Oh, The Galleria! My ex-husband is from Houston and I've…read morebeen to The Galleria many, many times. In fact, I started going long before I knew my husband. My dad also lived in Houston and we'd often do shopping or eating at the mall. My daughter (who is now 30) loved (& still does) skating at the ice rink during the holidays. It's a magically fun experience. The Galleria is always incredibly decorated for the holidays. I still get to Houston 1-2 times a year and always enjoy visiting The Galleria. The Galleria itself has not only the ice rink but office space, two hotels, lots of places to eat, and shopping. The retail offerings range from shops like H&M, Macy's, and Nordstrom to high-end luxury shops like Gucci & Chanel. We were there just a few months ago and it was just as fun and exciting as my first visit! Gang, there are so many stores here. Like crazy amounts (a few hundred). It's very large and easy to navigate and of course gets extremely busy during peak times. A must-visit for locals and tourists alike.

Shopping can be hit or miss, and on this particular day, it was definitely a miss. My friends and I…read moreare dedicated bargain shoppers, and despite our best efforts, the Houston Galleria wasn't giving up any deals. With only about an hour before leaving Houston, our shopping mission was more of a speed run than a leisurely browse. Even without scoring any purchases, the Houston Galleria remains an impressive destination. The moment you step inside, you experience bright lights, multiple levels of stores, and a steady stream of shoppers that create an energetic, bustling atmosphere. Beyond shopping, the mall offers entertainment options such as its iconic indoor ice-skating rink, making it easy to spend an entire day there. One of the Galleria's biggest strengths is its variety. Luxury retailers like Chanel and Louis Vuitton share space with more accessible brands such as Banana Republic and American Eagle, offering something for nearly every budget and style. Whether you're on a focused shopping mission or simply window-shopping, there's plenty to explore...even if, in our case, we left empty-handed. The dining options are equally diverse, ranging from food-court favorites to sit-down restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and Shake Shack to Chic-fil-a. While we didn't find the bargains we were hoping for, our fast-and-furious shopping adventure was filled with laughter and great conversation, and the kind of fun that comes from spending time with good friends. Sometimes spending quality time with friends is the best find of all.

My kittens like to do the Kitten Olympics all night, maybe they should come and do them in the…read moreOlympic Center instead so I can get some sleep. Very silly name for a plaza, let's be honest. I mean, there's nothing Olympic at all about it, it's actually the heart of Indiatown, full of South Asian gems. It's a wonderful plaza full of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and other delights from South Asia and the subcontinent. This is the epicentre and hotbed of all things Desi in greater Houston, and even though Sugar Land probably has more Indian restaurants, some of the very best ones are here, not least Shri Balaji Bhavan, which is one of the best South Indian meals we've ever had, and of course the legendary Himalaya, which my good friend Kashif first introduced me to, where the Chicken Hara Masala is life-changing. Not to mention the best Persian restaurant in Texas is here - Darband. And so much more! It's also known as Mahatma Gandhi district. And my girl looks stunning here, too. I'll get my coat, ma. And ma hat, ma.

I used to come here all the time when I was just a young buck!…read more Since they used to have the SANRIO (you know I am all about Miss Hello Kitty!) store so I used to come here every Sunday after church. But now...OMG this mall has totally changed! I wouldn't step foot in here ever! This place is the most ghetto-est mall ever! By far the number one in Houston I think! In case you are wondering where to get your PAUL WALL grills at...this is the place for you! Since this is where Paul Wall gets his grill!

This place is far from being an upscale shopping mall, but for what it is, it's pretty great…read more After Sharpstown went so far into decline, the renovations are complete, and while there's still a disappointingly large number of empty storefronts, this has turned into the type of mall that you don't find in Houston, but will definitely find south of the border. Two large sections of the mall are carved out into Mercados, providing shopping experiences similar to what you'd find in Mexican open air markets. It may be a bit weird to see a flea market style atmosphere in the mall, but that's exactly what it is, complete with live performances like a Mariachi group every Sunday. There aren't a lot of major chains in this mall, and Burlington Coat Factory is probably the only thing that could possibly qualify as an anchor store, but they just added a new predominantly Spanish cinema and they've loaded up their food court with one-off establishments that serve quality food, which is a major plus.

