A Gay Man's Guide to Houston, TX

I've lived in Houston for almost five years at this writing (September 2004) and while this city is not the urban gay destination that places like San Francisco and New York are, it still ranks up there as a great tourist destination for gay and lesbian travelers. Houston is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the US, benefiting from a very large immigrant population from all over the world. And, while this is Texas and the atmosphere is pretty conservative, the gay community here is alive and thriving. We boast one of the nation's largest pride celebrations, an annual gay and lesbian film festival, bars and nightclubs for every segment of the gay population, and a number of gay-owned and gay-friendly restaurants and shops. All of this, combined with our excellent theatre district, museums, public art, and urban parks, make Houston a great place to visit with friends or your partner. Yes, this city has a reputation for being a lackluster tourist destination, but those people who believe that rumor obviously have not been here or really gone out to see all that Houston has to offer.

One important note. By no means am I reviewing or listing all of the gay bars, clubs, bathhouses, and other businesses in this journal. I am sticking to places that I frequent and am very familiar with. A copy of the Houston Voice or OutSmart Magazine will be helpful in finding more complete listings. Both are available for free at newsstands and online (see below for links).

Quick Tips:

Several websites offer information on the gay community in Houston, although I do not consider any of these to be excellent, and some are rather poorly designed. They still can be of some assistance in planning your trip.

• HoustonGayGuide.com
• GayHouston.net
• GayHouston.com

The Houston Voice, a weekly tabloid newspaper, is available at stands all over Montrose and in other places around town. An online edition is available at HoustonVoice.com. Another good local publication is OutSmart Magazine, a free monthly magazine also availabe on newsstands in Montrose and online at OutSmartMagazine.com. Finally, the Texas Triangle is also available, but the focus tends to be more on other cities than Houston.

For information on the annual June pride celebration events and parade, the Pride Committee of Houston website is a good resource for schedules and listings of hotels that are offering special discounts on accomodations for the pride events.

Best Way To Get Around:

Houston has a well-deserved reputation for urban sprawl and being difficult for visitors to navigate. It is difficult to visit the city without a car, especially with the largest airport nearly 20 miles north of downtown. Still, the local METRO bus and light rail system does offer some options; see my journal "Tour Houston By METRORail" for advice on how to navigate the system, get to downtown without from both airports on the bus, and for attractions located near the rail line. Unfortunately, most of the destinations in this journal are not on the rail line and are best reached with a car. However, even if you have a car, METRO can be convenient, allowing you to park in one place and spend a whole day seeing museums, parks, and other sights without having to drive between destinations. As for reaching most of the destinations in this journal, the 82 Westheimer, 34 Montrose Crosstown, 35 Leeland/Fairview, and 3 Langley/West Gray routes serve the Montrose area, the heart of the gay and lesbian community. For schedules and maps, see the METRO website.

Barnaby's has now been around long enough to become one of the true mainstays of gay and lesbian life in Houston. However, as the restaurant has grown in size and popularity, it has become less of a gay hangout and more of a favorite of all of inner-loop Houston. The original Fairview location (two other locations are also in or near Montrose; addresses and phone numbers below) is still probably the most gay and has the funkiest atmosphere of the three. The newest location on West Gray was pretty much all gay when it first opened in late 2001, but a glowing review in the Houston Chronicle and the restaurant's proximity to Midtown and Downtown have made it very popular with residents in those areas and the crowd has become more mixed. The "straightest" location is on Shepherd, near River Oaks. Still, the Montrose locations are both places where it's safe to hold your partner's hand in public, steal a kiss, and camp it up as much as you like. And best of all, the restaurants are owned by a local gay couple.

The food at Barnaby's is all very good. Menus are printed on the placemats and the focus is primarily on comfort foods. Portions are huge, and it's rare that I am able to finish everything. The prices are very reasonable, although price increases the last two years have resulted in Barnaby's not being quite the true bargain it was when I moved to Houston. Still, it remains a great value.

