Best Regards, 222 W. 11th, opened this week, bringing an elevated cocktail experience to the Heights. Located near the intersection of Yale and West 11th, the new club is the brainchild of native Houstonian Morgan Hansen who says she is thrilled to welcome guests to the beautiful and lush lounge, which is decorated with a collection of plants and greenery, both inside and out. The covered patios and wraparound terrace are connected to the indoor space with sliding doors and windows. As for the vibe, Hansen says, “Guests can expect world-class DJs, a variety of live music, alluring cocktails and bites and hospitable service our city has yet to see.”
Well, we don’t know how accurate that statement is considering what a boom we have seen in great restaurants and bars in our city but there’s always room for a new venue and this one aims to bring some glamor and tasty beverages to the neighborhood while attracting party people from across the city with its signature cocktails and chic decor. The cocktail menu features classic drinks along with signature creations including its Wolf of 11th Street made with Hoja Santa Sous Vide tequila, cantaloupe, honey cilantro syrup and ancho verde and black salt. Coffee-based cocktails like an espresso martini and a carajillo use Tenfold Coffee.
For nosh, there are shareable boards including a stunning burrata board, a cheese and charcuterie option or a unique assortment of pickles and pickled accoutrements.
Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, 4500 Montrose Boulevard, opens September 1. It’s the second location for the eclectic cocktail and pizza lounge from Chris Cusack. The original in Sixth Ward has made a name for itself with its quirkiness, tasty pizza and fun drinks. Named for a red supergiant star in the Orion constellation, not the famous Michael Keaton film, the hangout is extra-terrestrial friendly with space-themed artwork and neon lights. With an eye toward the cosmic future, it also has nostalgic touches of retro memorabilia. Vintage mannequins adorn the windows, luring in passersby like Amsterdam’s Red Light District workers.
Once in, guests can get the party started with cocktail choices such as Mommy, What’s a Funkadelic?, a funky mix of tepache, Ilegal mezcal, lime, pineapple and vanilla. For naughtier types, there’s the Rummin’ with the Devil, with Cruzan Blackstrap rum, Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, Maraschino liqueur, pineapple and lime along with a bit of yellow Chartreuse, Chartreuse. Other cleverly named concoctions include the Felonious Monk, the Pamplemousse Paloma and the Appletini to End All Appletinis.
Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse delivers on its food menu, as well. Astral apps include Space Balls, which are house made dough with marinara and roasted garlic butter, plus Pizza Fries, jumbo Buffalo-style wings and Fried Spaghetti Squares. There’s also a bar burger called A Burger in a Pizza Oven.
The pizzas are available as 14-inch pies, though the Montrose location will also be offering 10-inch versions. There will still be the popular faves like the Sausage – Feta, the meaty Hercules, Hercules and the Classic Nuovo, made with natural-cased pepperoni, mushrooms, feta cheese and chili flakes.
There’s a back room dedicated to live music and karaoke which can also be used as a private dining room.
Ocean 12, 1212 Waugh, opens September 1 in the space that very recently housed Gatsby’s Prime Seafood. In fact, so recently that we didn’t even know it was closed before Ocean 12 was announced. The new concept taking its place is also an upscale seafood and steakhouse led by Chef Erick Anaya who was the executive chef at Gatsby’s Seafood. Anaya also helped to open Gatsby’s Prime Steakhouse in April 2021 with Luis Rangel’s Gatsby Hospitality Group.
We asked about the changes and were told that the ownership is New Beginnings Hospitality owned by business partners Jasmin Weber and Keith Nelson. Randy Weber is listed as the registered agent for the Texas LLC which was filed in August 2023. We were also told via email that Rangel has not been involved in any of the Gatsby concepts “for a while.” Gatsby’s Prime Steakhouse remains open under the New Beginnings umbrella.
As for the new concept, there will indulgences such as fine caviar, wet-aged steaks and lavish seafood towers. Anaya’s menu offers seafood entrees including Miso Glazed Sea Bass, Twin Lobster Tails and Pistachio Encrusted Halibut. For the steak side of the menu there are options such as Cajun Ribeye and 8-ounce Wagyu Filet. If that’s not decadent enough, diners can top their beef with poached King crab or caviar buerre blanc. Other protein choices include stuffed chicken, lamb chops and pork chops.
The wine list is an impressive one thanks to general manager Patrick Smith, a member of the Court Of Master Sommeliers American Chapter who most recently served as assistant general manager at Morton’s Steakhouse in the Galleria for 24 years.
Gatsby’s Grill, 2929 Navigation Boulevard, is closed. We have reached out for more information and will keep readers updated.
