Best Cocktail Bars in Texas

Big state, small rooms: the best cocktail bars in Texas tend to be intimate. Houston leads: Bandista, a 20-seat bar inspired by Prohibition-era tequileros, ranks 47th on North America's 50 Best Bars 2026; Julep, 46th on that list in 2022, took the James Beard Outstanding Bar Program award the same year. In Austin, Daydreamer pairs cocktails with Champagne, and Holiday made the 2026 Spirited Awards regional top 10 for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar. Dallas adds Midnight Rambler, a basement lounge inside The Joule and a 2026 Spirited Awards Top 10 nominee for Best U.S. Hotel Bar. Holiday requires no reservations, so simply walk in. These are the bars we would start with.