Historic Houston Restaurants

[mollusk]

My mother said it had a stone facade (she remembers it better than I do), I'll need to ask her more when I see her again

 

Iron, Passover started Monday, Easter is this weekend... pay some attention to your poor mother, for cryin' out loud!

[sootycat]

On the Gulf Freeway feeder, near Fuqua, there is a Mexican restaurant called Las Haciendas. Directly in back, is or was a Fuddruckers.

[towerjunkie]

On the Gulf Freeway feeder, near Fuqua, there is a Mexican restaurant called Las Haciendas. Directly in back, is or was a Fuddruckers.

 

Sootycat is very much correct although I must add the restaurant was not always called Las Haciendas, it believe it was formerly known as "Mexico Lindo" perhaps that's the restaurant irontiger is referring to.

[brhaltx]

I remember Mexico Lindo...  I don't really remember the facade.  Maybe brick...

[mkultra25]

Just read that a new restaurant, Texas Enchilada House, is preparing to open on Crosstimbers, on the former site of the late, lamented Northside Tex-Mex icon Mexicatessen. 

 

Don't think they have a website, but they do have a Facebook page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Enchilada-House/173331192725794

[NenaE]

http://www1.pasadenaisd.org/community/alumni_central/high_schools/south_houston_high_school_alumni/s_h_h_s_alumni__reunion_news/s_o_h_o_p_e_d_i_a__our_favorite_places_to_eat/

 

...some of these are in SE Houston, some in South Houston/Pasadena, Kemah.

 

 source: Jim Miller, member of "I Grew Up in Pasadena" Facebook page... nice find. 

Includes Vicki's Drive In... Winkler at Old Galveston Road, with the martian sign.

Edited May 12, 2014 by NenaE

[ernie5823]

http://www1.pasadenaisd.org/community/alumni_central/high_schools/south_houston_high_school_alumni/s_h_h_s_alumni__reunion_news/s_o_h_o_p_e_d_i_a__our_favorite_places_to_eat/

 

...some of these are in SE Houston, some in South Houston/Pasadena, Kemah.

 

 source: Jim Miller, member of "I Grew Up in Pasadena" Facebook page... nice find. 

Includes Vicki's Drive In... Winkler at Old Galveston Road, with the martian sign.

 

Lots of memories there from growing up in SE Houston/Meadowbrook, late 40s, 50s & early 60s.

 

[NenaE]

OK, my childhood memory of a Whataburger with an outdoor, upstairs patio has been confirmed. A "Remember Pasadena" site member has replied that there was one with an upstairs outdoor dining area, located on Richey. That was, until a kid fell off the balcony. Then they got rid of it. My dad never let us go up there. The outdoor chairs were connected to the stainless steel table. They jutted out, each one at an angle. It was a very modern design. Needless to say, I was intrigued by it. There may have been a spiral staircase, as well. Does anyone else remember these?

[NenaE]

The old Jack-In-The-Box / Pappas Bar-BQ that sat behind Memorial Hermann-Memorial City Hospital is now gone...soon to be another *$. The green lady is on her way.

[Purpledevil]

Just read that a new restaurant, Texas Enchilada House, is preparing to open on Crosstimbers, on the former site of the late, lamented Northside Tex-Mex icon Mexicatessen.

Don't think they have a website, but they do have a Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Enchilada-House/173331192725794

Yes it is! Just saw it a couple of days ago, en route to Flying Saucer for a pie. It was great to see the Mexicatessen building had been given some much needed love. Can't wait for it to open, I'm looking forward to giving it a shot. There is an opening soon banner on the front, so here's hoping the wait isn't long before we get a chance to check this one out.

You know, it took a loooong time to read through this thread, but in all the years it has covered, either I missed it, or no one has mentioned Duff's. Now, maybe I'm cheating a little because this thread is covering Houston's defunct restaurants and Duff's was in Humble, but that restaurant was like nothing I'd ever seen before or since. Rotating buffets, pure genius! Pick a spot and let the food come to you. It's been years, but it seems like they had 4 buffet turntables. Did not matter what time of day you went, Duff's Smorgasboard was packed. Still remember their sign on the wall above the buffet: Take what you can eat, eat what you can take! I loved their Chicken Fried Steak.

Speaking of chicken fried steak, is Hickory Hollow still down there on S. Heights? Theirs was so big, it was served on a pizza pan. Glob of skin-on mashed on the sIde, and a warm dinner roll next to that. Potatoes and steak drowned in thick cream gravy. The CFS had a name for all the different sizes of it. The little one seems like it was The Cowgirl, the big one was The Wrangler or something near.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Purpledevil

[mollusk]

Speaking of chicken fried steak, is Hickory Hollow still down there on S. Heights? Theirs was so big, it was served on a pizza pan. Glob of skin-on mashed on the sIde, and a warm dinner roll next to that. Potatoes and steak drowned in thick cream gravy. The CFS had a name for all the different sizes of it. The little one seems like it was The Cowgirl, the big one was The Wrangler or something near.

