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Categories: Dance Clubs, Lounges [Edit]
Neighborhood: The Heights
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This review is for happy hour only!
While I can't say anything for the nighttime scene here, I CAN say that I love their happy hour. The half price specialty drinks are delicious (especially the mango mojitos), and for those of you that don't want a fruity concoction (ahem...BOYS), I think they have some good beer specials too. All the food is half price too. The tuna nachos truly are spectacular. Beware of the spicy dipping sauce! Of the few times I've been here, others seemed to enjoy the hummus and the paninis. I stole a few bleu cheese potato chips from my bf's plate, and those are really good as well.
Surprisingly, it's never been packed when I've been here, and I haven't had trouble finding street parking.
I *think* Tuesday and Wednesday are all night happy hours.
It's all been done. First, there is no parking. At least in Mid-town you have plenty of street parking plus paid parking lots, but even when I've gone to this place for happy hour, I'd have to park two or 3 streets and walk though a sea of bums asking for money to make it. There is really nothing special about this place. I guess a lot of people just want to be at a place because of hype but as far as substance goes, it's nothing that hasn't been done.
I made the mistake of coming here for one weekend and I really don't get why this place is so pretentious when just a couple of years ago, the building was a mechanic's shop next to a taco stand. I know Washington is the "hot spot" now but with no parking, this fad isn't going to last for ever so you may want to have a little humility and treat your customers better so when the next hot spot pops up, you don't have to go back to being a mechanic shop.
I give this place another year.
It's so easy to HATE EI8TH when...
...you pass up 4 other perfectly good places to stand in line for over an hour without being let in
...and NOT because they were so busy and crowded but because the A-hole of a bouncer was holding up the line for no apparent reason
...that is until I saw some other worker there randomly let in a white couple in our group who just got in line 10 minutes ago
...but not let the other 6 Asians in even though we were with the SAME PARTY.
Maybe the fact that a few dark skinned guys were standing at the front of the line caused the bouncer to be blind to the block long line for over an hour. I should have recommend my optometrist to him before we left.
Or maybe, since the bouncer and other worker were obviously A-holes, we should have acted like douches and walked up around the line like we owned the place and gotten in. Seemed to work for quite a few people and groups. Just walked right up, smile pretty at the bouncer and get inside.
Really though, do I want to hang out with people with that kind of attitude? No. Do I want to patronize a place that is obviously racist and rude to their potential customers? No.
Simply put :I HATE EI8HT.
A group of us went Saturday night and had a blast! Loved the atmosphere, music, diverse crowd, and did I say music! Yes it got packed but I loved that too! Call me crazy! If you need some air go to one of the patios and meet some happy people! Everyone was really friendly and seemed to just grab a chair next to ya and join in the conversation! The lines looked long but ladies learn to work the door and you'll be ok! Just smile! But honestly the lines aren't anything new.... When downtown was alive, there were lines! And I think this place is worth it. Drinks are higher but I didn't mind it.... I think it's their way to keep their status. Too many places I use to love got trashy or shut down, so I'm excited there is finally a few places where people (girls) can go to dance and be seen without being attacked by d-bags! Definately going back!!!! Good times!
We went out for a couples night out. So it was one other couple joining my BF , and I. We waited in line for 5 minutes only because we walked over the the second line. I know bouncers are suppose to be somewhat of a jackass. I mean, if the bouncer was nice, and everyone's friend then it takes away of the prestige of the place. Now, I may not agree with it, but I understand it.
Ei8ht on the other hand, that bouncer is a bit rude.
He was nice to us, and we got in right away. The party behind us wasn't so lucky.
After we got our drinks downstairs, and moved past some obnoxious jerks hogging the bar area we made our way up stairs to the patio. The patio is gorgeous, and the bartender up there makes the drinks strong. Anyway, back to the view of the patio... the poor smucks that were in the first line when we first got there, were still there.
My complaint is that at least the bouncer could have been honest with them, and told them they were not getting in. The truth has to be better than letting them stand out in the cold waiting.
So, because of the bouncer they are losing a star.
Pros:
- Pretty decor
- Strong drinks ( only if the outside bartender makes them, she rocks!)
- Okay music.
- I am a sucker for the red carpet ( kinda lame I suppose)
Cons-
- it gets super packed
- the bouncer
I suggest getting there a tad bit early. The drink prices are about average for anywhere on Washington.
This place sucks the life (and money) out of me.
- $8 drinks on a Thursday night?!
and yet I keep trying to like this place.
I finally made it into the bar! Still stood outside for about half an hour until a friend of ours… Read more »
I checked out the Ei8ht happy hour since it's hh all night (4PM - midnight) Tuesday and Wednesday -- 1/2 off cocktails and food, $2-$3 beers, $10 carafes of Sangria.
The cocktails are okay and the sangria had very little fruit.
For food, we chose the tx chicken philly and grilled cheese. The philly tasted just like the grilled cheese except it had some chicken and peppers thrown in there. The sandwiches are 2 pieces of wheat bread with the cheese in the middle, stuck into one of those panini makers (so it seems).
The sandwiches also go with a side order of kettle chips which are potato chips mixed with blue cheese, green onion, and bacon bits. Eat them in a flash because they get soggy pretty fast.
