The Heights Restaurant And Bar Scene - More Coming

[BullMan008]

I drove past the place last night. Looks very small but if its mainly a 'Take Out' place, Im all for it. Good luck to them.

[txcat84]

Smoothie King is the next tenant next to Fat Cat, IF my crappy eyesight isn't failing me. Guess every hood needs one.

[west20th]

Smoothie King is the next tenant next to Fat Cat, IF my crappy eyesight isn't failing me. Guess every hood needs one.

Oh good. Wash that high fat ice cream down with a healthy smoothie to relieve the guilt. At least it's not a mattress store. 

[Texasota]

"healthy" smoothie?

You must not be familiar with Smoothie King

[JCR]

So had anyone been to Piatto in the midrise on 11th and Studewood?

[txcat84]

Not to hijack your question, but did want to mention two other things that have been on my mind:

1.) Is it just me, or is Heights General Store, and to a lesser extent the restaurant above, missing the mark? High prices and limited/typical selection are killing this place it seems. Haven't been back to the restaurant after getting a tough, overpriced steak, but I don't hold grudges too long and will re - visit for a cocktail. Which sort of spurs my secondary questions - do the dry restrictions prevent selling beer ala convenience store even if run like a club, because if I could get a sixes of high quality brew from HGS, it would be ON.

2.) In an unrelated and not so long winded query, has anything else become of the Longhorn auto dealer restaurant speculation on N Shep? Wouldn't mind a culinary fill - in on the soon to be demolished car wash in 19th either...

Dying for info.

[mkultra25]

1.) Is it just me, or is Heights General Store, and to a lesser extent the restaurant above, missing the mark? High prices and limited/typical selection are killing this place it seems. Haven't been back to the restaurant after getting a tough, overpriced steak, but I don't hold grudges too long and will re - visit for a cocktail. Which sort of spurs my secondary questions - do the dry restrictions prevent selling beer ala convenience store even if run like a club, because if I could get a sixes of high quality brew from HGS, it would be ON.

 

I haven't eaten at the upstairs restaurant, just the downstairs deli counter. I thought it was pretty good. 

 

The Houston Press had a piece on the restaurant last week asking some similar questions:

 

http://www.houstonpress.com/2014-04-17/restaurants/heights-general-store/

[Ross]

The food at HGS is pretty good, but overpriced, and the service is spotty. We've eaten there a couple of times, once for breakfast and once for dinner. Service was the worst part of both visits.

[SilverJK]

I went to Piatto and it was tasty and great service.  I'll be going back.

[swtsig]

agree with everyone on the prices at HGS - overall we thought the food was decent but unnecessarily overpriced. it was also odd how empty the place was on a thursday night a few weeks after opening... did not view it as a great sign.

 

on an unrelated note, verts doner kebap which opened recently on yale on the walmart site, is freaking awesome. it's delicious, quick, pretty cool and not terribly unhealthy. i highly recommend it.

[s3mh]

http://houston.eater.com/tags/coming-attractions

 

third post from the top.  Gelazzi opening in May.  

[s3mh]

http://www.theboilhouse.com/

 

Opening in early May.  Pretty straight forward Louisiana crawfish takeout.  

[Angostura]

1.) Is it just me, or is Heights General Store, and to a lesser extent the restaurant above, missing the mark? High prices and limited/typical selection are killing this place it seems. Haven't been back to the restaurant after getting a tough, overpriced steak, but I don't hold grudges too long and will re - visit for a cocktail. Which sort of spurs my secondary questions - do the dry restrictions prevent selling beer ala convenience store even if run like a club, because if I could get a sixes of high quality brew from HGS, it would be ON.

 

 

 

The private club exemption only applies to sales of alcohol for consumption on-premise, and the club must also serve food to qualify.  There are a number of other hoops to be jumped through (see here), like how the membership records must be maintained, and how alcoholic beverages are purchased and accounted for, which is why a lot of places opt to remain BYOB.

[txcat84]

The private club exemption only applies to sales of alcohol for consumption on-premise, and the club must also serve food to qualify.  There are a number of other hoops to be jumped through (see here), like how the membership records must be maintained, and how alcoholic beverages are purchased and accounted for, which is why a lot of places opt to remain BYOB.

 

Meaning that there is zero way around for a retail sales exemption? .....darn.

[Angostura]

Meaning that there is zero way around for a retail sales exemption? .....darn.

