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Goode's Armadillo Palace
Rating Details »
Categories: Bars, Music Venues [Edit]
Neighborhood: West University5015 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77297
(713) 526-9700
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
21 reviews for Goode's Armadillo Palace
I've been to the Armadillo a number of times. I have come for lunch, and I have been in the evening to catch a band. The space is comfortable, and interestingly decorated. There are some cowboy boots on display that I'd give my first born for. The burgers are among my favorites in Houston. The drink selection is substantial, and the staff have made great recommendations when I was looking to try something different. Even when it is crowded for a show, the service is prompt and friendly.
The cover charge when a band is playing tends to be about $8, and some great acts have come through (i.e., Wayne Hancock and Dale Watson). There is usually room to dance and the sound is good. There is also a patio area where patrons may smoke.
All in all, this is a fun little place and a great spot to take friends who are visiting from out of town.
This is a bar / dancehall type place - but it has some seriously good food. First of all, the campechana is the same as the seafood place, so that makes a good light meal - as do the salads which are very good.
But, let's get down to the real Texas stuff: the chili here is first rate: none of that hamburger meat with tomato sauce and/or flour blend - this is the real thing with venison and no beans. And it's seasoned too - be sure and order some longnecks. It just doesn't get any better on these cold, rainy nights.
And I'm not sure why, but the hamburgers here are better than the hamburger place. These burgers are in my top three in town.
And the little things are high quality - like chopped FRESH jalapeño condiments - I really like fresh jalapeno and most places don't serve it for some reason.
I've been here many times and the waitresses are always great. Hard working, efficient, nice. And the atmosphere is pretty cool too. Yes it's a bar and it's kinda overblown on the Texacana, but it's not more overblown than half of the places in the hill country and, contrary to the Austin spin, east Texas is just as much a part of Texas as the hill country, and we can be just as tacky too!
The music scene here is good too. This place really does it right. I give it four because I just can't give five stars to a bar.
This restaurant is in a high traffic area off of Kirby and 59 . There is a nice big parking lot around back of the restaurant . The food is amazing, they serve many home cooked favorites such as chicken fried steak, hamburgers and pork chops . Well they maybe kinda pricey the amount of food is totally worth the price. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good home cooked style meal.
Third times a charm, right? Yeah, that's how many times I tried to come to this place only to be rejected each time.
I finally came here with some friends for a birthday and let me just say that 90% of the reason I'd come back here was because of the service. The other 10% is the enormous armadillo outside.
I've been pretty disappointed by the Goode company so far with nothing impressing me. The prices are a bit high, though you do get mountains of fries with your meal. I went with a burger (as per usual) and. . .meh. The fries were better than the burger which is never a good sign. The hubs got a club sandwich which also failed to impress.
Evidently they have quite the music scene here and while he rattled off the list of upcoming bands, I did get excited about a few headliners.
There's a pool table off to the side, which according to the drunk guys playing on it was very off.
The decor is really why I'd come back. It is just so overthetop touristy that you just have to bring your friends and family. Especially hoity toity people. I just love watching people's faces when they realize that the tables are covered in cowhide. And that there are saddles for bar stools. So awesome. That in itself is worth the hassle of going through Rice Village!
They have a pretty good Happy Hour here with $2 taps.
I also had a 1lb. hamburger that was a little pricey at $12, but if you split it between two people, it's a better value than paying $8 for a 1/2 lb. burger. It was a pretty good burger.
They also have a free shuffleboard that is a ton of fun with a few friends and a few beers.
Actually, I recommend getting dinner first at Goode's Barbecue across the street, then heading back here for a few beers and shuffleboard or pool.
Sitting outside is pretty nice in the evenings when it's a little less hot and humid.
Came here the other night after the UYE day in the park. Actually came here after a few places. It was pretty mellow when we got here but got packed quickly. There was even a 10 min wait for the guys bathroom towards the end of the night. It was great for people watching because there were rodeo folks in full force. Some of these guys had belt buckles that could dub for a shield if bullets start flying.
The beers were cheap from what I heard. The very generous Ms. Meredith M bought every round for us. She was dead set on sitting on the barstools that were made from a saddle. It didn't take too long for some to become available. The people were all way nice and just like you'd imagine good old Texans to be. After I left, I felt like roping something, saying "yeehaw!!!" and breaking my empty beer bottle on the ground. I have some friends coming from CA to visit this summer and this will be a must for them to see.
