cruiseequalsfun Posted June 28, 2011 #1 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Not cruise related, but planning a long weekend in Houston. I think I have enough things to do covered with the city pass options, baseball game, a few parks, etc, but could use some help with restaurants. What do you consider some of the best BBQ places? How about pizza places? and Steakhouses? Any other fun/good restaurants? Places close to the "tourist areas" such as Museum area, Galleria, Downtown (Astros stadium or aquarium area), Space Center, and even Galveston would be best. Also they can be the local hole in the wall type place to "nice" places. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnarkyPants Posted June 28, 2011 #2 Share Posted June 28, 2011 What do you consider some of the best BBQ places? How about pizza places? and Steakhouses? Any other fun/good restaurants? Places close to the "tourist areas" such as Museum area, Galleria, Downtown (Astros stadium or aquarium area), Space Center, and even Galveston would be best. Also they can be the local hole in the wall type place to "nice" places. Thanks in advance! Warning: I'm an opinionated foodie... BBQ is like a religion in these parts, so you will get some passionate opinions. Here's my picks: Gatlin's 1221 W. 19th St. 713-869-4227 Pierson's 5110 TC Jester Blvd. 713-683-6997 Some of the best BBQ is in the Hill Country, between Houston & San Antonio. You could make an entire day trip out of eating BBQ alone in towns like Luling and Lockhart. That's probably out of the scope of your travel plans. But the rule to those BBQ joints apply to the good ones in Houston: go early in the day. BBQ done right is cooked slow and low for hours, so they put it on the night before and serve it the next day. When they run out, they're done for the day. If they haven't run out late in the afternoon, that meat has been sitting in the holding pan for so long that it's dried out. Lunch is a good time to get BBQ. Chain places like Pappas, Goode Company, and Spring Creek make passable BBQ, but it's nothing more special than you can get at home. However, don't be fooled by "Luling City Market" in Houston, which sullies the good name of the superior City Market in the town of Luling by putting out mediocre BBQ. They're not related. Pizza places: In the suburbs, I'm partial to Grimaldi's in Sugar Land (at First Colony Mall, US 59 at Highway 6). Grimaldi's puts out great New York pizza from a coal fired oven. In the city, Star Pizza is my fave. 2111 Norfolk (at Shepherd Dr.) 713-523-0800. For something really unique, go downtown to Bombay Pizza Company for pizza with an Indian twist. It's great and unlike anything I've found anywhere else. 914 Main, 713-654-4444 Steakhouses: Vic & Anthony's, across from Minute Maid Park, is one of the best in the city, despite it being owned by the Landry's restaurant people. (Avoid the Aquarium. It's not really an aquarium, it's an overpriced mediocre restaurant developed by Landry's that happens to have large tanks filled with fish and an overpriced ferris wheel out front. Same goes for the Kemah Boardwalk; that's overpriced carnival games surrounded by overpriced Landry's restaurants.) Most of what Landry's touches is overpriced & mediocre. Vic & Anthony's is not cheap, but the food is worth it. Around Minute Maid Park, my go-to place before a game is Irma's Southwest Grill. It can be expensive - you never see the menu; they recite what's on the menu for the day - but it's quality Mexican food and the service is great. It's about a block away from the ball park, and you can usually find free street parking after 5 and walk to dinner and a game. Places I eat in the Galleria area: Jenni's Noodle House (in the shopping center with Maggiano's & The Container Store at the corner of Post Oak & Westheimer). Get dessert at Tasti-D-Lite at San Felipe & Westheimer (across the parking lot from Berryhill). Get the fish tacos or Tamales at Berryhill. Yia Yia Mary's has great Greek food at San Felipe and 610. Beck's Prime has some of the best burgers in the area on Westheimer. Houston is becoming a burger town. Best places in the city: Lankford Grocery (inner loop) Hubcap Grill (downtown) The Burger Guys (west suburbs) Bernie's Burger Bus (it's a food truck, location varies) The Shack (Northwest suburbs) Space Center: save your money. This used to be a great attraction, but now it's a glorified gift shop. I stopped taking visitors here because they all left underwhelmed. Galveston: Gaido's is my favorite white tablecloth place. Benno's has awesome cajun seafood and some great soft shelled crab in season (now). Stingaree on the Bolivar Peninsula has great BBQ crab (take the ferry from the island) but call first to make sure they're open. The Spot is a great place to have a drink, have a burger, and watch the water. Okay, so I love to eat. Have fun in Houston! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssb Posted June 28, 2011 #3 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Houston www.babayega.com - * a must wonderful with beautiful gardens – near town maishouston.com - * wonderful – vietnamese – downtown www.pappasbbq.com – downtown www.lastconcert.com – Mexican food and music venue – a dive - near downtown www.mcgonigels.com – wonderful British Pub, Bistish Food and music venue – near town Kemah www.kemahboardwalk.com Nasa Space Center Galveston Better restaurants in Galveston in my opinion are Sunday Brunch at Galvez Hotel* Rudi and Pacos...