Things To Do
Bar: Angel Share (formerly Okra)
Jamie's favorite! They've raised $1.3 million for non-profits since 2013. They select four Houston-based non-profits. Each time a patron purchases a drink or food item, they receive a ticket to vote for one of these charities. All of the charities win a portion of the proceeds from the bar!
Bar: McIntyre's
One of Nathan's favorites! Don't ask him to spell it though. McIntyre’s was developed to blend the neighborhood sports bar experience with the laid-back, outdoor-patio vibe. Whether you’re going out to watch a game, meet some friends for happy hour, play some cornhole, or just see a friendly face, there’s always a reason to visit.
Bar (+ live entertainment): The Rustic
Where live music meets good food. Pick up curbside or stay for a show! The concept is the brainchild of Noonan, Josh Sepkowitz and Texas country artist Pat Green, whose love of the outdoors and live music helped bring The Rustic to life. The result is a fun and relaxing dining and concert experience from a phenomenal patio, all under the big Texas sky.
Bar: Saint Arnold's Brewing Company
They are open seven days a week. Nathan's kind of place! SABC is Texas' oldest craft brewery. Their goal is to brew world class beers and deliver them to customers as fresh as possible making them the best beers in Texas and Louisiana. Their customers are beer lovers - people that appreciate great, full-flavored beers. The small crew does everything at the brewery: brew the beer, filter the beer, keg the beer, bottle the beer, sell the beer and drink the beer. For them, this is a passion, not a job. They believe that this comes through in the beers they make. Their beers have soul.
Bar: True Anomaly Brewing Company
Texas brewery of 2023! Miles has even visited. Four guys started out in a garage with some brewing equipment and a dream. Though, this group may have a bit of a leg up, coming from a background as being former rocket scientists, space-suit developers, and mission managers. What started in the garage has grown into their lineup of out-of-this-world beer recipes.
Bar: Z on 23 Rooftop
Nathan's go-to for guests visiting the city! Houston’s highest open-air rooftop bar, perched atop Le Méridien (hotel). Your key to one of the best skyline views in the city.
Entertainment: Downtown Aquarium
Jamie says it's more of a quick see - it only takes around 30-45 minutes to see it all, BUT maybe save it for another trip to H-town! Just seeing the Ferris wheel across the main highway, from our wedding venue may be enough for you! Part attraction, part restaurant, the 500,000-gallon Downtown Aquarium complex is multi-functional destination boasting a Ferris wheel, an aquatic carousel, Shark Voyage, a white tiger exhibit and a restaurant.
Entertainment: Houston Museum of Natural Science
As one of the most heavily attended museums in the United States, it has five floors of permanent exhibits, spanning astronomy, space science, Native American culture, paleontology, energy, chemistry, geology, seashells and Texas wildlife, alongside a slew of rotating special exhibitions. HMNS also houses three other venues: the Burke Baker Planetarium, Wortham Giant Screen Theatre and Cockrell Butterfly Center.
Entertainment: Houston Zoo
One of Jamie's favorites at the zoo is feeding the giraffe! The Houston Zoo is a 55-acre zoological park located within Hermann Park. The zoo houses over 6,000 animals from more than 600 species. It receives 2.1 million visitors each year and is the second most visited zoo in the United States, surpassed only by the San Diego Zoo.
Entertainment: Minute Maid Park (Astros)
The champions (GO 'STROS!) will be playing the Yankees on the wedding weekend. Get a game in while you're here! A jewel in the crown of the majestic downtown Houston skyline, Minute Maid Park has become a welcome home for the Houston Astros and has ushered in a new era of Major League sports in the city. The downtown ballpark continues the proud tradition of visionary innovation in stadium construction, beginning with the club's previous home - the Astrodome. Minute Maid Park's retractable roof technology brought open-air baseball to Houston for the first time in 35 years, and the natural grass surface and classic architecture provides the atmosphere of the great ballparks of baseball's Golden age.
Entertainment: The Story Church
The couple's home church. They have attended their services since the beginning of 2022. The Story Church is on a mission to inspire non-religious people to follow Jesus. How? By liberating Jesus from the limitations of religion. Religion is about good behavior and living in fear. Jesus came to give us a better way.
