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    Where to Eat on July 4th

    These Houston restaurants are serving food and drink specials on July 4th

    Holly Beretto
    Jun 30, 2025 | 12:45 pm

    Restaurants across the Houston area are celebrating Independence Day with a variety of food and drink specials. From hot dogs and margaritas to a special menu prepared by one of Houston's best sushi chefs, we've rounded up more than a dozen options. Celebrate Independence Day with the freedom to eat from Houston’s incredible melting pot of flavors. Restaurants and bars across the city have an array of options for the holiday.

    Aya Sushi
    The sushi standout will serve a special $74 Independence Day omakase menu from 5-10 pm. The a la carte menu is available as well.

    Brennan’s of Houston
    The Midtown classic will offers its signature Jazz Brunch from Friday, July 4 to Sunday, July 7, with popular dishes such as Texas shrimp and grits, turtle soup, and Bananas Foster. Diners can also select from an array of French 75 cocktails. Brunch is available on Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. Reservations recommended.

    Chardon
    The French restaurant at the Thompson Hotel opens at 3 pm serving an all-day happy hour menu in the bar, lounge, and patio, which includes all canned beer for $4, plus a new Watermelon-Tarragon & Tequila cocktail for $8. Pair it with the new Merquez sandwich of roasted eggplant, harissa yogurt, and watercress on a French baguette and served with duck fat fries for $8.

    Chez Nous
    The cosy Humble French favorite has a take-and-bake package for those wishing to celebrate at home. Get braised Wagyu short ribs, house slaw with Champagne vinaigrette, and garlic-and-herb-roasted fingerling potatoes for two for $95 or for four for $190. Orders must be placed by July 2 and can be picked up on July 3 from noon to 2 pm. Order online.

    Duck N Bao
    Celebrate the Fourth with A Dance of Fire and Ice for just $5 at the Memorial and Rice Village locations. This half-red, half-blue cocktail is layers of vodka, Blue Curacao, Cointreau, grenadine, and soda water, providing a patriotic accompaniment to a dim sum feast.

    Fielding’s River Oaks
    Enjoy the restaurant’s signature weekend brunch on Friday, July 4 from 11 am to 3 pm. Guests can also opt for patriotic specials and festive drinks throughout the holiday weekend. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online.

    Good God Nadine’s
    This new Heights neighborhood bar and restaurant has comfort food with a patriotic twist. Enjoy house-made sausages served in Bread Man Baking Co buns with all the fixings for $7. Toast the USA with happy hour pricing on food and drinks all day long, with selections like the smash burger for $7. The restaurant opens at 4 pm on July 4, and the kitchen is open until 11 pm.

    Haywire
    A Hill Country-inspired brunch is available on July 4 from 11 am to 3 pm at this Texas-inspired Memorial restaurant, with selections like Wagyu pastrami hash, cinnamon-orange pancakes, and barbacoa chilaquiles. Make reservations online.

    The Heights Grocer
    Brasserie 19 chef Michael Hoffman will be popping up at the Heights-area wine and gifts shop from 12-3 pm. He'll be grilling wagyu hotdogs from Regalis Foods wrapped in buns from Houston favorite Magnol French Baking. Chef will have all the usual toppings, including his homemade chili. Hot dogs are free with purchase at the store and available while supplies last.

    La Calle Tacos
    The downtown and Bagby Park locations of this popular taqueria have Fourth of July specials that will have diners raising a glass. Get domestic beer for $4.99, tequila shots for $5.99, frozen margaritas for $5.99, Caguamas for $6.99, and a bucket of 5 Beers for $15.99.

    Mexican Sugar
    The Montrose eatery makes July 4 a fiesta with an extended weekend brunch. Diners can festive cocktails and some brand new dishes, making this the perfect way to kick off the weekend.

    Molina's Cantina
    Get a festive fajita combo dinner of skirt steak and chicken breast for two for $35.95 all day on July 4 (dine-in only). Those looking for to-go options can grab discounted Molina’s margaritas by the gallon for $90 or a half gallon for $45. Premium margaritas are $70 by the gallon and $35 for a half gallon. Get to-go fajitas packs with chicken for $22.95 per person, beef for $29.95 or combo for $25.95. All locations will close at 5 pm on July 4.

