Adventure Vehicles That Actually Earn It?

Welcome And What’s Ahead

Don Armstrong 0:04

Welcome to the N-Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Just ahead of our U.S. News and World Report Car Connection, John Vincent. With the 2026 Best Adventure Vehicle Awards, get a charge out of these. Jeff has his car culture featured this week on white letter tires. Remember those? And Mr. Mars has hidden speakeasies in the Houston area. I think if they start there and they trickle over our stuff down there.

Jeff Dziekan 0:37

Yeah.

Don Armstrong 0:38

Howdy, along with Mike Out of this world Mars, we always need more Jeff Speacon. Chief Engineer David Ainsley will be joining us for real next week when we venture up to Granberry for our remote broadcast up there. And I'm Don Armstrong. Thank you very much for taking your time this morning to be with us. So let's go right out to Mr. John Vincent. And he is with U.S. News World Report. And hey John, it's great to see you again. How have you been?

SPEAKER_03 1:07

Great to see you guys. It's been a minute since I've been on.

Don Armstrong 1:09

It has been a minute, not our problem. You're always welcome here, and all you gotta do is give us a buzz. Yeah, exactly. Because it should be at least a once-a-month or don't you think?

2026 Off-Road SUV Award Winners

SPEAKER_03 1:26

Sure.

Don Armstrong 1:27

Yeah, that's what we think. So they have just released the 2026 Adventure Vehicle Awards. Now that's something different over there at U.S. News and World Report. So we're going to talk about best vehicles for camping, best vehicles for road trips, best SUVs for off-roading, and best trucks for off-roading. I don't know where you want to start, but any of those are good for me.

SPEAKER_03 1:51

Well, why don't we just start with the best SUVs for off-roading? All right, let's do that. Yeah, this is a very long list of cars, but out of this whole group, there's one big winner, and it's GMC. But we'll talk about that a little bit more as we go on here.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 2:07

Um, so best subcompact SUV for off-roading, Ford Bronco Sport. Um, Ford Bronco Sport's a vehicle that's built off the escape, but is a much better escape than the escape.

Don Armstrong 2:19

And let me and let me just add to this: you know, since that car came out, we thought ah, it's just a makeover. No, it's not. It is really a nice vehicle, and I have always said that from the day that it hit the ground.

SPEAKER_03 2:34

It's pretty capable of getting it in its Sasquatch trim. Yes, and I've had one of those and loved it. So best compact SUV for off-roading. Of course, this has to be on the list Jeep Wrangler.

Don Armstrong 2:48

Yeah, I see I don't even put it in a class like a compact or subcompact. I just put it as a Jeep Wrangler.

Mike Marrs 2:55

The Jeep Wrangler.

Don Armstrong 2:57

The Jeep Wrangler, yeah.

Mike Marrs 2:59

Uh-oh. We lost it. Uh-oh. He's back.

SPEAKER_03 3:02

He's back.

Don Armstrong 3:03

Yeah, you're there. You're where you see it. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 3:06

Um, the Wrangler is actually a pretty big vehicle for a compact, but um, the EPA classes it as a compact. Well, of course the EPA does. Your government at work. Yeah. So um, which makes it interesting because it's chief competitor, the next winner, the best mid-size SUV for off-roading, the Ford Bronco, is in a different size class. Huh.

Don Armstrong 3:29

It is what's and what size class is it? It's mid-size. A mid-size Bronco. Yeah. And a compact Wrangler. Correct. So what yeah, yeah, it's it's one of those deals where so what do they use to classify these? Is it storage? Is it space inside the cabin?

SPEAKER_03 3:48

I don't get it. I think they have a number of different measures that involves uh wheelbase, overall length, um uh weight. Well, it's all wrong.

Mike Marrs 4:00

They yeah, it's a variable thing. Anything in this range fits into this class, is what they're doing. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03 4:05

Exactly. You know, you know, you guys have done this long enough that you know that there are vehicles that span multiple classes and they're just hard to place.

Don Armstrong 4:14

Yep, you're right.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

Uh best large SUV for off-roading, uh, Nissan Auromata Pro 4X. Seriously, I'm surprised. Really good value out there. Um you know, there are some really capable vehicles in this class. There's GMC Um Yukon 84, um the Tahoe, uh really capable vehicles. But when we looked at things like approach angles, um, approach departure, and breakover angles, the Armada rose to the top.

