Russell and Elizabeth Thoede opened Lei Low in February 2014 in a small strip on North Main, and Houston had never seen anything like it. Step inside and the parking lot disappears: bamboo, pufferfish lamps, vintage island kitsch and a soundtrack of exotica. The Thoedes are genuine tiki obsessives, so the drinks are built with care from a deep rum collection, served in skulls, bowls and tiki mugs, some of them set on fire. It is a small room that fills up, which only adds to the feeling that you have found a secret. Come with friends, order a bowl to share, and let the bartenders guide you through the rums if you want to go deeper.
What to expect
- No reservations; it is first come, first served.
- Wear an aloha shirt or dress and you get happy hour prices any time.
What to order
- A classic Mai Tai to judge the house
- A flaming shared bowl for the table
- A rum flight or a rum-forward house drink
- February 2014Opened
- Russell and Elizabeth Thoede, with Brad Moore and Ryan RouseFounders
- Full-immersion tiki barStyle