 

 

If there were, the Kroger on 20th would be a private club. 

[txcat84]

Club Kroger. DJ Fruit fly on the 1's and 2's.

[txcat84]

For sake of conversation, can anyone she'd light on the purpose of the rest of the building that houses Krafsmen Cafe? I've always thought it was a great building,, despite not knowing what it is/was. Best options for repurposing?

[Angostura]

For sake of conversation, can anyone she'd light on the purpose of the rest of the building that houses Krafsmen Cafe? I've always thought it was a great building,, despite not knowing what it is/was. Best options for repurposing?

 

 

Kraftsmen also has a wholesale baking business, though I'm not sure that occupies the entirety of the rest of the building.

[s3mh]

Kraftsmen also has a wholesale baking business, though I'm not sure that occupies the entirety of the rest of the building.

 

There is an antique store called Installations that has a good portion of the west end of the building.

[JCR]

Not Heights, but for those of us in Shady Acres/Timbergrove area The Warehouse Bar and Chill just opened recently. On 11th between Ella and Seamist. Craft beers and full bar, but they need to have more than just one white and red wine.  New American bar food.  A good addition to the hood'.

[SilverJK]

I went to Boil House over the weekend.  Pretty solid crawfish, they were really nice/friendly and even gave us a piece of King Cake to try while we were eating our crawfish.  Will definitely be going again.

 

I also went to Mighty Mini Pies on Main Street Friday (I think that is the name) and got two mini pies.  They were tasty (kinda sad I didnt' go before now)

[mkultra25]

^^ Mighty Sweet Mini Pies. Great place, been going there almost since they opened. 

 

http://mightysweetminipies.com/

[s3mh]

Gelazzi is open on White Oak and Harvard.  I have not been yet, but saw that they did a nice job fixing up the space behind the building.  There are lots of tables with umbrellas in the space behind the building.  A nice spot to enjoy some gelato.  They should be able to print money being just a block from Donovan park. 

[s3mh]

So, Maryam's Café is supposed to open in the old Cricket's Creamery space on July 1, 2014.  www.maryamscafe.com

 

The space looks to have been gutted, but I have not seen any signs of a build out yet.  July 1 is a bit ambitious, but I hope it is good. 

[mkultra25]

So, Maryam's Café is supposed to open in the old Cricket's Creamery space on July 1, 2014.  www.maryamscafe.com

 

The space looks to have been gutted, but I have not seen any signs of a build out yet.  July 1 is a bit ambitious, but I hope it is good. 

 

Judging from the website, it doesn't appear that Scott Tycer's involved with this place anymore. I'm still curious as to why Cricket's shut down rather abruptly not too long after he acquired it. 

[s3mh]

My understanding is that Tycer/Kraftsmen had some sort of partnership interest with the person who bought Crickets from John, but did not own it outright and was not running it.  I do not know why they closed up so soon after taking over, but the transition from the funky old Cricket's with John's vegetarian dishes and fun soda fountain concoctions to the new neutered version of Cricket's seemed to just alienate the former clientele and do little to attract new customers.  The interior had bare walls with no art or pictures.  It was like eating in the back of a warehouse.  The food wasn't bad.  But you could get a better meal at just about any other place in the Heights. 

[kylejack]

I wish Tycer would just go away.

[JCR]

Mozelle's on Heights Blvd. is done.

[BullMan008]

Mozelle's on Heights Blvd. is done.

Parking? Their food was pretty good.

[Angostura]

Parking? Their food was pretty good.

 

Location and signage. That's a very heavily traffic piece of road, but most people had no idea there was a restaurant there. 

[s3mh]

The food at Mozelle's was really good.  But the seafood market concept was probably the downfall.  Houstonians are generally not big consumers of seafood at home and tend to eat out for seafood or look to the big grocery chains to buy seafood.   I know a lot of people who ate there and were big fans of the food, but not a single person I knew bought seafood there to bring home to prepare. 

The location was also probably an issue.  They were too close to too many chains and other restaurants.  It is tough to be the new kid on the block and build a customer base when you are surrounded by so many other options.  I think they would have done better if they had opened up in an area that was underserved, like GOOF, Lazybrook/Timbgrove or along N. Main.  People are really ready to embrace new restaurants out there.  Hughie's is packed even though it is very hit/miss in terms of food and service (but the beer list has a way of making everything ok as long as the waiter keeps the suds coming). 