Oh, you giant and shiny Armadillo on Kirby...you always seem to lure me in with your blazing red gaze...
I love the "dillo!" The casual, Texas-themed decor sets the tone for the evening. The crowd, which is always a great mix of urban cowboys, River Oaks/West U., and tourists/business travelers, is disarmed by the saddle bar stools and animal heads jutting out of the walls. Quick service, interesting and friendly clientele, country music playing in the background all mix together in a concoction I call "Texas Fun!" For a more casual experience, go on an open mike night and have dinner...the nachos are particularly good.
Whether your dressed up or have your boots and jeans on (I've been in flip flops before) your welcomed at the "Dillo." I've never had the same experience or evening there...the "Dillo" never disappoints and is never boring.
"Like a Rhinestone Cowboy, riding out on a horse in a star spangled rodeo."
Well, not quite, but there were some almost-RS Cowboys wandering (I mean moseying) around the 'Dillo when last I went. Seriously. Actually, one was hovering over a coveted saddle bar stool next to me. Not sitting, hovering. Talking to his lady friend, I imagine. My group was in desperate need of two more stools, but not desperate enough to let me steal the man's seat. (I had had beers and we were in a "country" bar, what did you expect I would have done? I'm a team player.)
Why the cracks at the city slicker cowboys? It just so happens that it was the final evening of the Rodeo Cook-Off...and the after party enveloped us. We got there around 9pm. By 10:30 or 11, the place was packed to the gills with guys in Ropers and Wranglers or Jeans and Bro-Bra shirts (er...that would be frat-worthy t-shirts). Ladies in Bedazzled tops with way too much height to their hair or in one girl's case, a Bret Michael's costume. I suppose she was the "Hair-Band Cowgirl." .
In all honesty, rodeo or not, there's no need to dust off your roach-killers and put your Wranglers on to feel welcome here. My small group of post picnic attendees were wearing our casual Saturday afternoon best that Saturday evening. Sun burnt and in jeans with a cutesy floral sweater, I was my own version of a Redneck.
Everyone is friendly: patrons and bartenders. I'm not certain if they charge cover every evening, but keep in mind that there is a stage so most likely you will have to pay upon entering. The night we went it was $7 to get in. Not really a bad deal considering the cover band was actually decent...even if I only recognized a few country hits from the 80s. Also, if you get there early enough, get a bar stool and camp out for the evening. If it gets as crowded as it did the night we were there, you'll be glad. Quick bar service and a place to sit...on a saddle.
With the right amount of liquor, I can clearly be talked into most anything. This was made apparent by me agreeing to head over to "the big Armadillo on Kirby" as I've called it for years.
Having attended both high school and college in Oklahoma, I felt pretty at ease in a country bar. It was in a country bar that I had my first shot of liquor, got into my first fight with a group of friends, rode a mechanical bull, and really began to appreciate silver coin night.
Goode Armadillo Palace isn't a bad spot. I was a little surprised to learn of a cover charge to get in a restaurant, but once in I saw why. It's a club come 7or 8 o'clock. Big shout out goes to Meredith M. for recommending this spot. I may never have gone inside, but I'm glad I did.
There's an outdoor patio area with heaters on for cold nights, like Saturday night. Once inside, there's a dance floor and a centrally located bar. I have to admit, once we got seated by the bar, the drinks came fast. So that's the sign of a good bar. We never waited long to order the next round. The people were friendly and very conversational and it was a blast. I'd do it again in a heart beat.
If you have out-of-town visitors or are just looking for a somewhat laid back country bar with live music, cheap beer and a festive atmosphere, Armadillo Palace is your place, partna. Just venture over into the Rice/West U down Kirby and you'll spot the giant silver armadillo watching over Texas' finest folks. (Great photo opp for tourists.)
I came here last week after a birthday dinner. It was seriously busy for a Thursday, but our group of 10 walked right in and headed straight to the bar. The lovely bartender lady quickly took my order, and--tipping well--continued to do so throughout the night. Live band was playing. Funniest part was that our friend was wearing the EXACT same outfit as the late-40-year-old band. "Andrew, you're missing your set!" Zing!
