Celebrate summer feels for Independence Day 2021 with a slew of holiday specials throughout the Houston area. Opt for dine-in with seasonal cocktails or to-go options ready to feed a crowd with barbecue, ice cream, burgers and more. There is even a sweet staycation idea for those seeking an excursion with (less) traffic and no airfare. Please remember to drink responsibly, and take caution with those fireworks!

8th Wonder Brewery/Eatsie Boys, 2202 Dallas: Spread out in the expansive beer garden of 8th Wonder Brewery, and order specials from the onsite Eatsie Boys food truck. Elote Fries and Wonder Burgers are $1 off each for the holiday. The former includes battered waffle fries loaded with buttered corn, cotija cheese, hot sauce, mayo, Hot Cheetos crumble and green onions, and the Angus beef burger comes topped with American cheese, house pickles, diced onion and scratchmade dijonnaise tucked into a brioche bun. Pair with a pint of High Grade West Coast IPA, 8th Wonder’s newest summer brew. The brewery is open on the Fourth of July from noon to 7 p.m.

Bludorn, 807 Taft: Celebrate and help a good cause, too, with the Dry-Aged Burger Kit designed by chef Aaron Bludorn. Inside, you’ll find preparation instructions and add-ons, including caramelized onions, housemade Redneck Cheddar cheese, fresh frisée greens, whole-grain mustard aioli and cornichons. Proceeds from each $90, four-serving kit are donated directly to the Southern Smoke Foundation emergency relief fund. Place orders online by Wednesday, June 30 for pickup on Friday, July 3. 

DR Delicacy, 4120 Directors Row: Bring luxury to your holiday party with discounts on deluxe cookout ingredients and charcuterie boards. Now through July 4, get 15%-off festive selections in-store and online with code JULY42021. Barbecue favorites include Wagyu burgers and hot dogs, Berkshire bacon, Italian sausage, lamb meguez, boudin blanc and boudin noir. Charcuterie choices are bison, venison, lamb, duck & turkey salami, chorizo, French ham (jambon), Iberico ham or loin, Serrano ham, truffle chips, four-ounce bowfin caviar, and add-ons like condiments, buns, butters and dips and more. View the full selection online along with an exclusive margarita recipe (purchase fresh fruit purees in-store and online), too.

Harold’s Restaurant, 350 West 19th: Outfit your at-home feast with family packs from this essential Heights restaurant. Order sliders with chicken, pulled pork or 44 Farms beef with cheese in 6-, 12- or 18-packs, or hot dogs in the same quantities featuring franks from famed Prasek’s Family Smokehouse. To serve alongside, order coleslaw in quart, half-tray or full tray sizes. The restaurants housemade biscuits are also available to take home, or, opt for the potato chips, which are also made in-house. Order online or call the restaurant at
(713) 360-6204. Tell them Houston Food Finder sent you!

Hungry’s, 14714 Memorial and 2356 Rice: This local spot has served American-Global fare for 45 years and has a sweet deal for the Fourth. This year, make merry at brunch with a festive Red, White and Blue Mimosa Flight. It includes red (strawberry), white (lemon) and blue (blueberry) flavors, and costs $15. Try it alongside dishes such as Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict, Southern Crispy Chicken and Eggs, Organic Granola Yogurt Chia Seed Bowl and Gyros Plate with hand-cut fries.

KP’s Kitchen, 700 Town and Country: Take some pressure off holiday meal prep with a classic spread available as a catering preorder. It comes with a Cheese & Charcuterie Board, Caprese skewers and choice of mini cheeseburger or mini hot chicken sandwich sliders. It feeds 8 to 10 people and costs $85. Place pre-orders online by July 2. 

MAX’S Wine Dive, 4720 Washington Avenue and 214 Fairview: In honor of National Fried Chicken Day, the longstanding wine bar and southern restaurant is offering fried chicken bucket meals available for dine-in and to-go from July 2 through July 6. Each $45 package includes eight-piece jalapeño-buttermilk marinated fried chicken, Texas toast and two sides, with choice from Max n Cheese, mashed potatoes, collard greens, coleslaw and Jalapeño Cheddar Grits. Upgrade to the MAX’S Wine Dive H-Town Hot flavor for $6 more, which comes with cole slaw and pickles. True to the restaurant’s catchphrase of, “Fried chicken and Champagne? Why the hell not?”, you can even add a bottle of prosecco or Moet & Chandon for $20 or $45, respectively. The bucket specials are available July 2 through July 6 from open until close. Place to-go orders by phone for the location of your choice: (713) 528-9200 for the Montrose location on Fairview, or (713) 880-8737 for the original on Washington Avenue.