Don Armstrong 4:53

Didn't they just redo the Armada within the past few years? They did. Yeah. And it's a different vehicle uh today than it was back when.

SPEAKER_03 5:04

It is. It's um it's actually pretty nice and it's a good value. You can get good deals on Armadas. Interesting right now. Okay, all right. Next. Best hybrid SUV for off-roading, and that's the Toyota RAV4. We uh, you know, these are all based on data, but we had a lot of discussions about this one because there are some pretty capable vehicles in this category. But the RAV4, um the woodland model comes on all terrain tires, makes it decently capable off-road. You're not doing the Rubicon with this vehicle, but um it can get you the trailhead and back.

Don Armstrong 5:42

You know, it's interesting. You you you mentioned that um that I don't really consider something like a RAV 4 to even go off-road because that's not what it comes to mind. And I guess that some people will take them off-road, but how big of a sales factor is that when you give it an award for a RAV 4?

SPEAKER_03 6:03

You know, you know, the thing about American car buyers is we car we buy the car for what we might do someday, not what we do every day.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

And we never do it. Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 6:17

So as long as it looks like it might be able to do it someday, you're good.

Mike Marrs 6:21

Yeah, one of these days I'm going up that road. That's what I think.

Jeff Dziekan 6:25

Other people think that you've done it. That's what it is. That's it. It's not for you, it's for other people. Yeah, I think that's a good thing. And then this is the question that I've got. Uh John, you you've got all the matrix that you uh go through the the the vehicles and you do the all the checks, all the boxes. I don't know if this takes effect, but do any of the recalls affect how all this data is compiled, or the data is compiled first and then the recalls happen after?

SPEAKER_03 6:49

So we don't put the recalls into this scoring model because these are new cars. Um, we bit we put the recalls into um our studies when we're looking at used cars, but it's really hard to do that with with new cars. Gotcha. And every new car has recalls, every single one of them. Some of them more serious than others, but every car has recalls. Okay.

Don Armstrong 7:17

What's next on the list?

SPEAKER_03 7:19

Uh luxury SUV for off-roading.

Don Armstrong 7:21

There you go. Now we're talking over Defender. The what? The Land Rover Defender? You just had one of those, didn't you? No, I had a Range Rover.

Mike Marrs 7:29

Yeah, Range Rover. Range Rover.

Don Armstrong 7:31

Ah that wow. Yeah. $130,000.

SPEAKER_03 7:37

It's um it's a tough this was a tough category because um the defenders up against the Lexus GX, which is also a great vehicle. But um, approach departure Brancover angles with the air suspension on the defender, uh, may the numbers come out on top for it.

Don Armstrong 7:55

Well, it doesn't surprise me. After driving the the Land Rover Range Rover, you know, I I don't get those very often. I'm sure you don't either. There just aren't that many around. But I will tell you that I was impressed. Uh uh, I didn't take it off-road, but it is so off-road capable, I I don't even know what controls what anymore. I mean, you can't it'll do anything and everything. It's like a Swiss Army knife.

SPEAKER_03 8:20

Their electronics for traction management are stunning. I mean, they can make me look like I'm decent off-road.

Don Armstrong 8:27

It's just tough to do. The big camper that you are. Exactly.

Jeff Dziekan 8:32

I think I mean, wait, he's a glamper.

Don Armstrong 8:35

Yeah, that's right. You're a clamper, not a camper.

SPEAKER_03 8:38

We just get the dog from one hotel to the next. There you go. Uh, best electric SUV for off-roading, Rivian R1S.

Don Armstrong 8:48

That's interesting you should say that because you know, I was just talking about Rivian, and uh the Rivian truck is a contender with the Land Rover Range Rover, and I would have never even thought of Rivian being a competitor to anything they're so new, but apparently they are.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

They are, they are very good vehicles. This is a company that I'm really rooting for because they're doing it right. Um, unlike uh some electric car companies out there, they're taking more of a measured approach, and their second car is about to come out, um, the R2, which um I just sent somebody to that launch event and he came back with a big smile on his face. So looking forward to reading about what he says about the R2. But if it's anything like the R1s, they're gonna be really good. Well, I'll tell you this.

Don Armstrong 9:41

I I I got a chance to see an R1 up close and personal. I'm going, oh my god, the fit and finish on this, it's like a custom car.

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Yep. Um, so this category actually came down to very close between this and the GMC Hummer EV. And the Hummer EV beat it on a lot of the technical factors, um, the off-road factors. But when you come down to a car that you want to live with every day, the Rivian was definitely the choice.

