Restaurant Review: Big John's Ice House in Houston, Texas

For those of you who are not familiar with what an "ice house" is, it's a former business that sold blocks of ice in the early 1900 which has now converted into an open-air bar. The word "ice house" has become an idiom for an establishment that derives the majority of its income from the sale of cold beer. I had the pleasure of visiting Big John's Ice House in Houston, Texas. Big John's has been in business since 1988. The atmosphere is typical of an ice house or sports bar. Employees are friendly and helpful. Large televisions are strategically located around the bar and if you are in the mood for a game of pool you are in luck or if you prefer you can play a game of shuffleboard. You can also take your chances on one of the slot machines. If you are fortunate enough to visit Big John's on Friday night you will be entertained by a live band. On the night that my dining party and I were there we had the pleasure of listening to the Level One Band. They were outstanding and we really enjoyed the music.

Big John's serves the standard appetizers like Fried Mushrooms, Potato Skins and Stuffed Jalapenos with the price range from $3.50 to $7.00. In addition you can order an assortment of Mexican dishes such as Chicken Nachos, Beef Tacos or the Cheese Enchiladas. If you are looking for an entrée that is heartier Big John's offers chops, ribs, shrimp and fish. All entrees range in price from $6.00 to $10.00. At this time they are running a steak special on Wednesday night. You can get a big juicy steak and one side dish for $10.00. In addition, they serve crawfish on Friday, Saturday and Sunday when in season. Don't forget the standards like burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. I chose the burger with fries and it was awesome. The burger was very large and juicy with that smoky grilled flavor. The fries came well seasoned and crispy. Big John's also serves breakfast all day which I thought was very unusual for an ice house.

Their claim to fame is the ice cold beer although they do have a full service bar. They have 34 different types of beer. Of course they have the standard domestics starting at $2.75, but some of the more exotic imports are Fat Tire, Saint Arnold and Warsteiner and they vary in price. All bottled drinks are served in a koozie to keep your drink cold and if you prefer you can order multiple beers at once and they will bring you a bucket filled with ice to guarantee you always have an ice cold beer. One of my fellow diners proclaimed "This is a wonderful place to hang out on a nice spring day" and I would have to agree.

You can visit Big John's Ice House at 12640 Briar Forest Drive @ Dairy Ashford, Houston Texas 77077 (281-497-3499). I give Big John's Ice House five stars and recommend that if in the area you make time to stop by and have a cold beer. You can visit their website at Big John's Ice House.