Come March 26-27, the Four Seasons Hotel Houston’s speakeasy-style bar and lounge Bandista, one of the top bars in the city, will host the award-winning Employees Only for a pop-up. It’s a reservations-only affair with 90-minute seatings available between 5 p.m.-midnight.

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Bandista is a reservations-only bar hidden behind a bookcase at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston

"We are excited to welcome our friends from Employees Only to H-Town,” said Tom Segesta, the hotel’s general manager, in a prepared statement. “Their talented team will bring our guests a taste of the Empire State’s finest cocktails.”

The Employees Only team slated to come to Houston include bartender Dimitrios Vasilakis, bar manager Frank Maldonado and general manager Jonathan Yutzy. 

There will be five cocktails on the menu: 

  • Besos Calientes (El Tesoro Blanco tequila shaken with house-made grapefruit cordial, fresh lime juice and dashes of habanero bitters; served over ice)

  • Last Leaf (Patrón Anejo tequila with clarified coconut milk, pumpkin, caramel and spiced pear; served over a large ice cube)

  • Amelía (Haku vodka and St-Germain shaken with puréed blackberries and fresh lemon juice; served up) 

  • Yankee Nation (Woodfords Reserve double-oaked bourbon stirred with Rainwater madeira and dashes of chamomile cordial; served over a large ice cube)

  • Sail Away

Part of the proceeds will be donated to Camp H-Town, a sleep-away camp hosted by the Four Seasons Hotel Houston in partnership with the University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital for children diagnosed with cancer.

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Employees Only opened in late 2004 in New York City's West Village

Employees Only — often referred to simply as EO by regulars and industry types — opened in New York City’s West Village in late 2004 and remains one of Big Apple’s most popular bars. It’s discreetly located in a picturesque neighborhood with tree-lined streets and cobblestone. A  psychic is often found greeting (and offering readings) to customers at the door.

The bar was part of a small group of establishments in New York City in the early aughts that helped revive speakeasy-style bars serving craft cocktails popular today. EO also has bars in Los Angeles and Singapore.

The Bandista team plans to hold its own New York City pop-up at Employees Only in early 2025, according to a spokesperson.