It opened in January 2023 as part of the Gatsby Hospitality Group. It was a more casual, yet still trendy, concept in the Gatsby portfolio. It is not part of the New Beginnings Hospitality Group which now owns and operates Gatsby Steakhouse and Ocean 12.
Lagniappe Kitchen and Bar, 550 Heights Boulevard, closed in June 2023, as reported by EaterHouston. It opened in August 2022 with owner Layne Cruz taking over the former Revival Market space and transforming it into a Louisiana-inspired cafe that showcased the cuisine of Cruz’s New Orleans roots.
The Spot Island Famous, 2502 Gulf Freeway S., is having its grand opening September 5 in League City. It’s the second location for the beachy restaurant and bar which has its original multi-concept location in Galveston. The inland expansion will offer a similar menu and decor as the flagship location with bright colors and a coastal theme. It will be family-friendly with an outdoor patio and play lawn plus a kids menu.
The kitchen will be led by Chef Carlo Martinez and guests will find a selection of appetizers such as fried pickles and wings plus burgers, chicken sandwiches and seafood dishes. There are also handspun milkshakes along with adult beverages like hurricanes, pina coladas and margaritas.
Tumble 22, 1017 Houston, will celebrate its grand opening September 12. The structure at Houston Avenue, off Washington, is a former church which has been transformed into a chicken joint serving hot chicken, homemade pie and a variety of cocktails. The profits from the grand opening day will be donated to the Memorial Hermann Foundation and Fresh Arts. There will also be a raffle to win free chicken for a year and a contest for kids using a coloring sheet produced by Fresh Arts. There will be free samples and other surprises as well.
This is the second Houston location for the brand which was founded in Austin in 2017 as a food truck. Current CEO and Investor Partner, Doug Thompson, the former COO of Texas Roadhouse, acquired the brand in October 2022 along with two private equity firms, according to EaterAustin.
Thompson said in a press release, “Our incredibly caring staff led by managing partner Jackson Nascimento, AGM Ashley Vella and Chef Jaime is dedicated to providing a memorable experience to each and every guest. We look forward to serving Houston our award-winning delicious chicken, pies and shakes. Our margaritas, by the way, are out of this world!”
The chicken sandwiches, bone-in chicken and tenders can be ordered at different spice levels. There are also appetizers such as deviled eggs and Szechuan Fries along with sides like mac and cheese, fries, coleslaw and collard greens.
The Sunrise House, 1830 W. Alabama, softly opened the first week of August and will have its grand opening September 16. The restaurant’s mission is to give guests a memorable morning meal in the heart of Montrose with a motto of “Positive about life. Passionate about food.”
The innovative menu offers an elevated take on brunch classics with dishes such as Breakfast Fried Rice, Morning Queso, Sol Chilaquiles and Waffle Delights. There’s even Sunrise Sushi, a breakfast sushi roll with kickin’ bacon, avocado, egg, cucumber, cream cheese and tobiko with a sweet soy glaze. Other dishes inlcude Salt -N-Pepa Chicken, the Hangover Burger and an Egg White Omelette.
There’s also a weekend brunch menu with a Brunch Bonanza Board for sharing or the Sunrise Surf with grilled or fried lobster tail and gouda grits. The cocktail menu has drinks on the pricier side like the Watermelon Sangria ($20) and the Wake Up My Love ($18) made with whiskey, orgeat, cold brew coffee, coconut cream and vanilla. There are also non-alcoholic beverages including coffee drinks, tea and fresh-squeezed lemonade
The black and white furniture and walls get pops of color from a few floral accents and occasional neon sign. The bar’s clean lines and arches evoke the 1920s era along with art deco geometrical patterns.
Stick Talk Cajun-Hibachi, 502 Elgin, opens September 1. It’s the first brick and mortar restaurant for the popular food truck from ALife Hospitality owners Mojeed Martins and Jonathan Reitzell. The duo are responsible for such hotspots as Prospect Park, Lost & Found, Kamp Houston, Southside Sporting Club and Bungalow Downtown Dining. The Stick Talk Cajun-Hibachi food truck will continue to operate at 5819 Richmond along with the new Elgin spot.
The concept began in 2021 and was hot with the late-night crowd, with the truck staying open on weekends until 3 a.m. Its menu is a fusion of Cajun cuisine with Japanese hibachi fare featuring items like seafood egg rolls, tempura shrimp and wings plus hibachi chicken, filet mignon, salmon, lobster, crawfish and shrimp. Sides include fried rice, steamed rice, noodles and hibachi vegetables.
There are also cocktails, daiquiris, mimosas and non-alcoholic lemonades. The restaurant will open Friday through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. with extended hours coming soon.
