Now that my best friend lives in Houston, be prepared for frequent Houston travels.  Last weekend, I went to visit and I swear she tried to show me all of Houston in 72 hours.  If you've never been to Houston, it is definitely a foodie city with a creole influence of oysters, gumbo and crawfish.  We literally ate and drank the whole time.  Here are a few places we went to:

Winnies, known for their sandwiches, cocktails and oysters.  We got some raw oysters which were like 50 cents each for happy hour, chargrilled oysters and the old fashion treasure box.  The treasure box comes with all of the ingredients you need to make a table side cocktail.   Everything was really good.
Location: 3622 Main, HTX

The Pit Room apparently has the best crawfish in Houston.  They were plump and had just the right amount of spice.  We literally sat on the patio with a cider and crushed 3 pounds with no regrets. 
Location: 1201 Richmond Ave, HTX

Savoir just opened a speakeasy called Patton's Steakhouse.  You enter through Savoir and walk through their wine room into a dimly lit restaurant.  The menu was somewhat limited which I was ok with since I wasn't really hungry.  At this point I was full from all the other stuff we ate that day so I only had a cocktail and a wedge salad. 
Location: 1344 Yale St, HTX

Hando, a cute little handroll sushi spot.  The sushi was decent. I enjoyed the calamari.  It was cooked perfectly.  The drinks were good. I got the lychee martini. They also have a speakeasy on the other side which I thought was kind of dope.
Location: 518 W 11th St Suite 500, HTX

Bloom, a super cute bar/club.  They have the trendy flower walls, cute decor and fun cocktails that makes it instagram worthy.  On Friday nights, they have salsa lessons.  We didn't participate but it was fun to watch.
Location: 2901 Fannin St, HTX

A'dor, bar/hookah lounge.  This was actually pretty chill for a Saturday.  We stopped by for drinks and hookah. They also have crawfish so you know we had to indulge.
Location: 403 W Gray St, HTX

Lucilles, a southern restaurant.  We went for brunch and sat on the patio where they had a live band which was a cool little vibe.  I got the chicken and waffles which were pretty good.  The fried green tomatoes were to die for though.  I just started eating tomatoes in like the past 2 years so if I say they were good, take my word for it.
Location: 5512 La Branch St, HTX

Diversion Cocktails, a craft cocktail bar.  They are a farm to table bar where they grow all of their own products to make their syrups, tinctures and bitters or partner with farmers from local farmer markets.  The immersive cocktails were a dope concept.  The charcuterie board was really good and paired well with the drinks.
Location: 7202 Long Point Rd, HTX

As you can see, we definitely did the most.  I can't wait to go back. 

The ultimate candy themed pop-up Candytopia has hit almost every major city in the US and is now open in 3 locations: Philly, Atlanta and Houston. I went a few years ago in LA and I’m planning a road trip to Philly to check out that location in the near future. The pop-up is fun for the whole family, so load up the kids and go!

Tix are $20-28 and can be purchased here: www.candytopia.com
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​📍 901 Market St, Philly
​📍3330 Piedmont Rd NE, Atl
​📍7620 Katy Freeway, HTX

Houston's food scene is on a whole different level.  Ill keep updating this post as I find more places.

Turkey Leg Hut
Location: 4830 Almeda Road, Suite A/B, Houston, TX
IG: @turkeyleghut

The Greasy Spoon
Location: 636 Cypress Station Dr., Ste A, Houston, TX
​IG: @thegreasyspoonhtx

Waffle Bus
Location: 2220 Brazos St, Houston, TX
​IG: @thewafflebus

The Funnel Bar
Location: see website for locations www.thefunnelbar.com
​IG: @thefunnelbar

Seafood Connection
Location: 507 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
​IG: @seafoodconnectionhouston

FOMO Factory, another colorful pop-up full of Instagram-worthy photo ops recently opened in Houston.  FOMO Factory's installations awaken a sense of nostalgia as you travel back in time to your favorite childhood memories such as the locker room, the seesaw and science class.  Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children.  The pop-up is currently scheduled through July 16, 2021.  I wonder what city they will go to next....

Location: The Galleria (3rd Floor), Houston, TX
www.thefomofactory.com

The Sugar Room is a dope speakeasy featuring high end cocktails and classic decor. The patio also brings its own chill vibes. They recently partnered with Sweet Houston to offer desserts such as macaroons and other pastries.

Location: 2150 Washington Ave, Houston
www.sugarroomconcept.com
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Decked out in all pink, Her Lounge is strictly for the ladies. Enjoy the ultimate girls night out with craft cocktails and hookah. The lounge also features a plethora of photo ops. I love everything about it. I'm currently planning a girls trip to Houston, just so we can go here!

Location: 609 Richmond Avenue, Houston, Texas
www.herloungehtx.com

You know I had to add a pop-up in Houston. The Wonder Bar just recently re-opened. An interactive bar experience of unique installations also features specialty cocktails and more. This pop-up even has bar hours.

​Location: 2416 Brazos St Suite C Houston, Texas
www.wonderbarhtx.com

Who wouldn't love drinks and great food in a cute garden atmosphere.  Thats exactly what the Secret Garden delivers.  The garden patio alongside Atlas Diner is described as one of the most magical drinking experiences in Houston.    The greenhouse bar features beautiful greenery.  The offer breakfast/brunch and are even open late.

Location: 409 Travis St., Suite A, Houston, TX
braverychefhall.com/about/

I love the bright colors, the decor and the neon signs that make up Present Company in Houston.  Known for specialty cocktails and their atmosphere, I would definitely add this to my places to visit.  The food looks amazing too.  The menu features American favorites, burgers, fries, tacos and pizzas.

Location: 1318 Westheimer, Houston, Texas
www.presentcompanyhtx.com

Color Factory is a pop-up exhibit designed to awaken audiences to the presence of color.  The Color Factory features 12 interactive installations meant to appeal to the senses.  The exhibits are bright and colorful and make for great IG photos. Color Factory collaborates with talented artist, illustrators, designers, local vendors and non-profits. 

Location: 251 Spring Street, New York,  NY 10013
Houston: 3303 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77098

Tickets are $38 for adults and $28 for children
For tickets and info: www.colorfactory.co