Courtney E. Smith, Megha McSwain

"Drink: Tommy’s Margarita After trying the Tommy’s margarita, it became the standard we compared every other marg to. Julep’s claim to bar fame may be its mint juleps (hence the name), but it also makes an incredible drink. Tommy’s margarita conspicuously leaves out any orange liqueur and swaps the sweetener for agave syrup—a possible margarita controversy. The ingredients get shaken so hard, that this drink might count as anger management therapy. But the result tastes refreshing, crisp, and smooth, with bits of pleasing ice chips and just the right level of acid— that drinking just one feels wrong." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene