Kay's Lounge

[Andyzipp]

Anyone know for sure if Kay's has a patio behind the building? (I know they have tables on the shoulder of Bissonnet).

I've been there a million times, but have never seen/heard of this.

Also, if one were putting together a Kay's Lounge playlist for their iPod, what would they put on it?

[hostros7]

Definitely has a pretty large back patio (maybe 6 picnic tables).  You walk through the room to the right of the bar, out the door next to the dartboards.  bonus: kay's now serves booze as well.   Juke box there is usually some variety of "Texas country"

[Bench]

Pretty sure there's a patio there, out the back past the pool tables. Good news about the booze. Sometimes seeing a bunch of drunk aggies screaming Robert Earl Keen tunes drives one to the hard stuff.

[Limey]

Is Kay's the place with the table in the shape of Texas?  (Not as practical as you may think).

[Bench]

Is Kay's the place with the table in the shape of Texas?  (Not as practical as you may think).

Yep. Bissonnet between Morningside and Greenbriar.

[NeilT]

Is Kay's the place with the table in the shape of Texas?  (Not as practical as you may think).

Yes.  I dated a girl in law school whose parents met at Kay's.  That place has been there forever.

[tophfar]

Is Kay's the place with the table in the shape of Texas?  (Not as practical as you may think).

yes it is, and no it's not, but it does lead to some odd compulsions.

i remember sitting there one night and was telling a west texas/big bend story.  and for whatever reason, as i was telling the story, i kept pointing to the places on the table, like it was somehow illustrating my story in some manner, like it was an actual fucking map.  i realized at the time that it was retarded.  but i still couldn't stop myself from doing it.

[Limey]

Yes.  I dated a girl in law school whose parents met at Kay's.  That place has been there forever.

Were you in the next booth to some people drafting the Constitution?

[austro]

Yes.  I dated a girl in law school whose parents met at Kay's.  That place has been there forever.

Kay's was our official hangout 30+ years ago (along with Capri Pizza, RIP). Many longnecks and brain cells met their end there.

[NeilT]

Were you in the next booth to some people drafting the Constitution?

Texas, not the U.S.  That was Jim.

[Limey]

Texas, not the U.S.  That was Jim.

Gotcha.

[Gizzmonic]

Yes.  I dated a girl in law school whose parents met at Kay's.  That place has been there forever.

I grew up across the street, but I don't think I have ever been to Kay's.  Hmm. That's something I should do next time I'm in Houston.

[94CougarGrad]

I used to live at the Volcano, but I've never once been to Kay's. I must remedy that.

[HudsonHawk]

I used to live at the Volcano, but I've never once been to Kay's. I must remedy that.

We always thought of the Volcano as a place for the frat boys who were afraid to go to the cool bars.

[Bench]

We always thought of the Volcano as a place for the frat boys who were afraid to go to the cool bars.

Or the place where they feel comfortable sipping frozen fruit cocktails. Same difference.

[Limey]

Or the place where they feel comfortable sipping frozen fruit cocktails.

NTTAWWT.

[BossierNaut]

Anyone know for sure if Kay's has a patio behind the building? (I know they have tables on the shoulder of Bissonnet).

I've been there a million times, but have never seen/heard of this.

Also, if one were putting together a Kay's Lounge playlist for their iPod, what would they put on it?

You would have to have at least one Jeffrey Lee Pierce song...

[Kent's Moustache]

Kay's is greatness.  A law school buddy of mine lives around the corner on South, so we often walk to Kay's and stumble back when I'm visiting Houston.

I'm a little disappointed to hear about the addition of the liquor, though.  I love bourbon as much as the next Southern sot, but the beer-only nuance was part of the Kay's ambiance, along with the Texas table and the jukebox.

[Lefty]

I'm a little disappointed to hear about the addition of the liquor, though.  I love bourbon as much as the next Southern sot, but the beer-only nuance was part of the Kay's ambiance, along with the Texas table and the jukebox.

