The Next Door

I was taken here by a coworker after a meeting we had waiting for traffic to die down. I must admit I was a little skeptical going, this place is a little dive bar that I had never heard of, but my friend ordered us a round of Honey Suckle shots and I was in love! Upon entering I noticed the amazing «soft metal» artwork on the walls. And as crazy as it sounds, the CLEANEST Men’s bathroom I have ever encountered in a bar! I’ve been back a few times to grab that shot and all the bartenders I’ve encountered are so nice and welcoming.

My go-​to bar in the Mantrose! Always a good time with the regulars and the bartenders are pretty cool too! If you’re lucky, bartender Art Baez, may make you one of his fancy cocktails!
This bar is known for the jukebox, easy drinks (usually no frills) and awesome art. Try to catch an art exhibit… they’re always fun! Cheers!
Side note: Catfish and Wes Texas, who bartend at NDB, are also local artists. They always have cool stuff. Check out Skessions on Wednesdays with Catfish if you’re into drawing/​art.
Amy Jo and Doug Harden tend the bar on Saturdays and they’re a fun duo. Finally, you can never go wrong or thirsty with Art and Christy behind the bar (Friday nights).

The best place to hear Ozzy and The Begees over and over again ans again.

It was dead as hell, I ordered a mijito and the bartender called me a joto. The ginger devil then gave me the best drink of my life. Then I called Über and falcor the luck dragon from never-​ending story picked me up. Best day of my life, that I’ll never remember.

It’s a leftover scene from the grunge –y 90 that offers decent prices for drinks and very expressive canvas wall art. The atmosphere is always energetic.

Place rules. Drinks are stiff. Bartenders are legit. People with weak stomachs or basic idiotic attitudes need not apply.

Only 2 type of people go here. Coke users and coke sellers. Place for Houston’s under acheivers to meet.

Cool small dive bar, low priced drinks, couches to chill on, pinball machine in the back… What more do ya need to help ya down a few drinks.
There is art work in the walls that’s for up for grabs for the right price. From time to time they change it up and it’s always cool to see what new stuff is creeping the walls here.
A lot of rockabilly and punk rock cats hang here as well.

Cheap drinks! Daily specials! Amazing Art! Montrose tradition, stop by!

Nice, chill place. The bartenders were attentive and the atmosphere was eclectic and cool. Local art hung on the walls and it was good! Couches surrounded the main bar area and the patio was awesome. The only thing I’d chance would be the hard seating on the patio but otherwise, great experience.

Great dive bar. Cheap beer and a full bar. Occasionally they will show a cheezy movie on the screen inside.

Been coming here since I moved to Houston, one of the best dive bars in the world as far as I’m concerned. Lots of sofas and chairs for groups to sit and chat and the staff are some the nicest, weirdest and interesting people in Houston.
Drink specials every single night and they always have the cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon for the white trash in all of us. One the best jukeboxes in Houston if you don’t like the selection then you’ve probably got bad taste!
They have art shows pretty often and always art hanging on the wall, plus on Wednesday they have a sketch session with a bunch of local artist.

So this is «Next door» to Rudyards’s. Rudyard’s is cool, but this place is lame. Bunch of dive bar snobs.
They do have Foosball and Video games in the back.

I love this little dive. Cheap drinks, friendly peeps. Next to Rudyard’s and The Flat if you’re bar hopping.

I came here after a Rudyard’s concert to have a few drinks before last call and was denied service for at least 10 minutes while others around me were being taken care of. I finally yelled «Is anyone gonna freaking (didn’t say freaking) wait on me?» in which the bartender attempted to belittle me in front of the crowd before finally taking my order.
If you expect to get waited on be sure to wear black.
This bar is run by a bunch of people still bitter about high school.

I’ve been here twice and I can say that I am definitely down with The Next Door. More than what it’s next door to, in fact…
It’s a no frills, rather small bar situated next to Rudyard’s. I assume it’s a prime location for pre-​show at Rudyard’s drinks since the Rudyard’s downstairs bar isn’t exactly the most welcoming-​feeling place.
There’s a limited patio area that people tend to linger around for smoking purposes. The interior consists of a bar on the left side and then a small family of plush (possibly chockfull of nastiness) couches on the right. There’s a jukebox and some random arcade games in the rear, by the restrooms.
The couple of times I’ve been here, it’s been fairly relaxed and the service has been prompt and friendly. Prices are decent as well. They do seem to have different specials every day of the week, but I failed to note them in great detail.
This is a totally legit neighborhood bar, but I can’t say I would go out of the way to come here since it can be a little lacking in people.

Good times. Great for the last few drinks before last call. Decent prices and a bad ass music machine!

This place is cool. It is not my favorite place, it is not my least favorite place, it is just a small bar, that has a decent crowd most nights and is priced reasonably.
This bar does have one of the best digital jukeboxs you will ever find. Nice mix of old school rap, 80’s punk, new wave and some country and classic rock hits to make you shake your money maker. I even met Johnny Lee’s daughter the other night here (apparently)…she did resemble the «Lookin for love» singer of yesteryear…
Friendly Bartenders, decent selection of spirits and they carry Lone Star for those so inclined.
Two thumbs up… best with a crowd, but if you just have yourself, this place is not prententious enough to keep you from making friends at the bar.
Cheers!

Convenient when the flat is dead, Rudyard’s is packed, and you just want a $ 2.50 beer outside on a picnic table. The long bar is filled with the grizzled to the beauties and staffed by a sweet smiling bartender. The black couches are comfortable, you can actually hear people talk, and they play good music ranging from alternative 80s to 21^st century rock. An added touch is the occasional pooch hiding between barstools. Outside is the convenient picnic table but bring your deet because you will feed the population of skeeters hanging out drinking THEIR beers — you.

This is a great «oh it’s not quite 2am, let’s just stop in here for a beverage or three» bar. It’s actually a great dive bar. Great music in the jukebox, pool table, a number of couches and tables, a TV to watch B-​movies on inside. Outside, seating and tables are a little precarious. Excepting the picnic tables, there are (actually as of my last visit, were) very uncomfortable barstools to sit on. Also, the «patrons of the bar» are all relatively friendly, which I’ve never really find at many other places. I’ve had many random, odd, but interesting conversations ranging from the pros and cons of the desserts at a restaurant in town (only to find out later that I was speaking to the pastry chef at said restaurant-​whoops) to a punk-​rocker kid telling me where to find Howard Hughes’ grave site at Glenwood. (An awesome old Houston cemetery on Washington. Check it out, if you haven’t been.)
It’s virtually dead until 1am or unless there is a show at Rudyards (lots of spillover from Rudyards). Quick note on the bathrooms. They’re unisex. Or at least they appear to be. They’re both «relatively» clean, however the one on the left is a little cleaner, and if you have a purse, there’s a relatively safe place to set it down.
Also, if you like the Tamale Guy, he frequents the place around 12−1ish.