The best thing we had there were the tuna nachos. It's cubed pieces of tuna sashimi (poke style) on top of a slice of cucumber, anchored by guacamole and another sauce, with a foundation of a nacho chip.
Service was nice enough. The feng shui of the place was kind of weird. Entrance on the side, huge patio area and narrow inside. If I go back, it'd only be for the tuna nachos.
Came here last saturday, and won't be coming back. my friend and i arrived early around 10p because we heard of the long lines... we didn't have to wait since we were girls, but it looked like if you were with a guy, you'd have to wait! 10 minutes later, the rest of my friends arrived and they had to wait for 30 minutes... what a waste of time. by the time every one all got in, we left. i mean it's cool if the bouncers want to make people wait to make the club seem more exclusive... BUT IT'S NOT. the decor is trendy... and that's it. i think, the music was mostly trance and techno... otherwise, nothing stands out about this place.
Went here with my boy Fredmonds the other night to have a few drinks and watch the Rockets game.
Before I continue this review I would like to place an asterisk on it since I'm gonna have to go back on a weekend and see what it's all about.
Anyway, I walked in an right away spotted my boy D-White who was there doing what we were about to get into and that was take advantage of a all night happy hour (Tuesday and Wednesday nights) with half off their food menu which consists mainly of Tapas style appetizers that come in two sizes.
At halftime I checked out the rest of the place, nice inside, a great rooftop balcony and of course the fantastic front patio that we sat on at the outside bar.
I would think this place could go either way on weekends. Either a nice spot to grab a drink or two or another haven for the dragon shirt crowd. If it ends up being trendy than my rating will drop and I'll only consider going on a week night.
Try it out on a Tuesday or Wednesday, dollar beer and half price food till the kitchen closes. I would also think the roof top patio would be a nice destination for a drink before dinner.
Went here last night for a birthday. We (Mexican, Vietnamese , Pacific Islander guys) had to no trouble getting in before 11pm, I have never personally had trouble getting into Eight, but have heard some bad stories. The decor is open and trendy with large patios. There are 2 main bars inside: one close to the dance floor and the other on the opposite with a different feel... more of a pub kind of bar. There's another one on the front patio. Drinks tend to reflect the interior which means $5 beer and $8 Vodka/Cranberry.
The music is one of my favorite things about this place always top of the line with a mix of house, hip-hop, top 40 and dance. The crowd is good looking and sharply dressed, last couple of times I've been here I haven't seen here too many Ed Hardy/ Affliction which helps this place stay a lil' sophisticated. I prefer the crowd at Taps, but for those dressy occasions Eight is in my top 5 places in Houston.
Douche-Bags.
"Sorry, we only let people in on the list"
Um, right, the group of white chicks coolly walked in while this group of asian chicks were promptly ignored, EVEN after trying to talk to the doorman. And we were in line. Pompous pricks.
What is the clipboard for? A reason for racism? Excuses?
This establishment = FAIL
I am definitely not hip enough for this place. We were here on a Wednesday night at 6pm for the 'Miracle Berry/The Berry Fair' event benefiting MD Anderson. We arrived right around 6pm and the street parking was all taken. We opted for the $5 lot right across the street (I read some other posts about it being gravel, but it's paved now).
We walked up and there were some great decks overlooking Washington. It looked like a great place to get a drink after work. We headed inside, checked into the benefit and proceeded to enjoy our 'miracle berries'. It was a nice set up with multilevel seating. I was really impressed by the bartender when I only asked for a water. It was a fanciest poured water I have ever received a bar. She made it feel like a $10 poured drink instead of a free water.
Would I come back here? No, but only because it's not my scene. It seems like a cool spot to hang if you are into the Washington bar scene.
Why drive to Dallas when you can just drive to Ei8ht? Never has Washington Ave's reputation as the home of the $30,000 millionaire been so evident as on my trip to Ei8ht. Me and some coworkers stopped by after an early dinner and thankfully missed the lines or any potential cover charge (not sure if they actually have one).
Now, when I say this place attracts the $30,000 millionaire, you can already imagine what the place is like. Pretentious doorman (one friend was not let in because of shoes), pretentious crowd and pretentious bartender. This is all a shame because the building is actually quite nice.
The second floor has a couple of nice seating areas and the upstairs deck is really a great place to sit and enjoy a nice evening. In fact, these two areas are nice enough that I wouldn't mind stopping by Ei8ht for an after work drink or a happy hour. Just leave before they dim the lights on the dance floor. Unless of course, that's your thing.
sooooooo weeeeiiiiiird!
please understand, i'm a dive bar girl. that's my thing. give me shoeshine charlie's or community or hans' any day & i'm there.
ei8ht's not like that. ei8ht has a red carpet that's being filmed all the time with a closed-circuit television so everyone in the club can see you walk in. ei8ht doesn't dance despite all the signals it's sending that yell 'i'm a dance club!'. ei8ht has fox news playing on multiple television screens. ei8ht is not my thing.
two stars for having liquor i didn't have to pay for. and a reasonably clean bathroom.
