root, root, root

All the grand-slam restaurant and bar specials every Houston Astros fan should catch for this year's playoff run

Home runs = free milkshakes.

Photo by Becca Wright

The Houston Astros are back in the playoffs where they belong. With the American League’s best record, fans have reason to believe they’ll be root, root, rooting for the home team all the way through the World Series.

And why not? After a dramatic, walk-off, three-run home homer by Yordan Alvarez devastated the Seattle Mariners in a nail-biting, 8-7 Game 1 win on Tuesday, October 11, Houstonians everywhere are ready to pack local bars, and restaurants to cheer the 'Stros on through the championship series.

With that ind mind, we've rounded a number of Houston-area bars and restaurants offering game day specials that are good for pre-game, during the game, post-game, and even the day after. Put on that Bregman or Alvarez jersey and root the team to another championship.

7 Pie
The newly opened pizza chain will sell diners a 12-inch pepperoni pizza for $7 after every Astros win.

Acme Oyster House
The Montrose location of this Louisiana favorite will feature $15 buckets of beer (six bottles or cans) during Astros playoff games. Customers can also take advantage of happy hour (2-6 pm Monday-Friday), which includes $1 raw Gulf Coast oysters, $1 off drafts, $2 off glasses of wine, and $3 off frozens.

Angel Share
The downtown bar opens at noon on game days. Located five blocks from the stadium, it will feature $5 drafts as well as half-off wine and half-off draft and frozen cocktails.

Be More Pacific
This lively Filipino spot in the Heights will take 10-percent off the bills of patrons who both wear Astros gear and sit at the bar. In addition, they’ll offer $3 drafts and $1 off Filipino beers.

Bovine & Barley
The downtown sports bar will offer $4s select beers, $5 bar bites, and take 10-percent off the tabs of people wearing Astros gear.

Brasserie du Parc
Located near Discovery Green, the French restaurant has a number of game day specials. That starts with a bar bites menu offering dishes such as $2 raw or baked oysters, $12 fish and chips, $10 fried shrimp, and an 8-ounce wagyu burger with fries for $10. Drink specials include $5 select beers, $7 glasses of house red or white wine, and $9 select cocktails.

The Burger Joint
All three locations of the popular burger restaurant will provide dine-in customers with free milkshakes every time an Astros player hits a home run.

Craft Pita
Buy two get one free dip at this Briargrove restaurant. Choices include hummus, spicy hummus, labneh, and babaganoush.

Ducky McShweeney’s Irish Pub
The Galleria-area bar and restaurant will offer specials that include a bucket of beer and cheese pizza for $25 as well as Astros-themed frozen cocktails.

Eight Row Flint
Agricole Hospitality’s casual bar will feature $5 game day nachos and hot dogs. Pair it with the Astros Thriller, a bucket of Karbach Crawford Bach and shots.

El Big Bad
Head to this margarita bar near Market Square for a Gameday Dog: a smoked sausage link topped with chopped fries, caramelized onions, and burger sauce ($4.50). As the restaurant advises, diners may want a fork.

Feges BBQ
The Spring Branch location has a number of specials, including $12 smoked meatballs, 10 wings for $15, 1-pound of rib tips for $10, $10 chopped brisket or pulled pork sandwiches, $10 half hog platter, and $8 Frito pie. Pair it with $3 select beers, and half-off select wines by-the-glass, and discounts on frozen margaritas.

Henderson Heights
Get $2 corn dogs during Astros games at this Washington Avenue spot that has 22 TVs. Diners will also find rotating drinks specials.

J-Bar-M Barbecue
The EaDo barbecue joint is offering eight smoked wings with a Lone Star beer for $15. Watch the game on one of the restaurant’s 13 TVs.

KP’s Kitchen
The Memorial-area favorite is offering 20-percent off its family pack to-go meals when customers say the word Astros when order. Choices include chicken tenders, baby back ribs, and burgers.

Monkey’s Tail
Get $12 Tecate Lite buckets at this bar in Lindale Park. In addition, sample a frozen Orange for $6 during happy hour.

Pitch 25
Located near the stadium, the soccer-themed bar will open at noon for Astros day game. Look for drinks specials such as the Space City margarita and the Orbit, an orange piña colada.

Ribeye & Rye
Get a free shot or mocktail every time the Astros score.

Riel
The Montrose restaurant will honor Lance McCullers, Jr. with its $7 LMJ shandy. In addition, look for special ballpark-themed bites (hot dogs, etc.) during happy hour (Monday-Friday, 5-6:30 pm).