    Peachez HTX
    The Third Ward Southern food restaurant will host a Fourth of July celebration from noon to 2 am. Specials include $1 Bud Light, $25 Margarita Towers, and $15 BBQ plates. Those wanting bottle service can get $100 Crown Royal and Tito’s Vodka, and $150 Don Julio Reposado and Hennessy to add to their festivities.

    Pier 6
    San Leon's waterfront seafood destination hosts family-friendly party on July 4 with live music⁠, carnival games and stilt walkers⁠, a fire dancing show⁠, face painting for the kiddos, and drink specials all night⁠. The evening is capped with a stunning fireworks show. The fun kicks off at 5 pm.

    The Sunrise House
    From July 1 to 5, the Midtown spot has USA-shaped waffles and red, white, and blue festive cocktails. Selections include the Fifty Stars made with vodka, elderflower, citrus and prosecco; the Berry Independence, a combination of tequila, cranberry, Chambord, and citrus; Red, White & Boozy a blend of bourbon, peach, tea, and fresh mint; and the Stars & Stripes made with cognac, espresso, Baileys, and vanilla.

    Taste Kitchen + Bar
    The downtown hotspot opens at 8 am on July 4, to help diners kick off the day with breakfast. There’s also a selection of frozen red, white, and blue specialty cocktails and a bourbon flight.

    Thompson Hotel
    Be part of the hotel’s adults-only “Stars, Stripes and Sips” firework viewing party on Friday, July 4 from 8 pm-11 pm. Hotel guests will enjoy the 7th floor VIP experience from 7 pm-10 pm as part of their stay, including an open bar, bites, lounge seating, and great views. Tickets for non-hotel guests are $250, and include an open bar, bites, a DJ, dance floor, and lounge seating on the hotel’s 5th floor indoor/outdoor space.

    For an even more exclusive experience, book the $25,000 ultra-luxury The Ultimate 4th of July Celebration Package, available exclusively over Friday, July 4. Guests will enjoy a two-night stay in the hotel’s lavish penthouse suite and a private dinner for two on the 36th-story rooftop helipad, the perfect spot to get 360-degree views of the Fourth of July fireworks and Houston’s skyline.

    Tony’s
    There are plenty of to-go options available to help craft DIY celebrations. Among them is the Ultimate 6 Pack, which includes six all-beef hotdogs, six buns, a quart of Tony’s chili, and a quart of cheddar cheese for $30. A version with a dozen dogs and buns and two quarters of chili is $60. Tony’s fried chicken includes 10 pieces of chicken, six buttermilk biscuits, honey, and jam for $62. See the full menu and order online by Tuesday, July 1 at 11 am for pick up on Thursday, July 3 between 11 am and 2 pm.

    Traveler’s Cart
    From Friday, July 4 through Sunday, July 6, sample the special, dine-in, 4th of July themed menu with selections like a Texas Chili Dog made with a all-beef frank, Texas-style chili, shredded cheddar, red onions, and mustard on a toasted bun, and a choice of side for $13; the Philly Cheesesteak of sliced ribeye, caramelized onions, seared bell peppers, and cheddar cheese sauce on a hoagie bun with a choice of side for $19; and draft Michelob Ultra, Karbach Love Street, Pacifico, or Spindletap Hop Gusher IPA for $4 per glass or $12 per pitcher.

    Willie’s Grill & Icehouse
    Get a Bomb Pop Rita, made with a swirl of lime and strawberry margarita flavors plus a blue curaçao floater, and topped with a red, white, and blue Bomb Pop popsicle for $3 from Friday, July 4 through Sunday, June 6.

    A Dance of Fire and Ice red, white, and blue cocktail at Duck N Bao

    Photo by Jenn Duncan

    Duck N Bao's festive A Dance of Fire and Ice cocktail.

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    Top restaurant stories of 2025

    Major closures, celeb sightings, more top Houston restaurant news 2025

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 26, 2025 | 1:15 pm
    Austin Simmons Charolais restaurant headshot
    Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
    Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.

