Galveston/Strand

[Damor]

We're going to Galveston in a couple weekends for our anniversary, staying at the Tremont House which is, as I understand, right next to the Strand historic district.

Neither of us has been to Galveston in God knows how many years, and we have never been together. Can anyone make any recommendations about good restaurants or other cool stuff to see/do within walking distance? I'm always up for a pint at a decent pub - any thoughts? UTMB crew?

(Yes, I know about Gaidos.)

Thanks!

 

[Spankytoes]

I highly recommend eating at Mario's seafood and Italian. It's pretty tastey. Fisherman's wharf is also pretty decent.

Don't know about bars. I went as a kid and later with a non-drinker.

 

[TXHookem]

There's a divey bar on Post Office street, if I remember correctly. If anyone can think of the name, post it. It's a good hangout.

 

[Herkie Walls]

The Treemont has a very nice restraunt.

 

[Reggaedaysay]

that hotel is very nice, just stroll on the strand... they have lots of cool shops...... try the Phoenix Bakery. With the Tremont House Hotel nearby, this cafe's surroundings provide the perfect site for beignets and coffee, either inside or out. Beyond serving Italian, bakery-fresh breakfasts and lunches to the masses, the shop takes orders for cakes and other special desserts. Also, try Luigi's Ristorante Italiano. This Tuscan style Italian restaurant serves wonderful dishes such as Eggplant Parmigiana, Virello Picata, Snapper alla Luigi, and Lasagna di Funchi. They are open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner and open on Sunday for dinner only.

 

[orangebones]

saltwater and rudy & paco's are both good...about two blocks off the strand near the moody building. saltwater has darn good gumbo and excellent ahi tuna. rudy & paco's is a kind of cuban/central american kind of place...they have an open-faced meatloaf sandwich that is a pretty tasty gutbomb. then there's gaido's on the seawall...which people have mixed feelings about, but it's an establishment and it's not owned by that jackass tillman fertitta. benno's, also on the seawall, has good, cheap boiled crawfish. casey's is a cheaper version of gaido's, with less on the menu.

be sure to take your kids to le king, which is an awesome old fashioned candystore/ice cream parlour.

whatever you do, just don't eat at willie g's, joe's, landry's, etc. that are owned by fertitta. he wants to turn that whole area into atlantic city south. he also put up that stupid turquoise ferris wheel just off I45 in houston.

 

[orangebones]

there's a cool pub-style bar right across from the opera house...but the name of the place and the street it's on are escaping me.

 

[utexas_61]

there is a brand new place called wild wings. it was pretty good food for a decent price

 

[Rip76]

First off you might want to hit up a steak and shrimp at Gus' in Texas City while your down...

but in any case... O'Malley's (Best Frito Pie Ever)

The Link

 

[Tex Pete]

For pizza(and good Italian, too), try Mario's Ristorante on 61st street. It is not the same as Mario's Italian and seafood on Seawall. It's a family-owned joint with true "flying" pizza. I go there everytime I get to Galveston. It's not within walking distance from the Tremont House, but you'll thank me later.

There's a really good BBQ joint about 2 blocks east of Pier 19, just on the south side of Harborside Dr.

 

[szechuan sage]

molly's is the pub across from the grand. next door is busker's, same owner, but it's a sports bar. most of the utmb crowd has abandoned these two places, well, actually until last night, in favor of yaga's. the clubbing folks go to the lounge. i prefer tsunami or 21. those places are more chill.

most of the food recommendations downtown have already been made. if you don't mind driving the 5-10 minutes it takes to get pretty much everywhere, go eat at moody gardens or the san luis. plenty of things to do.

i'm about to kick it into gear for step 1, so i am kinda out of the galveston "social scene".