Here’s a look at this weekend’s best culinary happenings:
Black Friday Beer Blowout at Saint Arnold
Friday, 11 a.m.
2000 Lyons
This annual event at Saint Arnold Brewing Company offers limited supplies of Bishop’s Barrel bottles to go or to stay. For Bishop’s Barrel no. 1, 2 or 3, guests are allowed to purchase one bottle. For Numbers 18, 19, 20, 22 and 25, the limit is two. And the Russian Imperial Stout and the Raspberry Sour will be available with a limit of four. For those relaxing and enjoying the beer hall, beer garden or the tap room, there will be drafts available as well including I Love You This Much and Divine Reserve no. 19.
Black Friday Brunch at The Rustic
Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1836 Polk, 1121 Uptown Park Boulevard
Both locations of The Rustic will be offering its usual weekend brunch on Black Friday, November 26. The dishes are served family style and include options like avocado toast, fruit and cheese, the Butchershop Skillet (bacon and sausage), Country Baked Eggs, Smoked Cheddar Grits, Hot Chicken Nashville-style, Baby Fried Toast and Daily Donuts.
It will have individual brunch cocktails but if you’re hanging with a group of like-minded folks, the carafes are a better deal. You can get mimosas for $12.95 with a choice of orange, grapefruit or cranberry juice. There are also pitchers of Bloody Mary, Bellini, Sangria and Aperol Spritz for $19.95.
Half-off Grilled Oysters at Pier 6
Friday, all day
113 6th, San Leon
After a Thanksgiving wash-out, the weather is supposed to clear and be cool. For those who still have relatives hanging around, take them on a trip down Interstate 45 to San Leon for a taste of some of the best Gulf oysters in our area. For Black Friday, Pier 6 Seafood and Oyster House is offering its grilled oysters, dressed as you wish, for $6.99 per half dozen. Guests can opt for The Prestige, named for owner Raz Halili’s oyster company that provides his restaurant with super-fresh mollusks. The Prestige lets the briny richness of the oysters shine through with grated Parmesan and fresh herb-shallot butter. Or diners can laissez les bon temps rouler with The Streets of New Orleans, a mix of Oysters Rockefeller and Oysters Bienville. The Hot Blooded Oysters will please the palates of adventurous eaters with garlic, Sriracha and habanero butter. For a decadent treat, the Blue Crab Oysters stuffed with a decadent crab gratin is the way to go.
And for those who time their visit to coincide with its happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., there is a selection of frozen drinks, signature cocktails and house wines for $6 in the bar areas.
Charity Pub Crawl at El Big Bad
Saturday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
419 Travis
This tequila-centric bar and Mexican restaurant is the beginning point for a charity pub crawl that raises funds for What Makes Us Fire, an organization which helps with living expenses and in-patient mental health treatment for first responders, civil service members, military and volunteers, active or retired. For a minimum donation of $5 (reach a little deeper, though, if you can), participants can get a ticket which allows them entrance into participating bars which will have drink specials for those wearing the special wristband. Check-in is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. where guests can begin at El Big Bad, get their wristband and do the course at their own pace. The wristband will allow participants to enjoy $3 drink, beer and shot specials of the bar’s choosing. Each bar will have their own specials allotted to the pub crawl.
Attendees should consider a designated driver or rideshare in order to enjoy the event worry-free. Please drink responsibly. Your momma wants to see your shining face at the holiday table.
Music at Wunsche Bros. Rooftop Bar
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 6 p.m.
103 Midway
This historic saloon reopened in Old Town Spring this past February and it recently opened its rooftop bar in November with a special cocktail menu and live music Thursday through Sunday. This weekend will be extra fun because visitors can make a day of it and wander through Old Town Spring’s shops, listen to holiday music in Gentry Square and take a carriage ride before enjoying a loaf of beer bread, onion rings, chicken fried steak or a 16 ounce New York strip at Wunsche Bros. Afterwards, guests can head upstairs for live music and cocktails. Performers this week are Bronco on Friday, Logan Beard on Saturday then Hugh and Manny perform Sunday. Music begins at 6 p.m.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2021.
