Houston's 10 Best British Pubs: Close Your Eyes and Think of England

By Katharine Shilcutt Tue., Feb. 12 2013 at 6:00 AM

What happens in the vault stays in the vault.

7. Kelvin Arms

Technically, this is a Scottish pub. But that just means it's got a great selection of Scotch in addition to a nice assortment of British beers. More importantly, it -- like any good pub -- is loyal to its regulars, whom the pub treats like family. There's a big screen for watching games or matches, board games if you get bored, oversized chairs and couches to sink into and a suit of armor guarding the vault, a holdover from when the Rice Village building was University Bank in the late 1920s and early '30s, so the pub -- unlike many Houston bars -- has some history to it.

Photo courtesy of The King's Head Pub

6. The King's Head Pub

This brand-new pub in the Energy Corridor may not look like much from the outside, tucked into a stucco strip center under a dentist's office, but it has a great pedigree: The King's Head Pub was recently opened by British ex-pat Michael Holliday, who also opened The Richmond Arms and The Stag's Head. And not only is everyone welcome here, dogs are too -- on the big patio. The King's Head shows nearly every footie match and even offers the occasional "Scottish night" with all the traditional Highlands tunes you can bear.

5. The Richmond Arms

The Richmond Arms is where you and half of Houston's ex-pat community show up to watch the UEFA finals at 7 a.m. on a Saturday and order lager with your full English breakfast. It's where you go to watch Manchester United v. Liverpool matches in full stereo, with supporters from both sides deafening you as you roar at the screen. But it's also where you go to enjoy a pint by the fireplace or see old friends. You can tell the regulars; they (and their families) are the ones in all the photos and old newspaper clippings that line the walls.

4. The Black Lab

More a restaurant than a bar, The Black Lab (housed in an old church office) offers a huge selection of British pub favorites on its menu. West Highland cheese soup with Bass ale is a non-traditional favorite, while the "English specials" section offers dishes you can't often find elsewhere, such as steak and kidney pie and the colorfully-named bubble and squeak, bangers and mash and sole in its coffin. If you're just there for a pint, grab a seat near the fireplace and settle in. On nice days, the patio offers a charming view of the old church building's and ivy-covered brick walls and a UK-style red telephone box on the corner of Montrose and West Main.

Location Info

Venue

Map

Olde City Pub & Grill

14124 Steubner Airline, Houston, TX

Category: Music

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The Stag's Head

2128 Portsmouth, Houston, TX

Category: Music

Boondoggle's Pub & Pizzeria

4106 Nasa Road One, Seabrook, TX

Category: Restaurant

The Ginger Man Pub

5607 Morningside, Houston, TX

Category: Music

Kelvin Arms

2424 Dunstan, Houston, TX

Category: Music

King's Head Pub

1809 Eldridge Pkwy, Houston, TX

Category: Music

Richmond Arms

5920 Richmond, Houston, TX

Category: Music

The Black Labrador Pub

4100 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

The Bull & Bear Tavern

11980 Westheimer, Houston, TX

Category: Music

Queen Vic Pub & Kitchen

2712 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX

Category: Restaurant

Red Lion Pub

2316 S. Shepherd, Houston, TX

Category: Music

We Recommend

OffBeet

Don't disagree with Red Lion as #1. However, was Rudyards considered. Probably my favorite pub in Houston. I've always felt welcome there and enjoy the darts.

OffBeet

Don't disagree with Red Lion as #1. However, was Rudyards considered. Probably my favorite pub in Houston. I've always felt welcome there and enjoy the darts.

SurfOpie

The Bayview Duck a little ways away in Kemah is a fun British Pub to check out, always super clean taps and friendly folks.

Dave Mackie

I strongly disagree with the comments made about the Stags Head “food and service have slipped a bit here in recent years”. I am British and have lived in Houston for 5 years visiting the Stags Head, amongst other British pubs on a regular basis within this timeframe. You obviously haven’t been to the Stag Head in the past 2 years as the quality of the service has vastly improved under new management and they have an extensive beer list consisting of British and European classics as well as many US and local Texas craft beers (which I know all of my British friends bloody love!). The pub food is of a high standard, with they’re Beer Battered Fish & Chips being up there with the best in Houston in my opinion. The Stags Head is one of few places where you can watch the English Premier league soccer with a good atmosphere and they currently show the Rugby six nations games at the weekend offering drinks specials. Furthermore, the Stags head is a strong supporter of the local Houston music scene and hosts talented local musicians to play in an “open mic” environment once a month on a Thursday night offering $3 Texas Drafts and creating a pleasant ambience for having a few pints. I don’t deny that there are some good British pubs on your list but the Stags head is my favourite and should be much higher up for its excellent blend of British style and local Texas delights. Cheers

FattyFatBastard topcommenter

Somewhat surprised that Mucky Duck isn't on here.

mackiedj

@FattyFatBastard becasue the Mucky Duck is an Irish pub not British

kagan

@FattyFatBastard Yeah, right, because Rusty and Theresa have such a wonderful welcoming presence. Yikes

Allison Lott

Stag's Head!!!!

dngo02

I think Firkin and Phoenix is a great British Pub too!