Don Armstrong 10:15

Interesting. Uh it's such a new company to come this far and to actually win an award and be a contender to begin with.

SPEAKER_03 10:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's impressive. It's actually not that new new of a company anymore. It's what five, six, seven years old now.

Don Armstrong 10:30

We don't see a lot of them around here, so yeah. Well, you know, yeah. For uh for us guys, we go back to spoke wood spoke wheels, you know. Three months.

SPEAKER_03 10:41

I know, I know. You you're sure your arms are still sore from cranking. Yeah, exactly.

Jeff Dziekan 10:48

Show them your guns, Mike.

Off-Road Trucks And Electric Pickups

SPEAKER_03 10:53

Let's get into the pickup trucks. All right, ready. Uh, mid-size pickup truck for off-roading, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. Um that's not a surprise. Hard to argue with this one. Um, and there are like two flavors of that truck that are fantastic for off-roading. There's the TRD Pro, which has the coolest seats in any pickup truck. They're actually air suspension seats with shock absorbers in the seat back. So you are isolated from the vehicle as you're ripping across the desert.

Don Armstrong 11:23

How fun. Sounds like a you know, an 18-wheeler truck. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

SPEAKER_03 11:28

Except much more managed than that. I mean, you're it's I swear it feels like you're it's a gyroscope where you're not moving and everything else around you is. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Interesting.

SPEAKER_03 11:39

Well, that's brilliant, yeah. It's really cool. And then on the flip side for the slow technical off-roading, um, they have the trail hunter, which uh it's a different setup, but just as capable in a different off-road realm. Very interesting, yeah. Uh full-size pickup for off-roading Ford F-150. Um, they have three flavors of that truck that are fantastic for off-roading. There's the FX4 package, which is just a basic off-roading package, there's the Tremor, and then there's the Raptor. And it's hard to hard to argue with the big Raptor V8.

Don Armstrong 12:19

Yeah, the only thing that I can think that would come in close it would be the uh Ram TRX.

SPEAKER_03 12:25

Ram TRX, uh, which is not currently available yet. It's going to be again. For 27, it will be available, yeah. For these purposes. Yeah. I got you. Yeah. Um although the Ram Rebel is still pretty capable, too. Yeah, love the Ram Rebel. Um, best electric SUV for off-roading. People actually do this. It's the Ruby and R1T. Um, some pretty unique features. Uh, hidden storage and its gear tunnel, uh, great range. You know, people will be heading to the gas station with their trucks before you're heading to the charger.

Don Armstrong 13:01

How is the uh how is the interface there with the infotainment system?

SPEAKER_03 13:05

It's getting better um with a lot of the new startup companies. They're having trouble getting all the bugs worked out of their infotainment systems. Um, although I was just in a legacy automaker's car last new car last week that was just as buggy as any startup car company's um infotainment system. They are getting better. One of the great things about them is they can take uh over-the-air updates so you don't have to go to the shop to get them fixed. They just send a file into the car and it fixes things.

Don Armstrong 13:36

Nice. Well, that's handy.

Jeff Dziekan 13:37

Yeah, mine does that.

Don Armstrong 13:38

Yeah. We're looking for the maid to do that here at the house. Yeah. Uh we'll have her just kind of cut.

SPEAKER_03 13:45

Rosie the maid. Rosie, yeah.

Don Armstrong 13:46

Rosie.

Mike Marrs 13:47

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:47

Yeah. I just bought a new car a couple weeks ago. You actually bought a car? I did. What did you buy? I bought a Genesis G V70.

Don Armstrong 13:58

That's not a surprise. I can understand that. That's a very nice vehicle.

SPEAKER_03 14:02

Yeah, it really is. It's and I got the the Twin Turbo Twin Turbo V6, which um it rips. It rips, yeah.

Jeff Dziekan 14:12

So spunk, that's some spunk. Yeah.

Don Armstrong 14:14

Uh, was it real expensive? Because when I think of Genesis, I think a pretty expensive car.

SPEAKER_03 14:20

They are a yeah, they're a higher-end vehicle, but um, compared to buying a Mercedes or a BMW, quite the bargain, and linear warranty.

Mike Marrs 14:30

Yeah, that makes a big difference with that twin turbo.

Don Armstrong 14:33

So let's wrap up the uh adventure vehicle awards.