Phat Eatery, 23119 Colonial Parkway: Fourth of July is hardly complete without ice cream! Stock up on housemade Malaysian treats in three unique flavors: Pandan (coconut, milk, curry), Ube (fresh purple yam, milk, cream) and Durian (fresh Musang King durian, milk, cream). Normally $7 to $8 each, take advantage of the buy two pints, get one pint free summer deal. You can also get party trays loaded with savory snacks such as Roti Canai (a flaky Indian flat bread served with curry dip), Satay Skewers with choice of chicken or beef, Mango Chicken and more. Order in-person or online for takeout and delivery.

Reserve 101, 1201 Caroline: Sip four selections from a new summer cocktail list, and get $1 off each during the Fourth of July unveiling. There is also a hand-selected, single-barrel pick of Buffalo Trace bourbon to try. Cocktails include the citrus- and rum-fueled Zombie that arrives on fire (limit two per visit — it’s a potent drink), the peach and floral Summer Negroni, the warm and tropical coconut and chai-spiced Zana Colada, and the sparkling grapefruit, lemon and poppy Neon Hum. Holiday hours are from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Space Cowboy, 100 West Cavalcade: Get into the summer spirit with a whole kailua pig roast prepared by chef Lyle Bento on Fourth of July. The meal starts at noon inside the Heights House Hotel, and guests extend the fun with an all-day pool pass for $20. Once inside the pool area, Space Cowboy provides full service with an assortment of snacks, entrées and drinks. Read about Ryan Kasey Baker’s first few visits for more details on the overall space, food and drinks. 

Sticky’s Chicken, 2311 Edwards: Order chicken wings complimented with an assortment of high-flavor sauces and toppings at this locale owned and operated by a sweet brother-sister team. It’s fitting, then, that there are two Family Tray deals available for the fourth. The first includes 25 wings, choice of garlic rice or seasoned fries and one pint of truffle mac & cheese, and the second comes with choice of Chicken Over Rice or Karaage Over Rice, sautéed veggies and spring mix salad. Place orders by phone or e-mail by Saturday, July 3 for pickup on July 4.

Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, 1140 Eldridge and 6401 Woodway: Dig into handcrafted enchiladas with the Enchilada Party Pack for four. It costs $45 and includes a choice of chicken, beef or cheese fillings (excludes fajita), plus sides of rice and beans. The deal is available for take-out only and orders may be placed at any time by calling the location of your choice: (713) 334-7295 for Woodway or (832) 230-3842 for the Eldridge location in West Houston.

TRIBUTE at The Houstonian, 111 North Post Oak: Bring home a fiesta for Independence Day with the chef-prepared July 4^th Wood Grilled Beef & Chicken Fajita Family Pack. It comes with Mexican rice, frijoles a la charra, tortillas, house salsa, guacamole and shredded cheese. The pack feeds four people and costs $79 plus tax. For same-day orders, call (713) 685-6713, and call or order online by 7 p.m. for future orders with 24-hour notice. Pickup is June 27 through July 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; the cold-packaged meal comes complete with reheating instructions.

The Union Kitchen, multiple locations: Stop in for a special Fourth of July a la carte BBQ menu available at each of this local restaurant chain’s six locations. Choose from Breakfast Brisket Tacos, Brisket Grilled Cheese, BBQ brisket sandwich, brisket burger or Brisket Benedict. Breakfast items are served with potatoes and sandwiches come with house potato chips. Guests can also order from the regular brunch menu of sweet-and-savory modern American fare. Reservations are encouraged.

The Woodlands Resort, 2301 North Millbend: Get away from it all — if only for a weekend — with the family-friendly Star-Spangled Package. Perks include a festive welcome amenity, Star Spangled Backpack with treats for kids and $50 dining credit for any resort restaurant to be used during your stay. Guests have access to the 1,005-foot lazy river, waterpark, bike trails, tennis courts, kayaking, movies on the lawn and more. On Sunday, visit Back Table Kitchen & Bar, which is serving barbecue, hand-crafted cocktails and milkshakes during a holiday celebration complete with live music. The package is subject to availability and must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.

Ellie Sharp