DRINKING AGE RISES TO 23 AT KIRBY ICE HOUSE 
No-longer-blue Upper Kirby Kirby Ice House announced this morning that it will no longer allow customers younger than 23 into the venue. A message on the company’s Facebook page cites a month and a half of customer feedback since the bar’s opening at 3333 Eastside St., and a need to maintain the venue’s diverse clientele — adding an apology to the segments of that same clientele who areunder 23 (and an invitation to come back in a few years). [Previously on Swamplot] Photo: Kirby Ice House
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Should be done nationally, as well 25 year age limit for smoking.
Might as well make it 40+, this part of town is OLD. Seriously though, why would anyone in their 20’s be hanging out in upper kirby still?
Joel: Cougars.
I don’t understand how raising the minimum patron age to 23 will help keep their diversity. But, it is their business to run how they see fit.
I did not get the impression that they had a youth problem when i was there. It’s a bunch of old people hanging out.
Call me crazy but is that even legal?
If they think their crowd is skewing too young there are better ways to go about changing that, e.g. by raising prices. This wouldn’t fly in some states that ban age discrimination in public accommodations, but to my knowledge that’s not the case in Texas.
Memebag, touche, though I think you’re still better off in the uptown area in that regard.
The reason there are a lot of 40+ people there is because it is also located next to a business district, Greenway Plaza. A lot of those over 40 stop by for Happy Hour, have drinks, then go home. I’ve witnessed it myself, and those 40 and over spend money. I see a lot of those 21 year old patrons, they usually come in drunk already… they probably meet at their friends apartments, get drunk first, then go out to the Kirby Ice House, those are the people they are targeting. Who are they kidding, it is a revenue thing. None of the 40+ people I know of ever complained about the crowd.
MontroseResident
Being in the we’ll call it 35-40 year range. I don’t find any difference between a 21 year old and 23 year old. I assume they feel they need a more “mature” clientele…? Not sure they have fully passed a threshold there. As mentioned they can run their business how they see fit.