If you ever thought about trying your hand at running one of the busiest country western bars in Houston, Texas, you better well be prepared to get your boots a little bit dirty. Some situations downright demand a tougher breed of bartender, the kind of bartender that never even falls off of their horse, [...]

It’s Cooler Up North
Need a break from the hustle and bustle of Houston? We have just the cure for your big city blues. We prescribe that you take a little trip up to Conroe and stop in at Wild Ginger so you can get to know Kristi Sides, Going Out Houston’s feature Bartender of the [...]

 
Modern Vintage
Your first step into Hearsay Gastro Lounge at 218 Travis St. in Houston will take you back to the Golden Age when a bar was the place to savor a hand-crafted cocktail made with dignity by a professional. Not just some joint where the drink has to be blue and only made with two [...]

What Matters Most
 
       When you stop by to visit Mike Criss at Anvil Bar & Refuge in the Montrose district of Houston, you’re in for more than just a great cocktail; you also get to experience hospitality in its finest form. Mike knows that it takes much more than a recipe of great ingredients and [...]

Lessons from Lance by Nick Babcock
 
         Life is meant to be savored, and Lance Cumpian at Bakkhus Taverna Greek Restaurant & Bar in Kemah understands this better than anyone. As the sun beats down on the Texas Gulf Coast, Lance keeps his cool by mixing up refreshing and mouth watering cocktails for his favorite customers [...]

Sabrina Hubbard at The Washington Drinkery got her start in the bar business before she could walk.  Her family has been running bars for years, and it runs in her blood.  At The Drinkery she mixes it up with the best of them, and we got her to sit down for a minute to let [...]

     Sushi restaurants tend to be overlooked when you’re in the mood for a great cocktail, but don’t let yourself visit AKA Sushi House and simply stick with sake.  Stop by the bar and meet Joseph Le and see what he’s cooking.  Joseph is a rare find as far as bartenders go.  His neo-classic, molecular [...]

All Alba
Favorite Cocktail: Sazerac
Favorite Bartending Tool: “There’s no such thing.  I need them all – double strainer, muddler, bar spoon, Boston shaker.”
Last Drink Ever: Ramos Gin Fizz
Proudest Accomplishment: starting a Houston chapter of the USBG
Favorite Movie: Dr. Strangelove
Favorite Music: Classic Country, Willie Nelson
If she were an animal she would be: a personified octopus with 8 [...]

Carlos Ballon could be called a bar chef instead of a bartender or mixologist.  His love of food and inspiration from the kitchen can be seen and tasted throughout his cocktails.  In college, he started out serving beer and was always interested in getting behind the bar.  His fascination with the bar partnered with his [...]

When you go to a bar you don’t hope the bartender makes an average cocktail.  You don’t have your heart set on a mediocre martini or a so-so highball.  You want the best drink they can make.  You want someone who cares about what they are creating for you.  You want Art Huerta.
Art started his [...]