I hope they are not gone for good and try again with a better location and more of a restaurant concept.

Edited June 12, 2014 by s3mh

[Andy_S]

I've purchased fish from Mozelle's, and I really liked the idea of a neighborhood seafood market.  In general, though, I find it surprising that the residents of a city so close to the ocean don't buy/prepare more fish.

[s3mh]

Table 19 closed.  Building sold. 

[BullMan008]

I saw that they are opening a Skinny Ritas on N.Main street. It is across the street from Shipleys at the old Ricos Triangle building. Was told it will be an early July opening. Going to give them a try. 

[SilverJK]

Isn't Skinny Ritas the same people as Ruggles Green?

[s3mh]

Isn't Skinny Ritas the same people as Ruggles Green?

 

That is what I have heard.

 

Red Desert Dive on Studewood is open a few hours a day for their soft opening.

[BullMan008]

Isn't Skinny Ritas the same people as Ruggles Green?

 

I was told this also.

[s3mh]

Boil House is closed until next crawfish season.  Boo.  I thought they had pretty great non-crawfish options that could have kept people coming in until next season.

[SilverJK]

Not sure if it is true or not, but I heard they got shut down by the city... anyone know anything about that?

[tomv]

Is it possible (or advisable) to change the name of a topic? It seems to me that this one, "Lack Of Restaurant Diversity In The Heights," (now over 8 years old), is a bit out of date. Surely there is some diversity by now! Just a thought.

[SilverJK]

I would argue that there is still a lack of diversity... but a fair amount of choices for similar genres.  We still have no Indian or Sushi places... it was be really nice to see something like an Ethiopian restaurant.

 

I also like this thread as a reminder as to how far the restaurant scene has come for the 'hood.

[Angostura]

Not sure if it is true or not, but I heard they got shut down by the city... anyone know anything about that?

 

 

Heard something about being non-compliant with parking minimums. Can't confirm.

[s3mh]

Heard something about being non-compliant with parking minimums. Can't confirm.

 

There has been a lot of fuss in the neighborhood about that issue recently.  Gelazzi got grandfathered on parking.  Neighbors got upset about that and about the TABC application.  Gelazzi just wants to serve gelato made with booze, but someone claimed that they were opening a bar.  Ruckus with the city ensued.  I think Boil House claimed to be take out, but set up a bunch of picnic tables. 

 

The real parking problem is mostly the streets and partly the patrons.  There are boneheads out there who will actually park right in front of someone's driveway or so close to the driveway that it is impossible to get out.  With minimal parking enforcement, this happens all the time.  But the real issue is that the streets are only 18' with open drainage ditches.  And the streets that are curbed and guttered are not wide enough for parking on both sides.  But the City sits on their hands when people ask for parking to be limited to one side and won't be improving any streets until the year 2047 when a few pennies left from the drainage fee trickle down to our neighborhood streets (pun intended).

 

If the streets feeding into the commercial corridors were curbed and guttered for a few blocks on each side and had parking limited to only one side of the street, there would be plenty of room for parking for restaurant patrons. 

 

Of course, I have no sympathy for people living near Coltivare, etc. who are just upset that people park on their street.  But, I have seen these streets get so clogged up that emergency vehicles could not get through and residents cannot get out of their driveways. 

 

[Ross]

Is it possible (or advisable) to change the name of a topic? It seems to me that this one, "Lack Of Restaurant Diversity In The Heights," (now over 8 years old), is a bit out of date. Surely there is some diversity by now! Just a thought.

 

Not until there's a place to get decent bagels North of I-10.

[Angostura]

There has been a lot of fuss in the neighborhood about that issue recently.  Gelazzi got grandfathered on parking.  Neighbors got upset about that and about the TABC application.  Gelazzi just wants to serve gelato made with booze, but someone claimed that they were opening a bar.  Ruckus with the city ensued.  I think Boil House claimed to be take out, but set up a bunch of picnic tables. 

 

The real parking problem is mostly the streets and partly the patrons.  There are boneheads out there who will actually park right in front of someone's driveway or so close to the driveway that it is impossible to get out.  With minimal parking enforcement, this happens all the time.  But the real issue is that the streets are only 18' with open drainage ditches.  And the streets that are curbed and guttered are not wide enough for parking on both sides.  But the City sits on their hands when people ask for parking to be limited to one side and won't be improving any streets until the year 2047 when a few pennies left from the drainage fee trickle down to our neighborhood streets (pun intended).

