Greg Perez, owner of Trash Panda Drinking Club, opens upscale bar honoring Chicano culture.
Chicano culture has helped shape Houston for generations. Now, a new bar is honoring that history in a fresh way.
The two worlds of Chicano culture and upscale bars come together at Concrete Rose, just steps away from Daikin Park. From over a dozen photos on the walls showcasing Hispanic culture in Houston, to a mural on the ceiling of Mexican immigrants, Concrete Rose celebrates the Mexican-American experience.
“If we’re going to highlight the culture that’s normally looked down upon, you really have to nail it on the head,” said owner Greg Perez. “This space is for us. We can also dress up and be proud of where we’re from.”
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This is Perez’s first bar outside of the Northside area and his first upscale venture. He is one of the founders of Monkey’s Tail and owner of Trash Panda Drinking Club, both come-as-you-are divey cocktail bars. He likes to say Trash Panda Drinking Club, the Northside bar he opened in 2021, is him: it feels grungy, yet personal and unserious.
New downtown bar Concrete Rose honors Chicano culture.
Perez fell into running bars after being a football coach. And he definitely never saw himself owning an upscale bar.
The developer of the historic Purse Building on Commerce Street reached out to him to see the large first floor space. Since it’s near the ballpark, Perez automatically thought big sports bar. Then he was told the historical designation only allowed a limited occupancy even though the space is large, so he split it in two, putting a wall to make two storefronts. The other will still be a sports bar to open in the coming months.
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A cocktail bar on that block made sense with nearby fine dining like Vic & Anthony’s steakhouse, lawyers’ offices and new apartments going up. Still, Perez felt unsure about upscale because that’s not really who he is. A trip to London changed his outlook. At Scarfes Bar, a top ranked bar in the world, he enjoyed a luxe experience, but in a welcoming, warm way.
“After that trip, I was like, ‘I can do this,'” Perez said. “I don’t have to be that pretentious person. I can just take that same spirit of Trash Panda and dress it up. I like to say it’s like me showering and getting a haircut.”
Perez took inspiration from a poem by Tupac Shakur, “The Rose That Grew from Concrete,” for many aspects of the bar. The poem speaks to resilience and how beauty can thrive despite challenging circumstances.
Signature cocktails at Concrete Rose are inspired by a Tupac Shukar poem.
“Being first generation, the son of an immigrant, means growing up in a constant identity negotiation — torn between American and Mexican,” Perez said. “That duality is the foundation of Concrete Rose, which proudly celebrates both. There are no predecessors in this specific lane as far as cocktail bars: a bar built to champion Chicano culture on a national and international stage.”
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A street-style aficionado, his menu looks like a fashion look book with editorial-style photos. Perez and his team, some of whom trained at top bar Form + Matter in Mexico City, came up with eight signature cocktails that will involve infusions, acid-adjusted juices, housemade cordials and fat washing. Each of the drinks correlates to a line in the poem. The Concrete uses cognac, rum, prosciutto-washed coquerel calvados, apple-turmeric syrup and fragrant bitters. The No One Else Even Cared has tequila, tomato-yerba cordial, rum, served with an avocado sorbet and avocado chip.
The drink menu goes on to the Kickbacks section with bright, fruit-forward options, and has a classics section. Wine options focus on Mexican bottles.
A food menu will be added in four weeks with options such as beet tacos, fish crudo, truffle corn and more.
Uniforms are intentionally in a utility style, paying homage to blue-collar Mexican-American workers.
The space was designed by Stephie Kaiser Harvel. Red brick and cement pillars subtly emerge through the contemporary design. Nods to Chicano culture are felt throughout, starting with the gallery-style black and white photos taken by local photographer Mikey Lazo. Images depict everyday life of Mexican people in Houston, like low riders, buying from an elotero and going to church. A mural by Eloy Angel is only noticeable when you look up in the center of the bar. It pays homage to Angel and Perez’s mothers and grandmothers.
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Even the employee uniforms are intentionally Chicano with a utility look, plus accessories like hoop earrings with the bar logo and a rosary.
For music, Perez said think of being at a quinceañera, a little bit of everything.
Concrete Rose is open daily 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 1701 Commerce St.