*white table cloths... no shorts..... central american seafood, and steaks.... 20st Post Office Downtown reservations recommended Gaidos *...... legendary and wonderful ..Seawall Gaidos-Pelican Club-separate kitchen- if you are members of your local club, call them they may be reciprocal Olympia Grill* views are great- wonderful greek food, seafood, and steaks. on Port Original Mexican* .....14th….Great and Oldest Mosquito Café* and new bakery across Street....14th The Best The Spot *------food and cervezas, BEST PEOPLE WATCHING Family hamburger area and The Spot’s different bars are next door and above --new decks and bars on different levels with new and better views of gulf LaKings Confectionary and Factory(The Strand, downtown) Fishermans Wharf ....Port Willie G's ..... ...on Port Shearns - Moody Gardens views great....white table cloths..sunsets Saltwater Grill .....Seafood assortments, soups, bisques, gumbos 20th Post Office St Downtown Sky Bar ..... Sushi and Steaks........ 21st Post Office Downtown Steak Restaurant in San Luis Hotel ....Seawall Luigi's ......Italian .....Strand downtown DiBellas....... Italian …..31st and O..... locals haunt and in old house Le Croys Cajun... Strand Sunflower Bakery and Cafe.... 14th Clarys Seafood - Offits Bayou Others: New York Pizza - Seawall Benos... Seawall Shrimp and Stuff.....39 and O Millers ....Seawall Fish Tales ....Seawall Joe's Crab Shack ....Seawall Brickhouse……..Seawall Landrys Seafood ....Seawall Saltgrass Steakhouse ....Seawall Rainforest Cafe ....Seawall Gumbos....Post Office M&M .....24th Mod Coffeehouse (Postoffice St, downtown) Lunchbox Cafe (23rd St, downtown, small eatery that serves locally grown food) Murphy's Pub (22nd St, downtown, TONS of beer on tap, including Texas favorites; ) top 10 restaurants list in Galveston in the Houston Press: http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating...n_galvesto.php look on galveston.com/what to do/dining in Galveston There are special events in Galveston area almost every weekend galveston.com (what to do)(calendar of events) your calendar dates Sign up on Galveston.com for email of weekly events galvestonhistory.org ---Galveston Historical Foundation Properties moodygardens.com ------ just look at site has everything www.thegrand.com/calendar – 1894 Grand Opera House - Theater www.moodymansion.org - Old Historical Home Galveston: beaches beaches beaches old town Galveston *- on strand and post office streets(lots of shops and ice cream, old army surplus store, fine restaurants) wineries and festivals restaurants overlooking gulf and on port many live theater venues concert nights - old town Galveston *- on strand film nights -old town Galveston *- on strand band nights-“family/kids” oriented-summer outdoor tuesdays 24th & Sealy 1894 grand opera house * (a must see tour and/or performances of many types) museums antique stores and art Galleries horse drawn carriage rides swimming in Gulf fine restaurants night scene art walks Galveston Historical Foundation properties* many Historical and Victorian homes galveston has second largest preservation membership in United States bishops palace (wonderful) moody mansion (massive, fun and family oriented, many many events)) ashton villa (wonderful) moody gardens *(lots and lots and lots to do) a must schlitterbahn water park restored tall ship schooner Elissa (wonderful) 1900 storm and pirate jean lafite documentary films at port airplane museum railroad museum oil drilling rig museum maritime museum sea wolf park – WWII submarine and destroyer many historical and Victorian homes bishops palace (wonderful) moody mansion (wonderful) ashton villa (wonderful) large souvenir shop over gulf water restored tall ship schooner Elisa (wonderful) 1900 storm and pirate jean lafite documentary films at port walks and shelling on the beach cruise Ships fishing (piers and charters-offshore & inshore)) golfing shopping dolphin watching and port tour turtle rescue farm behind San Luis Resort carved damaged trees tour from storm kite flying on beach free ferry ride and a short cruise duck tour (amphibious boat) galveston.com/ interact and discover/cams many weekly events and festivals not mentioned as example Dickens on Strand (Dec), Lone Star Motorcycle Rally (Nov), Mardi Gras Galveston (Feb), October Fest, Greek Fest, Wild Game Cookoffs, County Fair and many many more Trauma 1 Emergency Hospital on Island - UTMB, Sealy Hospital Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseequalsfun Posted June 29, 2011 Author #4 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Wow, wow, wow! Thank you both!! I'll be checking out websites and reading menus for the next several days to come! Thanks a bunch for all the time you spent answering my questions. I do appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzelover65 Posted July 14, 2011 #5 Share Posted July 14, 2011 OMG!!! you need a vacation after reading the two posts above. Simply go to any Pappas for BBQ- they're everywhere and great!! any Beck's Prime for Burgers - they are outstanding! Vic & Anthony's for really pricey fancy steak-it is worth it. Go to any Guadalajara or Lupe Tortilla's for the Best Mexican!! Have fun!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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