Avant Garden

411 Westheimer @ Taft
Houston, TX. 77006
(832) 287-5577
Booking: “mariana” at “avantgardenhouston dot com”

General Info: Man…I hadn’t realized ’til recently just how long it’s been since I swung by Avant Garden (almost since it used to be The Mausoleum, actually; I went there once or twice when it was Helios, but not real often). It’s always been a cool, odd little place, and when I lived closer to the neighborhood, it was my favorite hangout of the whole Montrose area. It used to be a combination bar/coffeeshop, but if you’re looking for a place to drink coffee in peace, this probably isn’t it — although the atmosphere is pretty dark & interesting, they tend to crank the jukebox really loud even on weeknights — but it’s still a cool little place. And the outdoor patio is very nice in non-mosquito weather. The place went away for a while, supposedly undergroung renovations, and I haven’t been in since. I was a little worried the “new” Avant Garden would be different, but it looks like it’s run by some of the same people, at least, so that’s a darn good thing…

(A side note: the Avant Garden/Helios used to have a “sister” club just across the parking lot, The Oven, but I’m sad to report that the place is no more. It’s a shame — I both watched and played a lot of fun shows there, and their calzones weren’t bad… These days it’s a cantina called Mango’s, I believe.)