You could always bring liquor in, just had to throw in a 5 or somesuch.  Had a couple of glasses of whiskey with Eldon (rip) on more than several occasions.

Your ipod list would have to include ¨Straight to Hell¨ by Drivin & Cryin and ¨Not Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore¨.  Many others I can´t recall right now.  One of the best jukeboxes in town.  Leon´s Lounge is up there too, as is the Volcano (chill place, cool decor & a good place to meet girls when it wasn´t elbow to elbow with shiny-sheet types).

[MikeyBoy]

the Volcano (chill place, cool decor & a good place to meet girls when it wasn´t elbow to elbow with shiny-sheet types).

Exactly. The fruity frozen drinks are a magnet for chicks.

[Limey]

Exactly. The fruity frozen drinks are a magnet for chicks.

...and cheaper than a Porsche.

[ybbodeus]

Do Dave Ward and Ron Stone still frequent that establishment?

[HudsonHawk]

Do Dave Ward and Ron Stone still frequent that establishment?

Dave Ward used to be their stone drunk every Friday night.  Wayne Dolcefino used to frequent there too, drooling on every 19-21 year old he could find.  But I think he quit drinking after about his 9th DUI.

[MikeyBoy]

Wayne Dolcefino used to frequent there too, drooling on every 19-21 year old he could find.  But I think he quit drinking after about his 9th DUI.

I saw Wayne for the first time live and in person at an open house for my son's Elementary a few weeks ago. He looked like he hadn't showered in days, maybe he fell off the wagon.

[Billy Zabka]

Exactly. The fruity frozen drinks are a magnet for chicks.

I met my first cougar at Volcano.

[ybbodeus]

Met?

[Ron Brand]

I saw Wayne for the first time live and in person at an open house for my son's Elementary a few weeks ago. He looked like he hadn't showered in days, maybe he fell off the wagon.

No, that's just Wayne.  Fun guy, though.

[Lefty]

Dave Ward used to be their stone drunk every Friday night.

Paid his tab once a year by check. 

Ipod also needs something from Keith Whitley, TVZ & the Allmans, I'd say "Statesboro Blues". 

[BossierNaut]

No, that's just Wayne.  Fun guy, though.

Did you work at KTRK?..

[Navin R Johnson]

Eldon kicked me out of Kay's one time for making fun of Dave Ward.   Good times.   Eldon was so batshit crazy at that time, I came back in the next day and he didnt even remember. 
 

[Ron Brand]

Did you work at KTRK?..

No.  I knew his mother, back when he was on the radio, then when I moved back to Austin I got to know him and his photog on the beat he covered before he was the investigative reporter.  Wayne is quite a guy, I wish him all the best he can find.

[94CougarGrad]

Or the place where they feel comfortable sipping frozen fruit cocktails. Same difference.

Well, the guys and I used to drink Shiner there, but the other girls in our group had the frozen screwdrivers. I suppose that counts.

We never stuck around when the place got all Yuppie. Go, drink, turn on the juke, play pool, and if the Smegma Cheese came around, see y'all at the G-man.

[HudsonHawk]

Well, the guys and I used to drink Shiner there, but the other girls in our group had the frozen screwdrivers. I suppose that counts.

We never stuck around when the place got all Yuppie. Go, drink, turn on the juke, play pool, and if the Smegma Cheese came around, see y'all at the G-man.

The GMan stopped being cool in about 1987.  Right about the time the frozen-drink sniffers from the Volcano discovered it.  Right after U2 peaked.

[NeilT]

The GMan stopped being cool in about 1987.  Right about the time the frozen-drink sniffers from the Volcano discovered it.  Right after U2 peaked.

It was still fun on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  Take the dog, take the newspaper, drink a great beer.  Now they don't let dogs inside. 

