102IAHexpress

For the record the AMC Dine In in Downtown is not a full amenity AMC Dine In. It may get there one day, and i hope it does, but it's currently not at that level. What it has instead, is prepackaged boxed meals (probably not made on site) which you can order from the concession stand. After your "meal" is heated up it's ready for pick up. People who have actually been to a full AMC Dine In will notice the lack of a made from scratch menu prepared fresh from a chef, which you can order from your seat. But I'm sure people who have actually experienced both already knew that. However people just doing Google searches may not be in aware.

Sundance was a solid cafe in its own right. You could (I don't know anyone who did) eat at the cafe by itself and skip the movie experience entirely. The new AMC is just another AMC. It's pre-boxed movie theater food. Not a restaurant.

Great American Cookie Co (tunnels?) AMC Dine-In Houston 8 (haha, movie theater food!) So much for Houston19514's "fact finding" of 151 "restaurants" that serve food on Saturdays. Fake facts. Sad.

Awesome list! Thank you. I wonder if Houston19514 can post his list too? Seems like his data doesn't match up?

Yeah, that's called taking a walk down the street. Tourists do it all the time. I guess you've never walked down 5th Ave in New York or the Champs-Élysées in Paris or pretty much any street. Anyways, if a tourist can walk for more than a 1/4 mile in a straight line in Houston's heat and not find a restaurant in certain parts of Downtown then that actually refutes UU's point, obviously. Very lame, is this the best y'all have? Y'alls new restaurant thread that doesn't even mention any new restaurants but only mentions wishes of future downtown restaurants yet does include not so vague insults towards me gets practically deleted by the mods, and for what? This? Instead of trying to defend the indefensible (just stop already, it just looks bad when you try to argue that it's impossible to miss restaurants on the weekend in downtown) why not put together a list of street level restaurants open on the weekends in downtown. (However, if we will exclude subterranean tunnel restaurants that are not easily accessible to the public then we should also exclude restaurants hidden inside hotels which are also not easily accessible to those not on the hotel property).

Smith street was just an example I chose to use to refute UU argument. He could have simply conceded that yes, there are no street level restaurants on that stretch of Smith Street on Sundays and move on to his next points. But instead we saw what happened. However, I do concede your point that if one travels from that starting point in a easterly direction instead of a northerly one then yes, even on a Sunday you will more easily come across a street level restaurant open for business like Burger Theory. I don't have an issue conceding facts I cannot refute. A few posts back @rechlin corrected me regarding Samurai Noodle not technically closing but instead just being swapped out. I conceded the point and moved on. For some reason others others on this forum, not saying you, have an issue conceding basic facts when they are presented in front of them and instead resort to name calling.

Wow. I didn't know there were so many snowflakes on HAIF. There used to be a lot of great posters back in the day. I now see why they don't post anymore. You make a ridiculous statement that I counter with facts, and instead of presenting a reasoned defense or conceding the point you instead respond by making demagoguery remarks.

Sorry, you're wrong. Neither Benihana nor Shula's are on Smith street. And I only remember accessing Shula's from inside the hotel, does it even have a pedestrian street entrance?

You, not me, said... Based on your bold statement, I simply presented a fact that countered your claim that it was "near impossible to miss". In fact, someone staying at the Whitehall on a Sunday would have a very very hard time finding a street level restaurant open if they traveled north on Smith for 3/4 of a mile (I specifically chose a northerly track because one block south and you exit Downtown). You may not like that fact, but it is a fact. And to your point yes your hypothetical visitor could travel south to Midtown and not be constrained by Downtown, but at that point that's just more of an an indictment of the street level restaurant scene in downtown failing your hypothetical visitor.

Actually no, that patio (Part and Parcel) is closed on Sundays.

If someone was standing at the bottom of Smith Street behind the Leland Federal Building and walked for literally 3/4 of a mile north on Smith street up to Rusk Street behind the Bank of America building on a Sunday, does that person come across even one open street level restaurant on Smith street for that stretch? It would be near impossible for that person to find a restaurant on that stretch of Smith open on a Sunday.

Understood. Yeah, I know food halls are all the craze now but I was never sure how Samurai Noodle fit into Houston's first food hall. They are not a local Houston restaurant and operate as a national franchise. But yeah it looks like they were just a regular vendor rotating out.

Interesting. Why would some want to ignore facts? Did I post anything that was not true? Are any of the restaurants on my list indeed open on the weekends? This forum is turning into the UC Berkeley Student Union; free speech is welcome, but only if it conforms to your own beliefs. And if they disagree with you, they want you dead!

