ToolMan Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 One of my favorite bars downtown is closing Friday night (right next to La Carafe). I didn't go there as often as I should have, but that place had great some ambiance with the wood work and high ceilings. I great place to take a date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalparadise Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 One of my favorite bars downtown is closing Friday night (right next to La Carafe). I didn't go there as often as I should have, but that place had great some ambiance with the wood work and high ceilings. I great place to take a date.I echo your takes on the 12 Spot -- including not going as often as I should have. Honestly, I can't believe they lasted this long. Often they were DEAD at prime hours...which, of course, made them appealing to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 IMHO, the crowd was lame as are the majority downtown. Maybe it's because i'm about 40 but I enjoy going to places where everyone knows everyone or at least most of the people. Warren's is like that as is charbar. Many of the people overlap between as well. It is this type of atmosphere that will keep a place open because people will return Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hokieone Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I knew it had to happen eventually - I loved going to this place because it was one of the prettiest bars in my opinion. the huge ceiling, brick walls, I really liked it. But there was never anyone in there. Sometimes that was nice when I wanted to just have a drink at the bar in peace, but sometimes you at least want someone else in there. I never understand some of these places that people obviously spend a lot of money to make but can't seem to either find a promoter to fill the place more or to be able to attract enough regulars to stay open. I can't say I went regularly, but I did go enough to where I wish it was able to have somehow stayed open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 this is not good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 this is not goodthat must of been what the crowd was saying about the 12 spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolMan Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 Musicman, I have probably seen you at Warren's and Charbar many time without realizing who you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Musicman, I have probably seen you at Warren's and Charbar many time without realizing who you are. Maybe we should have another "Mixer" at Warren's one evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonfella Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Warren's folks. Cool. I used to go there for lunch at least once or twice a week. OK, it was Faye and the Chardonnay. It is a very cool place where most people know each other. Except their lunch is pretty lame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 (edited) Maybe we should have another "Mixer" at Warren's one evening. tomorrow evening perhaps? LOL, i'm game. Warren's folks. Cool. I used to go there for lunch at least once or twice a week. OK, it was Faye and the Chardonnay. It is a very cool place where most people know each other. Except their lunch is pretty lame. Yeah i've probably seen some of yall. Chardonnay? come on you must not be a drinker. lunch is there. the owner only serves food so she can get a break somehow on taxes. Edited November 9, 2006 by musicman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheels Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 My wife and I were at the 12 Spot on Saturday with some friends. It has gone downhill. They had a DJ playing techno dance tunes at an annoying level. Couldn't deal and had to leave, leaving the place with a grand total of four patrons at 11:00pm. I remember when the Travis Lofts had their grand opening party and the 12 Spot space was just a wall being held up with poles. The roof was caved in and it was slated for demo. I am glad they saved it. It is a beautiful space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 My wife and I were at the 12 Spot on Saturday with some friends. It has gone downhill. They had a DJ playing techno dance tunes at an annoying level. Couldn't deal and had to leave, leaving the place with a grand total of four patrons at 11:00pm. I remember when the Travis Lofts had their grand opening party and the 12 Spot space was just a wall being held up with poles. The roof was caved in and it was slated for demo. I am glad they saved it. It is a beautiful space.Maybe another operator will lease the space. Has anyone heard ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolMan Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 Maybe another operator will lease the space. Has anyone heard ?They will be re-opening this Spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 They will be re-opening this Spring.Cool!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 They will be re-opening this Spring.i heard that it will be different proprietors (2 ladies) with money backing of the guy who owns el meson in the village. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 i heard that it will be different proprietors (2 ladies) with money backing of the guy who owns el meson in the village.very cool!