Fancy’s, 1947 W. Gray, opens May 17 in River Oaks. the luxurious cocktail lounge is the newest concept from The Cle Group known for its upscale restaurants and nightclubs that tend to be, well, fancy.
The new River Oaks destination promises to be another glamorous and sophisticated hotspot with innovative cocktails and a small, but decadent food menu. Guests can enjoy a perfectly-made martini or host an entourage with bottle and caviar services. There will be other champagne-friendly fare such as oysters and other curated plates.
The mood is set with Roberto Cavalli textured wallpaper and red chandeliers. A stunning onyx bar anchors the room. Owners Zack Truesdell, Salim Dehkordi and Dallas Rodriguez have put an emphasis on style and elegance with the newest concept and there is already a lineup of musical acts planned for evening entertainment.
Cle partner Dehkordi said, “This is so different than anything we’ve ever done before. When collectively strategizing our next move, we went back to the drawing board and focused on what was appealing to us based on the stage of life we’re in. And it’s an experience we seek in this city.”
Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, 18484 Interstate 45, opened May 13 in The Woodlands. It’s the 23rd Texas location for the brand founded by Gloria and Jose Fuentes. It has been serving Texans Salvadoran and Mexican cuisine for more than 38 years.
The Woodlands location will occupy 8,500 square feet of space and feature colorful booths and stunning tequila displays in a bright and warm interior inspired by Latin decor. There is an outdoor dining area as well plus a full-service bar.
The Fuentes’s are excited to bring Salvadoran and Tex-Mex cuisine to the surrounding areas of Shenandoah and The Woodlands along with Salvadoran traditions. Gloria Fuentes said in a press release, “We’ve created a welcoming space where friends and families can come together to enjoy delicious Salvadoran and Tex-Mex cuisine, warm hospitality and create lasting memories for years to come.”
Known for its black bean dip and award-winning margaritas, Gloria’s menu also offers handmade tamales, pupusas, nachos and a variety of soups including Black Bean, Sopa De Pollo and Mariscada, a seafood soup full of shrimp, scallops, red snapper, mussels and lobster tail.
Its special plates menu features items like Nancy’s Ribeye, Grilled Quail and Carne Asada. There is a variety of fresh seafood dishes plus Tex-Mex cuisine like Chicken Flautas, Chile Relleno and Crispy Taco Dinner. There’s also a selection of enchiladas, fajitas and quesadillas. The dessert menu offers flan, tres leches and churros plus a Salvadoran treat, Honey Banana, made with sweet plantains cooked in orange juice, honey and lemon then topped with vanilla ice cream and served flaming with Bacard 151 rum.
Weekend brunch is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there’s a lunch menu available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Pitch 25, 22838, is shooting to open in Katy by late spring 2025. It’s the second location for the entertainment complex and beer garden from the Kirby Group’s co-founders Andy Aweida and Jeff Barati along with former Dynamo soccer legend Brian Ching. There are also plans to open a third location in San Antonio. The first opened in Houston in East Downtown in 2018 at 2120 Walker.
The Katy spot will span three acres with 25,000 square feet of entertainment. There will be an outdoor pavilion and three fields with special events and games such as Bubble Soccer and Axe Throwing. There are also plenty of television screens for sports viewing.
Along with games and recreation, there are craft beers with nearly 100 on tap, a wine list and full bar. The food menu offers snacks like Popcorn Chicken, Tajin Cauliflower and House Made Pretzel along with entrees such as its Hangover Burger, Patty Melt and Buttermilk Fired Chicken Sandwich, all of which come with a side of fries. There are tacos and salads as well.
The Taco Stand, 118 El Dorado, opened May 16 in Webster. It’s the second location for the taco concept from Shawn Bermudez and Matthew Pak, the duo behind another popular Houston brand, The Burger Joint, which also has a location in the Baybrook area.
The menu features street-style tacos with traditional proteins like barbacoa (beef cheek), pork al pastor, lengua (tongue), carne asada, chicken, chicharron (spicy pork belly) and much more. There are seafood options such as shrimp and fish plus vegetarian tacos like mushroom and nopales. For vegans, there is a Picadillo Vegano made with Beyond Meat. There is also a variety of burritos, quesadillas and bowls.
The flour and corn tortillas are made in-house and there are five different salsas to sample. A small dessert menu offers Choco Flan and churros. For breakfast, there is an array of tacos featuring various proteins and eggs plus a migas plate.
