D&amp;W Lounge

The Best Neighborhood Dive Bars in Houston

"Nestled in a historic 1940s-era ice house space, this East End favorite is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. With an interior lined with eccentric decor (think 1970s San Francisco meets Western vibe), few spots on this list truly embody what it means to be a dive bar better than this one. While the menu is limited to beer and wine, the budget-friendly prices make it an appealing stop for anyone, even the most ardent cocktail enthusiast. Enjoy an immaculate downtown view and consider joining the local cyclist groups that often meet here before a ride—you might just make a new friend along the way." - Brianna Griff

On the Grid : D & W Lounge

"Tucked away from the hustle of the city, D&W Lounge is a dive bar's dive bar. Set up in a building from the 40s that was once a hardware store and a bar (at the same time), weird and quirky come together to deliver a collection of curio a la lava lamps and the heads of dead animals. Try to resist the urge to steal all the cool stuff. Come on the weekend and sing karaoke or pop songs translated to Spanish with the neighborhood's working and recently retired." - Primer Grey

View Postcard for D & W Lounge

"D & W Lounge, East End. Tucked away from the hustle of the city, D&W Lounge is a dive bar's dive bar. Set up in a building from the 40s that was once a hardware store and a bar (at the same time), weird and quirky come together to deliver a collection of curio a la lava lamps and the heads of dead animals. Try to resist the urge to steal all the cool stuff. Come on the weekend and sing karaoke or pop songs translated to Spanish with the neighborhood's working and recently retired."

Houston

Classic Cocktail Bar Night Shift Opens in Houston’s East End - Eater Houston

"Before the plant closed in the summer of 2018, nearby dive D&W Lounge was known for opening at 7 a.m., specifically to serve third-shifters seeking a post-work beer." - Brittanie Shey

12 Perfect Day-Drinking Destinations in Houston

"For those who need need a cocktail seriously early, this no-frills bar popular with Houston’s shift workers opens at 7 a.m seven days a week. Order a beer and a shot, and start the day off in the best way possible." - Megha McSwain

Leandro Coronel

Google

Great dive bar, with a lot of personality, good service, excellent prices and nice atmosphere.

Matthew Johnson

Google

The true definition of a dive bar. Outside may not look the best but the vibe inside was great. No problems at all. Just good ole fun.

Randall ard

Google

Great place to have a cold beer before meeting friends for a bike ride.

Nathan Cook

Google

Great place on a great night. Mary the bartender was on point with beers, witty comebacks and her juke box selections. Unsolicited, she even brought over plates of Mexican shrimp cocktail that the guys grilling on the patio had brought. And the regulars there were happy to strike up random conversation with us about the history of the bar and their neighborhood, el Segundo Barrio (Second Ward). Icing on the cake was the newest decor: a racoon trap with food and water in it. What in the...?

Jen Hernandez

Google

Cool Chill Neighborhood Spot for any cycling 🚴‍♀️ people who new the area from growing up in East End as well as those who have cycled with East End Bike Crew

Cenovio Garza

Google

It a nicely kick back with good rock and roll sounds every friendly I was enjoying the invite with my son and daughter in-law a few time every cool place peaceful ✌️ out

Jake Krause

Google

A true 5 star beer and wine dive bar. Enjoy its dive—y ness and randomness.

Jose Diaz

Google

My favorite place! Good music on the juke box or during karaoke nights, great service, and people. The neighborhood vibe you didn't know you always wanted

Corey K.

Yelp

One of the best bars on the east side bartenders awesome owner is very nice as well Friendly environment.

Oskar S.

Yelp

Steve runs the best bar in town! The ambiance is unique and interesting. It's a neighborhood bar so respect the neighbors!

Farrah A.

Yelp

One hundred percent complete dive: tchotchkes and knick knacks fill the walls and bar, neighborhood locals only occupy the space, dark / no exterior light, small -- and I mean small -- dance floor, cheap drinks. There is some outdoor seating, and a lot of cyclists frequent the bar. They also have a steak night, karaoke, live music....

Aurora H.

Yelp

I haven't been in a few years. But it's a true dive bar. Really quirky experience and a fun karaoke night.

Jordan W.

