Technical Difficulties

But the biggest surprise is the check. After that fiasco of a hamburger, the bartender hands me a bill for more than $10.

"It's $1.50 extra for the salad," the little geek tells me.

"You asked me if I wanted fries or a salad; you didn't say it was extra to substitute the salad," I snarl. It's a sleazy little trick that no self-respecting Houston sports bar would ever pull on you.

"Okay, I'll take it off the bill," the bartender says as I berate him. Thirty minutes later when all the games are over and I pay the check, he charges me the full amount anyway.

"I thought you were going to adjust the bill," I say.

"I couldn't find a manager," he says.

I tip him some nickels and dimes. For service that bad and an attitude that snotty, what he really deserves is a kick in the ass. Of course, he's only doing the job he's been trained to do.

Slick, oversized and impersonal operations like Fox Sports Grill belong in places with an endless stream of tourists, like Times Square or Las Vegas -- not in a great sports bar town like Houston.

Our Favorite Sports Bars

Big Woodrow's, 3111 Chimney Rock, 713-784-2653

Bubba's Sports Bar & Grill, 6225 Washington Avenue, 713-861-7161

Griff's Shenanigans Cafe & Bar, 3416 Roseland, 713-528-9912

Nick's Place Italian Sports Bar & Pizzeria, 2713 Rocky Ridge, 713-780-8338

The Wet Spot, 160 West Gray, 713-523-7768