Leon's Lounge

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1006 McGowen Houston, TX 77002

713-659-5366

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Best Renovation
Award Winner 2011

Hours: Sun 6pm-2am, Mon-Fri 4pm-2am, Sat 8pm-2am

Description

Under the Volcano owners Pete and Vera Mitchell have revitalized this small Midtown drinkery while maintaining its cozy, dim feel. The alley-like corridor along the main bar still gives way to two ornate back rooms, but gone are the ancient piano and the wall-mounted jukebox. Instead, the Mitchells have collected more than 600 LPs for the staff to spin on twin turntables behind the bar. Local music figures routinely host DJ nights, spinning from the bar's library and their own wax. Leon's rotating drink menu features inventive cocktails like the Green on Red, a rum concoction garnished with red pepper and basil, and Volcano carryovers such as the Whiskey Smash.

2011 | Best Renovation

As Houston's oldest continuously-operating bar (not including icehouses), Leon's always had its stained-glass and crystalline charms. There was even a level of elegance remaining beneath the nicotine grit and spilled Busch residue of the past 60-plus years. Last year, Pete and Vera Mitchell of Under the Volcano fame bought the bar and at last revealed their months-long facelift, and what a job they did polishing this dustiest of gems. While the bar still feels old and funky, they've removed... More »
2008 | Best Place to Meet Single Women

They're cute, dolled up and in cowboy boots -- what else could you ask for in Texas Leon's Lounge's monthly country music installment, Vinyl Ranch, gets all the ladies in a Southern mood. Not only do you get to hear the straight-from-the-phonograph hits of Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and more, but you also get to peruse a nice selection of tight-jean-wearing, cowboy-hat-sporting dolls wishing for a man to sweep them off their feet and onto Houston's tiniest... More »
2006 | Best Neighborhood Bar - Midtown

There's no other bar in Midtown -- or in Houston, for that matter -- like Leon's Lounge. Not only does it boast an existence spanning nearly six decades -- quite a feat, considering the blink-and-you-missed-it nature of Houston businesses -- it's also the most interesting place you can find any night of the week in Midtown. If you happen to show up when the owners are in good spirits and hanging out with the patrons, you're guaranteed to have a night that will include -- at the bare minimum... More »
2004 | Best Piano Bar

Leon's Lounge Piano bars should be divey, but also have a touch of class. There should be history and mystery in the air. You should be able to envision yourself as Humphrey Bogart, and that shapely woman at the bar as Ingrid Bergman. They should inspire you to think up and use corny dialogue in lieu of your usual speech. There should also be a hint of danger to it all, and the people who work there should have plenty of character. In other words, piano bars should be like the one in the... More »
2003 | Best Bar Decor

Even though the front bar at Leon's Lounge is hung with brilliant chandeliers, the place isn't what you'd call opulent. After all, the twinkling lights illuminate a sandy shuffleboard table. But the lounge's contradictions are what make it interesting. Its two back rooms couldn't be more different. One is dark, with a piano inside. The other is a brightly lit space dominated by a pool table and a blown-up picture of the now-deceased Leon posing with a boar. Its walls are cluttered with deer... More »

Bree of 13 Celsius Serving Crisp, Clean Bubbly Where Houstonians Picked Up Crisp, Clean Shirts for Over 70 Years

By Ginny Braud | Fri, May 11, 2012

This week, over a delicious and refreshing Riesling (none of that crappy Blue Nun bullshazzy), we caught up with Bree at 13 Celsius. As other singles and groups trickled in to unwind with a post-work ... More »
Last Night: Valerie June At Leon's Lounge

By Alexa Crenshaw | Wed, March 21, 2012

Valerie June Leon's Lounge March 20, 2012 "Tell your tale and listen too, as others tell their tale to you," stated Valerie June around the start of her set Tuesday, framing the tone for the rest of ... More »
Tennessee Time

By William Michael Smith | Thu, March 15, 2012

Valerie June was all set to make her first appearance in Houston a few months ago when her schedule suddenly got a little crazy and she had to cancel. After almost a decade of struggling with a solo career, the Memphis singer-songwriter's ship had... More »
A "Classic Cool" Start To BestFest Weekend

By William Michael Smith | Fri, September 23, 2011

Kicking off with a swanky media preview party this evening, the area surrounding the "superblock" at Main and McGowen should be a beehive of activity the next 48 hours. Tonight Lonesome Onry and Mea... More »
Richard Julian: Norah Jones Mate Makes Midtown Stopover

By William Michael Smith | Tue, September 20, 2011
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Leon's Lounge

1006 McGowen Houston, TX 77002

713-659-5366

Description

2011 | Best Renovation

2008 | Best Place to Meet Single Women

2006 | Best Neighborhood Bar - Midtown

2004 | Best Piano Bar

2003 | Best Bar Decor

By Ginny Braud | Fri, May 11, 2012

By Alexa Crenshaw | Wed, March 21, 2012

By William Michael Smith | Thu, March 15, 2012

By William Michael Smith | Fri, September 23, 2011

By William Michael Smith | Tue, September 20, 2011