Texas Borders Bar & Grill has been offering Katy area residents a local hang out for 17 years.

The restaurant, which first opened in 1996 at Fry Road and Park Row Drive, moved three years ago to a new shopping center off I-10 and Westgreen Boulevard.

"We are like a neighborhood "Cheers"—everybody knows everybody," owner Kellie Messer said. "We strive for a fun, upbeat atmosphere."

The bar and grill offers an expansive, casual dining room with a high ceiling and more than a dozen tables and booths. The restaurant also has a large patio section overlooking the shopping center's courtyard and foundations. The bar section of Texas Borders, which allows smoking, has five flatscreen TVs and a separate patio section with several tables outside.

"I emphasize service and consistency," Messer said. "My standards for food and service are extremely high. I just don't tolerate bad service. I am adamant about my service and atmosphere and how we do things around here because you have to be better than your average Joe."

The restaurant focuses its menu on food inspired by the places that border Texas and it includes Mexican, Cajun and American fare. Customer favorites include wings, queso, chicken-fried steak and Jo's Spicy Gumbo.

The Gumbo, in particular, is a family recipe and is named after Messer's mother.

"We were looking for a gumbo recipe and I called my mom and she walked us through the recipe and that's how it stuck," Messer said.

Texas Borders' menu is a mix of recipes passed down through the family and Messer's take on some more widely popular standbys. All are served in generous portions.

Another customer favorite is the restaurant's take on fried pickles, Messer said. Texas Borders sold 7,800 fried pickles in the last year.

But crawfish season brings out the real crowds. Every year Texas Borders' patio is crowded when the mud bugs begin to boil, Messer said.

"We do a great crawfish business in the spring," Messer said. "We boil them to order. We are very well known for spicy boiled crawfish."

Messer said the restaurant tries to go beyond the food, however, getting involved in the community by sponsoring local little league teams and other local sports.

"We are also a big supporter of the schools," Messer said.

Messer, who grew up in New Orleans, found her passion for restaurants from her grandmother who owned many restaurants and bars. That heritage, and those relationships, also helped her understand the importance of community.

"I've been around this type of industry my whole life," she said. "It's my passion."

Customer favorites

Beer of the month: $3 Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale

Queso: $4.99 (small)

Fried pickles: $6.99

Kellie's Shrimp Quesadilla: Whole wheat tortilla with blackened shrimp, bacon, sauteed mushrooms and Monterey Jack cheese. $11.99

Shrimp PoBoy: Choice of shrimp, catfish or roast beef. $8.99

Hickory Burger: topped with barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese and bacon and served with a sweet pickle relish. $8.99

Jo's Spicy Gumbo: Homemade Louisiana style with chicken, andouille sausage and rice, topped with a spicy boiled shrimp. $6.99 (bowl)

Loaded Borders' Fries: Topped with chili, cheese, sour cream, queso and jalapenos. $6.99

Weekly drink specials

Monday: $4 for Absolute, Tanqueray, Jack Daniels, Bacardi and Texas Crown

Tuesday:$2 domestic drafts, $3 imports drafts, $5 wines and martinis

Wednesday:$2 domestic bottle, $3 wells, $3 Kamakazis

Thursday: $3 frozen Rita, $3 Rita on rocks, $3 Screwgies, $5 Bomb shots

Friday: $2 domestic bottles, $12 buckets, $4 Red Velvet cake shots

Saturday: $5 Sangrias, Mimosas, Tropical Bobs and Border Breeze, $4 Fireball and Grape Gatorade shots

Sunday: $5 pitchers, $3 wells, $3 Screwgies and Bloody Marys, $5 Sangrias, Mimosas and Tropical Bobs

Texas Borders Bar & Grill

20940 I-10, Suite H

Katy 281-578-8785

www.texasborders.net