With pool tables, shuffleboard, a covered outside patio, plenty of whiskey barrels/tables and seating, we took pleasure listening to tunes, drinking cold Lone Star and toasting to the birthday boy. Ah, there's nothing like listening to David Allan Coe's "You Never Even Called me by my Name" and singing your little country heart out. God bless the Dillo!
Weekly lowdown: Tijuana Tuesdays (specials on imports and tequila); Wednesday is ladies night with $2.50 you-call-its and whiskey specials to bring on cowboys; Thursday live music with no cover; Fri-Sat live music with $7 cover.
Pros - armadillo cyborg, pretty decent live music, desert vegetation.
Cons - Unimpressive food, corny decor, possibly prejudiced staff and patronage.
I agree with Farrah that the Armadillo Palace is a good place to bring out of towners if they came to Houston and were disappointed by the lack of tumbleweeds and giant belt buckles. Every square inch is adorned with something that's supposed to evoke someone's idea of the spirit of Texas. I guess some people like that. There is a patio, pool table, and shuffleboard. They also have some pretty Texan sounding menu items like venison chili, but unfortunately the food just isn't that good, nowhere near what Goode Co. BBQ serves across the street. I've also found it hard to order, with the waitresses being unclear or confused about the kitchen's closing time. The only reason I can see myself being there is that they have some good, authentic bands sometimes. The fun stops there, though... I've never had good service here, and was treated particularly badly when I brought two friends here. I can't help but think it was a racial thing. The bouncer gave us an alarmed look and said "Five dollar cover!" as if he was hoping that maybe we'd just turn away when he said it. To his dismay we paid the cover and went in, and got "Why are you here?" looks from many of the people we passed. We sat at a table and waited patiently for a waitress. And waited. Eventually we flagged her down after she had brought the table next to us a round of drinks and told her we'd like to order. She said she'd have to be right back. She kept waiting tables around us but never came to take our order, so we ended up ordering from the bar, about 20 minutes after our arrival. There were even empty tables in the section so I think she could have handled us. We were sober, dressed normally, not rowdy, I really can't think of anything else that would have gotten us to be treated that way. It was a really unfriendly and unwelcoming experience, especially the waitress. Fortunately my friends have a good sense of humor and thanked me for giving them a "real" Texas experience. Thanks but no thanks Armadillo Palace!
Great place to kick back for a beer and good food in the Rice University area. Friendly folks, nice service, just an overall great experience.
From the name Goode, I am assuming this is owned by the Goode family that has a good number of BBQ restaurants around town and, which have been featured on Food Network.
Try the nachos for sure, and while they serve Venison Chili, and Frito Pie, try my own creation, Frito Pie with Venison Chili. They don't mind making that and even said they might put it on their menu.
Fun place to stop, frequented by college kids from Rice University. One Friday or Saturday night when we stopped by there was live country music which was really cool. And make sure to take your photo out front with the giant Armadillo. (We just uploaded half a dozen high quality ones for your enjoyment). :)
Oh my god. I thought I had reviewed this place when I went for the first time in August, but for some reason I never did.
You should take me out back and shoot me. I'm sorry Mr. Dillo, I really am.
This was the first bar I ever went to in Texas, although I guess that isn't saying much since I'm still a newbie, but this place had/has it all.
Cheep beer served in a goblet, nice friendly people, pool tables, lots of fun decor on the walls...and I think I'm forgetting something...oh that's right there is a huge armadillo outside to greet you with red light up eyes!! all FTW.
I sometimes ride by this place on my bike and give him a wave and yell out, see you soon for I'm always ready to go back when I have the time.
This place is perfect for out of towners/staters/earthers or a standard joe the plumber.
Plus it is close to were I live and near both BBQ and Wendy's.
I am a recent transplant to Texas, and the Armadillo Palace is pretty much what I imagined the quintessential Texas bar would look like. It is totally over the top with Texas kitsch in a truly awesome way, and it's a great place to meet friends for low-key drinks and/or dinner-- emphasis on the drinks. It's much more a bar than a restaurant, and as a bar, it's definitely fun.
I would give the food about three stars-- our waitress was super nice, but the kitchen apparently got very confused when they made my salad because it was missing several ingredients and had a few added, including bacon. (I ate it anyway because it wasn't that big of a deal, but for people without my great love of bacon that would be a problem.) Apart from that, I thought the salad was fairly mediocre-- passable, but I wouldn't order it again, apart from the lemony vinaigrette that I got on the side. However, I think that was my fault since this place doesn't exactly scream "salad"-- the burgers and tex-mex ordered by the people I was with looked much more appetizing.
