"Written somewhere is the understanding that any bar in The Heights Shady Acres neighborhood requires cornhole and horseshoes. Built to resemble a small town square, Shady Acres Saloon offers generous setups for both, along with a country-general-store-esque outdoor stage for live music. Most nights, anyone wearing cowboy boots regularly hits up the bar for Lone Star tall boys and ole smokey banana puddin' shots, fights over the one pool table, or two-steps to whatever country band is twanging outside." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi
"Two Headed Dog is a neo-dive bar in Midtown that’s adored for its unpretentious energy, regular themed parties, music showcases, and inventive cocktails. The space is co-owned by Lindsay Rae Burleson, a skilled bartender who is also the outreach director for I’ll Have What She’s Having, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting women leadership and better healthcare in the hospitality industry. The bar rotates its cocktail menu three times a year and also features monthly specials. In March, that special is the I Am the Storm, a Zacapa No. 23 Rum cocktail with Italian amaro, carrot falernum, citrus, coconut, and a picturesque shaved carrot flower garnish." - Taylor Tobin
"First dates sometimes require a lot of contingency plans, especially if you don’t know the person well. Do they just want a beer and a shot, or craft cocktails? Do they prefer to sit inside or outside? Will the two of you hit it off so well that photographic documentation of your budding connection will be required? Enter: Two Headed Dog, a small cocktail dive bar in Midtown. The cocktails here are excellent and inventive, but the bartenders will also pour shots of Fernet if that’s your thing. Stay at the bar, grab a booth inside, or hang on the patio. At Two Headed Dog, you can choose-your-own first date adventure, and jump into the photo booth if needed." - chelsea thomas
"A chill craft cocktail bar dressed up as a dive, Two Headed Dog in Midtown doesn’t take itself too seriously.The cocktails are excellent and inventive, and the bartenders will also pour shots of Fireball if that’s your thing. Most nights the bar is padded down with local punks, restaurant industry regulars, and people who probably wandered a little too far from Main Street. The mismatched 1970s beer lights, giant patio, and canopy of fake plants make Two Headed feel like it’s been squeezed into the small space for decades. Go for , , or just to take a few cute pics with your bestie in what’s probably Houston’s best bar photobooth. " - Chelsea Thomas
"A Houston tavern run by a progressive owner that doubles as a community hub for hospitality workers, opening its space for meetings and organizing and donating proceeds to advocacy causes. The owner treats the venue as a ‘‘third place’’ where workers get information, build solidarity, and coordinate support—sharing practical resources like how to obtain an IUD or other reproductive care through industry-focused nonprofits—and uses the business to materially and culturally support service-worker organizing around reproductive and labor issues." - Greta Moran