Carlitos Way

Used to love Stag's Head a lot. Haven't been there in a couple of years now. Red Lion has probably best Chicken Tikki Masala in town.

Abrahán Garza

Love Boondoggle's!

Anse

The only pub I've visited in this town that in any way resembles an actual pub one might find in Dublin or Edinburgh or London (at least one that caters to locals and not tourists) is McElroy's, across the street from the Stag's Head.

iprod

1 Like

@Anse absolutely! however, it may not make this list b/c it doesn't serve food, but strictly as a bar, it's amazingly superior to pretty much everything on his list.

kshilcutt moderator editortopcommenter

@iprod @Anse Yep! If McElroy's served food, it'd be on here. I do like that place a lot, although I haven't been in a few years.

Anse

1 Like

I wish the guys at Feast had opened a real-deal pub instead of a restaurant. I like the restaurant but I think I would have wandered in there more often if they'd had a proper bar. And they'd have made real British pub food that would have put these other joints to shame.

tinyhands

Black Lab #4? Have you eaten there recently? The place is under new (Hispanic) management and all the food comes out of the microwave. It's now as British as MacDonald's.

Anse

1 Like

I ate there not long ago. Aside from an overabundance of cheese, I thought the fish pie was okay. And don't get so own on the Hispanics. Truth be told they are probably cooking 90% of the restaurant meals in this city.

tinyhands

@Anse Whoa there with the race card. I'm not getting down on Hispanics, I'm down on non-British owners/management of a so-called British pub continuing to try to pass itself off as British. Last time I checked, no self-respecting fish & chip would come with seasoned fries. Frozen seasoned fries, no less.

If the average Houstonian (people who like Luther's BBQ and anything by Tilman Fertita) can't tell the difference, more power to 'em, I guess.

MadMac topcommenter

2 Like

I don't have a case. You have a bias your weak argument cannot support. If you want English pub food in an English-owned pub, consider England. In Houston, the restauranteurs are from around the world and the kitchen staff (as @Anse said 90%) are from Puebla.

Anse

2 Like

Dude, you are apparently under the delusion that our ethnic-specific restaurants are owned and operated by members of the ethnicity in question. That maybe true in many cases. But it's also true that a ton of our sushi restaurants are owned by Chinese and Koreans. We've got a chain of supposedly Peruvian fast food joints that are owned by a guy from Mexico. We've got Mexican-owned Italian restaurants, and I believe Katherine has written about a chef with a Middle Eastern background who cooks some great Italian food, too. We've got Chinese restaurants that are owned by Vietnamese, who are also known for cooking good Cajun seafood. And in all of their kitchens, there's a good chance you'll find at least one Latino, and probably several. So while we may rightfully assume that a sushi chef from Japan is probably superior to one from the Phillippines, it would be a waste of time to wish for such consistency across the board. And for my part, I like seasoned fried potatoes. Plain English chips need a ton of malt vinegar and salt to taste like anything.

tinyhands

@MadMac I've been to Pappas BBQ; You're not helping your case. Anyway, I was referring to two separate yet equally mediocre chains. I resign my position and free you to cram whatever slop you wish into your pie hole.

MadMac topcommenter

Luther's is now a Pappas family joint. Check your generalizations.

kagan

1 Like

London Sizzler ...well sorta

kshilcutt moderator editortopcommenter

@kagan You know, I honestly considered London Sizzler for the list. But it's really more of a restaurant first, though they do love a good pint and some cricket.

iprod

fooite = aussie rules

FRL713

No love for Ron's?

MadMac topcommenter

3 Like

The Winchester, the cowboy-themed pub in "Shaun of the Dead," is what I think of when I think pub in Houston, especially after "experiencing" two of the joints on this list. While I'm no fan of bars in general, I would rather kill an evening swatting mosquitos at a Telephone Road icehouse drinking High Life and eating Fritos.

Rocketman

5 Like

I miss the Ale House on West Alabama near Kirby. I hope the ghosts that inhabited the attic of that building found somewhere else to haunt after it was razed in 2001.