where to eat on Veteran's Day

Running list of Veteran's Day 2025 food and drinks deals in Houston

Both locally-owned, independent restaurants and some of the biggest national chains are offering special deals in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer range from small discounts to free dishes and even free meals.

Unless noted specifically below, all of these deals are available on Tuesday, November 11. Both active duty military personnel and veterans should be prepared to show ID to claim the offers. Reservations are recommended at upscale eateries that take them.

CultureMap will update this list through Monday, November 10.

Midtown bar Axelrad offers both veterans and active duty personnel a 20 percent discount every day.

Azumi, a sushi restaurant in River Oaks District, will take 50 percent off the bill. Reservations are recommended.

Salad chain Bread Zeppelin will take 50 percent off any Zeppelin or Bowl 10 am-3 pm on November 11.

Comfort Foodies, Southern-inspired restaurant in Northwest Houston, is offering a free empanada — choice of beef, chicken, shrimp, or spinach — 11am to 8pm on November 11.

Hot dog chain Dog Haus will offer a free Haus Dog on November 11 at its three Houston-area locations. The deal is good for dine-in only.

Fielding’s Wood Grill, a fancy burger joint in The Woodlands, will offer veterans a free dessert from 11 am-3 pm.

Good God, Nadine’s, a casual bar near Washington Avenue, will give veterans a free order of its skillet cornbread.

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, a Greek restaurant chain with a location in Baybrook, will offer 25 percent off all gyros and gyro combo meals on November 11.

IHOP will offer a free Red, White, and Blueberry Pancake Combo that includes two buttermilk pancakes topped with glazed strawberries, blueberry topping, and whipped topping, paired with two eggs, hash browns, and choice of two strips of bacon or two sausage links.

Kazzan Ramen will take 50 percent off a veteran’s bill at lunch and dinner (11 am-11 pm).

Get get one complimentary kolache at the Kolache Shoppe locations in Memorial and Greenway Plaza.

All locations of Kroger will take 10 percent off the total purchase.

Liberty Kitchen will serve veterans a free bowl of its signature gumbo.

Logan's Roadhouse, a casual restaurant with two Houston-area locations, will offer a free lunch from 11 am to 3 pm on November 11. Contact the preferred location for availability of deal.

All three locations of Molina’s Cantina will take half-off a veteran’s bill.

Both locations of The Original Ninfa’s offer veterans and active duty personnel a 50 percent discount all day every day.

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille will offer a free dinner-cut pork chop on November 11 from 4 pm to close when accompanied by a guest purchasing one dinner entree. If dining alone or with other veterans, veterans will receive a dinner-cut pork chop for half off original price. The deal is good for dine-in only.

Miami-based burger joint PINCHO always offers veterans a 25 percent discount.

Pizaro’s Pizza extends a 10 percent discount to veterans every day, including November 11.

Pluckers Wing Bar will serve a free meal — including an entrée, side, and non-alcoholic beverage (up to $16 value, dine-in only) — to eligible service members and veterans.

Raising Cane’s gives veterans, active duty military, and first responders a 10 percent discount when they mention the Hero Discount Program while ordering.

Third Ward favorite The Savoy will offer veterans a choice of the following free entrees from 4-6 pm: BLT, shrimp basket, Savoy burger, quesadilla (chicken or beef), vegan fried rice.

All three locations of Texas comfort food restaurant State Fare will offer veterans a free meal from a special menu that includes a cheeseburger, birria grilled cheese, smoked chicken Cobb salad, hot honey chicken sandwich, or fried shrimp platter. Reservations recommended.

Torchy’s Tacos will offer a free taco and non-alcoholic beverage at all of its Houston-area locations on November 11.

All seven Houston-area locations of Twin Peaks will offer a free lunch (11 am-3 pm) from a select menu on November 11.

Comfort food restaurant Willie’s Grill & Icehouse will offer a free bacon cheeseburger and regular side on November 11.

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Alex Bentley contributed to this article.

food specials news-you-can-eat veterans day drink specials holidays

What's eric eating episodes 513 and 514

Beard Award-winning chef and family dish on their new Houston restaurant

Zaranda restaurant Tracy Vaught Hugo Ortega Sophia Ortega

Photo by Nick de la Torre

Zaranda owners Tracy Vaught, Hugo Ortega, and Sophia Ortega are this week's guests.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega, his wife and business partner Tracy Vaught, and their daughter Sophia Ortega join CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss H-Town Restaurant Group. The company operates a number of local concepts, including interior Mexican restaurant Hugo’s, Backstreet Cafe, Mexican street food eatery Urbe, and Zaranda, the company’s newly opened restaurant in downtown that’s inspired by California.

After a brief discussion of the early days of Hugo’s, the trio dives into the process of opening Zaranda. Vaught explains how she became aware of the space in the Norton Rose Fulbright Tower and why it’s proximity to Discovery Green made it particularly appealing. Chef Ortega shares how a three-week road trip throughout Mexico provided some of the inspiration for both Zaranda and Caracol, his Galleria-area seafood restaurant.

From there, chef Ortega describes how the zaranda — a wire metal basket used to cook seafood over an open flame — anchors much of the menu. He also recommends some dishes diners should try when they visit Zaranda.

Sandler asks Sophia Ortega what it’s like working with her parents. “I get that comment a lot. It is very different. A lot of people can’t imagine working with family,” she says.

“For me, I’m an only child. We’re a very close family unit. The restaurants have been a huge part of my growing up. For us, it comes very naturally to work together. It’s all we know. I’ve only ever worked for my restaurants. A lot of the employees have seen me grow up. I think we all have our own lane, but at the same time we overlap. We’re always open to hearing different opinions. That’s when the best decisions are made. I love it.”

“Sophia is very intuitive. The way she communicates is very thoughtful and sensitive. I think that’s so valuable for our staff. Everybody loves her,” Vaught adds.

Listen to the full episode for an update on Backstreet Cafe. Its original building was torn down last year to make way for an all-new structure that’s on track to open next year — hopefully in time for its legendary Mother’s Day brunch. Sandler also asks about the restaurant group’s conspicuous omission from the Michelin Guide.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson, the proprietor of newly-open wine shop Montrose Grocer, discuss the news out of the week. They begin with a discussion about the Houston Chronicle’s list of the city’s top 100 restaurants, including a discussion of Aga’s as the No.1 selection, some of the new entries on the list, and restaurants that dropped off the list entirely, such as Himalaya, Kata Robata, and Killen’s Barbecue. They also talk about Bari Ristorante opening a new location in The Woodlands and restaurateur Brian Doke’s plans to open Lazy Lane restaurant in Garden Oaks.

In the restaurant of the week segment, Clarkson and Sandler share thoughts on their recent meal at Maison Chinoise. Located next to Brasserie 19 in the River Oaks Shopping center, the new Chinese restaurant is the latest project from Dallas-based Lombardi Family Concepts, known locally for Toulouse Cafe and Bar, its French restaurant in River Oaks District, and Lombardi Cucina Italiana in Uptown Park.

Listen to the episode to hear which dishes they liked best, as well as the one that missed the mark. They also discuss its decor and how it will fit with the other luxurious restaurants in the shopping center.

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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.

Zaranda owners Tracy Vaught, Hugo Ortega, and Sophia Ortega.

Photo by Nick de la Torre

Zaranda owners Tracy Vaught, Hugo Ortega, and Sophia Ortega are this week's guests.

podcast interview news-you-can-eat chefs