Bars in River Oaks Houston: 10 Pubs, Patios, Lounges

The best bars in River Oaks, Houston sit on the neighborhood’s commercial edges: South Shepherd Drive, West Gray, Westheimer Road, San Felipe and River Oaks District. Our ten picks run from Kenneally’s Irish Pub and The Red Lion for game days, to Marfreless and Botonica for cocktails, to a’Bouzy and Brasserie 19 for Champagne and wine. Every one was confirmed open on its own official website.

Here’s the line worth sending to the group chat: Marfreless, the River Oaks lounge with the blue door at 2006 Peden Street, has been pouring since 1972, and its founder built it with no theme on purpose. No TV, no darts, no dance floor, no loud music.

Where does River Oaks start and stop?

For this guide, River Oaks means the area between Buffalo Bayou to the north, Loop 610 to the west, Shepherd Drive to the east and Westheimer Road to the south, counting businesses on both sides of Shepherd and Westheimer. The leafy residential streets at the heart of River Oaks are homes, not bars, so we count the commercial edges people mean when they say they’re going out in River Oaks.

That box takes in the River Oaks Shopping Center on West Gray, the Shepherd Drive pub strip, the Westheimer corridor west of Shepherd, the San Felipe stretch near Loop 610, and River Oaks District at 4444 Westheimer, which sits on the south side of the road. Bars just over the line are in our Montrose bar guide and our Galleria and Uptown bar guide. For the wider neighborhood, start with our River Oaks area guide.

How we chose

We kept only bars we could confirm open on their own official website, with a current address and hours, inside the boundary above. Each one had to give you a clear reason to go: a pub that shows the game, a patio worth the drive, a drinks list with a point of view, or a room with a story. Hours change, so check each bar’s site before you go.

The quick list

For a pint and a thin-crust pizza: Kenneally’s Irish Pub.
For Premier League mornings and a proper pub lunch: The Red Lion.
For skeeball and a patio by the train tracks: The Railyard.
For a dark, quiet lounge with history: Marfreless.
For Latin-spirit cocktails: Botonica.
For a hotel bar with a dress code: The Remington Bar.
For Champagne by the bottle on a patio: a’Bouzy.
For wine with the see-and-be-seen crowd: Brasserie 19.
For whiskey and live music every night: Loch Bar.
For a late Thursday that turns into dancing: Armandos.

Neighborhood pubs and game-day bars

River Oaks has three bars where you can watch a game in jeans: two pubs on South Shepherd Drive and an arcade-style bar on San Felipe.

Kenneally’s Irish Pub — 2111 S Shepherd Dr

Kenneally’s Irish Pub on South Shepherd Drive has been family-owned and pouring since 1983, which makes it one of the longest-running bars on this list. The pub is known for its made-from-scratch, Chicago-style thin-crust pizza.

Kenneally’s opens at 3pm daily and typically stays open until midnight Sunday through Tuesday and until 2am Wednesday through Saturday. Happy hour typically runs Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm.

What to order: A pint of draught beer and a thin-crust pizza for the table.

Best for: An easy weeknight, a casual group, or a pre-game pint.

Official site: irishpubkenneallys.com

The Red Lion — 2316 S Shepherd Dr

The Red Lion on South Shepherd Drive is a British-owned pub that calls itself Houston’s oldest British pub. It shows the big games live during business hours, including Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, rugby and US sports, so it’s where River Oaks goes for early-morning soccer.

The Red Lion is open daily, typically from 10am or 11am until 11pm or midnight depending on the day, with brunch on weekends.

What to order: A pint with whatever British classic is on the menu that day.

Best for: Soccer fans, a long weekend brunch, or a pub lunch that turns into an afternoon.

Official site: theredlionhouston.com

The Railyard — 4200 San Felipe St

The Railyard on San Felipe is a no-fuss neighborhood bar on the western edge of River Oaks, right off the train tracks, as its name suggests. Sit on the patio and a freight train may roll past while you drink. Inside you’ll find skeeball, arcade games, a vintage photo booth and a projection screen for the big game.

The Railyard’s website lists 3pm to 2am every day, but the site is rarely updated, so check its social pages or call before you go.

