Best Bars to Watch BCS

Where to watch college football's biggest game: 5 top bars to cheer on Auburn or Florida State

Any sports bar worth its salt will be showing the BCS Championship game Monday night. With a promise of no Heisman Hangover from Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and the unexpected journey that landed Auburn in the title game, it should be an exciting game. If you want to watch it with a rabid crowd in Houston to see which team clutches the glorious crystal trophy, here are five top bars that offer a little something extra:

Auburn fans unite

Wear your orange and blue gear and cheer with Auburn alums at Midtown Drinkery. Hosted by the Greater Houston Auburn Club, hundreds of fans turned out for the last watch party when Auburn defeated Alabama in one of the wildest finishes ever. Expect an even bigger turnout for the championship game as the bar has become a lucky charm for Tiger fans.

Specials include $5 “Pint the Power” (buy the beer keep the glass), $10 domestic buckets, and $3 well drinks.

Florida State fans gather

Not rooting for the underdog? The Florida State Alumni Association is organizing a watching party of their own at Bubba’s on Washington where you can enjoy specials like $3.50 well drinks, $9.75 domestic pitchers, and $11 import pitchers.

Food here is Texas-sized, with huge wings grilled to perfection and gigantic burgers.

A really big screen

Nestled between BBVA Compass Stadium and Minute Maid Park, Lucky’s Pub boasts the largest HD TVs in Houston. Munch on their addictive Philly Egg Rolls and watch the game on the 20-foot (yes, we said foot) HD screen in the main room. Or enjoy watching the game on one of 50 TV screens sprinkled through one of Houston’s most iconic sports bars.

All-night happy hour specials

If you’re looking to stray from the typical sports bar, check out D & T Drive Inn. Having been open a little under six months, D & T’s innovative, chef-driven food menu and carefully curated beer list has earned well-deserved buzz among food-snobs and beer nerds. However, the owners don’t see their menu as anything precious and strive to be a neighborhood bar that makes patrons feel comfortable the moment they set foot in the bar.

D & T will be showing the championship game on all of their TVs, with all-day happy hour specials: $4 pints and $7 jugs (equivalent of two pints) on selected beers, Or you can get a pint and a bratwurst for $10.

Football & food

Picked by Houston Press as one of the top five sports bars in Houston for healthy eating (huh?), whether you’re a fan of their edamame and veggie burger or — if you’re like us, their deep fried cheese burger and chicken fried ribeye, anyone can find something to satisfy their cravings at the Houston Texans Grille. If you choose to watch the championship bowl game at this popular spot in CityCentre, get there early to get a good parking spot and prime seats.

Auburn fans turned out at the Midtown Drinkery for the big win against Alabama. They'll be back for the BCS Championship game.

Courtesy photo

Auburn fans turned out at the Midtown Drinkery for the big win against Alabama. They'll be back for the BCS Championship game.

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an offer he couldn't refuse

Exclusive: Killen's Barbecue will soon shutter in The Woodlands

Killen's barbecue meat platter with sides

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

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Fans of Killen’s Barbecue’s location in The Woodlands have a days to make one last visit. The restaurant will close this Sunday, December 7, chef-owner Ronnie Killen tells CultureMap.

Open since 2021, Killen says that he’s in final negotiations to sell the location at 8800 Six Pines Dr. to Whataburger for a new location of the iconic Texas fast food restaurant. Neither the original location of Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland nor its Cypress location are affected by the closure of The Woodlands and will remain open.

“Whataburger made me a deal I couldn’t pass up. It would take 10 years to do that kind of revenue,” Killen writes in a text, adding that the company recently made a significant payment to keep the deal’s window open through the end of the year.

He added that the costs to operate the restaurant have gone up significantly. As one example, a cord of wood cost $175 when he opened the first Killen’s Barbecue in 2013. It costs $475 now, he writes.

If the deal falls through, Killen states that he could look for a new buyer or convert the restaurant into a second location of Killen’s Burger, the retro-styled burger joint he operates in Pearland.

The restaurant’s closure had been expected since February, when Killen sold The Woodlands’ location of Killen's Steakhouse. At the time, Killen said he also planned to find a buyer for his barbecue joint in the bustling suburb. He cited the driving distance from Pearland to The Woodlands as one reason he chose to divest both locations. He still operates Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland, comfort food restaurant Killen's near the Heights, Killen's Burger, and three other locations of Killen's Barbecue.

As it approaches its 13th anniversary in the spring, Killen’s Barbecue remains a vital part of Houston’s barbecue scene. The restaurant recently earned an honorable mention from Texas Monthly and holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. In July, it opened a new location at Hobby Airport.

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