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    Happy hour Deals

    9 best new happy hour deals in Houston let you drink and eat well on the cheap

    Marcy de Luna
    May 30, 2017 | 10:12 am

    There's no better time than the present to sneak out early for happy hour. And while there’s no shortage of killer happy hours in H-Town, we could always use a few more. Read on for the nine best new happy hour specials in H-Town, both at recently-open spots and at familiar faves. Because all work and no play would be pretty dull.

    FM Kitchen and Bar
    All our happy hour goals come true at FM Kitchen and Bar, near Washington Ave. Every beer in the house — there are more than 40 total by the can, bottle and tap — is on special ($1 off), along with a half dozen craft cocktails ($1 off), like the watermelon mule mixed with melon vodka, fresh watermelon juice, and ginger beer. Work up a thirst while you play a game of Bocce, Connect Four or cornhole on the patio. (Weekdays; 4-7 pm)
    1112 Shepherd Dr.; 832-804-6006

    Worcester's Annex
    Happy hours are a dime a dozen, but Heights bar Worcester's Annex takes it to a whole new level, offering all 26 house cocktails, including the Fino Fresca with sherry, watermelon juice, Absinthe, lemon juice and cucumber ($4) and Ten Cent Pistol ($6), a blend of rye whisky, aperitif, dry vermouth, and muddled peaches, for 50 percent off. (Weekdays; 4-6 pm)
    1433 N. Shepherd Dr.; 713- 862-4748

    Le Colonial
    You don’t have to settle for mediocre sips and bites when you can score delicious eats ($8), like banh mi sliders and crispy frites with Vietnamese spices served with spicy aioli, and refreshing cocktails ($8), including the Crimson Crush made with pink grapefruit flavored vodka, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, and topped with Sprite, for a deal during social hour at posh River Oaks District spot, Le Colonial. (Monday-Saturday; 5-7 pm)
    4444 Westheimer Rd G-140; 713-629-4444

    Relish
    At Upper Kirby’s Relish, drinks deals abound on the happy hour menu. All 20 cocktails, both classic and creative like Relish Rosé 75 made with gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and sparkling rosé, are on special ($6 each), as well as craft beers ($5). Also on the menu: a burger and fries combo ($10), kale salad ($10), and deviled eggs ($1 each). (Weekdays; 3-6 pm)
    2810 Westheimer Rd.; 713-599-1960

    Provisions
    Provisions, which shares a roof with its more upscale sibling The Pass, throws it back with “The Original Po' Boy,” stacked with mortadella, capocolla, provolone, mayo, chow chow, pepper relish, lettuce, and tomato ($10), a nod to the original Antone's Famous Po' Boys & Deli, which occupied the building for more than 50 years. The roster of seven bites also features a kale and red oak salad ($8) and a margherita pizza ($12). Thirst quenchers include an Old Fashioned ($6), red and white wines by the glass ($5), and beer ($4). (Daily; 2:30-6 pm)
    807 Taft St.; 713-628-9020

    Heights Bier Garten
    This laid-back neighborhood spot’s name doesn't lie. At Heights Bier Garten, there are more than 45 beers on tap, with nearly half, including hoppy Bell’s Brewery Two Hearted Ale and Brash Cortado coffee milk stout, available for a mere $3 each during happy hour. What’s more, wines by the glass are 50 percent off. (Weekdays; 3-6 pm)
    1433 Shepherd Dr.; 713-862-4940

    Killen’s Steakhouse
    Time flies when you're having fun, which makes the newly revamped — and extended — happy hour menu at Killen’s Steakhouse all the more alluring. Dig into fare (think shrimp po' boy sliders, $12, and chicken fried steak bites, $12) and imbibe craft cocktails like the St. Rita, a combination of tequila, elderflower liqueur, and fresh lime juice ($7). (Monday-Tuesday from 3:30-9 pm; Wednesday-Friday from 3:30-6:30 pm)
    6425 Broadway St., Pearland, 281-485-0844

    King's BierHaus
    During happy hour at the Heights locale of King's Biergarten, the kitchen serves up specialty bites ($5) like a giant beer pretzel and Bavarian fried pickles, while the bar offers draft beers ($6) and cocktails ($7), from a strawberry mojito to a frozen Dark and Stormy. (Weekdays; 3-6 pm)
    2044 East T C Jester Blvd.; 281-990-3042

