Giddy Up and Dine Out

13 Houston restaurants offering food and drink deals for rodeo season

Houstonians don’t even need to step a cowboy boot–clad foot inside the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to enjoy the annual event. Local restaurants and bars come prepared every March with food and drink specials, pop-ups, giveaways, and more, to enhance the Rodeo experience. March can be a slower stretch for local eateries as crowds flock to NRG Park instead of their usual neighborhood spots. Read on for how diners can not only lean fully into the cowboy persona, but also help out their favorite neighborhood haunts.

Axelrad
The beloved beer garden is partnering with Hennessy to throw a free Go Tejano Night bash. Hosted by Miss V. Haven and Doogie Roux and presented by Ice House Radio, partygoers can hear tunes by Mexican Blackbird, Marcelluz Gualez, Gracie Chávez, and Mr. Simmer Down. RSVP for the 21 and up event at Eventbrite. The Axelrad party is March 15 from 6 pm-12 am.

Berg Hospitality Group
Tie your ride to the hitching post at a Berg Hospitality Group restaurant for the Outlaw Menu, a limited-time meal deal featuring signature favorites. Enjoy a five-course feast for $55 at Prime 131, Annabelle Brasserie, The Annie Cafe & Bar, and B&B Butchers, or opt for three courses for $39 at Trattoria Sofia and B.B. Italia. Rodeo-themed cocktails, including the Espresso Ranchtini with Maven cold brew, are also available. The Outlaw Menu runs March 2–22 from 4 pm–6 pm.

Brasserie 19
For a French twist on a Texas rodeo, Brasserie 19 is offering the all-day Wild, Wild West Gray happy hour. Patrons will find smoked turkey leg croquettes and beef cheek chili sliders, alongside cocktails crafted with Moët Hennessy, Casamigos, and Crown Royal. The happy hour runs from 11 am-close from now until March 22. Reservations are available via OpenTable.

Fielding's Culinary Group
All three of the company's restaurants — Fielding's Local and Fielding's Wood Grill in The Woodlands and Fielding's Steak in River Oaks — are serving $39, three-course menus. At Fielding's Steak, the choices include wagyu chili, chicken fried New York strip, and an ice cream sandwich. It's available daily from 3 pm until close.

The Finn
Hop on for the Sha-Boozey Rodeo Ride with High West Distillery and The Finn. Take an open-air bus through downtown Houston with words from local historian Mister McKinney before disembarking to catch Shaboozy in concert. To add to the experience, a Finn mixologist will guide riders through crafting Rodeo Milk Punch with High West whiskey. The Sha-Boozey Rodeo Ride is Friday, March 13 from 5 pm-6:30 pm. Tickets are $60 and available on EventBrite.

Hungry’s
The Houston staple is dishing out a limited-time BBQ hummus at all three of its locations. The $11 appetizer pairs jalapeno hummus with crispy BBQ-season chickpeas, and is free for patrons with a same-day rodeo ticket or badge.

Latuli
Skip the headache of rodeo parking with Latuli’s party bus. The 28-passenger shuttle runs March 12 (Chris Stapleton), March 16 (Cross Canadian Ragweed), March 18 (Koe Wetzel), March 19 (Lainey Wilson), and March 20 (Parker McCollum). The $100 per person ticket comes with round-trip transportation from the Memorial restaurant to the rodeo, along with cocktails such as ranch waters, screwdrivers, and margaritas. Food specials on shuttle nights will include chicken fried steak, bacon-wrapped quail, and a corn dog trio, along with takeaways such as personalized bandanas. Tickets are available on Resy.

Toca Madera
A life-size sculpture of a disco horse greets diners at this sultry Mexican restaurant during rodeo season, providing a perfect photo op. Amp up the vibes with the Reverse Cowgirl cocktail, which combines jalapeno-infused tequila, passion fruit liqueur, coconut, and lime.

Pho Prime and Gatlin’s BBQ
Two of Houston’s favorite foods come together for this rodeo collab with Pho Prime and Gatlin’s BBQ. The Texas Pho Dip sandwich features smoked brisket, garlic herb butter, spicy aioli, and pickled red onion, between a toasted bolillo, with a side of pho broth for dipping. The Pitmaster’s Pho pairs the classic flavors of pho with smoked brisket and fresh herbs. The special dishes are available from now until March 22 at both Pho Prime’s Pearland and Bellaire/Chinatown locations as well as at Gatlin’s BBQ in Garden Oaks.

POST Houston
Giddy up to POST for the Rooftop Rodeo. Twinkling western-themed lights are scattered amongst the rooftop’s greenery, with live music and food offerings amongst the nightly activities. Tickets are $6 each, with free entry for El Tiempo Post patrons (with proof of purchase) and Art Club tickets.

Thompson Hotel
Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand is popping up at Thompson Hotel for two Rodeo weekends this March. Head to the rooftop for themed cocktails featuring 818 Tequila, plus lawn games, giveaways, and merch. To keep the vibes high, the Thompson Spa has Rodeo Recovery treatments, such as the Rodeo Revival CBD and deep tissue massage and the Cowgirl Comfort Facial. The 818 pop-up occurs March 14-15 and March 21-22 from 1 pm-4 pm.