Best Vehicles For Camping Categories

SPEAKER_03 14:38

Uh let's go into best vehicles for camping. Umpact Bronco Smart again. Subcompact hybrid, Subaru Cross Trek Hybrid. I knew Subaru was coming. Yeah, Subaru's gotta be on this list. It's not here as often as you would think, but uh compact SUV for camping, Hyundai Tucson. Uh the Tucson wins on cargo space, which uh is just a little bit better than the RAV4 or the CRV. Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:08

Um same reason for the compact hybrid for camping. Um Tucson hybrid. Um compact plug-in hybrid SUV. We're slicing things pretty close here. Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid. Mid-size SUV for camping, GMC Acadia. Uh Tons of Cargo Room. Um, very capable versions of that vehicle are available. Mid-size hybrid SUV for camping, uh, Toyota Grand Highlander. And whether you put this in the mid-size or large category, um it's just a really nice family vehicle.

Don Armstrong 15:48

Yeah, they have grown that Highlander to big sizes now.

SPEAKER_03 15:52

Yeah, and you know, you gotta remember that when we're talking adventure vehicles, people might do this 10, 20 days a year. You want a vehicle that's gonna, you know, do everything you need it to do for the other 355.

Don Armstrong 16:06

And be able to put the bicycles on top of all the junk that you've got in the back.

SPEAKER_03 16:10

Yeah. Exactly.

Don Armstrong 16:11

Yeah, forget the mother-in-law. I've seen that, including the mother-in-law. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:16

Oh, you've seen vacation. Okay. Yeah, that's right.

Don Armstrong 16:19

Yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

Uh, best mid-size plug-in SUV for for camping. Uh, this category's gotten smaller. Um Mazda's CX90 P Hev. Um, with the departure of the Grand Cherokee 4xE. There aren't many plug-in hybrids available out there in this category anymore.

Don Armstrong 16:39

Well, they don't sell that many of them anyway.

SPEAKER_03 16:41

No, they don't. Yeah. Uh large SUV for camping, uh GMC Yukon XL, which is essentially the suburban version, the GMC is suburban. Right. Uh, with a slightly nicer interior.

Don Armstrong 16:54

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 16:55

Electric SUV for camping, Hyundai Ionic 9. I think you I think we've talked about this vehicle on the show before. Um, this is just a great all-around family vehicle that happens to be electric.

Don Armstrong 17:08

Yeah, if we if we could just get the range up uh to the point where, like this uh GMC that I had recently with a 500-mile range on it with the big battery, yeah. And I think that that that's gonna be more of a thing of the future that uh more and more of these manufacturers are gonna do that.

SPEAKER_03 17:27

Yep, I mean evolving technology. Exactly. Yeah, better, faster, smaller.

Don Armstrong 17:34

Yeah, so the let me ask you this. So who wins the top tip top award for best adventure vehicle overall? We don't have one.

SPEAKER_03 17:43

We broke it down into classes.

Don Armstrong 17:45

No Buick, yeah. Gotta have a big trophy. Well, you know, I yeah, it's what I'm thinking. And I'm thinking also that in next year, when we do this for U.S. News and World Report, now that in wheel time has mentioned it, that's gonna be the new deal. So all those vehicles gotta have number one.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

I will say, I will say this in the politically correct way that a manufacturer would tell us we will take that into consideration. Under advisement.

Jeff Dziekan 18:13

Under advisement.

Don Armstrong 18:14

That's perfect. You've heard that before, haven't you? Somewhere, no doubt.

Jeff Dziekan 18:18

Some of these that you mentioned, I don't have an affinity with their looks. So I'm thinking that some of these I've they just don't do anything for me aesthetically, so I wouldn't be interested to begin with in looking at the vehicles.

Don Armstrong 18:31

It narrows the field, so to speak.

SPEAKER_03 18:33

That's whenever you're a car buyer. Yeah.

unknown 18:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:36

It's always that way, yeah, no doubt.

Wrap With U.S. News And Goodbyes

Don Armstrong 18:38

Well, John, it's great to talk to you and thank you so much for sharing the list with us today. And like I said, call anytime.

SPEAKER_03 18:46

Absolutely. Okay, because we are your number one show, you know. Yeah.

Jeff Dziekan 18:50

Or your staff. Anyone, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

Yeah. And if you ever need an expert to talk about pretty much anything in the car market, we have people. So that's right.

