TAGO, 1120 Dennis, opened quietly in early June and is having its grand opening June 27. Inspired by the culture and beauty of Tulum, Mexico, this stylized restaurant immerses guests in the tropical lifestyle, with Latin cuisine and a vibrant atmosphere. Guests step into a hidden world meant to evoke an underground Yucatan cenote of limestone bedrock and lush greenery. Meanwhile, an outdoor patio has more of a Yucatan beach vibe with sand-colored furnishings and an outdoor bar.
The unnamed owners have brought in Will Felder as a consultant to lend his hospitality expertise to the restaurant and nightlife spot. On the culinary side is chef Kristi Courtney leading the kitchen and menu. Her Texas roots and Mexican culinary heritage are evident, as is her previous experience at restaurants such as Uchi, The Dunlavy and Rainbow Lodge.
The menu celebrates Latin flavors and the diversity of Houston’s food scene with dishes like charred poblano guacamole and a citrusy ceviche mixto. There are refreshing starters such as summer watermelon and mixed green salad, plus Tuna y Arroz, a dish of ahi tuna and avocado atop a crispy rice cake. In addition to Adobo Chicken and Prawns Divorciados, there’s a Prime Filet, served with a chocolate mole.
For dessert there are treats like Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding and Cinnamon Churros Tiramisu.
The dining menu is served until 11 p.m., then the kitchen switches into late-night mode with a small bites menu available until last call at 1:30 a.m.
The cocktail program will satisfy guests looking for a tropical drink or a margarita. Many of the cocktails are tequila-based including the MANGnificent Margarita, Taki Tamarindo and Paradise in Tulum. However, there are rum drinks such as Guava Loco with Flor de Cana white rum, guava puree, lime and mint.
The vibe switches a bit after 9 p.m. when the restaurant and patio go into nightlife mode with DJs, dancers and Houston party people.
Endless Bummer, 4500 Montrose, will open July 2 behind Chris Cusack’s Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse. A collaboration between Cusack, artist Brian Diabla @neonthrash, and other local artists, the inspiration is the space between death and vacation. What does that mean exactly? In a press release it’s described as “a liminal space-part tropical vacation, part underworld-with really excellent mai tais and tropical cocktails.” Well, okay then.
The liminal space is also a bit limited at 700 square feet. Originally used for live music and karaoke nights (will the off-key voices of Beyonce wannabeys haunt the new venue?), it has now been transformed into a transitional space occupying two worlds, the tiki and the occult. Memories of vacations past are echoed through time converging in a world of limbo in which people aren’t really dead nor totally alive. Like summer ’87 in Cozumel when you thought going to Carlos’n Charlies with that scuba diver was a great idea.
The point of this immersive and artist-created bar is to delight and disorient at the same time. Surprises await behind hidden doors and within intricately-detailed dioramas. Diabla says this project will show people what Houston artists can create. “I was so lucky to get a chance to bring one of my dream bars to life and even luckier to get to include several other Houston artists to really make it magical.”
As for Cusack, one might call him a patron of the arts for facilitating such a zany and creative endeavor. Though he doesn’t really consider himself a tiki guy, the theatrics of the project spoke to him and inspired the menu for Endless Bummer. Guests can expect three to five rotating themes throughout the year and, in keeping with the vacation theme, there will be shareable large format drinks and tropical cocktails like Pistachio Mai Tai and Silver Surfer. While the THC ban remains vetoed, there will be options for beverages with that particular product as well as non-alcoholic options.
Bar Madonna, 109 Stratford, opens at The Marlene Inn June 28. Located in a neoclassical mansion in Montrose, the boutique inn is a blend of Southern hospitality and Parisian charm. Equally charmant is Bar Madonna, the cocktail and gathering spot decorated with a hand-painted mural spanning the ceiling and a stunning ten-foot-high wooden painting of the Virgin Mary that once held pride of place in an Italian church in the 1800s.
The Marlene Inn is the creation of Lily Barfield, the young antiques dealer and owner of Lily’s Vintage Finds. It softly opened this week and the Bar Madonna is ready to welcome guests and visitors for a craft cocktail under the shimmering chandeliers of the bar or the majestic oaks out back.
In charge of the bar program is Tom Hardy, a Houston-based beverage professional whose resume includes leading the bar program at Hotel Saint Augustine and opening concepts for the Bludorn Group. Some of the cocktails include a reimagined Sazerac and the Southeastern, Bar Madonna’s rift on an Eastside cocktail, with gin, lime, cucumber and custom bitters. It also gets a touch of Cajun and Creole herbs.
