After traveling to Tokyo in 2018, Ly said he visited some of the city’s abundance of record bars—venues where people gather to drink while also relaxing to music played on vinyl. The experience, he said, inspired him to open his own.
Ly would eventually open 93’ Til in December 2020, naming it after the Souls of Mischief song, “93 ‘til Infinity.” Today, he said the Montrose location is exactly what he wanted.
“I think the people in the neighborhood appreciate what we do,” said Ly, who moved back to Houston to launch the venture after spending 11 years living in other cities.
The record bar and lounge plays a little bit of everything, welcoming fans from all genres of music, from hip-hop to rock to soul. On “takeover night,” Ly said he allows customers to bring in their own records to play. He said he also hopes to soon get a DJ that plays exclusively vinyl.
As for the food menu, Ly said it changes pretty often, making it hard to put the restaurant under one label. Menu items in February included a take on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with foie gras. The restaurant gets its groceries from local farmers markets, and the menu changes to fit what is in season. Chef Jeff Potts also likes to keep the menu changing, Ly said.
“Sometimes we get bored cooking the same things,” Ly said. “So, we all brainstorm in the back like, ‘This is it, this is fresh. What do we want to do with this?’ Then we’ll come up with something and just run off with that.”
Ly first planned to only serve beer and wine, but later decided to add cocktails. Like Potts, Bar Manager Tim Vaughan also likes to experiment, changing up the menu around once a month.
In the future Ly said he hopes he can pursue other projects, but for now, he said he is focused on the success of 93’ Til.
“I want [Houstonians] to know that they’re always welcome here,” Ly said. “Come have a good time. Relax, listen to some music.”
93’ Til
1601 W. Main St., Houston
281-846-6405
www.93-til.com
Hours: Tue.-Thu. 4-10 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 4-11 p.m., closed Mon.
