where to eat in Houston now

15 Houston eateries celebrating Halloween with spooky bites and sips

HiFi, the vinyl-centered cocktail bar in The Finn, is serving Halloween-themed cocktails this October.

Photo courtesy of The Finn

Ghouls and goblins, it’s that time of the year when the weird, wonderful, and otherworldly become the norm—and Houston is ready. Witchcraft lessons, tarot card readings, a masquerade dinner party, Día de los Muertos celebrations, whatever paranormal experience you’re searching for, Houston bars and restaurants have it covered. Whether you’re a Halloween devotee or just along for the ride, we’ve gathered some of the top haunted happenings in Houston this month.

Aye Candy’s Halloween Bash
What better spot to celebrate Halloween than at a candy-themed speakeasy? The Spring Branch bar is hosting two nights of frightening fun (Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1) with music, dancing, and a costume contest with cash prizes.

Betelgeuse Betelgeuse
Both locations of the space-themed cocktail bar and pizzeria go all out for Halloween with over-the-top decor and a themed food and drink menu. Details are still being finalized, but the crew shared this sneak peek on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Betelgeuse Betelgeuse (@betelgeusehou)

Botonica’s The Cursed Cauldron
The Cursed Cauldron is emerging for its third appearance in Houston, but this time, it has a home of its own at co-founder Alexis Mijares’ Botanica. The two-story bar has been segmented into three unique spaces: The Apotheca Room, Nightshade Parlor, and Coven’s Haunt. Highlights include Oshun’s Offering (Bacardi Rum, pumpkin, brown butter, almond, orange liquor, and lime) and festive bites such as the Char-Boo-terie Board. Check out the website for a list of weekly activations, from burlesque to tarot to witchcraft classes. Cursed Cauldron runs from October 3-November 2, inside Botonica.

Brasserie 19’s The Haunting of Versailles.
The River Oaks restaurant's annual Halloween bash promises all the opulence of Marie Antoinette’s court. Couture costumes and cocktails from Moët Hennessy will add to the ambiance, while patrons can dance to a DJ’s tunes or try their luck in the costume contest. The merriment continues at the Le Spectacle de Merde brunch on Sunday, with music by DJ GFunk and sips by Campari. The Haunting of Versailles is Saturday, October 25, from 7 pm-1 am, and Le Spectacle de Merde is Sunday, October 26, from 12:30-4:30 pm.

Brennan's Witchy Brunch
Abracadabra — Brennan’s is conjuring a witchy brunch on Friday, October 31. The $35 two-course brunch menu will be announced soon and will include optional upgrades. Secure a spot soon — the October 25 brunch has already sold out. Witchy Brunch at Brennan's is Friday, October 31, from 10 am-2 pm.

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine’s Día de los Muertos Celebration
Toast to those you’ve loved and lost at Gloria’s Latin Cuisine in Midtown on November 1. The restaurant will be decked out in vibrant decor, and patrons are invited to dress to impress in attire inspired by La Catrina or sugar skulls. VIP bottle service is available for purchase, featuring LALO tequila, while live Latin music and DJs will keep the dance floor lively. The Día de los Muertos Celebration is Saturday, November 1, beginning at 11 pm.

Goode Co. Kitchen and Cantina’s Halloween Night Soiree
Longtime Goode Co. fans will delight in this homage to the parties held when the restaurant's River Oaks location was home to La Griglia. The inaugural soiree is set to be an annual tradition, welcoming patrons to a night of live music from a mariachi band and DJ, door prizes, and a costume contest. Expect bites like shrimp taquitos and duck tinga memelas, plus a mezcal-kissed Corpse Reviver. General admission is $50, while private tables and bottle service can be secured for $200 for four and $300 for six people. Goode Co. Kitchen and Cantina’s 21-plus Halloween soiree is Friday, October 31, from 7 pm to midnight.

