King's Court

Great place to go before a dynamo game get a beer and some indian food but the service really needs to be faster.

I went to King's Court one evening with a group of friends, and we all enjoyed our time there. We split plates of appetizers: chips and salsa, mozzarella cheese sticks, onion rings and french fries. Friends ordered Palomas and I got a Midori Sour. Everyone liked their drinks, and the bartender was both friendly and lively. I'm guessing one of the owners must be from Minnesota because there was more Vikings memorabilia in the bar than Astros or Rockets stuff. That was kind of funny. All in all, this is a cool hangout spot.

KC is the home pub for the Houston Manchester United Supporters organization, so I went to watch the Sunday morning FA Cup match between Manchester United and Liverpool. The crowd was relatively small at kickoff but gradually grew as people trickled in through the course of the first half. The place has a projector that shows the main match on one of the walls, and there are myriad other televisions throughout the space showing a number of different sports competitions. The bar is obviously not always filled with Manchester United fans, but on this occasion, they created a jubilant atmosphere of singing and chants (with the required profanity thrown in). For the small bar it is, KC has a decent selection of draft beers though not near as extensive as other larger bars in the city. Fitting its British-Indian character, its menu offers British classics like shepherd pie and bangers and mash as well as an entire page of Indian curries and the like. As far as decor, the high ceilings and dark walls give the pub a bit of a warehouse feeling, though this is mitigated by the ample posters, jerseys, and scarves on display for a number of teams from different sports and countries. The staff also lightens things, as they were quite friendly and helpful. For food, I ordered the spicy lamb curry (each Indian dish has four different spice levels you can choose from). Considering this is a bar and not an Indian restaurant, I was really impressed with the quality of the food. The meat was tender and flavorful with enough spice to make the food enjoyable without being painful. The only drawback was the naan, which came out small and was not as fluffy as one would normally expect. The waitress apologized profusely, saying they had had a problem with their tandoor, and gave me the naan for free as a result. Sitting directly next to the Houston Dynamo soccer stadium, KC performs well as the local soccer pub that it is. While it may not be as cozy or bright as some other bars, it still evokes the pleasant feelings you look for in your local community pub.

This is the home of El Batallon, one of Houston Dynamo's supporters groups for Major League Soccer. They are here before and after each game. They have specials on game days, e.g. $10 for all you can drink responsibly. This is definitely a money saver considering that one can of beer alone is $10 in the stadium! My reason for a four-star rating is for the chicken tikka masala alone. It is fantastic with just the right amount of spice but not too much. There is a hint of sweetness that is not overpowering, but just right. This dish also arrives in less than ten minutes, and I love how you get BOTH rice (to go with the chicken and sauce) and naan (need to scoop that extra yummy sauce!). I was with some friends the first time I ordered. After sampling mine, three more people ordered the same entree for themselves LOL! The reason why I pushed this to a four star rating? YOU ACTUALLY GET ENOUGH RICE AND NAAN TO MATCH THE AMOUNT OF THE PROTEIN AND SAUCE!!! I cannot tell you how many times when I go to an Indian restaurant, you can get 2-3 times of the amount of sauce/protein but not enough rice. I then will ask for extra rice and also get charged extra. Like really? I am Asian...and you are charging me for extra rice? I KNOW that tiny bowl of rice didn't cost you $2 (especially since you can buy a 25lb bag of rice for $25). There is something wrong with that LOL! I digress. There are different areas for hanging out, which is nice. There's an outdoor porch where the Bayou City Blues gather to support Chelsea (not that this ever conflicts with Dynamo games). There is also an upstairs patio where you can see a view of the city. It's not the prettiest view, but at least it's an open space to get fresh air; there is also a tv on this patio. You will be able to hear the people on the porch downstairs or any live music blasting from a nearby festival. If you are looking for a bar with fellow Dynamo or Chelsea fans, come here!