webster's new taco shop

Street-style taco shop's Baybrook-area location sets opening date

Taco lovers in Clear Lake, Webster, Friendswood, and other points south will soon have a new option to satisfy their cravings. A second location of The Taco Stand will open near Baybrook Mall this Thursday, May 16.

Located at 118 El Dorado Blvd., the new Taco Stand will be less than two miles from the Baybrook Mall location of The Burger Joint, its burger-obsessed sibling. Like the original Taco Stand that opened in the Heights in 2021, the new restaurant will offer both dine-in and drive-thru ordering.

Founded by restaurateur Shawn Bermudez and chef Matthew Pak, the Taco Stand serves street-style tacos with a range of fillings that include meaty options such as pastor, carnitas, carne asada, and barbacoa, as well as seafood options including shrimp and fish, and a number of vegan and vegetarian choices. They're wrapped in housemade corn or flour tortillas and paired with five different salsas: everything from a mild red table salsa to a smokey chile de arbol to fiery jalapeño and habanero-based options.

All of its taco fillings are also available as a burrito, quesadilla, or bowl. In addition to its lunch and dinner menu, the Taco Stand serves breakfast tacos daily.

Both the restaurant’s frozen margaritas and canned cocktails use 100 percent blue agave tequila. Other beverage choices include agua frescas, Mexican and domestic beers, and sodas.

“Our team is excited to bring our second Taco Stand location to Webster,” Pak said in a statement. “Looking forward to kicking off patio season with plenty of tacos and tequila.”

This year will be a busy time for Bermudez and Pak. In addition to this new location of The Taco Stand, the prolific duo will soon open Happy Go Lucky, a concept in the Heights devoted to Hawaiian-style shaved ice and frozen cocktails; a fourth location of The Burger Joint near Rice Village; and The Pizza Place, a new restaurant in the Heights that will serve pizzas, pastas, salads, and gelato, all of which will be made in-house.

Photo by Becca Wright

Webster's location of The Taco Stand opens Thursday.

news-you-can-eat tacos cocktails breakfast openings

blinded with science

New York's science-themed holiday bar shakes up the Museum District

Courtesy of Drunken Lab

Conduct holiday-themed science experiments at the LIT-Mas Spectacular.

A taste of Manhattan has made its way to Houston with the immersive LIT-Mas Spectacular holiday pop-up. From now until January 12, Houstonians can discover the hype behind New York City’s The Drunken Lab that's known for its unique blend of science and cocktails.

This pop-up marks the first expansion for The Drunken Lab’s parent company, Science and Sip, a concept created to make science accessible and unforgettable. Attendees can dive into holiday-themed science experiments — including explosive endothermic reactions — while enjoying festive cocktails in a winter wonderland setting enhanced with a live DJ. Appropriately, the pop-up is located in the Museum District at 4715 Main Street.

“Houston was the perfect next step for Science and Sip,” founder Cautney Nelson said in a statement. “The city’s vibrant culture, love of celebration, and ties to science through world-famous programs like NASA aligns beautifully with our mission to blend entertainment with discovery.”

Visitors enter a world filled with larger-than-life gingerbread decor and candy-inspired installations where light bulbs and laboratory flasks have been transformed into quirky beverage containers. Admission includes one cocktail or mocktail, a lab coat and goggles, and two to three science experiments. Add-ons like cocktail-filled ornament “Booze Balls” and Grinch-inspired pouches in festive red and green add an extra dose of holiday charm.

“We’re thrilled to host guests for an immersive holiday experience that merges festive fun with curiosity,” Nelson added. “With each pop-up, we aim to create a space where a great party and exploration come together, and we’re excited to see how Houston embraces The LIT-Mas Spectacular.”

A portion of the proceeds from LIT-Mas will benefit Millennial Scnce, a nonprofit founded by Nelson that provides students with accessible STEM resources and educational opportunities.

Tickets are available for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with showtimes at 2:30 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm. Private party and group bookings are also available.

Courtesy of Drunken Lab

Conduct holiday-themed science experiments at the LIT-Mas Spectacular.

cocktails holidays museum district nightlife