Drinks & Nightlife
If you are in Texas - you must check out this place. Lively Western bar & club featuring country & pop music, dancing, pool nights & drink specials. Pool tables are free to play on Thursdays! :)
27 locals recommend
Wild West
6101 Richmond AveIf you are in Texas - you must check out this place. Lively Western bar & club featuring country & pop music, dancing, pool nights & drink specials. Pool tables are free to play on Thursdays! :)
Musicians take requests at this energetic piano bar, which features live music 6 nights a week.
Caps Piano Bar
2610 Briar Ridge DrMusicians take requests at this energetic piano bar, which features live music 6 nights a week.
Modern bar & grill with large craft beer selection, inventive pub grub & 400-person-capacity patio.
43 locals recommend
The West End - A Public House
5320 Westheimer RdModern bar & grill with large craft beer selection, inventive pub grub & 400-person-capacity patio.
Food Scene
Vietnam Coast Restaurant
2910 Hillcroft AveGreat Vietnamese Food - Family Restaurant which I highly recommend.
Lively locale offering typical Middle Eastern eats such as hummus & kebabs, plus hookahs & a patio.
Ranosh Cafe
3402 Fondren RdLively locale offering typical Middle Eastern eats such as hummus & kebabs, plus hookahs & a patio.
The hearty homemade food and the cozy dining room where the television always seems to be tuned to a sitcom make this place feel like a Middle Eastern soul food restaurant. There's also a covered patio for alfresco dining when the weather is nice. The steam table offerings usually include slow-cooked lamb shanks in gravy, and roasted chicken, both of which are served over savory rice. Shawarma sandwiches are the main attraction, of course, and you can get your pita stuffed with beef, lamb or chicken.
Shawarma King
3121 Hillcroft StThe hearty homemade food and the cozy dining room where the television always seems to be tuned to a sitcom make this place feel like a Middle Eastern soul food restaurant. There's also a covered patio for alfresco dining when the weather is nice. The steam table offerings usually include slow-cooked lamb shanks in gravy, and roasted chicken, both of which are served over savory rice. Shawarma sandwiches are the main attraction, of course, and you can get your pita stuffed with beef, lamb or chicken.
This big Middle Eastern cafeteria that lets you make your own combination plate from dozens of gorgeous, vividly flavored dishes is a great idea. Choose from complex little feta cheese pies, richly caramelized eggplant laced with pomegranate, homey green beans, and tenderly braised lamb with oven-browned vegetables. They also serve your basic Levantine dips in traditional and heart-healthy versions. The prices are affordable.
20 locals recommend
Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet
5160 Richmond AveThis big Middle Eastern cafeteria that lets you make your own combination plate from dozens of gorgeous, vividly flavored dishes is a great idea. Choose from complex little feta cheese pies, richly caramelized eggplant laced with pomegranate, homey green beans, and tenderly braised lamb with oven-browned vegetables. They also serve your basic Levantine dips in traditional and heart-healthy versions. The prices are affordable.
Iranian kabob joint has to be one of the best deals in the city. The chengeh kabob, which includes two skewers of grilled lamb chunks served with onion, charbroiled tomato, fresh basil and parsley, scallions, radishes and hot-from-the-oven Iranian flat bread, sells for $7.45. Or try the Darband Special, which includes one skewer of the lamb chunks and another of tender shish kebab (beef cubes). The plates are Styrofoam and there's no table service, but at these prices, who cares?
Darband Shishkabob
5670 Hillcroft AveIranian kabob joint has to be one of the best deals in the city. The chengeh kabob, which includes two skewers of grilled lamb chunks served with onion, charbroiled tomato, fresh basil and parsley, scallions, radishes and hot-from-the-oven Iranian flat bread, sells for $7.45. Or try the Darband Special, which includes one skewer of the lamb chunks and another of tender shish kebab (beef cubes). The plates are Styrofoam and there's no table service, but at these prices, who cares?
The Mediterranean food here may be served cafeteria-style at the Woodlake/Briarmeadow restaurant, but it tastes gourmet. Diners line up along a sea of troughs stretching along two walls of the restaurant, each brimming with Middle Eastern delights. Pile your plate high with Fadi's dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with rice, onions and tomatoes), tabouli and baba ghanoush, the dip made of roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Then head to the meat counter and grab a kebab - beef, lamb or chicken - and a broiled lamb shank that's fall-off-the-bone tender and served in a gravy of carrots, red peppers and mushrooms.