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carona Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Does anyone know the name of the great Salsa Band that used to play there on Saturday nights? Or more importantly, where they play now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) The 12 Spot space is re-opening as Hearsay, a gastropub, on Monday. I was only able to snap a quick picture of the construction last week but in person it looked really neat. Opens Monday. Edited October 22, 2009 by kylejack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Is it the same owners? I might just have to swing on by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) From some Googling of Hearsay, I found an entry from SheEats and a Swamplot entry written back in 2007 talking about a new owner, Rhea Wheeler who was opening 3 Houston restaurants in 2008. There's no sign of the other 2 so far and this one is a year and a half late, so maybe there were financing problems with the credit crunch.I'm all about the gastropubs, so I'll definitely give it a try. Speaking as a resident, downtown definitely needs more evening restaurants. Edited October 22, 2009 by kylejack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttuchris Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 The new place, Hearsay, is opening this Monday I believe. My friends and I stopped in during A Night at Market Square. They were handing out sample menus. It looks amazing inside. I can't wait for it to open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Now I'm even more excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8749/imag0109d.jpg This is the space formerly known as 12 Spot, and they pay homage to it with a drink named 12 Spot. Walking in, its an impressive venue. A bar runs about 40-50 feet on the right with a couple big screens and a row of tables crouches on the left. The walls are kind of rustic wood and some antique-looking speckled mirror panels. The ceiling rises 3 stories over your head, and straight ahead behind the bar you can see a curved brick wall. A wide stairwell on the back left side leads all the way up to the third story (there is no second story) where there's a smaller bar, a big screen, a more casual lounge-like atmosphere, and a balcony atop the brick wall overlooking the bar and dining area. Some chandeliers hang from the ceiling and there's various hanging points of light scattered all around. Its moderately lit, low enough to relax but bright enough so you can see your food and all the people in the bar. The lighting's a little more mellow upstairs. All the specialty cocktails are around 9 or 10 dollars, about as I expected. There are exactly four beers on tap, 3 varieties of St. Arnold's and Ziegenbock, all of which are $4. There are 8 bottle beers at $4-$5. There are 24 whiskeys (all unpriced on the menu) and lots of wine (with prices listed). Tap beer was sufficiently cold. I sat at the bar. The bar staff was young, friendly and finding their feet. There seemed to be two managers helping everyone out on this opening night. Aside from that there seemed to be several big-shots hanging around, partners I guess, ordering drinks with their friends and asking for the upstairs TV to be tuned to the game, etc. They call themselves a gastrolounge, styling off the gastropub genre (a pub with high-quality food), so they should have some pretty exciting food, right? Sadly, not really. Here's the full menu [click for big]: http://s2.largeimagehost.com/TN/XXctshe/tn_IMAG0101.jpg It all seems fairly safe and pedestrian, and what, only 5 entrees. I'm happy to pay these prices for entrees downtown, maybe even a little more, but I expect a menu that's longer, more adventurous, and more diverse. Let's try a chicken breast with local goat cheese, spinach, and port wine reduction. http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2020/imag0111t.jpg Chicken on the right with fingerling potatoes, mushroom caps, and carrots on the right. http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2413/imag0112c.jpg 4 slices of chicken breast, 1 of which contained goat cheese, and only a dollop. The taste was nothing remarkable. Plenty of goat cheese and a little more of the port wine reduction might have saved such a boring piece of chicken. http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/3563/imag0113.jpg The carrots were all burnt. The potatoes and mushrooms weren't, but that burnt flavor had been cooked into them. It was almost completely unseasoned. When I closed out I had been overcharged by $2 for one of my beers. It took a bit for them to straighten it out, but at least they comped that beer. Its opening night, so let's assume some things will change. The menus aren't laminated, after all. We can probably expect that the beer selection, especially the tap beer selection, to improve, much as I love my St. Arnold's. We might also expect the cooking to improve as surely unseasoned burnt food won't be the norm. But can we expect Hearsay to stab out with some more adventurous and intriguing entrees? I'm not so sure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Thank you for this informative review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolMan Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Excellent. I'm sad I don't live next to this place anymore, but will plan on making a visit soon. 12 Spot was always a good date place, and I asume this will be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 (edited) I felt kind of bad for them tonight. There was no one there and were basically begging people to come in. Food was free and nothing special. Drinks were pricey. Edited October 31, 2009 by musicman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolMan Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 I tried to go Thursday night at 9:30 and they were already closed. Went to Warren's instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurf Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I tried to go Thursday night at 9:30 and they were already closed. Went to Warren's instead.great place and was pretty busy with "old school" downtown crowd this past weekend. downtown needs more of these places!!! it definitely caters to locals residents too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 great place and was pretty busy with "old school" downtown crowd this past weekend. downtown needs more of these places!!! it definitely caters to locals residents too.Which place? Hearsay or Warren's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Which place? Hearsay or Warren's?Obviously Warren's, since all of us were there for the HAIF Happy Hour(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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