Even if you usually think of a trip to the museum as a pretty boring outing, you'll be able to appreciate the art in a glass served up at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston's happy hour every Thursday. From 6 to 8 p.m., the cash bar is open, doling out drinks inspired by the exhibits at the museum.

Make the three-mile drive from Siena at Memorial Heights to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston this Thursday to imbibe while you explore. Admission to the museum is always free on Thursdays, so you won't have to pay to get in, just per drink. While you sip and enjoy the fine art on the walls, a local DJ will spin beats and a Houston food truck will supply grub just beyond the door.

Happy Hour at Museum of Fine Arts Houston
Beck Building
6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday
5601 Main Street
Houston, TX 77005
(713) 639-7300
www.mfah.org/calendar/happy-hour-thursdays/12754
www.yelp.com/biz/museum-of-fine-arts-houston-houston

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr StuartWebster

Serving American food staples with a few surprises, Newk's Eatery is a great new addition to the area, less than a mile from Siena at Memorial Heights. Newk's Eatery is the creation of Don Newcomb, Debra Bryson, and Chris Newcomb, and features the Newcomb’s own family recipes. The original location was opened in 2004, and the business has quickly grown into a healthy franchise.

This Houston location offers well-portioned, affordable eats in a friendly and welcoming environment. The menu is full of soups, salads, pizzas, and sandwiches. Meals unique to Newk’s include a variety of mac and cheese dishes, like the crawfish mac and cheese and the six-cheese pimiento with bacon. There’s a breadstick and pickle station, too, where guests are free to sample. This is a great choice for lunch or a casual dinner, whether eating in or taking out.

Newk's Eatery
9448 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77055
(832) 917-0500
www.newks.com
www.yelp.com/biz/newks-eatery-bunker-hill-houston

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr franksteiner

Care for food with a beautiful view? Make plans to dine at The Kitchen at The Dunlavy, a restaurant with views of Buffalo Bayou Park and Lost Lake. The restaurant is just one mile from Siena at Memorial Heights, and it serves up some of the freshest new American food around.

The menu calls on ingredients from a number of local farms to ensure that diners dig into the best grub available. Popular plates on the menu include the apple and brie sandwich, Chinese chicken salad, chocolate and java smoothie, and the bacon, egg and kale breakfast sandwich. Drinks are available from the full bar, too.

The picturesque space is lined with glass windows to allow guests to take in the beautiful panorama surrounding them, and sparkling chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, but brunch is considered the best time to visit The Kitchen at The Dunlavy.

The Kitchen at The Dunlavy
3422 Allen Parkway
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 360-6477
thedunlavy.com/thekitchen
www.yelp.com/biz/the-kitchen-at-the-dunlavy-houston

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Robert Gourley