Downtown Houston is a vibrant area that is buzzing day and night with restaurants, bars, clubs, cinemas and theatres. Midtown is a particularly happening place now. Smart dress is expected in most of the clubs and bars, although venues that are more like pubs are fairly casual. Bars are generally open from lunchtime until 0200 in the morning. The minimum drinking age is 21 years.

The city listings paper, The Houston Press (website: www.houstonpress.com), is published on Thursdays and has an extensive list of which bars and clubs to go to and what's on where.

Bars: An upmarket bar, The Dive Lounge at the Downtown Aquarium, 410 Bagby at Memorial, is great for pre- or post-dinner drinks, while the Flying Saucer, 705 Main Street at Capitol, boasts a vast number of international beers on tap. The State Bar, Texas Avenue, is a popular and stylish place for a drink, while The Ginger Man, Morningside Drive, has a very relaxed atmosphere and a good selection of beers from around the world. Every city has an Irish bar and Houston is no exception - Kenneally's Irish Pub on South Shepherd.

Clubs: HUSH, 15625 Katy Freeway (website: www.hushonline.com), is a vast, dazzling dance club with international DJs, a sunken dance floor and a colourful light show. It plays loud house, techno, hip hop and Latin music. Liquid, 10531 Gulf Freeway (website: www.liquidhouston.com), is a funky high-energy club with surround sound pumping out hip hop and Latin dance music. Belvedere, 1131-01 Uptown Park Boulevard (website: www.belvedereinfo.com), is a smart but relaxed club with regular DJs playing a mix of funk, house and 1980s music. The Drake, 1902 Washington Avenue (website: www.thedrakebar.com), is a recent addition to the super-hot Washington stretch of nightspots, with a posh speakeasy vibe, sexy banquettes, groovy dance music, and bottle service. Status, 2404 San Jacinto in Midtown (website: www.statushouston.com), is a hip spot with a classy dress code and a dance floor that lights up. There are a number of dance halls in the Houston area, including Wild West , 6101 Richmond Avenue (website: www.wildwesthouston.com), which attracts a young crowd to hear its serving of pure country music.

Live Music: McGonigel's Mucky Duck, Norfolk Street near Shepherd Drive (website: www.mcgonigels.com), is one of the best venues for acoustic music and features a variety of folk acts. Jazz lovers are drawn to the laid back Red Cat Jazz Café, Congress Street (website: www.redcatjazzcafe.com), while dance music and great views of the city can be enjoyed from the top floor of the Sky Bar, Montrose Boulevard at Hawthorne (website: www.scottgertner.com). The Big Easy, Kirby Drive, Rice Village area (website: www.bigeasyblues.com), features live blues music and is a perennial favourite. The Continental Club, 3700 Main Street (website: www.continentalclub.com), is the place to catch alternative rock, blues, rockabilly and country music acts.