Skallywag Suds N' Grub

This bar and grill is located a block or so from Kemah Boardwalk, but serves up food not found on the menus of those touristy restaurants, and offers free parking to boot. Instead, Chef Joe serves up wild game including elk, venison, buffalo, and wild boar as well as lamb. The kitchen is open until midnight, and the ever-changing menu keeps patrons coming back for what Joe calls “elevated” bar food. Some regulars we talked to say off-the-menu items are available as well; just ask for what you would like and Joe will likely cook it for you. Forty three craft beers are on tap here, and Skallywag sells more than 30 bottled varieties, locally brewed brands as well as a selections from across the state and around the world. Word has spread, and this place is now getting its fair share of tourists as well as a steady stream of regulars. After dark, a younger party crowd shows up to listen to live music several nights a week; when we visited, David Grace of NBC's The Voice was playing guitar and singing country and Southern-rock covers.