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    Best Bloody Marys

    It's National Bloody Mary Day! Best places to enjoy the classic cocktail — or make one at home

    Davon D.E. Hatchett
    Jan 1, 2014 | 10:24 am

    Happy 2014!! Ooh, I’m sorry, did I type that too loud? If so, perhaps it’s because you may have partied just a little (Ok, a ton) too much and you over-indulged a bit (OK, a lot) in the celebratory "cocktailing" on New Year’s Eve.

    But guess what? Last night’s celebration was yesterday’s booze news, and today is a brand new day and year. It’s Jan. 1st, which means it’s “National Bloody Mary Day!” What better way to recover from the raucousness of the night before than having a little bit of the “hair of the dog that bit you” the next day?

    With the exquisite Bloody Mary offerings the city already has, it would almost be just plain criminal to not get one prepared for you.

    You could make your own Bloody Mary at home, but the cocktail has a reputation for being a complex drink to make. Do you really want to expend the few, precious, quasi-sober brain cells you have at the moment trying to figure out how to make a drink properly? Of course you don’t.

    With the exquisite Bloody Mary offerings the city already has, it would almost be just plain criminal to not get one prepared for you. While some of these spots only serve their Bloody Marys on Sundays, if you celebrated hard enough on New Year’s Eve you might not be able to drag your carcass out of bed until then anyway.

    Whatever your current soberness level is, be sure to check these places out when you’re ready for a Mary:

    •Haven: Known for locally sourcing high-quality ingredients (which includes a garden located on the restaurant’s grounds), it should come as no surprise that Haven creates a Bloody Mary with their own mix and pickled okra, both made in-house. Add to your drinking pleasure by enjoying the cocktail at Cove Raw Bar inside Haven, and have some fresh, raw oysters as an accompaniment.

    •Lowbrow: Although the term “lowbrow” is normally associated with being not highly cultured, the restaurant Lowbrow is anything but. And with roots in Charleston, S.C. lowcountry cuisine, the restaurant's house-made mix used for the Bloody Mary will convince you of exactly that. It’s also served everyday (or “whenever the hankering hits” as stated by one of the staff).

    • Brick & Spoon: Bloody Mary connoisseurs unite: Brick & Spoon has a menu that will make you practically squeal with delight. To start with, the “Big Spoon” Bloody Mary menu has over 10 vodka options so you can truly indulge your particular brand predilections. The garnishments are a veritable plethora of delights including well over a dozen fruits and veggies; a variety of meats and cheeses; 2 eggs options; and a range of herbs, such as wasabi, tarragon and tabasco habanero. When is it served? Every. Single. Day.

    • Mojeaux’s Louisiana Drinkery: Any establishment with “Louisiana Drinkery” in the name has got to have an awesome Bloody Mary. Mojeaux’s starts theirs off with Ultimate Vodka and a homemade Bloody Mary mix. Then things get really interesting. The glass is then garnished with a breakfast sausage slider; large boiled shrimp; olives; cheddar cheese; and a Slim Jim. Hangover cure in a glass, anyone? $18.00, Sundays Only.

    • Danton’s Gulf Coast Seafood Kitchen: If there’s a more unique Bloody Mary Houston, I don’t know where it could be. The “Bloody Danton” eschews the traditional tomato based mix and instead uses the house gumbo (strained of course) as the base. Gumbo. Generously spiked with vodka. What’s not to love?

    • Beaver’s: The wonderfully unconventional and quirky Beaver’s has their own unique twist on the traditional Bloody Mary, called a “Beaver Mary.” The tomato juice they use is infused with garlic, wasabi, and “bruised celery.” Then they add a dash of Big Daddy’s hot sauce for a nice, peppery kick.

    When you really want to go for the gusto, wait for the Sunday brunch. Beaver’s has a specialty Mary menu (served Sundays only) that includes a bacon-infused vodka Bloody Mary served with candied bacon; a tequila and chipotle Mary for those who want to swap out vodka; and a new Green Mary. Ask bar manager Mike (who created the Green Mary) to whip one up for you and you’ll get a glass of green goodness that includes tomatillos, cucumber, green tomatoes (which, by the way, are not the same as tomatillos), cilantro, and a bit of ginger for bite instead of the usual horseradish.

    Home mix

    If you just absolutely must make your own Bloody Mary at home, why not get a little epicurean with it? Forget the pre-made, bottled mixes and try Stu’s “This is Bloody Mary” concentrate, which bills itself as the “secret serum to concocting the perfect Bloody Mary at home.” Since the concentrate is made of homemade pickle brine and spices without tomato, you can create the perfect flavor level that suits you: just add your ideal amount of tomato juice and vodka and you’re ready to roll.

    I like to take it up several notches. In addition to vodka, I also add a splash of champagne.

    If you want to take it up a notch, order Stu’s “Bloody Mary Mixology Kit.” The kit contains 2 bottles of concentrate; contains Key lime juice to moisten the rim of your glass; “Sweet Corn Rimmer” (made with crushed sweet corn, celery salt, and Chesapeake Bay seasoning ) to garnish the rim; and a tincture made of ghost hot pepper sauce to make things spicy.