My favorites are the meatloaf, blue cheese bacon burger (served with a mountain of their wonderful fries), buffalo meat burger, chicken La Jolla (chicken breasts topped with green chilies and Monterrey jack cheese), and the lasagna. Salads and sandwiches are also good choices. I've tried nearly everything on the menu, and the only thing I was disappointed in was the chicken burrito, which had a filling that was too dry. The menu lists everything by name only, without descriptions but servers are eager to assist newcomers with their choices. Also, the salads are enormous; half portions are available but not listed on the menu. And while most entrees come with sides (garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli are my favorites), some like the lasagna do not. A side salad is available, but it is quite large and if you are not extremely hungry, you may be almost full from it before your entree arrives.

Barnaby's is an excellent choice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and a fun place for a casual date, get-together with friends, or quick meal before hitting the bars.

Other Locations

• 414 West Gray, (713) 522-8898
• 1701 South Shepherd, (713) 520-5131
• Baby Barnaby's (breakfast), next door to the original location on Fairview St.
• Brown Bag Deli (sandwiches), 2036 Westheimer, (713) 807-9191 (see review in my Houston Cheap Eats journal)
• METRO Routes: 26/27 Outer/Inner Loop Crosstown (Shepherd and Brown Bag); 35 Fairview/Leeland (Fairview); 3 Langley/West Gray (West Gray); 82 Westheimer (Brown Bag).

Baba Yega is a true Montrose icon. This place has played host to countless same-sex first dates and anniversary celebrations, and remains a popular spot for Sunday brunch. The restaurant has suffered in recent years from somewhat unpredictable service and food quality, but in general it remains good. My last meal at Baba Yega on a Tuesday night was quite good, although at my last visit for Sunday brunch the food was good but subpar compared to previous brunches.

One of Baba Yega's draws is the cozy, quiet atmosphere. The restaurant is a hodge-podge of an old house, several other buildings, and additions linking them. There are quiet dining rooms in the front area and near the bar, a nice outdoor patio under the huge tree in front of the restaurant, semi-outdoor garden seating around a beautifully landscaped garden (with parrots) and pond in the back, and a large upstairs dining area with outdoor balcony tables overlooking the garden. On nice days in the spring and fall the outdoor seating is very popular, as this is one of Houston's best outdoor restaurant atmospheres. Unfortunately the hot, humid summers and wet winters make this seating uncomfortable for about half of the year. The restaurant has enclosed some of these areas with canvas drop-down "walls" that allow them to be used when it is too hot or cold, and with these partitions closed and the air conditioning or heat running, they can be comfortable.

The menu features a variety of fancy sandwiches (I particularly like the smoked turkey with brie), burgers, grilled fish and chicken (I recommend the delicious grilled salmon served with vegetables and their very good herbed rice), and a large selection of vegetarian and vegan options. Desserts are generally good (try the lime chiffon). A Sunday brunch buffet is available and features a wide selection of the restaurant's mainstays, along with salads, a nice selection of fresh fruit, eggs, a carving station, made-to-order omelets, and desserts. Mimosas are a popular brunch beverage, although recent price increases have ended the days where you could get drunk on the bottomless mimosas for about $5. Full bar service and a wine list are available as well. Besides Sunday brunch, other popular specials include Monday night steak nights, and the daily dinner specials, which are displayed next to the hostess stand as you enter the restaurant. Usually the dinner special is a good choice, but it does tend to be $4-5 more expensive than most of the other entrees on the menu.

Baba Yega is a great place for a quiet dinner with a date or group of friends. And, with its location just around the corner from the Pacific St. bars, it's a good place for dinner before a night out. The only thing keeping me from giving Baba Yega my "Very Highly Recommended" rating is the restaurant's inability to stay consistently in the "very good" area. One visit may be outstanding, the next just average. Still, I highly recommend it.

Mai’s is located in the heart of Midtown Houston’s "Little Saigon," where street signs are in Vietnamese as well as English. There are other good Vietnamese restaurants in the neighborhood, including some that are slightly cheaper. But Mai’s is my favorite for a variety of reasons. First, there’s the food. The enormous menu reads like a book (literally) and is filled with nearly 200 Vietnamese and Chinese delicacies. Everything is very fresh, and I have never had anything I tried here that I wouldn’t be happy to order again. And with so much to choose from, you’re bound to find something you’ll love here. If you have trouble deciding what to order, the helpful waiters are happy to make suggestions and describe the different entrées for you. That brings me to the second great thing about Mai’s --the employees. Owner Mai Nguyen has a real gift for selecting friendly, professional employees and training them well. Service at Mai’s is usually outstanding. Drinks are always refilled promptly, food is served just as soon as the kitchen crew puts it on the plate so that it always comes out piping hot, and special requests are always met with agreement, not an answer of "no, we can’t do that." On the one occasion where I experienced bad service, Mai herself came over to apologize for our waiter’s shortcomings (he was brand-new), and a few minutes later a complimentary order of spring rolls appeared at our table. The amazing thing was that we had not even complained about the lack of attention we were getting, but apparently Mai had noticed what was happening from her perch behind the cash register.