For the grace of God, I do not know how I even got into Ei8ht. Being Asian, we are often denied at all the popular clubs. But somehow I was extremely lucky this past Saturday night.
I heard from a lot of people that if you want to get into Ei8ht, you better get there EARLY (before 10pm) and be prepared for chaos (i.e. no line or queue, just people standing in a mob trying to get in). So I tried to come with low expectations so I wouldn't be disappointed if I didn't get in.
Well, due to a massive food coma, I didn't end up getting to Ei8ht until almost 11:30pm! Luckily, our friends got in line at 11pm and we joined them. There was a line (albeit looooong) and it was not chaotic or Miami style. The bouncers were not dicks about letting you in. You just had to be patient. So in total, our group of 7 waited 30 minutes to get in.
When the bouncers tell you "we need to wait for more people to leave before letting you in," he actually means it. When we got in, the club was PACKED. There are multiple bars around the venue so we did not have to wait long for drinks. However, it's hard to walk around the club itself because it's so packed. There is a rooftop deck, an outdoor patio, a sports bar area, and then a dance floor / club area. A standard mixed drink runs about $8-10... a little pricey but not outrageous.
The music is a lot of top 40 and hip hop but it's been trance-ified. Yeah, they take a perfectly good song you hear on the radio and add a techno beat in the background. I don't love the music entirely because of that but it's better than what Red Door does to their music.
Parking is tough around here. I'm not going to say it sucks because I'm not going to complain about parking when obviously it's not Ei8ht's fault. This Washington area just suddenly became a hotspot to party at and the area is just extremely limited on parking options. Be smart and patient and you will find something though.
The crowd is a standard yuppie demographic. Lots of ex frat boys and girls with fake tans.
Just a note, bottle service runs from $200-450.
I think this is a fun place to celebrate a birthday or bachelorette party. But for a regular night out, it's too much stress trying to get there early to get in and way too packed.
OMG!! Ei8ght? I would give it a ' 1' ....
So its not a huge deal, my buddy knows everyone in this place, so we get past this huge long line. First complaint would be IF i were in that line, I would NOT be happy.
At least when you wait in line, .. send me a clown juggling in the street.. keep me entertained and make me WANT to go into this place, make me feel like WOW, this place is different than the rest of the bars Ive been going to.. .. Hmm.. no clown..
So me and my friends go in, first thing I do when we get to the bar, I make my wallet go up on fire.. DONT WORRY!! Im a professional magician.. BUTT.. the ei1ght staff was NOT happy about this, so I simply brought my fire tricks to the other bar where my skills could be better appreciated :)
So the line + their lack of appreciation for the arts .. Im not a happy guy.. Drinks.. there were a few girls that grabbed my butt outta the blue... and bought me drinks.. BUT if I had to pay for them myself .. which I wouldnt at this place.. I'd say that drinks are moderately priced.
Expect your drink to be way watered down if you don't know any of the staff here.
So I tried another fire trick upstairs, but I needed an open flame source to do it.. I got nuttn!! Upstairs, seriously nothing but those electronic candles!! What were they thinking?? Its impossible to do magic tricks with those crazy candles.. and I was at FRY's today and did you know that they just invented electronic candles you can actually blow out.. now ?? What's the point? Ei1ght should have a bunch of those upstairs instead, because it would be a conversation piece.
My main complaint here was ei1ght used to be cool when it first opened up but now when I returned because I know the staff here, it has become a total haven for a man-on-man sausage fest. I suppose
the word has gotten out quickly that attractive women like to spend their evenings here. Ei1ght needs to take care of all these single needy guys before their loneliness ruins the vibe of this place ...
To be fair these are my main points with ei1ght.
- long line
- inside looks nice, new, modern
- bathroom times ggrrrreeeat!!!
- overcrowded in general all over
- avg priced drinks
- adequate waitstaff and friendly
- Not enough places to hide from needy girls
- long wait for drinks if you go to the bar
- have a good DJ, but I think he grew up in the 70's,
decent mix.. if it was the summer of love 1976..
I live nearby, so I haven't dealt with the chaos that is the club nights.
But I have gone over for "Texas-size tapas" for dinner, when you can park for free. The tuna nachos are to die for. They don't have a real kitchen, just a panini press. So it's either cold or a panini. You'd never know it was limited at all when you get the food. The salad is fantastic. This mountain of potato chips, blue cheese, and bacon was to die for.
The build-out is truly gorgeous,probably one of the best in the Heights area.
They care a surprising amount about wine quality, especially since they really have no kitchen. They make fantastic cocktails with fresh fruits before the club crowd hits, they're incredible. The mango mohito is wonderful, as is the St. Germain drink.
This place is Great. The interior is beautiful, plush, and trendy. There are multiple rooms to party in - dance floor, fratty wood bar, large patios.
BUT......
Like much of Washinton this place IS OVERRUN with Afflicion shirts - or more popularly known as dragon shirts. This place could be big spenders, hot blondes, and decent guys....it has the foundation. The door guy needs to be in the loop and limit it to 10 dragon shirts per hour. Have some standards=longer lasting popularity.
Good place from inside in terms of the size, but it still remains a polished ghetto to make it look cool.
