Best Bars in Third Ward, Houston: Patios, Lounges and Game Days

The best bars in Third Ward, Houston, cluster in three places: Emancipation Avenue, Almeda Road and the University of Houston campus edge. Our six picks are The Savoy and DBar on Emancipation Avenue, The Den at UH, and Quad, Bar 5015 and The Tipsy Lounge on Almeda Road. Expect big patios, game-day crowds and R&B, not velvet-rope cocktail bars.

Here's the line to remember: in Third Ward, the bar where people danced in the 1950s is still pouring. The Savoy on Emancipation Avenue was built as a neighborhood bar in 1940, and from 1940 to 2023 it had only three owners.

Where does Third Ward start and stop?

Third Ward runs from I-45 south to Old Spanish Trail, and from Almeda Road east to the railroad tracks. We use the boundaries published by the University of Houston's Third Ward Initiative: the Gulf Freeway (I-45) to the north, Almeda Road to the west, Old Spanish Trail and Griggs Road to the south, and the railroad tracks to the east. That takes in Emancipation Park, Texas Southern University and the UH campus. We count bars on both sides of Almeda Road, because that strip is where Third Ward actually goes out.

Bars north of I-45 belong to EaDo and the East End, and bars farther west toward Main Street belong to Midtown and the Museum District. For those, see our guides to the best bars in the Museum District and the Houston nightlife guide. New to the neighborhood? Start with the Third Ward area page.

The quick list

• For history and a huge patio: The Savoy, 4402 Emancipation Avenue.
• For a dressed-up night out: DBar, 4409 Emancipation Avenue.
• For a Cougars game with students: The Den, 4835 Calhoun Road at UH.
• For a sports bar with a real kitchen: Quad, 4608 Almeda Road.
• For Sunday Funday on a patio: Bar 5015, 5015 Almeda Road.
• For cocktails from 2pm any day of the week: The Tipsy Lounge, 4806 Almeda Road.

How did we choose these bars?

Every bar here is inside the boundaries above and showed it was operating, on its own website or official social account, when we last verified this guide. We looked for a clear reason to go: a patio, a game-day setup, a food program or a story worth telling. We left out venues whose sites have gone dark, that have closed, that sit outside the boundary, or that merged into locations outside Third Ward.

Third Ward bars change their hours and weekly events often, so treat every schedule below as "typically" and check the bar's site or Instagram before you go. Most are 21 and up at night.

Which Third Ward bars are on Emancipation Avenue?

The Savoy and DBar sit a few doors apart on the 4400 block of Emancipation Avenue in Third Ward. Emancipation Avenue, called Dowling Street until 2017, was the commercial heart of Black Houston for much of the 20th century, and these two bars are a short drive south of Emancipation Park.

The Savoy

4402 Emancipation Avenue · bar and restaurant with a big patio · typically open 11am–2am

The Savoy at 4402 Emancipation Avenue bills itself as a bar and restaurant in historic Third Ward, and its history backs that up. It was built as a neighborhood bar in 1940. In the 1950s, social clubs and fraternities held dances here with a live band, and you could order a "set-up": a small bottle of liquor with a mixer, cups, ice and fresh cherries brought to your table. New owners bought it in 2019, renovated it top to bottom and relaunched it in the fall of 2021.

Today the draw is the outdoor patio, with booth and high-top seating for up to 250 people. The Savoy's Instagram highlights cocktails, food, weekend brunch, happy hour and R&B Wednesdays, and its bio lists hours of 11am to 2am.

Insider tip: The Savoy is a University of Houston game-day headquarters. One of its owners is a former UH basketball player, and the bar has thrown "Paint the Third Ward Red" watch parties for big Cougars games.

What to order: A cocktail on the patio, or brunch on a weekend.

Best for: First-timers, groups, game days. Official: The Savoy.

DBar

4409 Emancipation Avenue · lounge with section seating

DBar at 4409 Emancipation Avenue describes itself as a nightlife destination in Houston's historic Third Ward, and it's the place on Emancipation where people dress up. Expect hookah and reserved section seating; the bar keeps a section chart in its Instagram highlights for groups who want to book a table. DBar posts on Instagram almost every day, so check it for that night's event.

What to do: Book a section for a birthday or a crew night out.

Best for: Weekend nights and celebrations. Official: DBar on Instagram.

Where can you watch a Cougars game near UH?

The Den on Calhoun Road is the University of Houston's campus bar and the easiest place in Third Ward to watch the Cougars with a crowd.

The Den

4835 Calhoun Road · campus sports bar · typically open until 2am

The Den sits at 4835 Calhoun Road at the edge of the University of Houston campus and bills itself as the original Houston campus bar, established in 2008. It's a no-frills pub built around Cougars games: TVs, watch parties for big games and a crowd of students and alumni. UH's own campus listings show The Den on Calhoun open until 2am.

What to do: Come for a Cougars road game, when the room fills with fans who couldn't travel.

Best for: Students, UH alumni and anyone who wants a beer with a game. Official: The Den on Instagram.

For more game-day options across the city, see our best sports bars in Houston.

