Bayou Heights Bier Garten Opens Today in Houston

The towering structure on Washington near Yale in Buffalo Heights, which has long been a work-in-progress visible to passersby, has finally come to life. The Kirby Group, the team behind Wooster’s Garden, Holman Draft Hall, and Heights Bier Garten, unveiled the highly anticipated Bayou Heights Bier Garten over the weekend. The all-day destination is officially open to the public, seven days a week, beginning Monday, January 17.

Dustyn Zenner

The style of the expansive bar, made up of four independent buildings with a courtyard in the middle, is inspired by its sister concept, Heights Bier Garten, which opened on North Shepherd in 2017. Similar to the Heights location, each building boasts a dedicated beverage program, including for specialty cocktails, beer and wine, and coffee and tea drinks. The buildings are fitted with functional windows, giving the bar a breezy, outdoorsy feel when they’re open, and alternatively, a secure place to retreat to when Houston’s weather can be unpredictable.

Beverage Director Joel Ramirez and General Manager Dave Minda are taking charge of Bayou Heights’ ambitious cocktail program. The silo-shaped building houses the bar’s beer and wine selections, of which there are 74 types of craft beer and 16 wines available on tap or by the bottle. The cocktail bar is housed in the largest of the four buildings and features a 36-foot long bar that stretches the entire length of the space, and offers lounge seating. As is consistent with the group’s other bars, the menu is vast, categorized in seven sections, including “Refreshing & Balanced”, “Tropical & Tiki”, “Fruity & Sweet”, and “Spirit Forward”. A distinct feature of the menu is the use of house-made syrups and ice that is cut on-site.

Dustyn Zenner

Libations like the gin-fueled Silent Disco crafted with watermelon, lemon, Absinthe, and cucumber aren’t the only reason to venture in. Bayou Heights Bier Garten has enlisted lauded Houston chef Teddy Lopez, formerly of Killen’s Restaurant Group, to spearhead the culinary program. Drawing from the new menu he built for Heights Bier Garten, Lopez’s creations include hearty bar eats like house made pretzels, a smoked pulled pork sandwich, which will be offered all day. On weekends, guests can look forward to equally enticing brunch plates like croque Ma’am with sliced pork belly, and a brisket egg muffin breakfast sandwich.

Dustyn Zenner

No need to wait to venture in for a spiked coffee, tea, or brisket grilled cheese — Bayou Heights Bier Garten is open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.