Yelp

This place defines your local dive bar in a nutshell. A dance floor, a local cover band, and a nice picture of Marilyn Monroe on the wall. The bartender was also a friendly woman who had a nice conversation with me about my selection of drinks. I had a Dos XX beer while I listened to the cover band perform some Led Zeppelin. There are also many other selections of drinks other than beer, and I feel like I should probably try some other special liquor next time. The dance floor is usually full of the regulars who pop in here every weekend, and there were a few older folks celebrating birthdays. These people have been coming into this place for years, and I can see why they love it so much. The bar itself has been a hot spot in EaDo for decades, and you'll find some friendly people to talk to. There is parking but it can be limited. Uber is recommended.

Leslie W.

Yelp

This...THIS...is what you want a dive bar in your neighborhood to be. Filled to the ceiling with collected stuff from odd cherubs holding lampshades to oversized pictures of Marilyn Monroe. It's like the Addams Family moved into the Cheers bar. You just can't stop looking around to see what else is in there. Bartender was the perfect dive bar bartender. Middle aged gal that you knew wouldn't take gruff off anyone. Beer selection was what you would find in any good bar in Houston with national brands and good local breweries. Regulars sat at the bar and she just kept handing them beers. We were there on a Friday and the band was a decent local cover band. A small dance floor had a few older overserved birthday celebrators flailing about. One of the oldest bars in Eado, I understand. So many of those folks likely have been coming here for years. I would so go here more if I still lived in Houston. Parking is tricky. Uber if you can.

Mel S.

Yelp

Go every now and then and always have had a great time. The owner Kieth is very nice. He's got the right person who doesn't put up with bs running the bar. The outside area looks shady but I've never had any issues. Coldest Dos XX as it should be. If you just want to chill and have some cold ones in a very relaxing environment, this is your place.

D K.

Yelp

The window unit cold as hell. Honestly, I tie it in 2nd as BEST dive bars in Houston. The decor is something out of ones twisted imagination. Or, it may just be EVERYTHING anyone has ever thrown away. As I typed this a young lady rested 2 foil wrapped sausages on my arm. They do pretty good here. Byo bottles of booze btw.

Rachel M.

Yelp

This is definitely a whole in the wall gem! The owner and the bartender we very nice and accommodating. The prices were very affordable and we kept the buckets of beer coming! The eclectic decor gave it a quirky, fun touch as well. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the second shift bartender was not very pleasant to us. My coworkers and I all noticed that. However, I'm sure we will be back!

Mariah B.

Yelp

My new favorite place. Super friendly and homey. It's the most traditional sense of a community dive bar and i live everything about it.

Sara S.

Yelp

We absolutely love the D&W. Relaxing, great live music typically every Friday, karaoke on Saturday. We also really enjoy Keith (owner) and his staff. Always nice and friendly chat. And, the coldest beer in town!

April P.

Yelp

Great live music without a cover charge. Nice crowd & ambiance. HOWEVER, our night was ruined by bartender Amber trying to scam us by adding drinks to our bill. Her fatal mistake was in assuming we were as drunk or as dumb as she is and falsifying our drink tally right under our noses, IN PLAIN SIGHT. Then she screamed obscenities out the door of the bar at us when we left, our dignity intact, after exposing her criminal behavior to the bar owner and to other patrons watching the drama unfold. The owner kindly refunded our bill in full (not what I'd wanted or asked for) and welcomed us back in the future, but I told him no thank you. That as long as Amber is still behind the bar, handling people's hard-earned cash, I will not be back, unfortunately. Sad because I dig the bar. But I prefer to let my hair down & know I'm in good hands with barstaff--NOT have to watch my back all night suspiciously to make sure I don't get ripped off. Fair Warning, Fellow Yelpers: if Amber is your bartender, watch your bill like a hawk or pay cash by the round. She will most likely try to steal your hard-earned dollars.

Ami P.

Yelp

It's probably one of the oldest and local dive bars in the Houston area. It's near EaDo, but can be easily missed. They have interesting artwork and antiques in the bar, and you can tell that the people who come here are locals and have been coming for years. It's a fun spot, and they do karaoke on the weekends.

Sarah G.