Sticky’s Chicken
The Sawyer Yards favorite will celebrate every Astros win by giving customers two free wings over rice.

Tikila’s
The Heights-area patio bar will open at 2 pm on Thursday for the Astros game. Specials include half-off whiskey and $7 beer and shot specials. On Saturday and Sunday, fans wearing Astros gear will get 10-percent off their tabs. Best of all, every home run means free Jell-O shots.

Tobiuo Sushi & Bar
Customers wearing Astros gear get half-off yakitori skewers and $2 glasses of hot sake (wagyu excluded).

Underground Hall
The downtown food hall is serving $4 Crawford Bocks all day on game day.

The Upside Pub
Newly opened in Garden Oaks, this casual bar will feature $12 pitchers and free shots of beer for every home run. Food specials include a bacon-wrapped hot dog that’s topped with queso.

William Price Distilling
During any playoff game, get $5 beer, $5 house shot, and $9 frozen cocktails at this distillery in Garden Oaks-Oak Forest.

Xochi
Located next to Discovery Green, Hugo Ortega’s Oaxacan restaurant offers a $22 Tlayuda de Res (a large, thin Oaxacan tortilla topped with black beans, housemade quesillo, grilled skirt steak, chichilo mole and fresh greens) and choice of draft beer for $22 plus tax & gratuity.

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rumor no more

East Coast-style Austin pizzeria confirms plans to open in the Heights

Home Slice Pizza Heights location rendering

Courtesy of the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

A rendering previews Home Slice Pizza's new location in the Heights.

One of Austin’s pizzerias is expanding its presence in Houston. Home Slice Pizza has claimed the former Mapojeong space in the Heights (602 Studewood) for a new location that will open in the fall of 2026.

Founder Joseph Strickland tells CultureMap that Home Slice wanted to add a second Houston location that would build on the success of its Midtown restaurant that opened in late 2022. Unlike Midtown, which is counter service and offers limited seating, the Heights location will offer full service, an expanded menu, and cocktails, which is in line with Home Slice’s North Austin location.

“We saw a lot of synergy in North Austin and the Heights,” Strickland says. “They have a similar feel, a lot of families, a lot of people looking to get together in big groups. There’s also a robust bar scene on White Oak that we’re happy to be part of.”

Strickland says Home Slice had several requirements for a new location, including a larger dining room than Midtown, a decent-sized parking lot, and enough kitchen capacity to serve both dine-in and larger to-go orders. Not only did they find the right building, but they established a productive relationship with the property’s owner, Revive Development, the Houston-based firm that also owns properties that are home to Loro, Squable, Camaraderie, and the Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks.

“It was hard to believe at first. The more we talked with the Revive folks, there was a lot of alignment and opportunity for us to expand what we’re showing Houston,” Stickland says.

Home Slice is working with the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to renovate the building. Strickland notes that it will require some extensive changes, including removing the butcher shop that was installed as part of its iteration as Ritual, a steakhouse that closed in 2021. Assuming everything goes according to plan, the restaurant should open sometime in the fall of 2026.

Home Slice Pizza food spread Home Slice serves New York-style pizza.Photo by Garrett Smith

Once open, Home Slice will serve its East Coast-inspired menu of New York-style pizzas (whole or by-the-slice), hot and cold Italian deli sandwiches, salads, and desserts — all of which utilize dough or bread that’s made in-house. In particular, the restaurant is known for its white clam pizza, as well as classics such as pepperoni and mushroom or sausage with ricotta and roasted peppers. In 2024, the Houston Press awarded “Best Sandwich” to the restaurant’s Italian Assorted, which is made with ham, dry salami, capicola, genoa salami, vegetables, provolone, mayo, and oil & vinegar.

Critically, the Heights Home Slice location will add wings to the New York and Sicilian-style pizzas, salads, and sandwiches that the restaurant serves in Midtown. Inspired by the wings served at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, Home Slice keeps its wings simple — medium or hot and served with a house made blue cheese dressing. “It goes with our pizza quite wonderfully,” Stickland says.

He hopes that the the wide-ranging menu, flexible menu, and late night hours will appeal to Heights locals, people patronizing the nearby bars on White Oak, and anyone else looking for a slice and a drink. The larger location and full service should make home slice an option for date nights, office happy hours, any just about any other occasion.

“We hope the neighborhood will be happy to have another offering that’s like ours, where you can bring a first date or your office or go by yourself. We offer all those experiences,” Strickland says.

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