Heading to Texas, need some food recommendations...

Mods feel free to move this if this is not the proper sub-forum. In any case, I'm heading to Texas in a couple weeks and am a foodie at heart. Can you guys recommend some "when you're in Houston, you gotta try this place" food spots for me? I'm from Hawaii and as you can imagine, we don't have a lot of good BBQ or Mexican food out here.....both of which I love, and both of which Texas has a lot of. I'll be flying into IAH and will be driving to the Katy area, so anywhere in between. I have a car and am a total maniac and am willing to drive an hour to get there if need be. Post away!

Take a short side trip north of Houston to Conroe for chicken-fried steak, peach cobbler, and the namesake swimmin' critter at Vernon's Kountry Katfish, then pick up some ribs and a brisket-stuffed tater at McKenzie's Barbecue. Lip-smackin' good Southern cookin'.

Vernons is fantastic

Restaurant week is all of August. 3 course meal at fancy restaurants for $45 with percent of proceeds to food bank.

http://www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com/

Take a short side trip north of Houston to Conroe for chicken-fried steak, peach cobbler, and the namesake swimmin' critter at Vernon's Kountry Katfish, then pick up some ribs and a brisket-stuffed tater at McKenzie's Barbecue. Lip-smackin' good Southern cookin'. Originally Posted by Fancyinheels

Vernons is fantastic Originally Posted by silverstate53

Restaurant week is all of August. 3 course meal at fancy restaurants for $45 with percent of proceeds to food bank.

http://www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com/ Originally Posted by explorer317

Thank you all for the recommendation's, Including the tip about restaurant week. Keep 'Em coming!

Fajita Flats. (Two locations, Wilcrest down the street from Lopez and the other one is on Fondren between Richmond and Westheimer.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/enchiludas-mexican-cafe-houston

have fun babe

Papdeaux seafood

Depends on what you're in the mood for:

Mexican Food:
Chuy's
Pappasitos
Ninfa's on Navigation
Lupe Tortilla

BBQ: (unfortunately you have to go a little further into Texas to get really good BBQ, BUT since you're not from here your standards may not be quite as high as a native )

Rudy's
Luling City Market
Killens (haven't tried this one personally, but everyone seems to rave about it)

Misc. Food:
Niko Niko's (very good greek cafe)
Taste of Texas (good steak house)
The Hay Merchant (good beer house with a really good burger)
Star Pizza (really good pizza)
House of Pies (good late night breakfast place)
Whataburger (Texas based fast food joint, definitely try it!)

Mikkis soul food cafe

These are both in Pearland:

http://www.killensbarbecue.com/

http://www.killenssteakhouse.com/

You may want to check out this thread we have for visiting providers, lots of good info:

http://eccie.net/showthread.php?t=167105



~

If you're going for Mexican (Tex Mex) try to hit up some local, non franchised, fare. My personal favorite is Puebla's Bakery. It's also a restaurant. Great home cooked Mexican food. Mom and the son are in the back cooking. It's not over priced and you get good portions. Wednesdays they have outstanding tortilla soup. They are on North Main, just south of 610.

Fly in to New Orleans and work your way west...

Fly in to New Orleans and work your way west... Originally Posted by boardman

Just be sure to avoid Austin; their libtard city council just voted to ban BBQ joints in the city limits.

Fuk'n libtards...get a rope! Oughta be bounties on the cocksuckers.

Fajita Flats. (Two locations, Wilcrest down the street from Lopez and the other one is on Fondren between Richmond and Westheimer.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/enchiludas-mexican-cafe-houston

have fun babe Originally Posted by DallasRain

Hmm, I know what I'd rather eat Dallas, but too bad you'll be out of town when I arrice.

BBQ: (unfortunately you have to go a little further into Texas to get really good BBQ, BUT since you're not from here your standards may not be quite as high as a native ) Originally Posted by mam5

Lol, exactly! The choices out here in Hawaii are few and far between, so I may be pretty easy to please.

You may want to check out this thread we have for visiting providers, lots of good info:

http://eccie.net/showthread.php?t=167105



~ Originally Posted by Lexieinhouston

Thanks for the link!

Fly in to New Orleans and work your way west... Originally Posted by boardman

Ain't that the truth. I've been to New Orleans for work a few years back and it was one of the best food trips I've been on. Hahaha tough to get any work done when you're so damn full of beignets, muffaletas, and BBQ shrimp. Not to mention our meeting being the same week as Mardi Gras

Just be sure to avoid Austin; their libtard city council just voted to ban BBQ joints in the city limits.
Originally Posted by Don T. Lukbak

I'm not a Texan and likely wouldn't fully understand, but WTF would it matter if there were BBQ joints in the city limits?

In any case, I was just in Austin (in March) and I was one of those crazy fools standing in line at Franklin BBQ. I know some people tout it as the best, and some say it's just ok. For me, it was life changing! Best damn brisket I've had in my entire life.....absolutely no doubt in my mind. So much so that I waited in line 4 hours to make sure I got some (apparently they sell out almost every day). Lol, and then I did it again the very next day.

In any case, I was just in Austin (in March) and I was one of those crazy fools standing in line at Franklin BBQ. I know some people tout it as the best, and some say it's just ok. For me, it was life changing! Best damn brisket I've had in my entire life.....absolutely no doubt in my mind. So much so that I waited in line 4 hours to make sure I got some (apparently they sell out almost every day). Lol, and then I did it again the very next day. Originally Posted by Fromda808

Folks up in Austin are foolish that way.

Friggin' foodies.