Don Armstrong 18:59

We'll definitely do it. John Vincent, thank you so much. U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Adventure Vehicle Awards. Thanks again, John. We'll talk to you soon. Okay, uh, just ahead. It's Jeff's Car Culture. White letter tires is the subject this week. Mars has hidden Houston speakeasies. That's the one I'm whatever. Well, that's coming up right after this break here on the wheel talk. They won't be hidden anymore. Stay with us. The Tex Max dining experience is defined by Loopy Tortillas, your destination for Texas's best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas. Since 1983, Lupi Tortillas has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience of Loopy Tortillo, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 to I 10 in Houston. Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you will see the same attention to detail in each and every location. Start your loopy experience with queso flamingato and guacamole, along with a plastic frozen margarita. Done on famous loopy beef and chicken for it's or peppered shrimp rochet, or of course or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious vlog for dessert. Find loopy tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, Fort Worth. There's a Texas location near you. The recipes are authentic and time-tested. The ingredients always fresh. Loopy tortilla. Eats pretty good. Apple or Android In Wheel Time podcasts can be found everywhere, on the stream and through downloads. Whether you're on the road or at home and searching for a fun car talk show, give In Wheel Time a try. Honest new car reviews, fun informative interviews with real car people, weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture, mics driving destinations, all on In Wheel Time. Check us out on SiriusXM Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music. In Wheeltime.com has a list, so check us out. There's no dilly-dally dilly-dally. Hey, In Wheel Time, invite you to join us next week, 9 to noon from Granbury, Texas, Hewlett Park, Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run. It's going to be on the air an extra hour, 9 to noon next Saturday. We hope you'll get a whiff of that show. Thanks for being

White Letter Tires And How They’re Made

Don Armstrong 21:18

with us today. Time now for Jeff's car culture. White letter tires, brother.

Jeff Dziekan 21:21

Yeah, well, you know, the trend of white letter tires gained significant momentum in the 60s and 70s, especially here in the U.S. of A. Muscle cars and street racing were becoming increasingly popular. White letter tires became synonymous with performance and style and coolness that we all had associated with high performance vehicles as well. White lettering on tires comes in two primary types raised and painted. Each type has a distinct characteristics and manufacturing process. Raised white lettering is created during the manufacturing process itself. The letters are raised above the tire surface and are part of an integral portion of that sidewall. White lettering is typically made from white rubber. Rubber is actually kind of a cream color. To begin with, it's a compound that is molded into the tire. Raised letters are known for their durability since it's part of the tire itself. Painted white lettering improves or involves applying white paint to the tire after it has been manufactured. The paint is applied to a desired area of the sidewall. We used to do that with a chalk, a crayon, uh fingernail polish. We used to do all kinds of stuff like that. Yes, we did. Requires more maintenance though. Both types have their advantages and are chosen based on specific needs and preferences of the vehicle and their owner. Raised white lettering, uh being more durable, is often preferred as the regular use, and painted white letters allows you more customization, is popular among the car enthusiasts who frequently change the aesthetics of their vehicle. The manufacturing process of white letter tires includes ORWL, which is outlined raised white letters, is intricate and requires precise techniques to ensure durability and the clarity of the lettering. No font uh distortion there. The process varies depending on what letter is being raised. Uh raised white lettering is typically created using a specialized molding process. The white rubber compound is inserted into the mold along with black rubber and is used for the rest of the tire. So that they're just injecting a little bit of portions at a time. During the vulcanization process, and Spock does knows that, uh, whereas the tire is heated and cured, curing the rubber, the white and black compounds fuse together. Painted white lettering is fully formed and cured in the area, the white lettering, and is applied thoroughly and cleaned and prepared. Specialized durable paint is then carefully applied to the designated areas. This process might be done by hand or with the help of automated machinery for consistency and precision. Both methods require careful quality control and ensure the lettering is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also to withstand the rigors of road use without fading or peeling. And regular cleaning is essential to get the dirt and all the buildup and keep it from yellowing. Using cleaners specifically designed for it is advisable because you can really tarnish it and mess it up. Avoid exposure to harsh chemicals and solvents, deteriorating the rubber. We used to use brake fluid to get our tires black.

Don Armstrong 24:08

Oh my god.

