12 places to drink beer that aren’t Flying Saucer

Note, I have reconsidered my negative opinion of the Saucer – read why. Also, I committed a major sin as a commenter suggested, and left Petrol Station off the list. It’s probably number one for me now. I now know what I have been missing all these years!!

I’m not usually one to pick at a place where beer can be consumed. However, the recent discussion on the Houston Press Eating Our Words blog on ‘most overrated’ places got me thinking, and I couldn’t think of a more overrated place to drink beer than the Flying Saucer in downtown Houston.

Don’t get me wrong. I like the Flying Saucer. I think it’s a fine bar, it has a massive selection, but I just feel like too many times it gets a pass simply based on this fact. The major challenge at a place like that is keeping the draft beer fresh – meaning fresh lines. It’s a formidable challenge, and one the Saucer doesn’t do an especially good job at in my experience. I’ve basically resorted to drinking whatever is on the ‘fire sale’ that day, just because I know it won’t be stale beer-line beer. (As a side note, the fire sale beer is almost always something unique and tasty, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing).

I just tire of people constantly fawning over the place. When it’s crowded, which it often is at happy hour and prime beer drinking time, it is AMAZINGLY loud, and the service can be a little hit and miss if you don’t have a table and want to just order pints at the bar.

So, I put a comment on this post nominating The Flying Saucer as one of the most overrated places in Houston, and I quanitifed it by saying there were easily 12 better beer bars in town. Another commenter challenged me on this, so I’m going to make my list:

1. Anvil
2. Kelvin Arms
3. Brewery Tap
4. Gingerman
5. Under the Volcano
6. Market Square Bar and Grill
7. Little Woodrows (Bellaire)
8. Kays Lounge
9. Kennealeys
10. The Stags Head
11. The Mucky Duck
12. Hans Bier Haus

I could keep going, and going, and going….