What Is Going Up West Of Fry Rd. And Highway 290?

[SteveK]

They cleared the land across the road from Lowes sometime ago and it looks like they are doing some concrete work. Someone said it was going to be some Pappa's restaurants.

Also does anyone know what is going up between HEB/Chase and the drainage ditch near Barker and 290? I read a while ago that there was an Olive Gargen going in somewhere over there but the structure they just put up looks like it will be a strip center.

Steve

[mrfootball]

Would like to see some better restaurants come in, Pappasito's is always welcome....though I would love a Churassco's. Alicia's is building a larger Pad-site location in front of the center they're currently located in off Cypress-Rosehill(Fry).

They're building some new Apartments behind that, in the field adjacent to Cypress Ranch off Fry Rd.

As for what's planned for the area around Coles Crossing, I believe there's a Christus Hospital going in there so those may be regular retail or professionals, not sure.

[SteveK]

Would like to see some better restaurants come in, Pappasito's is always welcome....though I would love a Churassco's.

They're building some new Apartments behind that, in the field adjacent to Cypress Ranch off Fry Rd.

As for what's planned for the area around Coles Crossing, I believe there's a Christus Hospital going in there so those may be regular retail or professionals, not sure.

I agree on the food. Overall the food on the NW side is the pits. There are some gems but it is mostly chain food. I grew up on Long Island in NY and a good percentage of the restaurants there are non chain type. Boy would I love an America's or Churassco's on this side of town! Most of the Pappa's stuff is real good.

Steve

[cnote]

On the original plans for the plot, there was an Olive Garden. I think there is still space for one, but the building they erected certainly looks like a strip center to me.

I could care less if the Olive Garden comes or not, maybe teh salad and breadsticks are okay...

I would like to see some Texas chains like Freebirds, Mission Burrito, or any Pappas. No Landry's please.

How about a Flemings, PF Changs man, the list could go on and on. There is a new steakhouse opening up on Telge near Jarvis, but it is some local job.

[mrfootball]

Agreed, the dining/retail choices off 290 in Cypress are currently lacking in variety and appeal. People are so hungry for ANYTHING new, they will jam through the doors of any new business that opens up out here. I feel like we probably won't get the good stuff until after the 2010 census comes out and demographers realize just how many people live out here and how great the demographics are. You can draw a 5-mile radius map from the Spring Cypress/290 intersection and pull up $100K plus Avg HH income at every increment.

I'm with Cnote - Don't care much for Olive Garden (moo) and can't stand any of the Landry's chain restaurants (bleh).

Note to Restaurateurs: We're not asking for much. Maybe a Churrasco's. An Escalante's. A Maggianos. A Benihana. A Brio's. A Houston's and perhaps some unique local fare (like we used to have with Dillas that has cool stuff for the kiddos).

I know Caldwell Watson has a riverwalk/waterfront planned for their Towne Lake development, so that holds promise.

[CyKat]

How can you folks stand the traffic up there, with the one lane roads approaching 290.

When are they going to widen that road between Kroger and Home Depot? I was up there last summer and that was a royal PITA.

Cykat

[mrfootball]

How can you folks stand the traffic up there, with the one lane roads approaching 290.

When are they going to widen that road between Kroger and Home Depot? I was up there last summer and that was a royal PITA.

Cykat

Easy...I don't. I live in Longwood, which is about equidistant to 290 and 249, so we usually head towards 249 for dining and shopping. I take 'the Huff' or Telge out to get to 290 in the mornings for what usually is a 30 minute commute to CityWest (BMC Campus) in Westchase.

That intersection at 290 Spring Cypress needs some MAJOR reworking. I avoid it like the plague.

[SteveK]

How can you folks stand the traffic up there, with the one lane roads approaching 290.

When are they going to widen that road between Kroger and Home Depot? I was up there last summer and that was a royal PITA.

Cykat

I work at HP and take all backroads so not a problem for me. The big problem is Spring Cypress right now. It is a mess and I avoid it at all costs. I know a lot of backways so I get by.

Steve

[Mom22Blessings]

It seems like 2-3 years ago that intersection didn't even NEED a light. There wasn't anything there. I used to run it on the access road to get to Cypress Rosehill (no Fry yet!!) because there weren't any cars.

[klein]

I hope it's a Pappa's restaurant. You can't have to many of those

[hbcu]

I prefer 1960 Champions area for food as I found things that were unique as opposed to the cookie cutter stuff

for some reason though, Houston is nothing but cookie cutter while other major cities have unique places....

[CDeb]

Spring Cypress is being widened between US 290 and Huffmeister.

