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King Ranch Texas Kitchen At 1605 Post Oak Blvd.


lockmat

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That piece of land has been for sale for quite sometime. As far as Willie G's I heard a while back that Fertitta was going to build a new location for the restaurant by his HQ and the Bentley dealership.

I sure hope so! The staff there has always been wonderful, very kind, regardless if I've shown up in slacks or sweat pants.

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  • 5 years later...

Now that Willie G's has moved into the Post Oak Hotel on the West Loop feeder, anyone know what will happen to its former location? My gut tells me, given the surrounding properties, this single-story building won't survive long before it's torn down and high rise luxury apartments or something like that is built there. HCAD hasn't been super helpful, there are four entries for 1605 Post Oak Boulevard, and only one of them shows it having a building on it. One of the non-building entries is listed as being owned by "Messina R", another by "Messina J % Landry Group," and a third by "Pirogue Management". The fourth, the only one that lists a building, is also owned by Pirogue Management.

 

The Messina J entry lists having been owned by Messina R in 1985 and then owned by Messina J since 1991, the Messina R entry lists having been owned by that person since 1988. Both Pirogue Management entries list that entity having owned the property since 1988.

 

Curiously, the only entry with a building on it lists the building having been built in 1998. I know that's not true both from personal memory, and from aerial photos showing that same building as far back as 1981. Unfortunately there is a gap in aerials between 1973, when the building wasn't there, and 1981, so I can't narrow down the actual building date.

 

I think I remember as a little kid in the very early 80s going to that restaurant before it was a Willie G's, it was called "Flying Tigers" or something like that (Maybe "The Hungry Tiger"?), and the inside was all WWII aviation themed, does anyone remember this place?

Edited by Reefmonkey
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I thought it would have been a better location for the new Uptown Ninfa's but hey i will hold out for a Pappasitos or Lupe's if need be. haha

Although i am sure you are right, that it will be a high rise or something, for now it is being used as a parking lot for Post Oak Blvd Project workers so i am sure they are waiting on that to be completed before anything is announced etc.

 

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Yeah, I just saw that the Ninfa's moved to the building that was recently built where the old Eatzi's used to be. Makes sense about holding off on doing anything with the 1605 location until the Post Oak Blvd Project construction is complete.

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I liked the feel of the Willie G's and while the new one is super nice and open it definitely has a different feel and i liked the old location better :)

I am excited to see what this will become or what they use this prime spot on Post Oak Blvd for...

I truly am liking how the whole Blvd is coming along! 

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  • 9 months later...

Landrys had been using the old Willie G's location as a commissary to provide meals to their furloughed workers and also first responders, that's why the Landrys sign is out front. However, no idea what the remodel might be for

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well wowsa...i do know they have been using the building to feed all Landry's employees and using the parking lot for construction workers etc but WOW...a remodel?! yes please, someone find out what is going on! 😮

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Drove by just now on my bike as they are doing renovations and construction foreman said Willie G’s Post Oak Blvd is becoming a Salt Grass Steakhouse with an opening sooner than I expect so whatever that means! 

Edited by gene
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Looks like this will be known as Saltgrass Texas Kitchen not Saltgrass Steakhouse so apparently a new concept? I cannot find anything online about this but the new signage on the doors/windows use the Texas Kitchen wording...

I am sure it will be similar to the Steakhouse concept but i guess Post Oak Blvd is important enough to get a new (maybe higher end?) concept? 

With the parking lot completely resurfaced and striped and the whole interior being remodeled and new furniture moved in last week, this place should open in August i am betting. 

 

edited 07/24/20 to add that today i drove by and saw someone who happened to be in management standing outside so i stopped to ask them questions.

