The wife and I are headed to Galveston this weekend. Anybody recommend any hangouts or good restaurants.

Looking for the better tourist spots, or where the locals go?

Both would be fine. We were just wanting to go to nice bars and restaurants.

China Island is the best restaurant in town and Elbow Room is the top night spot

Sorry this is a late follow-up post, but I'll name a few places for anyone else heading to Galveston.

Sonny's on 19th St.
Dibella's Itallian
Da Spot on the Seawall
La Estacion on 25th
Original Mexican Restaurant on 14th

That's just off the top of my head. I'll add more later.

quote:

---

China Island is the best restaurant in town and Elbow Room is the top night spot

---

I must heartily & totally disagree.
I hope this was a joke but you didn't use the little laughing face.

A few more
Rudy & Pacos downtown
Seaside Bistro about 1/2 mile west of end of seawall

Mosquito Cafe on 14th st
Gorditas on 7th & Seawall
Tremont Hotel Barfor a drink

Dress up dinner-Shearns on top of the Moody Garden hotel

Gaidos-almost always good

Floats--a bar on Seawall

Poop Deck-a "joint" on seawall to drink a beer & watch people go by

Bennos on seawall is usually good

And--You can try the China Island which is a chinese buffet which has hot dogs and pizza as part of the buffet.

I highly recommend Rudy & Paco's - very, very good. I had Snapper with Rasberry Chipolte sauce - one of the best meals (if not the best) I've ever had. Hit the happy hour at the Stork club (I think that was the name of it) across the street. Looked to be a local bar - everybody there knew everybody else and their chicken fried steak looked really, really good. We had 4 drinks - bar tab was $12.75

Gaido's is always good, but I think it has lost a step from what it used to be - but the crabmeat in casserole au gratin was exceptional.

The bar on Seawall built out over the water (The Balinese I think - not Hooter's, but near there) also had a good happy hour - $2 vodka sevens.

We were there in July. We also found a winery in Santa Fe (on the mainland) that did tours and tastings - we really enjoyed that. Haak Winery - found a brochure in one of those hotel display things.

The OP is probably on their way home by now, but maybe this will help someone else.

Can't forget about the Cajun Greek!