713 Music Hall Guide: Parking, Floor vs. Balcony and Nearby Eats

At a glance

• Where: 401 Franklin St, Downtown Houston (inside POST Houston)
• Capacity: Up to 5,000 (widely reported; verify current configuration at 713musichall.com)
• Operator: Live Nation; tickets and schedule at 713musichall.com
• Parking: POST Houston garage, same address; $5/hr after a free window; rates may vary on event nights
• Bag policy: Up to 12 in. × 6 in. × 12 in.; non-clear bags screened; no outside food or drinks
• Re-entry: None — once you leave, you cannot return

713 Music Hall sits at 401 Franklin Street in downtown Houston, inside the POST Houston complex. Dinner and a show under one roof without moving your car — that's the practical case for this venue. Live Nation operates it in the east wing of the former Barbara Jordan Post Office building. The POST Market food hall is on the same property, so the two are steps apart.

The venue is one of downtown Houston's larger indoor concert halls, widely reported as holding up to 5,000 for standing GA shows; verify the current configuration at 713musichall.com before you go.

Floor vs. the balcony — which ticket are you holding?

Every ticket for 713 Music Hall falls into one of two access zones, and they deliver a meaningfully different night.

General admission (GA) floor means standing room on the main floor, as close to the stage as you want to get. There are no assigned positions. Doors typically open around 90 minutes before showtime; arrive early to queue for a front-rail spot. Expect to be on your feet for the full show.

Reserved balcony means a numbered seat on the elevated level overlooking the floor. Sightlines are consistent from any position, and you can sit for the entire set. If you are shorter, bringing someone who prefers not to push through a crowd, or heading to a long show, the balcony is the practical choice.

How to tell which you have: check your ticket before you arrive. A ticket listing a section letter and a row number means balcony; a ticket listing only GA means floor.

Premium upgrades — including Kashmere Lounge access and Fast Lane entry — are available through the venue at 713musichall.com/upgrades.

Bag rules and what to leave in the car

Bags up to 12 in. × 6 in. × 12 in. are allowed. Non-clear bags in that size get additional screening at entry. Anything larger needs to go back to your car or into coat check at the venue ($10).

Leave at home or in the car:

• Outside food or drinks of any kind
• Unsealed liquids or gels
• Professional cameras (no detachable lenses, no lens longer than 3 inches)
• Selfie sticks, GoPros, drones, camcorders
• Laser pointers
• Posters, banners, or signs larger than 8.5 × 11 inches

No re-entry. Once you leave the venue for any reason, you cannot get back in. Make all car trips, outside calls, and last-minute errands before you walk through the door.

Cashless venue. Every bar and register inside 713 runs card or phone pay only. Cash-to-card conversion machines are available near the upgrade podium if you need them.

Parking and getting here

The POST Houston garage at 401 Franklin St is the obvious choice: same address as the venue, 800 spots, and fully ticketless via license-plate recognition. Base rates:

• Monday through Thursday: first 60 minutes free, then $5/hr, $40/day maximum
• Friday through Sunday and show nights: first 20 minutes free, then $5/hr, $40/day maximum

The official site notes rates may vary for concerts and holidays. On a sold-out show night, budget for the $40 daily max. Entrances are on Bagby Street and on Franklin Street.

Insider tip: a purchase of $20 or more at El Tiempo Cantina (Level 2, East Wing) earns two hours of free parking validation. If you eat there before the show, parking is effectively covered for the dining window.

Rideshare: drop-off and pickup is at the corner of Franklin Street and Bagby Street. On sold-out nights, walking half a block before requesting the ride often cuts wait time significantly.

Other options: ParkWhiz lists nearby garages in downtown Houston, but a ParkWhiz reservation does not work for the POST Houston on-site garage — they are separate systems. See the downtown Houston parking guide for block-by-block options nearby.

What to eat at POST Market before the show

POST Market is the ground-floor food hall inside the same building as 713 Music Hall — no driving required. Hours: Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at two bars inside the market.

With more than 30 vendors confirmed on the official POST Houston dining directory, the hall is one of the most globally varied under-one-roof eating options downtown. See the Houston food halls guide for how POST Market fits the broader scene.

El Tiempo Cantina — Tex-Mex

East Wing, Level 2 · full-service restaurant · phone: 713-538-2930

A sit-down restaurant with table service, not a counter stall. The family has been a Houston institution for 75 years and credits itself with popularizing fajitas in the United States. Go here if you want a full meal, a bar, and time to settle before doors open. Parking perk: a purchase of $20 or more earns two hours of free parking validation — the most practical combination on this list.

What to order: fajitas.

ChòpnBlọk — West African

West African food in a food hall in downtown Houston is rare by any standard. ChòpnBlọk is the stall for anyone who wants something genuinely different from every other option in the building. Confirmed active on the POST Houston eat directory.