16 locals recommend
Fadi's Mediterranean Grill
12360 Westheimer RdThe Mediterranean food here may be served cafeteria-style at the Woodlake/Briarmeadow restaurant, but it tastes gourmet. Diners line up along a sea of troughs stretching along two walls of the restaurant, each brimming with Middle Eastern delights. Pile your plate high with Fadi's dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with rice, onions and tomatoes), tabouli and baba ghanoush, the dip made of roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Then head to the meat counter and grab a kebab - beef, lamb or chicken - and a broiled lamb shank that's fall-off-the-bone tender and served in a gravy of carrots, red peppers and mushrooms.
Despite the little old lady ambience, the enormous selection of exotic mezeler (appetizers), hearty salads and fascinating main dishes at Empire Turkish Grill makes this the most exciting Turkish restaurant in town. If you're bored with dry kebabs, head to Memorial and have a "yogurt grill" with the grilled meat served over bread cubes covered with yogurt. Or try the Turkish lamb chops, which are tender and moist despite being cooked well done. Lahana dolmasi, cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef, rice and herbs with yogurt sauce, are popular, too.
Empire Turkish Grill
12448 Memorial DrDespite the little old lady ambience, the enormous selection of exotic mezeler (appetizers), hearty salads and fascinating main dishes at Empire Turkish Grill makes this the most exciting Turkish restaurant in town. If you're bored with dry kebabs, head to Memorial and have a "yogurt grill" with the grilled meat served over bread cubes covered with yogurt. Or try the Turkish lamb chops, which are tender and moist despite being cooked well done. Lahana dolmasi, cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef, rice and herbs with yogurt sauce, are popular, too.
This upscale grill at Hillcroft and U.S. 59 serves fantastic lamb, beef and chicken kabobs with hot flatbreads and herbs. There is seating outside on the deck, or inside under a high ceiling with ornate columns and Persian artwork. Either way, you can eat like a sultan for under $10.
Bijan
5922 Hillcroft AveThis upscale grill at Hillcroft and U.S. 59 serves fantastic lamb, beef and chicken kabobs with hot flatbreads and herbs. There is seating outside on the deck, or inside under a high ceiling with ornate columns and Persian artwork. Either way, you can eat like a sultan for under $10.
Houston is blessed with more than its share of attractive Persian restaurants, and Memorial's Cafe Caspian may be the prettiest, with its neoclassical arches and a ceiling painted to look like a sunny sky with puffy white clouds. The kitchen reaches comparable heights with its mast-oo-mooseer (shallot-mint-yogurt dip to be spread over airy taftoon bread), koobideh (skewered rolls of ground beef), gheymeh (beef stew topped with potato sticks), fesenjan (baked chicken with walnuts and pomegranates) and a juicy lamb shank.
Café Caspian
12126 Westheimer RdHouston is blessed with more than its share of attractive Persian restaurants, and Memorial's Cafe Caspian may be the prettiest, with its neoclassical arches and a ceiling painted to look like a sunny sky with puffy white clouds. The kitchen reaches comparable heights with its mast-oo-mooseer (shallot-mint-yogurt dip to be spread over airy taftoon bread), koobideh (skewered rolls of ground beef), gheymeh (beef stew topped with potato sticks), fesenjan (baked chicken with walnuts and pomegranates) and a juicy lamb shank.
Upscale Brazilian chain for all-you-can-eat meat carved tableside plus an extensive salad bar.
56 locals recommend
Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
8250 Westheimer RdUpscale Brazilian chain for all-you-can-eat meat carved tableside plus an extensive salad bar.
Shopping
With 3 million total square feet (280,000 m²) of space that includes 2.4 million (223,000 m²) of gross leasable area with over 375 stores, the Galleria is the largest mall in Texas and seventh-largest in the United States.[8][9] It is currently anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's.
1868 locals recommend
The Galleria
5085 Westheimer RdWith 3 million total square feet (280,000 m²) of space that includes 2.4 million (223,000 m²) of gross leasable area with over 375 stores, the Galleria is the largest mall in Texas and seventh-largest in the United States.[8][9] It is currently anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's.
Local flower shop for handmade bouquets, centerpieces & floral designs, plus wedding arrangements.
