CLUB • ICE HOUSE • LOUNGE
DEPOT DIVE
LOLA ' S DEPOT
By Mike Cook Photography by Jenn Duncan
We ’ re back this month with another edition of Houston dive bars you may or may not have heard of – Lord knows our city has thousands of them , each and every one unique , at least in part to the differing clientele . Maybe one day we ’ ll cover them all . But for now , for our Sports Issue , it ’ s in to Lola ’ s Depot in Montrose behind La Mexicana we go , once we found a parking spot ( this is Montrose ) and entered the sign-free , shack-looking building .
You ’ re not at Lola ’ s for ambiance , but really , maybe , you are . Lola ’ s is the diviest ( not an actual word ) dive bar we ’ ve been to in ages . And that ’ s frankly special . We ’ re not even going to spend time talking in detail about the interior ( it ’ s dark and dirty ) and just preach . You could spend some quality time looking at the walls and not come close to seeing or understanding everything . After you thoroughly investigate the interior , play one of the more intense rounds of pool you ’ ll ever play , wait 15 minutes for the bathroom ( somehow possible with one single stall ), barf , shatter your bottle , trip on the patio , do your homework , people watch or just be yourself . Whooooever you are , or , whoever you want to be that night . That ’ s Lola ’ s . It ’ s many things without really trying to be anything . But it ’ s certainly slammed on Saturday nights with the entire spectrum of people looking for something just like you . Authenticity , we imagine ? People all over , moms and dads , grandmas and grandpas , aunts and uncles , cousins , friends ... sorry , we trailed off into night prayers there ... cramped inside around the bar ( don ’ t forget there ’ s a small quick order bar on the patio too ) or the pool tables or filling the picnic tables or standing out on the patio . Which is somehow within CoH code with the awesome PVC and tarp “ pergola .” We ’ re sure it helps during happy hour when the sun ’ s still out because you know the “ Christmas tree ” does not provide shade and the “ cabana ” is probably taken .
Lola ’ s Depot | 2327 Grant St ., Houston , TX 77006 | 713.528.8342 Hours : 4pm – 2am EVERY DAY
32 LOCAL | march 17