HA! It's been a long time since I've gotten a FTR! I remember I used to track down grand openings…read morejust to get the pleasure of writing the first review. Well now with kids and a family I only get that opportunity once in awhile. So when I saw that there was a new food court opening back up where sharpstown mall/plaza americas with a playground for the kids it gave me an excuse to check it out. I must say it's been years since I stepped inside this mall. This renovation has hopes of bringing people back in. They have a small playground for kids and good selection of new restaurants in this food hall. For their grand opening they have music and entertainment as well. I'll be back just sample more of food. Also there is a new pickleball facility on site as well.

I am truly impressed with the newly renovated Food Hall at the Houston Trade Center. The vendors…read moreare OPEN and READY to serve you a range of food options from different cultures. Banh Mi & Pho from Vietnamese Cafe, Asada Plates & Pupusas from Shukos Y Mas, Hot Dogs & Burgers from BEEF, Soft Serve & Snacks for under $6 from Hielo Bello. Houston Trade Center is also the home to One More Fun Game -- Houston's newest indoor pickleball space that recently celebrated their GRAND OPENING. The facility is connected to the Food Hall which makes it convenient to access great food and drinks before or after the game. The amenities are clean and modern, the spacious and functional Food Hall is suitable for everyone to enjoy.

I prefer to Point East, at least when given the choice…read more Despite the massive power station across the street and the very run down low rent area you will find amazing Vietnamese and Thai food in this Plaza, along with some great African food and a bunch of other stuff. There are also 2 sexy nightlife bars, one of which is a hot Latin strip club I believe. So it's a good plaza, and for food, one of the best undiscovered plazas in town.

I basically grew up coming here during day trips with my family. Bellaire, or even this particular…read moreplaza, has the best Chinese food and dessert you can find in the entire state of Texas. Unfortunately it has the huge crowds, lack of parking, and horrid drivers just like a large Asian city. It's probably manageable for the people that are actually from a large city in China though. Hence most of the Chinese customers being from overseas.

This is easily my favorite spot in Chinatown. Honestly, if you can't find something to eat or do…read morehere, you aren't looking. It's a massive two-story complex and the variety is just insane--you have everything from high-end ramen and spicy Sichuan spots to bubble tea shops on basically every corner. It's not just food, either. You can spend hours wandering through the different stores, checking out the boutiques, or hitting up the grocery store. It's got such a great energy, especially on the weekends.

Some of the best plazas are (sigh) gone, but this one remains, and is the heart of "Vietnamesetown"…read moreas my friend called it, the other day, correcting me when I called it Chinatown. Indeed, Teaholic has some wonderful Vietnamese drinks and a lot of delicious Boba, such as the Strawberry Black Tea which is one of the best of its kind anywhere. And the Strawberry Aloe reminds me of the Aloe Refresher from Fruitealicious in Dallas. Amazing. Bambu, next door, is the very best location of the Viet dessert and drink chain, making some of the best smoothies you'll ever have - especially the Honeydew, the Taro Coconut, the Mocha, and the Berry. But there's a lot more than just Viet stuff here, with amazing Korean Chicken (Lim's) as well as soups and stews and rice stone pot bowls aplenty. Zero Degrees (Cali chain) has a wonderful and popular location here, with their Strawberry Mojito and Strawberry Lime drinks off the charts, and their Cucumber Lime, Viet Coffee, Strawberry Horchata, and more, also stellar. Not a fan of Chili and Mango stuff, but their Mangonada is famous and popular too. And they do split cups (so does Teaholic). Long Coffee, Kravin, a location of the chain Mango Mango, and other spots in this plaza, are also well worth a visit. Parking and access can be really difficult, but then the same can be said about my gf. And now she's (sigh) gone.

Great selection of food and seafood. Was a very good experience. I like the new varietyread more