La Carafe

(713) 229-9399

813 Congress St, Houston, TX | Directions   77002

29.763087 -95.361903

La Carafe view & upload
photos
Neighborhoods:
Central, Downtown

Categories:
Nightclubs, Bars & Pubs, Neighborhood Bars, Wine Bars

View More

Bar & Club Special Features:
Outdoor Seating, Romantic Nightlife
Payment Methods:
Cash

View Less


At a Glance ?
100% ambiance
“very cool, although i dont agree that its a "romantic" spot, i do think its a good place to hide out by yourself or with a close one to have a few drinks and chat for a while.”
86% drinks
“Never seen a ghost, but I have seen some great beers”
100% menu variety
“They have a great wine selection and good beer if you like, and they only take cash.”
100% overall
“What a great place!”
100% return potential
“However, the whole place is so incredible, I'll be back!”
87% service
“decided that i should celebrate and go have a glass of wine at this hidden place called LaCarfe, I got there and it has such history,the bartender gavin was soooooooo friendly and nice and i told him i have never tried Wine before can he advise me and h”
100% value
“The value is good and they will split a glass of wine in half if you ask them.”

Write a Tip for

La Carafe

Write a Tip... optional
 

What Our Expert Scouts Say

La Carafe
October 26, 2012

Awesome atmosphere and history. Great downtown location close to plenty of other places. Small but good beer and wine list. Cash only!

0
La Carafe
5.0
June 15, 2012

Impress your companion with this bit of trivia: this is the oldest bar in Houston, founded in 1860 as Kennedy Bakery.

0

Tips for La Carafe

5.0
July 26, 2007

Friendlist Place in Town. I was part of the Texas Medical Center crowd that frequented this Bar in the 1980's after a chance discovery of this hidden place by one of us. It is nice to know that it is maintaining its reputation for friendliness.

0
5.0
November 21, 2006

a quaint hole-in-the-wall wine bar!. this is such a pleasant find in the midst of trendy downtown. a hole-in-the-wall feel rightly suits this small space with antiques adorning the walls and bar, giving that cozy and romantic vibe. it's a bit out of place in downtown, but it's a great getaway from the club district debaucheries. the wine list is decent and surely won't disappoint.*

0
5.0
September 22, 2006

most unique bar in houston w/ friendliest staff and old world ambience!!. What a great place! Dank, musty, old, leaning to the side, crazy jumbled decor, wood and glass, candle wax piled high behind the bar. The wine list is quite nice, but I was sad they didn't carry scotch or any hard drinks. I guess the name "La Crafe" makes that clear! However, the whole place is so incredible, I'll be back! The second floor is intimate and cozy. The balcony is nice especially now as the temperature cools down. The crowd was doctors, business people, laywers. The juke box has many old songs from the 40's. We took it over and listened to Billie Holiday, etc, for hours. I wish they served food! It is still perfect, though!

0
5.0
August 11, 2006

Best Local bar downtown Houston. I decided that i should celebrate and go have a glass of wine at this hidden place called LaCarfe, I got there and it has such history,the bartender gavin was soooooooo friendly and nice and i told him i have never tried Wine before can he advise me and he did, if i can remember i had the las verde and it was very sweet and fruity and a very light relaxing taste.Then 3 of the locals came in and we started talking and it was just so nice. I love bars but the daytime bar scene is much better, you see,doctors,judges,lawyers come in there to have a drink so no crazy drunk men there to bother you. The place itself is slanted and they have pictures of long ago and the locals say the place is haunted and they call it the LC, i found out that they have wine tasting once a month on the first thursday from 5 pm to 8 pm. They invited me back and i finally found a place that i can be a regular there.with friendly locals and down to earth bartender how can i not go back. lol and its downtown.The best thing its casual and you dont have to dress up,just jeans and T shirt.Im so happy that i went. With school starting i wont be able to have a night on the town that much.But checking out a bar in the day is perfect for me.La Carafe is my new local hang out. I love LaCarafe.

0
April 17, 2006

A historic building and a mysterious interior make for a great romantic hideaway.. In Short
La Carafe is so old (established approximately 130 years ago) that the building is starting to lean. Inside, it's ultra-dark, lit by dim lamps and candles atop a three-foot-tall accumulated pillar of wax. This is the perfect place to take a date: Steal away to the tiny upstairs room or sit at one of the outdoor tables with a view of Market Square. You can't beat the ambience, and the wine selection is enviable.

0
5.0
August 07, 2004

Houston Treasure. I can truly asseverate without hyperbole that this is one of Houston's true treasures. Do not miss taking the microstairs up to the second floor and balcony, it is quite an experience. If you have not taken your significant other here you are depriving them of one of Houston's most romantic venues.

0
5.0
December 08, 2003

Best Bar Ive Been To In Houston. Ive lived in Houston for about 6 months and Ive tried several spots downtown but my first visit to La Carafe was the best. Like others have said its not a party atmosphere, its very intimate and dark, but there is almost more character to the place than you can handle. The service was excellent. Matt the bartender upstairs was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wine. The value is good and they will split a glass of wine in half if you ask them. They have a great wine selection and good beer if you like, and they only take cash. I cant imagine a better place to take a romantic date after dinner. One of the other incredible things is the jukebox, I think it fits that place to a T. Youve got to try this place.

0
4.5
July 14, 2003

La Unfrigginbelievable. Beautiful joint. Good selection of wines. Just plain good times. Not the kinda place you go for loud, fast paced entertainment. No jacked-up investment bankers here! This beer/wine bar is more laid back complemented with about the best jukebox selection I've ever seen. They know their wines but won't snicker even if you order a zinfandel(o.k., maybe they will, but they're laughing WITH you). If I ever have a date, I'll definately take her here. Antiquish class folks, you gotta check it out. Right down to the classic cash register, so remember to hit the ATM first.

0
4.5
February 24, 2003

Good date spot. La Carafe reminds me of some off-the-beaten-path bars I found in Amsterdam. The mood is the same, too. It's just wine and beer and cash only, but it's great. The Juke box is varied, the bartenders are enthusiastic about the wine without being snooty. The value is good and the place oozes charm. Women swoon inside the place, which is always quiet and intimate. I don't know how they stay in business, because the place is never really crowded -- I'm just glad they do.

0
4.5
August 17, 2002

very cozy n cool. my boyfriend and i just moved here 3 weeks ago from california---i actually "moved back" here.... so we went there, weve never been there before and we loved it. very cool environment, the bar tender wasnt a jerk and i love the old school building---especially the bathrooms, so tiny and personal, made me feel as though i was living in the olden days. very cool, although i dont agree that its a "romantic" spot, i do think its a good place to hide out by yourself or with a close one to have a few drinks and chat for a while. so yeah, this is going to be our spot! :)

0

See more tips for La Carafe

Write a Tip for

La Carafe

Write a Tip... optional
Your Friends

Sign in with Facebook Sign in with Facebook to see what your friends are up to!

Citysearch Mobile
Citysearch Mobile

Get the Citysearch Mobile app so you can spend less time searching for great places, and more time enjoying them.

Get it Now

Best of Citysearch

Won for:
Romantic Bar (2006)
First Date Spot (2005)
Nominations Nominated for: