Houston / Arlington Advice

Heading to Tejas next week, continuing the "see a game in every ballpark" project. Mostly looking for input re: good eats, although any can't miss local beers / breweries are appreciated. We'll have a car, don't mind driving around. Bringing the Mrs. along as my chaperone / designated driver

Houston: First night we'll be in The Woodlands (arriving early afternoon). Second night in downtown Houston, at the Westin across from the stadium. Game time is 1 PM, so have the evening free. In particular looking for a fun place (or area) for dinner / drinks / night out.

Won't have a ton of time to play tourist, but will probably hit the USS Texas historic site on the way out of town. Anyone been?

Arlington: First night in Arlington is free, but guessing we won't wander far. Staying within a couple miles of the ballpark, looks like chain city, food wise. I'm not exactly optimistic. Second night is the ballgame, hoping to find someplace for a beverage before the game. Something a la the Winking Lizard in Cleveland, or Murphy's in Wrigleyville. Heading home the next morning.

We'll almost certainly head down to Dealey Plaza, as our "tourist stop", on gameday morning.

Any thoughts?

 

Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum is great. Definitely worth it to take the tour if you have time. Only annoyance is the conspiracy theorists camped out along the grassy knoll trying to sell you videos and books.

I've also heard that the Cowboys Stadium tour is pretty cool, though I've not been there other than to go in the gift shop.

Humperdink's (a local chain) is probably your best pre-game option. The Third Base Sports Bar and Grille closed down.

Humperdinks

Bobby Valentine has a sports bar in Arlington, though it's not exactly near the ballpark.

Bobby V's Sports Gallery Cafe

In Houston, there used to be an old bus station that was turned into an open-air bar called B.U.S. right across the street from Minute Maid (and on the same side of the street as the Westin), but I think it closed down. I think it's now called Home Plate Bar & Grill, but I can't vouch for it.

If you like Tex-Mex, Gringo's is a really good local chain. The burgers at Lankford Grocery and Market are outstanding, but I think it's only open for lunch. Hubcap Grill is a good substitute:

Houston's Best Hamburger - Hubcap Grill - Hubcap Grill Kemah

(I'm not really a steakhouse connoisseur, but I'm sure there are plenty of good ones around town).

As for beer, Shiner has a number of really good flavors you can generally find only in Texas, so I'd lean that direction.

 

I live in Arlington and make my way out to the Ballpark a lot. If you could tell me where you're staying, I could probably give you a bit more detailed advice as regards places there. That said ...

There really aren't any watering holes/restaurants that are very close to the Ballpark. The closest are at Lincoln Square (a mile or so west/northwest of the Ballpark). Boomerjack's is a regional chain that sounds a bit like your Winking Lizard. A really intriguing contemporary Mex/Tex-Mex place there is the Blue Mesa grill.

On Collins St. (due west of the Ballpark) is the Fishbone Grill, a pretty good sportsbar-y seafood place.

Other places that are in reasonable proximity with which I am familiar are:

Gilligan's (400 E. Abram St.) ... make sure you get some Irish nachos

Grease Monkey (200 N. Mesquite St.) ... sample the sweet potato tots

Babe's (230 N. Center St.) ... go really, really hungry and get the fried chicken

 

Excellent info, much appreciated.

Doc, we're staying at the Residence Inn that's just north of 30, just east of 360.

 

Go to a rodeo at the Stockyards.

It's like NASCAR; everyone needs to go see one in person at least once.

 

OK, so I know that area. If you want to go to Lincoln Square, you just get onto Lamar and take it west until you turn left (south) onto Collins. Once you cross I-30 Lincoln Square will be on your right.

For Fishbones, you head south on Collins and it''ll be on your right (right across from the Jerrydome).

For Grease Monkey* and Babes, once you get on Collins you'll continue until you turn right (west) onto Division. They're a mile or so west and are about a block apart.

For Gilligan's, once you get on Collins you'll continue until you turn right onto Abram. It's about a quarter mile or so west.

Devil's right. Stockyards rodeo (in Fort Worth) is cheap and fun. They have it on Friday and Saturday nights almost every weekend.

 

And I don't know how they rank with other places, but there are a lot of places to eat in that area.

I think it was $6 a person for the rodeo.

 

Devil, that's perfect. Never been to a rodeo.....but it's EXACTLY the kind of thing we'll do. Just to have done it.

 

If anyone in your group is a semi-serious animal lover, though, when they rope the calf, it will look straight into that person's eye, guaranteed, for the 3-5 seconds it takes to make sure the calf is secured.

And, holy hell I forgot about this until now, the kids trying to pull the ribbon off the sheep is so funny in so many despicable ways.

 

When I can, I always make a stop at the Flying Fish; I think it's in Arlington proper.

 

Devil, you must not have been there in a while. An adult GA ticket is $17.50. But you're right, it's a great time. When I first moved to Texas (in '03), I went a bunch just for the sheer weirdness of it.

If you go, Layman, don't upgrade to box seats or anything. GA's plenty good there.

Also, looks like next Sat. night is strictly bull-riding, so special prices ($38.50 each) will be in effect. Fri. night is the regular rodeo.

In the stockyards there in north Fort Worth, there's a pretty good local BBQ chain (Riscky's) and a couple of good steakhouses. If you want Mex/Tex-Mex, a block or two away from the stockyards is a very good place (Vaqueros) and a legendary place (Joe T. Garcia's). Don't get anything other than the enchilada dinner at Joe T.'s ... all the food is good, but that is the quintessential Fort Worth Mexican meal. Come hungry ... it's a ridiculous amount of food.

And if you're there and a bit of a night owl, you can always amble down to Billy Bob's and take in their show. Cory Morrow is there Friday night and Terri Clark is there Saturday. They usually time the rodeo to end so you have time to get the show.

 

I was there in 06 and 07, so it has been awhile I guess.

Maybe it was $9? I just remember it being single digits per person.