Woodlands Happy Hour: Johnny’s Italian Steak House

Johnny’s has retooled their happy hour offering; old favorites have been joined by some exciting new choices. We check out the new lineup.

We were excited to hear that Chef Brittany Briden and the team at Johnny’s Italian Steak House was working on a new happy hour offering. Johnny’s has long been a Woodlands Area Foodies favorite for happy hour, and we were excited to learn what new surprises Chef Brittany had for us.

We weren’t disappointed.

Our old favorites were still represented on the menu, including the stellar Steak Nachos, the elegant Spicy Tuna Nachos, and the addictive Bangin’ Shrimp. But we were anxious to check out the latest additions.

Here are some highlights:

First up was the Prosciutto and Arugula Flatbread. It’s a thin, grilled flatbread topped with shaved prosciutto, crumbled goat cheese and arugula, drizzled with a balsamic glaze. It’s light, refreshing, and deliciously balanced, with notes of salty, bitter, sweet, and savory, with a very nice crunchy/chewy texture.

The Truffle Brussels Sprouts were a wonderful version of this popular veggie dish. Bite sized, crunchy Brussels sprouts are lightly dabbed with truffle oil, dusted with shreds of parmesan, and finished with sweet chili sauce and a hint of lemon. They’re tasty and seem pretty healthy; a great option, especially if it’s not cheat day.

Wagyu Meat Balls in Rosa Sauce are a don’t miss. The meat balls are a blend of ground wagyu beef and Italian sausage. The grind is coarse, giving each bite a wonderfully rustic texture. The house rosa sauce is made to order and incredibly fresh-tasting.

Speaking of delicious little spheres, Honey Goat Cheese Croquettes were an addictive little bite. Goat cheese is infused with honey, then battered and deep fried… because Texas. And more honey is drizzled on top, just because. The result is a funky-sweet nibble that was over too fast. We’re definitely going to order more on our next visit.

While we’re in a cheese mood, we sampled the Jalapeño Cheese Sticks. We know that cheese sticks are a bit of a cliché, but these are outstanding. Fresh mozzarella hand-cut into small slabs, accented with a thin strip of de-seeded jalapeño. Breading is a blend of parmesan and panko, giving a nice crunch, and the strip of jalapeño adds a zingy flavor without turning up the heat. House pesto/marinara dipping sauce completes this unexpectedly successful take on the old standard.

After all this cheesy goodness, we somehow found room for the Cheese Steak Sandwich. Shaved prime rib is piled on a toasted hoagie roll, finished with smoked gouda and dressed with Johnny’s signature De Burgo aioli. De Burgo was a new one for us – it’s a sauce made from butter, garlic, basil, and some other herbs that Chef Brittney swore us to secrecy about. The result is tender, juicy, savory, and delicious. It comes pre-sliced for sharing, and with a side of gently crispy onion rings.

We were very impressed by the new happy hour offerings from Johnny’s Italian Steak House. Chef Brittney and her team have been working overtime on the new menu, and we’re the lucky recipients of the benefit of their hard work. We look forward to returning and trying more of the 11 (!) food items on the happy hour menu.