There are soft drinks including sodas and agua frescas plus canned margaritas, palomas, micheladas and frozen margaritas. There is also a selection of Mexican and domestic beers.
Love Buzz Pizza Pub, 408 Westheimer, has closed for good. The announcement was made via its social media. Its Facebook post May 13 stated, ” Dear neighbors and friends, after much deliberation, we regret to inform you that Love Buzz Pizza Pub will cease to operate at 408 Westheimer. It’s been an interesting 10 years, but due to extenuating circumstances, we will no longer be able to serve you hot pies and cold booze. Thanks for all the memories…”
The Montrose pizza purveyor catered to a crowd that enjoyed 90s culture and probably knew their way around rolling papers. Whimsical pies like the Hamburglar, with all the fixings of a hamburger sandwich, and the Wake and Bake, a pizza take on breakfast food, took their place on the menu alongside creations like the Stankonia, a smelly mix of anchovies, roasted garlic, mozzarella, caramelized onions and goat cheese that could overpower the smell of skunk.
Staying open until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on the weekends, it could be a pizza party with questionable friends or a late night stop for a simple slice. It was the kind of place that Montrose used to be teeming with and its loyal customers have a lot to say about that on social media.
Its Facebook fans are left wondering if the “will cease to operate at 408 Westheimer” is a cryptic or hopeful sign that it may open elsewhere. Owner Sam English told CultureMap Houston that he’d be open to doing another one under the right circumstances, mentioning neighborhoods like Spring Branch.
The ‘burbs may now be the cool parts of town.
Conservatory Midtown, 606 Dennis, is having its grand opening weekend May 16 through May 19, though it actually opened nine months ago. Beginning with an exclusive soft opening May 16, there will be a TerraRium Bar VIP event from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with Candlelight Cocktails and complimentary light bites. DJ T Gray, current in-house DJ for the Houston Dynamos, will be entertaining guests with old school hip-hop along with performances from DJ Henson and the music duo Know Good at Pallet Jax.
The fun continues May 17 at TerraRium Bar with DJ Casanova from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a main event at Pallet Jax from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. with Latin band Calle Swing. To celebrate AAPI Month, there will be a day-long market May 18. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be a farmers-style market with a variety of vendors. The Asian Street Market follows beginning at 5 p.m. and lasting until 8 p.m. There will be evening performances at Pallet Jax from DJ Taylor Tran, DJ MEI and New York DJ SHU-G. There will also be a Lion Dance performance from Houston Lion Kings.
The celebration weekend ends with Sunday Funday May 19 featuring The Coffee Garden’s Grand Opening Kick-off from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.. It’s followed by a brunch event consoisting of all of the vendors from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be an unveiling of Stetsi Beer Garden throughout the day and Foreign Grill will be hosting a Ukranian event.
Fogo de Chao, 19820 Northwest Freeway, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, according to Community Impact. Founded in Southern Brazil in 1979, the chain now has more than 70 locations worldwide. The upcoming Cy Fair restaurant will make number four for the Houston area.
Guests can indulge in the churrasco experience as Gaucho chefs butcher, prep and grill the proteins over open fires. The selection of meats includes beef ribeye, lamb chops and its house specialty, picanha, the prime cut of top sirloin. Lunch and dinner services offer different experiences and there is a Brazilian Brunch on the weekend.
Ishtia, 709 Harris, is still in pre-launch soft opening mode after having sold out all of its spaces for May. Now it has opened its reservations for June with only 36 seats available per week. The official date is like “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?” Mankind may never know.
Red Lobster has recently closed dozens of restaurants across the country including several in the Greater Houston area. The Houston closures include the store at FM 1960 W and the Lake Jackson and Pasadena locations. The company is already auctioning off its restaurant equipment from 50 stores through TAGeX and the list includes the Lake Jackson location as well as others in San Antonio and Longview, Texas.
The Orlando-based chain is currently searching for a buyer to avoid Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The number 11 also happens to be the number of millions it purportedly lost on its most recent Endless Shrimp deal, according to CNN.
The Filling Station is expected to open at Indigo, a 235-acre neighborhood development in Fort Bend County in late 2024. It will be the first building to open at the mixed-use town center and will serve the community as a general store and welcome center. Indigo is a neighborhood from Meristem Communities, a Houston-based real estate development company committed to creating “Places for People”. It will begin hosting community and home shopper events in June.
Indigo Farm is already growing and harvesting crops which is part of the draw for homeowners, with 42 acres devoted to agriculture. Indigo Commons, once completed, will offer residents and the community a number of shops and dining establishments.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
