Here are some of my restaurant recommendations:

Dai Due (Farm to table with unique protein options (Aoudad, Nilgai, just to name a few)).
Anthem - (Asian Fusion, the chicken and waffles was outstanding)
Via 313 (Detroit Style Pizza)
Interstellar, Micklethwait, LeRoy and Lewis, Terry Blacks, Franklins for BBQ.. They are all incredible IMO.

agsalaska said:

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Understand that while I live in and prefer a rural lifestyle I grew up in a big city and am perfectly comfortable in urban environments. My wife and I frequently spend weekends in downtown Houston and San Antonio and stay out with friends till closing time.

The last time I stayed in downtown Austin was two years ago. And that will be the last time. It does suck because of what it used to be, but it is no more. It is dirty, smelly, and sometimes dangerous.

I'd go to downtown Houston if I was you. Much much much cooler place. But assuming that's not an option downtown Georgetown is pretty cool. I live north of there and we go there occasionally.

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Never heard a recommendation for Houston in general, especially when staying in Georgetown and flying out of Austin? lol

Howdy Dammit said:

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agsalaska said:

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Understand that while I live in and prefer a rural lifestyle I grew up in a big city and am perfectly comfortable in urban environments. My wife and I frequently spend weekends in downtown Houston and San Antonio and stay out with friends till closing time.

The last time I stayed in downtown Austin was two years ago. And that will be the last time. It does suck because of what it used to be, but it is no more. It is dirty, smelly, and sometimes dangerous.

I'd go to downtown Houston if I was you. Much much much cooler place. But assuming that's not an option downtown Georgetown is pretty cool. I live north of there and we go there occasionally.

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Never heard a recommendation for Houston in general, especially when staying in Georgetown and flying out of Austin? lol

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Yea I mean I get that he won't go there. But I have nothing good to say about Austin. Which is unfortunate.

I have lived all over the country and Houston is absolutely a world class city. We go for weekends downtown in the summer and over winter break, usually revolving around a weekend Astros series and this year in the winter the Rockets and WWE. We get it mid day Friday, park, and don't get our car again until we leave Sunday. We stay at some pretty nice hotels for not too much, eat world class food and drink in badass bars.

You definitely have to have a taste for it. We were on the second floor of a pizza joint at about midnight and realized there were at least five different languages being spoken. The only other table speaking English was a group of college kids from Texas Southern. That probably makes a lot of people feel unsafe but it doesnt bother me

It is also very safe and very clean. I have zero reservations walking around downtown with my family as late as 1am. The homeless are limited to a couple of blocks near a shelter and are pretty easy to miss.

Again its not for everyone. But downtown Houston, really inside loop 610, is the best city living in the US in my opinion. Now outside 610, thats a different story.


Edit to add- I hate driving in cities and will never live in one again. I am specifically talking about long vacation weekends.

Interesting. Don't think I've ever heard that take before. Spent lots of time in the greater Houston area, but could count on one hand the amount of times actually downtown. Have to go there for work in about a month so will get to put it to the test.

Yea if you can stay downtown give it a shot. I would say, and I can't offhand think of the streets, but anywhere close to Minute Made towards the George R Brown and Toyota Center. That part of downtown. There is a Vic & Anthonys we go to right there and several other spots.