Grocery: Phoenicia Foods
Many downtown-bike-ride-picnic-dates sponsored by this place! About: Phoenicia Specialty Foods is a 55,000-square-foot food market. Phoenicia carries more than 10,000 products from more than 50 countries including fresh-baked artisan breads, award-winning European pastries, boutique wines and beers, quality meats and cheeses, fresh seafood and meat, fine catering, tasty prepared foods, exotic produce and housewares.
Park: Discovery Green
The couple has ice skated, walked, yoga'd, sipped drinks, shopped, watched movies, and cheered on dog competitions here -- with each other and their friends. Discovery Green is a beautiful, vibrant 12-acre park in the heart of downtown. The park was envisioned by several committed Houston philanthropists, who saw the space as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create an urban park that would redefine the landscape of downtown.
Park: Eleanor Tinsley
Such a special spot for Nathan and Jamie, especially during COVID. Basically in their backyard, it was the location for so many walks with Miles. Most of which included talks about the future and so much more. The couple also helped Jamie's cousin, David, propose to Amanda, right in this very spot in the photo! With downtown’s skyline as its back drop, Houston’s premier greenbelt winds from Shepherd Drive on the west to Bagby Street on the East End. Eleanor Tinsley Park, located within this greenway (Taft-Sabine), is the site of major Houston festivals and events, including the city’s Fourth of July Fireworks.
Park: Hermann Park
Hermann Park has a bountiful assortment of entertainment: a golf course, an outdoor theater, a jogging track, a beautiful rose garden, picnic spaces, a butterfly exhibit, and even a museum. Houston's most historically significant public green space and located minutes from downtown Houston, is a cultural and recreational hub surrounded by the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, the Museum District, and various residential neighborhoods. The entrance to the park is at the intersection of Main St. and Montrose Blvd. Upon arriving at Hermann Park the visitor is greeted by a statue of one of Houston's founders, General Sam Houston. He points in, towards the park, leading the park visitor in the direction of it's many amenities.
Park: Market Square
Another spot N + J have enjoyed meals + drinks together at in downtown. Either packed or purchased from Niko Niko's Greek Cafe (Jamie's favorite). MSP is one square block, bounded by Milam, Preston, Travis and Congress. Blankets, lawn chairs, food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome anytime, including park events.
(Casual) Restaurant: Pappas Bar-B-Q
Pappas Restaurants are known for outstanding food, exceptional service and an atmosphere where people go to be treated like family. Ever wonder how the mighty Pappas company got started? It all started with one little Pappas Bar-B-Q in downtown Houston. That little ol’ Bar-B-Q spot got so popular, it grew into a full concept that really started it all for one of the largest family-owned and -operated restaurant companies in the United States! Other Pappas restaurants' cuisines include: Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Pappas Burger, Pappas Seafood, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito's Cantina, Little's Oyster Bar
(Counter Service) Resturant: Romano's Pizza
THE BEST east-coast-like pizza you'll ever get in Houston! Jamie + Liz LIVE here! They recommend: margarita with red sauce + pepperoni Barstool Pizza Review: 7.5 About (from them): Once you come in and give Romano's a try you can fuggetabout going anywhere else for pizza and pasta. Your taste buds wont allow you to. You wont be disappointed, I guarantee it. Just ask my cousin Vinny.
(Formal) Restaurant: Birraporetti's
Nathan + his mom visit this place often! For almost 40 years Birraporetti’s has been synonymous with great Italian food, and outstanding adult libations, hence our mission statement, “a great Italian restaurant…with a heck of an Irish bar”.
(Latenight) Restaurant: Frank's Pizza
"Drunk pizza" - Barstool Pizza Review: 5.4 About (from them): We pride ourselves in offering hand-tossed pizzas made with the freshest ingredients including daily, made-from-scratch dough and sauce. Our reputation has been built on serving the highest quality food at reasonable prices.
(Quick) Restaurant: Lone Star Taco Co.
Y'all can't come to Houston and NOT eat a breakfast taco. It is a MUST!!! Commitment to providing the best tacos around. At Lone Star Taco, they want to create a friendly, casual, and lively atmosphere and the customers are a big part of that atmosphere. During lunch hours, you’ll always find a spirited crowd munching on the scrumptious tacos. They've also put a great deal of effort into designing the layout and style of their establishment, with walls covered in modern Tex-Mex adornments to create the type of atmosphere that Houstonians enjoy the most.