    As for myself, I like to take it up several notches. In addition to vodka (with the self-proclaimed moniker of “The Bubbleista”), I also add a splash of champagne. And then, being the sybarite that I am, I luxuriously garnish it with 2 tender-crisp asparagus stalks; a cherry tomato and Buffalo mozzarella skewer; and — the ultimate — a chilled, steamed, shell-on lobster tail.

    It’s a wonderful way to kick-off 2014! Well, once you sober up a bit, that is.

    Do you have a favorite place for Bloody Mary's that we missed? Tell us in Comments section below.

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    Top restaurant stories of 2025

    Major closures, celeb sightings, more top Houston restaurant news 2025

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 26, 2025 | 1:15 pm
    Austin Simmons Charolais restaurant headshot
    Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
    Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.

    Editor’s note: Readers turn to CultureMap to stay informed on all the latest Houston restaurant news, but some stories grab more people’s attention than others. As always, closings rank highly, taking seven of the 10 places on this list. What’s notable is that the closings included both restaurants open for more than 25 years as well as a steakhouse that closed in less than two years. While the results are mostly doom-and-gloom, we found joy in one of America’s most famous former athletes surprising the diners at popular Houston restaurant — and leaving one lucky waiter a tip worth celebrating.

    Here are the 10 most-read CultureMap restaurant and bar stories of 2025.

    1. Houston chef breaks his silence on sudden exit from Woodlands restaurant. Speaking exclusively to CultureMap, chef Austin Simmons explained the reasons for his surprising departure from Tris, including a dispute with the restaurant’s owner over interior renovations. After taking some time to focus on his Chef & Rancher beef company, Simmons announced in September that he’ll open Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons in the Hughes Landing district. Scheduled to open in April, the restaurant will also have a companion butcher shop that sells meat from Chef & Rancher.

    2. Pioneering Houston Mexican restaurant will shutter after 44 years. Chef Arnaldo Richards announced his intention to close his Mexican restaurant Picos. He cited a number of factors, including a decline in business and the death of his brother Alex. Due to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Houstonians, Picos extended its closing until early 2026.

    3. Houston restaurant served Beyoncé a Southern feast for her first meal in H-Town. When Beyoncé Knowles-Carter returned to Houston for two sold-out shows at NRG Stadium, she and her family turned to downtown restaurant Taste Kitchen + Bar for a Southern feast. The epic spread included jerk lamb chops with deep-fried lobster, smothered chicken with collard greens, and the restaurant’s signature chicken and waffles. Later that weekend, Taste chef-owner Don Bowie shared a photo with Jay-Z.

    4. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. The NBA Hall-of-Famer, media personality, and restaurateur dined at Ninfa’s Uptown in July. Sitting in the main dining room, he posed for pictures with both fans and the restaurant’s staff. After dining on crispy tacos, he left his server a very generous tip.

    5. James Harden's Houston restaurant locked out over $2.2 million in unpaid rent. The former Houston Rocket’s tenure as a restaurant owner came to an abrupt end in September, when the building’s landlord locked out Thirteen for non-payment of rent. Harden opened Thirteen in 2021, shortly after he left the Rockets for the Brooklyn Nets. In July, he signed a two-year, $81.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.

    6. Award-winning Houston steakhouse will close after only 2 years. Although it has achieved success and spots in the Michelin Guide with both Candente and The Pit Room, Sambrooks Hospitality couldn’t find an audience for Andiron, its live fire steakhouse in Montrose. Even after pivoting to a more affordable menu, Andiron wasn’t financially viable. New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre claimed the space for Casa Kenji, a new seafood restaurant that blends Japanese and Latin influences.

    7. Surprise chef resignation shutters The Woodlands' best restaurant. Chef Austin Simmons took two spots in this year’s top 10. The sudden closure of Tris, a fine dining steakhouse that drew celebrities such as Joe Rogan, shocked the Houston community. Bari Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in River Oaks District, will open its second location in the space in early 2026.

    8. Top-rated Houston restaurant will close after 8 years in Montrose. Chef Ryan Lachaine cited the increased costs of operating a restaurant when he announced he would close Riel at the end of August. Food enthusiasts and hospitality workers flooded the restaurant for one final meal of caviar tots, pierogies, and other fan favorites. Lachaine found a new position as the executive chef of River Oaks restaurants State of Grace.

    9. Beloved Houston Italian restaurant will close after 27 years in Montrose. Surely one of this year’s saddest closures is Paulie’s, the Italian restaurant in Montrose, and its companion wine bar Camerata. Owner Paul Petronella said he was unable to agree on lease terms with the building’s landlord. Since the announcement, fans have lined up for one last meal of pastas, salads, and decorated shortbread cookies.

    10. Meet the men behind Houston's most under-the-radar Italian restaurant. In this episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Mimo owners Mike Sammons and chef Fernando Rios share how working together at Da Marco became the basis of a friendship and business partnership. In addition to discussing their decision to open Mimo and how it has achieved success, the episode also includes insights from both men on Marco Wiles, the pioneering Houston chef and restaurateur behind Da Marco, Vinoteca Poscol, and the late, lamented Dolce Vita pizzeria.

    Austin Simmons Charolais restaurant headshot
    Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
    Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.
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