Jeff Dziekan 24:08

Oh yeah, that was back in the day. Uh for those seeking non-permanent solutions, temporary decals can be applied to the sidewall. There are actually companies out there, professional companies, that will design lettering and apply them to your tire. Uh while comparing all of these raised white letters, outline white letters, consider this. They are a little bit higher priced, even if when you buy it, you know, from the from the uh tire store, and then the raised white letters can be a little bit more money as well. The resurgence of vintage and retro styles and automotive design has been a renewed interest in the white letter tiring. The ability to customize and personalize tires, white lettering, appears to be pretty advantageous for the consumer, and it's kind of unique and it makes a unique style statement for them. White lettering on tires is often associated with specific brands, influencing customer loyalty and preference. The trends indicate that while practical considerations are important, the aesthetics and brand-related aspects of the tire design significantly influence the customer's choice. And there you've got all kinds of things. You could create your own design, you can uh get on their website, and they'll send you the stickers themselves, and you can you can put Don Armstrong on the side of your tire. No, I don't want Don Armstrong either.

Don Armstrong 25:18

All right. Thank you, Jeffrey.

Hidden Houston Speakeasies For Date Night

Don Armstrong 25:20

Time now for Mr. Mahr's Driving Destinations. Here we go. And this week, Mr. Mahr's hidden Houston Speakeasies. I'm ready. I'm all ears.

Mike Marrs 25:32

So for our younger audience that really is not familiar with the idea of the speakeasy. That came about because during Prohibition you had to go to a hidden bar. Sometimes it was special knocks on a certain door or something like that. Anyway, that were kind of hidden, and that's the reason they call the speakeasy because you had the speakeasy to get into it. So in Houston, we've got a few, and uh what they do is give you that little mystery, the little atmosphere, and and an easy place to have some conversation uh over some really nice cocktails in these hidden places. Downtown's hidden bookcase experience. Now, we're gonna start with Dender Downtown, then we're gonna slip behind a bookcase literally to get to Captain Fox Hart's Bad News and Bar Spirit Lodge. And also in um in the name in the hidden bar district. Now, this is one of the classic speakeasy setups in that you have to go through uh uh a hidden place. It's not widely known. Uh it is, but it's not. It's supposed to be hidden, it's supposed to be secretive. And but this place has a really nice balcony that you can set out there on and you have a nice view of downtown. It's really nice during the evening where the lights come up and everything. And uh they have some really great craft cocktails and a real nice food menu to go along with it. Now, from there, if you want something for more of a little more special occasion date, go to Bandista. Now, this is hidden literally behind the entrance within the hotel of the four seasons. Now it's only 20 seats in this speakeasy, so it's very uh very small, very uh exclusive, intimate exclusive, but it's got all the prohibition-inspired touches to it and with modern mixology. So the uh you can sit in there and you can uh kind of like sitting in a theater to watch what goes on, ordering the drinks from the bar, and you can actually pair it with dinner while you're downtown. It just creates a nice little venue to go and sneak off to, like is what you would want for speakeasy. Now, this other one here is one of Houston's kind of unusual date night concept is case chocolates. Now, it doesn't focus solely on drinks because it's got the cozy speakeasy style venue, but it also puts that with the artisan chocolates that are cute go with curated uh cocktails. Now, this is uh kind of creates a lot of conversation just because it's something different. You're sitting there talking, and uh it's not very far, it is downtown, but it's a really nice place to set at and get to. From there, you could go over to the River Oaks uh hotel where it's called a place called the Fancies. Again, it's a prohibition area era. The venue combines the art decal styling, live music, low lighting, and craft cocktails to give you that kind of hidden-away unique experience that you might find and expect to see in a speakeasy. Now it's hidden upstairs in a uh it's a hidden lounge upstairs, and it gives you that sense that you're going to a private party, not necessarily an open area bar. The uh if you're looking for something that's a little more old, if you will, mafarless.

Don Armstrong 28:51

Mar Marfrayless. Marfrailess, yes.

Mike Marrs 28:54

I do that. So you're familiar with it, Don?

Don Armstrong 28:58

Uh, yes, I am, and I'm not gonna tell you why.

Mike Marrs 29:01

Uh just please move on.

Don Armstrong 29:03

Don't run short of time. This is the place to be.

Mike Marrs 29:12

One other thing I would mention in a real hurry is the hidden bar in Rice Village. And uh the name kind of says it all. It's tucked away into a nice setting, intimate cocktails, and uh got dinner nearby. Just a nice place that you can go to to have a nice date night in someplace different.

Don Armstrong 29:29

And even though you didn't ask, I am going to tell you that Marfraelis used to be back in the day the make out bar in Houston. Thank you for asking.

Sponsor Break And Where To Listen

Don Armstrong 29:37

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