 

Hickory Hollow is alive and well.

 

I remember introducing the place to a new co-worker - a strapping guy who'd been a football player in school, and who literally barely fit into my (not that small) car.  We talked him into just the middle one (after he started making eyes at the one that's pretty much the entire bottom of the cow).  He finished, but was nearly in tears afterwards.

[brhaltx]

Speaking of chicken fried steak, is Hickory Hollow still down there on S. Heights? Theirs was so big, it was served on a pizza pan. Glob of skin-on mashed on the sIde, and a warm dinner roll next to that. Potatoes and steak drowned in thick cream gravy. The CFS had a name for all the different sizes of it. The little one seems like it was The Cowgirl, the big one was The Wrangler or something near.

 

    It is, but they serve it with BROWN gravy unless you tell them otherwise.  Last time (and it was the last time, never again), I was shocked that the BROWN gravy wasn't mentioned anywhere on the menu.  What sort of heathen infidels server BROWN gravy with a chicken fried steak?

[Purpledevil]

I agree with you there. While I like brown gravy, I'd rather my CFS be topped with cream. A little disappointed to hear about your bad experience, but thanks for the tip on requesting the cream gravy, brhaltx. Now that it's on my mind, I think the misses and I have a plan for dinner tomorrow. Do you all know if they still have live music?

Sorry for the swerve in the thread, but it made another lost treasure pop into my head, also in the Heights. Old Bayou Inn on 2nd and Heights, right on the bayou, just before the double bridges...or after coming from the Katy Fwy. I don't remember seeing that one posted before either. Best cooking ever, outside of your own grandmother's kitchen. If memory serves correct, and every day it tends to less and less, Hickory Hollow once occupied the Old Bayou Inn building before it and the itty bitty convenience store were demoed several years back. Maybe they swapped places with each other? I know the building that now houses Hickory Hollow was once a pizza place, but that's been years back.

[dmil]

Re: Old Bayou Inn, it was operated by the Huber brothers who earlier had Huber's Seafood near Old Market Square that served great seafood and had live Dixieland Music played by very talented musicians such as the late Clayton Baird(of Mrs. Baird's fame). The Old Bayou Inn served great hamburgers and very tasty home-made thick potato chips.

[brhaltx]

I believe the last Bert Wheeler's is on Beltway8 by I-10, if it's still open.

 

   Didn't Spec's absorb Bert Wheeler's?  I know it was bought by a company in San Antonio in the 90s.  They don't seem to exist in Houston any more.

[houstonnative47]

My daddy was from Denver Harbor & grew up on Lockwood Inn barbecue. My grandpa & daddy ate there so much that all the employees knew them.  Then daddy grew us up on this barbecue. There was/is no comparsion to any other barbecue. I am 50 yrs old & living in E. TN now & you brought sweet memories spent with my daddy back. Thank you for that

[mollusk]

There is still a Someburger at Studewood and 11th.

[mkultra25]

There is still a Someburger at Studewood and 11th.

 

And one in Baytown. 

 

http://www.someburger.com/About_Us.html

[Tower26]

1. William's Chicken (Churches ) 

2. Hot Stuff Restaurants 

3. Fish King 

4. Showbiz Pizza (Chuckie Cheese) 

5. Pizza Inn (Still Here ) 

6. Two Pesos 

7. Grandy's 

8. Del Taco 

9. Captain D's 

10. Lone John Silver's (Still Here )

11. Ryan Steahouse 

12. Wyatt's Cafeteria

13. Steak N'Ale (Recently Closed )

14. Monterrey House (1 Remaining )

15. Checker's 

16 . Ninfa's 

17. Pancho's 

18. Godfather's Pizza

19. Sizzler's 

20. BigTex Chicken

21. Hart'z Chicken (Still Here ) 

 

 

 

[Subdude]

1. William's Chicken (Churches ) 

2. Hot Stuff Restaurants 

3. Fish King 

4. Showbiz Pizza (Chuckie Cheese) 

5. Pizza Inn (Still Here ) 

6. Two Pesos 

7. Grandy's 

8. Del Taco 

9. Captain D's 

10. Lone John Silver's (Still Here )

11. Ryan Steahouse 

12. Wyatt's Cafeteria

13. Steak N'Ale (Recently Closed )

14. Monterrey House (1 Remaining )

15. Checker's 

16 . Ninfa's 

17. Pancho's 

18. Godfather's Pizza

19. Sizzler's 

20. BigTex Chicken

21. Hart'z Chicken (Still Here ) 

 

Two Pesos was I believe folded into Taco Cabana.  They were both the same concept. 

