
18

"After being closed for a year and a half following a September 2016 fire, this Second Ward tiki bar has made a triumphant return with a new look and broader food and drink offerings; I note it first opened in 2013 and earned praise for its intentionally low‑brow take on Houston’s serious cocktail bars. The expanded spot hasn’t rolled out its full menu yet, but the soft opening featured po' boys and baskets of fried shrimp served with crinkle fries and tater tots, and the posted full menu promises rib‑sticking sandwiches, red beans and rice, and deep‑fried oysters — notably stating there will be “no truffle fries, no kimchi, and no damn pork belly.” Voodoo Queen leans into Houston’s rum renaissance with frozen daiquiris from machines, including the Blue Dreamz, Volcano Joe, and The Bends (priced $8–$10 and limited to three per customer), and it offers beer and other cocktails while discouraging requests for Lone Star or PBR. It’s now open daily at 322 Milby St from 12 p.m. until 2 a.m." - Alaena Hostetter