Unnecessary lines, obnoxious, fake people trying to show off their ed hardys line up here.. It may call itself an upscale place, but it is a flea market inside.. Frustrating experience inside and outside is ghetto of course..
In the words of 50 cent "Go, shawty. It's my birthday. We're goin to party like it my birthday"
This place was such a great choice of venue to celebrate the Big 2-6! We have passed by Ei8ht a couple times before not knowing what it was, due to lack of sign. Hello, a sign for your business might be nice. F.Y.I: This place is located across Urban Living Real Estate Company. Anyways, we strolled in fashionably early. Early you say? Yes, early. This is due to the lines forming outside at 10 o'clock, and these stilettos aren't meant for standing! Some friends made it there around 11 pm and were not able to make it in. Sorry guys. =( Also if you get there early enough you might be able to snag some street parking and save some bucks.
This place is huge due to the large patio downstairs and the decent sized one upstairs. The inside was especially nice, with all the glitz and glitter. The lighting was spot on and the red carpet runway upstairs is great to take those paparazzi poses! The drinks are a bit pricey here, but hey this is an "upscale" place so the price is "upscale" as well. There was a good mix of people, a bit of geriatrics, a dash of skanky and a sprinkle of normal. Whoever was there made for great people watching. I will definitely visit again! Ei8ht is great!
Oh yeah, shout out to my fellow Yelper David N. for making it out that night. Homie you rock!
Once again I have Valerie A to thank for introducing me to another HOT CLUB. I came here last night for her birthday.
This is by far one of the nicest clubs I've been to in Houston in a LONG time.
The staff is dressed well and matching in red and white.
The decor inside is vegas like. They even have a motion sensor red carpet on the way to the 2nd floor. This thing makes you feel like a celeb!!!
The downstairs has a mini water fall and palm trees outside that make you think you aren't in Houston...until you feel the humidity and heat.
The upstairs is a wonderful spot for people watching.
My only complaint are the drink prices, but I guess for the new place it's warranted.
COME EARLY, DRESS NICE.
I was told to come at 830 pm to get in...I was like no freaking way am I coming to a "club" this early but I still got my friends together and headed out at about 945. By the time we were parked and at the door it was a little over 10. Got in without any trouble. 30 minutes later we saw a LONG line outside, and they were turning people away. I don't know what they are telling people but it is packed by 10 and they probably are close to capacity, and if not I wouldn't too many more people inside anyways.
The patrons are early 20s and mid 30s, with a some older "balla" types. Great new club.
So this friend of mine wants to go to Ei8ht on July 2nd. The last time he was there it was a Saturday and waited from 10:30pm to 12pm to get in. So this time we decided to get there by 9:30. The next day being a holiday we did expect the crowd to be at least sizable.
I must say that i did not see any huge signs calling attention to this place and in fact drove straight past it. It looks like a terrace restaurant with a nice patio area from the outside. Then I see a huge parking lot with a lot of parking attendants and I figured this must be the place. I ask them and they tell me its $10 for the valet parking. Now thats not a bad price, but considering it was not even 10pm I decided to pass on that and look for parking on the streets. Believe it or not the closest parking I found was only a block away. As the night progressed however I noticed people walking over from far away.
I was fully expecting a line. To my delight there was none. Note to self: Get there before 10:30. The door guy checked my ID and let me in, I was worried that being a minority he might not but he seemed cool. As I walked in I realized that I may have actually over thought this. There were people of all races there. not too many..but
no worries.
The decor was classy. The patio out front was huge and had for its central piece a huge stone waterfall fountain. Several tables with director style chairs, a couple of large couch areas and lots of room to move around completed this. The inside was split into 3 areas. The dance floor a regular bar and a sports bar area. Again...very classy decor. The dance floor was large and got full later in the night. There is a patio on top that gives a nice view of the Houston sky line albeit from a distance. This area is not small but smaller than the other areas and had some comfortable couches. This area also gets packed rather quickly.
The staff were friendly and dressed in all red dresses. OK...so thats a gaudy red.If you wear black with a touch of red it showcases passion. If you wear red with white collars, that is a bad waitress outfit for the greasy spoon. Just red... I don't know. A couple of the staff kinda knew this and tried to accessorize with a black tie etc but the red was overpowering. The door guys wore a black jacket with it and so it was OK. The service was excellent. I was asked several times if I was doing OK and that could have been because the staff waitress was having a trainee in tow.
The drinks were good but not as strong as I would have liked it. One small issue I had though. The bartender told me that she had been a bartender for 3 years but refused to make me a special drink (not on the menu). Her reasoning was that I might send it back if it was not good. I have been to many a classy club and good bartenders will make you special drinks all the time. She flat out refused. I was surprised. Maybe she was a little nervous. So I had the purple something. $8. Reasonable for a place like this.
The best part of this place...the clientele were very friendly and socializing was a breeze. Many many attractive specimens of both sexes and lots of interaction going on which is why I am not going to recommend this as a first date spot. I mean my eyes would keep wandering and that wouldn't do the date justice. For the same reason don't plan a guys night out here. Not a male bonding spot unless you plan to drool.
Overall this was a nice place to hang out and meet people or just chill out with a couple of friends. Original plan was to leave there by 12 but I stayed till 2. I had a blast and will go there again.