What to order: A bucket of beers for the table, then a round of skeeball.

Best for: Happy hour with coworkers, a playful date or a game night.

Official site: railyardhouston.com

Cocktail lounges and hotel bars

River Oaks’ best cocktail rooms are quiet ones: a 1970s lounge, a Latin-spirits bar near Loop 610 and a hotel bar with a dress code.

Marfreless — 2006 Peden St

Marfreless is a dim River Oaks lounge near West Gray and Shepherd Drive, and you find it by looking for the blue door under the white stairs. According to the bar’s own history, it opened in the fall of 1972 on Feagan Street, moved to 2006 Peden Street in 1976, and reopened under its third owners in January 2014 after a renovation designed to keep its character.

Marfreless is typically open from 4pm to 2am Monday through Friday, 5pm to 2am Saturday and 7pm to 2am Sunday. The bar says free parking is available in its lot, along Peden and McDuffie streets, and in the garage behind La Griglia, with paid valet on most weekend evenings.

What to order: A classic cocktail, then settle in upstairs.

Best for: A date, a quiet catch-up or a nightcap after dinner on West Gray.

Official site: marfrelesshouston.com

Botonica — 2031 Westcreek Ln

Botonica is a craft cocktail bar built around Latin spirits, underneath SkyHouse River Oaks, a block from River Oaks District. The bar has no dress code and no cover except on ticketed event nights, and dogs are welcome on the patio. Botonica is 21 and up.

Botonica is typically open Wednesday through Saturday from 4pm to midnight. It encourages reservations at busy times and offers complimentary guest parking in the SkyHouse retail garage behind the building.

What to order: A cocktail built on agave or another Latin spirit, plus a few bites.

Best for: Cocktail lovers, a date before or after River Oaks District, or a patio night with the dog.

Official site: botonicahouston.com

The Remington Bar — 1919 Briar Oaks Ln

The Remington Bar is the evening bar inside Houston Grand Hotel – River Oaks at 1919 Briar Oaks Lane, the hotel long known as the St. Regis Houston. It serves signature cocktails and dinner, and the dress code is smart casual.

The Remington Bar is typically open every day from 4pm to 11pm.

What to order: A signature cocktail before dinner.

Best for: A grown-up date, out-of-town guests or a quiet business drink.

Official site: Houston Grand Hotel – River Oaks dining

Champagne and wine bars

River Oaks drinks a lot of bubbles, and two Westheimer and West Gray dining rooms are really bars with very good food.

a’Bouzy — 2300 Westheimer Rd

a’Bouzy on Westheimer Road is a Champagne-focused restaurant and bar whose name is pronounced exactly as it looks: “ah boozy.” It’s named for Bouzy, a village in France’s Champagne region known for Grand Cru Champagne. The wine list runs to more than 1,000 labels, and the dog-friendly patio, first-come, first-served though reservations take priority, fills up with ice buckets on a nice afternoon.

a’Bouzy typically opens at 11am on weekdays and 10am for weekend brunch, and closes at 9pm or 10pm depending on the day. The dress code is business casual.

What to order: A bottle of Champagne for the table and the deviled eggs.

Best for: Birthdays, a celebratory brunch or a long patio afternoon.

Official site: abouzy.com

Brasserie 19 — 1962 W Gray St

Brasserie 19 in the River Oaks Shopping Center on West Gray is a French brasserie with a bar scene to match. It calls itself “easily the most see and be seen restaurant in town,” and says its unconventional wine pricing “has every table topped with a bottle.”

Brasserie 19 is typically open from 11am daily, until 9pm Sunday and Monday, 10pm Tuesday through Thursday and 11pm Friday and Saturday. Free parking is available in The Driscoll at River Oaks garage, or use the valet.

What to order: A glass of rosé or a bottle of red with oysters on the half shell.

Best for: People-watching, a pre-movie glass of wine or a long lunch.

Official site: brasserie19.com

Late nights: whiskey, live music and dancing

When dinner ends and you aren’t ready to go home, these two Westheimer bars stay lively.