Yelp

I just read the review about the pen stabbing below and can't stop laughing. I've been to this bar 5 times and never felt threatened. I think weird things can happen at interesting places on a rare occasion but weird things happen at other places - people get date raped and drugged at dance clubs, no one talks about that b/c it's truly terrible. I guess I prefer the one-off pen stabbings between unique individuals than a massive drunk hump fest on a sweaty dance floor. Fuck that boring shit. It's a dive, it's dark, there's interesting shit on the wall, and the drinks are dirt cheap. i want to say cash only but can't remember. Last time we were there this mexican band was playing country music. It was awesome. If you have any interest in a different bar experience than the typical midtown / washington ave business, check it out - totally worth the trip.

Bob S.

Yelp

Here we are Yelp'n on a Saturday afternoon before the Texans game. What a great place locals and wanderers like us Love. Great decor and damn cold beverages make it a choice in the neighborhood The outside has character but the inside is where it's at.

Mike C.

Yelp

Oh man, what a mind and ear f#%k! The regulars will hate me for this one, but I love this place! Some of the most beautiful Latina girls in Houston( loved all the selfies girls!) ,mature crowd , cold beer, Milfs, cheaters , couples, Douche bags, college crowd , hipsters , heads , ROLLER- Derby girls ( kick- Azzz),New Orleans radio personality TC Elliott doing karaoke ( killer cover of All the young dudes) , roaches (both kinds),working guys, unemployed guys, piss on the floor, ( no blood tonight), food trucks, patio, smoking area , birthday parties, "Charlie" ( Charles Manson clone) Cher, Sonny- aka "Charlie",Karaoke,BYOB, sausage guy, lesbians, fags, gangsters,roaches( both kind) ,vomit, piss ( lot of piss), authentic Mexican food (brought in for a party by patrons) It's all here on Saturday night folks! This is a Houston treasure in dive bar status that represents what is right in so many ways about Houston. It just works ! Classic place !

Aubrey K.

Yelp

So I was SCARED to go in here, but it's so nice inside! Parking was easy, and the service was great. Prices were reasonable. I just moved to the neighborhood and I will be seeing a lot of this place. Wish they had a food menu. I also heard they have live music. Their patio is nice too.

Ana W.

Yelp

When my friend asked me to meet her at D&W Lounge, I imagined some overpriced dance club a la Washington Heights, but the term lounge is VERY misleading, and instead I walked into the cutest hole in the wall ever. This place is pretty off the grid - we walked in to find 50 and 60 somethings singing karaoke and playing pool. I really wanted to sing karaoke too, but my friend's group was sitting on the patio so I grabbed a beer and joined them. I really wanted to like this place, but half-way into my beer, the 50 and 60 something crowd started getting rowdy....one very drunk woman tried to stab another very drunk woman in the neck with a pen, and it took 4 other patrons to stop her by pushing her against the wall. My cute little hole in the wall experience in Ea-Do turned very sour, very fast. Everyone around me acted like nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and went back to drinking their beer, and I didn't want to seem judgmental, which is why I was so relieved when fiance did it for me and said "we're out of here!" I don't really know how to rate this place - had I not witnessed drunky and drunker trying to stab one another in the neck, I probably would have given this place 4 stars, but I sort of want to give it 1 because I'm NEVER going back here. But I give it 2 so you can judge for yourself, and because maybe this won't happen again and you'll feel safe there!

jef m.

Yelp

I read about this place in the Houston Press. It sounded intriguing, and it did not disappoint. I walked in, sat down, and ordered a beer. Immediately, Keith, the owner, engaged me in conversation. I don't mean just a little chit-chat. We stepped outside to the courtyard, sat down across a table, and talked like old buddies. He gave me the history of the neighborhood and the bar itself, and I felt instantly a regular! Yeah, the place is eclectic, but given its proximity to downtown, the warehouse district, and Eastwood neighborhood, better get there now before the hipster crowd takes it over! That way, you can be the one who says, "Man, I remember when this place was (insert nostalgic remark)."

Kristen S.