Treebeards (Bunker Hill)
Sip on western-inspired libations at Treebeards’ Bunker Hill location from now until March 22. The “Rodeo Round Up” menu includes creations such as Leather & Lime ($14) with Casamigos Blanco and freshly-pressed watermelon, the Chuck Wagon ($13) with Hennessy VSOP and Grand Marnier, and the Purple Buck-Off ($12) featuring Crown Royal Blackberry and honey. The drink list is available daily from 11 am-9 pm.

Winsome Prime
The Galleria-area restaurant is serving up a $40 Rodeo Round-Up Special, with slow-smoked ribs, smoked sausage, and chicken served alongside collard greens, mashed potatoes, and a cornbread muffin. To complete the meal, the special comes with Winsome Prime’s signature Hennessy/SirDavis Sour cocktail. The Rodeo Round-Up Special is available now through March 15 for dinner service.

Photo by Sergio Trevino

Pho Prime and Gatlin's BBQ have teamed up for rodeo season for two flavorful dishes.

something for everyone

New brewery pours into Houston with craft beer, cocktails, and homebrew

Photo by Ralph Palmer

Farmboy Brewing Company is now open on N. Shepherd.

The tides of craft breweries in Houston and across the country have shifted dramatically over the past five years, marked by closures and a clear softening of the once unstoppable boom, with names like True Anomaly, Elder Son, and Buffalo Bayou Brewing serving as recent reminders of how quickly the landscape can change. What is emerging in its place is a new phase that is far less rigid about labels and more focused on flexibility and meeting customers where they actually are.

For Landon Weiershausen, that evolution is not guesswork. It's the entire business plan.

After more than a decade running Farmboy Brew Shop and working across nearly every space of the beer supply chain, (hops to kegs to fruit) Weiershausen has stepped back into ownership with a new brewery. Farmboy Brewing Company (4816 N Shepherd Dr.) blends a taproom, full cocktail bar, and homebrew retail shop into a single, community-driven space. The location will be familiar to many craft beer fans, as it previously housed both North Shepherd Brewing and Astral Brewing.

“It’s about giving people what they actually want when they walk in the door,” Weiershausen tells CultureMap.

Weiershausen’s roots in Houston’s beer world stretch back to 2014, when he opened Farmboy Brew Shop, a go-to spot for local Oak Forest/Garden Oaks homebrewers looking for ingredients, gear, and advice. With the launch of Farmboy Brewing, that business still exists, but it’s now integrated into the new brewery.

The move creates something unique in the world of Houston beer — a space where hobbyists, beer nerds, and casual drinkers can intersect. In the 9,000-square-foot space, customers can shop for grains and yeast then walk a few steps over and grab a pint or a cocktail.

“The majority of people coming in for homebrew are also interested in drinking,” Weiershausen says. “Now they don’t have to choose.”

Instead of fighting changes in the beverage industry, Weiershausen is leaning into diversification. His brewery operates with a mixed beverage license, allowing for a full cocktail program alongside beer, wine, non-alcoholic options, and THC-infused drinks. That last category, while politically contentious in Texas, represents what he sees as an undeniable shift in consumer behavior. Currently, Weiershausen is stocking a few verities of THC-infused offerings from Eureka Heights Brew Co.

“There’s a huge market for it,” he says. “Whether people like it or not, customers are choosing those products over traditional alcoholic beverages."

Rather than drawing lines between beer drinkers and everyone else, the goal is to make the space work for large groups that have diverse drink preferences.

“If someone doesn’t drink beer, or doesn’t drink alcohol at all, we still want them to have options.”

Despite the brewery name on the door, Weiershausen isn’t rushing his own beer to market. Instead, the tap list currently leans on guest kegs from local and regional breweries such as Great Heights, Spindletap, Saint Arnold, and Lone Pint. This decision is a deliberate move that buys time while new brewing equipment is installed and optimized. It’s a patient approach that prioritizes long-term quality over a fast rollout and reflects lessons learned from years inside the industry. In the meantime, the guest taps double as a nod to relationships that Weiershausen has built over many years.

“A lot of these are people who took care of me over the years,” he says. “This is a way to return the favor.”

Once the brewing program is rolled out in the next few weeks, expect the first batch of offering to include a West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA, Light Lager, and an American Wheat. The program itself will also be led by head brewer Steven Treleaven, formerly of Conroe’s B-52 Brewing.

Weiershausen’s vision prioritizes education. The homebrew shop has always served as an entry point for teaching its customers more about beer, but the expanded space opens the door to something he describes as an “education escalator.” Plans include monthly workshops covering everything from brewing basics to off-flavor detection (a critical skill for anyone serious about improving their homebrew).

Like most breweries, the space will feature familiar weekly staples including trivia nights, but Weiershausen is also looking to mix in less predictable programming. Think dance classes, themed events, and rotating concepts that go beyond the usual bingo-and-beer formula.

On the food side, Weiershausen has chosen not to build an in-house kitchen. Instead, the brewery will host food trucks, including the return of fan-favorite El Alabrije, known for its Oaxacan-inspired menu.

At its core, the concept reflects something bigger than one brewery. It’s a response to a changing market, a shifting customer base, and a city that’s never fit neatly into one category anyway. For Weiershausen, the path forward isn’t about choosing between beer, cocktails, or anything else. It’s about building a place where all of it works together.

“We’re just trying to create something for the community,” he says. “Whatever that means for them.”

----

Ralph Palmer is a co-owner of the Deckle and Hyde barbecue pop-up and a longtime craft beer enthusiast. Follow him on Instagram at eyefearnobeer.

craft beer openings