Loch Bar — 4444 Westheimer Rd, Suite G110

Loch Bar in River Oaks District is a seafood tavern with what it calls one of the region’s largest whiskey lists, dozens of local craft beers and a big raw bar. The best reason to come late is the live local music, which typically runs from 9pm to 11:30pm.

Loch Bar is typically open from 11:30am Monday through Friday and from 11am on weekends, until midnight every night.

What to order: A whiskey you’ve never tried and a dozen oysters.

Best for: Live music after shopping River Oaks District, or a bigger group that wants food and drinks in one place.

Official site: lochbar.com/houston

Armandos — 2630 Westheimer Rd

Armandos on Westheimer Road has been open since 1978. It’s a restaurant with a fully stocked bar and, in its own words, “a packed discotheque.” On Thursdays, Armandos typically runs a late night from 10pm to 1am for guests 23 and older.

Armandos is typically open from 4pm daily, closing at 9pm Sunday through Wednesday and later Thursday through Saturday.

What to order: A cocktail at the bar, then stay for Thursday late night.

Best for: A dressed-up Thursday, a birthday dinner that keeps going or a classic River Oaks night out.

Official site: armandosrestaurant.com

Save this: a River Oaks bar route

This route follows the neighborhood from west to east. Use a rideshare or a designated driver between stops.

Botonica, 4pm (Wednesday to Saturday): Start with a Latin-spirit cocktail on the patio near Loop 610.
Loch Bar, around 6pm: Walk a block to River Oaks District for oysters and a whiskey.
a’Bouzy or Brasserie 19, around 7:30pm: Head east for Champagne on Westheimer or wine on West Gray.
Marfreless, around 9:30pm: Find the blue door under the white stairs on Peden Street.
Kenneally’s Irish Pub, late: Finish with a pint and a slice on South Shepherd, open until 2am Wednesday through Saturday.

Checklist before you go:

Check each bar’s official site on the day; several close earlier than you might expect.
Botonica is open Wednesday through Saturday only.
The Remington Bar and a’Bouzy ask for smart or business casual dress.
Armandos’ Thursday late night is 23 and up; Botonica is 21 and up.
Use free parking where offered: Marfreless’ lot, The Driscoll at River Oaks garage for Brasserie 19, and the SkyHouse retail garage for Botonica.

Planning dinner first? Our River Oaks restaurant guide and River Oaks brunch guide cover the area, and our things to do in River Oaks fills the afternoon. For the citywide picture, see the Houston nightlife guide, plus our sports bars, hotel bars and wine bars guides.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best bars in River Oaks, Houston?

Our ten picks are Kenneally’s Irish Pub, The Red Lion, The Railyard, Marfreless, Botonica, The Remington Bar, a’Bouzy, Brasserie 19, Loch Bar and Armandos. Each was confirmed open on its own official website.

Is there a sports bar in River Oaks, Houston?

Yes. The Red Lion at 2316 S Shepherd Dr shows Premier League, Champions League, rugby and US sports live, and The Railyard at 4200 San Felipe St has a projection screen for big games. Kenneally’s Irish Pub at 2111 S Shepherd Dr is the casual pub option nearby.

What is the oldest bar in River Oaks?

Marfreless at 2006 Peden St is the oldest bar on our list: it opened in 1972 on Feagan Street and moved to Peden Street in 1976, according to the bar’s own history. Armandos on Westheimer Road dates to 1978 and Kenneally’s Irish Pub to 1983.

Which River Oaks bars have dog-friendly patios?

a’Bouzy at 2300 Westheimer Rd lists a dog-friendly patio, and Botonica at 2031 Westcreek Ln welcomes dogs on its patio. Both say pets stay outside.

How do you pronounce a’Bouzy?

a’Bouzy is pronounced “ah boozy,” according to the restaurant. It is named for Bouzy, a village in France’s Champagne region.

Where can I hear live music in River Oaks?

Loch Bar in River Oaks District at 4444 Westheimer Rd typically has live local music from 9pm to 11:30pm. Botonica also hosts ticketed event nights; check its official site.

Best Bars in River Oaks, Houston: 10 Pubs, Patios and Lounges