Daiquiris are a staple of mixology, a rum, citrus, and sugar concoction from Cuba during the Spanish-American War that remains wildly popular in America today. So, you would expect a place named Daiquiri Land to have great drinks, and they do; top-notch bartenders crank out huge neon-colored frozen concoctions for just $2 during the daily happy hour, when shots line the bar and folks from the Third Ward pop in after work.

Photo: Daiquiri Land

But even more than the cold, sweet rum, Daiquiri Land has a foodie following. And sure, you’ll find the standard burgers and wings, but the real draw for eaters here is the Louisiana seafood. And particularly this time of year, it’s the mudbugs. Crawdads. Crawfish. Call ‘em what you want, they are hot and spicy and disappear by the pound. Done in a low country boil with potatoes and little ears of sweet corn, they are a Cajun culinary treat. They also do crabs and shrimp in that boil, and it’s all lip-tingling spicy.

Photo: Daiquiri Land

Open from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. every day, this spot is cozy (some might say small) with an eclectic vibe and colorful decor. Vinyl banquets and vinyl (the LP kind) decorate the walls, the music can get a little loud, and the same can be said of game days when the big game is on the big TV, and everyone’s yelling. But it is fun, and the staff is extremely polite. In fact, most comments on social media mention the staff, often by name. Happy hour is 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and besides some great drink specials (those $2 daiquiris and $4 tequila shots), you’ll find they have $1 wings and some fried catfish nuggets for $8. Probably next to the crawdads, the fried catfish, fried chicken, fried pork chops, and fried rice are favorites here. As you can tell, this is likely not the place to maintain your New Year’s diet. And you really can’t not order the boudin balls here, probably some of the best in town, particularly the Hot Cheeto ones where the boudin (sausage) is shaped into balls stuffed with cheese, rolled in crushed up Hot Cheetos and, you guessed it, fried. 1:48 PM, they do have some wonderful seafood pasta dishes. And you’ll check their Facebook page for specials. In addition to happy hour and daily lunch specials, they often offer holiday and NBA game specials. Daiquiri Land is just another great little neighborhood hangout in Houston Southeast. One with great Crawdads.

Daiquiri Land
2528 Calumet
daiquiriland.com

by Marene Gustin