Where to Drink Now

Where to drink now: 10 hot new Houston happy hours with serious dining deals

Feeling the workplace blues? That's not a surprise. The weather has been crappy. Traffic never seems to get better.

Even the weird fried food at the Rodeo seems kind of ho-hum.

Time to shake things up. Gather a few coworkers and head to happy hour. Bond over small bites while basking in the satisfaction of a good deal.

Of course, Houston’s bars and restaurants are always offering tempting new deals to entice patrons to give them a try. If restaurants wants to feed people inexpensively, the least people can do it take them up on it.

One Fifth Romance Languages
In keeping with its theme of serving food inspired by France, Italy, and Spain, Chris Shepherd recently rolled out a menu of tapas-style small plates and cocktails. Priced between $6 and $12, the current options include mushroom arancini with marscapone and pickled shallots, 44 Farms beef carpaccio, and a wood-fired flatbread. Catalan fans take note: Shepherd has brought back that restaurant's popular garlic shrimp. Three cocktails are available for $7. (Daily, 5 to 6:30 pm)
1658 Westheimer; 713-955-1024

Ambrosia
This pan-Asian hidden gem has new energy in the kitchen courtesy of chef Micah Rideout (Tarakaan, Reef, Main Kitchen). The happy hour menu offers a diverse array of dishes priced at $5 and $6, including wasabi shu mai, Yusheng salmon crudo, and karaage with orange curry sauce. Pair them with $7 glasses of wine and $8 cocktails. Don’t miss daily specials such as $5 martinis on Wednesdays and half-price bottles of wine on Thursday. (Sunday through Friday 5 to 7pm; 5 to 9 pm on Monday; 9 to close Friday and Saturday)
2003 Lexington; 832-649-4636

High & Dry Rum Bar
Located above Moving Sidewalk, downtown’s new rum bar has a generous happy hour. Take $2 off specialty cocktails or choose from $5 wines by-the-glass, $5 wells, and $4 draft beers. (Daily, 4 to 7 pm)
306 Main Suite 200

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
The Galleria-area bar and restaurant recently launched happy hour with a simple format of $6 bar bites — pulled pork tacos, a mini burger, Dr Pepper wings, and grilled cheese — paired with $5 Texas draft beers, well drinks, and house wines. (Weekdays, 3 to 6 pm)
4310 Westheimer; 281-501-1187

Night Heron
Agricole Hospitality’s new Montrose spot already features well-priced small plates, but the restaurant's drinks get a little cheaper during happy hour. Enjoy three $5 cocktails (Salty Dog, margarita, or old fashioned) along with three $6 glasses of wine, and three $3 beers, including Eureka Heights’ refreshing Buckle Bunny cream ale. (Weekdays from 2 to 6 pm)
1601 W. Main St.; 713-527-8010

La Calle Tacos y Cantina
To celebrate the opening of its cantina, the downtown taco joint recently launched happy hour that starts with $1 pastor tacos. Pair them with $2 select can beers, $3 select draft beers, $4 house margaritas, $5 premium wells (Bacardi, Bombay Saphhire, Jack Daniels, or Tito’s), $6 Corona caguamas (32-ounce bottle), $8 caguama micheladsa, or $13 buckets of beer. (Weekdays 3 to 7 pm)
909 Franklin; 832-735-8226

Third Coast
The Medical Center’s only fine dining restaurant is offering a special Rodeo-themed happy hour menu until March 17. Considering its proximity to a light rail stop, it’s a solid option for pre-gaming. Choose from small plates priced from $6 to $14 like a bowl of Texas chili, pulled pork slider, and the pizza of the day. Fair food fans can save room for the funnel cake cupcake and deep fried cheesecake. Pair it with a choice of $4 beers, an $8 Texas mule, or a glass of McPherson Cellars Texas sparkling wine ($8). (Weekdays 3 to 7 pm)
6550 Bertner; 713-749-0400

Bayou & Bottle
This lobby bar in downtown’s Four Seasons Hotel is one of Houston’s most luxurious watering holes, but the happy hour is eminently reasonable. Choose from the Old Fashioned or Moscow Mule, well spirits, and or house wines for $8 (or $5 draft beers). Food options include snackable items like a carnitas quesadilla and Korean bbq wings (both $7) or heartier fare like slow cooked salmon ($15) and shrimp and grits ($17). (Daily 7 to 9 pm)
1300 Lamar; 713-276-4715

Chama Gaúcha
The prospect of eating lightly at a Brazilian steakhouse is almost unfathomable, but Chama Gaúcha’s affordable happy hour options are undeniably tempting. Available only in the bar and on the outdoor patio, the menu includes six grilled shrimp ($7.50), two pieces of garlic beef ($8), and two lamb chops ($11); best of all, each entree comes with Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) and a choice of mashed potatoes or fried polenta sticks. (Monday and Tuesday all day; Wednesday through Friday 4:30 to 7 pm and 9 to 11 pm)
5865 Westheimer; 713-244-9500

Grotto Downtown
The downtown location of the popular Italian restaurant offers a wide range of intriguing shareable plates, but the happy hour deals are all about the drinks. Choose from $4 draft beers, $6 wines by-the-glass, and $7 select cocktails. (Weekdays 3 to 7 pm)
1001 Avenida de las Americas, Suite A; 713-658-0752

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Need even more happy hour suggestions? Check out our picks from October and December.

Texas Chili at Third Coast.