Foreign Grill — Uzbek and Central Asian

Uzbek cuisine is about as rare in Houston as it gets. Foreign Grill — Central Asian and Eastern European — is one of the most unusual food hall concepts downtown. If you have time and curiosity, start here.

Loy Loy Dim Sum — Chinese

Dim sum by the piece works well pre-show: order as much or as little as you want, share with a group, and move at your own pace. Good for mixed appetites.

Phở Lạc Việt — Vietnamese

A bowl of pho is a more practical pre-show choice than it sounds — filling, light, and fast. If you are on the GA floor for two or more hours of standing, broth beforehand is not a bad call.

Bowl'd Masala — Indian

Indian food in a bowl format. Solid when you want something satisfying before a long night on the floor.

Lea Jane's Hot Chicken — Southern fried chicken

Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches. Budget extra time on show nights — this stall draws a line. Worth the wait.

KWO Sushi — Japanese

Sushi and Japanese dishes. A lighter pre-show option confirmed on the official POST eat directory. Good if you want to eat clean before a two-set night.

Ciccio's Pasta — Italian

Hot pasta from a counter stall. Comforting and faster than a sit-down alternative when you are watching the clock before doors open.

Soy Pinoy — Filipino

Filipino street food is a rarity downtown. Worth a stop for something different and well-priced before you head up to the hall.

Mamma Tomato Pizza — Pizza

The easy group pick when no one can agree. Fast, familiar, done.

Pistachio's Coffee — Coffee

For early-evening shows or anyone who needs caffeine before the opening act opens.

How we chose

All 12 stalls above are currently listed as active vendors on the official POST Houston dining directory at posthtx.com/eat, confirmed October 2026. We highlighted the twelve most distinctive or practical for a pre-show visit, prioritizing variety, cuisines rare or absent elsewhere downtown, and speed. Individual stall hours may differ from the market-wide hours, so arriving before 8 p.m. on weekdays or 9 p.m. on weekends gives you the full range of options.

Save this: show-night checklist

• Ticket type: section and row number means balcony (seated); GA only means floor (standing)
• Bag: 12 in. × 6 in. × 12 in. max; non-clear bags get screened at entry regardless of size
• Parking: budget $40 max on show nights; El Tiempo validates 2 free hours with a $20+ purchase
• Timing: POST Market closes at 9 or 10 p.m. — arrive 90 minutes before showtime to eat without rushing
• No outside food or unsealed drinks inside 713 Music Hall
• No re-entry: all car trips and outside calls happen before you walk through the door
• Cashless inside: card or phone pay only; cash-to-card conversion available near the upgrade podium

The building worth knowing

713 Music Hall sits in what was once Houston's main post office — the Barbara Jordan Post Office, which sorted the city's mail for decades before POST Houston converted it into a mixed-use complex. The east wing, where the concert hall lives, kept its raw industrial character: exposed concrete, wide spans, the bones that newer venues spend years trying to replicate. The “713” in the venue name is the Houston area code. POST Houston earned LEED Gold certification for the adaptive reuse.

If you have time before or after the show, the rooftop Skylawn — an urban park and garden above the building — is a separate attraction.

For more Houston live music options, see the Houston concert venues guide and best live music venues in Houston. For post-show drinks on nearby blocks, the best bars in downtown Houston guide has current picks.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is 713 Music Hall in Houston?

713 Music Hall is a 5,000-capacity concert venue inside POST Houston at 401 Franklin Street in downtown Houston. It is operated by Live Nation and sits in the east wing of the former Barbara Jordan Post Office building.

Is 713 Music Hall general admission or reserved seating?

Both. GA floor tickets give you standing access to the main floor with no assigned position. Reserved balcony tickets assign a numbered seat on the elevated level above the floor. Check your ticket: section and row number means balcony; GA only means floor.

What is the bag policy at 713 Music Hall?

Bags up to 12 in. × 6 in. × 12 in. are allowed. Non-clear bags in that size get additional screening at entry. Larger bags must return to your vehicle or go to coat check ($10). No outside food or drinks are permitted.

How much does parking cost at 713 Music Hall?

The POST Houston on-site garage charges $5/hr with a $40 daily maximum. The first hour is free Monday through Thursday; the first 20 minutes are free on weekends and event nights. Rates may vary on concert nights.

Can you eat at POST Market before a show at 713 Music Hall?

Yes. POST Market is the food hall inside the same building at 401 Franklin Street. It has more than 30 vendors and is open until 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Arrive at least 90 minutes before showtime.

Is there re-entry at 713 Music Hall?

No. Once you leave the venue at any point during the event, you cannot re-enter. Handle all car trips, outside calls, and last-minute errands before walking through the door.