Ginger Man

It has been a decade since I visited G-Man. Plenty of couples (friends, dates, business associates) go here to chat. Some are in scrubs, trendy clothes, and washateria clothes.\r \r Their jukebox has the Beastie Boys, Blondie, and some much older tunes.\r \r My dog woke up when he smelled a rat scampering by a couple on a date. Pros: Back patio has plenty of shade; dog friendly Cons: Saw a rat on the back patio; no bar food more

It is a great relief that even in this huge city, you can still find a bar that focuses on what is important; the people. While the wide variety of ever changing drafts and bottles are supremely important, too many bars focus too much on just trying to make you drink as much as possible. This establishment, hosts parties for their patrons, pint nights for customers on Wednesdays, and even has brewery release parties. The atmosphere is more conducive to having a conversation and it also, caters to pets. I often see dog owners frequent this place and the wait staff is always kind an courteous to our furry friends. I am a supreme fan of the the spinach and artichoke dip and over my pint, I have had many good conversations and memories here. I feel that if I ever leave Houston, this establishment will be the one that I miss the most. I hope that wherever I end up, I will find a place that is at least half as cool, fun, and quaint as the Village's Ginger Man. Pros: Quaint, Douchebagless Cons: Parking more

It is difficult not to love a place with so many beers on tap. Although the concept has been expanded to Austin and Dallas, this location has made an effort to retain its neighborhood pub feel. They host quality events for pub standard such as Oktoberfest and St. Patty’s, maintain weekly specials such as pint nights and rotate various microbrews seasonally. Most importantly, the bartenders know how to pour a pint. Black and Tans are made with the two-part pour and the spoon to layer the beers just as they should be. I’ve grown to take such a thing for granted and am always astounded at the way many average bars will pour a draft. When meeting up with friends for a brew, the Ginger Man is sure to make everyone happy. Their beer selection is vast enough to please connoisseurs and picky drinkers alike and they include wines and fruity ‘beer cocktails’ for the girlfriends that just had to be dragged along. Bustling and vibrant but not too loud, both bar and patio are comfortable and friendly. This is hands down a no fail pub. more

long-time guys-night-out haunt in the village, if you like beer you'll be very pleased. it's small to start, and tends to get packed (mostly with 20-30-ish loud guys), so be prepared to have your personal space invaded. not a good place to try to meet women, though when school (college) is in session you may get lucky and find a clump of rice university women there. but don't count on it. if any women come in, they're usually with a guy (or several guys) already. it's a place to get a beer, hang with the guys and play some darts. the service staff are cordial and friendly and know beer. they don't serve hard liquor. outdoor seating is available and if you get bored you can walk next door to Little Woodrows or any of the other surrounding watering-hole establishments. there's no on-site parking, and the village archade is posted private property, so you need to find a street spot - which isn't too hard after 9 pm and the businesses are closed, but be careful you don't get towed. Pros: beer selection, reasonable prices, rowdy but mostly harmless clientele Cons: rowdy but mostly harmless clientele, crowded, no unattached & single women more

I enjoyed the Ginger Man. They had a great beer selection. The place is small and personal. The outside seating area is pretty cool. There is a juke box inside to play music on. I hadn't seen one of those in a bar around here so I got excited! I am sure the place gets packed on a busy weekend but it is definitely worth hitting up if you're in the area. more

it was not in Rice Village...why? Well, you have to get there early to get a seat because if you don't the place is so small that being bounced from one side of the bar to the other is really annoying. Okay for the good stuff...good selection of beers, good service, quaint (when it is quiet), good first place date bar. Pros: Good vibe Cons: Bouncing from wall to wall when busy and sucking in my fat tummy for those pushing by more

The place has an entire wall of draft beers! However, I have had a few skunked varieties, so make sure it's fresh before taking a beer away from the bar. This is a great place to hang out with friends for drinks after dinner. There is a really laid-back atmosphere that is condusive to long hours of chatting and drinking. Pros: An entire wall of draft beers! Cons: Sometimes you get a skunked or stale keg, so check for freshness! more

There are a lot of plusses to this place. First and foremost, the excellent selection of craft/artisan/microbrew or whatever you want to call it beers at a decent price. The management is not complacent about the beers they stock, and adds new beers on tap and bottle every month. A lot of great beers, both on draught and bottle, always served cold and quickly. Nice, cozy (sort of an ""earthen"" vibe) place, that is normally the most laidback bar in the little strip it's on. The patios out back and out front are both fantastic during good weather. What can I say... when we go to Rice Village it's a no brainer that I prefer this place because it has the best beers and isn't frequently overcrowded. The staff are pretty nice... they are friendly but I think they let on that they know I'm a dork. That's OK! There are also good incentives, sign up for the email list to find out! Just know that they don't have many options for the tight fisted. Pros: Great beer selection served cold, patios, cozy Cons: Parking, no liquor (i don't think so, at least) more

The GM is one of the VERY few pubs in Houston that makes you feel like you really are in Manchester, Ireland or some rural pub in the UK. Nice thing is that you can experience this without having to deal with teethless patron's turrets and BO. CHEERS LADDIE!!! more

....if you do, this is the place for you! I was slightly disappointed that they didn't have any Michelob :-( but they had almost everything else!\r more

Ginger Man has a wide variety of beer to choose from. A great place to hang out with friends. The crowd is very laid back and the service is good. They have a great back patio area with lots of seating. Pros: Selection of beer, great patio area, plenty of seating Cons: parking more

i was hesitant to go here expecting the crown to be trendy and snobby, but as far as i could tell, not really. i went there for the selection of beer, not the people. it's a good place to get a pitcher with friends because it's not loud. the outdoor patio is large with those stand up heaters and a lot of picnic tables. the bathrooms are really small. there's a cigarette machine, but 5 dollars each. i got a pitcher of cider, and mm mmm mmmm. more

i can't believe how uptight everyone here was. can you say ""my job title is longer than yours""? The women must read the same fashion mag because they all wore the same negligee / blouse type thing. for such a hole in the wall this place is way too trendy. i think ""the apprentice"" rejects hang out here. the bartenders weren't exactly ""service with a smile"". Pros: lots of beer, dark inside, exit sign Cons: cramped, bad service, trendy more

The Gingerman has a Great Beer Selection and serves a slightly older university crowd (undergrads are not a common sight). It is a beer house where you can actually have a conversation with your friends without shouting over blasting music. Pros: Beer Selection, Atmosphere more

If you are a real beer enthusiast, this is the place to go -- the staff will treat you grandly as a regular after you've been there quite a few times, don't expect hands over feet service if they've never seen you -- if beer is not your cup, you might do better elsewhere. Best time to be is before 9:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays or any night during the week. Pros: Beer Selection, Pub Atmosphere, Front Outside Seating Cons: Parking, Weekend Night Crowds more

This is a great place to get together with friends in a relaxed, casual, and unpretentious atmosphere. They have a great selection of import beers and a tasty beer companion plate (fruit/cheese/salami/crackers). Play a game of darts here or just enjoy the outdoor seating. All-in-all, we find oursevles re-visiting Ginger Man again and again. Pros: atmosphere, outdoor seating, relaxed more

This pub is much overrated. If you enjoy being rudely treated and berated by the bartenders, and do not mind waiting an eternity to spend a fortune for a beer, or inhaling copious amounts of smoke, this is the place for you. The Rice Village area has many more hospitable establishments to get a good drink. The Gingerman has the worst customer service of any pub or restaurant I have been to. Pros: large selection-beer more