Considering we were only in Houston for 3 full days … with 1 day taken up by fishing and another by the game we still managed to immerse ourselves in a lot of authentic Houston Texas culture.

I arrived first in Houston and my first stop would be a Super Wal-Mart for some supplies (beer and liquor). Yes the Wal-Mart’s are even bigger in Texas!

Once we were all checked into our room our first destination was the Fox Sports Grill inside the Houston Galleria. The Fox Sports Grill was a great hangout spot for us since it was across the street from the hotel, had nonstop sports on 100s of TVs, cute waitresses, a great beer selection and reasonably cheap prices for very good food. Several times over the weekend we would find ourselves back there. As for the Galleria … it is the world’s 3rd largest mall, and if you are into that sort of thing it is absolutely huge!

What trip to Texas would be complete without some Texas BBQ or a visit to an old time ice house? We would get our BBQ fix at the Houston landmark Goode Company Barbeque where the ambience was unmistakably Texan and the food was pretty darn good too.

The coldest beer in town was at the world famous West Alabama Ice House … with cheap beer, free hotdogs, a live band, a dogs welcome policy, and drinking in the parking lot encouraged this place was about as Texan as you can get. Opened in the 1920s this is one of Houston’s last remaining true icehouses. Judging from the crowds we witnessed on the Friday night we were there … this place may last another 90 years.

The best home cooked breakfast in town could be had at Mama’s café … where ordering a brew with your scrambled eggs is not uncommon. For a real Texan treat skip the breakfast specials and order the ‘Texas Sized Breakfast Tacos’, just watch out for that salsa (it has quite the kick). Mama’s massive collection of old beer cans alone is worth the visit.

For the evenings entertainment I think we hit every Houston hotspot there is including Downtown, Midtown, Rice Village, Richmond Street and even a gentlemen’s club or two.

Fox Sports Grill
http://www.foxsportsgrill.com/houston/

Houston Galleria
http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=805

Ice House
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5522825

Goode Company Barbeque
http://www.goodecompany.com/goodeRestaurantBBQKirby.aspx

Mama’s Café
http://www.mamascafe.net/