    Star Fish
    Martinis and oysters go together like peas and carrots. Making the killer combo happen for a deal during happy hour is Star Fish restaurant. Discounted Gulf ($1) and Atlantic ($2) oysters are joined by five different martinis ($5 each) from traditional to the Debutante made with cranberry vodka, vermouth, and lime juice. Specially priced wines by the glass ($5), craft beers ($5), and a house Old Fashioned ($5) can also be yours. Here, happy hour launches Thursday. Good things come to those who wait. (Weekdays; 4-6 pm).
    191 Heights Blvd.; 832-831-9820

    The Watermelon Mule at FM Kitchen and Bar is mixed with melon vodka, fresh watermelon juice, and ginger beer.

    Houston, new happy hour deals, May 2017, Watermelon Mule, FM Kitchen and Bar
    Courtesy photo
    The Watermelon Mule at FM Kitchen and Bar is mixed with melon vodka, fresh watermelon juice, and ginger beer.
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    firing up Montrose

    New Houston seafood restaurant adds live-fire flair to Japanese flavors

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 3, 2025 | 10:02 am
    Casa Kenji restaurant
    Photo by Becca Wright
    Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.

    An ambitious new seafood restaurant is coming to Montrose next week. Casa Kenji will open on Tuesday, December 9.

    Located in the former Andiron space (3201 Allen Pkwy), Casa Kenji is the first Houston project for New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre, a former LSU standout who played briefly in the NFL before establishing Kenji and Kenji Kazoku restaurants in New Orleans. Together with former LSU teammate John “B-John” Ballis and Houston chef Bigler “Biggie” Cruz, Casa Kenji will blend Latin and Japanese influences while also incorporating live-fire elements into the restaurant’s dishes. Cruz, whose resume includes a lengthy stint at Uchi as well as working at critically acclaimed Houston seafood restaurant Golfstrømmen, tells CultureMap that Casa Kenji’s approach is the first time he can be himself in the kitchen.

    “My perfect restaurant was always based on the live fire and sushi combination,” Cruz says. “My mom cooked with wood for my entire life. The live fire creates completely different flavors. The smoky flavors, the sear from the charcoal — they create a different type of memory for me.”

    The use of live fire techniques will permeate Casa Kenji’s menus in ways both big and small. For example, diners will be able to feast on prawns grilled directly on charcoal and served with yuzu chili garlic, or savor lightly seared Japanese wagyu tataki paired with mushrooms. Even raw dishes will benefit from the restaurant’s wood-burning grill and stove.

    “Every vegetable we peel, we make into an ash that’s a topping for the dishes. It adds a different layer of flavor,” Cruz says. Look for it in the scallop aguachile, among others.

    Even vegetables get a smoky component, as in a cabbage dish that’s braised with dashi and soy sauce before being roasted and served with an onion soubise that Cruz says he developed based on techniques he learned from Golfstrømmen chef Christopher Haatuft.

    “It’s rich, super savory, with smoky layers, and you get brightness from the shiso gremolata. I think it will be a signature dish for us,” the chef says.

    One change to the interior is the addition of a six-seat omakase counter that looks into the kitchen. Cruz promises those diners will have an even more elevated experience than the restaurant’s regular menu, including ingredients such as Japanese wagyu and premium fish flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market.

    Beyond its cuisine, Casa Kenji hopes to stand out with its spacious outdoor patio. Since very few Japanese-inspired restaurants in Houston offer outdoor seating, it should appeal to diners who want a little vitamin D along with their tuna crudo.

    “We’re proud to showcase the craft and creativity that defines Casa Kenji,” co-founders Cruz, Ballis, and DuPre said in a statement. “With chef Bigler Cruz at the helm — blending live-fire technique with the discipline of Japanese tradition — we’re equally honored and excited to share a unique concept that is truly rooted in passion, culture, and community.”

    Casa Kenji will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday beginning at 4 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.

    Casa Kenji restaurant

    Photo by Becca Wright

    Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.

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