[JimR]

It was still fun on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  Take the dog, take the newspaper, drink a great beer.  Now they don't let dogs inside. 

dogs do not belong in public places other than parks. i love dogs, but he is not going to a restaurant.

[NeilT]

dogs do not belong in public places other than parks. i love dogs, but he is not going to a restaurant.

During the day the GingerMan was always dog friendly, and kid friendly, and still is on the patios.  It was part of the charm.  Sunday afternoon there was always a table at the front of the room with 5 or 6 people and two Corgis(?).  I never talked to them, but I'm sure they miss the place more than me.

I think my ideal bar would be somewhere cold and have a fireplace and dogs, and no television.  Just me.

[hillbillyken]

I love dogs too!! The Asian Buffet is my favorite but the new Jumborito place is really good too!!!

[JimR]

During the day the GingerMan was always dog friendly, and kid friendly, and still is on the patios.  It was part of the charm.  Sunday afternoon there was always a table at the front of the room with 5 or 6 people and two Corgis(?).  I never talked to them, but I'm sure they miss the place more than me.

I think my ideal bar would be somewhere cold and have a fireplace and dogs, and no television.  Just me.

one of my principles of life: others do not think your children or your pets are as cute as you think they are. do not force either of them on others.

lots of people in those bars/restaurants do not want to share their good time with your animals.

[Ty in Tampa]

I think my ideal bar would be somewhere cold and have a fireplace and dogs, and no television.  Just me.

Sounds like your living room with the AC turned down.

[BizidyDizidy]

one of my principles of life: others do not think your children or your pets are as cute as you think they are. do not force either of them on others.

lots of people in those bars/restaurants do not want to share their good time with your animals.

I can go either way on this; everywhere allowing dogs is extremely suboptimal, for exactly the reasons you discuss. However, if one or two places are dog friendly those who like dogs can go and those who don't, can go elsewhere. Seems like a happy medium to me.

[NeilT]

one of my principles of life: others do not think your children or your pets are as cute as you think they are. do not force either of them on others.

lots of people in those bars/restaurants do not want to share their good time with your animals.

So don't go to the Ginger Man. 

[JimR]

So don't go to the Ginger Man. 

what a surprise reply.

[NeilT]

what a surprise reply.

So what am I supposed to say?  Dang Jim, you are one gripey old fart?  Don't go to the Ginger Man on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, because there are always dogs there.

[Trey]

So what am I supposed to say?  Dang Jim, you are one gripey old fart?  Don't go to the Ginger Man on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, because there are always dogs there.

Man, if only we had some kind of system where you could, you know, economically support things you liked (like dogs on patios) and not support things you don't like (like dogs on patios).  And then some places could make money by letting you have dogs on their patios.  And then others could, you know, make money by not letting you have dogs on your patio.  If ONLY we had a system like that.  Man, then life would be good.

[94CougarGrad]

The GMan stopped being cool in about 1987.  Right about the time the frozen-drink sniffers from the Volcano discovered it.  Right after U2 peaked.

With the Ale House and the Pig & Whistle gone, we were more limited. The Richmond Arms was cool. The Volcano was far more tolerable than just about everything on the former Richmond Strip. You couldn't even go to Barry's Pizza half the time because that's where all those annoying clubbers went to eat.

[Limey]

With the Ale House and the Pig & Whistle gone, we were more limited. The Richmond Arms was cool. The Volcano was far more tolerable than just about everything on the former Richmond Strip. You couldn't even go to Barry's Pizza half the time because that's where all those annoying clubbers went to eat.

The Richmond Arms is a shithole, and has the world's worst big screen TV.  The Red Lion on Shepherd is the way to go, especially on curry night or steak night.

[94CougarGrad]

The Richmond Arms is a shithole, and has the world's worst big screen TV.  The Red Lion on Shepherd is the way to go, especially on curry night or steak night.

