Entertainment

Best British and Irish Pubs in Houston: 11 Picks for a Proper Pint

Date Published

English pub Houston illustration: pint glass of amber ale, dartboard and Houston skyline at night

Houston has a proper British and Irish pub scene, anchored on an eight-block stretch of Shepherd Drive and spread across Montrose, Downtown and the suburbs. You can watch Premier League at a Montrose brewpub with 29 screens, pull a stool at a family-owned Irish bar that has been pouring since 1983, or drink in a downtown room furnished with a bar physically shipped from 19th-century Ireland.

This guide covers eleven verified-open spots — six British-leaning, five Irish-rooted — all confirmed via their official websites as of October 2026. Note that the Black Labrador, the Richmond Arms, the Ginger Man and the Stag's Head are all permanently closed; this is the current working list.

The quick list

  • Best for Premier League mornings: The Phoenix on Westheimer — brews its own beer, 24 LED screens, opens at 9am weekends.
  • Longest-running: Rudyard's, open since the early 1980s, Wednesday pub quiz still going.
  • Best fish and chips: The Red Lion on South Shepherd, extensive English ale selection and rugby on screen.
  • Best Guinness pour: Pimlico Irish Pub, two-time Guinness Excellence Award winner.
  • For Liverpool FC supporters: Hugh O'Connor's, official home of the Liverpool FC Supporters Club Houston.
  • Best old-school neighborhood Irish pub: Kenneally's, family-owned since 1983.
  • Most dramatic bar room: Shay McElroy's Downtown — bar shipped from 19th-century Ireland, seating from the original 1920s Rice Hotel.
  • Best in the suburbs: Baker St. Pub & Grill in Sugar Land, live music Wednesday through Saturday, no cover.

How we chose

We included every pub with a British or Irish identity that had a working official website showing current hours as of October 2026. We confirmed each location as currently open and skipped bars with only passing "English" theme and no corresponding menu or atmosphere. Hours change seasonally — treat every schedule below as "typically" and check the official site before you go.

Montrose: where the scene started

Rudyard's British Pub

Montrose, 2010 Waugh Dr · open daily 11am–2am

Rudyard's opened in the early 1980s, which makes it one of the oldest bars in Houston of any description. It is a proper neighborhood pub — worn in a good way — with a wide draft selection, Detroit-style pizza, burgers and comfort food. An upstairs venue hosts The Riot comedy showcase on Fridays and live music through the week. Wednesday pub quiz. If you want a low-key weeknight bar where regulars actually talk to you, this is it.

Best for: a Tuesday or Wednesday night, trivia, anyone who wants a real local.

The Phoenix on Westheimer

Montrose, 1915 Westheimer Rd · Mon–Wed 11am–1am; Thu–Fri 11am–2am; Sat–Sun 9am–2am

The Phoenix is both a brewpub and an English-style sports bar. It brews its own craft beer on-site, runs 24 LED screens and five projectors, and opens at 9am on weekends for Premier League and Champions League. It serves as the official watch-party home for Manchester City, FC Bayern Munich and Celtic supporters clubs in Houston. The food menu covers pub staples with vegetarian options.

Insider tip: the Phoenix posts its full match schedule on its website. For a 7:30am Central kickoff — a regular occurrence in the Premier League — doors open before 9am, so check the schedule before you drive.

Best for: Premier League weekends, Champions League evenings, groups that want craft beer with their football.

The Shepherd Drive corridor: three pubs, half a mile

The Red Lion Houston

River Oaks area, 2316 S Shepherd Dr · Mon–Fri 11am–midnight; Sat–Sun 10am–midnight

The Red Lion is the most straightforwardly British place on this list: a wide selection of English ales and imported pints, fish and chips on the menu, rugby and football on the screens. It shows Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League and Europa League, plus rugby union fixtures. The atmosphere is comfortable neighborhood pub — no gimmicks, which is the point.

Best for: fish and chips, a proper Scotch, Sat–Sun morning Premier League, rugby union internationals.

Kenneally's Irish Pub

Montrose/River Oaks, 2111 S Shepherd Dr · Mon–Tue and Sun 3pm–midnight; Wed–Sat 3pm–2am

Kenneally's has been family-owned since 1983 — more than forty years, extraordinary for Houston's bar scene. Its reputation rests on the pint, weekly trivia nights and dart boards. The house pizza is Chicago-style thin crust, which is an odd fit for an Irish pub but has become part of the identity. The St. Patrick's Day party includes live bagpipers, Irish stew and Guinness bread.

Insider tip: Kenneally's does not open until 3pm on any day of the week. Plan accordingly if you're thinking lunch.

Best for: darts, trivia nights, a long quiet evening pint, St. Patrick's Day.

Pimlico Irish Pub

River Oaks, 810 Waugh Dr · Mon–Thu 2pm–2am; Fri–Sun 1pm–2am Shady Acres, 2307 Ella Blvd · Mon–Tue 2pm–midnight; Wed–Fri 2pm–2am; Sat–Sun noon–2am

Pimlico is Irish-owned and has won the Guinness Excellence Award twice — the company's recognition for bars that pour the stout correctly. It shows 6 Nations rugby, Premier League and World Cup, and serves a weekend Irish breakfast. Tuesday through Thursday it runs steak dinners (cash only). Happy hour runs 2pm to 8pm on weekdays at both locations.

The River Oaks location on Waugh is the easier pre-dinner stop. Shady Acres on Ella Boulevard is the better neighborhood local. Check the website for which match is showing at which location.

Best for: Guinness, 6 Nations rugby, weekend Irish breakfast.

