A new indoor-outdoor bar is taking shape at 530 Bay Area Blvd., just blocks from Johnson Space Center, as Kirby Ice House builds out its fifth Houston-area location.
The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce shared interior construction photos on X on Sunday, Aug. 23, showing the space progressing toward what the company's website calls a fall 2026 opening. The Houston Chronicle reported July 21 that the bar was targeting September, but Kirby Ice House's website now lists the opening only as "Coming Fall 2026" without a specific month, and the Chamber's post says the opening date is to be determined.
The venue will span 12,600 square feet, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. An Instagram post about the project described roughly 9,000 square feet of indoor bar space and cited a $5 million investment.
Co-owner Danny Evans said in a July news release that the company designs each location to reflect its neighborhood. "We never want our locations to feel copied and pasted," Evans said. "We want them to have their own personality, and we hope guests feel that from the moment they walk in."
In Clear Lake, that personality leans on NASA. The bar will feature space-themed design elements, including a neon sign depicting the brand's mascot riding a rocket ship.
What to expect
Kirby Ice House locations share a common format: more than 60 beers on tap with daily rotation, rotating food trucks, large outdoor screens and yard games. The Clear Lake spot will also be dog-friendly, allow guests to bring outside food or catering, offer free large-group reservations and provide what the company calls "plenty" of parking.
Planned hours listed on the Kirby Ice House website are Monday through Friday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Saturday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
The brand opened its largest location in the Heights in August 2025. That location spans 3.5 acres with seating for nearly 800. Other locations include the flagship Upper Kirby bar, Memorial and The Woodlands.
What's next
Kirby Ice House is accepting job applications for the Clear Lake location through its website. No ribbon-cutting or soft-opening date has been announced, and the company has not confirmed whether the September target still holds.