The old Red Lion on S. Main was one of my favorites. You had the best Texan-to-Kingdomer ratio, it seemed, and for me, that was a good sign. I haven't been to the Richmond Arms in nearly 15 years. I don't know much about the in-town night scene anymore, living in Clear Lake and being a baseball mom and all of that, so I'll take your word for it.

[NeilT]

I love dogs too!! The Asian Buffet is my favorite but the new Jumborito place is really good too!!!

I wonder if dogs feel the same way about Koreans that I feel about pit bulls?

[Kent's Moustache]

Man, if only we had some kind of system where you could, you know, economically support things you liked (like dogs on patios) and not support things you don't like (like dogs on patios).  And then some places could make money by letting you have dogs on their patios.  And then others could, you know, make money by not letting you have dogs on your patio.  If ONLY we had a system like that.  Man, then life would be good.

I laughed.

[HudsonHawk]

The Richmond Arms is a shithole, and has the world's worst big screen TV.  The Red Lion on Shepherd is the way to go, especially on curry night or steak night.

I don't understand rating a bar based on the food.  A good bar should maybe have some bagged chips, but that's about it.  Perhaps that's not the "pub" with which you are familiar, but I'm more of a sleazy, afraid-to-touch-the-walls kind of place.  I get on a high horse when it comes to "fern bars".

[ybbodeus]

I have the eerily disturbing feeling that Joshua Dicks is lurking on this thread.



"Oklahoma!  Oklahoma!!  Oklahoma!!!""


"Joshua will enjoy Oklahoma's wide open nutsticks!

[Limey]

I don't understand rating a bar based on the food.  A good bar should maybe have some bagged chips, but that's about it.  Perhaps that's not the "pub" with which you are familiar, but I'm more of a sleazy, afraid-to-touch-the-walls kind of place.  I get on a high horse when it comes to "fern bars".

The Red Lion has a decent beer selection and they've done a good job of recreating the appearance of a pub from "the old country".  Where the ambiance goes wrong is that the toilets are pristine and the food is excellent.

The Richmond Arms sounds more your style.  I don't even like to touch the door handle.  The problem is that, while their beer selection is vast, it all seems to taste wrong.  Not bad or off, just wrong.

[HudsonHawk]

The Richmond Arms sounds more your style.  I don't even like to touch the door handle.  The problem is that, while their beer selection is vast, it all seems to taste wrong.  Not bad or off, just wrong.

You wanna know the scary part...the Richmond Arms is WAY too fancy for me.  Although, on a personal note, I kissed my wife for the first time at the Richmond Arms.

[94CougarGrad]

You wanna know the scary part...the Richmond Arms is WAY too fancy for me.  Although, on a personal note, I kissed my wife for the first time at the Richmond Arms.

That's so deserving of smartassery, but I just ain't on the ball at this particular moment.

[HudsonHawk]

That's so deserving of smartassery, but I just ain't on the ball at this particular moment.

I left that wide open.  But in case you were wondering, no it wasn't in the men's room.  We were just hanging out there as friends and I had a Gene Hackman in Hoosiers moment, where I was wondering what it would be like to kiss her and just got tired of wondering.  That was 1993.  It was certainly an Albert Camus-esque "moment of consciousness", though I had no idea at the time what I was getting myself into.

[Limey]

That's so deserving of smartassery, but I just ain't on the ball at this particular moment.

It was the first time he'd kissed her on the mouth.

Too much...?

[94CougarGrad]

It was the first time he'd kissed her on the mouth.

Too much...?

The first time, he kissed her at the Richmond Arms.

She liked it so much, she said to him, "Kiss me were it stinks," so he drove her to Pasadena.

[Taras Bulba]

The first time, he kissed her at the Richmond Arms.

She liked it so much, she said to him, "Kiss me were it stinks," so he drove her to Pasadena.

Rim shot.

[strosrays]

The first time, he kissed her at the Richmond Arms.

She liked it so much, she said to him, "Kiss me were it stinks," so he pulled on his Camus-esque hair coat and drove her to Pasadena.

FIFY