Reserve Bar & Lounge

5/25/2016

Before dinner or a concert, after a baseball game, or any night of the week, I love Reserve 101. The bartenders are phenomenal, and the owners are in every day. They offer a fantastic cocktail menu, and the OId Fashioneds are delicious, but when it comes right down to it, I let the bartenders pick which rye, bourbon or scotch that is the next to delight my taste buds. The whiskey selection at Reserve 101 is unsurpassed in Houston, in Texas and probably most places in the United States. {My goal is to try each and every single one.}

You can sit in the front part of the bar and gaze at passersby through the whole wall of windows, or walk up the stairs or wander to the back room to find a smaller table. Who doesn't want a place that has good music above which one can hear one's self think and speak?

5/25/2016

Great little whiskey bar with a good selection of regional and international whiskeys. Bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable, safe to order off menu.

5/25/2016

This place has probably one of the largest bourbon/whiskey selections from all over the world in the greater Houston area. Bartenders are extremely knowledgeable on their products.

5/25/2016

Relaxing place to have a drink, especially before or after a show at House of Blues, which is right next door. Bartenders are friendly and prices are comparable to other places.

5/25/2016

This is a classy, relaxing, bar suitable for casual conversations and small groups. I met some friends here after a festival at discovery green and despite my 'less than dressy' attire I had no trouble. I will say that the first attempt at getting a drink (double makers on the rocks, pretty simple, should take >2min) took a really long time and I think the bartender forgot about me standing right there. When he remembered me he acknowledged the delay, apologized, and offered to buy my next round. As long as you acknowledge the mistake and try to rectify that's all I ask, so I would rate this place highly for service. They have a back room area that has comfortable seating and is a nice spot to enjoy the company of friends.

11/3/2016

I've only gone once to this place, and it was mainly to try out an Irish whiskey that I had been wanting to try for a while - Redbreast 21. I have a few friends that are regulars and they kept talking about how cool this place was, and especially if you wanted to try new/unusual whiskeys, etc. Needless to say, I went in on a Friday night around 11pm and I was not disappointed. The bar area was sort of filled and their back lounge was open and empty. The back lounge has a couple of sitting areas with leather couches (very comfortable) and some other table/chair combinations. Really laid back and good for a relaxing night of drinks and good conversation.

11/3/2016

Great bar and nice selection. One bartender being a douche shouldn't give the bar a bad reputation but I can see why. When I ordered a whiskey sour from one of the bartenders he was very rude and rubbed me the wrong way. He made the whiskey sour and then handed it to me and mumbled something to what I assume is a regular patron as if they were scoffing at my selection. Made me quite uncomfortable being there after that. Didn't realize that's how service is. I was being very respectful and courteous yet still got this kind of treatment. I will return since it's a local hangout for my friend and I but this particular bartender needs to be given a lesson is customer service. If it wasn't for this I'd give it a 4.5/5. The other two very cool and there is one here who is most knowledgeable and not rude.

11/3/2016

Tons and tons of liquor options. Bartenders are very knowledgeable. Atmosphere isn't great, and the tv's are tiny, but this isn't a sports bar. Come here to taste a variety of unique liquors.

11/3/2016

Huge and constantly growing variety, incredibly well versed staff, unpretentious atmosphere that hit all the checkboxes. 10/10 I will be back again (and soon!)

11/3/2016

This is usually the ideal place for my co-workers and I to go for a great after work. It's close to our building and they have fairly decent happy hour specials.

12/3/2016

If you like whiskey, bourbon, and the like this is a must visit place. They have the largest selection even more than some liquor stores. The bartenders are very knowledgeable and can find something for you if the 300+ options are overwhelming.

Bonus, you don't have to buy a whole bottle for beg a friend for a taste to see if you want to buy a bottle.

They also have tastings throughout the year which are very good as well.

1/10/2017

Amazing old fashioneds (had a couple).. thanks Jace

2/11/2017

You will be hard pressed to find a better selection of booze or a more knowledgeable staff. The cocktails are the best and they always check the flavor of your cocktail before serving it. Other great cities in the country would kill for a whiskey bar this good. Order the traditional whiskey sour for something sweet. Avoid those other formulaic cocktail bars that are trying to be hip.