[cnote]

Exactly, Cdeb, they are currently widening both Spring Cypress and Jarvis Rd. Spring Cypress is really the only road that is prone to backups and they are trying to address the issue. Both of these are good east-west roads to use instead of 290. Also, most people don't seem to realize 290 is great on the weekends. The traffic in NW Harris really isn't bad except for during rush hour on 290. On Saturday I can get to Chuy's on Westheimer in less than 30 minutes, or the Galleria in about 25. For rush hour, I take the park and ride and listen to music or work for an hour on the bus...really a small price to pay to live in what I think is a great area.

We also have tons of places that aren't really cookie cutter, like Carl's BBQ off 290, POs burgers on Telge, Newks and Corkscrew cafe by the movie theatre, and Alicia'a mexican. I am sure there are others that I am missing...

Speaking of...can we get a Chuy's or a Hula Hut or a Shady Grove??? I need to write some emails to Chuy's.

[SteveK]

I prefer 1960 Champions area for food as I found things that were unique as opposed to the cookie cutter stuff

for some reason though, Houston is nothing but cookie cutter while other major cities have unique places....

Yea one of my favorites in that area is Victor's deli. There are a lot of places like that where I grew up. We need a Victor's or real diner in Cypress!

Steve

Exactly, Cdeb, they are currently widening both Spring Cypress and Jarvis Rd. Spring Cypress is really the only road that is prone to backups and they are trying to address the issue. Both of these are good east-west roads to use instead of 290. Also, most people don't seem to realize 290 is great on the weekends. The traffic in NW Harris really isn't bad except for during rush hour on 290. On Saturday I can get to Chuy's on Westheimer in less than 30 minutes, or the Galleria in about 25. For rush hour, I take the park and ride and listen to music or work for an hour on the bus...really a small price to pay to live in what I think is a great area.

We also have tons of places that aren't really cookie cutter, like Carl's BBQ off 290, POs burgers on Telge, Newks and Corkscrew cafe by the movie theatre, and Alicia'a mexican. I am sure there are others that I am missing...

Speaking of...can we get a Chuy's or a Hula Hut or a Shady Grove??? I need to write some emails to Chuy's.

That is a good point. The food is getting better. Newks was a step in the right direction for sure. I used to eat at PO's all the time when I worked at Compaq on 290 and Skinner. That place is a dump but the food is real good.

Steve

[mrfootball]

Exactly, Cdeb, they are currently widening both Spring Cypress and Jarvis Rd. Spring Cypress is really the only road that is prone to backups and they are trying to address the issue. Both of these are good east-west roads to use instead of 290. Also, most people don't seem to realize 290 is great on the weekends. The traffic in NW Harris really isn't bad except for during rush hour on 290. On Saturday I can get to Chuy's on Westheimer in less than 30 minutes, or the Galleria in about 25. For rush hour, I take the park and ride and listen to music or work for an hour on the bus...really a small price to pay to live in what I think is a great area.

We also have tons of places that aren't really cookie cutter, like Carl's BBQ off 290, POs burgers on Telge, Newks and Corkscrew cafe by the movie theatre, and Alicia'a mexican. I am sure there are others that I am missing...

Speaking of...can we get a Chuy's or a Hula Hut or a Shady Grove??? I need to write some emails to Chuy's.

Good points. It doesn't take too long to get places (sans rush hour). About 25 minutes to the Galleria/Downtown...20 minutes to Memorial City, etc.

Alicia's does indeed rock. Great fajitas, prefer it even to Lupe Tortilla.

Mezzanote is great for more upscale dining.

Still, we need more interesting stuff.

RE: Chuy's, Hula Hut, Shady Grove, Kirby Lane -- I would like to see some of those Austin restaurants out here...seeing as how we're on the far Southeast side of Austin.

[cnote]

Alicia's does indeed rock. Great fajitas, prefer it even to Lupe Tortilla.

Soon you should be able to do both...as Lupe's website says they are coming to Northwest Harris. Although, if you are like me, you probably drive to the lupe on 249 anyway. I agree that Alicia's is close to Lupe in terms of fajita's, but I love Lupe's atmosphere and their open air area on really nice days.

Also, Chuy's, Shady, and Hula are all the same company. I don't think Hula would come, but Chuy's or Shady could...Chuy's is already in the Woodlands...Shady Grove could do well also with some live music...something this area also lacks a little...although the Cypress Creek Saloon gets some good bands it is not real family friendly.

[texasmug]

They cleared the land across the road from Lowes sometime ago and it looks like they are doing some concrete work. Someone said it was going to be some Pappa's restaurants.

According to a sign put up this past week on the SW corner of Fry/Cypress-Rosehill and 290, there will be a CVS on that corner and a IHOP on the other "corner" (further west). The name of the place is The Shoppes at Fry Road. Looks like there will be a couple of strip centers and there are a few pads available.

I haven't seen anything official yet about it being Papa's restaurants though. IMO, I can't see Papa's putting any of their restaurants between an IHOP and a CVS though. Also, while it could be a rumor, I've always heard that Papa's buys their land outright and doesn't lease the land their restuarants are on. I don't know for sure though. I sure hope you're right though!

