Eat, Drink, Hou

The Best Things to Eat, Drink, and Do in Houston This Weekend: February 20

Houston doesn’t ease into a weekend. It celebrates it.

One corner of the city fills with lion dances and lucky dishes. Another shakes up margaritas in honor of a holiday that barely needs an excuse. Museums spark big questions about legacy and art, while quiet reading rooms invite reflection. In Houston, culture isn’t scheduled.

It unfolds.

Across neighborhoods, the options stretch wide: prosperity on a plate, music in the streets, art on the walls, and escapes just outside the loop. The only real question is where to begin.

Lunar New Year on the Table

With Lunar New Year in full swing, kitchens across Houston are serving dishes meant to symbolize fortune and longevity. Dumplings and noodles signal wealth and long life. Whole steamed fish represents abundance. Sticky rice cakes promise prosperity.

Restaurants throughout the city are leaning into tradition, offering meals rooted in meaning as families gather to mark the occasion. Celebration here isn’t subtle.

It’s shared.

Margaritas, Ready as Ever

National Margarita Day lands on Sunday, but Houston hardly needs a reminder. With Mexican and Tex-Mex staples on nearly every corner, frozen and on-the-rocks options flow freely all weekend long.

From classic shaker versions to bold house specialties, the city stays prepared. Salt on the rim. Lime on the edge.

No warm-up required.

Lion Dances in Motion

After the feasting comes the movement.

Lion and dragon dance troupes perform across the region, filling plazas and restaurant courtyards with percussion, color, and tradition. Groups including Houston Lion Kings, Unity Lion Dance, and Lee’s Golden Dragon bring performances to Katy, Sugar Land, Memorial Park, and beyond. Social feeds fill quickly with performance times and last-minute updates.

The drums travel. So does the crowd.

Fantasy Coffins & Final Wishes

At the National Museum of Funeral History, a display of Ghanaian fantasy coffins invites a different kind of reflection. Created as functional art, the elaborate designs represent identity, ambition, and what someone hopes to carry into the afterlife.

Crustaceans. Candy bars. Luxury cars.

In Houston, even conversations about mortality become visual and unexpected.

A Room to Slow Down

Downtown, The Reading Room offers something quieter. Shelves lined with books celebrating Black art, culture, and creativity create a space that feels intentional and grounding.

It’s a place to flip pages, linger, and think.

Sometimes the most powerful moments aren’t loud.

A Weekend in The Woodlands

And if staying inside the city limits isn’t the plan, The Woodlands offers a nearby reset. Scenic trails, waterfront dining, live music, and resort stays make it easy to shift pace for a day or two.

Family-friendly amenities draw some visitors. Walkable restaurants and water views draw others.

Either way, it’s close enough to feel easy.