Poulet aux Écrevisses at Étoile Cuisine et Bar: part of the limited-time crawfish menu celebrating mudbug season. Credit: Paula Murphy

Monday, May 18

New School Barbecue Mix & Mingle at Feges BBQ

Feges BBQ, 8217 Long Point, hosts a dine-around book celebration with Michelin Star–earning chef Evan LeRoy of LeRoy & Lewis on Monday, May 18, bringing together both teams for a night of collaborative dishes, passed bites and carving stations inspired by his new cookbook New School Barbecue: Recipes for Next-Level Smoking and Grilling. Tickets start at $100.

Tuesday, May 19

Bluefin Tuna Carving Experience at Azumi

Azumi, 4444 Westheimer, brings back its Bluefin Tuna Carving Experience from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The one-night-only cocktail-style event features a live bluefin tuna carving demonstration alongside wine tastings, premium sake pairings, cocktail stations, a raw bar, caviar station and desserts. Tickets are $180 per person with gratuity included.

Belly of the Beast x Loro at Loro Kirby

Loro, 5333 Kirby, welcomes chef Thomas Billie of Belly of the Beast for a one-night-only five-course tasting menu focused on smoke, acidity and Asian-inspired flavors. The $100 ticketed dinner includes dishes like smoked salmon crudo, coconut leche de tigre oysters, tomatillo curry shrimp and char siu-style Iberico pork presa with bao buns and black garlic noodles, plus a mango raspado halo halo finale, with an optional $60 beverage pairing and limited seating for 40 guests.

Tuesday–Saturday

Crawfish Menu at Etoile Cuisine et Bar

Etoile Cuisine et Bar, 1101 Uptown Park, will offer a special four-course, crawfish-inspired menu during lunch and dinner service. The $78 prix-fixe menu from chef Philippe Verpiand highlights French-style crawfish dishes including crawfish bisque, crawfish and scallop vol au vent and roasted chicken with crawfish tails and morel mushroom sauce, followed by a berry dessert. À la carte options will also be available.

Wednesday, May 20

Feges BBQ x Bar Bludorn at Bar Bludorn

Bar Bludorn, 9061 Gaylord, teams up with Feges BBQ for a one-night-only four-course dinner on Wednesday, May 20. Chefs Aaron Bludorn, Patrick Feges and Erin Smith Feges will serve a collaborative menu featuring Texas game terrine, smoked French onion soup and beef ribs. Reservations are available through OpenTable for $120 per seat.

Wednesday–Thursday

Vacation by the Glass: Italy at Heights & Co.

Heights & Co., 1343 Yale, hosts its Vacation by the Glass series with a visit to Italy. The experience is $35 per guest plus tax and includes a welcome cocktail, a four-course wine tasting and a themed movie screening on the big screen, with chef’s tastings available for an additional fee. Score tickets via Resy.

Friday–Sunday

MDW at Arnaldo Richards’ Picos Restaurant

Picos, 3601 Kirby, celebrates Memorial Day weekend with $10 House Shaker Margaritas and $12 burgers and hot dogs, plus standouts like the Monterrey Burger topped with smoked ham, chihuahua cheese, guacamole, caramelized onions and pickled jalapeños and a Sonoran Hot Dog wrapped in bacon and piled with charro beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, mayo and mustard on bolillo bread. Taco Fest specials also run all weekend long.

All month long

Hogs for the Cause: Trail of BBQ

Texas barbecue spots including Pinkerton’s Barbecue and Blood Bros. BBQ are partnering with nonprofit Hogs for the Cause throughout May for the Trail of Barbecue fundraiser supporting families facing pediatric cancer. Diners can contribute through register round-ups and specialty menu items like Pinkerton’s new “Glazed and Confused” cocktail, with proceeds benefiting the organization, which recently announced a $1 million investment toward pediatric cancer research initiatives at Texas Children’s.

Crawfish Ramen at Ramen Tatsu-Ya

Ramen Tatsu-Ya brings back its limited-time favorite, The Crawmen, a crawfish boil-inspired ramen bowl with tonkotsu broth, Crawmen tare, garlic, andouille, crawfish succotash, green onion and lemon – available through the end of May.

New and ongoing specials

Squash Blossom Season at Hugo’s

Hugo’s, 1600 Westheimer, has brought back its annual seasonal squash blossom menu through the end of July. Chef Hugo Ortega’s limited-time offerings include squash blossom soup, squash blossom salad, quesadillas with Oaxacan cheese and roasted tomatillo salsa and goat cheese-stuffed squash blossoms, with dishes priced from $14 to $15. 

Siete X Loro Collab at Loro

Loro, 5333 Kirby, 1001 West 11th, are collabing with Austin-based company Siete from May 12–25, celebrating backyard asada season with a limited-time menu featuring the Siete Sourdough tortilla. The lineup includes a $5.50 smoked tri-tip taco with pastrami-style brine, cabbage slaw and jalapeño botana sauce, a $12 dip sampler with smoked shishito queso, Thai green salsa and smoked salmon dip, and an $11 mango chamoy slushee with aperol, sake and sparkling wine. 

Brooke Viggiano is a contributing writer who is always looking to share Houston's coolest and tastiest happenings with the Houston Press readers.