Houston Restaurant Weeks 2025 is currently in full force, running the whole month of August and ending September 1. The annual event, founded in 2003, is the largest fundraiser each year for Houston Food Bank and does double duty as a way of drawing in business for local restaurants in a hot, summer month that is usually one of the slowest of the year for the hospitality industry.
Hundreds of restaurants participate each year, some with more enthusiasm than others. While there are some standout participants, others seem to begrudge the yearly event. And many of those unhappy folks seem to be fine dining servers. When I read about servers complaining about HRW diners being cheap, I am a bit baffled. Most HRW diners I know tip well and drink well. Sure there are those who don’t, but having once been a server and bartender myself, I know bad tippers are in the minority. And you make zero money off an empty dining room.
It’s a whole thing with Jean, as the SNL skit goes, so we won’t dwell on the whys and whats of the HRW debate. Suffice it to say, it raises millions of dollars for Houston Food Bank, keeps participating restaurants busy for the month and gives Houston diners an opportunity to try places they may never have considered.
Usually, I stick to the lunch menus during HRW, even though some of the multi-course dinner menus are a great deal for those looking for a nice night out. What is not such a bargain is the price of wine and cocktails over the past couple of years and I am one of those folks who likes to have a pre-dinner cocktail and a glass of vino or two with my meal. When I consider that a $17 drink with a cutesy name becomes upwards of 20 bucks with tax and tip, I have to rethink my dining out strategy.
Unfortunately for day-timers, the HRW lunch menus are somewhat lacking this year. Some of the brunch ones are still a good deal, but many restaurants have foregone even serving the HRW lunch. They have their reasons, and certainly restaurants are suffering in this economy. It just makes it difficult for diners who don’t have unlimited expense accounts or wads of disposable income to get to partake in the foodie event.
With my husband Classic Rock Bob at home last week for vacation, I took him along for an HRW review. It wasn’t easy to find a tempting menu that I had not already reviewed. Restaurants like Maison Pucha Bistro and Etoile go the extra mile for their multi-course lunches, but I had already written about them. Last year at Maison Pucha, I ran into four different friends at HRW lunch, including another local food writer. (By the way, they were all drinking cocktails and are not chintzy tippers).
This year, I had to consider my companion. Classic Rock Bob loves fish so when I saw La Fisheria had an HRW lunch menu, I knew that would satisfy his cravings. Though it was bit of a drive from our Cypress home, we were stoked to get a parking spot so easily on Market Square. Anyone who knows CRB is aware of his parking anxieties, especially downtown.
The interior of La Fisheria is as colorful as its exterior. A giant octopus cut-out hints at the coastal Mexican menu. The bar was busier than I would expect on a Thursday afternoon, but the lunch crowd had petered out a bit by the time we arrived, which was a good thing. There were only two women running the show, one as busser and the other as both server and bartender.
However, they were on the ball and friendly to boot. A basket of chips and glasses of water were delivered quickly and our server was off to make our cocktails. More tables began to trickle in, but the pair worked in tandem to get everyone situated. We watched as our server blended CRB’s pina colada while also taking orders from bar customers, smiling all the while.
The crispy tortilla chips were accompanied by a green avocado sauce that had a nice kick to it. The HRW menu was presented with the lunch and dinner menus. I had suggested the mojarra frita to CRB since he loves fish and he was excited to try it, but then he got sidetracked by the regular menu and the Tacos de Pulpo Estilo Triciclo, or octopus tacos. When we used to judge Tacolandia for the Houston Press, La Fisheria was his favorite, especially the octopus. That sealed the deal for him, so the mojarra frita was nixed. As the octopus tacos weren’t on the HRW menu, we decided we could just split the first HRW course since I was ordering from it.
Our cocktails were delicious, if not potent. My house margarita on the rocks ($13) was made with fresh lime, which I appreciated. CRB’s Mexican pina colada was especially tasty, but it was more of a $16 smoothie. It’s not that we want to be knocked over by our drinks, but for the price, one expects a bit of booze.
We split the first course of Tuna Tostadas. The yellowfin tuna slices were a little bland for me and the chipotle mayo wasn’t even there. What little flavor there was came from the oh-so-thin fried leeks, dot of avocado and cilantro sprig. It made me wish I had gotten the ceviche or corn ribs instead. But, taste is subjective and CRB loved them, so he enjoyed the third tostada by himself.
Our main plates were a bit more flavorful. CRB’s octopus was stellar, marinated in guajillo pepper and very tender. He did have a few nits to pick, however. He wanted a little more spice and also would have preferred the rice on the side instead of in the taco. The bowl of black beans were creamy and had a flavor that I could not place. I don’t normally like black beans, but these had me dipping my fries into them and with the generous sprinkle of cotija cheese, it was a surprisingly good combination.
My fish sandwich was serviceable and perhaps that was my fault in ordering something so basic. The potato bun was a bit squished and the slaw itself overpowered the fish with its sweetness. After a few bites, though, I actually began to like it better. In a weird way, the two fresh fish tenders inside began to taste as if they had been made with maple syrup. I think a hint of heat would have cut through the sweetness. Again, the promised chipotle sauce seemed to be nowhere in sight.
The tables around us seem to be having a good time and our server was talking to everyone. The woman bussing tables and bringing chips was also friendly and I was amazed that two people were keeping it all going so seamlessly.
CRB and I would return for the fresh seafood and the warm service, but I think we would hit up its weekday happy hour for $8 cocktails and bar bites on the cute patio. I am pretty sure CRB would be happy with its happy hour sope de pulpo. That boy loves octopus.
As for its HRW lunch menu, it’s not much of a bargain when you add up the cost of the lunch entree and the first course. Still, a couple of bucks will go to Houston Food Bank and there were several tables seated for a late weekday lunch that might not be there normally.
And that’s what Houston Restaurant Weeks is all about, Charlie Brown.
La Fisheria
213 Milam
713-802-1712
lafisheriahtx.com
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.
