Jonathan’s the Rub, 20215 Bridgeland Creek Parkway, opened in Cypress December 10. It’s the fourth location of the locally-owned American eatery, first founded by chef Jonathan Levine, a Brooklyn native who came to Houston in 2000. First establishing a catering business, Levine then turned his attention to opening a restaurant in the city. Jonathan’s the Rub debuted in 2008 and has since expanded, and even relocated. Besides the new Cypress spot, JTR has locations in the East End, Memorial Green and Campbell Place off the Katy Freeway.
The new location joins a bustling business and residential area. Bridgeland is a master-planned community developed in northwest Houston by Howard Hughes Communities. Levine says of the decision to open his fourth location in the area, “We were looking for the next frontier-a community with a booming population and a clear vision that aligns with our brand.”
The menu features the same classic American fare from handout steaks and entree salads to Southern dishes like chicken fried steak and blackened shrimp and grits. Other items include Chilean sea bass, chicken piccata and its signature burgers.
There is plenty of dining room inside with over 5,500 square feet of space, but there are also two patios, a flexible private dining room and a stylish bar.
The Cypress debut began with a daily dinner service and will add happy hour December 12, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Honest Mary’s, 2047-A W. Gray, opened December 9 in River Oaks. The fast-casual healthy grains concept was founded in Austin and the Houston restaurant is its first expansion. Founder Nelson Monteith grew up in Houston and the return to his hometown is a special one. He calls the River Oaks Shopping Center space a “dream location” and he says he’s honored to share the success with his supportive family and friends. He said in a press release, “I’m happy that the brand we’ve created has made it this far and that I get to share it with the people I grew up with.”
Monteith and his wife, Mary, began the journey in 2017, wanting to deliver “life-giving fast food.” The couple met at the University of Texas and both discovered that mindful eating meant freshly prepared ingredients, which had a distinct impact on the way they felt. The couple opened the first location in Austin’s Arboretum neighborhood before expanding to Rosedale, Cedar park and Mueller over the past few years.
Co-owner and COO chef Andrew Wiseheart joined the company in 2022, helping to guide the menu with chef-driven flavors. He enjoys introducing people to foods they thought they would never eat. He says, “I think people will find us to be an attractive option for feel-good food that’s quick, affordable, and most importantly, delicious.”
The menu is brief, with five signature bowls including its Smoky Poblano, Aloha Poke, Sedona Lime, Honey Mustard Chicken and Garlic Pepper Chimichurri. Diners can also build their own bowls with a number of tasty options. It’s not just standard grains and greens, though. Guests will find unique choices like black forbidden rice, tri-colored quinoa, organic spinach and wild arugula.
The market sides menu includes charred sesame broccoli, curry-roasted cauliflower, French green lentils and roasted beets. The bowls can be topped with Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas and Texas goat cheese, plus sauces like cashew lime crema and apple cider vinaigrette.
Honest Mary’s menu is free of refined sugar and artificial ingredients and the menu is nearly seed-oil-free, while the company transitions two sauces, creamy poblano and lemon garlic. Much of the fresh produce is organic and the meats contain no hormones.
The interior space echoes the green ethos of the brand while keeping true to the Art Deco architecture of the River Oaks Center. There’s also an expansive patio for outdoor dining.
Oru, 746 W. 24th, opens December 17 in Houston Heights. Last month, we reported that the Japanese concept from Comma Hospitality was slated to open November 18, but as anyone in the restaurant industry knows, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”, as written by Scottish poet Robert Burns.
A recent press release cited “more than a few construction delays” as one of the reasons for the pushed-back debut. However, the team behind Houston sushi hotspots like Neo and Kira, is thrilled to finally open the doors to a culinary journey that has been in the works for two years.
While there is an a la carte menu of hot and cold tastings, nigiri, makimono and sashimi, the dinner menu will also offer an 8-course and 12-course omakase, with fresh selections chosen daily by the chef. It will also feature a caviar + roe service, served with takiyaki and adorable fish-shaped cakes.
In addition to dining room seating, there will be a 24-seat hinoki counter.
Home Slice Pizza, 602 Studewood, is shooting to open in the fall of 2026. It will be the second location of the Austin-based pizza joint. Located in the Heights, the space was formerly the home of Mapojeong, a Korean barbecue restaurant that closed last year.
