Houston’s Prettiest Bar Makes a Tucked Away Inn In Montrose a Happening Hotspot — Bar Madonna’s Unique Scene

While there are demure, pretty little haunts in Houston where ladies lunch (think Neiman’s cafe and Tiny Boxwoods), now it seems those of the female persuasion are flocking to Bar Madonna in Montrose, leaving lunch behind for cocktails instead.

Named for the circa 1800, 10-foot painting on panel of the Virgin Mary that takes center stage inside the intimate space, Bar Madonna is actually situated within the restored neoclassical manse unveiled as the nine-key inn called The Marlene. Bar Madona’s young owner Lily Barfield, an antiquarian, has culled together some of her best-loved antique furniture and accessory finds from frequent buying trips with her mother to the French countryside.

Step over the threshold and you’ll find young Thetas and Pi Phis mingling with their Junior League counterparts in this bucolic setting set in the midst of the city. While the bar, poised at the back of the house, is an intimate space, you’ll find people making their way to a cozy spot elsewhere too. Whether that’s a fringe adorned slipper chair or a marble-topped table in the adjoining living and dining rooms.

“There are a lot of people who don’t know we have a hotel because the bar has become so popular,” Barfield says. “Many just come in for cocktails and are surprised to find out that we have hotel rooms upstairs. Then there are those who come just for the hotel and are shocked to find out we have such a popular cocktail bar.”

Born and raised in Louisiana, Barfield was inspired by both the elegance of Paris and the charm of the town she knows so well — New Orleans — to create the petit boite. Classic cocktails, poured into vintage-like stemware, include a delectable version of the cognac and curacao drink, the sidecar ($16), the Pimm’s Cup 2 ($15) and the quartresse ($15), the latter originated by Parisian bartender Margo Le Carpentier with the four “S” ingredients: a smoky Scotch, Suze (a French Aperitif), fresh sage and simple syrup. In addition, there are seasonal favorites created with the artisanal flair of bartender Eric Servin, including the “false fall” ($15), a vodka-spiked pear infusion with the perfume of fresh rosemary and lemon.

For the teetotalers, you’ll find lots of alluring options, including the petit slam ($12), created with non-alcoholic gin, yuzu juice, chamomile and a bitter-edged apéritif.

Meander outside to the wine garden, where vintage iron chairs and tables set beneath a canopy of live oak limbs is an inviting spot to gather for a glass of Chablis or Beaujolais. The wine list is exclusively French, with varietals available by the bottle and the glass. A scattering of small snacks, such as potato chips, olives and popcorn, is available, with the bar’s popularity inspiring larger offerings of charcuterie boards and savory dips to be featured in the near future.

Bar Madonna is located in The Marlenee at 109 Stratford Street in Montrose. It is open Mondays through Thursdays from 3 pm to 10 pm, Fridays from 3 pm to 11 pm, Saturdays from noon to 11 pm and Sundays from noon to 10 pm.