The people behind Chapman & Kirby, anchored in EaDO’s latest hot-spot-to-be, the East Village, have announced that they will conduct a month-long soft opening in three to four weeks. The ultra-posh bar and lounge scored one of the biggest parties in the city, hosting the super-private official NFL Media Party during Super Bowl 51 festivities in Houston a couple of weekends ago. The bash was attended by more than 500 guests, including international media outlets, athletes and performers such as Biz Markie and Ludacris.

A product of the NextSeed crowdfunding platform, Chapman & Kirby is to be the flagship for the East Village project, which is a 60,000-square-foot mixed-use space planned to span two blocks of East Downtown with a “pedestrian-friendly urban office and entertainment mecca,” according to NextSeed. As of today, funds totaling $440,880 have been raised for the project.


The venue, named for the middle names of the two founding brothers of Houston, John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen, reportedly honors Houston's heritage and history. Co-owner Bien Tran told the Houston Press that “menu items will be named for historical landmarks or areas in the city.” Tim Soufan, with 25 years of experience with Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, is helming the kitchen team as the executive chef.


“We love Houston,” said Tran. “Embracing where we come from is important to us.” The team behind Chapman is also responsible for other local hot spots, like the former Hughes Hangar, Christian's Tailgate and The Astorian. The public grand opening is slated for mid-April. According to the site, the restaurant is designed to “transition seamlessly from a daily lunch and dinner spot to a festive evening and weekend destination.”

Upon completion, Chapman & Kirby will have the largest rooftop patio in the city, Tran says, with an 8,000-square-foot space.

Chapman & Kirby, 2118 Lamar
Scheduled to open by mid-April 2017