Ubberrito Fresh Mex, 1609 Durham, is temporarily closed due to a fire that happened last week. However, it will have its food truck on site daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those who need to satisfy their burrito cravings.
We reached out for more information and were told that the fire did major damage to the building and that the owners will have to rebuild. Meanwhile, the upcoming Cypress location at 13132 FM 1960 is shooting to open at the end of September.
Cinnaholic, 19320 W. Bellfort Boulevard, will have its grand opening September 1. The store will host a party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and guests will be able to order a cinnamon roll for $2 during that time period.
The gourmet bakery is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and each of its stores are independently-owned franchises. The new Richmond location is owned and operated by Eddie Alkhatib. The former pizza restaurant franchisee fell in love with the Cinnaholic brand which offers plant-based treats like cinnamon rolls, brownies and cookies. Alkhatib himself began exploring a vegan-based diet and says, “This concept was truly the closest to my heart in the way that I desired to become a Cinnaholic franchise partner, especially since I have experience in dough making as a former pizza franchisee.”
The menu at Cinnaholic includes its famous cinnamon rolls in flavors such as the classic Old Skool, Campfire S’mores, Caramel Apple Pie and the popular Cookie Monster with cream cheese frosting, cookie dough, chocolate chips and chocolate sauce. It also serves edible cookie dough and Dole soft serve. Pumpkin spice freaks will be happy when it launches its fall flavors September 5 which includes Pumpkin Cheesecake Roll, Cinnamon Toasty Crunch Roll plus pumpkin bread and cookies.
Pho Binh Trailer, 10928 Beamer, will not reopen, according to its Facebook post on August 25. The decades-old establishment, located in a mobile home structure, suffered a fire July 9, 2023. While its legions of fans were awaiting its reopening, there were speculations about its status due to a real estate listing on Loop Net for that location, according to CultureMap Houston.
Pho Binh opened at the Beamer location in 1983, a time when many non-Vietnamese Houstonians were unfamiliar with the noodle soup that has now taken the country by storm. Its popularity led to the Nguyen family to expand the concept across the city. Those six locations, including Pho Binh By Night, remain open for a pho fix.
Baker St. Pub and Grill, 22432 Tomball Parkway, is very close to opening near Spring Cypress. It will be the fourth Houston area location for the Sherlock Holmes-themed brand which currently has restaurants in Katy, Sugar Land and The Woodlands. The Willowbrook and Cypress locations closed in 2017 following closures in Fort Worth and Austin. The Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub on Westheimer closed in 2018.
Crave Fusion Bistro, 11702 Grant, will take the place of the former occupant, Deemo’s Steakhouse. That is currently the only information we have concerning the upcoming restaurant.
Restaurants Reported Open August 2023:
Adrian’s Mexican Street Food, 20323 FM 529, opened July 25
Artistry at Finn Hall, 712 Main, opened mid-August
Big Chicken, 3415 FM 762, opened August 30
Bluestone Lane, 1900 Lake Woodlands, opened July 26
Bread Zeppelin, 3235 Southwest Freeway, opened August 16
Cutten Kitchen, 6935 FM 1960 W., opened late August
Dave & Buster’s, 704 Baybrook Mall, reopened August 7
Dookie Tteobokki, 9750 Bellaire Boulevard, opened early August
El Refu Tex-Mex, 17111 Tomball Parkway, opened August 7
Firoa’s Bottle Shop, 888 Westheimer, opened early August
iEats Rice Noodles, 23119 Colonial Parkway, opened late July
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, 21101 Gosling, opened August 8
Nando’s PERI-PERI, 1717-C Post Oak Boulevard, opened August 7
Nonno’s Family Pizza Tavern, 1613 Richmond, opened August 4
Oh Mmm Gyros, 8620 Barker Cypress, opened August 12
Olio e Farina, 24230 Kuykendahl, opened July 22
Salata Salad Kitchen, 13410 Briar Forest, opened August 10
Salt & Sugar Gastro Bar, 16010 West, opened July 29
Tin Drum Asian Kitchen, 1111 Shepherd, opened August 7
Yuk Dae Chang, 6650 Corporate Drive, opened early July
ZOA Moroccan Kitchen, 3303 Richmond, opened August 24
Restaurants Reported Closed August 2023:
Catbirds, 1336 Westheimer, closed temporarily July 31
Los Cucos, 22390 Tomball Parkway, closed temporarily due to fire August 23
Indianola, 1201 St. Emanuel, closed July 31
Miss Carousel, 1201 St. Emanuel, closed July 31
Ono Poke, 607 Richmond, closed July 28
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