Lexis Florist
6102 Skyline DrLocal flower shop for handmade bouquets, centerpieces & floral designs, plus wedding arrangements.
Essentials
Clean! Clean! Clean!
We offer a clean and comfortable 24 hour laundromat. We have large and small machines that can handle any size load. Soap products available for purchase. Conveniently located at 7133 Chimney Rock at the corner of Bissonnet.
24 Hour Laundry
7133 Chimney Rock RdClean! Clean! Clean!
We offer a clean and comfortable 24 hour laundromat. We have large and small machines that can handle any size load. Soap products available for purchase. Conveniently located at 7133 Chimney Rock at the corner of Bissonnet.
24 Hour Fitness is the world's largest (by memberships) privately owned and operated fitness center chain, and third in number of clubs behind Gold's Gym and Fitness First of the UK. It currently has 400+ clubs, 18,000[2] employees in the United States, and an undisclosed number of employees working in a customer services call-center in the Philippines and another call center in Spokane, Washington. 24 Hour Fitness also employs a collections contracting company located in Jamaica. The corporate office is located in San Ramon, California and a processing center is located in Carlsbad, California. The founder is Mark S. Mastrov, and the CEO is Chris Roussos. 24 Hour Fitness is currently owned
23 locals recommend
24 Hour Fitness
5070 Richmond Ave24 Hour Fitness is the world's largest (by memberships) privately owned and operated fitness center chain, and third in number of clubs behind Gold's Gym and Fitness First of the UK. It currently has 400+ clubs, 18,000[2] employees in the United States, and an undisclosed number of employees working in a customer services call-center in the Philippines and another call center in Spokane, Washington. 24 Hour Fitness also employs a collections contracting company located in Jamaica. The corporate office is located in San Ramon, California and a processing center is located in Carlsbad, California. The founder is Mark S. Mastrov, and the CEO is Chris Roussos. 24 Hour Fitness is currently owned
Sightseeing
The Museum District is Houston’s cultural heart, with venues exploring subjects ranging from natural science to the African-American experience. The vast collection at the Museum of Fine Arts encompasses Egyptian antiquities, Impressionist art and American sculpture, while Houston Zoo is home to rhinos and cheetahs. Hermann Park is popular for its pedal boats and miniature railway, and also has a Japanese garden.
549 locals recommend
Houston Museum District
The Museum District is Houston’s cultural heart, with venues exploring subjects ranging from natural science to the African-American experience. The vast collection at the Museum of Fine Arts encompasses Egyptian antiquities, Impressionist art and American sculpture, while Houston Zoo is home to rhinos and cheetahs. Hermann Park is popular for its pedal boats and miniature railway, and also has a Japanese garden.
Entertainment & Activities
The Bellaire Chinatown is about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Downtown Houston.[4] It is over 6 square miles (16 km2), making it among the largest automobile-centric Chinatowns in the Southern United States.[3] The Chinatown, located on a mostly treeless plain,[6] is, according to Lori Rodriguez of the Houston Chronicle, roughly bounded by Fondren, Beechnut, State Highway 6, and Westpark, west of Bellaire.[1] The half of the Rodriguez definition of Chinatown inside Beltway 8 is within the Greater Sharpstown district.[7] The Greater Sharpstown Management District defines Chinatown within its borders as being a 2.37-square-mile (6.1 km2) area bounded roughly by Beltway 8, the Westpark Tollway,
80 locals recommend
Chinatown
11200 Bellaire BoulevardThe Bellaire Chinatown is about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Downtown Houston.[4] It is over 6 square miles (16 km2), making it among the largest automobile-centric Chinatowns in the Southern United States.[3] The Chinatown, located on a mostly treeless plain,[6] is, according to Lori Rodriguez of the Houston Chronicle, roughly bounded by Fondren, Beechnut, State Highway 6, and Westpark, west of Bellaire.[1] The half of the Rodriguez definition of Chinatown inside Beltway 8 is within the Greater Sharpstown district.[7] The Greater Sharpstown Management District defines Chinatown within its borders as being a 2.37-square-mile (6.1 km2) area bounded roughly by Beltway 8, the Westpark Tollway,
Parks & Nature
The Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park,[1] formerly the Williams Waterwall and the Transco Waterwall, is a multi-story sculptural fountain that sits opposite the south face of Williams Tower in the Uptown District of Houston. The fountain and its surrounding park were built as an architectural amenity to the adjacent tower. Both the fountain and tower were designed by John Burgee Architects with Philip Johnson. Originally privately owned in common with the office tower, the waterwall and the surrounding land were purchased by the Uptown Houston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, a non-profit local government corporation, in 2008 to ensure the long term preservation of the waterwall and park. The f