I had the unfortunate experience of checking this place out lately. I would highly recommend if you are an avid clubgoer with an eclectic taste for good nightlife, to maybe check this place out once and move on to something better. If you like waiting in line for half an hour to an hour, then this is your place to do that in the swealtering heat. You can avoid the line by getting there before 10pm on Saturdays.
If you like way overpriced drinks, then come here by all means. If you like barbie's sipping on their martini's trying to show off their latest attire from Nordstrom's last week, then go here. Oh, and don't plan on trying to talk to any of them unless you are ready to buy them a few rounds and/or valet'ed your Ferrari nearby.
Try not to get mugged walking back to our car if you parked your car on any of the side streets, remember you are still in the middle of the ghetto.
This place is all hype, but it's just another bar with a patio. As for the long wait in line, get over it already, this isn't Vegas!!
So quick word of advice: unless you're a single blonde female, I wouldn't suggest coming here late on a Saturday night. After reading the (mostly) positive reviews, I suggested this place to a co-worker for happy hour, and though I was unable to attend, she came back with rave reviews. As such, I was excited to check this place out. No such luck.
After a whale of a time finding the place (thought it was closer to Citizens; I thought wrong), we stumbled upon a gigantic clusterflux of people hanging out at the entrance. That's right, ladies and gentlemen: there's officially no line to get into the place; instead, just fight like cattle to get the golden ticket. If you're blonde, don't worry; you'll get your name called quickly. Stunningly attractive blonde? In. Well-endowed blonde? In. Cougar blonde? In. Butterface blonde? In. Not even good enough to be called butterface blonde? STILL in. Brunette? Nope, sorry, back of the line.
So seriously, our group had a healthy girl:guy ratio, respectable attire, and were not unattractive. But hey, being Asian generally means being not blonde, so after 30 minutes of futile waiting, we hightailed it out of there, leaving the handful of brunettes and gigantic sausage fest waiting and living on a prayer to get in. Good luck, gentlemen. I hope you enjoyed your 30 minutes before last call. We hightailed it over to Manor and got in, lickity split.
I don't mind waiting (much) to get into a trendy place. What I mind is the ridiculous method of entry, for which Ei8ht more than earns its lonely one star rating. I'll give Ei8ht this...the place looked real nice. If I ever make it back there (not likely), we'll try this whole Yelp thing again.
Oh, valet or self-park is now $10. Yikes.
For those of you who've driven by this soon to be "it spot" along Washington and noticed a killer patio and upper deck, the wait is over. Ei8ht is officially open.
I came here last night for some pre-Latin Wave drinks with my girlfriend Jody. Apparently they opened the day before, so naturally we wanted to check it out now before word spreads to the masses and we can no longer get in. Yeah, I know.
Owner of Pub Fiction, Michael, is the man behind Ei8ht: "where the evening turns to night." The concept is to start the evening off with drinks and light bites in the lounge area and patio, then once night comes (9pm), doors to the dance club open.
So, back to my experience. Getting in was a breeze, and the gentleman working the door was welcoming. That was a precursor for the night, because the *entire staff* was just as kind--and incredibly attractive I must add.
I think it was the service that impressed me most. Sitting at the bar and out on the patio, every time my wine glass or water got a bit low, someone was there to refill them. One of the managers, Dardan, even stopped by our table to get my opinion on the wine, gave me his card and said to send over any suggestions to him. Apparently they have a huge wine wall inside the nightclub that they're ready to stock up with patrons' favorites. My suggestion? Let's get some malbec and nero d'avola on the menu. But from what I did imbibe at Ei8ht, the Bitch Grenache ($7/glass) is my recommendation. Girls, it comes in a pretty pink labeled bottle with the word "Bitch" elegantly scripted on the front and with a heart on the twist-off cap.
When I asked one of the gentleman for a small tour so we could peak into the club. He hesitated for a second, but then agreed. The nightclub area is is complete with a lengthy bar and booths for bottle service. They're going to start Champagne Thursdays, where the bubbly is complimentary for those who snag a spot. I wish I could describe the interior better, but I can't really put my finger on it. There's a natural element added from the use of a lot of light wood, but there's also the contemporary feel brought on by the use of red and LED lights. Speaking of red, don't wear it here. You might be confused for a bartender or cocktail waitress. Just a thought.
Other highlights of Ei8ht:
*The cocktail menu. The strawberry lemonade is perfect on a warm summer night outside.
*Food menu. I spotted people noshing on meats and cheeses and tuna nachos. If they're any good as Pub Fiction's addictive nachos, sign me up!
As for the parking situation, you can valet for $7, park it yourself in an adjacent graveled lot for $5, or find street parking.
I've never been to Eight on a Friday or Saturday night when dress code, fog machines, lines, Ed Hardy d-bags, or such things are an issue. However, I did go last Wednesday evening for a free wine tasting being hosted by Eight.
I had a great time -- the wine tasting was being held on the downstairs patio. Even though it was July and I was still in my work clothes, I managed not to die of heat exhaustion cause they had fans going and the waitresses were very attentive about keeping our water glasses filled.
