Spring has sprung in Houston, which means hot temps and cold drinks… right? Right. I got two new bars and three new-to-me bars — which is exciting!

Eloise Nichols Grill and Liquors, 2400 Mid Lane

Hi, I have a crush on Eloise Nichols. This new bar and restaurant is so insanely instagramable. From the brick wall, open windows, tile floor, wall of wine — you just don’t even know where to start! But I do: Start with a drink. All of the cocktails on the spring menu (bc yes, they rotate!) have puns. Guys, this is me in bar form. I took one for the team and tried them all. 😉 Here are some favorites:

• Netflix and Chamomile. Pisco, gin, chamomile, honey and lemon — all flavors I love all together. It’s not too sweet or too sour. It’s the baby bear of the bar.
• Bourbon Legend. I really appreciate this one. It’s pretty simple: bourbon and tea are the strongest flavors, and it comes in a pretty big glass so you get more bang for your buck. This one is the bar’s top seller!
• Eloise Sour. Gotta love a good egg white drink, and this one has a lemony kick!
• Strange Brew. OK this is my favorite. And it has scotch in it — who am I? It also has coffee and clarified milk. OK, yeah, this is a “me” drink.
• Fiona Apple. Not to be confused with an appletini. Bc it’s way better.
• Strawberry Fields Forever. I thought this was going to be too sweet, but the gin drink has a fantastic champagne strawberry cordial that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet!

Henderson Heights, 908 Henderson St.

My friends and I were brainstorming a dog-friendly beer bar on a gorgeous weekend day. We found it. Henderson Heights is tucked behind Liberty Station (where Big Eye Fish was). My pros: parking lot, JUST down the street from my apartment, food, SWINGS!,  all the beer you can think to order and the bartender will love on your dog. Cons: None?

Bacco, 5010 Dincans St.

100% convinced this place was new, but I was 100% wrong. This bar in Rice Village is tucked away behind Goode Co. Seafood and I think used to be a house? It’s very confusing inside. You will get lost and might accidentally use the wrong bathroom. There are TWO women’s restrooms and one men’s (behind swinging, western-style doors). This is definitely a wine bar and the bar has good deals on bottles! When I went, they had a list of $20 and $25 bottles! The food is SUPER good too — order either pizza or grilled cheese. HEAVEN.

Houston Watch Company, 913 Franklin St.

I didn’t know this Downtown bar existed and I’m a little embarrassed about that. This foodless bar is a great stop during your downtown night out. There are tons of cocktails to choose from, but an old fashioned, moscow mule or margaritas are all reliable. Plus beer too, bc duh. Grab a drink and head upstairs. It’s dark and small — good for a second date or a post dinner spot!

Bosscat Kitchen + Libations, 4310 Westheimer Rd

I’ve already boasted about Bosscat in River Oaks (right next to Eloise, btw!), but let’s talk just about the drinks!

• THE BOSSCAT: Basil Hayden, Citrus, Bitters, Rosemary. This one is a real winner. It’s not too sweet, but it’s not too sour. It’s the baby bear of cocktails.
• BOSS LADY, VOL. 2: Wild Turkey Bourbon, Blackberry, Citrus Infused Syrup, Thyme. I will forever wonder what happened to Vol. 1, but I like to think it was as good as volume 2. I didn’t order a second of Boss Lady just because I thought it was a tad too sweet, but you might be into that kind of thing.
• BC SWEET TEA: Old Forester Bourbon, Bird Dog Peach, House Infused Sweet Tea, Mint, Lemon. I SUCKED THIS SUCKER DOWN. Which is both good and bad. Definitely tastes like tea, so don’t order if you don’t like tea. I love tea. This was amazing.
• BC LEMONADE: Tito’s Vodka, Fresh Lemon, Southern Peppers, Bubbles. Mmm, refreshing. This guy is the opposite of the tea in that if you don’t like lemonade (or find it too sour/sweet, like me), you might like this!