Cocktail barHistoric dive wine bar$$$
La Carafe in Houston is the Market Square dive wine bar on Congress Street in an 1860 building, the oldest commercial structure in the city, candlelit.
Signature drink: Bottle of Vinho Verde, by candlelight
Food: None
Tip: Cash only. Bring exact change for a bottle of Vinho Verde. No food; eat first.
Cocktail barWhiskey dive bar$$$
Poison Girl in Houston is the Montrose whiskey dive bar on Westheimer, with a deep bourbon selection, a backyard patio with skee-ball and Hi-Life longnecks.
Signature drink: Bourbon, plus a Hi-Life back
Food: None, but a Big Star Bingo next door
Tip: Bring a friend; play skee-ball in the back. Cash and card. The bourbon list is the actual reason to be here.
Cocktail barCocktail bar$$$
Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston is Bobby Heugel's Montrose cocktail bar on Westheimer since 2009, the city's modern cocktail-bar template with the Brave.
Signature drink: Brave (gin, mezcal, lemon, jalapeño honey)
Food: Snacks
Tip: Order off the 100-cocktail wall list at the back. The Brave is the house drink; the 9th Ward Daiquiri is the next pick.
Cocktail barCocktail apartment$$$
Refuge in Houston is Bobby Heugel's reservation-only cocktail apartment above Anvil on Westheimer, with a four-stool bar, stirred cocktails and a slow-paced.
Signature drink: Stirred Manhattans and Negroni variations
Food: Tasting menu of bar snacks
Tip: Reservations only via the website. Two seatings a night. The price is steep; the cocktails are the city's most precise.