The wine tasting itself was not too informative but I really can't argue with free wine! Also, they provided a complimentary cheese plate to go along with the wine. If this is the same cheese plate that is on the menu for $15, then I'll definitely be coming back for happy hour as I loves me a good cheese plate. They had about 4 cheeses, crackers, fruit & honey and the cheese portions were substantial.
My friends and I stayed after the wine tasting was over and had a few cocktails from their specialty drink menu. They were very yummy and ran the average price for a specialty cocktail at a nice bar (~$8). Also, I have to give Eight a major thumbs up for the music that was playing -- pop music mixed with hip hop and even played a couple of great older hip hop songs that I absolutely adore and only usually get to enjoy on my own Ipod.
Based on what I know of Eight, I doubt I'll be hitting it up during its peak time on Friday & Saturday nights, but its def a great happy hour location!
I cannot say I am much of a "club person" as I get older, but Ei8ht is one of those places where you don't have to be a club goer to enjoy yourself. For being in the Washington area the parking is decent even at $10 to park it yourself right in the lot next door is pretty good to me. There was a line even before 10:30pm but luckily we didn't wait long.
The outside of this place definitely sets the ambiance for the night. You automatically feel you are somewhere other than Houston-Heights area and are instead transported to a saucy beach side dance club. There is a lower level outside patio, a roof bar, the main bar and dance floor, and I hear there is a sports bar but did not see that on this night.
The only down fall is all the stairs...they make you go up to the second floor to go in, then back down if you want the bathrooms or the main dance area or patio...then up more stairs to get to the roof bar. I was careful not to drink too much, because I could see myself being the one girl doing an incognito stair roll in my heels!
The drink prices weren't bad for the area: about $50 bucks for a round of shots for the girls (5) and a Red Bull and Vodka. I love the outdoor areas, mostly because I hate feeling trapped in crowed bars, so the fresh air eases me. The bathrooms are clean, but one or two more stalls wouldn't be bad for the ladies!
All in all a good place to go with a group, I definitely had a good time with my crew!
Ei8ht Things I Love About You:
1. The Patio: Again, I'm a fan of ANY patio, and this one is large. Lots of comfy wrap around couches, director's chairs, and even fountains to give off some white noise. Couple of palm trees here and there, and are we really still in Houston? Great touches.
2. The Roof Top Deck: Again, fan of any outdoor patios/decks and their roof top deck is perfect for checking out the patio below or looking out to Wash to see all the potential peeps lining up at the door. Also perfect for overhearing douches saying, "Look at that girl...I'd do her...but she's not approachable." Lol. Free entertainment is always good, I tell ya. Bonus points: there's also a bar up there.
3. The Dance Club: It's nice, it flows very well from the big bar area onto the dance floor. The VIP seating is elevated, with a few encased in glass, which I thought was pretty cool. On that particular night, they appeared booked for their bottle service tables.
4. The DJ/ Music: Other than being a good looking DJ (hehe), the guy started off the early evening playing some top 40 music but eventually progressed to House/Dance/Trance when it got packed by midnight. I'm a fan of house and dance so I REALLY enjoyed it, but I'm sure a lot of people would be turned off by it if they prefer the typical club music.
5. The Sports Bar: Complete sausage-fest...which could be a good thing, right? haha. We got our drinks here instead of the opposite end (the dance club area) because it was easier to flag down the bartender as it wasn't as packed. TVs surround this place, with some sitting areas to watch the games. Not bad at all, and a good escape from the other crowded areas.
6. The Bathroom (at the Sports Bar area): It was clean, decorated well, lit very well, and smelled of potpourri. The only downfall is that in this area, there's only 1 bathroom stall. I was told that at the dance club area had the large restroom, but I was already here and again, it was easier. There's also a secret restroom upstairs behind some curtains...yeah. I don't know about that.
7. The drinks: I didn't get to try all the fab drinks Meredith and Farrah ordered because I was tired this night and just stuck to my red-bull vodkas all night long. However, next time, I do want to try their wines and diff concoctions. They sound YUMMY.
8. The overall ambiance: Honestly, my girlfriend and I were able to utilize all the aspects of this club. When we wanted to people watch, we enjoyed our smokes and drink at the roof top patio. We went to the dance club when we wanted to dance. We sat outside at the front patio to enjoy the weather, and watch a couple fight (free entertainment, again). And we grabbed fast and easy drinks over at the sports bar. For us, it reminded us of certain clubs in San Diego...multi-level, with diff areas to accomodate your whims.
My friend and I spoke to owners of other clubs that night (which were all amazingly dead), and they admitted that Eight, Manor, and Pravada were taking all of their business. I don't know how long Eight will be able to keep up the hype, but for now, it's on my rotation. Enjoy.
Had a great time, the music was great. It was very crowded inside, as expected for a relatively new midtown club. The modern decor was first class.
However, I noticed that the entrance line was long at about 10:30 pm on a Saturday. I kept seeing women leave upset that they had to wait.
Either way, a decent experience. Perhaps guys are still waiting in line.
I had a blast at this place. I too was told to get here early as supposedly it would get packed. For whatever reason, I was able to get there early, around 10:15 and I got in with no problem.
