[Houston] Kemah Boardwalk

[fifi]

This week's Houston Chronicle Whine & Dine addresses an issue that is near and dear to my heart. Well . . . I am not so sure about dear.

Elizabeth Lowell's request for a "hole-in-the-wall" Kemah restaurant struck a chord with many readers, who not only shared laid-back places to eat but also critiqued the "circus atmosphere" of the Kemah Boardwalk. The topic generated more comment than any in recent memory.

The recommendations are pretty much spot on. The one I don't know about because I haven't been is Wrecker's. The one time I tried to go there it was on the weekend and they had this really loud band so I decamped to my all time favorite Topwater Grill, reported on here.

Outriggers is a really fun place and the food is pretty darn tasty. Sundance Grill is a bit more upscale and pretty reliable. Believe it or not, I had some of the best haricots verts that I have ever eaten there. Both places can't be beat for watching the Christmas boat parade.

I am among those who mourn the demise of the Kemah waterfront. At least the Seabrook side of the channel has retained some of the original messy charm. And you can snag some fresh seafood in the various establishments. Bacliff and San Leon are also convenient alternatives.

The final blow and the one unforgiveable act was what has become of The Flying Dutchman. I don't really blame the owner for selling out as he was ready to retire. The upstairs room, white tablecloth style, was argueably the best Gulf Coast seafood restaurant on the planet. This was not my assessment alone. I had guests there from New Orleans, New York and Chicago, some in the restaurant biz, that shared my opinion. A friend and I would entertain his international clients there. When asked where they wanted to eat, this was invariably their choice. I would get e-mails literally from all over the world asking for directions to the place. Now it is just ok.

. . . that area has been turned into an amusement park and upscale restaurants that serve expensive food with none of the old charm. A major part of Houston-area history is gone forever.

If anyone has had an outstanding meal there I would like to hear about it since I occasionally have visitors that insist on going. I did have a pretty good meal at Willy G's once. (For the price, it should have been.) But that can't erase the memory of the worst enchiladas I have ever had at The Cadillac Bar.

Let us proceed to commiserate.

[Deacon]

Upstairs at the *cough*Frying*cough* Dutchman is still the most upscale place on the Kemah Boardwalk. I can only imagine what it must've been like in its heyday. But any place that you have to cross kiddie-train tracks to get to can't be truly upscale.

Best waterfront seafood place in the area: Pappadeaux (on the Seabrook side ).

[fifi]

Just in case folks not from these parts want to know what this is all about, check it out here. They have added more rides since the picture was taken.

When I have had visitors request going there, there are usually some older kids in tow. They seem to enjoy the carnival like atmosphere. The adults generally hide out in one of the "downstairs" places and order something fairly dependable like a seafood taco or po'boy that will be ok. Not great . . . but ok.

[irodguy]

I must admit I have eaten at the boardwalk many times. I go to Keels & Wheels most every year and look for places kind of close. It's coming up pretty quickly so if I decide to go this year, I will get some recommendations so I can avoid the zoo known as Kemah .

[SuperLuckyCat]

I have never been to Kemah ever because I just envision a Joes Crab shack and Aquarium mix a la Evil Empire (Fertitta) but after this article and this thread I want to try one of these places like Topwater. It would hurt me to just see that Landry stuff. Can you get to the recommended restaurants without driving through all that stuff?

My heart aches when I see people pouring into and waiting hours for tables at unimaginative chains. I have to admit when I am on the road (I travel 75% of the time for my job, usually out of state) I eat at a lot of chains like Chilis b/c I am usually grabbing salad with chicken on it for my hotel room late at night, and my dinner tends have a low-calorie convenience objective, rather than dining (or else I would be HUGE). So there is a place for chains in this world, but, man, why do they have to be at locations like a waterfront or a city skyline (Aquarium)?

I weep for America.

[fifi]

I have never been to Kemah ever because I just envision a Joes Crab shack and Aquarium mix a la Evil Empire (Fertitta) but after this article and this thread I want to try one of these places like Topwater.   It would hurt me to just see that Landry stuff.  Can you get to the recommended restaurants without driving through all that stuff?

. . . . .

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No, you don't have to drive through it. You will see it from the Hwy 146 bridge, though. Here is the map link to Topwater Grill. You can start there and zoom out to see where that is in relation to Kemah. That will also help you find the other places listed in the article.

