Brenner's Steakhouse

German immigrant Lorene Brenner and her husband, Herman, opened the first Brenner's Cafe in 1936. When their original eatery was bulldozed to make way for the Katy Freeway, the Brenners relocated to a little house with a big garden and changed the format. Brenner's Steakhouse has always served USDA Prime beef and accepts no substitutes. The 14-table main dining room is softly illuminated by antique light fixtures and the woodwork features the kind of craftsmanship not often seen anymore. A fireplace dominates one wall, and the opposite one is a floor-to-ceiling window looking out over the enormous garden. Herman Brenner died in 1976, and Lorene Brenner operated the restaurant alone for many years. When she retired, Tilman Fertitta's Landry's Restaurant Group bought the place. Fertitta spent more than $1 million to restore Brenner's to its original state. He even brought Lorene Brenner back as a consultant. In a city that routinely razes its landmarks, Brenner's revitalization is nothing short of amazing — and it still offers the same top-quality steaks and service that made it a neighborhood favorite so many years ago.