Besides the great food and service, Mai’s long hours makes it a great choice for late-night dining. The restaurant is open until 2:30amSunday to Thursday, and 3:30am Friday and Saturday. With a Midtown location, Mai’s is convenient to both Montrose and Downtown and the bars and clubs in both neighborhoods. The restaurant is also very popular with the gay crowd, and same-sex couples are always welcomed and made to feel very comfortable.

As for the food, it’s hard to go wrong at Mai’s. Of my many favorites are the delicious spring rolls, garlic chicken, and stir-fried chicken with either snow peas or broccoli. I’m also hooked on the tangy, spicy garlic tofu, one of the restaurant's many vegetarian and vegan dishes. In addition to the wonderful food, Mai’s features some unique beverages, including Ca Phe Sua Da, iced coffee that is brewed at the table directly into your glass, and then mixed with sweetened condensed milk. It may sound strange, but trust me, it’s delicious.

• Website: http://www.maisrestauranttx.com/
• Metro Routes: 17 Gulfton, 53 Westheimer Limited, 78 Alabama/Irvington, 163 Fondren Express, MetroRail Red Line (Ensemble/HCC Station).

Every year on the last Saturday in June over 100,000 people gather in Montrose for Houston's annual celebration of the diversity of our GLBTQ community. So what separates our parade from the others all over the US and the world? To begin with, this is one of the few nighttime pride parades in the US. Before 1998 the parade was held during the day. However, as anyone who has visited Houston during the summer knows, midsummer afternoons can be brutal. So in 1998 Houston's parade became the first nighttime gay and lesbian pride parade in the US. Since then the number of entries in the parade has grown dramatically, and crowds have swelled to well over 100,000 people, making this one of the largest celebrations of gay pride in the country.

Having a nighttime parade not only assures cooler temperatures (although it can still be quite warm and muggy here after dark), but also casts the parade in a whole new light, as marchers and floats are forced to develop creative ways to illuminate their entries. A new award category, the Rainbow Award, was created by the Pride Committee to recognize the group that does the best job of lighting its entry. The after dark setting also makes items like glow-in-the-dark wands and necklaces popular throws.

Despite some discussion by the city about moving celebrations such as the pride parade out of neighborhoods to downtown, the parade remains in Montrose, the heart of Houston's gay community. The parade route stretches for about two miles along lower Westheimer, between Woodhead and Whitney Streets. The length of the parade route helps to disperse the huge crowds, although the area surrounding the judge's stand and emcee booth near the intersections of Westheimer with Yoakum and Montrose tends to be incredibly crowded. Bleacher seating is available for a fee in this area, but most spectators choose to stand on the sidewalks. While this area of the route can be a huge party during the parade, I've come to prefer the areas between Dunlavy St. and Commonwealth Ave., as these are less crowded. In this section it’s possible to walk without pushing people out of your way, and with fewer people around you can catch more of the beads, condoms, candy, and other goodies that many groups in the parade throw. Watching in this area also has the advantage of getting you to your car much faster after the parade is over.

Some Suggestions:

• Wear light fitting, comfortable clothes. It will be hot.
• Bring bottled water to drink during the parade.
• Arrive at least 45 minutes early to allow time to park and walk to the parade route. You may have to park some distance from Westheimer, as parking is generally limited to a few pay lots near the bars and streets in the surrounding residential areas.
• The Pride Committee of Houston website has information on the parade and hotels in the area offering special rates for visitors attending the pride festivities.