 

If the streets feeding into the commercial corridors were curbed and guttered for a few blocks on each side and had parking limited to only one side of the street, there would be plenty of room for parking for restaurant patrons. 

 

Of course, I have no sympathy for people living near Coltivare, etc. who are just upset that people park on their street.  But, I have seen these streets get so clogged up that emergency vehicles could not get through and residents cannot get out of their driveways. 

 

 

 

I have a passionate hatred for blanket parking minimums. They are a pox on our city, and, together with our minimum setback requirements (albeit now relaxed somewhat), have contributed to making most of the inner loop look like low-density suburbs. We can't have walkable urban neighborhoods if we also require huge parking lots and 25-ft setbacks. Those regulations incentivize unattractive strip-mall and big-box development.

 

There is no earthly reason to require, say, Whole Foods and Home Depot to have the same number of parking spaces per 1000 s.f. And requiring bars to have 14 spaces per 1000 s.f. is basically subsidizing drunk driving. 

 

I also have very little patience for people who complain against the Yale St. Walmart as being too suburban, but at the same time place those mini-boulders in the right-of-way in front of their house to keep strangers from parking there. 

 

 

Here's my modest proposal. All blocks are by default free parking, but if 50% or more of the homeowners on a block agree, allow residents to opt for one of the following options, on a shall-issue basis (i.e. unlike current ordinance, no requirement that x% of cars during y% of the day be non-residents):

 

1 - Resident-only parking. Residents must pay for the signage.

 

2 - Metered parking. Residents pay for the meter station, but keep, say, 70% of the revenue, distributed pro-rata based on frontage. 

 

 

I live pretty close to 19th St. There are a couple of times a year when my street fills up with parked cars, but most of the time, I'm happy to have free parking on my block for myself and my guests.  If I lived near White Oak, and it was a daily occurrence, I might think differently.

[SilverJK]

why should residents get free use of the public street, or be paid for others use of it? 

 

If someone is blocking your driveway... call a tow truck.  (they will be more than happy to tow the person).  I think a lot of this is people whining because they don't know how to drive/backout of their driveways.  (which to be fair can be difficult with as narrow our entrances can be).  This happens to me all the time, and sometimes because of traffic I have to wait upwards of 30-45 seconds (traffic nightmare!!!!!!) before I can safely back out of my driveway.  Inner Loop Problems.

Edited June 26, 2014 by SilverJK

[s3mh]

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/06-27-14-steakhouse-from-houston-meat-masters-fizzles-chef-plans-new-orleans-style-cafe-instead/

 

The Killen/Craig steakhouse in Shady Acres is not going to happen.  Craig is going to move forward on his own project at the same site next to Hubcap.

 

Meanwhile, the old Stella Sola site which was first eyed by Ronnie Killen for a high end steak house is still empty.  It was announced a year ago that Yucatan Taco Stand was going to replace the Killen venture as a tenant.  The interior has been taken down to the studs.  But no sign of any build out.  That prime restaurant location has now been vacant for over two years.  

[Angostura]

 That prime restaurant location has now been vacant for over two years.  

 

 

Yeah, this makes no sense. One has to assume that the property owner has some unrealistic price expectations.

[JCR]

Yeah, this makes no sense. One has to assume that the property owner has some unrealistic price expectations.

 

That.  And that the layout of the place it terrible and is too large overall.  I know restaurateurs that know the building well and they won't touch it.  Vacancy for that long in the Heights tells you something. 

 

[s3mh]

That.  And that the layout of the place it terrible and is too large overall.  I know restaurateurs that know the building well and they won't touch it.  Vacancy for that long in the Heights tells you something. 

 

 

Killen was quite vocal about being driven off by terms from the landlord.  No idea what is happening with Yucatan.  Stella Sola's lease was up for renewal when they quit.  They were in the middle of a change in their executive chef and probably seeing a peak in popularity when they decided to throw in the towel instead of trying to move forward with a steep new rent bill. 

 

The layout is odd, but I liked it whenever I went to Stella Sola.  It was a big place, but felt like a couple of small private rooms.  But I can see how it would be a difficult fit for most restaurant concepts that needs faster table turnover than a high end place.