Yes this is a new concept and it's a hybrid of the Saltgrass Steakhouse and true Texas staples (maybe farm to table but i am thinking Jax Grill elevated maybe?)... while they didn't elaborate much more on that, they did say they are super excited to show off the inside as they totally redid the layout etc so nothing like Willie G's. They also mentioned that while most everything is done to finish the building and landscape they are testing out the kitchen and new food items etc so they haven't started training employees etc...that will probably mean a late august early september opening. 

I am excited to check it out! 

 

Edited by gene
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  • 1 month later...

Just a small update:

The Landry's website shows that they are hiring positions for "Steakhouse and Kitchen" in the zip code of 77056...

Honestly from the progress I was guessing it would be open this month (September) as it looks completely finished to me... and who knows, maybe it still will be...however they still haven't put any signage up except the name Saltgrass Texas Kitchen decals on the front entrance doors. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

well in my continuation of gene updating this and no one else because i for some reason overly care and not sure exactly why haha, it seems they have taken down the decals on the door that said Salt Grass Texas Kitchen...

did they give up on the new concept or were they just tired of me posting about it or posting their secret before they were ready?!  ;)

 

anyway...the place is 100 percent ready to open as far as everything being set up...all the tables and chairs in place indoors and outdoors etc...everything looks in order, although they had a few animal heads on the floor ready to hang on the wall (may they rest in peace) 🤪

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Well dang so I rode by tonight on my bike and painters were on ladders painting the name of the restaurant on the west and south facing sides...

KING RANCH

Texas Kitchen

 

 

wth?! I don’t know why I hate the name so much... I guess I’m thinking of king ranch chicken casserole or maybe I was just thinking having Saltgrass in the name brought it more recognizability and clout for a better word... now it feels like some offbrand restaurant. I know King Ranch is a famous ranch but naming a restaurant that seems like it’s trying too hard and can’t explain why I feel that way...  It would have been better to just call it The Ranch... anyway... 

haha 

 

 

another new update! haha

Oct 5th i was riding my bike by and what looks to be the top guys with this were out front talking so i stopped to ask when they are opening.

They said that they are still very much a part of the Saltgrass family but "elevated" and said think of the Ford F150 and then think of the Ford F150 King Ranch...

so yes this is where they got the name from haha...well...i guess that is "something"...

anyway i told them i liked the name Saltgrass Texas Kitchen HA!

They said they are still formulating this new concept however the building itself is ready to open. They said they should be open now by Nov 1st but maybe a little sooner! 

 

Edited by gene
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  • 3 weeks later...

Tilman Fertitta's family teams up with King Ranch to open new Uptown Houston restaurant

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2020/10/14/tilman-fertitta-king-ranch-restaurant.html

The Fertitta family is opening King Ranch Inc.’s first restaurant, dubbed King Ranch Texas Kitchen.

It will open this fall, before the holiday season, at 1605 Post Oak Blvd. in the Uptown/Galleria area, according to a press release.

The restaurant is going in the former home of Willie G’s Seafood, which vacated that space in 2018 when it moved less than half a mile to Tilman Fertitta's The Post Oak development along West Loop South. The 1605 Post Oak Blvd. space is 10,000 square feet, a representative confirmed.

“Houstonians will get to experience a first-of-its-kind, Texas-flair, urban kitchen that we know everyone will enjoy,” said Tilman Fertitta, CEO and owner of Landry’s Inc., among other Fertitta Entertainment businesses. “We look forward to opening our doors this fall and bringing this exclusive and unique concept to our city.”

Founded in 1853, King Ranch operates an 825,000-acre ranch in Kingsville, Texas, as well as the King Ranch Saddle Shop retail locations.

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  • 4 weeks later...

spoke to one of the managers...they said they are aiming for a November 17th opening so just a week away!

 

edit to add i received a message yesterday saying Dec 17th open for dinner only and then Dec 1st they will begin opening for lunch as well! 

Edited by gene
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  • The title was changed to 1605 Post Oak Blvd.
  • The title was changed to King Ranch Texas Kitchen At 1605 Post Oak Blvd.

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