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Since 1922—long before the area south of Houston became the city's biggest outdoor mall—Fanelli's has been serving up cheap drinks and pub grub. A bulwark against the ritzy local emporia, this one-time speakeasy maintains a low-key vibe with a weathered bar and wobbly tables (covered in red-and-white checkered tablecloths). Lunches and late nights are bustling with burger lovers; the blasé wait staff would sooner spit in your drink than smile. But it's this dose of reality that gives the joint its charm. No wonder that local shopkeepers and staffers flock here in the evenings, seeking solace from the charlatans they've been catering to all day. — T Sahara Meer

The spot that is now Fanelli's originally opened its doors for business in 1847. The Fanelli family took over the bar in 1922 and sold it in 1982. Since it's become a downtown institution, however, the current owners felt it was wise to keep the name.