With the Astros in the World Series, Houstonians are flocking to bars and restaurants to watch the games (especially as tickets get more expensive). As of a few days ago, people in the Rice Village and West University area have a new destination to root for the home team.
Christian’s Tailgate Bar & Grill has quietly opened its fifth Houston-area location in the former home of Amazon Grill at 5114 Kirby Drive. From its roots as a divey burger joint on Washington Avenue, Christian’s has evolved into what co-owner Chris Alan describes as a “family friendly sports bar.”
Towards that end, they’ve renovated the space by installing lots of TVs, a beer cooler with over 30 taps, and a few arcade games. Landscaping on the front patio has been trimmed to make it more visible from the street, and a side patio will soon feature outdoor playground equipment to make it more appealing to kids.
“We always wanted to have a Christian’s Tailgate in the West U, Rice Village area,” co-owner Mazen Baltagi tells CultureMap. “Everything in the area is all breastaurants. We’re trying to appeal to people with (a combination of) game watching and good food.”
Those who haven’t been to Christian’s locations in Midtown, downtown, the Heights, or the Energy Corridor in awhile may not realize the menu includes far more than Steve Christian’s celebrated burgers. Tacos, sandwiches, wraps, and even salads have been added to give Christian’s a broader appeal and make it a potential destination for office lunches.
“We’re known for our burgers, but we’re trying to appeal to a broader clientele,” Baltagi says. “People love our salads. My favorite is the shrimp salad with the jalapeno-cilantro dressing.”
Baltagi notes that the best option for local craft beer in the immediate area is Woodrow’s in Rice Village. He thinks Christian’s can appeal to people by featuring newcomers like Eureka Heights, Brash, Great Heights, and Platypus alongside national brands and more established local breweries like Saint Arnold.
The new location will also feature all the same promotions that have worked at other locations. They include steak night, trivia night, live music on Wednesdays, and karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights.
After all, while the owners would be thrilled if it becomes a post-game hangout for West U Little League teams on Saturday afternoons, they still want Christian’s to be a place where area parents came to let their hair down, too.
The game room will soon lead to an outdoor play area.
