World Cup Viewing Guide

Where to Watch the World Cup: Sooooooooo many choices to get in on the action

The World Cup is back, which means it's the one time every four years that even casual U.S. sports fans pay attention to international ~~soccer~~ football. While you can always watch the games at home, the event is always more fun to take in with a group of fans (also, drinks). Something about the emotion of the crowd makes the low-scoring games more compelling.

With 64 matches scheduled to be televised between now and July 13, opportunities abound to catch a game at a neighborhood bar or restaurant because just about every food or drink emporium in town plans to get in on the action. Here are some of our prime choices. Be sure and add your favorite in the comments section below.

Richmond Arms Pub

The venerable English pub is a football-watching staple. This year, the bar has new, larger TV screens and a World Cup raffle. For every game you watch in the pub, you earn a raffle ticket for prizes like a framed and signed Germany jersey, soccer balls and other World Cup prizes and paraphernalia. Even if your team loses, you can go home a winner.

Hours: Doors open at 9 a.m. for 10:30 a.m. games.

House of Blues

Not only is House of Blues showing all of the games with food and drink specials, but the downtown emporium is throwing quite the party to get excited for the matches. Kick It! Live, a Brazilian Bash will take place Friday. Check out the website for more information.

Hours: Open for all matches, Happy hour 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

El Big Bad

With three projectors and 10 different TVs showing every game with full sound, El Big Bad is not messing around when it comes to their viewing party. Chef Jonathan Jones will be serving wings along with other daily specials including $5 fresh juice and 100% Blue Agave house margaritas.

Hours: Doors open at 10 a.m. on match days.

Local Pour

Besides televising every World Cup game with signature World Cup Budweiser cans and the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for the ultimate viewing party, Local Pour is kicking off Team USA's inaugural appearance on Monday June 16 with a celebration. Houston Dynamo players Corey Ashe, Giles Barnes and teammates will be in attendance and available for pictures and autographs at the River Oaks hotspot. Team USA goes up against Ghana, with a 5:30 p.m. start time. Doors open at 4 p.m. and a suggested donation at the door will benefit Houston Dynamo Charities.

Hours: Monday through Thursday 4 p.m. - 2 a.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 2 a.m., Saturday 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Springbok

This newly opened downtown, South African rugby pub is open for World Cup viewing even though its kitchen isn't quite ready to serve food. Cheer on your team with $5 wells and $1 off beers while enjoying free bar bites. Get the traditional South African experience and try a shandy, available in a variety of seasonal flavors.

Hours: 3 p.m and on for all World Cup games.

Latin Bites

For a more reserved viewing, watch your team on the four plasma HDTVs at the bar, dining room or patio while enjoying $4 house white and red wine, $5 sangrias, $7 select cocktails and $3 beer options including an extensive selection of beers from World Cup participating countries.

Hours: 11 a.m. - 2:30, 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

MKT Bar

Phoenicia's MKT Bar is showing every game with Messi 60oz craft beer pitchers ($15), Ronaldo international beer bottles for $1 off and Pirlo's pizza specials for $2 off.

Hours: Monday through Wednesday 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Thursday through Friday 7 a.m. - 2 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 a.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

D&T Drive Inn

The popular craft beer ice house in the Heights is extending its regular hours to broadcast all of the games. Sip on the signature frozen shandy and chow down on food created by chef Steven Ripley. Non-alcoholic beverages are available as well.

Hours: Monday through Friday 3 p.m. - Midnight, Saturday Noon - 1 a.m. and Sunday Noon - Midnight

Bar Munich

There aren't any drink specials currently on their website, but this German bar has been a reoccurring hot spot for Fußball — and the German team is a favorite to win the World Cup. The bar will be sure to open early, at 11 a.m., for a number of games.

Hours: Monday through Wednesday 4 p.m. - Midnight, Thursday through Friday 4 p.m. - 2 a.m., Saturday Noon - 2 a.m. and Sunday Noon - Midnight.

The Hay Merchant

This hot spot for craft food and beer has decided to open its doors early at 11 a.m. Friday June 13, June 20 and June 27. IT will also open at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday June 26 for fans of the U.S. vs. Germany game.