With the huge 6,000 square-foot space, the new Home Slice will offer a full-service dining room, expanded menu and a cocktail program, elevating the experience a bit from its Mid Main location, which keeps busy rolling out pies and slices with its counter service and takeaway.
Home Slice was founded in 2005 in Austin by Jen and Joseph Strickland and Terri Hannifin. It quickly became a favorite for its New York-style pizzas, sub sandwiches and calzones. It opened two more pizzerias in the Austin area before landing in Houston in 2022. We quickly became fans of its eggplant topped slices.
Trill Burgers, 20220 Fort Bend Parkway, opened December 10 in Missouri City. Located in the Fort Bend Town Center II, it’s the third brick and mortar location for the wildly popular smashburger concept co-founded by rap artist and Houstonian Bernard “Bun B” Freeman. While he’s the charismatic face of the brand, the other co-founders include chefs Mike Pham and Fernado Valladares, along with entrepreneur Andy Nguyen and public relations expert Nick Scurfield.
The new locations will serve the same simple menu which includes its OG Burger, made with two smashed beef patties, pickles, caramelized onions, American cheese and Trill sauce. It was named “Best Burger in America” in a nationwide competition hosted by ABC’s Good Morning America. There’s also a vegan version with plant-based patties and vegan cheese, plus triple patty versions of both the OG and the Vegan OG. For wee ones, there are single patty burgers available.
For sides, there are just fries, but there are a couple of tasty beverage options like its signature Trill Lemonade, which is also available in strawberry or as an Arnold Palmer.
The restaurant seats 92 guests and the interior is done in its signature black and yellow colors, along with a custom mural that pays homage to Missouri City rapper Z-Ro. It was done by North Carolina artist JEKS ONE.
There will be a grand opening January 7, with a ribbon cutting and special menu surprises. Trill Burgers has a fourth store planned for 7616 Westheimer in 2026.
Meanwhile, both the Montrose and Spring locations are running a collaboration special with TOHO International to offer a SPYxFAMILY Burger inspired by the anime. The limited time burger is available through December 31 and includes two beef smashed patties, two slices of American cheese, pickles, beef goulash, L’il Smokey sausage, a fried egg and a dollop of sour cream.
The restaurants will also offer SPYx FAMILY t-shirts for sale during the promotion.
OMG Burgers, 5333 Westheimer, is celebrating its grand opening December 13 in the Galleria area, after a brief soft opening. Just in time for the rush of hungry holiday shoppers, this burger restaurant will offer a menu of smashburgers, chicken sandwiches and other guilty pleasures. The meat is all halal-certified.
It will be the fifth location for the family-owned business, which was founded in 2016 by Annie Khan, husband Salman Khan, and chef Nina Ahmed, who happens to also be Annie’s sister. The family, along with the Khans’ daughter, Anna, now owns and operates stores in Katy, Spring, Pearland and Sugar Land, in addition to the newest inner loop location.
The interior of the space is very modern and eye-catching, with Salman Khan in charge of the construction. There’s also a small outdoor space.
In keeping with the elevated approach to the Galleria spot, the menu has been upgraded as well. There will still be its signature items like the OMG! Smash and the OMG! Melt, plus the Tornado Philly Burger, made with a beef patty, Philly steak, beef bacon, caramelized onions, lettuce, pepper jack, cheddar, provolone and OMG! Sauce. For hot chicken fans, there’s the Nash Me Up, a sandwich of fried chicken breast, dripping with Nashville sauce, and topped with coleslaw, pickles, American cheese and OMG! Sauce. There are also wings, hot dogs, handspun milkshakes and OMG! Fries, with kimchi.
The grand opening begins at 11 a.m. with complimentary smashburgers for the first 50 customers. Then, orders are 50 percent off from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a second 50 percent off promotion from 6 p.m. to sell-out. There will also be gift card raffles.
Adjacent to the new OMG! Burger is the family’s newest concept, Annkello Kahawa, a trendy coffee bar that specializes in Tanzanian coffee and Japanese matcha. It opened in mid-November.
