On the upper level of Local Foods’ Rice Village location at 5117 Kelvin, you’ll find Lee’s, a lounge that delivers a polychromatic experience that makes you wonder if you’ve become a part of an interactive installation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. It’s a remarkable feast for the senses and the kind of place you’d find on The World’s 50 Best Bars list. Lee’s is worthy of becoming an urbane destination for out-of-towners and Bayou City bon viveurs alike.

As reported at the beginning of this year, Lee’s opened on January 4 as part of the revamped offerings in the spaces attached to Local Foods‘ Rice Village — which includes Italian-American trattoria Milton’s, one of Houston Food Finder’s “Best New Houston Restaurants of 2024.” Like Milton’s, Lee’s is named after one of owner Benjy Levit’s parents and is a deeply personal project for the successful restaurateur. It replaces Lee’s Den, a short-lived wine boutique that’s been completely transformed into an alluring cocktail bar with a menu of small bites crafted by Local Foods Group culinary and creative director Seth Siegel-Gardner and chef Kent Domas. 

Now, instead of entering through Local Foods, guests must venture through the double black doors on the east side of the building which leads to a stylish, industrial chic stairwell where guests are greeted by a host. It’s a polished, moody affair with a dark yet vibrant atmosphere accented by splashes of color, light and plush décor courtesy of Brittany Vaughan of Garnish Design. Chrome-accented black wood wainscoting, soft black leather and gray velvet provide “an environment that provides closeness,” explains Vaughan. Cream-colored walls, fantasy brown marble and directional lighting round out the interior. The theme is mirrored and ties into the meticulously clever beverage program. There’s even a sunroom for adults of a certain age to get their ’90s Wendy’s nostalgia kick.

At the helm is cocktail cognoscenti and Local Foods Group director of bars, Máté Hartai who has worked in the industry for over 20 years, including a stint at Bobby Heugel’s Tongue Cut Sparrow leading into its transformation into Refuge (and there are hints of the latter apparent in Lee’s DNA). He’s been a busy bee, having also put together the agave-focused menu at Maximo, the group’s West U Mexican cantina which reopened last month. 

On each of our visits, we found Hartai working behind the bar alongside his teammates, each matching in striped shirts of a different color (stripes are also a theme throughout the space). It’s something you don’t see often with staff in his position, and it made the experience all the more enjoyable. His confidence is evident as is his love for the craft (and sharp wit.) His approach to Lee’s drink menu is a “creative study of color models” and each of his eye-catching tipples delivers a visually striking presentation and sensory experience that well justifies the $16 price point.

(Color me impressed. Hartai is also hosting a series of single-topic educational sessions at Lee’s exclusively for beverage professionals, beginning with a complimentary class on Monday, March 3 covering visual presentation with a focus on beverages. Details can be found on Instagram.) If that’s not enough, he even sources flowers each week from local shops and makes arrangements for the bar.

“Personality and energy is key,” says Hartai. “We are building an experience that is both accessible and deep. While we have the ability to make classics and feed the comfort tastes of the many, Lee’s is an immersive experience that dives deeper into the drink to surprise and delight.” With a background in design, animation, film and computer science, his technical yet approachable take on cocktail design is a true pleasure to behold.

Indeed, each of the house cocktails are as beautiful and intriguing as they are flavorsome. The Red Poppy arrives in a coupe capped with cloud-like egg white foam and a blend of poppy seeds, mixed brandies, almond and lemon, and the Pale Blue Eyes, a cerulean elixir that appears to glow under the warm gallery lighting, is made of Balcones Blue Corn Bourbon, nixtamalized blue corn masa from Maximo, white dog and bitters served over a large format ice cube.

Other favorites include the King in Yellow with Suze, vermouths, “magic water” and bubbles, and the White Palm with Calpico, gin, lactic acid and mint. Those who flirt with the dark side of the Force may be attracted to the Black Hat, a tenebrous Manhattan riff with kombu, nori, rye whiskey, amaro vermouth and cuttlefish ink.

On the menu you’ll see nebulous terms like “blue”, “science” and “fun” listed as ingredients, which further adds a bit of whimsy and mystery. Each drink also gets its own specifically-designed coaster to complete the visual experience. 

Hartai has also captured the essence of Li’l Sebastian (the beloved, tiny horse from Parks & Recreation) with a selection of adorably potent miniature drinks called “the smalls”, with options including an extremely popular Appleteeny that will have your friends green with envy, I’m A Little Teapot with clarified tea milk punch and boba in a teapot (short and stout), the Single Shot — the best compact espresso delivery since Sabrina Carpenter — and The Little Duke, an homage to the “very dry, very cold” martini from DUKES Bar in London, which is poured table-side from an airplane bottle of Tanqueray gin. I, for one, love the idea of smaller format drinks for those who like a little taste of this or that, or maybe desire a little less alcohol.

On the reverse side of the drink menu you’ll find “bar friends & family” drinks inspired by other notable cocktail bars near and far, a list of wines by the glass curated by director of wine Mark Sayre, and a hidden-in-plain-sight “decadents” menu of small bites available after 10 p.m. This late night section is hidden on the menu with a Magic Eye-esque illusion that can be lifted with a provided red film square.

The same care is given to the food menu, with 10 small plates, priced between $6 and $16, that hit all the right notes. Not unlike Spanish tapas and pintxos, or Japan’s otsumami — which translates to “to pick up with the fingertips,” each small, salty snack is perfect for stimulating thirst and encouraging further tipples. The menu reads simply enough, with typical bar snacks like sweet and spicy bar nuts, fries and wings, but each is elevated to its full potential. The crispy whole wings are stuffed with chicken sausage and confit, and the fries, which I can’t get out of my mind, are fat and full with a crispy exterior and fluffy white interior, and served with a Calabrian aioli. 

Other other items include the Stuffed Mussels, a favorite of mine, breaded and fried on the half shell with ‘nduja, pepperoni risotto and chopped mussels, soy-cured Hamachi Tacos on Maximo corn tortillas, and a duo of crab rolls topped with smoked trout roe, aioli, dill and preserved lemon. The portions are great for sharing and exploring the menu, or for solo diners looking to get their palate rocked at the bar with recommended beverage pairings. 

The food menu changes often, based on seasonality and the chef’s whim, but everything ties back to the thematic elements of the bar.

It’s a lot to take in. Luckily, everything’s been portioned appropriately. There are even more colorful reasons to visit soon: Lee’s is debuting new non-alcoholic options at the end of February and launching happy hour on Wednesday, March 12, alongside some new drinks. Further details will be revealed soon via Lee’s social media.

Lee’s is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight. Reservations are available online.

Mario-Sebastian Berry

Mario-Sebastian Berry is a wine and spirits vendor who has been in the hospitality industry since 2002. Currently, he represents Blanco, Texas-based Andalusia Whiskey Co. He holds numerous wine, beer and spirits certifications including Certified Sommelier. Somehow, he also finds time to be Houston Food Finder’s associate editor and social media manager.