Introduction to The Tailgate
A relatively mild late fall evening set the stage for the fourth edition of The Tailgate, an all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. For the second year in a row, the event took place at 8th Wonder in EaDo, where more than 500 attendees enjoyed a stroll through the venue’s expansive backyard.
Event Highlights
The backyard was loaded with vendors serving a wide array of food and drinks. Many attendees embraced the gameday atmosphere by sporting jerseys from their favorite college and pro teams. VIP attendees enjoyed a special meet-and-greet with two Houston sports legends: former Astro Ryan Pressly and former Texan Owen Daniels. They posed for pictures, chatted with fans, and signed autographs.
Food and Drinks
No tailgate is complete without delicious food. Attendees were spoiled for choice from so many participating restaurants, including:
- Assorted sandwiches from Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys
- A Bad Chx food truck serving chicken tenders and cheesy chicken sandwich sliders
- Dry-aged beef kielbasa-stuffed pierogis with honey jalapeño sour cream from Bayou Butchers
- Smoked boudin links, fresh from The Best Stop, and Maw Maw’s chicken and sausage gumbo from BB’s Tex-Orleans
- Pork and chicken sliders from Christian’s Tailgate
- Classic Chubbies and Sweethearts from Chubbies Sliders
- Motherland pizza from Coastline Pizza
- Shrimp & grits from Common Bond’s
- Wood-grilled chicken and steak tacos from Little Rey
- Gulf shrimp and Texas peach ceviche from Local Foods
- Pulled pork sliders with pineapple adobo from Loro’s
- Malaysian chicken curry from Phat Eatery’s
- Smash burgers from Pincho Burgers + Kebabs
- Cheese and pepperoni pizza from Pizaro’s Pizza
- Sicilian arancini and cup char pepperoni al vodka from Russo’s New York Pizzeria
- Pickled green tomato crawfish salad on a roll from Saint Arnold Brewing Company
- Lollipop lamb chops, mini lamb and mini seafood empanadas, chicken sliders, and both buffalo and barbecue wings from Savoy
- Lamb chops from TASTE Kitchen + Bar
- Nashville Hot chicken sliders on Hawaiian rolls with Thunder Fries from The Waffle Bus
- American Roadside sliders and peri peri "pulled" chicken sliders from Traveler’s Cart
Refreshments and Entertainment
Fans had a number of choices for refreshments, including THC seltzers, beer from FLIGHT by Yuengling, and other fun beverages featuring spirits from Patrón Tequila, Teeling Whiskey, and St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur. Local sports teams also kept fans entertained, with the Texans having cheerleaders on hand to sign autographs, along with a game to complete a NFL-style passing drill. The Astros showed off the 2017 and 2022 World Series Trophies, and Houston soccer stars the Dynamo and Dash were on hand to tout their upcoming seasons.
Surprises and Winners
One of the night’s unexpected surprises was how challenging it was to pilot the Yuengling drone, with much laughter heard as people ran over obstacles instead of avoiding them. After four rounds of voting, modern Mexican restaurant Mayahuel emerged as the winner in the Top Taco Tournament. At the event, attendees selected the jerk lamb chops from TASTE Kitchen + Bar as their favorite of the night.
Conclusion
At the end of the night, there was only one complaint to be made for The Tailgate: it had to come to an end for another season. The event was sponsored by FLIGHT by Yuengling, Puttshack, Mizzen+Main, Sysco To Go, Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys, NXT LVL Events, Patrón Tequila, Teeling Whiskey, and St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur. The Tailgate was a huge success, with great food, drinks, and entertainment, and it will surely be missed until next season.