Ramen Tatsu-Ya, 600 W. Sam Houston Parkway N., opened its second Houston location December 9. Taking its place in the Town & Country Shopping Center in Memorial City, the restaurant serves authentic Japanese ramen in a lively atmosphere.
Chef/owner Tatsu Aikawa trained at the Michelin-starred Urasawa (now closed) in California before returning home to Austin to open his passion project, Ramen Tatsu-Ya, in 2012. Known for its scratch-made broths, primarily its 60-hour pork bone broth, the restaurant earned recognition from publications like Bon Appetit, which named it one of the “Top 50 Best Restaurants” in 2013. There are now seven Austin locations, along with the two Houston expansions.
In addition to its famous pork-based ramen, there are chicken and vegetarian versions, including an almond milk tonkotsu. Besides ramen, there are items like katsu sliders, gyoza and rice bowls. There are also soft drinks and slushies, plus sake, beer and sake-based cocktails.
Todd Coerver, CEO at Tatsu-ya said in a press release, “Houston has been so good to us since opening our first ramen shop in Montrose in 2017. We’re excited to bring our authentic Japanese-style ramen to Memorial City, and we aren’t stopping there. A third opening in Houston is planned for summer 2026.”
There you go folks. You heard it straight from the CEO’s mouth. A third one is coming.
Taste Kitchen + Bar, 1550 Lake Point Parkway, opened December 10 in Sugar Land. It’s the second location of the comfort food eatery from chef and owner Don Bowie. The gourmet waffle and Southern cuisine concept debuted in Midtown on Bagby in 2019 to much fanfare. However, that location eventually closed and Bowie relocated the restaurant to 420 Main in downtown Houston in 2022.
The full menu of faves will be available at the Sugar Land spot including the specialty chicken and waffles. Guests can choose from waffle flavors like pecan praline, Fruity Pebbles, peach cobbler and chocolate chip. There are breakfast dishes like steak &eggs or a veggie omelet, plus starters such as jerk lamb chops or Taste wings, which are available in a dozen different flavors.
The waffles aren’t the only elevated comfort food. Macaroni and cheese gets the luxe treatment with flavors such as truffled smoked gouda and lobster smoked gouda. There are also hearty entrees like Cajun seafood & grits and a lobster BLT.
The restaurant also offers craft cocktails and outdoor dining with waterfront views. Live music and DJs are planned for the future.
Houston’s own Beyonce and husband Jay-Z checked out the food from the downtown location during her summer stop in Houston for the Cowboy Carter tour and were impressed. Now, Sugar Land is getting the love. And the waffles.
Mountain Mike’s, 22314 FM 529, is celebrating its grand opening December 13 from noon to 4 p.m. We reported that it opened back in October, but is now hosting an event to celebrate. The first 100 guests will receive a mini cheese or pepperoni pizza. Santa will stop by for a visit and there will be raffles and giveaways.
Forty percent of the event’s proceeds will go to Katy Independent School District’s Food for Families.
The family friendly pizza restaurant boasts a kids arcade, big screen televisions, a large patio and an AYCE lunch buffet.
And some sad news…
Brett’s BBQ Shop, 25250 Kingsland Boulevard, will have its last day of service December 28, 2025, according to its Facebook post.
It read in part, ” After months of discussions, number-crunching, sleepless nights, and every possible attempt to keep the doors open, we have made the incredibly difficult decision to close Brett’s BBQ Shop. Built on a whole lot of heart, soul, and the integrity of Central Texas BBQ starting from our earliest days on Mason Road with no kitchen, no seating, no parking, and every obstacle you can imagine, to what many affectionately call our “BBQ palace,” we have lived every chapter with grit and pride and we are devastated.”
The post went on to say that the decision was made after a year of severe economic pressures, citing rising food and labor costs, operational expenses, rent and the decline in foot traffic. The post also asked that all questions be directed to owners Brett and Jacqueline in order to not burden the staff.
The post continued to say, “Brett’s BBQ Shop brick-and-mortar will close. We will still consider catering opportunities that align with operational capacity, and we will participate in the Houston Rodeo Cookoff as scheduled. Long-term plans are still being evaluated.”
The barbecue shop is planning a final New Year’s Eve party. The plans will be made public on its Facebook page December 12.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.