Anvil Bar & Refuge
1424 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
The cocktail bar that started Houston's craft cocktail scene in 2009 and is still the best. A 100-drink list, a no-nonsense room, and bartenders who've trained half the city.
Insider tip
Sit at the bar and ask for a dealer's choice. Arrive before 8pm on weekends.
Before you go
What they actually say
- Open seven days a week, 2pm to 2am, at 1424 Westheimer Rd.
- The drinks list is split into seasonal cocktails and a standing "100 List of Classics", so you can order off either a house menu or the canon.
- There is real bar food, not crisps: cheese and charcuterie at $8 a la carte or $45 for the board, served with bread from Magnol French Baking, and sandwiches (pastrami, turkey, or a vegetarian mushroom) at $15.
- Cocktails to-go and gift cards are both available through their online ordering.
Read off their own site in Sep 2026. Prices and policies drift, so confirm before you travel.
Located in Montrose. Houston's bohemian heart.