204 locals recommend
Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park
2800 Post Oak BlvdThe Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park,[1] formerly the Williams Waterwall and the Transco Waterwall, is a multi-story sculptural fountain that sits opposite the south face of Williams Tower in the Uptown District of Houston. The fountain and its surrounding park were built as an architectural amenity to the adjacent tower. Both the fountain and tower were designed by John Burgee Architects with Philip Johnson. Originally privately owned in common with the office tower, the waterwall and the surrounding land were purchased by the Uptown Houston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, a non-profit local government corporation, in 2008 to ensure the long term preservation of the waterwall and park. The f
This dog park is when the best dog parks I've been to in Houston. The people are friendly and the location is great. The dog pool there is more than sufficient to fit 60 or 70 dogs at a time. I would highly recommend it if you have a pup in the area and you want them to explore with other dogs. They also separate the dogs by weight class so you won't have to worry about the little ones and the big ones being around each other.
Danny Jackson Family Bark Park
4828 1/2 Loop Central DrThis dog park is when the best dog parks I've been to in Houston. The people are friendly and the location is great. The dog pool there is more than sufficient to fit 60 or 70 dogs at a time. I would highly recommend it if you have a pup in the area and you want them to explore with other dogs. They also separate the dogs by weight class so you won't have to worry about the little ones and the big ones being around each other.
The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center (155 acres) is a non-profit arboretum and nature center located in Memorial Park at 4501 Woodway Drive, Houston, Texas. It is open daily with free admission.[1]
The arboretum was first conceived by Robert A. Vines, and in 1951 park land was set aside by the City Council for the Houston Botanical Society. (Today's arboretum is somewhat smaller than its initial 265-acre (1.07 km2) site.) The children's botanical hall was funded in 1966, and nature center begun in 1967. The Houston Arboretum is managed by the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Board of Directors and staff under an agreement with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department.[2]
188 locals recommend
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center
4501 Woodway DrThe Houston Arboretum and Nature Center (155 acres) is a non-profit arboretum and nature center located in Memorial Park at 4501 Woodway Drive, Houston, Texas. It is open daily with free admission.[1]
The arboretum was first conceived by Robert A. Vines, and in 1951 park land was set aside by the City Council for the Houston Botanical Society. (Today's arboretum is somewhat smaller than its initial 265-acre (1.07 km2) site.) The children's botanical hall was funded in 1966, and nature center begun in 1967. The Houston Arboretum is managed by the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Board of Directors and staff under an agreement with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department.[2]
The park also has facilities for tennis, softball, swimming, track, croquet, volleyball, skating, cycling, and a running course (2.93 miles (4.72 km)). Very popular with Houston joggers, the running course is the Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail, a crushed granite pathway that sees almost 3 million visits annually.[1] For joggers used to running in the lush green surroundings it is disappointing to see the shrinkage in the number of trees as a result of drought and hurricanes.[4]
On the south side of Memorial Drive, there are miles of multi-use trails through the woods, a 'picnic' loop which is used heavily by road cyclists, softball fields, sand volleyball courts and etc
279 locals recommend
Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park
The park also has facilities for tennis, softball, swimming, track, croquet, volleyball, skating, cycling, and a running course (2.93 miles (4.72 km)). Very popular with Houston joggers, the running course is the Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail, a crushed granite pathway that sees almost 3 million visits annually.[1] For joggers used to running in the lush green surroundings it is disappointing to see the shrinkage in the number of trees as a result of drought and hurricanes.[4]
On the south side of Memorial Drive, there are miles of multi-use trails through the woods, a 'picnic' loop which is used heavily by road cyclists, softball fields, sand volleyball courts and etc
Green space centered around a pond, with a jogging trail along a narrow bayou & a tai chi court.
8 locals recommend
Arthur Storey Park
7400 West Sam Houston Parkway SouthGreen space centered around a pond, with a jogging trail along a narrow bayou & a tai chi court.