Houston has a multitude of new retail and dining destinations opening every day so it can be hard to settle upon where to go for lunch or a quick bite. There are downtown food halls, suburban plazas and repurposed structures doubling as dining and workspace destinations everywhere it seems.

That's why, when I found myself driving around in search of a lunch spot one sunny afternoon, I was overwhelmed with choice. I was in the Garden Oaks area where numerous new restaurants and casual dining eateries have bloomed. Driving down 34th, I spotted the Stomping Grounds, a dining and retail development that we have covered in the Houston Press over the past couple of years as it slowly came to fruition. I decided to stop in and check out the new home of Cherry Block Smokehouse, the latest concept from Felix Florez, who originally opened Cherry Block Craft Butcher's at Bravery Hall, though it left the downtown food hall in January 2021.

Florez is also the owner of Falcon Lake Farms, so much of the meat served at Cherry Block Smokehouse is from his family's distribution company and is butchered at Cherry Block Market in Katy or at the new restaurant.
Parking was easy and the area was not very busy. There was an entrance from the parking lot to Cherry Block but I decided to check out the communal green space at Stomping Grounds first, before heading inside for lunch. A few eateries have gradually opened at the development, but a number of others are still currently under construction or are putting the final touches on the sites. Becca Cakes and Fat Cat Creamery have been open for nearly two years at Stomping Grounds while Rooster & Rice opened this past June. Cherry Block Smokehouse opened September 8.  Other food concepts in the works include LuLoo's Day & Night, Sora Sushi and Bollo Pizza.

I entered Cherry Block from the outdoor patio that faces the green space. The restaurant is counter service. There was only one other table of customers in the restaurant and I got that feeling of being conspicuous as I read the menu, while a member of staff waited to take my order.
Thankfully, the menu is fairly brief. The Boudin Cakes were already 86'd for the day, but since I was dining alone, I didn't want to order an appetizer anyway, though the Crawfish Cheddar Rolls were tempting. Being a smokehouse, there are barbecue options, of course, and lots o' meat like steaks and pork chops. However, I had heard about the Cherry Block Burger and decided to try it for myself, though the Fried Chicken Sandwich and the Classic Debris Poboy were up there in the running.

Having spied a frozen drink machine, I ordered a margarita. Unfortunately, the mix was taking its sweet time. After a few minutes, the employee manning the counter said "I am going to have to make you a hybrid of frozen and rocks", which is exactly what he did. It tasted fine, but not fabulous.
When my burger was ready, I went up to the counter to retrieve it. It was a picture-perfect burger with a golden brown bun and cheese oozing over the patties. Or splooging, if I'm to be honest. The veggies were very fresh and it seemed as if there was a second type of cheese besides American. One bite and I could taste the smoke that Cherry Block is famous for, though the smoke flavor was still fairly subtle. It was a good, juicy burger and with the pepper-seasoned fries, worthy of the $14 price tag.

As I ate, I gazed out the large windows over the green Astro-turfed space. There were a few children running about with moms and caretakers keeping a close watch. The space is fenced in, so it's fairly safe unless someone has an escape artist who can open gates.

One child ran up to the window where I was sitting and we made silly faces at each other for a bit. I'll admit, I caved first because there is only so long you can stick out your tongue or cross your eyes at a four-year-old. The fun over, he decided to climb on one of the picnic tables before being whisked away by a scolding caregiver.
Occasionally, a parent with children in tow would come in to order as school began to let out nearby. The Little Dreamer Coffee kiosk on the green wasn't doing much business other than handing cups of water to the tots. Hopefully, the crowd in the evenings and on the weekends has a little more disposable cash for coffee drinks.

The inside of Cherry Block is decorated with some Texas memorabilia and is casual and comfortable. There's also a small selection of Cherry Block merchandise and some Texas-made products like candy nut brittles and pickles. From my table, I could see Florez through the window, doing what he's known for; butchering a hunk of meat.
Had it just been a few degrees cooler, I would have braved the small army of toddlers and sat on the patio. It's a nice spot to sit with friends or family and just hang out.

I decided to save half my burger, after demolishing all of my fries. Not knowing who would be home out of the three other adults that share my residence,  I figured I could grab a few items to-go and everyone could fend for themselves. Knowing Florez' reputation for brisket, I opted for the 1 Meat Plate which came with a side for $15. I opted for charro beans because my daughter loves them. I also got a BBQ Sandwich for $10 and added a slice of Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake because it sounded fabulous.
My order was packed nicely and I headed home. As I suspected, everyone had either eaten late at school/work so we each grabbed a few bites from our Cherry Block takeout.  When I opened the BBQ Sandwich container, I saw that there was a mound of fries with it. I didn't see that on the menu, so the extra addition of fries definitely made it worth the $10.  The sandwich was really good, with a bit of spice in the sauce and the grilled onions practically melted into the mixture of meat and sauce. I like onions, but the menu should probably list the sandwich's ingredients, including some creamy unnamed sauce that was also tasty.
The brisket was nicely smoked and peppery, but a tad dry. I know beef prices, and especially brisket, is through the roof. However, the three slices of brisket and the charro beans for $15 didn't seem worth it. Maybe another small side of something inexpensive like coleslaw would make it seem more of a meal.  The charro beans were very smoky and had chunks of meat in them, so they were more like cowboy beans. With a kick.

The Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake was a nice big slice, as it should be for $9. I was hoping for more of the pecan pie flavor, but it really just tasted like a well-made piece of chocolate cake. Maybe it's just me. I am a greedy guts for pecans.
There do seem to be a few glitches that need to be worked out at the new Cherry Block Smokehouse. It's casual, counter service which is the thing nowadays, but I miss servers. Seriously. I also miss a well-written menu I can peruse for a few minutes.

I would go back, possibly for the Cherry Block Burger, but definitely for the BBQ Sandwich. It had an interesting flavor and I liked the sauce. I know barbecue aficionados are horrified by sauce but I love it. And we should eat what makes us happy.
As for the Stomping Grounds, it wouldn't hurt for the owners to make the property a little softer and a bit less industrial. With several businesses still under construction, it doesn't seem to be drawing in the crowds enough for the ones that are already there. As more concepts open their doors, perhaps there will be more traffic.

And, with the cooler weather, maybe more Houstonians will be ready to hang outside.


Cherry Block Smokehouse
1223 W.34th
713-485-4374
cherryblockbutcher.com