2/11/2017

Leslie here was fantastic! She made us some great old fashioneds, aviations, and a few new drinks we had never tried per her recommendation. The downstairs bar is nice and has a great outside window view, and was easy to walk to house of Blues from here. The upstairs is a nice date night area if you're needing a quieter atmosphere. Will definitely come back to this local craft cocktail bar!

3/24/2017

Great happy hour prices. Comfortable, plush leather seats in the back room. Good place to meet for a beer or whiskey after work.

4/27/2017

Great location, friendly bar staff, pretty quiet on Thursday night. Great place to chill with friends or genuine alcoholic. Bad place if ur looking to meet women

6/29/2017

Knowledgeable staff. Clearly know their whiskey. Cool downtown location and atmosphere

8/6/2017

The whiskey tasting experience was fantastic, well organized. Full bar with an awesome selection of whiskeys. The location is perfect for a drink after work if you are downtown.

8/6/2017

Great staff, small, but not overly packed place. Nice downtown vibe. Absolutely delivers on its promise.

8/6/2017

Great bourbon selection. Enjoyed the old fashion.

9/10/2017

Cool whiskey bar that lacks atmosphere but makes up for it with knowledgeable staff, great selection, and reasonable prices. The boulevardier ($12) was excellent.

11/11/2017

Great atmosphere, friendly bartenders and tasty drinks!

11/11/2017

This is a very chill bar, with a great whiskey selection, and a knowledgeable staff.

12/13/2017

Cool place! Great whiskey selection, and not bad small beer on tap selection either!

12/13/2017

Open very late. Knowledgeable bartenders and good selection of drinks.

1/15/2018

It's a chill place with a good seating area and a back room that can be rented out for events. Probably 6-8 beers on tap. Nice staff.

2/17/2018

VERY POSH & NICE FOR PEOPLE WHO REALLY ENJOY HIGH END ALCOHOL & A RESPECTABLE GOOD TIME! GREAT FOR TOURISTS, VACATIONERS, AND THE EVERYDAY HOUSTON DOWNTOWN PROFESSIONAL!

2/17/2018

Fabulous scotch selection. Patio needs to be made nicer.

2/17/2018

We went here for the Valentines Day whiskey tasting and had a great time!

3/20/2018

Awesome bar. The staff is amazing and knowledgeable about their offerings, which is amazing when you see the amount of whiskey to chose from. Rum, vodka, and beer drinkers should not be turned off. They have something for everyone. Great place to go before hitting the Toyota Center or House of Blues. Outdoor patios and big windows also make for great people watching.

3/20/2018

Great place with great selection. Cozy and nice atmosphere for a drink and a conversation.

3/20/2018

Nice staff, decent whiskey bar it seems, okay beer list, no food.

4/21/2018

Great pub like atmosphere come ready to drink and don't waste anybody's time probably the most diverse selection of whiskey in the downtown area

4/21/2018

A vast variety ......for your drinking pleasure....... excellent manager and bartending staff.....very secure atmosphere......

4/21/2018

Decent happy hour cocktails, no food and their suggestion to order from Frank's pizza took an hour and didn't even know the location. Otherwise mostly okay.

5/23/2018

Nice bar with great drinks. Friendly staff and a nice layout. Easy access to downtown venues, music venues and Discovery Green.

5/23/2018

Service is always great, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Amazing selection of whiskeys, bourbons, ryes, and everything in between. Didnt catch the guys name but the guy at the bar made a mean old fashion!

5/23/2018

This place has every type of whiskey a connoisseur could ask for and the bartenders are awesome!

5/23/2018

One of the best up scale bar's in Houston

you just can't miss with this one....

6/25/2018

Bartenders are nice. The place is much smaller than I thought but there is a back room where they hold tastings too. Great place for whiskey.

6/25/2018

A wide selection of whiskeys, bourbons, and scotches. Knowledgeable staff and small dive bar atmosphere make for a goodnight. The outdoor seating makes for a cool sunset view.

6/25/2018

Nice place. Get pretty crowded later in the evening. Great spirits.

7/25/2018

This bar is a nice little pace. The owner and staff were very nice and hospitable. If you are staying at the Embassy downtown it is walking distance.

8/27/2018

Came here during a layover. Awesome bar with an excellent selection. Ali, my bartender, was awesome and friendly, and knew her way around a shaker! Will return when in town next.

