Johnny's Gold Brick

"Much like a gold brick, Johnny's packs a lot of fun into its tiny little rectangular bar. Plus, it serves some of the best drinks in The Heights. Swing by any time for a dozen classics for less than $10—or $5.55 at Happy Hour—and more playful, seasonal cocktails for no more than $15. The menu here spans from fun tiki-inspired drinks that bartenders will light on fire to savory drinks with mushroom-infused rum. Johnny's operates with a come-as-you-are attitude, where neighborhood folks and anyone looking for a great drink or two can relax and not have to shout over any thumping music." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi

"This Heights bar, open daily until 2 a.m., is a reliable neighborhood go-to with great music and a solid list of classic cocktails. Gimlets, Manhattans, daiquiris, and frozen margaritas are all $10 all the time. Find sustenance at the onsite food truck, aka the “snack box,” and stay keyed into the bar’s social media for information on pop-ups." - Brittany Britto Garley

"What once was the Boom Boom Room is now the home of Johnny's Goldbrick. Johnny's is not a place where you're gonna have to wait in line all night. Pretty easy to belly up to the bar and order from a strong cocktail menu. Johnny's Goldbrick is a proper bar so you'll find several Texas beers on tap and not to forget the ever tasty wine list. Outfitted with retro furniture and top notch bartenders makes for a Houston Heights second home." - Manready Mercantile

"No, Johnny’s Gold Brick is not a mining town replica where you can pan for gold under the watchful eye of an old prospector. But rather a bar that serves alcohol, and that’s sort of the same thing if you think about it. The tiny neighborhood cocktail bar makes some of the best drinks in The Heights at some of the best prices. A dozen classic cocktails for under $10—Johnny’s even painted this list on the wall with a $9.99 price tag. Or try any of the original seasonal cocktails, like the Munchies For Your Love with anejo mushroom rum and sherry, for under $15. And even though the cocktails can seem fancy, you can roll up to Johnny’s for nearly any occasion, like grabbing $5.55 classic cocktails at Happy Hour, splitting a couple of Astro Dogs and jalapeño popper rangoons on with a date, or just bliss out on the patio and watch the traffic whizzing by on Yale Street. Here the drinks are always solid, the music’s never too loud, and you can always count on the bartenders being fast and friendly. photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen" - Chelsea Thomas

"The Miracle holiday pop-up has returned to Johnny’s Gold Brick, illuminating the Heights bar with Christmas lights and over the top holiday decor through December 30. Along with whimsical glassware and cocktails like the Christmapolitan and a Snowball Old Fashioned, expect countless photo ops to help you get in the spirit of the season. Reservations are available on Resy and are highly encouraged." - Megha McSwain, Brittany Britto Garley