"I went to Rivas Coffee, Cocktails, & Kitchen in the Houston Heights on a Saturday morning with my wife and our toddler. They opened in December 2025 and took over the former Good Dog Houston space, which they completely renovated. The transformation is impressive. The interior is beautiful and thoughtfully designed, with indoor seating, a front patio, and a smaller backyard patio as well. They are kid-friendly and had a high chair available. According to their website, Rivas is a Central American–inspired coffee, cocktails, and kitchen concept that blends Latin flavors into both drinks and food. Their focus on culture, creativity, and quality really shows. They are open daily except Mondays, from 7 am to 10 pm, which makes this a versatile neighborhood spot from morning coffee to evening cocktails. Service was friendly and excellent. What stood out most to me was the attention to detail. The food and drinks felt carefully put together rather than rushed or sloppy, which I really value. [COCKTAILS] +Rivas Old Fashion for $16 – Made with 12-year Flor de Caña rum, Angostura and mole bitters, and house-made demerara. Served over a large ice cube with a nice cherry. The rum twist was different from a bourbon version, but it worked well and was enjoyable. - 4/5 [MOCKTAILS] +Guava Smasher for $9 – Guava puree, mango compote, topped with Sprite, and a lime wheel. This was excellent. Refreshing, well balanced, and the guava flavor really popped with the carbonation. - 5/5 [TACOS] +Egg, Potato, and Bean for $4.50 – Served on corn tortillas with salsa. They give you two tortillas, but I only needed one since it held together well and didn’t rip like many corn tortillas do. Simple, satisfying, and well executed. - 4/5 I’m already eyeing their Rivas Banana Latte for my next visit, which is made with double espresso, banana, brown sugar, and finished with smoked Maldon salt and torched banana. Overall, Rivas Coffee, Cocktails, & Kitchen is a fantastic addition to the Heights. Thoughtful drinks, solid food, great service, and real attention to detail. Welcome to the neighborhood!"

"First time here and it was fantastic! The coffee was so good, had the banana one and it was so good I had two! Tried the tostado and absolutely loved it! My spouse had steak and fries and it was flavored, just right and perfectly tender. The service was great and server( Helena maybe) was very attentive. They even brought us dessert on the house. Great hospitality and it’s very well decorated and overall great vibes, fits the heights neighborhood perfectly! Will be back!"

"So excited for this amazing new spot to officially be open! Rivas is family owned and the family is truly so kind and welcoming! Come for coffee in the morning and pull up a chair! William the owner has been in the coffee game for over 10 years and even roasts his own coffee! The drinks are spectacular and they make espresso martinis with their amazing coffee not coffee liquor. This makes them so tasty. The rest of the cocktails are also amazing! We got to try their special soft opening menu and every single drink was flavorful and so good! Also for the Houston locals, they have plans to pay homage to the previous family owned shop Good Dog with a hot dog on their menu, I mean how amazing is that!! Must try if you are in Houston. Join their soft opening on 11/1/2025. See you there!"

"This is my new go-to place in the Heights. Amazing coffee and cocktails. Staff is great, and I need to come back to try the pastries. If they’re anything like the rest of the food, they’ll be taking all my money! Love this place! Great atmosphere, the bathrooms are clean, and I’ll be frequenting! So glad they’re in the area! I’ve been back a lot and I am still impressed every time I come in. Great bar to sit at and the staff is amazing! Really happy that Rivas is here!"

"Visited this place at soft opening! Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere. Both Willi (owner) and Victor (manager) are really nice and made us feel welcome! There is a parking lot right outside. The look of the outdoor deck and pergola are beautiful. Drinks: Tres Leche Carajillo is one of the best drinks I’ve ever tasted!!! I also really enjoyed the Spicy Guava Marg. My boyfriend loved the Rivas Old Fashion and we also tried the Tamarindo Daiquiri. The cocktails were delicious and creative. Trace did an amazing job making these drinks. Bathrooms are cute and clean too. I appreciate they had a nice body mirror in there. UPDATE: Came back again during the day! Service remains amazing. We tried the Americano, Drip coffee, Rivas Banana Latte, and Dulce Calor. All drinks were delicious and I would come back again!!!"