8 Excellent Food and Drink Rodeo Deals in Houston
There are plenty of brisket pizzas, Rodeo burgers, and won’t-break-the-bank Rodeo deals to go around
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which runs through March 17, has taken off in full force. For more than 90 years, Texans of all ages have flocked to the Bayou City to watch livestock competitions, pet animals, and of course, indulge in every possible fried good imaginable.
But Rodeo culture doesn’t end at NRG Stadium, which has hosted the event since 2003. Restaurants and bars across town are celebrating cowboy culture and Texas cooking through a range of brunch, dinner, and drinking options. From Rodeo-themed cocktails in cowboy boot-shaped glasses to pizzas piled with tender brisket, there are many ways to celebrate the season, which formally closes March 17, across the sprawling city.
Betelgeuse Betelgeuse and Willow’s Texas BBQ are continuing to dole out their Willow’s smoked brisket pizza. Topped with smoked brisket, Wisconsin brick cheese, red onions, sautéed peppers, candied jalapeños, and a drizzle of mustard barbecue sauce, 14-inch pies go for $23, while 10-inch pies are available for $14.
Bread Zeppelin introduced some produce-laden alternatives to balance some of the heavier dishes that many are indulging in this season. A vegetable medley that includes carrots, corn salad, and kale slaw is tossed with tender brisket, finished with a sauce of choice, and, if opting for Zeppelin-style, stuffed into a cored warm baguette. The Rodeo brisket Zeppelin and brisket bowls are available through the month of March.
Dish Society is helping folks maximize on the season with a duo of Rodeo-themed cocktails at their lively West University location. Try the Rodeo Smash, a heady mixture of Crown Royal whiskey, grapefruit juice, and fresh mint, or the refreshing strawberry chile ranch water, each of which are $10.
The classic Goode Company chain is offering a special limited-time menu item at Goode Co. Armadillo Palace and Goode Co. BBQ on Kirby. At the Armadillo Palace location, find the All Night Revival, a cocktail featuring Milam & Greene Bourbon, lemon, strawberry, ginger and amaro. At Goode Co. BBQ’s Kirby location, dig into the mammoth 1977 Sandwich, which features stacks of sliced briskets, thick ham, macaroni and cheese, jalapeños, bacon, and eggs.
The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill brought out its cowboy boot glasses for the special season. During March, opt for the Rodeo Round Up, a combination of Crown Royal Regal Apple, passion fruit, grenadine, lemonade, and Sprite, or the ultra-refreshing Lasso Lemonade, both of which are served in a cowboy boot-shaped glass.
In celebration of their Rookie Award win at this year’s Rodeo Uncorked! Competition, Money Cat is offering a special rodeo lunch combo of competition winner bistec bao and — Filipino braised beef cheek, calamansi aioli, and pickled red onion — and an ube churro — complete with pâte à choux, ube-infused sugar, calamansi caramel, and ube ice cream. The lunch deal is $16 and will be available through the season’s official end on March 17.
Relish Restaurant & Bar has a number of specials this month to celebrate Houston’s annual livestock show and rodeo, ranging from mini corn dogs and hot dogs to pulled pork sandwiches. The Rodeo burger and Rodeo ribs are this month’s standouts, as are the cocktails, including the blackberry and bourbon-heavy Space City Cowboy, and a blood orange, Mezcal, and tequila Rodeo Rita.
The Union Kitchen is hosting a Rodeo-themed brunch on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17. At all five locations, Chef James Lundy presents Southern favorites with a Rodeo flair, including the barbecue brisket omelet, barbecue carnitas Benedict, jalapeño cornbread brisket Benedict, and brisket verde chilaquiles. Among several bourbon-based beverages, the restaurant is also offering the Rodeo Rita, which is made with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Austin Eastciders pineapple cider, lemon juice and jalapeño, rimmed with Tajín.