 

Grandy's I remember on South Main near Buffalo Speedway.  Well known for their biscuits!

 

 

[Subdude]

I agree with you there. While I like brown gravy, I'd rather my CFS be topped with cream. A little disappointed to hear about your bad experience, but thanks for the tip on requesting the cream gravy, brhaltx. Now that it's on my mind, I think the misses and I have a plan for dinner tomorrow. Do you all know if they still have live music?

Sorry for the swerve in the thread, but it made another lost treasure pop into my head, also in the Heights. Old Bayou Inn on 2nd and Heights, right on the bayou, just before the double bridges...or after coming from the Katy Fwy. I don't remember seeing that one posted before either. Best cooking ever, outside of your own grandmother's kitchen. If memory serves correct, and every day it tends to less and less, Hickory Hollow once occupied the Old Bayou Inn building before it and the itty bitty convenience store were demoed several years back. Maybe they swapped places with each other? I know the building that now houses Hickory Hollow was once a pizza place, but that's been years back.

 

That was Heights Pizzeria.  It was a great place to hang out.  

 

With its proximity to the bayou I always thought that it was only a matter of time for Old Bayou Inn.  That was another place that used to draw big crowds.

[KinkaidAlum]

Taco Cabana sued Two Pesos and won.

 

Sad because Two Pesos was 100 times better.

[Subdude]

Longhorn Cafe at 509 Louisiana.  I've been "racking my brain" trying to remember the name of that place.  They had Texas-themed food, like Texas Toast and really big hamburgers.

 

 

 

[mollusk]

There was another Longhorn over in the Park Shops.  It, too, is closed.

 

Personally, I still miss Leo's - though it was never the same after it moved onto Washington from its old, falling apart converted house location on Shepherd.  About the closest one can get to that type of Tex Mex place these days is Spanish Village.

[Subdude]

There was another Longhorn over in the Park Shops.  It, too, is closed.

 

Personally, I still miss Leo's - though it was never the same after it moved onto Washington from its old, falling apart converted house location on Shepherd.  About the closest one can get to that type of Tex Mex place these days is Spanish Village.

 

What type of Tex Mex is that?

Wasn't Leo's torn down for the Kenneally's parking lot?  

[august948]

Crescent City Beignets has closed it's last location on Westheimer near River Oaks.  For a few years they had another location on Westheimer near Kirkwood plus some others.  They closed that one and the others and shrank down to the River Oaks store until a month or two ago.

 

Anyone got suggestions for alternate places to get a beignet fix?

[mollusk]

What type of Tex Mex is that?

Wasn't Leo's torn down for the Kenneally's parking lot?  

 

Yellow cheese Tex Mex, with the heat coming mostly from chile powder rather than jalapeños and habaneros, immortalized in the gatefold of ZZ Top's Tres Hombres album - 

 

 

Which is of course far prettier than any plate I ever had there.  Also, for some reason or another you could never get any head on beer poured into the little water glassed they served with.

 

The rumor at the time was that the old house literally started breaking up.  I don't recall expanding Keneally's parking as having anything to do with it at the time.

[NenaE]

There were 2 other Longhorn Cafés. One was on Edgebrook (SE side) and another on Richmond. The second location may have turned into the Cyclone Anaya's. Guessing, on that one.

Chicken fried steak was the plate I remember.

[mkultra25]

Yellow cheese Tex Mex, with the heat coming mostly from chile powder rather than jalapeños and habaneros, immortalized in the gatefold of ZZ Top's Tres Hombres album - 

 

 

 

 

I may have posted this here before, but if so, it bears repeating:

 

http://www.derekerdman.com/ilovemilkshakes/october2010/TH.htm

[Specwriter]

Crescent City Beignets has closed it's last location on Westheimer near River Oaks.  For a few years they had another location on Westheimer near Kirkwood plus some others.  They closed that one and the others and shrank down to the River Oaks store until a month or two ago.

 

Anyone got suggestions for alternate places to get a beignet fix?

 

Sad to learn about this. For a beignet place to be successful it has to have a steady stream (almost a torrent actually) of customers like Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Beignet have absolutely NO shelf life. Like a doughnut, only more so, they are best eaten as soon as they cool down enough to put them in your mouth.

 

I used to patronize the beignet shop in Clear Lake near Bay Area Blvd. and Space Center Drive. The pastries were made as they were ordered. Having them made up and sitting under a heat lamp simply would not do and the owner/manager or whatever of the shop understood this. Unfortunately, those patrons satisfied with going into Shipley's down the street and getting what had been sitting on a tray for an indeterminate amount of time weren't in the mood to wait 3-5 minutes for what has to be one of the most delicious treats I can think of. Too bad.