Which bars line Almeda Road?

Quad, The Tipsy Lounge and Bar 5015 sit within a few blocks of each other on Almeda Road, Third Ward's western edge and its busiest bar strip.

Quad

4608 Almeda Road · sports bar, restaurant and lounge · typically Thursday to Sunday

Quad at 4608 Almeda Road is a restaurant, sports bar, lounge and patio owned by Michael Brockers, the Houston-born former NFL player and first-round draft pick. A renovation added a redesigned dining room, an upgraded bar and lounge, an enhanced patio and more TVs throughout. Quad's posted schedule is typically Thursday and Friday from 5pm to midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 4pm to midnight; check its Instagram before you go.

The cocktails are named like plays: the Victory Lap (a pineapple French 75), the Heat Check (a spicy guava margarita) and the Midnight Touchdown, a toasted marshmallow espressotini.

What to order: Crawfish queso and the Heat Check for a game, or the Cajun seafood pasta if you came to eat.

Best for: A game with a sit-down meal. Official: Quad on Instagram.

Bar 5015

5015 Almeda Road · patio bar with DJs and Sunday Funday

Bar 5015 at 5015 Almeda Road is a patio bar first: its management has said the footprint is about 80 percent outdoor seating. It's best known for Sunday Funday, and its website advertises DJ nights, craft cocktails and food. To stay on good terms with neighbors under Houston's sound ordinance, the bar has said it takes hourly decibel readings and keeps a log, and that the DJs it books sign contracts capping their volume.

What to do: Get there early on a Sunday and claim a patio table. Call 713-515-8688 to reserve a table, per the bar's Instagram.

Best for: Sunday Funday and big groups. Official: Bar 5015.

The Tipsy Lounge

4806 Almeda Road · Black-owned cocktail lounge · typically daily 2pm–midnight

The Tipsy Lounge at 4806 Almeda Road is a proudly Black-owned nightlife lounge with DJs, themed nights, VIP tables and a signature cocktail list that includes a drink named The Almeda. Its site lists two food partners: Tacos by KountryBoi and Smoked Oxtails by Tha Kitchen. Its most unusual feature is its own party bus, the Tipsy Transpo, a Mercedes Sprinter with room for up to 14 passengers, which you can book through the lounge.

What to order: The Almeda, plus a plate of smoked oxtails.

Best for: An early start, since it typically opens at 2pm every day, and group nights that need a ride. Official: The Tipsy Lounge.

Save this: a Third Ward bar night

Use a rideshare or a designated driver between stops; these bars are spread across the neighborhood.

1. Start at The Tipsy Lounge on Almeda Road, open from 2pm, for a signature cocktail.
2. Ride down Almeda to Quad for dinner and the game.
3. Head east to The Savoy on Emancipation Avenue for a drink on the patio of the bar Third Ward has gathered in since 1940.
4. Cross the street to DBar if the night calls for a section and a late finish.
5. Sunday version: swap steps 3 and 4 for Sunday Funday at Bar 5015.

Before the night, eat at one of the best restaurants in Third Ward, or make an afternoon of it with our things to do in Third Ward guide and the Third Ward blues and jazz history.

Checklist before you go:

• Check hours the day you go. Quad typically opens Thursday to Sunday only, and weekly theme nights change often.
• Bring ID. Expect 21 and up at night.
• Book ahead for a group. DBar and Bar 5015 take table and section reservations.
• DBar and The Savoy offer hookah; if you'd rather avoid smoke, ask for a spot away from it or choose The Den.
• Plan your ride home before the first drink.

Want more lounges like these? See our guide to the best hookah lounges in Houston.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best bars in Third Ward, Houston?

Our six picks are The Savoy and DBar on Emancipation Avenue, The Den at the University of Houston, and Quad, Bar 5015 and The Tipsy Lounge on Almeda Road. Each was confirmed operating on its own site or official social account when we last verified this guide.

How old is The Savoy in Third Ward?

The Savoy at 4402 Emancipation Avenue in Third Ward was built as a neighborhood bar in 1940. It had only three owners from 1940 to 2023, and in the 1950s social clubs and fraternities held dances there.

Where can I watch a University of Houston game in Third Ward?

The Den at 4835 Calhoun Road is the UH campus bar and hosts Cougars watch parties. The Savoy on Emancipation Avenue, co-owned by a former UH basketball player, has also thrown big Cougars watch parties.

Which Third Ward bars have patios?

The Savoy on Emancipation Avenue has a patio that seats up to 250, Bar 5015 on Almeda Road is about 80 percent outdoor seating, and Quad on Almeda Road has an outdoor patio.

What counts as Third Ward for this guide?

We use the University of Houston Third Ward Initiative's boundaries: I-45 to the north, Almeda Road to the west, Old Spanish Trail and Griggs Road to the south, and the railroad tracks to the east. Bars on both sides of Almeda Road are included.

Who owns Quad in Third Ward?

Quad at 4608 Almeda Road in Third Ward is owned by Michael Brockers, a Houston-born former NFL player and first-round draft pick. It is a restaurant, sports bar, lounge and patio.