Meteor is the Houston gay community's classiest bar. The bar's main draws are the stylish lounge atmosphere, great cocktails and large selection of signature martinis (get Nick to make you a black tie or Godiva chocolate martini), and less-crowded atmosphere when compared to other bars. When Meteor first opened a few years ago, this was the place to see and be seen for a while, although some of that seems to have worn off. Sure you'll still see a large number of "A gays" here as well as guys dressed like they just stepped out of the cover of GQ, but for the most part, Meteor has a relaxed atmosphere and you don't have to be dressed in the latest styles to fit in.

Meteor is divided into two sections. When you enter, the area to the right is the lounge, filled with comfortable sofas and chairs, video screens, and a bar along the back wall. This section is always open. To the left is a room with a few tall tables and stools, a large circular bar in the middle, and plenty of places to stand and check out the guys. This section is open on weekends. Restrooms are located in the back and are far nicer than your average bar. Be sure you remember your biology before you go do your business; in keeping with the hip urban atmosphere, doors are simply marked "XX" and "XY" (in case you've forgotten, boys are XY and use the room to the right, XX girls to the left).

Some would argue that Meteor is inconvenient to get to. It is a little off the beaten path and several blocks away from the more crowded Pacific St. gay bar area. However, I think this is one of Meteor's strengths. Being a little farther from the rest of the bars than most people are willing to walk makes the crowds more manageable. Yes, it does get loud when the bar is crowded, but you don't have to yell nearly as loud here as you do at other bars like JR's to talk to your friends. Also, I prefer the more upscale atmosphere of Meteor, and the bartenders are some of the best (and cutest) you'll find in Houston. Meteor also features a fun lineup of special events and happy hours during the week, including drag queen BINGO every Tuesday night from 9:00-11:00 PM, and professional men's happy hour on Thursdays from 5:00-9:00 PM. Draq queen BINGO, hosted by local drag queens Lillian Devereaux, Sofonda and Samantha St. John, and others, is one of my favorite midweek events; for $5 you can play all six BINGO games and possibly win some great (and some not so great) prizes. $1 shots are available whenever someone wins or the number O-69 gets called, and money from the BINGO cards goes to support a couple of charitable GLBT organizations.

• Website: www.meteorhouston.com. Check the website for special events and happy hours.
• Phone: (713) 521-0123

The Houston Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will always hold a special place in my heart because the festival's 1999 opening party was my first "outing" to a gay event. I had recently come out and was not living in Houston at the time, but took up a friend's offer to come down for the evening and go to the opening party and first film of that year's festival, Get Real, with him. What a great time I had! Within a year I had moved to Houston, and every year I try to make at least a couple of films when the festival comes around.

Prior to 2004, the film festival was held during the last week of May and first couple of weeks of June. However, starting in 2004 the festival has been moved to September.

The festival is set at a variety of venues around the city, including the Angelika Film Center (Downtown), both Landmark Theaters (Greenway Plaza and River Oaks), the Aurora Picture Show (a converted old church north of downtown run by a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness of art films), the Rice University Media Center, the Museum of Fine Arts, and others. My favorite venues are the Anglika, Aurora (it's one of the most unique movie theaters anywhere), and the downstairs screen at the Landmark River Oaks. The Landmark River Oaks is probably the oldest movie theater in Houston in operation, and the big theater downstairs features all of the original art deco charm, large screen, and stage the theater was originally built with. Unfortunately the two upstairs screens, which were created out of the old balcony, have cramped seats with legroom that is inadequate for anyone over 5'10" except for a couple of rows here and there. I usually avoid films showing on those two screens unless I really want to see them. The Landmark Greenway Plaza is in the mall on the basement parking garage level of Greenway Plaza (not the larger Edwards Cinema next door). The Rice Media Center is located on the Rice University campus off of University, just west of Main St. Addresses and links to the websites of each venue may be found on the venues page of the festival's website.

The schedule and number of films varies each year, but you can usually count on a selection of around ten films, varying from brand-new features to classic favorites. Sometimes a film from a major studio finds its way into the lineup, but most of the selections are independent, art house films. There are also nights that feature a selection of short films; usually one night for gay male shorts and another for lesbian shorts. Documentaries are also shown.

For more information on the venues, schedule, and film festival parties, see the festival website.

One of the most popular gay bars in Houston, JR's is always packed. This is one of the larger bars in Montrose, with three main indoor areas and a large outdoor patio, five indoor bars, and one outdoor bar. Go-go boys dance in the front bar area as well as the stage on the Santa Fe side most nights.

