Red Lion Pub is a traditional British pub on South Shepherd, run by a Yorkshire owner since 2003. The kitchen serves pub classics alongside British-Indian dishes. European beers and Scotches fill the bar.
Red Lion Pub sits at 2316 S Shepherd Drive and is owned by Yorkshire native Craig Mallinson, who opened it in 2003, per GAYOT. The room reads like an English local, with wood paneling, red leather upholstery, and a fireplace.
The menu splits between English and Indian traditions. Fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie share the page with British-Indian plates like beef vindaloo and chicken tikka masala, a nod to the owner’s view of what a real English pub serves, as Tripadvisor reviews describe.
The bar backs up the kitchen. Regulars point to a deep selection of European beers and Scotches in one place, plus the usual imports and a few domestic micros, per Yelp.
Pricing sits at $$ for the city. Guests describe it as a neighborhood local with friendly service, busy on weekends and during soccer matches.
The pub keeps a steady following more than two decades in. The mix of English comfort food, Indian heat, and a long beer list is its signature.
South Shepherd sits between Montrose and Upper Kirby, a stretch known for independent bars. The Red Lion has held its corner there for more than twenty years, which is rare for a Houston pub.
Practical notes for a first visit: it opens early for soccer, the kitchen spans English and Indian plates, and the beer and whisky lists reward a slow visit rather than a quick pint.
The pub leans into its English identity without turning into a theme. Wood paneling, red leather, and a fireplace set the room, the televisions carry soccer from early in the day, and the owner's Yorkshire background shapes both the menu and the welcome. It works as a neighborhood local first.
The food is the talking point. Alongside fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd's pie, the kitchen runs British-Indian plates like vindaloo and tikka masala, reflecting the owner's view that a proper English pub serves curry. The drink list backs it with European imports and a deep Scotch shelf.
First-timers should come hungry and order across both halves of the menu, then settle in with a pint or a Scotch. Match days and weekend evenings are the busiest windows, so a weeknight visit is the relaxed option.
On a match morning the pub opens early and fills with supporters, then settles into a steady dinner crowd by evening. The long run on South Shepherd has given it a regular following that treats it as a second living room. That consistency, more than any single dish or beer, is what keeps it on Houston's short list of real English pubs.
The Montrose and Upper Kirby bar belt surrounds it. Poison Girl is a beloved dive on Westheimer, Warren's Inn holds down a classic downtown cocktail room, and Rudyard's Pub mixes pints with live music. Red Lion brings the English-pub angle to the group.
Among Houston's pubs, Red Lion ranks as one of the most-recommended for English food, a long beer list, and match-day crowds.
Red Lion Pub earns a place in any honest list of the best pubs in Houston. Our Houston bar guide covers the rest of the city, and the craft beer guide ranks rooms worldwide.
Best for pub-food fans, soccer viewing, and a deep beer and whisky list. Skip it if you want cocktails or a modern bar.
What to order
- 01
Pint of bitter
English ale on draft
- 02
Fish and chips
The pub standard
- 03
Beef vindaloo
The British-Indian house plate
- 04
Scotch pour
From a long whisky shelf
