From across the Houston area, thousands of you weighed in on what you are certain are the city’s best people, restaurants, services, sights and sites. Read on to see what most of you love best, and check out our picks to see how we compared.
Readers’ Poll Winners:
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST AFTER-HOURS HANGOUT
House of Pies
Multiple locations
houseofpies.com
BEST ART GALLERY
East End Studio Gallery
708 Telephone, Suite C
eestudiogallery.com
BEST ARTS FESTIVAL
Bayou City Art Festival
7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 221
713-521-0133
artcolonyassociation.org
BEST BAR ATMOSPHERE
Cottonwood
3422 North Shepherd
713-802-0410
cottonwoodhouston.com
BEST BAR GAMES
Lucky’s Pub
Multiple locations
luckyspub.com
BEST BINGO NIGHT
SPJST Lodge 88
1435 Beall
713-869-5767
lodge88.org
BEST BLUES CLUB
House of Blues
1204 Caroline
888-402-5837
houseofblues.com/houston
BEST CONCERT VENUE
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
2005 Lake Robbins Drive
The Woodlands
281-363-3300
woodlandscenter.org
BEST DIVE BAR
Poison Girl
1641 Westheimer
713-527-9929
BEST DOWNTOWN BAR
Flying Saucer Draught -Emporium
705 Main
713-228-9472
beerknurd.com
BEST GAY BAR
JR’s Bar & Grill
808 Pacific
713-521-2519
jrsbarandgrill.com
BEST HOTEL BAR
Hotel ZaZa
5701 Main
713-526-1991
hotelzaza.com/#houston
BEST JUKEBOX
La Carafe
813 Congress Avenue
713-229-9399
BEST MOVIE THEATER
Landmark River Oaks
2009 West Gray
713-524-2175
landmarktheatres.com/market/houston/riveroakstheatre.htm
BEST MUSEUM
Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park Drive
713-639-4629
hmns.org
BEST PATIO
Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar
307 Fairview
713-529-1099
barboheme.com
BEST PLACE FOR COCKTAILS
Anvil Bar & Refuge
1424 Westheimer
713-523-1622
anvilhouston.com
BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCH
The Galleria
5085 Westheimer
713-966-3500
www.simon.com/mall/the-galleria
BEST PLACE TO RIDE A TRAIN
Hermann Park
6001 Fannin
hermannpark.org
BEST PLACE TO TAKE A SELFIE
Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park
2800 Post Oak Boulevard
uptown-houston.com/news/page/water-wall-park
BEST POOL HALL
Slick Willie’s Family Pool Hall
Multiple locations
slickw.com
BEST RADIO STATION
94.5 The Buzz
thebuzz.com
BEST SPORTS BAR
Little Woodrow’s in Midtown
2306 Brazos
713-522-1041
midtown.littlewoodrows.com
BEST STRIP CLUB
Treasures
5647 Westheimer
713-629-6200
treasureshouston.com
BEST WINE BAR
13 Celsius
3000 Caroline
713-529-8466
13celsius.com
_____________________
SHOPPING & SERVICES
BEST ADULT GIFT STORE
Cindie’s
Multiple locations
BEST AMUSEMENT CENTER
Dave & Buster’s
Multiple locations
daveandbusters.com
BEST ANTIQUES STORE
Heights Antiques on Yale
2110 Yale
713-861-3335
heightsantiques.com
BEST BIKE SHOP
Bike Barn
Multiple locations
bikebarn.com
BEST BOOKSTORE
Half Price Books in Montrose
1011 Westheimer
713-520-1084
hpb.com/011
BEST CAR WASH
Mister Car Wash
Multiple locations
mistercarwash.com
BEST COMIC BOOK STORE
Bedrock City Comic Company
Multiple locations
bedrockcity.com
BEST COMPUTER STORE
Apple Store
Highland Village / Houston Galleria
4012 Westheimer / 5085 Westheimer
832-325-3500 / 713-353-5471
BEST COSTUME SHOP
Frankel’s Costume
2801 Polk
713-228-9445
frankelcostume.com
BEST DOGGIE DAY CARE
Rover Oaks Pet Resort
Multiple locations
roveroaks.com
BEST DRY CLEANER
A-1 Dry Cleaners
Multiple locations
BEST JEWELRY STORE
IW Marks
3841 Bellaire Boulevard
713-766-4615
iwmarks.com
BEST MANICURE
Miracle Nails & Spa
5407 South Braeswood
713-283-9611
BEST MECHANIC
Steve’s Automotive Repair
5215 Richmond Avenue
713-622-2588
steves-automotive.com
BEST PLACE TO BUY A GUN
Carter’s Country
Multiple locations
carterscountry.net
BEST PLACE TO GET PLANTS
Buchanan’s Native Plants
611 East 11th
713-861-5702
buchanansplants.com
BEST RECORD STORE
Cactus Music
2110 Portsmouth
713-526-9272
cactusmusictx.com
BEST SHOE STORE
DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse
Multiple locations
dsw.com
BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE
Academy Sports + Outdoors
Multiple locations
academy.com
BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING
Buffalo Exchange
Multiple locations
buffaloexchange.com
BEST VITAMIN SHOP
Whole Foods Market
Multiple locations
wholefoodsmarket.com
BEST WATCH REPAIR
The Little Watch Shop
1919 South Shepherd
713-524-2648
thelittlewatchshop.com
BEST WINE STORE
Spec’s Warehouse
2410 Smith
