Arts & Entertainment

The Davenport insincere and too expensive

Mario Gudmundsson
The Daily Cougar

Shepherd Square, at one time the epicenter of Houston nightlife but now only somewhat popular, has four different bars aimed at different crowds. The Davenport unabashedly courts the 21-and-older hipster set, but it mostly misses the mark.

Dixie Ann Dalton/Daily Cougar

The Davenport advertises itself as sort of an oasis of hip, which can draw some people and turnoff for others, but the crowd here mostly looks older. 

The place is an after-work watering hole for the button-down office crowd, all of whom have either arrived in plaid shirts and chinos or stopped at home to change into one of those cowboy-style shirts that look like theyire sold complete with sideburns and an "Iim an indie filmmaker" attitude.

Despite the egocentric crowd, the alcohol selection is impressive. The bar is crammed with dozens of bottles of quality liquor, including 60 fine whiskies and 35 vodkas. The venue offers an extensive menu of 50 martinis. Even well drinks are fancy here ­ Bombay gin, Monopolowa potato vodka, Southern Comfort ­ top-shelf choices at some bars become the standard here for any drink. Strong drinks let those quality boozes shine through, but prices reflect this, with cocktails starting around $4.75 and lower-end martinis going for about eight bucks.

Service isnit bad, either, but extremely unenthusiastic. Bartenders stand around twiddling their thumbs until someone orders drinks and then mix those drinks expertly before ringing them up and looking bored again. It seems like theyire "just there doing a job" and not having such a great time.

Itis a small place, decorated in a mid-century-meets-modern vein, kind of like what would happen if the Jetsons moved into one of the new downtown lofts. Soft metallic tones dominate the venue, and the ceiling is painted a soft copper color behind the exposed pipes and ducts.

The lounge is divided into different sections, one containing several tables and another featuring a vintage sofa pulled up to a fireplace mantle with a video fire inside … oh so quirky. The main bar begins to feel crowded with only a few people. If you donit feel gouged by the prices, you might still be gouged by elbows while fighting through that sea of Dockers to get a drink. 

The music is eclectic and nondescript most nights, with a thumping electronic beat played softly enough to allow for conversation.

"You do get what you pay for here. The drinks are really good and theyire strong, but the crowd doesnit mesh," public relations graduate student Erin Nagy said. "Nobody really interacts, and even the bartender is, well, mopey."

Thereis never a cover, which is good because youid need that money to buy your drinks and maybe some Dockers.

The Davenport

2115 Richmond Ave.

The verdict: This is a good place for DINKS (double income no kids), but not for the money-conscious college crowd.

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