Bas’s Cheesesteaks, 4520 Washington, will have its first pop-up June 30. A new concept from Burger Bodega owner Abbas Dhanani, the cheesesteaks will be served at the BB location’s pop-up window for now, with more pop-up dates to be announced for festivals and citywide events. The cheesesteaks will be available until they sell out. And customers can add Burger Bodega’s signature fries to their orders as well.
As for the reason Dhanani is launching this new concept, he says the cheesesteak has always been one of his favorite sandwiches and he and his team have been experimenting with cheesesteak specials on the Burger Bodega menu with very positive feedback. He says, ” When you go to Philadelphia, there are cheesesteak staples named after their founders. I wanted to bring something similar to Houston…”
The launch pop-up menu will offer The Bas’s OG with sliced beef ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll, with the option of onions. Another OG choice will offer Cheez-whiz instead of white cheese. And there’s even a choice of spiced cheesesteak.
In addition to this added concept, Burger Bodega will be hosting another collaboration for the month of July, this time with Dessert Gallery’s owner Sara Brook. The two have teamed up for two exclusive shake flavors: Mom’s Chocolate Cake Shake and Toffee-Licious Cake Shake.
North Shepherd Brewing, 4816 N. Shepherd, will close June 29 with a big farewell party. The announcement was made via social media. In a Facebook post, owner Sam Wright wrote ” Two years ago, we opened our doors as North Shepherd Brewing with the goal of making great beer and supporting the North(ish) Houston community. We’ve worked hard to meet that goal, but unfortunately life got in the way and we can no longer stay open.”
Originally, Astral Brewing opened in the space in 2019, founded by Jose Ceja and Alex McDonald. In October 2023, Wright took over and reopened the brewery as North Shepherd Brewing. With a lot of disappointed fans, the brewery is going out with a bang, hosting its last Dance Party with salsa lessons by Latin Dance Factory June 27. Tickets are $20. It will be followed by its Closing Party June 28, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. with specials on beer and merchandise. It will also have Ella Tattoo on hand from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. doing flash tattoos. For its very last day, June 29, there will be live music from HolyHell.
We reached out for more information and were told only that the owner is trying to sell the property, but that it would open as a different concept.
PJ’s Coffee, 1021 Lake Olympia Parkway, opens July 1 in Missouri City. For its soft opening day, it is offering guests a free beignet with purchase. Teachers, students, first responders, veterans and military members can get 10 percent off with valid identification. During its soft opening week, guests can enjoy a buy one-get one 50 percent off deal on hot or iced coffee.
The Missouri City location will be number nine for the brand in the Greater Houston area. It was founded in New Orleans in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan. Its coffee drinks are made with the top one percent of specialty Arabica beans. In keeping with its NOLA roots, it also offers chicory-enhanced beverages.
Uberrito Mexican Grill, 2735 Town Center Boulevard, opened earlier this month in Sugar Land. It’s been a long wait for the fine folks south of Houston who have taken to social media over the past year to voice their frustrations. Now, it has opened and they can create their own personalized burritos to their heart’s content.
Unfortunately for fans in Cypress and the Heights, the same cannot be said. A reader tipped us off that the Cypress location is temporarily closed and we have reached out for more information. The Durham location had a fire in 2023 and has still not reopened, but there is usually an Uberrito food truck at the location.
Chocho Hot Pot, 22811 Mercantile Parkway, softly opened June 21 in Katy. The sister brand of The Dolar Shop, it’s the first U.S. location for the all-you-can-eat hot pot concept, which currently has two locations in British Colombia and one planned for Frisco, Texas soon.
The Katy location is open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but the hours are currently being worked out, so it’s best to call ahead. Chocho offers a premium AYCE menu of 50 different items and guests have two hours to enjoy their meal. It’s best to make reservations. Dinner is $49.99, Monday through Friday, and $52.99 on Saturday and Sunday. Kids 10 and under can eat free, one per each paid adult or $19.99 without. There is a special senior price of $39.99 for adults 60 and over. The late night menu after 9 p.m. is $10 less and the vegetarian option is a little less expensive as well. The restaurant plans to have extended hours by mid-July.
There are a number of savory broths from which to choose plus plates of different meats including flat iron beef, ribeye, lamb flap and pork belly. There are vegan “meats”, too, and comfort foods like fried chicken and onion rings.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.
