HOUGuide
The Best Restaurants & Bars Near Minute Maid Park
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Baseball season is here, and if you went downtown to Minute Maid Park hoping to find a giant orange juice fountain (we want this now), only to discover that it’s the famed home of 2022 World Series Champions of baseball (and our hearts) The Houston Astros, we can help you find something else to quench your thirst and hunger nearby. All of the spots on this list are within reasonable walking, driving, or train ride distance from Minute Maid Park. And you might even discover a new favorite spot to pay tribute to our Crush City kings.
THE SPOTS
Ninfa’s on Navigation not only serves as one of the flagship Tex-Mex institutions of Houston, but also as the de facto pre- and post-game dinner spot for Astros fans. Pop in after watching Yordaddy smack a couple homers, and the entire restaurant will likely be a sea of orange. Nearly everyone here orders a powerful trinity of margaritas, queso, and the famous fajitas, but dishes from the seasonal specials are just as delicious to celebrate (or commiserate) over.
How to get there: Drive (four minutes), take the 20 to the Canal/Delano stop (10 minutes), or walk (19 minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
Tiny Champions helps you celebrate any wins, big or tiny. The East Downtown pizza, pasta, and all-around modern mostly-Italian restaurant from the folks behind Nancy’s Hustle has a full bar, a fast kitchen, and a massive covered patio. Split a bowl of fried scamorza cheese, plates of prosciutto, servings of linguine, and pizzas covered in fennel sausage and creamy ricotta. Throw on some big bottles of beer or a crispy rosé with a group or someone special.
How to get there: Drive (four minutes) or walk (17 minutes)
photo credit: Richard Casteel
The Tex-Mex joint Irma’s is only a hop, skip, and a jump from Minute Maid Park and will likely catch a good portion of the gameday runoff. Grab a seat at the sizable bar before or after the game, get a margarita, and split one of the specials on the menu like a spicy chicken mole, sizzling steak fajitas, or a bowl of hearty carne guisada.
How to get there: Walk (two minutes)
Whether you walk in for Happy Hour or a before the game group dinner, the hosts at Bungalow greet you with a glass of sparkling wine before leading you to a plush booth or bar seat. The upscale steak and seafood restaurant serves decadent food and over-the-top cocktails, and makes you feel incredibly glamorous while enjoying both. Order a massive whole-fried snapper or thick and juicy pork chops to split with a date, a few friends, or keep it all to yourself.
How to get there: Drive (five minutes) or walk (11 minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
Maybe you went out after the game and need some ‘za before sliding into a rideshare you should have called a couple hours ago. Or maybe you just want pizza—who doesn’t? Hit up Frank’s Pizza in Downtown for a couple slices to stay, or on a folded paper plate to go. And if your whole team needs some greasy carbs, get an entire New York-sized pie late into the night.
How to get there: Walk (16 minutes) or take a pedicab (seven minutes)
photo credit: Gianni Greene
The main thing you need to have at Bad News Bar in Downtown is a solid equilibrium, ‘cause the narrow stairs leading up to the bar can get treacherous if you’ve had one too many tall boys between innings. Stay even keel on the way out, too. Just like the output of the Astros’ bullpen, the drinks at Bad News are served fast and strong, with a side order of attitude from the skilled bartenders.
How to get there: Walk (16 minutes) or take a pedicab (six minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
The Vietnamese restaurant Huynh is a cornerstone of East Downtown. Most of the time, it’s hard to tell who’s a regular and who just wandered over from the convention center on their first trip to Houston. Huynh treats everyone like a regular. So whether you want to organize a little pre-game BYOB group dinner, dig into a spicy bowl of bún bò huế, or get ripped on Vietnamese coffee with a side of shaken beef, head over to Huynh.
How to get there: Walk (10 minutes)
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
When the craving for buttery pastries hits before a day game, especially the morning after (or before) a big game, the only answer is Koffeteria in East Downtown. The Cambodian-owned bakery Koffeteria packs in other Houston flavors from Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, and Chinese into pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and tacos. We always grab a pho brisket-stuffed kolache, a couple chocolate croissants, and a Salty Cambodian iced coffee to fill up before an important day of yelling at talented sports stars. This spot sells out, so swing by early.
How to get there: Walk (12 minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
Part patio, part frozen drink haven, and part millennial emo nostalgia factory, East End Hardware is overall a very chill bar with a solid jukebox. Take advantage of the relatively large tap wall or, on a hot day (AKA most days in Houston), enjoy an ice cold snowball cocktail. East End Hardware is also located on the quietest edge of EaDo, so no one (except everyone at the bar) can hear you cry on the incredibly rare occasions when the Astros, uh, don’t win.
How to get there: Drive (five minutes) or take the METRO purple line to the Leeland/Third Ward stop (18 minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
How to get there: drive (four minutes) or walk (22 minutes)
At any given moment, it’s crucial to know exactly how far away you are from the closest breakfast taco spot. Enter: Brother’s Tacos, a long-time counter service taqueria on the edge of East Downtown. Don’t let the long line thwart your quest for egg-and-bacon or barbacoa tacos—things move fast. And it’s worth the wait for the homemade tortillas and to see who you run into before a matinee game.
photo credit: Chelsea Thomas
Right off the METRO line in the East End, Voodoo Queen Daiquiri Dive is an eight-frozen-machines deep cocktail bar with a fully-loaded late night menu. Take down a shrimp po’boy or tater tots covered in roast beef and cheddar cheese while double-fisting a neon green frozen drink or playing air hockey. Or split a basket of chicken tenders over a couple jello shots. Voodoo Queen is all about balance.
How to get there: Drive (five minutes) or take the METRO green line to the Coffee Plant/Second Ward stop (15 minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
Don’t let the long line in front of ChopNBlok fool you, you’ll be at the counter ordering in no time at the front of the stylish counter. The fast-casual West African spot in the Post Market food hall specializes in bowls that combine flavors from around the continent. Get a Trad bowl with smoky jollof rice and sweet caramelized kelewele, or just get a few orders of minnie beef pies and celebrate the Astros in the food court.
How to get there: Drive (eight minutes) or take a pedicab (eight minutes)
photo credit: Liz Silva
Just a 12 minute walk from Minute Maid Park, there’s plenty of space at Rodeo Goat, especially on the huge patio. You and your crew can grab a picnic table and try one of the many burgers, like the Hot Bastard (if fire-breathing is your thing), or the sugar burger covered in grilled peaches and candied bacon. Come to Rodeo Goat and kick it with the Astros fans that weren’t at the game, and catch all the highlights at one of their bajillion flat screen TVs.
How to get there: Walk (12 minutes)
photo credit: Gianni Greene
A stall at the Understory food hall, the Filipino spot Flip ‘N Patties is the perfect spot for a pre-game power up. Cozy up to the counter at the colorful stall and bop along to some classic ‘90s hip-hop while you wait for your order. You can split the garlicky chicken pupu platter, tear into some seared pork belly bites, and if you’re feeling particularly famished, we recommend taking down a mammoth akaushi burger. Just make sure to do your jaw stretches, first.
How to get there: Walk (16 minutes) or take a pedicab (seven minutes)
