Lei Low

Lei Low opened in Houston's Heights neighborhood in late February 2014. The force behind Lei Low is husband-and-wife tikiphile team Russell and Elizabeth Thoede.

Lei Low serves drinks inspired by the historic tropical standards, but in their own modern style. Although Lei Low doesn't typically serve food, they do have occasional luau events.

A brightly colored mural of a tropical scene adorns the front entrance. Inside, the centerpiece of the space is a dramatic thatched A-frame structure behind the bar, which holds a collection of tiki mugs. There are a couple of vintage Witco pieces, and a few colored floats hang from the ceiling. There is seating in green booths, or on stools along the large bar. Tiki posts are found between booths and behind the bar. A grand peacock chair is near the entrance. Along most of the walls, the decoration comes in the form of framed art hung on framed pieces of lauhala matting.

Comments

mobyneville

mobyneville has visited Lei Low.

June 24, 2017, 5:36 PM

I LOVE THIS PLACE! I'm visiting from New Orleans, and checked this place out with my husband. Dark. Seedy. Perfect. We will be back on every subsequent visit to Houston. Don't change a thing. (Except maybe parking. 😬)

mikehooker

mikehooker is a semi-regular at Lei Low.

March 8, 2017, 2:33 PM

I love Lei Low. I live in Austin and sometimes make the 5 hour round trip trek just to get away for a bit and have a good drink or few in a proper tiki environment. Sometimes we even caravan with a few friends and get a nearby hotel for the night so we can really make a go of it. David is my favorite bartender there. He's courteous and knowledgeable about making cocktail, and always goes out of his way to please us. But everyone there including the owners knows us by now and is welcoming when we come through the door. Their menu seems to change seasonally and they do fun events like Trader Vic or Donn Beach tribute nights. The decor is definitely tiki but not kitschy or over the top. The have some quality Witco pieces and tributes to tiki temples of the past. All around great spot.

gellyfish

gellyfish has visited Lei Low.

February 21, 2017, 5:58 AM

The Lei Low is something SO special. Given the awful lack of tiki in Texas, a bar like this that does it right is to be treasured and protected. It has everything you could want - an amazing, attentive, and friendly bar staff, absolutely delicious and innovative drinks, and a fun vibe. I brought my boyfriend to Lei Low over the weekend to celebrate his birthday, and it didn't disappoint. Everything we had was wonderful. They also have some killer swag - Mai Tai glasses, shirts, and cool swizzles! I already want to go back - this bar is a tiki treasure!

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