This Houston neighborhood ranks among the coolest hipster havens in the U.S. By John Egan 7.26.18 | 3:25 pm 208 3 Beyonce Tumblr photo of Menil Collection No Montrose experience is complete without a visit to The Menil Collection lawn. Courtesy photo

Thanks to ever-rising home prices, dense traffic, and even the long lines at spots such as Blacksmith, we’re fully aware that Montrose is trendy. But that’s our own biased opinion, right? It’s cooler and weightier when an outside critic supplies the praise.

On July 25, travel website TripAdvisor offered an outsider’s perspective in citing Montrose as one of the “14 Coolest Hipster Neighborhoods in the U.S.” Among the other hipster 'hoods that earned accolades are East Austin, Marigny in New Orleans, RiNo in Denver, Ballard in Seattle, and the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon.

In highlighting Montrose, TripAdvisor notes that the beloved neighborhood earns serious hipster cred thanks to the myriad tattoo studios, upscale bistros, antique shops, and vintage clothing stores. TripAdvisor also calls Montrose a “mecca” for culinary diversity.

To that end, the website encourages visitors to “explore some of the most progressive eateries on the Montrose Dine Around tour, where you’ll learn about the area’s culture while visiting three critically acclaimed restaurants.” Other neighborhood highlights include The Menil Collection, “one of Houston’s most prized art institutions,” and the Houston Center for Photography.

For the consummate Montrose local experience, we'd also suggest lunch at Niko Niko's, a trip to the Rothko Chapel, and drinks at our favorite hipster mainstay, Poison Girl.