From a completely relaxed vibe to a glamorous see-and-be-seen scene, these two spots offer opposite experiences for Houstonians this weekend, but you’ll drink well at either location.
Downtown: The Cottonmouth Club – 108 Main
“We just want to open a good, solid cocktail bar,” said Mike Raymond, owner of nationally and locally revered whiskey bar Reserve 101 (1201 Caroline). “Nothing cutesy.” Raymond and Cottonmouth partner Michael Neff (The Rum House, Holiday and Employees Only in New York and Los Angeles) had been scouring Houston’s downtown and midtown locations for four years with the plan to open a Houston bar together. When Barringer Bar closed its 108 Main doors last December, Raymond and Neff jumped on the real estate activity and started making moves to open their own bar in the location which sits between the bayou and historic Market Square. Recently 108 and 110 Main have undergone renovations and 110 Main is home to Lilly & Bloom bar.
A 1904 postcard shows 108 Main, second from right. Copyright Teolin Pillot Company, through the University of Houston digital library
Cottonmouth is a casual cocktail bar with exposed brick walls (the building dates to 1872) and an abundance of mirrors. Antique settés and an Elvis-inspired jungle room-themed bathroom parlor round out the first floor. We snuck in earlier this week while the paint was still drying to try a spicy Paloma and take a quick tour of the building.
A work in progress: Mike Raymond was still finishing his Billy Gibbons painting when we stopped by to see his new Cottonmouth bar on April 11, 2018.
On the second floor, huge floor to ceiling windows offer views of the bridge and bustling Main street below while tall ceilings allow for oversized canvases featuring paintings of past, present, and future musicians of Houston – such as Lightin’ Hopkins and Billy Gibbons – set the tone for the private event room. The more modern (and very sizable) second floor includes a full bar, private entry and separate bathrooms and is designed for event-space use. 108 Main is owned by New Form Properties and the deal was brokered by New Form founder Dan Zimmerman. The bar opens to the public this weekend, specifically on Friday, April 13.
Montrose: Bar Victor – 4321 Montrose
And speaking of Zimmerman, the same Zimmerman family that owned and operated Zimm’s Martini Bar (later rebranded as Zimm’s after the opening of neighboring restaurant Pax Americana) at 4321 Montrose closed their Houston mainstay in November 2017, and in January 2018 a Francophile’s dream bar was announced: Bar Victor.
Business partners and French hospitality veterans Vincent Sinard and Jean-Pierre Gleize envisioned a lush, luxe champagne-and-celebrations bar with a lot of glam after Sinard visited Houston last summer (pre-Harvey) and dined at Cafe Azur just a few feet away. (Editor’s note: Cafe Azur has since closed but is reopening under a new name from the Victor team, soon.)
Bar Victor’s sexy renovation includes small and medium-sized private lounges. Courtesy photo.
Manager Frank Boissy was tapped to oversee the bar’s everyday operations and highlighted deejay program which will host international and local deejays at the bar so that Houstonians can escape their natural habitat and enter a world which, depending on how much champagne you drink, feels just like Marseille at night. The bar opened with much media and patron praise in mid-March and celebrates its official opening on April 20 and 21. Guests can still expect ice-filled mini bathtubs of Dom Perignon and tableside allocations of Cristal even before the launch party, plus several custom cocktails using French spirits but are fuss-free.
The Marseille ($14) combines Grey Goose vodka, basil, brown sugar, lemonade, Angostura. Brian Tafelmeyer photo.
“Frank has developed some fantastic specialty cocktails for the menu, but they’ll make you anything you’d like. We’ve had several long-time Zimms regulars come in here who like their martinis a very specific way and we’re accommodating them,” said a Bar Victor representative. “We want everyone to feel welcome here. Come as you are!”
Le Martini ($14) features Grey Goose vodka, diced cucumber, fleur de sel and Antica Carpano and a cucumber garnish. Brian Tafelmeyer photo.
Currently, guests can enjoy l’apero happy hour daily from 5 to 7 pm and on Wednesdays, bowing down to visitors’ desire to blow off mid-week steam with dancing and music from 7 to 11 pm at their La French event. While the bar’s menu does feature impressive meat and cheese sharables ($22+) and snacks ($8) using imported French favorites such as sardines and pâté sourced from D’Artagnan and other specialty importers, the concept is intended to serve as a meeting place before dinner, with an atmosphere encouraging guests to relax and put the workday behind them while conversing with friends. Alternatively, it is well-suited as an after-dinner landing place for anyone who isn’t quite ready to go home yet.
Sharable meat and cheese trays at Bar Victor ($22) easily feed 2-4 guests. Brian Tafelmeyer Photo.
A few private lounges up front are marked off by velvet curtains (with a larger private lounge in the back which could comfortably seat 20 guests) so if you’re considering a champagne-fueled birthday celebration or a romantic night for two, Victor allows guests to reserve the private spaces. We recommend booking now for your special celebrations this summer as the rooms are already being scooped up for bachelorette parties, soccer watch parties and more.