You Need To Add Texas' Lord Of The Rings Restaurant To Your Dining Bucket List

Lovers of "Lord of the Rings" may want to put Houston on their travel bucket list. Not far from the Houston Zoo is the Hobbit Café, a quirky establishment that has been serving goblets of mead and substantial plates of food since 1972. Originally established as a vegetarian-based menu, the restaurant has grown to add burgers — and continues to promote new additions like perfectly cooked elk burgers – and seafood to a menu packed with classic Tex-Mex dishes. These orders come with an added sprinkle of fantasy taken from the trilogy, as the names of the dishes pay homage to J.R.R. Tolkien's famous work. 

Lonely Mountain Fajita Nachos, Dragon Wings, Treebeard's Guacamole Salad, Gollum's Seafood Tacos, Aragorn's Avocado Burger, Wizard Quesadillas, Great Goblins Platter, and Frodo's Fresh Fruit Salad can delight those familiar with the various characters and storyline. Even those unsure about the plot, however, can find something to feast upon and drink. The cafe is known for its massive burgers and even gifts free t-shirts for those who can handle the size of the towering proportions. Aside from a hearty menu and a rotating list of more than a dozen draft beers of craft American and European-style pints, the Hobbit Café has been determined to help bring mead back. Its own Earl Grey Mead has won over visitors, and the restaurant continually cranks out new flavors of the stuff.

Over the years, various celebrities like Neil Young, Jack Nicholson, and Woody Harrelson have entered the Hobbit Café's portal-like entrance to experience the unique atmosphere for themselves. The whimsical world makes use of its outdoor wooden deck by hosting entertainers and musicians, and organizes festivals and events like markets, dunkfests, and trivia nights. While a Gollum statue remains permanently perched overhead in a corner — and is seasonally decorated with various outfits — the occasional costumed character also stops by for brunch. 

For guests who would like to remember their visit with a souvenir, merchandise like pint and wine glasses, stickers, frisbees, and keychains can be purchased to take home. The Hobbit Café is filled with a community spirit, and whether or not you're a movie fan or avid reader, the energy is contagious as soon as you grasp the wooden-stick door handle and step into the door frame circled by paint to mimic a hobbit home in Middle Earth.