Public Services Wine & Whisky

Had the chance to visit Public Services with colleagues for a Thursday night whiskey tasting. Quite frankly, the ambiance and experience blew me away. The bar occupies the first floor of the historic red-​and-​white Cotton Exchange building, a landmark of downtown Houston since 1884. Apparently, in its lifetime, the space has been converted from a stock exchange to a naval officer’s club, a handful of law firms, and a hip hop dance club among others, before settling into its current role. The interior is gorgeous but laid back, with wooden floors, soft mood music, and cushioned couches all contributing to an effortlessly vintage feel. A series of hand-​painted murals in ornate frames cover the arched ceiling above the marble counter top. The old-​school, timeless atmosphere is truly one-​of-​a-​kind and lends itself to thoughtful reflection over a glass of scotch or wine.
When we arrived, our whiskey guide– whom I later discovered was Justin Vann, the former sommelier for Houston standout, Oxheart– had already laid out 6 tasting glasses filled with half-​ounce pours of whiskey ranging in color from amber to mocha. Over the next 30 minutes or so, Justin launched into a breakdown of each whiskey, including a brief history of the distillery and a description of how different variables (type of barrel, climate, yeast strain, time, cereal grain, etc.) give rise to distinct minutiae of flavor and aroma. We had requested more of an international tour, which manifested itself as spirits from relatively unconventional locations: Japan, Taiwan, Spain, and, last but not least, Texas. There were a couple of bourbons, a peatier 17-​year-​old Japanese scotch, and milder whiskeys, arranged deliberately in an escalating fashion in terms of taste and alcohol content.
There were a handful of snacks served that paired well with the liquor. First, we had Surryano ham sliced from a 22-​month cured hickory-​smoked leg sitting right on the counter. The meat had a delicious smoky flavor without any gamey aftertaste. The chicken sausage that came out next was fairly standard but, again, complemented the taste of the whiskey. Finally, we shared a platter with three types of cheese, my favorite being the pungent and earthy one, and warm toast with apple butter.
The tasting was a fascinating experience in a memorable setting. Justin’s extensive knowledge and clear passion for whiskey impressed us all, as did his ability to describe taste and smell in relatable terms. We enjoyed the event as novices to the world of whiskey, but I have no doubt that more seasoned sippers would find it worthwhile as well.

My friend and I hit up Public Services on our downtown bar hopping night, and we had a great time! First of all, the bar is gorgeous — just what a whiskey bar should be: old-​fashioned, traditional, with comfy chairs, and plenty of stools at the bar. The menu is extensive. Full disclosure: I know NOTHING about whiskey. Nothing at all. So I was completely overwhelmed by the extensive menu. However, Public Services has great, great bartenders. We asked our bartender for some recommendations. My friend and I described what we normally like to drink, and the bartender had us smell a few options to figure out what we liked. His recommendations were on point! We liked our drinks (I stuck with scotch, while my friend stuck with bourbon), and it was a great learning experience as well. It’s a great bar, but plenty of other people think so, too, so it was a bit crowded. If you go (and you’re a whiskey novice like me), sit at the bar and learn from the awesome bartenders!

Great low key bar. Went in around 10 last night for a Sazerac. These boys know how to make drinks. Was very impressed with the service and atmosphere. I almost didn’t write this — dont want the Douche bags to find out about this place but i owe it to these guys to give them a honest write up. I hope this place will stay around for a while, real downtown gem.
One of the best sazracs ive had outside NOLA.

This place is great. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and their choices for whiskey and scotch. The inside is very nice, loved the décor!

Very cool, classy place downtown. No huge crowds or ridiculous drunk people. Definitely check it out

I don’t really like bars, but I love everything about this bar. The building has character and I love that in a city full of bulldozing history, this place lets it all shine through. There are both tables and cozy couches and the staff keeps the water flowing, which should be the norm at more places. Happy hour is a fantastic deal — everything is half off! My husband and I have gone in multiple times and asked the owner what his favorite thing is right now or told him what we were in the mood for and his suggestions have been spot on. I love a place where the staff is eager to share what they love and why and who truly has enthusiasm for what they are serving. Though it may seem strange, the baloney is fantastic and worth trying, especially when the late night munchies hit!

Cute bar on the corner of Travis and Franklin. Has a little speakeasy feel to it. Laid back and not pretentious. It’s not your typical bar so don’t expect a goose and tonic. Service is quick. Come to lounge and hang out.

Setup: old school get together
The good: beautiful space, large whiskey selection, decent variety of other libations, knowledgeable bartenders
The bad: parking in downtown, can get extremely crowded
Observations: diverse crowd, consistent traffic
Overall recommendation: nice place to come for a drink, try some new whiskey, within walking distance to other downtown bars so it’s easy to incorporate it into the rotation

Cool place in the lobby of the former cotton exchange building, although this part of the building has been a bar of sorts on and off since the 1920s. I really liked it as soon as I saw it was up the steps, and once you enter the building, you go up another short flight of steps. I thought the layout of the main bar area once inside was similar to an old style hotel, and even smelled like one at times.
Their menu consists of several pages of drinks, separated by type, so it took a few minutes to order because I wanted to try so many things. Much of what they offer is a bit more upscale, so don’t come here expecting cheap quality liquor.
I ordered a shot of the Paul Beau VSOP cognac and enjoyed it on one of the many couches they offer. These are authentic antique couches though, a little bit different than other bars and lounges that have couches from the 70s, 80s and even newer. Just a really classy place that I will definitely be going back to more often.

