What is that Shawn Mullins song, "Beautiful Wreck"? That is exactly what I think of when I go to Shakespeare. Between Kirkwood and Dairy Ashford, behind Old Towne Kolache, this dingy little gem is the quintessential dive blues bar. Parking lot is cramped and full of potholes. They have moved smoking outside to a gated patio area. The place itself is cozy if not dark, loud and crowded most weekend nights. I wouldnt call the crowd an international cross section of Houston but black and white mix effortlessly here. The real draw here is the music. We are blessed with a great local blues scene and most every night of the week, you can catch a great local act. Keep it classy, Westsiiiiiiiiide.
Review Source:Best place in town for blues! Â It is a dark and crowded, but that is certainly part of the fun. Â Oh! and the renovations are definitely noticeable, congrats to the owner.
hints for newbies: Â get there early if you want to sit down, be prepared to wait just a little while for drinks on Saturday nights (it gets super busy), and it is BEHIND the kolache place
I'm a regular at this place, once a week or so, mostly when John McVey is there. The guy is a fantastic Blues guitarist, do yourself a favor. We are spoiled here in Texas with the wealth of blues guitarists; if McVey were to play a club in Amsterdam he'd be drawing 1,000's of people, not 50. Â Anyway the bartenders are friendly and quick enough (especially Vicky!!) and they have a variety of beer on tap. Â The crowd is very diverse - mostly older but with a smattering of younger ones - and friendly. Never had any issues here; someone tried to pick up my wife once but all in good fun.
Review Source:If you're looking for a DIVE bar in West Houston with incredible blues music live, you've found your place. Â No cover that I've ever seen....drinks/beers are slightly high but I think that makes up for the no cover. Â I'm a big fan. Â They've cleaned up the place a bit recently (see ceiling tiles) and its now all level (see pool tables).
Review Source:I like almost everything about Shakes.The only slight drawback is that the parking is limited(smallish).The dance floor is small.It's a FRIENDLY, neighborhood dive bar.They have two pool tables which are constantly busy on a weekend nights.They have a large horseshoe shaped bar...plenty of beer specials and the staff is courteous,attentive and friendly.Lots of regulars here who know a good thing.
  The main draw here is the BLUES music which has been playing here forever.Kyle Soltis(new owner) has continued the BLUES tradition of Shakes-great,friendly man as well.If you love watching Great Blues music head on over to Shakespeare's.Smoking is allowed under a covered area out front.I just wish i lived closer to Shakespeare's.You will have a GREAT time at Shakespeare's.I look forward to returning there soon.Shakespeares has a nice mix of younger and older Blues fans.
Noise control? Crowd control? This place is cramped..its a big place but its set up all wrong. The lighting is weird and creepy dark. The crowd is mostly 40+ and kinda suburbanite like.
I love me some live loud music but seriously it was too loud i couldnt hear the guy with me basically yelling in my ear... maybe they keep it that loud to mask the ignorant discussions that 20 something soriorty girls who definately got lost going into this bar are having with 50 year old bigots.
It took about 20 min to get a screwdriver. Not the place for me. Maybe you like it. Good for you.
Sometimes it is just better to shut up and have a good time with your friends here. The drinks are really cheap and they have random deals going on from time to time.
Walking in you immediately notice the drab scene and slapped together furniture. Seems that the chairs, tables and all that are just a mismatch of different yard sale furniture. Walk to the back you see that the back part of the building isn't even on the foundation bur instead on cinder blocks, a completely different slab in some parts that encourages the lean that you feel. The bathroom area is more less a makeshift of walls and plumbing....
The music scene here is not "amazing" but does get your feet moving, hips bumping or whatever you do on the dance floor. The musicians smile real big and enjoy preforming in the moment. That is something that makes this place pretty cool. Zydeco nights are fun times no question.
OK enough dive bar with some occasional good live music . . . but that's not what made me write about this place. Â I went here with some friends last weekend and when I checked my credit card account I found out that they changed the tip amount and added $5 to the tab. Â I got a copy of the receipt from my bank which confirmed my suspicions. Â So watch out and keep your receipts, otherwise they might steal from you too.