For the sake of anyone who may be under the impression that many downtown restaurants are open on the weekends, let me post a list of all the restaurants, cafe etc. that are closed on Saturday and Sunday. 1. AddicTea Café 1001 Fannin 2. Alonti Market Café 1001 Fannin 3. Alonti Market Café 1111 Louisiana 4. Alonti Market Café 777 Walker 5. Alonti Market Café 1221 McKinney 6. Alonti Market Café 600 Travis 7. Amille’s 1301 McKinney 8. Amille’s 1001 Louisiana 9. Amille’s 1001 Fannin 10. Amille’s 600 Jefferson 11. Amille’s 500 Dallas 12. Amille’s 333 Clay 13. Baoz Dumplings 1001 Fannin 14. Beck’s Prime 910 Travis 15. Bourays 609 Clay 16. Brooklyn Meatball Company 930 Main 17. Brooklyn Meatball Company 1200 McKinney 18. Brown Bag Deli 702 Main 19. Bullritos 910 Travis 20. Buzz Barista 811 Main 21. Café Express 650 Main 22. Café Basil 500 Dallas 23. Chick-Fil-A 1200 McKinney (All locations closed on Sunday, however this one is closed on Saturdays too) 24. Chick-Fil-A 500 Dallas (All locations closed on Sunday, however this one is closed on Saturdays too) 25. Chicken Etc. 777 Walker 26. China Ocean & Hibachi Grill 815 Walker 27. Chipotle 909 Texas 28. Corner Bakery Café 1000 Main 29. Dimassi’s Mediterranean Kitchen 919 Milam 30. Doozo Dumplings & Noodles 1200 McKinney 31. Droubi Brothers Mediterranean Grill 507 Dallas 32. Dunkin’ Donuts 1000 Main 33. Eats Mesquite Grill 804 Milam 34. Einstein Bros Bagels 1200 Louisiana 35. Freshii 1200 McKinney 36. Fuddruckers 1100 Louisiana 37. Gigi’s Cupcakes 600 Travis 38. Great American Cookie 1200 McKinney 39. J&M Café 500 Jefferson 40. Jason’s Deli 901 McKinney 41. Jason’s Deli 1200 Smith 42. Jimmy John’s 820 Main 43. Jimmy John’s 500 Dallas 44. Jin Bento 914 Main 45. Kolache Factory 811 Louisiana 46. La Dolce Vita Café 1000 Louisiana 47. La Dolce Vita Café 1201 Louisiana 48. La Palapa 1110 Preston 49. Leaf and Grain 1200 McKinney 50. Lenny’s Sub Shop 1001 Fannin 51. Luby’s 1301 Fannin 52. Luisa’s Pasta 1200 McKinney 53. M R Mexican Grill 1001 Fannin 54. Maggie Rita’s Mexican 600 Travis 55. Mango Tree Thai Bistro 914 Main 56. Mayuri Express 930 Main 57. McDonalds 777 Walker 58. Mediterranean Grill 1200 McKinney 59. Mediterranean Grill House 808 Travis 60. Michael’s Cookie Jar 711 Louisiana 61. Miller’s Café 1001 McKinney 62. Morningside Thai Café 917 Franklin 63. Murphy’s Deli 601 Jefferson 64. Murphy’s Deli 1021 Main 65. Murphy’s Deli 500 Dallas 66. Murphy’s Deli 910 Louisiana 67. Murphy’s Deli 1200 McKinney 68. Murphy’s Deli 440 Louisiana 69. Muscle Maker Grill 914 Main 70. Ninfa’s Express 1111 Louisiana 71. Nosh 919 Milam 72. Otto’s BBQ 500 Dallas 73. Otto’s BBQ 600 Travis 74. Otto’s BBQ 1200 McKinney 75. Panini 711 Louisiana 76. Pappas BBQ 1100 Smith 77. Pastabilities 815 Walker 78. Peli Deli 808 Travis 79. Poblanos Mexican Grill 1000 Main 80. Post Oak Grill 1111 Louisiana 81. Potbelly Sandwich 1000 Main 82. Potbelly Sandwich 1200 McKinney 83. Quizno’s 1200 McKinney 84. Rachel’s Café 421 San Jacinto 85. Rustika Café and Bar 801 Louisiana 86. S&T Restaurant 1001 Louisiana 87. Salata 711 Louisiana 88. Salata 1201 Fannin 89. Salata 500 Dallas 90. Salata 1200 McKinney 91. Salata 919 Milam 92. Schlotsky’s Deli 1200 McKinney 93. Schlotsky’s Deli 815 Walker 94. Shipley Do-Nuts 1001 McKinney 95. Simon’s Homestyle Kitchen 1200 McKinney 96. Skyline Deli 1111 Bagby 97. Skyline Deli 1301 Main 98. Skyline Deli 717 Texas 99. Smothie King 815 Walker 100. Smoothie King 1001 Fannin 101. Snap Kitchen 500 Dallas 102. Snap Kitchen 1200 McKinney 103. Sol Café Mejicano 1205 Travis 104. Sonic 711 Louisiana 105. Star Chef Dumpling House 930 Main 106. Starbucks 1100 Louisiana 107. Starbucks 1600 Lamar 108. Starbucks 1200 McKinney 109. Starbucks 600 Travis 110. Starbucks 711 Louisiana 111. Starbucks 910 Louisiana 112. Starbucks 914 Dallas 113. Stephanie Leighs 700 Louisiana 114. Stephanie Leighs 1100 Louisiana 115. Subroc 1021 Main 116. Subway 919 Milam 117. Subway 1201 Louisiana 118. Subway 1100 Louisiana 119. Subway 1200 McKinney 120. Top Taste Asian Subs & Grill 930 Main 121. Treebeards 315 Travis 122. Treebeards 1117 Texas 123. Treebeards 1100 Louisiana 124. Treebeards 1200 McKinney 125. Treebeards 711 Louisiana 126. Uptown Express Deli 1000 Louisiana 127. Wendy’s 1111 Louisiana 128. Whataburger 1000 Main 129. Which Wich 1001 Louisiana 130. Which Wich 711 Louisiana 131. Wok & Roll 1200 McKinney 132. Wok & Roll 1000 Main 133. Zero’s Sandwich Shop 507 Dallas 134. DGN Factory 1001 Fannin If I missed any please feel free to add.