8/27/2018

If you like whisky, look no further. Decent beer selection as well. For some reason the bartender was pushing some Robert Earl Kenn Honey something on me. It wasn't great.

Open late when others downtown weren't.

8/27/2018

The best bar in the area. Great staff and amazing selection of booze

8/27/2018

Great down to earth, unpretentious cocktail bar. They mix some great cocktails here!

9/28/2018

Friendly, knowledgeable staff and an excellent whiskey selection. If you prefer a craft whiskey cocktail, they can provide that too, but I recommend the tasting special if you're looking for a sample of several house-selected spirits.

Only a short walk from the convention center if you need a break in the afternoon or if you're looking for somewhere classy to close out the night. I'll definitely be heading back they next time I'm in Houston.

9/28/2018

Love this place. Awesome bourbon selection and the staff is attentive and nice. Great place where local service industry people hang after their shifts at area downtown restaurants and hotels.

9/28/2018

We came on a sunday night and were welcomed by Ryan. He was an expert and advised on many different amazing whiskeys. I was extremely pleased by his advice & knowledge, and loved the atmosphere of the bar. The prices were also very fair. This is an A+ experience and I higly recommend it.

9/28/2018

What a selection! If you're bored with the usual whiskey suspects at your regular bar, this is the place to try something new. The bartenders are awesome, and the spot is clean, lined with small screens to watch whatever game is on, with no trace of pretension. If you are a whiskey fan, this should be your regular bar. Cheers!

11/30/2018

Whiskey bar. Don't get it twisted: the purpose is to have a ton of great whiskey, whisky, bourbon, scotch, and rye. In that, they excel. From the pompous to the basic they have it all! If you are a fan of the most contentiously-debated spirit ever this is the place to stop!!

12/30/2018

Very good selection of liquor. Bartender lacked charisma. Ordered a Last Word, it was stirred and served on the rocks. Kinda missed the mark. Overall not bad for drinks but classic cocktails may be try another venue.

2/3/2019

This is an amazing spot if you are seeking a quieter atmosphere than a typical bar which happens to have the best selection of single malts and whiskey in the area. The owners also produce house whiskey that they distill themselves so you can support this local business a couple different ways. The head bartender is a master at his craft. Just tell him what flavor tastes good and he will whip it up, no problem. For example, ask for the breakfast shot (it tastes just like waffles and syrup). This is my crew's go to spot in downtown.

2/3/2019

Steve runs a solid operation here, and their scotch selection is tremendous. They're very competent and I got some excellent guidance from one of the bartenders to try something just outside my comfort zone. He was right.

2/3/2019

If you're a whiskey lover, definitely try here when in Houston. I had a gin mule which was quite well balanced. Seating is limited though.

2/3/2019

Awesome place. Super knowledgeable and friendly staff. If you like Whiskey, it's a must.

3/6/2019

Reserve 101 is the best whiskey bar in the world! And this isn't just my opinion - they're consistently on every major whiskey publication's list too! They have been in business for more than ten years, which is an incredible feat in Houston. With more than 250 different bourbons, scotches, whiskeys and whiskys (and counting), Reserve has put a lot of love into curating their whiskey list - many bottles are super rare and there are even special Reserve 101 blends that well-known distilleries have made for/with them! The owners and staff are absolute all-stars. They have this amazing ability to recommend your new favorite whiskey after asking you a few questions about your preferences. Their cocktail menus are innovative and delicious. Reserve 101 is my go-to bar, whether I'm attending a show at House of Blues, a concert or game at Toyota Center or if I just feel like going out. This bar has made me a whiskey woman for life!

3/6/2019

Awesome craft cocktails, very strong Old Fashioned, incredible liquor selection. Bartenders took a bit to warm up to us, maybe an off night. Take an Uber to get here. Try the Sweet Jane. Awesome chill place to have some romantic cocktails or impress some colleagues.

3/6/2019

Absolutely love it. The atmosphere was extremely laid back and mellow. The owner was extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend this establishment to any and everyone.

3/6/2019

Cute bare with cute bartender's. They make a very good cocktail to quench my thirst. Great location to have it. It is in the heartbeat of Houston. A fabulous place to have it.