Review Source:I have had some really fun times here and then some other times it was a little on the boring side. It usually depends on the quality of the band playing and their ability to pump the crowd up.The Octanes are pretty cool go see them. No I am not a band member! The first few times I went here there was great music, a fun crowd, a few nice looking women that I talked to. There are some pretty people here and then there are also some older people and some white trashy looking people sometimes. Â Sometimes the band I saw here was kind of lame. Older Middle aged White guys trying to play the Blues and doing it badly. A few times it was too crowded with nowhere to sit. I had a run in with an asshole while playing pool here once. If you live near here I would definitley check it out at least once but I would not make a long trip to go here. The bartenders and staff are great and friendly. Â Overall a good fun place most of the times I have been. I don't like going too much because the place is kind of isolated and I fear some asshole cop might be around in this suburban area looking for a DWI arrest. Â A four star to 4 1/2 star bar on the right night.
Review Source:So, I went on a little road trip to H-town! I do not get down that way EVER...well at least not since I was about 14.
Went along to support the Erin Jaimes Band. Again...I have to tell everyone to get out and see them. Entertainment and fun to be had by all in attendance.
We showed up around 9ish, the locals were gathering but nothing much going on yet. Sat at the bar, the UT game was on, for there's a plus right there. The bartenders were attentive and friendly. They have a ton-O things to drink, tons of beer on tap. Just a great bar for some drink action...As I sat and drank my beer, the crowd started to show up and spread about the place. It's small and cozy inside but not in a weird too close to everyone kind of way. The people that come in are from the neighborhood and nice.
The stage is up close and personal, but the band was kicking Friday night. The crowd kept growing throughout the night and the place was packed by 11. Lots of laughing and dancing and good feelings going round.
I am not so much a fan of Houston but this place is friendly and pleasant. I would go back...and probably will next time the band makes this road trip. I enjoyed myself.
This was my best friend's dad's place-to-be when we were growing up. He would walk there (or make us drop him off then walk back) and loved everything about it. When we finally got old enough, we had to see what he was talking about all these years. It was everything he made it out to be: chill, good live music, entertaining crowd and booze. I have also run into my former principal, former high school classmates and my parents' friends here. I am not sure if they are still the owners, but the (former?) owner used to be a teacher in the area.
darts and pool too. good times.
Great place to hear live music. Have always gone spur of the moment not knowing who or what will be playing and enjoyed myself nevertheless. I have a tendency to gravitate towards hole in the wall establishments and this is a great one. Laid back clientele, the bartenders are quick, friendly and even when they are insanely busy, they notice your drink needs a refill before you do (that's because you are busy enjoying the music). The place is a bit small but even packed I always find a seat somewhere. It is fun dancing on the ridiculously small area in front of the band. Always a good time visiting the bard!
Review Source:Local DIve bar good for R&B. Good selection of drinks (I had a St. Arnolds Spring Bock which is excellent by the way). The band got started around 9ish. One thing I did notice was a bunch of old geezers hitting on our women folk once the band started. They didn't mean no harm just wanted to dance but it did freak some of the girls out. No big deal though its all good!!!!!
Review Source:This is one of the better hangouts in West Houston. Â There's been live music almost every time I've been there, usually a local blues band, and they have a reasonable little dancefloor. Â The drinks are good, bartenders are friendly and there's no cover. Â It's not that big so finding a seat can be hit or miss on a busy night, but it's a fun place to go for a night out.
Review Source:Q: Prithee, Dolph, what thinkest thou of Shakespeare Pub?
A: The bard would probably approve. Shakespeare's is a hole-in-the-wall dive bar that is tucked behind Olde Towne Kolaches on Memorial Drive. It's easy to miss. Beware: the parking lot is full of potholes.
When you go inside you're hit with a wall of sound - either blues or zydeco. The dance floor gets a lot of action. Friends of the band pass around a bucket for tips. You'll want to pitch in a few bucks since you don't have to pay a cover.
As a non-smoker, the only thing I really didn't like about the place was smelling my clothes the morning after. I haven't been there since Houston's smoking ban was enacted, but I suspect I'll enjoy it more now (although many of the regulars probably feel the opposite).
They have a great rotation of bands that frequent the place. The last time I was there, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a decade who just happened to be in town and had to go to Shakespeare's. It's that kind of place. It's also a great place to go to wind up the evening.
Cheap beer...blues...brilliant!
"O, I could wish this tavern were my drum!"
-- King Henry IV, Part 1, Act 3, Scene 3
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