[Trae]

I prefer 1960 Champions area for food as I found things that were unique as opposed to the cookie cutter stuff

for some reason though, Houston is nothing but cookie cutter while other major cities have unique places....

You've got to be kidding me. All American suburbs are the same cookie-cutter stuff. Suburban Houston is no different.

[SteveK]

According to a sign put up this past week on the SW corner of Fry/Cypress-Rosehill and 290, there will be a CVS on that corner and a IHOP on the other "corner" (further west). The name of the place is The Shoppes at Fry Road. Looks like there will be a couple of strip centers and there are a few pads available.

I haven't seen anything official yet about it being Papa's restaurants though. IMO, I can't see Papa's putting any of their restaurants between an IHOP and a CVS though. Also, while it could be a rumor, I've always heard that Papa's buys their land outright and doesn't lease the land their restuarants are on. I don't know for sure though. I sure hope you're right though!

I agree. If IHOP and CVS are going there I can't see and Pappa's restaurants moving in.

Steve

[hbcu]

i'm in plano recently....I see places we don't have in Houston....I meant variety of restaurants in Houston are the same except in a few areas

[cnote]

According to a sign put up this past week on the SW corner of Fry/Cypress-Rosehill and 290, there will be a CVS on that corner and a IHOP on the other "corner" (further west). The name of the place is The Shoppes at Fry Road. Looks like there will be a couple of strip centers and there are a few pads available.

Isn't there an IHOP just on the other side of the freeway???

....wait, maybe that is a Denny's now that I think about it but it's the same junk, IMHO...

[SteveK]

Isn't there an IHOP just on the other side of the freeway???

....wait, maybe that is a Denny's now that I think about it but it's the same junk, IMHO...

It is a Denny's and yes it sucks as much as IHOP. I wish we had a Harris County BBQ up here. Their breakfast (and other food as well) is awesome.

Steve

[cnote]

Are you talking about a Harris County Smokehouse? I think there is one at 290 and 6, next to the La Quinta...

[SteveK]

Are you talking about a Harris County Smokehouse? I think there is one at 290 and 6, next to the La Quinta...

Yup. There is also one in Tomball on 2920 about 1/2 mile west of 249. I wished there was one up in Cypress as I take my 3 year old to a daddy and daughter breakfast there every few weeks and she loves the smiley face pancakes. It would have been nice if Spring Creek BBQ was Harris County instead. Does anyone else have any good breakfast places in Cypress besides Dennys? I know Capulcos on Barker Cypress and 290 has breakfast and it is good. I wish we had a Victor's deli around here. They have a great breakfast.

Steve

[cnote]

Afraid I can't be of much help in the breakfast department. I have been searching for some good breakfast tacos in the area for a while, haven't found anything worth mentioning.

My wife and I eat the Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits all the time, they are excellent for breakfast. I know that is probably not the type of place you were looking for but they are soooo good!!!

[Trae]

i'm in plano recently....I see places we don't have in Houston....I meant variety of restaurants in Houston are the same except in a few areas

I have been to Plano before and it is just chains among chains. You are probably looking at chains you have never heard of. Plano is just like Sugar Land.

[crunchtastic]

I have been to Plano before and it is just chains among chains. You are probably looking at chains you have never heard of. Plano is just like Sugar Land.

it's. all. the. same. For example, people are so very excited about Fogo de Chao. (or the correct spelling)

Perhaps the word 'chain' conjurs up Wendys for people, and Red Lobster and Olive Garden. I'm guessing a lot of people don't know that many of the new upscale restaurants are, in, fact, chains. And they probably don't care, at the price point.

Personally, I would rather go out to eat fewer times for a $40 entree, locally owned and (important to me) fewer tables and better service--- than $20-$30 for dinner at a place that is consistently good food, but never outstanding. I can never put my finger on why that is, even though you now have the same income levels and foodie types living in the 'burbs. Smaller numbers, but growing, I'm sure.

[Trae]

Thanks for agreeing with me! I really don't see the difference between Plano and Cypress, or Katy and McKinney. All looks the same. Same builders, same floorplans, same retail stores, same neighborhood names, etc.

[crunchtastic]

Thanks for agreeing with me! I really don't see the difference between Plano and Cypress, or Katy and McKinney. All looks the same. Same builders, same floorplans, same retail stores, same neighborhood names, etc.

There ain't no difference. It made me crazy when I was growing up there in the late 70's-mid 80's, and not a lot has changed other than more lipstick on the pig.

And traffic.

[hbcu]

some of the restaurants are unique to the area as Houston can't get those chains for whatever reason....I drove through Shreveport and they get national chains faster than Houston...

I see some, such as Cheeburger, Cheeburger are coming but look how long it takes