Houston/Greater Heights

The Greater Heights area includes some of Houston's most pleasant neighborhoods as well as a burgeoning restaurant and nightlife scene, especially on the Washington Street corridor.

Understand

Houston's first suburb, built around a streetcar line, The Heights today is centrally located compared to the far flung modern suburbs. It is a large district of gingerbread Victorian homes as well as early 20th-century bungalows.

See

• 1 Art Car Museum, 140 Heights Blvd, ☏ +1 713-861-5526. Changing exhibits of art cars, art, and whatever else the curator wants to show off. Donation only. 

Buy

• Marine Layer, 645 Heights Blvd, ☏ +1 832-831-2053, help@marinelayer.com. M-Sa 10AM-7PM, Su noon-6PM. A clothing store selling mostly casual shirts, specializing in soft clothing. 

Eat

• 1 Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella Blvd, ☏ +1 713-861-8666. Raindow Lodge serves wild game dishes and seafood selections in a 100-year-old log cabin perfect for the dining experience. Reservations required. (updated Mar 2019)
• 2 Porch Swing Pub, 69 Heights Blvd, ☏ +1 713-880-8700. With a huge out door patio and ample seating inside, Porch Swing is a favorite among residents of The Heights to go and watch a football game with friends or to celebrate a birthday in a large crowd. The atmosphere is very laid back. And yes, there is a porch swing out front you and about three or friends can sit on and take pictures on. (updated Mar 2019)
• Max's Wine Dive, 4720 Washington Avenue, ☏ +1 713-880 8737. M–Th 3–10PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM–10PM. Wine specials by the glass or bottle, great comfort food. (updated Jul 2022)

Drink

• Waldo's Coffee House, 1030 Heights Blvd, ☏ +1 713-769-0700. Great place to sip coffee, play a board game, or work on your laptop. They have live music on Saturday nights, too. 
• Pearl Bar, 4216 Washington Ave., ☏ +1 713-868-5337. Pearl Bar's probably best known for two things which seem to almost be exact opposites. It's happening' dance floor complete with talented DJs and it's laid back out door patio where you can play a pick-up game of beer pong or challenge somebody to a hula hoop contest. One thing is certain: you're bound to have a good time at the Pearl. 
• The Dubliner, 4219 Washington Ave., ☏ +1 713-861-2300. Located across the street from Pearl Bar, The Dubliner offers a laid back atmosphere with an ample juke box. It's small inside which makes it all the more intimate and it's a nice retreat from the hustle of Washington Ave. 
• Karbach Brewing Company, 2032 Karbach Street (Take US 290 and exit Dacoma), ☏ +1 713-680 2739. M-Sa 2:30-9:30PM, Su noon-5:30PM. Large craft brewery, now owned by Anheuser-Busch/InBev. Outdoor patio area, occasional live music, brewery tours, full-service restaurant with indoor and patio dining. Hopadillo (IPA), Love Street (Kolsch), Crawford Bock (Texas bock), etc. (updated Jul 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Modo Inn, 1040 Freeport St. At the motel, each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. The nearest airport is William P. Hobby Airport, 18 miles from the accommodation. $37. (updated Nov 2021)