4/8/2019

It's a pretty laid back spot with a serious variety of whiskey! I love trying new things when I'm here and there are always drink specials. But the laid back tempo can sometimes be too laid back...service can be a bit lackadaisical. Overall, I generally enjoy visiting this place

5/9/2019

Jace and Sean killed it. Great atmosphere, amazing knowledge, and great drinks. My friends and I will definitely be back

6/9/2019

Attend a seminar here in the event room and loved it! This establishment is downtown so parking can be difficult, however, the establishment itself is great! Authentic liquor! I was pleasantly surprised when my whiskey was in fact good whiskey without added water like most bars. Reserve 101 is definitely now of my list of bars to frequent!

6/9/2019

Very delicious. I had a brother come into town and he asked me to go back here. This place has a great atmosphere. Food is like a restaurant in Louisville I liked.

6/9/2019

Staff is always nice even when they have a full house. Quick and friendly service. The bill was well within reason for the quality.

6/9/2019

entered near nine, it wasn't busy. the staff was very friendly and attentive. the place has a good feel to it. reminds me of a cafe in chicago i liked to visit.

7/11/2019

Received an education in Bourbon unlike any other drinking establishment. My girlfriend went in hating bourbon and came out realizing that she could enjoy drinking it. Sean (not sure of spelling) was the professor, bartender and comedian that crafted the experience.

7/11/2019

I liked this place. Knowledgeable staff. Good whiskey selection. Sort of clean.....

8/12/2019

This place is AMAZING! So many different great whiskeys and scotches why look anywhere else. The bar tenders are super helpful and extremely knowledgeable. With great service and some nice places to hide away if you are in the down town area this place is a must find. Hard to find Japanese whiskey like Habiki and more are here for your drinking pleasure. If you really want something smoother then you’ve probably ever had and have $700 to through down ask for the knappogue castle 1951 whiskey. You won’t be disappointed!!

9/12/2019

Nice chill atmosphere with a huge whiskey selection(350+). The bar tender was very knowledgeable and easy to converse with.

10/13/2019

Definitely a huge selection of whiskey. Bartenders are knowledgeable and let us put together a flight of half glasses even though it's not offered on the menu. Flights can be made up of as many glasses as you want. Only complaint is that the menu online has a list of amazing cocktails that the bar does not have at all. They don't have the ingredients for the drinks, and the drinks aren't even offered on the menu, so why are they on the website at all?? We came a few hours before closing and they had run out of some of the whiskeys we wanted to try. 4 stars for their flexibility in flights, but I really wish their menu had been more clear and that they had just told us which whiskeys were out when we entered like some bars do.

10/13/2019

This place is amazing! The drinks are good and they have every liquor you can think of and they will serve it however you want it. Their old fashions are good! The bartenders are experienced and friendly, makes for a great pre-gaming place or even a birthday.

10/13/2019

The best whiskey bar around. The bartenders know their stuff, and was able to match my tastes to a perfect drink after a short talk. Prices were good, and we'll be back next time we are in Houston!

11/14/2019

Plenty of great times here. Decent prices, but they make up for it by really be masters at crafting a beverage. Nice sitting area in the back with a small outside sitting section.

11/14/2019

Kool spot because of the down to earth atmosphere. Bartenders have heard more than they have seen. I give the place a thumbs up.

1/18/2020

I've been here two nights this week. Everyone is phenomenal. They are friendly, have great service, an excellent selection, and are exactly what you need whether you know what you want or not. Highly recommend a visit. One of the best bars I've ever been to, in Houston or anywhere.

1/18/2020

Shawn is awesome! I enjoyed the atmosphere and the crowd. This bar has a vending machine for cigarettes. Fun place.

2/21/2020

Excellent selection of whisky. One of my favorite bars to go to. Not a fancy place by any means, but still nice overall. They do serve cocktails if you want to bring someone that doesn't just want to sip on whisky.

2/21/2020

Awesome whiskey selection. The girl behind the bar was very enjoyable to talk to and knowledgeable, its rare finding other chicks that like the peaty stuff.

8/10/2020

A place to relax and it gives a good vibe too.

1/19/2015

They play you!! Got 2 bottles of Ciroc Coco and Patron and it WASN'T REAL! I used to bartend so I know my liquor. But if you know your liquor, anyone can...read this and 21 more