Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 4936 Waterview Town Center, opened last week and is planning a community “Share the Love” grand opening celebration February 2. Located at the Aliana in the Richmond, it will celebrate with festivities from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.. The first 15 guests in line will receive a VIP swag bag with limited edition Hopdoddy merch. There will be free bites, drinks, chicken tenders, sliders and shakes. There will also be Hopdoddy giveaways. Each guest will be given a Golden Ticket to check off each sample of complimentary menu items.
On hand for the fun will be a caricature artist plus there will be live music and drawings for free food and swag every 15 minutes. Guests who post a photo of themselves holding up the completed tasting card will have the chance to win free burgers for a year.
The Austin-based burger company was founded in 2010 with the focus of serving regeneratively-raised and ethically-sourced proteins. Guests will find a wide selection of burgers like the Cadillac, with a hefty half-pound of wagyu beef, Swiss cheese, steakhouse bacon, crispy fried onions, steak sauce, truffle aioli, roasted tomato and arugula served on a house-baked bun. For those with lighter appetites, the Classic is a traditional version with LTO and Doddy Mayo. All burgers can be made into a bowl served with house greens.
There are also chicken sandwiches like the Crispy Bacon Ranch and Thunderbird plus the Ahi Tuna and a veggie burger, El Bandito. Fried chicken tenders can be ordered Nashville Hot or Not to be tossed in BBQ, Hot Honey or Buffalo sauce. Sides include Parmesan Truffle Fries, Green Chile Queso Fries, Sweet Potato Fries and loaded Brussels sprouts.
There are local and imported craft beers, Bonterra wines, margaritas, signature cocktails and boozy milkshakes.
A Hopdoddy location at 12333 Southwest Freeway is planned for this March in Stafford.
Jinya Ramen Bar, 9240 Broadway, is having its grand opening January 29 in Pearland. The first 100 guests in line at 11 a.m. will receive a free bowl of ramen.
It’s the 70th location for the brand and the 17th in Texas. Founded in 2010 by Tomo Takahashi, the concept focuses on kaizen, the Japanese practice of continuous improvement which is reflected in its use of a special aging process for its noodles and its long-simmered broths. There are a variety of ramens to fit every taste including Jinya Tonkotsu Black, Premium Tonkotsu Red, Spicy Chicken and Shrimp Wonton. For vegetarians and vegans there are options such as Flying Vegan Harvest, Vegan Red Fire Opal and Spicy Creamy Vegan.
In addition to the array of ramen, there are small plates including Miso Glazed Eggplant, Corn Tempura and Garlic Shrimp Eggroll plus rice bowls, salads and curry. One of its specialties is the mini tacos available in salmon poke, spicy tuna and Impossible meat.
It offers beer, wine and cocktails plus a selection of mocktails.
Paris Baguette, 9250 Broadway, is opening February 2, followed by a grand opening February 3 beginning at 8 a.m. The first 100 guests will receive a free mochi donut at the grand opening.
First opened in South Korea in 1988, the bakery expanded to the United States in 2005. Another franchised location opened earlier this month in The Woodlands.
Bojangles, 6719 N. Grand Parkway, is coming to Spring February 4. It will be the first location in the Greater Houston area for the fried chicken brand though a location in Tomball, also on the Grand Parkway, has been on the radar for a while. It’s actually a return to the city for Bojangles which had franchised locations back in the 1980s, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1977, the chain has expanded over the past 47 years to 800 restaurants across 17 states. Currently Spring, Tomball, Webster and Richmond locations are planned for the Houston area.
Its chicken and biscuits are its claim to fame as is its bone-in fried chicken, which, unfortunately, will not be available at the new Houston area locations as the company has streamlined the menu for the market. Instead, the fried chicken served will be boneless and available as chicken tender baskets, biscuit sandwiches and Bo’s Chicken Sandwich served on a buttered bakery bun. There are also breakfast biscuit sandwiches.
Beans & Brews Coffeehouse, 8727 Harlem, opened in late December 2024. Founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, the brand is known as the ‘Home of High-Altitude Roasting’. All of the company’s coffee is roasted in the Salt Lake Mountain valley at the lowest possible temperature for the least amount of time to create a smooth and intense flavor.
The newest location is operated by franchisees Caleb and Nakia Graham who aim to cultivate a welcoming environment for the community. They plan to host community-building initiatives in the future.
The coffee shop has dine-in service as well as a drive-thru. There are traditional coffee drinks such as cappuccino, latte and espresso as well as iced brews. Customers will also find a selection of blended drinks like frappe in a variety of flavors as well as smoothies, energy drinks, teas and chocolate beverages.
The food menu has donut holes, Brekky Tacos, Bacon & Egg Cheese Bites, panini and croissant sandwiches.
ChopnBlok, 507 Westheimer, launched its Small Chops Social this week, right on the heels of the 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists announcement in which ChopnBlok chef/owner Ope Amosu received a semifinalist nod for Best Chef: Texas.
The weekday happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with $5 craft beer, $6 refreshers (mocktails) and select wines for $7 and $9. There will also be 50 percent off signature cocktails from its menu. Guests can try a rotating selection of menu favorites at a discounted price.
Some of the ‘Small Chops’ include plantain chips and Liberian greens ($5), savory Minnie Pies ($5) and Coconut Chicken Bites ($7). Other items include Polo Club Suya ($9), three grilled beef skewers dusted in traditional yaji peanut pepper spice, and Golden Tasters ($7), a smoky jollof jambalaya with Motherland curry, Blok chicken and plantains.
Crust Pizza, 9406 Gaylord, is now shooting to open this February. It was originally slated to open January 25.
93′ Til, 1601 W. Main, was burglarized overnight January 21 as Winter Storm Enzo was dropping snow across the city. Apparently it didn’t stop a couple of thugs from smashing the glass in the door and making off with cash from the register. Business is back to normal and so is the weather so this is a good time to go out and show your support for the owners and staff.
Some losers (possibly the same ones) broke into The Phoenix on Westheimer the same day. We hope the thieves froze their balls off but we doubt they had much to lose in the first place.
