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The food isnt what it used to be. 14 years ago it was still very good. My old job took us there every year for our banquet. The quality of the food got worse as the years went by. Its ok... but its not worth the bucks you'll spend. Nice view though.

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The food isnt what it used to be. 14 years ago it was still very good. My old job took us there every year for our banquet. The quality of the food got worse as the years went by. Its ok... but its not worth the bucks you'll spend. Nice view though.

It could be worse. Brady's Landing is terrible! ...and even pricier.

Anyone know of another joint along the ship channel?

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It could be worse. Brady's Landing is terrible! ...and even pricier.

Anyone know of another joint along the ship channel?

Boy are you guys both correct. I have been to both and don't think either are worth their cost anymore. We visited Monument Inn less than a year ago and we must have waited a full 1 1/2 hours to get our food. Yes, great food... but not worth that wait, and the quality ended up being nearly Denny's quality at best... Sorry to offend any Denny's LOVERS out there....

Kevin

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I ate at Monument Inn about three weeks ago and thought it was good.

Does anyone remember the old ground-level building that burned down? They had fish aquariums

lined along the walls, at the tables, etc. I remember one time there was dead fish floating around in them. Too bad they left out the fish tanks when they rebuilt.

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The food isnt what it used to be. 14 years ago it was still very good. My old job took us there every year for our banquet. The quality of the food got worse as the years went by. Its ok... but its not worth the bucks you'll spend. Nice view though.

There was a time when the Monument Inn was one of the best restaurants in that part of the county. That was when it was owned by the Jones family, of Houston Endowment fame. It went into decline when they sold it. Never was the same after that.

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There was a time when the Monument Inn was one of the best restaurants in that part of the county. That was when it was owned by the Jones family, of Houston Endowment fame. It went into decline when they sold it. Never was the same after that.

Agreed, growing up in Baytown, I have been to the Monument Inn numerous times in the 70's and 80's, have not been since the 90's. It is very sad to hear of the decline of this once wonderful restaurant. Lots of big family get togethers at that restaurant over those years.

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We ate there about three years ago and it was OK. It's hard to mess up a fried seafood platter.

And they did have a BOGO in the Entertainment Book.

we ate at the monument inn in december and used that coupon!

it was decent and i actually ordered a fish that wasn't fried. :closedeyes:

and their rolls are still as good as ever.

it was very crowded with company christmas parties.

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2m5xr12.jpg

Is that the old San Jacinto Inn in the upper right of this Battleship photo?

yes, san jac inn was just north of the battleship on the west side of battleground road. that should be it in your picture.

the building is gone now. see here: http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&amp...;scene=10461297

monument inn used to be just past the first park entrance on the east side of battleground road.

it burned down in the 80's and they reopened at the ferry landing in a building that used to be a different restaurant.

see here: http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&amp...;scene=10461282

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I got to spend the night on that ship back in the mid 80's. We had set up a ham radio

special events station on it, using the combat information center as our radio shack.

They still had all the old wooden case, face up screen, radar sets from the end of WW2.

The next day, I got to take a really long tour of the place. I could go anywhere that

wasn't chained off, and pretty much had the run of the place.

Pretty neat.. The only bummer part was the original radio room was chained off at that

time, and I could see very little of it. I understand that lately some local hams have

overhauled that radio room, and installed a working ham station in it. So it may be opened

by now. It was in the winter when we were on it, cold too.

I almost froze to death on that thing that night. The all metal structure really conducts

and then retains the cold. :/

MK

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yes, san jac inn was just north of the battleship on the west side of battleground road. that should be it in your picture.

the building is gone now. see here: http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&amp...;scene=10461297

monument inn used to be just past the first park entrance on the east side of battleground road.

it burned down in the 80's and they reopened at the ferry landing in a building that used to be a different restaurant.

see here: http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&amp...;scene=10461282

I thought that was it. I thought I could remember getting a good look at the restaurant from the battleship when I was a kid. On the other hand I was always afraid to go to the Monument inn as a kid because there were no guard rails on the tiny 2 lane road leading to it and there was a steep drop and water on both sides. I wonder how many people actually drove off that road in the middle of the night or after a few too many adult refreshments. Yikes!! Des anyone remember Beesaws, the hamburger joint on battleground road? Great greasy food It was on the same side of the road as monument inn but not quite as far down. As I read this it sounds kinda silly. If it were further down than the monument inn it would be in the water. lol at myself.

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I wonder how many people actually drove off that road in the middle of the night or after a few too many adult refreshments. Yikes!!

I am so embarrassed. Throughout this thread I've been referring to the old San Jacinto Inn as the Monument Inn, and as we all know, they were two different places. It was the San Jacinto Inn that sat next to the Battleship for many years, and which was owned by the Jones family. My "senior moments" are getting more and more frequent.

As for your question, a significant number of drunks have gone off that road into the water over the years.

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The Monument Inn is one of Houston's little hidden treasures. Most people who live on Houston's west side haven't even heard of it. I enjoy the laid back atmosphere and seeing the barges and big ships ease past. I have always enjoyed the food; haven't had any bad stuff. They have good grilled food as well as the "redneck platter" :lol: (fried stuff).... thanks for the pics you guys. Here's to a beautiful Houston weekend.

