I guess Christmas pop-up bars are the latest and greatest things now.

Went to the Frosty's Christmas Experience in EaDo last night, and if you're into Christmas, this is a place to check out. Tons of decorations everywhere, Christmas themed cocktails. It's not cheap, but nothing good is.

I also visited Holly Jolly Bar at McIntyre's Downtown before, it was also well done.

Then there are dive bars reconfigured as Christmas pop-ups. Johnny's Gold Brick (a true hole in the wall dive) and Winnie's on Main. These are sister bars that are rebranded as "Miracle at ...". Not quite on par with Frosty's or Holly Jolly, but festive in their own right.

Anyone have any others?

Booma94 said:

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I guess Christmas pop-up bars are the latest and greatest things now.

Went to the Frosty's Christmas Experience in EaDo last night, and if you're into Christmas, this is a place to check out. Tons of decorations everywhere, Christmas themed cocktails. It's not cheap, but nothing good is.

I also visited Holly Jolly Bar at McIntyre's Downtown before, it was also well done.

Then there are dive bars reconfigured as Christmas pop-ups. Johnny's Goldbrick (a true hole in the wall dive) and Winnie's on Main. These are sister bars that are rebranded as "Miracle at ...". Not quite on par with Frosty's or Holly Jolly, but festive in their own right.

Anyone have any others?

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I'm assuming they are copying the Chicago Christmas bar scene. I think I'd rather go to Chicago and get actual cold weather versus this garbage.

https://www.sippinsantapopup.com/

All over the US. Nickle Bar in Houston this year.

Furlock Bones said:

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Booma94 said:

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Anyone have any others?

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I'm assuming they are copying the Chicago Christmas bar scene. I think I'd rather go to Chicago and get actual cold weather versus this garbage.

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Cold would be nice, but going to Chicago? I'll pass.

Not sure where the trend started, but there are more of them happening each year, and they seem to be pretty popular.

I was talking to the security guy at Frosty's last night (Monday) and he said on Saturday they had over 3,000 prepaid admissions. That did not include any of the walk-ups.

AlaskanAg99 said:

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https://www.sippinsantapopup.com/

All over the US. Nickle Bar in Houston this year.

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Cool. Thanks. Been wanting to check out Nickel City anyway, now I have another reason to get there.

Booma94 said:

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I guess Christmas pop-up bars are the latest and greatest things now.

Went to the Frosty's Christmas Experience in EaDo last night, and if you're into Christmas, this is a place to check out. Tons of decorations everywhere, Christmas themed cocktails. It's not cheap, but nothing good is.

I also visited Holly Jolly Bar at McIntyre's Downtown before, it was also well done.

Then there are dive bars reconfigured as Christmas pop-ups. Johnny's Gold Brick (a true hole in the wall dive) and Winnie's on Main. These are sister bars that are rebranded as "Miracle at ...". Not quite on par with Frosty's or Holly Jolly, but festive in their own right.

Anyone have any others?

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we are going to Frosty's on friday night. I'm nervous the amount of people is going to make it unbearable for me. I hate people. What is the parking situation like? We have a hotel booked downtown to stay at. I am assuming it would be best to just uber there?

Booma94 said:

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AlaskanAg99 said:

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https://www.sippinsantapopup.com/

All over the US. Nickle Bar in Houston this year.

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Cool. Thanks. Been wanting to check out Nickel City anyway, now I have another reason to get there.

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Several years ago it was at Lei Low. Haven't been this year and plan do the same as you this weekend. It's a haul from the west side though, but they also open at noon which helps a lot.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Don't feel bad, people hate you too.

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I'm not. I know.

AustinCountyAg said:

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we are going to Frosty's on friday night. I'm nervous the amount of people is going to make it unbearable for me. I hate people. What is the parking situation like? We have a hotel booked downtown to stay at. I am assuming it would be best to just uber there?

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Frosty's is going to be crowded. There's lots of space and 2 floors, but I still expect it might be somewhat uncomfortable.

Parking in EaDo is a cluster, but with no Astros game it won't be unmanageable. There are a few cash lots along St. Emmanuel and street parking as well. Uber is probably best if that's an option.

If you don't have your tickets yet, I would suggest prepaying for at least some of your drinks when you get tickets. Prepay price is $10 a drink, bar price is $15 a drink plus tax and a mandatory 20% gratuity, so about $20 a drink after all fees.

terradactylexpress said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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Johnny's Gold Brick is way too nice to be a dive bar.

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Seriously, **** right off with thinking JGB is a dive bar. ****ing millenials

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I'm not even sure there are all that many dive bars left in Houston. I'm way, way out of the loop on it but legit dives still around would probably be limited to:
- Shiloh Club
- Rose Garden
- West Alabama Ice House
- Ron's Pub
- Rudyard's (maybe)

And there's one other place that I can't recall the name that I stumbled in and out of several times over the years but it's been a long time. I want to say it was on the far SW side of downtown, maybe even into Midtown a bit. Ground floor of an older building that was maybe 3-4 stories tall and IIRC, it had a fairly ornate facade painted red.

Lizzard's would ordinarily qualify but the clientele is or was when I used to go there a bit too upscale. It was essentially a grown up frat-guy bar in a high-end neighborhood.

Blue Lagoon

Ducks4brkfast said:

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So a pop-up Christmas bar is just a bar with Christmas decorations and rebranded cocktails with holiday themes?

Like the Taste of Texas is a pop-up Christmas restaurant?

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Basically. But with excessive amounts of Christmas decorations. And sometimes a temporary holiday themed name (Holly Jolly Bar instead of McIntyres, or Frosty's instead of Lustre Pearl).

jetch17 said:

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Blue Lagoon

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Ha was just there friday night. Love that place.

Hunters Pub

Shady Acres Saloon

terradactylexpress said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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Johnny's Gold Brick is way too nice to be a dive bar.

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Seriously, **** right off with thinking JGB is a dive bar. ****ing millenials

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Don't blame us. We're pushing 40 now and are definitely old enough to have been to real dive bars. Granted you can probably blame us for killing most of them off.

God I used to have so much fun at rudz. Loved that place when I was a 20 something. Nothing can beat Sunday night $2 you call it's at Griff's though. What a time to be alive.

Leon's Lounge

Kay's and Alice's Tall Texan are the ones I miss the most.

Honorable mention for the Marquis before they remodeled it.

We've been to Miracle at Johnny's two years in a row now.

It's a good way to get in the Christmas spirit. Seems like this year more people were dressed in holiday gear -- saw some pretty awesome get-ups. People really put some effort into it.

Drinks are expensive ($17) but interesting. Lots of unique ingredients and concoctions.

Reservations recommended.

RK said:

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Hunters Pub

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Feliz, guero!

This all sounds incredibly terrible and unappealing. Why does every damn thing have to be a special novel thing?!?! Social media I guess... Makes an old like me really dislike this world sometimes...

My backyard

jetch17 said:

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Blue Lagoon

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I love the goon, last time I was there around 2PM there were some fancy european cars parked outside like a Maserati & E class as well as a nice CTS but nobody inside looked like they had a car built this centure.

TarponChaser said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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Johnny's Gold Brick is way too nice to be a dive bar.

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Yeah, it may be small but it's been open less than 10 years and in what was a brand new building. Dive bars aren't just christened as dive bars. It takes decades of seediness and decay to truly become a dive bar.

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Pretty sure that building is old and a bar was there called the Boom Boom Room before Johnny's. Agreed it's not a dive.

Correct.