[jess mebane]

I have never been to Kemah ever because I just envision a Joes Crab shack and Aquarium mix a la Evil Empire (Fertitta) but after this article and this thread I want to try one of these places like Topwater.  It would hurt me to just see that Landry stuff.  Can you get to the recommended restaurants without driving through all that stuff?

I weep for America.

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Don't cry. Remember that hating Fertitta makes you one of millions of Houstonians who consider hating Fertitta a treasured indoor sport; also remember that Houston is big enough to accommodate Mr. Fartypants and several other decent waterfront joints, thankyouverymuch Fifi!

[irodguy]

I have never been to Kemah ever because I just envision a Joes Crab shack and Aquarium mix a la Evil Empire (Fertitta) but after this article and this thread I want to try one of these places like Topwater.   It would hurt me to just see that Landry stuff.  Can you get to the recommended restaurants without driving through all that stuff?

. . . . .

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No, you don't have to drive through it. You will see it from the Hwy 146 bridge, though. Here is the map link to Topwater Grill. You can start there and zoom out to see where that is in relation to Kemah. That will also help you find the other places listed in the article.

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Fifi,

How many miles is that? Looks like it's down the same highway just a bet further.

[Richard Kilgore]

WARNING: If you follow Linda's directions, you will have to stop along the way for sustenance. I lost 10 lbs one day trying to meet her for lunch at Topwater.

[fifi]

It is only about 3 miles south on 146 to the red light at hwy 646. (I am a terrible judge of distance.) You turn left at the light. You are now in Bacliff. Keep going until you are at a blinking light. Clifton by the Sea is right in front of you. If you keep going toward the water and turn left you will come to Noah's Ark Grill.

Back at the blinking light. You take a right and are now on East Bayshore Drive (still 646). As you drive along the bay is on your left. You will pass a big park built around what used to be the cooling water outfall for the Reliant energy plant that you see off to the west. It is shut down now. I hope that doesn't ruin what was an excellent fishing spot in the winter. Keep on going. That really really really huge mansion on the left belongs to one of the ZZ Tops. Dusty, I think. Keep going until you get to a blinking light. On your right at the corner is the infamous Wayne-O's. Take a right. You are now on 9th street in San Leon. Just past that intersection on the right is Gilhooley's. This is one of Robb Walsh's favorite "joints." Keep going on 9th street. It dead ends in the parking lot of Topwater. About halfway down 9th street you will go through a blinking light. To get to Wrecker's you take a right and follow the signs.

That is the tour of the options south of Kemah. I am thinking it takes about 15 minutes to get to Topwater from the Seabrook/Kemah bridge.

Back on the Seabrook side of the bridge is where you will find Outriggers. Use the link. Print the map. You will need it. The same is true for Sundance Grill. The B4-U-EAT crowd really slams Sundance on service. And it is pricey but the view is quite nice.

Joe Lee's is on the Kemah side down the road to League City/South Shore Harbor. Again, the map link is your friend. I haven't been to Joe Lee's in a long time. Fertitta bought out his original place on the channel years ago. I haven't been in the new place since it opened. I will have to stop in for some of that shrimp salad.

[fifi]

WARNING: If you follow Linda's directions, you will have to stop along the way for sustenance. I lost 10 lbs one day trying to meet her for lunch at Topwater. 

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OK . . . I totally missed this post that is a completely inaccurate assessment of the situation at the time. You had to be there. I thought that my directions were perfectly clear. Well, I may have forgotten about that right turn at the blinking light but he was coming from the Galveston direction for crisakes. Everyone knows that the place is really down thattaway. Sheesh. Whatever happened to intuitive direction finding?

(BTW . . . Richard didn't suffer too badly. He polished off the biggest plate of fish tacos I have ever seen. )

[FoodMan]

I guess not everyone feels the same way about Fertitta. Here's a quote from today's W&D:

Give Fertitta his due

After seeing picks for Kemah-area "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants in the April 7 Whine & Dine, Tom Webb of Katy stands up for the big guy.

"Ho hum, another round of Tilman (Fertitta) bashing. How creative. No, I don't work for him; never even met the man. I remember Kemah ... in the '60s. It was no big deal. Certainly not as romantic as some would have you think. The Kemah Boardwalk ... is clean, safe and a great place to take friends and family. The area is Disney-esque, but is that always bad? It has worked in Florida.

"Tilman Fertitta has done a lot for our community, and we should be appreciative. It's obvious the man absolutely loves this area and wants to see it thrive and prosper."

I presonally cannot stand Disney Land, but I will be forced to go there in a few fo years when my toddler is old enough to whine

Elie