HiFi at the Finn’s Spookeasy
The cocktail lounge for vinyl enthusiasts is converting into a Spookeasy this Halloween season. During the week of Halloween, spine-chilling drinks will take center stage at the bar, including Sin at the Finn, a gin-based cocktail mixed with beet-apple chutney, lemon, and egg white, topped with a candied hibiscus flower. For a smokier option, try the Agave Cemetery, a cinnamon-fig tequila creation with grapefruit and a palo santo smoke rim served in a black flask glass. The spooky week culminates with Prohibition Burlesque and a costume contest on Friday, October 31, from 8:30 pm-midnight. The bar is marking Día de los Muertos with a themed music set on Saturday, November 1, including a vinyl record ofrenda honoring deceased artists displayed in front of the marquee. HiFi has extended hours for the pop-up and is open nightly October 27–31.

Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge’s Dead Man Manor
Enter this Victorian gothic pop-up if you dare. Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge is getting into the spirit of the season with free events occurring throughout the month, ranging from Tarot Tuesdays to a masquerade singles mixer. The retro-inspired cocktail bar needs two nights to rage for Halloween, with costume parties set for October 30 and 31. While Día de los Muertos will be celebrated on November 1 and 2 with a community ofrenda, where patrons can contribute photos of their loved ones.

Halloween at KP's Kitchen
Newly hired chef Richard Knight is preparing two specials menus at the restaurant's Bellaire location on Friday, October 31. The first is a five-course wine dinner featuring vintages such as Veuve Clicquot, Chablis Grand Cru, and port. Priced at $95, tickets are available via Resy. The second is a four-course dinner featuring different expressions of Woodford Reserve bourbon. Tickets are also $95.

The Marigold Club's Marigold Masquerade
One of Houston’s most beautiful restaurants is playing host to a masquerade. On All Hallows’ Eve, decked-out diners can participate in a costume contest and anticipate spooky surprises at the French-inspired eatery. The lively dinner service at The Marigold Club takes place on Friday, October 31, beginning at 5 pm.

Meow Wolf’s The Cosmic Howl
The immersive art experience is preparing a haunting good time for its 1st birthday party with The Cosmic Howl on October 31. The 21-plus event will feature music by Swimwear Dept and DJ Brandon Airlines, along with roaming performers, tarot readers, and a costume contest. Cowboix Hevven, the underworldly dive bar tucked inside Meow Wolf, will have specialty cocktails. For those who can’t make the birthday bash, there’s a Halloween Drag Show on October 17 from 7 pm-11 pm. The Cosmic Howl is Friday, October 31, from 8 pm-12 am.

Black Lagoon at Nickel City
Think of this self-described "immersive, creepy-as-hell cocktail experience" as the Halloween equivalent of the Christmastime Miracle pop-up. Created by New Orleans bartenders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, Black Lagoon features detailed Halloween decor and a themed menu of sips in special glasses and mugs. It runs from October 13 - November 1.

Októ’s Vampire Ball
The Montrose Mediterranean restaurant is throwing its first-ever Vampire Ball. Beginning at 8 pm on Halloween night, the restaurant’s bar will come alive with the sounds of a DJ spinning tunes. On-theme libations will be available, and patrons are encouraged to dress for the unearthly night. Regular dinner reservations will still be available for those who want to dine before dancing. The Vampire Ball happens on Friday, October 31, at 8 pm.

Trash Panda Drinking Pub’s Threk
The most millennial of all Halloween events is at Trash Panda, where the bar is paying homage to the beloved Oscar-winning film, Shrek. Sip on handcrafted cocktails like the Swamp Ass, a spiced rum drink with peach, onion, and lemon, served in a Shrek mug. Or, opt for The Morning After Swamp, which combines Jim Beam with Aztec chocolate and butter (in a Puss in Boots mug). Food options include the Donkey Meal burrito and Duloc chili cheese curly fries. The Threk pop-up is at Trash Panda through October 31.

Courtesy of Brasserie 19

Halloween is always a night to remember at Brasserie 19.

where-to-eat nightlife cocktails holidays sponsored section2285507293

firing up Montrose

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

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.

Photo by Becca Wright

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