Best Patios on Washington Avenue, Houston: 6 Places to Sit Outside

The best patio restaurants and bars on Washington Avenue in Houston are Betelgeuse Betelgeuse and Tejas Brewery for dog-friendly patios, the Blue Bar at Brenner's on the Bayou for fire pits over Buffalo Bayou, and Little Woodrow's Shepherd for a backyard built for game day. Puttery and Truth BBQ round out our six picks, all checked as operating in November 2026.

Here's the line to send the group chat: on one Washington Avenue patio crawl you can eat brisket from a MICHELIN Guide-listed pit, drink on a steakhouse deck on the old Rainbow Lodge site, and end at a pizza bar that does free tattoos every Friday the 13th.

Where does Washington Avenue start and stop?

For this guide, Washington Avenue means the corridor along the avenue from the edge of downtown west to Westcott Street, at the doorstep of Memorial Park. The full avenue runs farther west, but the eastern stretch is where the patios are.

We also count places a short walk off the avenue on either side:

• Sawyer Yards (First Ward), the arts campus around the avenue's eastern end. Our Washington Avenue Arts District guide covers it building by building.
• Rice Military, the townhome neighborhood between Washington Avenue and Buffalo Bayou, from Shepherd Drive to Westcott Street.
• The cross streets a block or two off Washington, such as Heights Boulevard and Shepherd Drive.

The Heights north of Interstate 10 is not included; see our Heights patio guide for that.

How we chose

We picked places inside that boundary with real outdoor seating: a patio, deck, rooftop or terrace. Each one had to be confirmed as operating in November 2026, and its outdoor seating had to be described by the venue itself or, in one case, by the MICHELIN Guide.

Dog notes come only from what a place publishes itself, or from the MICHELIN Guide listing. Where a venue doesn't publish a dog policy, we say so instead of guessing.

Hours and happy hours change, so treat every schedule below as "typically" and check the official site before you go.

The quick list

• Pizza and a big dog-friendly patio: Betelgeuse Betelgeuse.
• Skyline views and a dog-friendly patio: Tejas Brewery in Sawyer Yards.
• Fire pits and the bayou: the Blue Bar at Brenner's on the Bayou.
• Game day in a backyard: Little Woodrow's Shepherd.
• Mini golf, then the patio: Puttery.
• Brisket outdoors: Truth BBQ.

Which Washington Avenue patios are dog-friendly?

Two Washington Avenue patios say on their own websites that dogs are welcome: Betelgeuse Betelgeuse and Tejas Brewery (first-floor patio only). The MICHELIN Guide lists Truth BBQ as allowing pets in outdoor dining areas only. For more across the city, see our dog-friendly patios in Houston.

1. Betelgeuse Betelgeuse

Old Sixth Ward, 2101 Washington Ave · cast iron pizza and patio bar · open late daily

Betelgeuse Betelgeuse on Washington Avenue describes itself as cast iron pizza and a big dog-friendly patio bar, and the patio is the point: big, with TVs and string lights. Dogs stay on the patio. The bar says weekend afternoons are for families and big groups, and it is all ages until 9 p.m.; after that it's a bar and it cards.

What to order: a cast iron pizza (small pizzas typically run $11 to $14), ideally during happy hour, which typically runs every day from 4 to 6 p.m.

The "I didn't know that" part: it's a bar named after a dying star, it does free tattoos every Friday the 13th, and there's a vintage Photomatica photo booth inside. Karaoke typically runs Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to close. Hours are typically 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Thursday and noon to 2 a.m. Friday to Sunday. More slices in our Washington Avenue pizza guide.

2. Tejas Brewery

Sawyer Yards, 2101 Summer St · brewery and kitchen · open daily

Tejas Brewery fills three stories in Sawyer Yards, with views of the downtown Houston skyline. Its first-floor patio is dog-friendly, and live music typically plays on the rooftop on Thursdays and Fridays (the brewery notes the schedule can change).

What to order: a Tejas beer during happy hour, typically Monday to Friday from opening until 6 p.m. and all day on Mondays, with $4 drafts.

Know before you go: dogs belong on the first-floor patio, not the rooftop. Hours are typically 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday to Saturday.

Where to sit outside without the dog

These three Washington Avenue patios don't publish a dog policy (and Little Woodrow's is strictly 21 and up), so they're our picks for people-only afternoons.

3. Blue Bar at Brenner's on the Bayou

Rice Military, 1 Birdsall St · patio bar at a steakhouse · happy hour weekdays

The Blue Bar at Brenner's on the Bayou has two outdoor decks with fire pits and a sprawling view over Buffalo Bayou. In our view it's the dressiest patio on Washington Avenue and the best one for a cool evening.

