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A Much Happier Hour

Why this Midtown eatery + sports bar is the perfect place to wait out weekday traffic

CultureMap Create
Nov 21, 2023 | 12:30 pm

If you work or spend time in Midtown, remember this important tidbit: rush hour can always turn into happy hour.

On The Kirb, located at 2521 Bagby St. (along with two other locations, in Upper Kirby and Katy), is the ideal place to wait out all the weekday traffic jams from 4-7 pm.

Instead of sitting in traffic, pull up a seat at this sports bar that specializes in organic, local, and scratch-made menu items — for both food and drink.

Special happy hour bites include the organic beef sliders, traditional hummus with house-made pita bread, giant pretzel served with Sriracha queso, and the Kirb cheese board. The baked or fried organic wings in your choice of buffalo, garlic Parmesan, or lemon pepper are always a hit.

Enjoy $2 off beer, wine, and liquor, and score a bottle of house red or white for only $16.

The cocktails shouldn't be missed, either. Relax after work with a Gin Weasley (Bombay Sapphire gin, organic cane syrup, lemon, muddled strawberry, fresh basil, and ginger beer) or a Brojito (Bacardi Silver and coconut rums, organic cane syrup, lime, muddled blackberries, and fresh mint).

On The Kirb

Photo courtesy of On The Kirb

This is much better than sitting in a traffic jam.

There are daily specials you'll want to be aware of, too, like Monday's Pizza & Vino deal where you can build your own pizza (up to three toppings) for $10 and get a bottle of house wine for $15. A note about the incredible pizza: It's formed with artisanal Caputo flour that's imported from Napoli, Italy, and then fermented for three days to ensure an authentic taste.

Tuesdays are for Tito's & Tacos, Wednesday is Steak Night, Thursday brings Burgers & Brews, and you can Wine Down on Fridays with half-off all wine bottles. Vegans and vegetarians will find plenty to love on the menu, too.

As long as you're taking note, make sure not to miss On The Kirb's famous weekend brunch, offered each Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-4 pm, and the mimosa towers that offer various fresh juice options.

Discover the beauty of On The Kirb's vast patio that wraps around Bagby Street, offering an incredible escape beneath the sheltering canopy of four massive, age-old oak trees.

On The Kirb Midtown is centrally located for easy access to all three major freeways, and offers convenient valet parking.

Look over the full menu here, and we'll meet you there after work.

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What's Eric Eating Episodes 569 and 570

Meet the man behind Houston's affordable new Chinese restaurant

CultureMap Staff
Jul 17, 2026 | 4:57 pm
Fortune Eight restaurant food spread
Photo by Clay Grier
Fortune Eight's menu includes dishes such beef with broccoli and mapo tofu.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” CultureMap editor Eric Sandler talks to Allen Lin about Fortune Eight, his recently opened Chinese restaurant on Washington Avenue.



The conversation begins with Lin explaining how Covid restrictions and political turmoil in Hong Kong prompted him to close his four restaurants and relocate to Texas. Whereas his Hong Kong restaurants were full service, Fortune Eight is an affordable, fast casual concept.

“If I could do Chinese restaurants all over again, how could I streamline it so I wouldn’t have to be faced with so many inconsistencies in how we produce the food. I started looking at Chinese restaurants across America. Why is there only one restaurant that’s been able to do it on a wide basis? It’s Panda Express,” Lin says.

“I wondered if I could modernize Chinese food but make it with better ingredients. I wanted to create something that’s comfortable and familiar, but I want to elevate it a bit to make it taste better. You don’t feel so bloated and greasy afterwards. That’s what we’ve tried to focus and lean in on to create that consistency and taste.”

Towards that end, Fortune Eight uses automated cooking tools to saute the meats and vegetables in some of its dishes. Not only do these methods help Lin achieve the consistency he’s aiming for, they allow him to charge almost fast food level prices for Fortune Eight’s dishes. Diners can expect to pay about $13 for an entree, drink, and tax.

The tidy menu includes a greatest hits-style menu of Chinese and Chinese American fare, including Mongolian beef, beef with broccoli, walnut shrimp, sauteed green beans, chow mein, and, of course, General Tso’s chicken.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Lin’s time in China. He also discusses his plans for marketing the restaurant and adding additional locations.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Felice Sloan discuss the news of the week. Their topics include chef Justin Yu’s plans to open House of Louie in Montrose, Barnaby’s Cafe opening a new location in Garden Oaks, and Uptown Italian restaurant Tavola closing just shy of its three-year anniversary.



In the restaurant of the week segment, Sloan and Sandler share first impressions of Galaxy Pizza, chef Anthony Calleo’s neighborhood pizzeria in Spring. Both of them find a lot to like about the casual eatery, including its crispy crust and plentiful toppings.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 8 am on ESPN 97.5.

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