Sharon

Someone said Velvet Turtle?  I worked there in 81. I don't think I've ever seen a place quite like it to this day. The chilled bowls in ice for gazpacho and cucumber soup, the presentation of chilled salad forks at the tables, and tableside tossed salad in green goddess dressing, and I have never had anyone remove the shell from a lobster tail like we did there. But let me tell you, the managers were a unique kind of crazy!  I remember an older lady, head waitress named BJ with the old fashioned hair "do" sitting on the end barstool drinking till she slurred her words. And Gordon was the very flamboyant bartender/manager he was hilarious and fun, but pretty strict.  And Marvin Ziegler saw a mouse in the kitchen but didn't even care because he enjoyed dinner so much. Wait.... I may have mentioned that before. If so, sorry. Fun times there!

On 5/17/2018 at 10:40 AM, uncsig said:

Cortes Deli--Started out on Alabama in a strip center off of Revere. Opened a second location in the "jinxed" location further east on Alabama across from the Menil parking lot (Jenny's Hideaway, Michaeline's, etc.). Then moved to corner of Feagan and Shepherd closing about a dozen years ago. I would kill to be able to eat their migas again.

Shakey's--I've seen a lot of references to pizza places, but don't think I've seen this one mentioned.

The Anchorage--best seafood restaurant in town in the 1970s. Located adjacent to what was the Hilton on 610 at TC Jester. Simply spectacular fried shrimp and fresh seafood flown in from all over the country.

Rainbo Bakery at Astroworld--Mini loaves. Enough said.

Western Kitchen--BBQ at the corner of Greenbriar and Richmond 

Burgerville#2--Times and Kelvin. Had totally forgotten about that one until I was almost through with this list.

And would second the mentions of the Green Parrot, Hebert's Ritz, Kaphan's and Sonny Look's.

We never left Astroworld without one of those mini-loaves of bread!!!

On 8/5/2009 at 12:34 PM, crunchtastic said:

I see your Confetti and Power Tools and raise you a Cardi's and Island!

Ah, someone else with fond memorires of the Caribana. I remember 3 for 1 drinks there, and

'New Wave' nights on Tues or Wed--can't remember which.

Add to the list:

Phi Slama Jama

The Old Kemah drawbridge

Ale House

shows at Rockefeller's

I think Cardi's has its own thread. It was past cool-it was legendary!!!

On 10/12/2005 at 7:15 AM, EastEnd Susan said:

Oh man! Roast Beef Dip sandwiches at Fat Ernies. The 

Yes. It was still a family run business back then, and they were from LA.  You probably did not get good service because they were short staffed, due to firing servers for stupid reasons. Lol. They never had enough servers on the floor, front of the house was very poorly managed. The kitchen, however, was run like a well oiled machine. Only the the finest equipment and ingredients-the food was excellent, and a bit pricey. Then it's hurriedly dropped off at your table by a stressed out, sweaty waiter in green polyester. 

Let's take a moment to comment on Don's Seafood, one of the first Landry joints. Great food. Between Hillcroft and Post Oak, or thereabouts. In the early 80s, I was running late to work my dinner shift- couldn't get to work from the Gessner area, where l lived- Intersections were all flooded, cars just kind-of floated thru till tires got traction again. Of course no one had brakes going thru that much water. The underpasses were 4-5 feet deep. I didn't realize that till l looked at the stop the sign, and it was only about a foot above the water level. I gunned my little Firebird in reverse, (no brakes) and luckily didn't wind up underwater, or stalling out. They fired me for not covering my shift. 

Yall stay safe, Houston. 

Was it off Gessner near the Woodlake apartments? And, if your in that area now, is it flooding?  

On 8/5/2009 at 0:34 PM, crunchtastic said:

I see your Confetti and Power Tools and raise you a Cardi's and Island!

Ah, someone else with fond memorires of the Caribana. I remember 3 for 1 drinks there, and

'New Wave' nights on Tues or Wed--can't remember which.

Add to the list:

Phi Slama Jama

The Old Kemah drawbridge

Ale House

shows at Rockefeller's

Ah yes, Cardis, met my first love there......And The OP(Old Plantation)...on West Alabama, I think? 