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Correct about the San Jacinto Inn. My father used to take each of us there when we graduated from high school. It was either 1969 or 1971 (my sister or my brother) that we had to wade in. The place was later jacked up higher and the land filled in so patrons could park on dry ground. The biscuits were great from what I remember. Wasn't it "all you can eat"?

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I got to spend the night on that ship back in the mid 80's. We had set up a ham radio

special events station on it, using the combat information center as our radio shack.

They still had all the old wooden case, face up screen, radar sets from the end of WW2.

The next day, I got to take a really long tour of the place. I could go anywhere that

wasn't chained off, and pretty much had the run of the place.

Pretty neat.. The only bummer part was the original radio room was chained off at that

time, and I could see very little of it. I understand that lately some local hams have

overhauled that radio room, and installed a working ham station in it. So it may be opened

by now. It was in the winter when we were on it, cold too.

I almost froze to death on that thing that night. The all metal structure really conducts

and then retains the cold. :/

MK

The local ham radio group has taken on the restoration of some of the radio units in the Main Radio compartment but, when they do the annual museum ships broadcast, they do it out of the General Storekeepers' Office on the 2nd Deck. The Main Radio Room is on our list of 100+ compartments that TPWD want to see restored (eventually, if Gov. Perry doesn't cheat us out of any more $$$) but I doubt it will be anytime soon. See my post concerning the Battleship Texas for more info.

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Correct about the San Jacinto Inn. My father used to take each of us there when we graduated from high school. It was either 1969 or 1971 (my sister or my brother) that we had to wade in. The place was later jacked up higher and the land filled in so patrons could park on dry ground. The biscuits were great from what I remember. Wasn't it "all you can eat"?

Their giant raison cinnamon rolls were and are still really good. Especially when you drown then in butter... Gee, I'm hungry. All of my friends know to bring me one anytime they go to Monument Inn. They're great reheated for breakfast. I guess our dads had the same idea. My dad took me to Gaidos in Galveston for each birthday and when I graduated.

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Their giant raison cinnamon rolls were and are still really good. Especially when you drown then in butter... Gee, I'm hungry. All of my friends know to bring me one anytime they go to Monument Inn. They're great reheated for breakfast.

Yeah, I've got to give them that. Those cinnamon rolls are the best item they've got.

...now I'm hungry.

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The local ham radio group has taken on the restoration of some of the radio units in the Main Radio compartment but, when they do the annual museum ships broadcast, they do it out of the General Storekeepers' Office on the 2nd Deck. The Main Radio Room is on our list of 100+ compartments that TPWD want to see restored (eventually, if Gov. Perry doesn't cheat us out of any more $$$) but I doubt it will be anytime soon. See my post concerning the Battleship Texas for more info.

Now, I just want to ask everyone a question. How friggin' SWEET is it, that we have one of the actual people involved in the restoration of this wonderful ship joined on this forum ? I really like that. To have actual experts on the matter to give us the juicy info. that we all want ! Thanks chrispy !

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Now, I just want to ask everyone a question. How friggin' SWEET is it, that we have one of the actual people involved in the restoration of this wonderful ship joined on this forum ? I really like that. To have actual experts on the matter to give us the juicy info. that we all want ! Thanks chrispy !

Hahaha, be careful what you want for...my family gets tired of all the 'info' on the ship. :P

Actually, anybody interested in doing something aboard the ship is welcome to volunteer. Not all of us are into rustbusting and doing the dirty work. Lots of archival stuff to do and docents are always needed as well (yes, we train the docents before we let 'em run wild with the hapless tourists! haha).

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Correct about the San Jacinto Inn. My father used to take each of us there when we graduated from high school. It was either 1969 or 1971 (my sister or my brother) that we had to wade in. The place was later jacked up higher and the land filled in so patrons could park on dry ground. The biscuits were great from what I remember. Wasn't it "all you can eat"?

I have the SJI recipe for their biscuits. It's printed on an index card with their name on it, I will have to scan it and post it. My dad used to take us there on special occasions, it's where I had my first raw oyster! :)

It was "family style", if I remember right. You'd order large dishes of things so it seemed like all you can eat.

There's a postcard of the Inn on sale on Ebay.

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  • 3 months later...

I agree that the Monument has gone down in quality... you'll do good going to Beesaw's for a good ol' greasy burger. They are great people, and even let me get back in the kitchen and cook up a few orders (after I convinced them I still "had it" from my old Red Top days 25-plus years ago).

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I agree that the Monument has gone down in quality... you'll do good going to Beesaw's for a good ol' greasy burger. They are great people, and even let me get back in the kitchen and cook up a few orders (after I convinced them I still "had it" from my old Red Top days 25-plus years ago).

Which Red Top? Isn't there one in Friendswood? My mom and I used to eat there in the late 70's.

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Red Top morphed into Texas Burger, I think. We'd always hit the Friendswood one on the way to Freeport before we had 288.

Drove by Red Top in Friendswood this morning on my way to work. There it sits on 2351 a little west of 518 looking just as it did in the 70's. Wonder if the food is still good?

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