After getting in, I went all the way up to the rooftop patio. Nice view and I started seeing the line grow longer and longer. When my friends finally came in, I was surprised for the prices of the drinks. They were relatively expensive for Houston standards. Let me break it down for you:
2 jack and cokes, goose and soda, citron and soda, cranberry vodka and a bud light for $38. With tip, obviously it went up, but I guess that's the price to pay for a new chic "club"
The music was so-so, but they did play a song that I have not heard any other clubs in Houston play (FM - Girls on the Dance Floor). That was awesome! Also, the "dance floor" gets packed quickly and doesn't open until 10:30. Also, it is very hard to dance as everyone is taking up all the space.
The bad thing is the parking, which I know is not Ei8ght's fault, but still, I think I have to ding them on that. They have a valet located next door, but I did not want to pay for that. It took me about 15-20 minutes to find some street parking, and I even took a chance of having my car towed away.
Overall a fun night. The ambiance was very chic and reminded me of Hollywood, as well as the prices of the drinks. However, it made me less homesick and I am looking forward to checking out the other clubs/lounges on Washington Ave.
This place has a rreally nice Patio. My sis and I went on a Thursday evening...mostly a happy hour crowd. They were charging cover, only if affiliated with an Aggie party that was going on that night (not us).
Door man was nice, and we found a table pretty easily, though the downstairs patio was packed...someone happened to be leaving right as we arrived. Nice people watching spot. Flat screen TV's, ceiling fans, and water fountain were a nice touch to the outdoor seating...no bar though. Upstairs had a bar, but less seating and much more crowded. We were greeted pretty quickly by a cute server (they all wear sexy red dresses), however the service thereafter was less than satisfactory.
Drinks came out pretty quickly, but the food was another story. We ordered Tuna Nachos ($14) with our server, and waited 20 minutes; no nachos. Another server asks if we were waiting for something, and we told her our order; she claimed she 'saw them on the line' and 'it's probably our order'. Well another 20 minutes pass, and we realize our original server never even put our food order in, and therefore we were starving after waiting 45 minutes for nachos (it was just tortilla chips with spicy salmon on them...not exactly timely gourmet). Although they were DELISH, the service was awful. We saw a lot of other people getting food, hot dishes, before we did.
Maybe a hit or miss with the food service, but drinks were tasty and people were kind. 2 sets of bathrooms, which I loved, and lots of room inside. I'll be back soon, just not for food!
This place was a great place to party for my friend's birthday! The drinks were strong, but so good and the food was a-ok. Great music, but a small dance floor AND could you tell me why the A/C wasn't cranked up in that place? Geez!!! It's a pretty large space and quite crowded after 10pm. The line was extremely long and one must be prepared to wait should you decide to come in after that time.
Either way, a good time and tons of people.
This place is pretentious x 100!!!!!! I have NEVER had a problem getting into a club whether it be in LA, NYC, Miami or Europe until I got to this place. It's like they let every trashy/old person in and make the decent people wait in a ridiculous line. Do they not know it's HOUSTON TX????? Seriously?!?!
first off, i generally dont like places with lines & velvet ropes. but ive tried to come here a few weeks ago- lines. my friends were there the week before & liked the quality & quantity of ladies here. so the time i went, there was a line (probably around 10 30 - 11). we waited maybe 10 minutes then went over to pearl. the next night was a friends birthday & someone suggested 8 again... & again, we wait... then ended up at pearl again.
2 weeks ago we had a reserved vip section for a friends going away. he said there was a list, so just walk right up & tell them. thats what i did. i went to the front, gave him the name, he flipped two pieces of paper pretty quickly and said he didnt see it. so i call my friend, he shows up at the gate & said to tell him i was on the list. same story. then the guy says "youre the third person to say youre with this guy"... so im thinking, doesnt that say something? i even told him to turn around and ASK the guy whos vip reservation it is to confirm. the velvet rope guy says to call my friend, with which i say, i did... hes right behind you. he glances, then tells me to get out of the way bc im blocking people. after about 15 minutes of waiting even with a list, i finally get in after someone else explains the party was under a different name. stupid
luckily there was bottle service so i bee lined it to the bottle. the music... was kind of weird. my friend & i were on our way to the bathroom, then they started playing one of her favorite songs & maybe about 30 seconds into it, it cuts into some techno remix of something else. other than that, i really didnt pay attention.
the bathroom was pretty nice.
the patio was actually not that bad, it wasnt crowded- there was a spot for us to stand without being bumped into & every now & then there was a table that opened up.
but the only saving grace, minus the bottle service, was the fact the cocktail waitress found my keys. i got up, noticed the spring on my caribbeaner was broken & all my keys were gone. i got up & asked my friend if she saw them, but amazingly the cocktail girl was next to me, overheard & asked if my name was carolyn. i looked at her weird bc i didnt think my name was on anything (found out later it was on my AAA keychain thing) & she took me to the front where they were.
i mean, once i was in, it was fine. i had even been drinking before i got there, but the front door debacle ruined my buzz.
I liked Ei8ht more than I thought I would. We got there early on a Friday night - 10:30 - to avoid dealing with a crazy line. The music is great! It's fun and a mix of 90's hits with current top 40 stuff.