Hours: Monday through Friday 3 p.m. - 2 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Need even more World Cup options? Check out these other sporty spots around town: McElroy's, Galway Hooker Irish Pub, Pimlico and The League Brewpub. While we think these picks are solid, anyone with a rooting interest for a specific country should check out this excellent breakdown at Houstonia. Confused about the whole thing? Vox answers 10 basic questions.

Now that you have an ample amount of viewing spots, all you have to worry about is coordinating your own viewing schedule.

Bar Munich is guaranteed to be packed with fans.

Photo via Bar Munich Facebook

Bar Munich is guaranteed to be packed with fans.

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Beard Award-winning Houston chef's new restaurant now open in Montrose

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

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Houston may be home to an ever-increasing number of James Beard Award-winning chefs, but a new restaurant from a JBA winner is still a special moment in the city’s culinary landscape.

Which means the city’s dining enthusiasts are undeniably excited to welcome House of Louie, the new project Justin Yu, winner of Best Chef: Southwest in 2016 for Oxheart, his groundbreaking, vegetable-focused tasting menu restaurant. He placed it with Theodore Rex, a modern American restaurant that holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. Part of Thorough Fare, the company he co-owns with Anvil founder Bobby Heugel, House of Louie is the group’s first new restaurant since Squable opened in 2019 and first opening since Heights cocktail bar Donna’s debuted last year.

As Yu explained on a July episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, the decision to open House of Louie came about from the opportunity to buy the property at 1931 Fairview that had been home to the original location of healthy-eating concept Vibrant.

“The real estate came at the right time. The space is beautiful. We’re so lucky to be part of this neighborhood,” Yu explained.

As for the name, Yu is honoring a Chinese restaurant his aunts operated in Southern California for more than 30 years. The original House of Louie hosted many family celebrations, and it’s also the first restaurant he worked in as a dishwasher.

“It was one of those places where there was a little more to it than what you expected. That’s the restaurant I want to have here,” Yu said. Later, he added, “It’s how I fell in love with restaurants.”

Inspired primarily by French and Italian cuisine, meals at House of Louie begin with cold dishes such as the house salad with lettuce, cheese, charcuterie, and quail eggs; marinated plums; yellowtail crudo; or “Nervetti,” thinly-sliced beef tendon with onions that’s finished with sherry and vinegar.

“I think beef tendon is really accepted in Houston, especially because we have a strong pho culture. Tendon can be a little out there, but it has a beautiful melting texture,” Yu said.

From there, diners may choose from a selection of shareable small plates such as mushroom and peppers with spicy ratatouille, squash with king salmon, or one of three pastas, all of which are made in house. The pici pasta is a thin, handmade pasta that gets some crunch from crispy chicken skin.

Entrees lean classic, with items like red snapper with beurre blanc, grilled duck that gets a boost of umami from colatura (an Italian take on fish sauce), and a Texas wagyu couotte that’s served with a sauce of madeira and onions. The French dip from Yuston’s, Yu’s homage to celebrated American grill Houston’s, is also available.

“The type of place we want to be is — if you feel like you’re a little underdressed, it’s okay to come in and get amazing service and great food. And also spend hours ahead of time picking out your outfit and coming out for a date night or a friend’s night or a night out with the guys,” Yu said.

“It’s a place that’s going to have a sandwich and makes its own fries. We’re also going to have really aggressive dishes that swing for the fences and push the limits of creativity, even though its slightly rustic.”

Yu worked with Garnish Design (Milton’s, Tiny Champions), ObjektFab, and Ford Design Finishes to transform Vibrant into House of Louie. Overall, the room has a modern feel — almost like your cool uncle’s living room. The design speaks to the kind of atmosphere Yu is aiming to achieve.

“More than anything, I want people to connect with the restaurant. If we accidentally get a Michelin Star because we do all the things the right way, and cook excellent food, and take care of all the little details . . . I wouldn’t be mad. That’s our goal in the first place,” he said.

Joining the project are general manager Tyler Jay Wang (most recently of Donna’s) and executive chef Kirk Thompson, who worked for various Underbelly Hospitality concepts and served as the executive chef at Leo’s River Oaks when it won Best New Restaurant in the 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Diners may also recognize bartenders Lainey Collum (most recently of Monkey’s Tail) and Máté Hartai (Lee’s, Refuge).

House of Louie is currently open for dinner daily beginning at 4:30 pm. Friday lunch and weekend brunch service will begin in the coming weeks.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

House of Louie is now open in Montrose.