JR's attracts a varied crowd, with most men in the 20s to 40s range (although some are older). There are also some women, although many are straight and there with gay friends. While I find the cocktails at JR's to not be as large or strong as those at Meteor, they're less expensive, and you can almost get drunk on a $10 bill if you're there on a Sunday evening and pay attention to the drink specials that are announced over the sound system (specials are usually good at only one bar and for about 30 minutes). Another tip: if you want a really cold beer, go to the tub where they have bottled beers iced down on the Santa Fe side. They're much colder than what you'll get at any of the bars.

JR's has several regular theme nights. Karaoke is offered on the Santa Fe stage Thursdays and Sundays, and local drag queen extraordinaire, Miss Kofi, hosts a fun show on Wednesday nights. But whatever night you go, JR’s is guaranteed to be filled with a variety of men and a fun atmosphere.

A note on parking in Montrose. This goes not only for JR's, but for the other Montrose-area bars. For the most part, the area surrounding the bars is residential. You have a few options for parking your car. You may park it on the street, but you may end up many blocks from the bars on a poorly lit street. This can pose a safety risk, as people are occasionally mugged or worse in the area. I do not recommend street parking if you are alone or more than two or three blocks from the bars. Valet parking is also available in front of South Beach (next door to JR's). Last time I used the valets, it cost $7, plus tip. This is the most convenient and safest option, but also the most expensive. Finally, there are several paid parking lots nearby. The largest and nicest of these are owned by the JR's/South Beach/Montrose Mining Company group and very well lit. The price to park in these lots is currently $5. Most of the parking lots are no more than one block from the bars and are very safe. This is my preferred place to park. But wherever you leave your car, be careful and keep an eye on your surroundings. Bad things have happened to people going to and from the gay bars here in the past. Personally, I think it's worth the price of one drink to park in a safe, well lit place than to park blocks away on a dark street with nobody around.

South Beach is the hottest gay dance club in town, and with good reason. Built on the site of the former disco Heaven, South Beach opened in 2001 to huge fanfare. The front of the club features a lounge area with a marble bar that is kept so cold, it has frost on it; placing your drinks on it while you chat with a date or friends guarantees your drink will stay very cold. After passing through the lounge, the club opens up into a massive space with two bars, a water wall with go-go dancers, and a large dance floor. This is where all of the action is, and, most nights, the place is PACKED. Shirtless boys (along with those of us who know to keep our shirts on) fill the dance floor, gyrating to the nonstop music turned out by a staff of talented DJs. The whole scene is topped off by an amazing laser light system. As the night wears on, every half hour or so the club is blasted with a chilling, dense fog that envelops the dance floor, instantly dropping the temperature about 10 degrees. It's quite a surreal experience, as you suddenly can see only a few feet in front of you. Watch for the yellow rotating lights on the walls around the dance floor to come on; this signals that the fog blast is nearing. This is also a popular make-out time on the dance floor.

Cover at South Beach varies from $2 to $3 during the week to $6 most Fridays and Saturdays, and $3 on Sundays. If you go on your birthday, you can get in with no cover (must have proof of your birth date). There are no exceptions to this rule; you must go on your birthday, unless it's on a Monday or Tuesday when the club is closed. In this situation, you can use the birthday special on the preceding Saturday. Cover prices may be higher (up to $20) for special events. Also, on Fridays and Saturdays, cover is free from 10:30 to 11:00 PM. If you are trying to get in without paying cover, show up right at 10:30, as the line builds quickly. Finally, if you like Latin music, Wednesday nights are Cafe con Leche nights at South Beach, with a mix of salsa, meringue, and other Latin beats. The club is usually packed with Hispanic guys on Wednesdays.

More Information:

• Parking. Please see my note about parking for the gay bars and clubs in Montrose in my entry on JR’s Bar & Grill in this journal. This is important for your safety in the neighborhood late at night. I don’t want to scare anyone, but, occasionally, people going to and from the clubs are mugged or worse in the neighborhood. It’s worth the price of a drink to pay for valet parking or to park in one of the paid parking lots where there is ample lighting and plenty of people around.
• Website. www.southbeachthenightclub.com