What to order: happy hour, typically Monday to Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., with specially priced cocktails such as the Alchemy G&T and small plates like Miso Tenderloin Skewers or the Lobster & Shrimp Rolls. Cigars are offered on request.

The "I didn't know that" part: Herman and Lorene Brenner opened the original Brenner's in 1936, and the original building had to be sold to make way for the construction of Katy Road. This bayou location opened in 2007 on the site that formerly housed the Rainbow Lodge, according to Brenner's. Suggested attire is business or dressy casual.

4. Little Woodrow's Shepherd

Shepherd and Washington, 720 Shepherd Dr · icehouse and sports bar · open until 2 a.m.

Little Woodrow's Shepherd calls itself a backyard bar, and the backyard is the draw: a patio bar, outdoor furniture, yard games and 30 to 50 TVs, plus pool tables and a bookable golf simulator inside. It's strictly 21 and up at all times.

What to order: happy hour, typically Monday to Friday from noon to 7 p.m., with $3 wells and $3 select drafts, and food from the Slider Bar. Our beer gardens and icehouses guide has more places like it.

5. Puttery

Sawyer Yards, 1818 Washington Ave, Suite 180 · indoor mini golf and cocktail bar · open daily

Puttery Houston has three themed nine-hole indoor mini golf courses, but it also has a patio and a courtyard, plus a Sky Terrace that groups can book. You don't have to play to eat or drink.

What to do: weekend brunch typically runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours are typically 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Know before you go: all ages are welcome Sunday to Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; after that it's 18 and up. Parking is free on the Center Street side, with a two-hour limit.

6. Truth BBQ

Just south of Washington, 110 S Heights Blvd · Texas barbecue · terrace seating

Truth BBQ on South Heights Boulevard is pitmaster Leonard Botello IV's Houston follow-up to the original in Brenham, which the MICHELIN Guide describes as little more than a roadside shack. Truth says it does things the hard way, with 18-hour cooks on wood-burning offset smokers. The Houston restaurant has a terrace, and MICHELIN lists pets as allowed only in the outdoor dining areas.

What to order: brisket and turkey. Go early in the day, and check hours with Truth BBQ before you drive. More pitmasters near the avenue in our Washington Avenue BBQ guide.

Save this: a Washington Avenue patio crawl

This route runs from lunch to a late patio. Never drive between stops after drinking; use a rideshare.

1. Lunch at Truth BBQ (110 S Heights Blvd). Brisket on the terrace.
2. Afternoon at Tejas Brewery (2101 Summer St) for happy hour on the dog-friendly first-floor patio.
3. Happy hour at the Blue Bar (1 Birdsall St), weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m., by the fire pits on the bayou.
4. Late patio at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse (2101 Washington Ave), with pizza and, on Friday and Saturday, karaoke from 9 p.m.

Before you go: a patio checklist

• Check the hours on the official site the day you go. Happy hours and event nights change.
• Bringing the dog? Stick to the dog-friendly patios above, and bring water.
• Want shade? Aim for late afternoon and evening, when the sun is lower; the Blue Bar's fire pits make it the pick for a cool night.
• Bringing kids? Betelgeuse is all ages until 9 p.m., Puttery turns 18 and up after 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and Little Woodrow's is strictly 21 and up.
• Dress for Brenner's. Business or dressy casual is suggested.

More on Washington Avenue

For bars without the patio rule, see the best bars on Washington Avenue. A night out for two is in date night on Washington Avenue. For patios across the city, start with the best Houston restaurants with patio dining.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best patio bars on Washington Avenue in Houston?

Our picks are Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, Tejas Brewery, the Blue Bar at Brenner's on the Bayou and Little Woodrow's Shepherd. Puttery and Truth BBQ round out the list for games and barbecue.

Which Washington Avenue patios are dog-friendly?

Betelgeuse Betelgeuse and Tejas Brewery (first-floor patio only) say on their websites that dogs are welcome. The MICHELIN Guide lists Truth BBQ on South Heights Boulevard as allowing pets in outdoor dining areas only.

Which Washington Avenue patios are kid-friendly?

Betelgeuse Betelgeuse on Washington Avenue is all ages until 9 p.m., and Puttery is all ages Sunday to Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Little Woodrow's Shepherd is strictly 21 and up.

Which Washington Avenue patio has a view?

Tejas Brewery in Sawyer Yards has views of the downtown Houston skyline across three stories, and the Blue Bar at Brenner's on the Bayou has two decks overlooking Buffalo Bayou.

What area counts as Washington Avenue in this guide?

The Washington Avenue corridor from the edge of downtown west to Westcott Street, plus Sawyer Yards and Rice Military down to Buffalo Bayou. The Heights north of Interstate 10 is not included.