713-526-8787
specsonline.com
_____________________
FOOD & DRINKS
BEST BANH MI
Les Givral’s Sandwich & Cafe
2704 Milam
713-529-1736
BEST BAKERY
Three Brothers Bakery
Multiple locations
3brothersbakery.com
BEST BARBECUE
Goode Company
Multiple locations
goodecompany.com
BEST BEER LIST
Flying Saucer Draught -Emporium
Multiple locations
beerknurd.com
BEST BLOODY MARY
Beaver’s
2310 Decatur
713-864-BEAV (2328)
beavershouston.com
BEST BREAKFAST
the breakfast klub
3711 Travis
713-528-8561
thebreakfastklub.com
BEST BREWERY
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
2000 Lyons
713-686-9494/800-801-6402saintarnold.com
BEST BRUNCH
Baba Yega Cafe
2607 Grant
713-522-0042
babayega.com
BEST BURGER
Hubcap Grill
Multiple locations
hubcapgrill.com
BEST CEVICHE
El Tiempo Cantina
Multiple locations
eltiempocantina.com
BEST CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK
Hickory Hollow
Multiple locations
hickoryhollowrestaurant.com
BEST CLASSIC FOOD TRUCK
Tacos Tierra Caliente
1919 West Alabama
713-584-9359
BEST COFFEE
Boomtown Coffee
242 West 19th
713-862-7018
boomtowncoffee.com
BEST CRAWFISH
Ragin Cajun
Multiple locations
ragin-cajun.com
BEST DELI
Kenny & Ziggy’s Deli
2327 Post Oak Boulevard
713-871-8883
kennyandziggys.com
BEST DOUGHNUTS
Shipley Do-Nuts
Multiple locations
shipleydonuts.com
BEST ENCHILADAS
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
Multiple locations
sylviasenchiladas.com
BEST FRENCH FRIES
Bernie’s Burger Bus
5407 Bellaire
713-349-9400
berniesburgerbus.com
BEST FRIED CHICKEN
Frenchy’s Chicken
Multiple locations
frenchyschicken.com
BEST HOT DOG
James Coney Island
Multiple locations
jamesconeyisland.com
BEST ICE CREAM
Amy’s Ice Creams
3816 Farnham
713-526-2697
amysicecreams.com
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT
Pondicheri
2800 Kirby, Suite B132
713-522-2022
pondichericafe.com
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Multiple locations
BEST LATE-NIGHT RESTAURANT
House of Pies
Multiple locations
houseofpies.com
BEST MAC AND CHEESE
Jus’ Mac
Multiple locations
jusmac.com
BEST MARGARITAS
El Tiempo Cantina
Multiple locations
eltiempocantina.com
BEST MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT
Niko Niko’s
2520 Montrose
713-528-4976
nikonikos.com
BEST PHO
Pho Saigon
Multiple locations
phosaigonnoodlehouse.com
BEST PIZZA
Star Pizza
Multiple locations
starpizza.net
BEST SALAD
Barnaby’s Cafe
Multiple locations
barnabyscafe.com
BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
Pappadeaux
Multiple locations
pappadeaux.com
BEST SERVICE
Uchi
904 Westheimer
713-522-4808
uchirestaurants.com
BEST STEAK NIGHT
D&T Drive Inn
1307 Enid
713-868-6165
dandtdriveinn.com
BEST SUSHI
Uchi
904 Westheimer
713-522-4808
uchirestaurants.com
BEST TEX-MEX RESTAURANT
El Tiempo Cantina
Multiple locations
BEST THAI RESTAURANT
Thai Bistro
3241 Southwest Freeway
713-669-9375
txthaibistro.com
BEST VEGAN RESTAURANT
Radical Eats
507 Westheimer
713-697-8719
radicaleats.com
BEST VEGETARIAN-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
The Hobbit Cafe
2243 Richmond
713-526-5460
myhobbitcafe.com
BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
Mai’s
3403 Milam
713-520-7684
maishouston.com
BEST WINE LIST
13 Celsius
3000 Caroline
713-529-8466
13celsius.com
_____________________
SPORTS & RECREATION
BEST ASTRO
Jose Altuve
BEST BEACH
Surfside Beach
1304 Monument Drive
Village of Surfside Beach
979-233-1531
BEST CHEERLEADING SQUAD
Houston Texans Cheerleaders
BEST DYNAMO
Brad Davis
BEST GOLF COURSE
Wildcat Golf Club
12000 Almeda
713-413-3400
wildcatgolfclub.com
BEST GYM
24 Hour Fitness
Multiple locations
24hourfitness.com
BEST ROCKET
James Harden
BEST STATE PARK
Brazos Bend State Park
21901 FM 762
Needville
tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/brazos-bend
BEST TEXAN
J.J. Watt
BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY
Austin
Categories We Forgot Winners:
BEST ADULT TAP DANCE CLASSES
Tap Happy
Multiple locations
saradraper.com
BEST DETOX SPA
Deer Lake Lodge & Spa
10500 Deer Lake Lodge
Montgomery
936-647-1383
deerlakelodge.com
BEST GLUTEN-FREE RESTAURANT
Ruggles Green
Multiple locations
rugglesgreen.com
BEST HOT SAUCE STORE
iBurn
4227 Bellaire
Houston
888-984-2876
iburn.com
BEST NUDIST RESORT
Emerald Lake Resort
23198 Texas 494 Loop
Porter
281-354-0497
emeraldlakeresorthouston.com
BEST TATTOO REMOVAL
Clean Canvas Laser
10780 Westview
Houston
713-492-1019
cleancanvaslaser.com
This article appears in Oct 8-15, 2014.