Restaurants in Pasadena

G3 Great Greek Grill's three owners, who came together over their love of Greek food, opened the first of their five Houston–area eateries to bring traditional Greek dishes to fast, casual diners. Unlike most Greek restaurants, where the eats come out of the kitchen in a set way, G3 offers patrons a choice between building their own gyros, gliders, or pita sandwiches and devouring classic Mediterranean morsels. G3's chefs also make each generously portioned dish quickly to get patrons in and out the door and on with their lives. In addition to slinging custom falafel to dining-in customers, the grill delivers vittles to houses and caters parties and Greek gods' rap battles.

Poblano peppers, queso blanco, house-made flour tortillas, and other Mexican influences join Southern staples such as pecans and spinach dip on Tejas Grill and Sports Bar's expansive menu of burgers, salads, and fajitas. A longhorn skull peers over tap pulls as they loosen drafts of Shiner Bock, Fat Tire, and Lone Star and affable barkeeps pour more than 23 tequilas into cocktails and shots. Between stacked stone columns and Texas ephemera such as metal stars, vast plasma TVs dapple the walls of the airy dining room, flickering with sporting events and perpetual loops of The Lawrence Welk Show.

Lit by warm red lights, V21's four shelves of spirits shimmer alongside stacked bottles of wine and a row of gleaming taps, sending festive scraps of light down on the lounge where guests laugh, chat, and pair sips with small plates. Music fills the air as cocktail-sipping patrons recline on leather couches and sample pulled-pork empanadas or greek nachos covered in marinated lamb and feta.

Glassware and china drown in extensive happy-hour menu offerings including small plates, wine, and handcrafted cocktails made with specialty vodkas. On weekend mornings, diners can stroll or roll through the door for a hearty brunch, read a complimentary newspaper, browse the web on free WiFi, or exchange tongue twisters with pet dogs on the outside patio.

At Skol Casbar & Grille, flames waft aromas of sizzling steaks, fish fillets, and sandwiches to tables where patrons pore over a full menu. Grilled catfish, salmon, and pork chops can be topped with a choice of grilled onions, tomatoes, or mushrooms, and sides such as blackened green beans and garlic potatoes let patrons surprise their mouths without hiding a firecracker in their napkin. Skol Steak Mondays sate twosomes by layering plates with a duo of steaks, garlic mashed potatoes, salads, and drinks.

Skol Casbar & Grille also equips catered events and in-house parties on the restaurant's patio. A selection of barbecue, Mexican, and Italian dishes fuel conversation and can easily be consumed while celebrating birthdays or hosting model U.N. meetings.

At Majorca Bistro and Tapas, Moroccan chefs Hicham Nafaa and Ali Bendella put a spin on the Spanish tradition of tapas—small plates of seafood and cured meats—with a menu inspired by Majorca, a small island off the coast of Spain. The chefs fry and plate crisp calamari with a spicy majorcan tomato sauce and update meatballs with a sunny-side-up egg. Specializing in the bounty of the sea, Hicham and Ali bake whole fish in sea salt and set pans of paella sizzling with fresh mussels, moroccan sausage, and saffron rice.

Hand-painted murals of bullfighters by local artists match the imported tiles in the dining area, and handcrafted mahogany covers the bar. An outdoor patio hosts candlelit tables shaded by red umbrellas as well as live Latin-jazz performances accompanied by the staccato steps of authentic flamenco dancing.