Okay, so here’s the thing… I love this bar. But not for the reason most people love bars. Their drink list is alright. For a whisky and wine bar… it’s downright mediocre. There are some gems on the list… but nothing you can’t find for half the price at Poison Girl… except for the foreign whisky perhaps. Perhaps.
But what makes this place special is the ambiance in which you get to drink. A building that has amazing history, historical photos, and an almost air of centuries old funk that permeates the space and literally enhances the flavor profile of your drink and your level of sophistication all in one breath.
Don’t believe me? Take a journey one hundred plus years back in time and pony up to the leather couches that fill the bar room floor like a supper club minus the stage. And as you sip your wine or whisky, close your eyes… you’ll swear you’re in pre-​Prohibition times, minus the bathtub swill!

They don’t have don’t Titos… That’s so non-​Texan. Booo
But whatever… Really, this place is super chill and pretty cool. Great choice of whiskey and scotch. Not too yuppidy.

Once you find this place you want to congratulate yourself for probably finding one of the coolest spots in town.
Vast spirits selection and cocktails made the retro way.
Loved that they have a printed list of other cool bars and restaurants for out of towners.
Super friendly staff set me up for an amazing dinner I never would have found on my own.

My friend invited me to his birthday party. I was here. It was around 6pm. The bar looked like some attorney’s office. I was guessing that it was some office. Someone redecorated it.
I saw a lot of young professionals. It seemed that this bar was some hangout place downtown.
I got free food which were mainly Mexican Food. I got Lone Star Beer for $ 3.It was cheep.
Judging from another Unilocaler’s reviews, the bar had great cocktails. But I didn’t want to end up being arrested due to DWI. I could see Harris County Criminal Court at Law. It was a constant reminder of «Please drink modestly! «, unless you have Über or some designed driver.
I gave chopsticks to my friend as a birthday gift. Of course, the bar didn’t serve any ramen noodles, It was still an okay gift, i hope.
I walked around the bar. It was not a new bar. It was very old bar. I really liked this atmosphere.
I am a guy from Chinatown. I can’t go there everyday. But if you are working downtown, please visit there. Please, please don’t drink too much. You have to stay some jail near the bar instead of Hilton Hotel, LOL.

Think old timey bar meets library. The type of space that makes you feel more sophisticated than you really are.
After walking in and seeing the place, I was prepared to be judged for my lack of whiskey knowledge. The menu was expansive and the servers knew what they were doing. The guy next to me pulled out his phone and asked the bartender to imitate a specialty cocktail made for him with x, y, and z (+ more) ingredients — and they did it. Great place for whiskey and scotch lovers. Good place for whiskey and scotch newbies too — everyone was very nice and friendly, servers were knowledgable about their craft, and if you’re willing to trying new things it’s a good place to check out.
If your favorite whiskey is Fireball, this place isn’t for you. If you only like whiskey mixed with Coke, this place also isn’t for you. But if you’re ready to take the next step with your alcohol palate, give it a try. And if you just want to drink wine and accompany your whiskey snob best friend, that’s okay too.

I hit a home run with this place. My husband has added Scotch to his repertoire, so for his Birthday after dinner I brought him here & he loved it ! I even fooled around and found my new favorite drink, a Manhattan. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. I love the ambiance of the old Cotton Exchange Building, its like a throwback, speak-​easy kind of vibe. I too am learning about how to add a few drops of water to expand the flavor, etc. The menu is very expansive and the Cocktails were reasonable for the location and ambiance.

Great spot for couples and small groups of friends for whiskey lovers. I’ve always been a vodka type person myself but I do appreciate brown from time to time. I came after dinner for drinks and I quickly realized how NOT about that life I am when it comes to whiskey. It’s poured into a glass (about equivalent to a shot and a half) and I guess you drink it straight? I tried Japanese whiskey which was strong but at least I can say I tried something new. Next round I just stuck to a nice glass of wine lol.
It was a little bit louder than I anticipated it to be. I thought it was going to be a small, intimate establishment but it was filled with groups of friends conversing and carrying on. Definitely a good place for a date or a super classy girls night out.

Justin Vann is my jam!
«What whiskys do you generally like?» I gave him the name of a few that I enjoyed, and he whisked over two tastings with very eloquent and accurate descriptions.
Also, they have the water dropper so you can add a few drops of water to «open up» the whisky. Hot damn.

Great happy hour… premium crafted cocktails for $ 5 – 7. Very large bar. There is a lot of comfortable seating throughout the establishment. It is a large venue. This place is full of character because it use to be the cotton exchange. They kept a lot of the original architecture on the ceilings and walls. Staff was friendly. The drinks are creative. I would definetly go back if in the area.

I’ll be honest, it took me a little while to warm up to Public Services. But now that I have, I find myself wanting to go all the time. Justin Vann’s wine selections are interesting and on point. Mostly old world, or new world with old world sensibility. The happy hour prices can’t be beat!
Some light snacks are also really fun and interesting. Try the mixed nuts with nori or the homemade warm bologna. Yom.
They have a pretty stellar selection of ryes, whiskey, bourbons, etc., but I’m not well-​versed enough in those liquors to say anything remotely intelligent about them, so I won’t.
The space is super-​cool and the crowd is laid back, downtown professional — though my sense is that it can get pretty finance-​bro-​esque at night. Just stick with the earlier (happy hour) crowd if you want a more chill experience.

I’ve been back about 3 or 4 times now since I first came during the week they opened and this place just keeps getting better and better!
I’ve taken many of my other friends here as well and they are still raving about this place. Each time we come here we try at least 3 or 4 different kinds of whiskey. I really like that they have such a huge variety that I don’t think I will ever be able to try every single one of them.
They are now starting to serve more cocktails as well. Try the Manhattan!