Yelp

I found this little gem when I asked my friend for a new dive bar. This place fit the bill. It's nestled in Eastwood, my old stomping grounds, on the outskirts of the warehouse district and the maxwell coffee plant. It opens at 7am....that's right 7AM! The owner said it opens that early so the fellows who get off at third shift at the plant can start drinking! I got to learn a little bit about the history, this place has been around some 60 years! It's practically a chunk of Houston's history. The outside looks very seedy, but once you walk in, it's so inviting. They are so friendly, the decor is awesome- it has a real charm, all it's own. They have odd statues of Julius Cesar, a shrine to Marilyn Monroe, and numerous knickknacks and collectibles on the walls. It was perfect. Dark, ominous, but friendly and relaxed at the same time. A few tips: they only serve beer or wine, they don't have a liquor license, and they don't seem in a rush to get one. They only take cash, but the beers are cheap (about $2). They have karaoke on friday and saturday nights and the dudes playing live music were really good! Just a cover band, but still, they were awesome. They made me laugh, they sounded like cheesy wedding singers, i LOVED it. This is my new favorite place for sure. it's a diamond in the rough.

Maria H.

Yelp

Dee and dubya is a really chill spot. They have a nice patio and a very welcoming interior. It's a dive bar after my own heart with unicorns on the ceiling, neon mannequins in the corner and some Ke$ha blaring out of the jukebox. They are a cash only place and the bartender is really friendly. In fact, everyone there is really friendly. I got a hello, how ya doin'? as I was walking in. It's dim, laidback, friendly and cheap with cozy booths to gossip with your friends. What else do you need? If you hurry, you can catch their Valentine's Day event. Something about bringing a date to a luau where you can get laid.

David R.

Yelp

Tried going here a few times but I never see anyplace to park. Don't feel like getting towed in the middle of the night so i always keep on driving by. Can someone tell me where I should park and I might give it a try?

Tiphnayy S.

Yelp

I was here last night and the guys running the karaoke were amazing!! Leon was the best ever!! Definitely will be back!! This is my new favorite spot now! Had an absolute blast and the bartenders were fantastic! If you want cool place to chill come here! Coolest spot in second ward! I hope to see those guys again!

Amy R.

Yelp

Amazing. I love the outside and the inside is awesome. The jukebox is great and everyone should check out the karaoke that they have on Friday. Tina is the best bartender I've had in a long time!! Great little place!!

Paulette K.

Yelp

Great place to meet up with old friends and new. The first time we set foot in D&W, the place was packed, but we were invited to sit at a table with people we did not know. They promptly offered to share what they were drinking and treated us like we were part of their group. The camaraderie was similar to that little bar where "everyone knows your name". Loved it and the karaoke was a hit!

Scott F.

Yelp

My favorite dive bar in Houston. Houstonia magazine recently ranked it as one of the best dive bars in all of Houston. Eclectic, kitschy, decorations. Nice bartenders and the owner Keith is a really nice guy that appreciates all of his customers. Getting quality bands stopping through on Friday nights. Sometime the bands bring out a BUNCH of people and the bar isn't that big, but they find a way to take care of everyone. Lots of regulars and people from all walks of life. Everyone seems to get along just fine. I've been here many times and I've never seen any "drama". Beer and wine only but set ups are sold for BYOB.

Grant P.

Yelp

3.50 bottle shiner nice bartender looked like a pretty regular crowd. got some side eye for sure. DJ was cool and playing crowd favorites. including SELINA! good vibes in the bar. Lots of cool oddities and fun things all over the place to look at. I especially loved the collection of lava lamps under a painting of marilyn monroe good porch. hot and humid, but whatayagonna do? Going back!

Carmen A.

Yelp

Great little dive bar. They used to take only cash, but now take credit cards too (Visa, Mastercard & Discover, I think). Most Friday nights is live music; varies from cover rock bands (70s, 80s, 90s) to Gulf Coast eclectic bluesy, to Zydeco and others in-between. Every Saturday night is Karaoke night -- everything from rock to country to Tex-Mex to even Old Blue Eyes. Very nice people, relaxed atmosphere, but can sometimes get jumping depending on who's singing! They serve beer, wine, wine coolers and Monday night is $1.50 domestic beer all day! Check it out -- a very comfortable place. Owner Keith is a great guy!

The Best Neighborhood Dive Bars in Houston

On the Grid : D & W Lounge

View Postcard for D & W Lounge

Houston

Classic Cocktail Bar Night Shift Opens in Houston’s East End - Eater Houston

"Before the plant closed in the summer of 2018, nearby dive D&W Lounge was known for opening at 7 a.m., specifically to serve third-shifters seeking a post-work beer." - Brittanie Shey

12 Perfect Day-Drinking Destinations in Houston