Courtesy photo

Texas Chili at Third Coast.

where-drink happy-hours

Food News Roundup

10 things to know in Houston food: Openings, closings, and chefs get spicy

Photo courtesy of Jimmy Changas

Jimmy Changas has opened a new location in Richmond.

Get in, we’re rounding up the latest Houston restaurant happenings. Become a charcuterie board wizard, chow down on steak for a good cause, or toast to barbecue with a Saint Arnold brew. Two restaurants closed while two new spots opened, proving entrepreneurs will always be dreaming up great food. Read on for all this news and more.

Openings and closings

Jimmy Changas, the sister concept of Gringo’s Tex-Mex, has added an outpost in Richmond, marking the brand’s first new location in nine years. The 8,000-square-foot space refreshes the restaurant’s signature design elements with vaulted ceilings, hand-painted murals, and a wraparound bar. A dedicated green space gives families room for kids to play. Patrons can expect the standard Jimmy Changas fare, including sizzling fajitas and spinach enchiladas. Jimmy Changas is now open at 11135 Grand Parkway in Richmond.

Movita Juice Bar, a California-based juice chain, has selected Sugar Land for its first out-of-state location. Highlights of the health-conscious concept include protein smoothies, fresh-pressed juices with zero added sugar, and beverages designed to support hydration, energy, or immunity. Diners can also enjoy açaí bowls topped with fresh fruit, granola, coconut shavings, chia seeds, and peanut butter. Movita Juice Bar is located at 3344A US Highway 6 in Sugar Land.

Homestead Kitchen and Bar, the breakfast-forward restaurant in the M-K-T development, appears to have closed. A user on the Houston Heights Foodies Facebook group posted a lockout notice on the restaurant's door. According to the notice from Triten Real Estate Partners, the landlord took possession of the space due to failure to pay rent, the cessation of continuous operations, and the property being vacated. Restaurateur Jeff Svenvold opened Homestead in 2021, serving dishes inspired by Tex-Mex, Cajun, and Southern cuisine.

Stuff'd Wings has closed its brick-and-mortar location in Midtown. In a post on Facebook, the restaurant said it has chosen to focus on its food truck, which is calls "the heart of our business." The restaurant opened in April 2022, claiming a former Shipley's Do-Nuts on Richmond Ave.

Upcoming food events

Wednesday, May 27

Berg Hospitality’s Trattoria Sofia and GRAZE HTX are partnering together for “Graze & Gather: An Italian Charcuterie Workshop.” Led by Alyssa Malenfant, owner of GRAZE HTX, attendees will learn how to build their own charcuterie board using ingredients from Trattoria Sofia’s menu. The evening will include a wine pairing with selections from Wagner Family of Wines. The workshop will be held at Trattoria Sofia at 6 pm. Tickets are $80.

Monday, June 1

Fancy Chef Steak Night
Johnny’s Gold Brick is hosting a Fancy Chef Steak Night in its parking lot to benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation. This is the final Fancy Chef Steak Night of the season before the series resumes in the fall. CultureMap Tastemaker Award winner Lucas McKinney, executive chef of Josephine’s, will man the grill for June’s dinner. The event is first come, first served, with plates priced at $30. Keep an eye on the bar’s Instagram for more information.

Saturday, June 6

Lankford’s The Woodlands is hosting its inaugural Brisket and Beer Bash. Saint Arnold will take over all 12 taps at the restaurant, pairing its brews with Lankford’s smoked brisket. Tickets are $50 and include a barbecue plate with a half-pound of brisket, smoked sausage, mac and cheese, potato salad, and green beans, alongside a cold draft from Saint Arnold. The Brisket and Beer Bash will run from 10 am-10 pm at 24 Waterway Avenue, Suite 160, in The Woodlands.

Sunday, June 7

At the Ismaili Center’s Spice Routes: The Cardamom Challenge, Houston chefs will go head-to-head to create the most enticing cardamom-centered bite. Attendees can also explore the Center’s permanent art collection, take an architecture tour, sip zero-proof beverages, and browse a marketplace of artisan vendors. Tickets are $75 for adults and $25 for children ages 3-12, with proceeds benefiting Urban Harvest. Spice Routes: The Cardamom Challenge will take place from 11 am-2 pm at the Ismaili Center in Montrose.

New Menu Items

Uptown eateries il Bracco and Balboa Surf Club have added new seasonal dishes to their lineups. At il Bracco, diners can find Italian-inspired bites like a summer burrata salad with heirloom tomatoes and sweet corn in a white balsamic vinaigrette. A pesto rigatoni and linguine vongole have also joined the menu.

Photo courtesy of Jimmy Changas

Jimmy Changas has opened a new location in Richmond.

At Balboa Surf Club, seafood creations like grilled red snapper with avocado-citrus salsa are available Monday through Thursday, while a summer shrimp boil is offered on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Don’t miss the lemon meringue pie, inspired by an etching by American artist Wayne Thiebaud that is part of the Western Addition founder's personal collection.

Midtown bar and comfort food restaurant Winnie's recently refreshed its brunch menu with dishes such as biscoff croissant cinnamon rolls, crawfish pimento queso, The Perfect Peacemaker Po-Boy (made with fried shrimp and fried oysters), Fried Chicken Crunch Wrap Supreme, and pecan praline chicken and waffles. In addition, a DJ sets the mood with an all-vinyl set the hops across genres and eras.

news-you-can-eat openings closings chefs