Upshot: a great place to hang and have a drink with friends while reveling in Texas-ness.
A friend suggested we come here one night before catching a movie and I agreed, having no idea that I would soon find one of my favorite burgers and definitely my favorite salsa in Houston.
To start off with, one has to mention the giant steel armadillo outdoors. It's easily the most recognizable thing on Kirby and makes giving directions to it ("It's the place with the giant armadillo.") quite easy. The decor inside is uberTexan with lots of steer heads, saddles, old guns, and the like.
A word of warning about the bar stool seats: they are saddle shaped and quite uncomfortable or at least they were to me. Maybe it's easier to sit on if you're an actual cowboy.
We started off with the chips and salsa, though salsa is usually too spicy for me and I just end up eating the chips plain. Much to my delight, though, this salsa was very flavorful and just a smidge spicy (probably not even noticeable to most people since my spice tolerance is so low) and I found myself loving them more and more with each bite.
I also ordered their bacon cheeseburger and it was just delectable. I hardly ever eat even most of my burger when eating out, but I devoured this one. Seriously, I thought I was going to explode after eating so much. I think I'll try the blue cheese bacon burger (smoked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and chili-spiced fried onion strings) the next time I go.
The drinks were also really good and I had probably a few too many margaritas. They were just too hard to resist.
There's also live music here quite a bit, but I haven't been there for a show yet. I do hope to make it out for a show some day and get a taste of some of their Texas music.
All in all, you can't go wrong coming here. The atmosphere is casual and it's a nice place to relax and have some chips and salsa, a burger, and a margarita or two.
Totally unpretentious Texas watering hole ... cheap beer, relaxed music, typical Texas bar games, cowboy-esque western decor and a big ole Armadillo in front of the bar. What more can you ask for?!!!
Crowded joint in the evenings ... you could tell locals like to hang out here. Make sure you go earlier better than later b/c it's sure to fill up!
Another reason why Houston is consistently ranked as one of the fattest cities in America. By no means am I a health nut, but this place is a heart attack waiting to happen. If you come here to eat, your options are either huge portions of meat or fried things covered in cheese. If you come here to drink, they at least have many options for Texas beer: Shiner, Lone Star, St. Arnold's.
The atmosphere is that of a Texas-style TGIFridays: crazy Texas memorabilia on the walls and knick-knacks all around. The crowd is mixed and the music is good, but the parking is awful. Expect to park on the street a couple blocks down.
We saw an ad for this place in the paper that offered $1.75 draft domestic beer pints for happy hour and all day sunday. Since it was sunday, we couldn't pass up the chance to try this quintessential texas experience of a restaurant.
The Goode Family is a well known restaurant family in Texas, also famous for their BBQ establishments. However, the Armadillo Palace was ranked as the #1 place for hamburgers in Houston.
We figured, cheap beer, great burgers, Texas memorbilia and country music, plus lots of giant plasma TV's for watching NFL games, why not give it a try?
Sure enough, the burgers are fantastic! The decor was charming, if you like Texas relics and country-western decor. There's also a giant silver armadillo in front of the restaurant, which makes for a great photo op.
I hear it can get crowded on the weekend, especially if there's live music going on. But overall, a fun, delicious experience.
I like the Goode concept. First the Goode Seafood, then the Taqueria, now the Armadillo Palace. Armadillo Palace is so near to where I live that I just decided to try them out one night. It's a bar, so it's noisy, but still fun. There are live bands each night, so that adds to the vibe. All in all, this is a bar: a place to see and be seen. Go with friends, but try not to go alone.
Honky Tonk with Balls. Goode's Armadillo Palace features live country and western music, a great full bar, and a very upscale atmosphere for a country bar. Its proximity to River Oaks and Rice Villiage makes for a mix of college kids and welathy professionals. Once you walk in, you'll have have to love the interior. The bar stools are saddles and there are mounted longhorn heads and old timey photos on every square inch of the walls. There is also a great beer garden out back. Good times.
A plus for visitors given that it is next door to Goode barbeque. Treat your tourists friends to a kitsch texan experience: saddle barstools, and definite characters at the bar. Drinks, flautas, and guacamole ok. I will go again to show off the silver armadillo (barstools) and great atmosphere.