On 10/5/2005 at 1:41 PM, gto250us said:

There was an All You Can Eat steak place near Sharpstown Mall. I can't remember the name. I was great for pigging out on some cow.

Texas Cattle Company?  Near Hillcroft?

Sharpstown mall was THE BEST. I do remember Princes and Hamburgers by Gourmet. 

Spoons, on Westheimer made good burgers. I worked there. We actually thought we could compete with Chili's. HA.  You see whose still on business and who isnt....

I have vague recollections of Dirtys. BEST burgers, real casual. No one else seems to remember it, though

I think so.  But Chi-Chi's was the best. 3 for 1 drinks with free food. I rarely cooked dinner during the week, when l lived in Houston in the 80s

On 6/20/2015 at 8:17 AM, Ann Cain said:

On 9/13/2004 at 2:46 PM, ssullivan said:

Several from long ago in my childhood when we used to come to Houston to see my grandparents:

-Kapan's on South Main at Kirby (where the Eckerd's is now), our usual Sunday after church lunch place - good steaks and seafood, and those excellent crab ball appetizers that the guy in the white suit used to bring around to all the tables

-Angelo's, another long gone seafood restuarant

-The Strawberry Patch on Westheimer, the Pappas family's country/home cooking concept (Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is there now)

-Tokyo Gardens, the first place I ever had Japanese ssullivan, I know you penned this 11 years ago but my heart skipped a beat when I saw you not only loved the BEST& classiest seafood restaurant in Houston, Kaphans, but you also appreciated the magnificent dining experience my sister & I loved at Tokyo Gardens!  So long ago, but my palette learned to appreciate the best and it's literally gone from Houston!   No lumb crab meat au gratin, oysters with sherry sauce, which Peter also took to tables as toothpick appetizers, and then there was the traditional and almost sacred ritual of dining at Tokyo Gardens with our shoes off, seated on the floor and a regal & graceful Japanese lady in Kumono serving us 4 course meals with the delicacy of a butterfly!   Thank you.  I just moved back home after living out of state for 30 years.  I miss the Appalachian foothills of Cincinnati, my horse and my home.....I sure wish these 2 stellar restaurants were around to soothe my soul.  

Oooooooohhhhh  Tokyo Gardens, sat on the floor.....so good. Such awesome decor. 

  Will check them out on my next visit to my old hood. I'm ALWAYS ready to find the next great enchilada. 

On 9/22/2014 at 1:37 PM, FilioScotia said:

Iron Tiger:  MOST of Houston's Tex-Mex restaurants are unremarkable. They're adequate for a meal out, and you probably won't come home with food poisoning, but they're nothing to write home about. There are some that are better than adequate, and a small few that are simply great, even "remarkable, but I'm keeping their names to myself.

 

Nothing ruins a great restaurant quicker than spreading the word about how great they are. As Yogi Berra once said about a certain New York City restaurant he once frequented: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too popular."

 

Just kidding. I will share the name of the single finest Mexican Restaurant I ever went to when we lived in Houston. Notice I said "Mexican." It isn't strictly Tex-Mex. It serves real Mexican food found in the southern region of Mexico's interior. On any given evening you will find most of the people eating there are Latinos.

 

The name is Romero's Las Brazas Mexican Kitchen. It's at Hwy 6 and Longenbaugh in Copperfield, about 2 miles south of 290.

 

http://romeroslasbrazas.com/

 

Check it out. It's worth the drive to Copperfield. I promise you won't be disappointed. When our son got married in 2006 we held the rehearsal dinner there. It was fantastic.

My favorite is LA Hacienda on Memorial, near Dairy Ashford. The cheese enchiladas have not changed in 35 years. And in my opinion, are second to none!

Oh...Tokyo Gradens?

On 6/17/2016 at 10:03 PM, Gurgis said:

Ha ha!  I remember Texas Tumbleweed on Fondren at S. Braeswood because I worked there. In fact, it was my first job. I helped it get prepped to open, then stayed another month or two. That must have been about Summer 1979. 

 

The restaurant wasn't quite at the southern end though. I was fairly centered in the middle of the side facing Fondren.

Is that the place that used to have free margaritas and nachos at happy hour?

Dirtys

Spoons

Velvet Turtle?

Old San Francisco Steakhouse (really Target?) 

Great Mine Company 

Taco Bueno