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    Embrace your inner Karen

    Diner featuring the 'world's rudest service' grumpily pops up in Houston

    Teresa Gubbins
    Apr 24, 2023 | 3:24 pm
    karen's diner

    Karen's Diner is coming to Dallas.

    Courtesy of Karen's Diner

    An innovative and sassy foodie tour is coming to Houston: Called Karen's Diner, it's an Australia-based theme restaurant with a tour crossing the U.S. that's a cross between a restaurant pop-up and theater, and it's coming to Louisiana Street for two nights in September.

    They're not yet revealing the exact location, but it'll take place on September 9-10. The link to buy tickets is here. (They're also coming to Dallas and Austin later in September.)

    As Wikipedia notes, the name comes from the internet slang term Karen, used to describe an older white woman who is stereotypically rude. The restaurant touts its deliberately unpleasant service, with staff instructed to insult customers throughout their meal.

    Founded in Sydney, Australia in 2021, Karen's became a TikTok favorite, with customers posting videos of their interactions with staff.

    The release promises that the food is great, the service ungrateful, and your experience will be unforgettable. A raised middle finger is their unofficial motif.

    "Don't expect special treatment at this diner because it's all about Karen, and she won't be taking any of your nonsense!" it says.

    They currently have 14 locations across Australia and the U.K., with plans to expand in the U.S.

    Their menu features high-end sounding burgers with amusing names such as:

    • The Basic Karen - Wagyu burger with Swiss cheese
    • The "I Want to See The Manager" Karen - two Wagyu patties with Swiss cheese
    • Karen's Got Real Beef - brisket, bacon, coleslaw, BBQ sauce
    • Trippy Karen Burger - portabella mushroom
    • Cheesed of Karen - Haloumi cheese with eggs

    There will also be wings, hot dogs, fries, mozzarella sticks, a salad, shakes, and cocktails.

    One fan called it a "Hilarious immersive dining experience!! Top drawer fun served with a tasty menu side & extra feisty toppings. If you want hangry sass, Karen's is the go."

    Karen's DinerBurgers and milkshakes at Karen's Diner.Courtesy of Karen's Diner

    The release encourages diners to unleash their inner Karen: "Let us know if your name is Karen (who knows if this is a good thing or not) and for the love of Karen don't ask to speak to the manager," it says.

    Vegetarians, vegans, other dietary requirements, and non-alcoholics are anticipated to receive the greatest scorn, although the release promises that "all will be catered for, but don't expect Karen to be happy about it."

    The perfect scenarios they offer for a night at Karen's Diner include breaking the ice on a first date, or giving your partner a roasting for not messaging back quickly enough.

    Tickets are $47 and include a burger, fries, and soda, along with the full and authentic Karen experience, including games, waitstaff, and a dining experience like no other — literally.

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    What's Eric Eating Episodes 516 and 517

    Food experts draft the best dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston

    CultureMap Staff
    Dec 12, 2025 | 5:15 pm
    Moon Rabbit food spread
    Moon Rabbit/Facebook
    Two panelists selected dishes from Moon Rabbit in the Heights.

    On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” CultureMap editor Eric Sandler recruited five of his friends and colleagues to select their favorite dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston via a fantasy football-style draft.



    The panelists — Stevie Vu of the Chowdown in Chinatown Facebook group and Asia Society, Texas; Chelsea Thomas of Local Foods Group; Heights Grocer and Montrose Grocer owner Mary Clarkson; Have A Nice Day AAPI pop-up market co-founder Isabel Protomartir; Houston BBQ Festival co-founder Michael Fulmer — joined Sandler to draft Vietnamese dishes and restaurants in six categories. They are:

    • Appetizer/Salad
    • Entree
    • Sandwich
    • Soup
    • Viet-Cajun
    • Wildcard

    In the first round, Vu kicked things off by selecting the sandwiches from Chinatown institution Nguyen Ngo. Thomas followed with the duck salad at Thien An. Clarkson took the mango-papaya salad from Old Saigon Cafe, and Sandler scored the Beef 7 Ways at Chinatown favorite Saigon Pagolac. Protomartir took the Duck House’s crispy egg rolls, and Fulmer closed round one with the beef rolls at Nam Giao, which holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide.

    Sandler shared the full results on Instagram.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Eric Sandler (@ericsandler)


    As he noted, the draft results include some of Houston’s most prominent Vietnamese restaurant as well as a few under-the-radar choices that will give listeners some new options to try. Listen to the full episode on any podcast platform to hear the panelists explain the choices and recommend a few places that they could have drafted instead.



    In this week’s second episode, chef Christine Ha and her husband John Suh join Sandler to review the results and pick a winner. Since no one selected their restaurant The Blind Goat, each drafter is on an equal footing.

    Listen to the full episode to hear who won. Ha and Suh also share thoughts on their favorite selections by each panelist. They also catch us up on the latest happenings at both The Blind Goat and Stuffed Belly, their sandwich shop, including the recent addition of a gumbo pot pie to The Blind Goat’s menu.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by The Blind Goat (@theblindgoathtx)


    -----

    Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

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