Downtown: the most storied bar room

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub

Downtown, 909 Texas Ave at Main St · daily noon–2am; happy hour Mon–Fri noon–7pm

The single best fact most Houstonians don't know about their pub scene: Shay McElroy's opened in 2003 with a bar physically shipped from 19th-century Ireland, and its leather seating came from the original furniture of the 1920s Rice Hotel. The building itself is the 1913 Rice Lofts. Owner John "Max" McElroy is a Dublin native. That combination makes this arguably the most historically furnished bar in Houston, and the only Irish pub in Downtown.

The location puts it minutes from Toyota Center and walking distance from Daikin Park, which gives it a built-in event crowd on game nights.

Best for: a pre-game drink in a room with an actual story, corporate happy hour, anyone driving in from out of town.

Hugh O'Connor's Irish Pubs

Marq-E / northwest: 7620 Katy Fwy #350 · Mon–Wed 4pm–midnight; Thu–Fri 2pm–midnight; Sat–Sun 11am–midnight Upper Kirby (Dincans St): 5010 Dincans St · Mon–Fri 2pm–2am; Sat–Sun noon–2am

Hugh O'Connor's was founded by owners from Cork, Ireland, and is the official home of the Liverpool FC Supporters Club Houston. If you follow Liverpool, this is your match-day bar. It shows the full Premier League calendar plus NFL, NBA and NHL, and hosts live music events. The Upper Kirby location on Dincans Street is the inner-Loop option; the Marq-E location off Katy Freeway works if you're coming from Memorial or Katy.

Best for: Liverpool FC matches, a first inner-Loop Irish pub for west-side residents, live music nights.

Beyond the Loop

The Bull & Bear Tavr'n & Table

Westchase, 11980 Westheimer Rd · Mon–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri–Sat 11am–1am; Sun 11am–10pm

A British/Irish-style gastropub in the Westchase corridor, the Bull & Bear offers a menu of cottage pie, chicken curry, burgers and sandwiches, with ten-plus screens, two pool tables and four dart boards. It is the best option in that part of town for anyone who wants a pub atmosphere without driving into the Loop.

Best for: west Houston residents, pool and darts, weekday sports.

Baker St. Pub & Grill

Sugar Land, 15970 City Walk · daily 11am–2am; happy hour Mon–Sat 2–9pm, all day Sunday

Baker St. is the surviving Houston-area outpost of the Sherlock Holmes-themed British pub chain, now in the City Walk development in Sugar Land. It books live bands Wednesday through Saturday with no cover charge, and its happy hour runs until 9pm six nights a week. For south-side and Fort Bend residents, it is the most convenient option on this list.

Best for: live music nights, Fort Bend-area residents, Sunday all-day happy hour.

Save this: Premier League pub crawl route

Never drink and drive between pubs. Use rideshare for both of these.

Premier League morning (Montrose/River Oaks)

  1. Start at The Phoenix (1915 Westheimer) — most screens, own-brewed beer, opens 9am.
  2. Walk or rideshare to The Red Lion (2316 S Shepherd) — second match, fish and chips.
  3. End at Kenneally's (2111 S Shepherd) — darts and a closing pint.

Evening match or game night (Downtown)

  1. Shay McElroy's (909 Texas Ave) for a drink in the 19th-century bar room.
  2. Walk to Toyota Center or Daikin Park for the game.

Before you go: save this checklist

  • Check the official pub site for today's match schedule. Most pubs open early only for high-demand matches.
  • Pimlico's steak nights (Tue–Thu) are cash only.
  • Kenneally's does not open until 3pm, any day.
  • The Phoenix brews its own beer; if you specifically want a Guinness pour, Pimlico and Kenneally's are the right call.
  • Shay McElroy's parking is in the Rice Lofts attached garage on Texas Avenue.
  • Baker St. (Sugar Land) is the only location on this list with live music multiple nights a week at no cover charge.

More nightlife and drinking in Houston

For the full picture, see our best bars in Houston guide, the best cocktail bars in Houston, and the best sports bars guide. Dinner before the match: the Montrose restaurant guide covers the blocks nearest Rudyard's, the Phoenix and Kenneally's.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best English pub in Houston for watching Premier League soccer?

The Phoenix on Westheimer in Montrose is the top option for Premier League viewing — it has 24 LED screens, five projectors, opens at 9am on weekends, and brews its own beer. It is the official watch-party home for Manchester City, FC Bayern and Celtic supporters clubs in Houston.

Is the Black Labrador pub still open in Houston?

No. The Black Labrador on Montrose Boulevard is permanently closed as of 2026. Other historic closures include the Richmond Arms on Richmond Avenue, the Ginger Man in Rice Village, and the Stag's Head pub. The guide above lists only currently open locations.

Where can I get fish and chips at a British pub in Houston?

The Red Lion at 2316 S Shepherd Dr in the River Oaks area serves fish and chips alongside a wide selection of English ales. It is open daily, with weekend hours starting at 10am.

Which Houston pubs show 6 Nations rugby?

Pimlico Irish Pub (both the River Oaks and Shady Acres locations) and The Red Lion Houston both show 6 Nations rugby. The Phoenix on Westheimer also covers major international rugby fixtures.

What is the oldest Irish pub in Houston?

Kenneally's Irish Pub at 2111 S Shepherd Dr has been family-owned since 1983, making it one of the longest-running Irish pubs in the city. Rudyard's British Pub on Waugh Drive also dates to the early 1980s.

Is there an Irish pub in Downtown Houston?

Yes. Shay McElroy's at 909 Texas Ave is Downtown Houston's only Irish pub. It opened in 2003 with a bar shipped from 19th-century Ireland and is open daily from noon to 2am, with happy hour Monday through Friday from noon to 7pm.