People are decent looking. Definitely "trendy", with boys and their shirts unbuttoned too far and girls wearing clothes a little too tight... but beats some of the ugly bars!
Basically, the new Drake. If you can handle the type of people, then you'll have a good time. Personally, I still prefer the Honky Tonk next door =)
Had a blast here! There were no problems w/ the line, it moved quickly, I saw no one turned away and there was no cover (it was about 1115 or so on a Friday). Inside was already PACKED so def glad we got there early. Drinks seemed a tad pricey, one crown and coke, two wells and two shots for $56 (is that normal!?). The music was great, a mix of genres - latin, hip hop, top 40 from REAL DJ, rare nowadays. Def worth a try!
I have been to Ei8ht several times before but this was my first time going on a Saturday night. Several weeks ago I had called and booked a table for my birthday for this Saturday night.
We had a group of about 20 people and most of us got there right @ 10:30. We got to by-pass the LONG line and we were immediately taken by a hostess to our VIP section. Which by the way, was probably the best spot in the whole bar. If you are on the dance floor and looking at the DJ booth, it was on the right side, right beside the dance floor. It was a big section and it held all of the group. 2 large couch's and 2 tables. Our waitress was great...she was very attentive to our group and took care of us the whole night. I loved the music...good mix and perfect to dance to. Which is exactly what I did for 3 1/2 hours :) We had 2 bottles of Grey Goose and they were $300 a bottle...so it was an expensive night for my birthday but having the VIP table and the great service made it well worth it.
I highly recommend it for birthdays or special occasions!!
My ONLY complaint is that it was SOOOO hot in there. I know I was dancing for 3 1/2 hours and all but I really could not feel any air blowing at all. Some big fans or turning the AC on higher would be AWESOME! Other than that, this is one of my favorite places to go out for any occasion.
Went with some girlfriends to check out Eight's new Happy Hour on Friday, its awesome! Half off food and premium cocktails. Their Asian Lychee Pear martini is delish! The tuna nachos are as good as everyone says they are. There are $2 beer and $3 wine specials as well. The owner came over to introduce himself and was very friendly. New patio bar, tables, chairs and canopies. Can't wait to go back!
Love Ei8ht's concept "where evening turns to night". There are very few venues in Houston where you… Read more »
Can a bar have multiple personalities? If so, can it be successful? We will see with Eight.
New to Washington Avenue, Eight bar is housed in an old Machine shop. I drilled a couple of cocktail waitresses for the details and was given the same spiel - "It's a laid back/chill bar and patio during the week, but Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the inner bar becomes a packed dance club! Annnnnd...our rooftop bar will be open soon!" Yea "Barbies" you paid attention during training.
We sat inside for the first part of the night. The restoration is pretty snazzy and interesting, much more high end than most of Washington bars. But, they did a pretty good job keeping the historical charm of the building intact. I was especially impressed with the "tin" ceiling and the bathroom. There is a bar with about 10 bar seats and then several tall cocktail tables for 4 around the edges of the room. The "Club" is sectioned off by glass and walls, which I think will be useful on the weekends. Containment is key in these situations. I like to look at gel-hairs with dragon t-shirts through glass. They are like the snakes at the zoo - interesting when a barrier is in place.
They have a pretty good specialty cocktail menu. I tried the Acai Mango Martini and my friend had a gin drink. Both were delish! I switched to Chardonnay and was pleased. The wines by the glass offerings are pretty darn good for a place like this. Drink prices were average for Wash. Ave.
Later in the evening, we moved outside to the patio. It's nice and big and has a fountain to distract you from the fact that you are sitting next to Wash. Ave. The only problem I had were the directors chairs. Custom made with their logo on every single chair, they get a little distracting and aren't that comfortable. My wine glass had their logo on it as well. I started to create scenarios in my head... And....SCENE: Young, bleach blond this summer with her Forever 21 t-shirt worn as a dress and Jessica Simpson gold high heels...she's on her cell phone with a friend, wine glass with Eight Logo in hand, sitting in and surrounded by chairs with the logo on the back..."Oh, I don't know what the name is ...it's THE NEW PLACE on Washington Avenue!!!" She turns and asks me where she is...After I quell the thoughts of drowning her in the fountain, I tell her "Nine...you are at Nine!" End scene. Bimbos...I lived this scenario many times last summer at Pearl...with chick-a-dees standing right underneath the glowing sign out front. But, there wasn't a fountain to drown them in, so I dreamed of pushing them into two lanes of traffic on Wash. Ave.
Any who...it's not Eight's fault that they will quickly become "the place" on Washington Avenue. I will be interested to see how people respond to their attempt to be a bar, patio and rooftop bar, and dance club. Should be an interesting and entertaining mix of people, to say the least. But, I think it's a good effort and in general I love things you can use for many purposes.
This place was bumpin' when my girls and I arrived around 11:30. There was a line, but it wasn't too bad since we were ladies with no boys. The crowd was pretty random. The patio was really nice and met some "happy" people out there. The music/DJ was on point...I liked all the remixes! The drinks are pricey, but that's expected since we were in the Heights. The only con of the night were creepy white dudes undressing you with their eyes. eck! It got really packed by the end of the night too.
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