Downtown Aquarium
3.8 ★ average from 5 reviews
Sprawling spot for sea life, including touch pools, shark tank & displays of aquatic ecosystems.
Location
Hours
- fri
- 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- mon
- 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- sat
- 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- sun
- 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- thu
- 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- tue
- 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- wed
- 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Photos
Recent reviews
- ★★★★★James Colon
One of the most impressive aquarium and zoological institutions I've experienced in the United States. Very impressive. This zoo was very modern, apparently built on an old fire house, so multiple levels tall giving an interesting character and designed element. Every room is the immaculately detailed and puts you into the setting. All the room decor is custom and very professional. Their enclosures are very unique and cater well to each species in question. Other than the dart frogs which will always give rub, not ideal to cohabitate for a species. The restaurant is one of the most interesting cool experiences you'll ever have. A huge aquarium is in the middle that wraps around the space and the tables allow you a full viewing at any time. Enlarge aquarium spans the stairwell to the upper level. The menu is superb, probably one of the best restaurants on its own based on quality of food and dining experience that you have in Houston. The tiger exhibit, a surprising addition, is pretty impressive. Not only does it have a nice outdoor space but has a viewable indoor space on par with any other indoor habitats that you'll see in any other zoo.
- ★★★★★jose rincon
I had a very good experience at Aquarium Restaurant. The place itself is really unique and relaxing, especially with the huge aquariums all around that make the whole atmosphere feel different from a typical restaurant. It’s a great spot to enjoy a meal while also taking in the experience and views inside. The food was good overall, fresh and well presented, but what really made the visit stand out was the service. Our waiter, Oliver, did an excellent job from start to finish. He was friendly, attentive, professional, and made sure everything was going smoothly without making us feel rushed. It’s always nice when someone genuinely cares about giving good service, and he definitely helped make the experience better. The environment is also very family friendly and comfortable, whether you’re going for a casual lunch or dinner. There’s always something interesting to look at, which makes the visit enjoyable even beyond the food itself. Overall, Aquarium Restaurant is a very good place to visit if you want a different dining experience with a great atmosphere and excellent customer service. Special thanks to Oliver for making the experience even more enjoyable.
- ★★★☆☆Meg Pearson
The Houston downtown aquarium is just fair. I purchased tickets online to avoid waiting in any lines but you actually still have to wait in line, so keep that in mind should you plan a trip here. When we came through, the line did move quickly, which was welcomed. There were some nice exhibits with some cool fish but I expected to see much, much more. I’ll post some photos to this review also. We went through the whole aquarium in about 20-30 minutes and that included looking at every thing the aquarium had to offer. (We did not venture over to the amusement park). I wouldn’t recommend this place for a group of adults (price plus parking isn’t worth what you get in my opinion) but if you have children, I would say it’s worth it due to the amusement park(ish) attached to the aquarium. Also, this aquarium has Tigers. So that was interesting. 🤷🏼♀️
- ★★★☆☆Kait Hansen
I’ve been to quite a few aquariums in different states. Overall a pretty small aquarium. I walked through in about 30 min. There’s also a restaurant, a splash pad, and rides (which cost extra). The displays in the aquarium were nicely decorated. I do feel the enclosures/tanks were a little small and could have used some live plants instead of all artificial. Wheelchair accessible
- ★★★☆☆Cameron De Suza
This place is much smaller than expected. They charge by height so my 6 year old needed an adult ticket, which I understand if you're doing the rides (we didn't) but for just the aquarium is ridiculous. They have 2 random tigers that are beautiful but their outdoor enclosure is below an overpass. My kids did like the part where they could touch the stingrays but some of them appeared to have sores on their backs which was concerning. It was nice to say we went, but probably won't visit again.