    Editor’s note: Readers turn to CultureMap to stay informed on all the latest Houston restaurant news, but some stories grab more people’s attention than others. As always, closings rank highly, taking seven of the 10 places on this list. What’s notable is that the closings included both restaurants open for more than 25 years as well as a steakhouse that closed in less than two years. While the results are mostly doom-and-gloom, we found joy in one of America’s most famous former athletes surprising the diners at popular Houston restaurant — and leaving one lucky waiter a tip worth celebrating.

    Here are the 10 most-read CultureMap restaurant and bar stories of 2025.

    1. Houston chef breaks his silence on sudden exit from Woodlands restaurant. Speaking exclusively to CultureMap, chef Austin Simmons explained the reasons for his surprising departure from Tris, including a dispute with the restaurant’s owner over interior renovations. After taking some time to focus on his Chef & Rancher beef company, Simmons announced in September that he’ll open Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons in the Hughes Landing district. Scheduled to open in April, the restaurant will also have a companion butcher shop that sells meat from Chef & Rancher.

    2. Pioneering Houston Mexican restaurant will shutter after 44 years. Chef Arnaldo Richards announced his intention to close his Mexican restaurant Picos. He cited a number of factors, including a decline in business and the death of his brother Alex. Due to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Houstonians, Picos extended its closing until early 2026.

    3. Houston restaurant served Beyoncé a Southern feast for her first meal in H-Town. When Beyoncé Knowles-Carter returned to Houston for two sold-out shows at NRG Stadium, she and her family turned to downtown restaurant Taste Kitchen + Bar for a Southern feast. The epic spread included jerk lamb chops with deep-fried lobster, smothered chicken with collard greens, and the restaurant’s signature chicken and waffles. Later that weekend, Taste chef-owner Don Bowie shared a photo with Jay-Z.

    4. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. The NBA Hall-of-Famer, media personality, and restaurateur dined at Ninfa’s Uptown in July. Sitting in the main dining room, he posed for pictures with both fans and the restaurant’s staff. After dining on crispy tacos, he left his server a very generous tip.

    5. James Harden's Houston restaurant locked out over $2.2 million in unpaid rent. The former Houston Rocket’s tenure as a restaurant owner came to an abrupt end in September, when the building’s landlord locked out Thirteen for non-payment of rent. Harden opened Thirteen in 2021, shortly after he left the Rockets for the Brooklyn Nets. In July, he signed a two-year, $81.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.

    6. Award-winning Houston steakhouse will close after only 2 years. Although it has achieved success and spots in the Michelin Guide with both Candente and The Pit Room, Sambrooks Hospitality couldn’t find an audience for Andiron, its live fire steakhouse in Montrose. Even after pivoting to a more affordable menu, Andiron wasn’t financially viable. New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre claimed the space for Casa Kenji, a new seafood restaurant that blends Japanese and Latin influences.

    7. Surprise chef resignation shutters The Woodlands' best restaurant. Chef Austin Simmons took two spots in this year’s top 10. The sudden closure of Tris, a fine dining steakhouse that drew celebrities such as Joe Rogan, shocked the Houston community. Bari Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in River Oaks District, will open its second location in the space in early 2026.

    8. Top-rated Houston restaurant will close after 8 years in Montrose. Chef Ryan Lachaine cited the increased costs of operating a restaurant when he announced he would close Riel at the end of August. Food enthusiasts and hospitality workers flooded the restaurant for one final meal of caviar tots, pierogies, and other fan favorites. Lachaine found a new position as the executive chef of River Oaks restaurants State of Grace.

    9. Beloved Houston Italian restaurant will close after 27 years in Montrose. Surely one of this year’s saddest closures is Paulie’s, the Italian restaurant in Montrose, and its companion wine bar Camerata. Owner Paul Petronella said he was unable to agree on lease terms with the building’s landlord. Since the announcement, fans have lined up for one last meal of pastas, salads, and decorated shortbread cookies.

    10. Meet the men behind Houston's most under-the-radar Italian restaurant. In this episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Mimo owners Mike Sammons and chef Fernando Rios share how working together at Da Marco became the basis of a friendship and business partnership. In addition to discussing their decision to open Mimo and how it has achieved success, the episode also includes insights from both men on Marco Wiles, the pioneering Houston chef and restaurateur behind Da Marco, Vinoteca Poscol, and the late, lamented Dolce Vita pizzeria.

    Austin Simmons Charolais restaurant headshot
    Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
    Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.
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