World's smallest bar may have just opened in Houston.
Posted by
Qale (aka Qale)
Oct 15 '24, 11:08
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Country music. Shots. And only 42 square feet. Welcome to Toy Gun Pew Pew Saloon, which its owner claims is now the smallest bar in the world.
Ninja Ramen’s Christopher Huang recently opened the shot bar on the former back patio of his ramen bar on Washington Avenue. It’s the latest addition from the wacky restaurant world of Huang, who is also part owner of nearby Narwhal Jousting Club.
He said the bar has been a long time coming with ideas swirling in his head since 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he solidified the shot bar concept, toggling between the name Toy Gun and Pew Pew. He combined them when he got 50-50 responses to which name was better.
The tool-shed-size bar was custom built, starting this past spring. Huang decided to make it just 1 square foot smaller than Backdoor 43 in Milan, Italy, which he said previously had the unofficial title of “Smallest Bar in the World.”
Toy Gun Pew Pew Saloon can fit three people inside — any more than that and it’s a tight squeeze. The bar is 6 feet wide. It could also be the world’s smallest honky-tonk if two people are able to dance side by side, Huang added.
The bar leans into a theme with western-inspired decor and country music playing. It still smells a little like Home Depot from the new wood walls. One customer has already promised to bring in an elk head for Huang to hang up.
Customers can order just about any shot, including college favorites such as a green tea shot or Vegas bomb. The house specialty, called the Pew Pew, is a mezcal shot followed by ramen broth.
“It’s so good,” Huang said. “Everyone that’s had it so far is like, ‘this is awesome.’”
Ramen broth and Pedialyte can be purchased with any shot. Huang plans on adding cocktails in a shot form, such as a mini Manhattan. Other future plans include pop-ups where chefs can serve tiny versions of foods like mini tacos.
Huang is a fount of inventive ideas. At the start of the year, Huang let the public know the ramen business was struggling. In his light-hearted quirky way, the news came with a kicker that the business would start an OnlyFans account where customers could share photos of themselves slurping their noodles.
Ninja Ramen, which opened 10 years ago, was hit with more financial woes after Hurricane Beryl wiped its power out for nine days, resulting in a loss of more than $25,000.
Huang is hoping the bar will direct people to Ninja Ramen. This month he has a sale on Asian whiskey. Any whiskey that’s normally priced under $25 is $10; less than $100 is $25; equal or greater than $100 is $50 a pour.
“Hopefully with the tiny bar maybe drawing a different crowd, or drawing new people towards us, that will help in the big picture,” Huang said.
Toy Gun Pew Pew Saloon is open 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Sunday at 4219 Washington Ave.
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