NOT A RUFF-RUFF DAY
Checking out some dog-friendly patios in Houston
Jun 18, 2019, 10:20 am
Photo by Clare O'Brien
I could talk about my dog, Marvin (who I consider my son), all day long. Literally. I love being a (hypothetical) mom, but, I feel guilty leaving him home alone all day. So, I decided to find the best places in Houston to go to that he can tag along to with me.
We started the day getting some brunch at Barnaby's in River Oak. Overall, the food was fantastic, although, we had some small issues. I think there was a total of six spots in their parking lot, after all, it is Houston. The patio was pretty small for being such a "dog-friendly" restaurant, but since it was so shady it made up for it. Since the food was so good and there are multiple locations, I would definitely come back to Barnaby's and bring Marvin.
After hanging out at the TERRIBLY small, Discovery Dog Park, we had some lunch at Good Dog in the Heights. I can't say enough about how amazing this place is! The people were so nice and seemed genuinely happy to be serving us. When we walked in, they immediately gave Marvin his own personal water bowl, which is super rare for Houston. They had games available like Corn Hole and Jenga, on their shady patio (which has a nice sized fan too). It's a very cute concept to eat hot dogs on picnic tables like you're at a B-B-Q, but with topping that you wouldn't normally expect.
For dinner, we went to Onion Creek, just down the street from Good Dog, and I loved their menu! They had a good range of appetizers and everything came out in a timely manner. They had a great big patio and tons of shade and fans! With Marvin being a black lab, I'm always concerned about the amount of shade for him. We went there to watch the Astros game and I don't think there was a bad view for anyone. They also had very clean bathrooms which is hard to find when you're doing casual dining.
We rapped things up at Nett Bar in Washington Ave area. It had decent shading, but the environment was so fun I didn't mind the fact that I was sweating buckets. They had a ping pong table, Corn Hole, Connect 4, and a bunch of other games. Parking was easy which is always a plus.
Overall, Marvin and I had a great day exploring Houston, eating a bunch of food (because of course I shared with him), meeting new people and going to new places. It's hard to find dog-friendly places that are truly dog-friendly, so, I am glad I found: Barnaby's, Good Dog, Onion Creek, and Nett Bar, for the next time I want to spend a day with my dog... which will probably be tomorrow.
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Jose Altuve will hit leadoff for Houston in the opener against Baltimore. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros return to Daikin Park on Friday night looking to protect their lead in the AL West and build momentum as the calendar edges deeper into August. They’ll open a three-game weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles — a matchup that, on paper, tilts heavily in Houston’s favor.
Framber Valdez takes the mound for the Astros in the opener, bringing an 11-5 record, 2.97 ERA, and a 1.16 WHIP into his 24th start of the season. The left-hander has been a reliable anchor for Houston’s rotation all year, capable of handling both high-leverage situations and deep outings, and he’ll be tasked with quieting a Baltimore lineup that’s been ice cold of late.
The Orioles counter with right-hander Brandon Young, still searching for his first win in the majors. Young has endured a rough debut season, going 0-6 with a 6.70 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. Baltimore will need him to find some early rhythm to have a chance, particularly against a Houston offense that has begun to heat up.
Carlos Correa has been Houston’s hottest bat over the past 10 games, going 16-for-40 with two home runs and seven RBIs. The Orioles’ top offensive threat remains catcher Adley Rutschman, who has nine homers and 27 RBIs, while infielder Jordan Westburg has added some pop with two homers in his last 10 games.
Baltimore has dropped six of its last 10 games, batting just .184 over that span and being outscored by 19 runs. Houston, by contrast, has gone 6-4 in its last 10, scoring enough to outpace opponents despite a 4.50 team ERA during that stretch.
This marks the first meeting between the Astros and Orioles this season. With 37 wins already at home and 14 of their next 17 games coming against teams with losing records, Houston sees this series as a prime opportunity to add wins and tighten its grip on a playoff bye — while keeping the pressure squarely on the AL West chase.
Starting lineup
Right away, you'll notice Jeremy Pena (illness) is out.
Jeremy Peña is under the weather, Joe Espada said. He reported to the ballpark today but is now seeing team doctors to see what’s wrong. https://t.co/zmYY45fLXk
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 15, 2025
Altuve will DH and hit leadoff, with Correa hitting second (3B), and Jesus Sanchez batting third (LF).
For The Players.
⚾️: 7:10pm
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN | SCHN2
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3. FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/YsFmC7xhIC
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 15, 2025
Christian Walker will hit cleanup and play first base, followed by Yainer Diaz (C), Ramon Urias (2B), Taylor Trammell (CF), Mauricio Dubon (SS), and Cam Smith (RF).
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