Samurai Noodle Closed Ragin' Cajun Closed Oxheart Closed Am I missing any other restaurants that have closed in downtown this year? How is Roma Pizza doing on the light rail line? Still closed on Sundays? Odd, I guess people don't eat pizza on Sundays.

No. Not even close. It will be a solid hotel but it will not become the new top luxury hotel for Houston. I like most people, am also not a regular connoisseur of luxury hotels, however a lot of people still will be in the market for luxury hotels during certain life events; like their wedding day. On their wedding day most brides lose all rationality when it comes to budgets and they pretty much demand the best location, best services, best everything, and if they are looking for that in this hotel they will be disappointed. Again, it's a solid hotel, just not a game changing luxury hotel for Houston. Is there any plans (apologies if it was already mentioned but the design kept changing) for a spa and salon? For a full service luxury wedding now a days you need a spa on location.

Thank you. That is exactly my point. In general i call them fabrics in more specific terms you call them markets, we both agree there are essentially two restaurant markets in downtown. The market that caters to the entertainment venues and the market that caters to downtown neighborhood locals. Accordingly, restaurants in downtown have to choose which market or fabric they want to do business with. Chipolte, perhaps because of their lack of alcohol can't successfully do businesses with the entertainment market, and perhaps because of lack of local customers can't do business on the weekends. Same is true with Cafe Express, Jason's Deli, Lone Star Taco, La Palapa, etc.. All I'm saying is that there are not that many restaurants for downtown locals in the evenings and weekends. And like an airline that operates a route only 3x a week or 5x a week instead of daily, yes It can operate a profit on just a few flights a week, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, although locals may not need to fly into market everyday, they do need to eat everyday. Again, I'm not saying there arn't any restaurants open for locals in the evening and weekend because there are some, but not as many as everyone thinks. So lets just taper down the talk that the neighborhood restaurant scene is growing in downtown.

Not at all. I was being sarcastic in response to Kinkaid's silly post. In all sincerity you are correct, the tunnels are dead/closed on the weekends and the afternoons. However in the mornings and lunch time they are very popular. During those hours it's one of the few things that has mass appeal in downtown, and the only downtown corridor without the need of government help. If the city is going to get involved at all in a retail district ( i don't think it should in downtown) perhaps it should expand on what currently works. The tunnels. Perhaps build a public tunnel where one is not developed yet. Create an access point from the street and operate it for longer hours and give tax breaks to retail shops that wish operate there.

This from the guy who has over 5K posts on an internet forum! Come back to the forum when you have something useful, like evidence and logic.

Actually downtown is alive. All the restaurants in the tunnels are really open in the evenings and weekends and they are making a ton of money after hours, it's just nobody knows about it. The light rail is also bringing in tons of passengers to Cafe Express and Chipolte on the weekends but we can't actually see them that's why they appear closed. And the city didn't have to offer tax breaks to developers to build new construction in downtown. Based on all this lets go ahead and fund a tax subsidized retail district in downtown as well, the reports of traditional retail dying because of online shopping is clearly fake news.

ROFL. Typical fall back position, it's the fault of the business. Do you really want to pursue that failed argument? What is your argument for Cafe Express?, Jason's Deli? Lone Star Taco? Why do they not open on the weekends? According to you they must also be on the brink of failure. The point is that many on this forum attribute without evidence the success of one thing to something totally unrelated especially when it comes to downtown. New office tower in downtown; Great it's because of the light rail. huh? New bar across from the GRB and Minute Maid; Great it's because downtown is growing like wildfire with new residents! Huh? what about all the restaurants that are literally closed more than they are open in downtown?

You clearly have not noticed that Chipolte can't even sustain itself on a Saturday or Sunday. Get back to me when that's changed. It has everything you would need according to HAIF, ground level retail below a huge apartment building, on the light rail line, in the center of downtown Houston. Yet there are just not enough people to be profitable on the weekends.

Obviously they are not. You remove those entertainment venues and you also lose those visitors. Or better put, when those entertainment venues are not operating (game nights, performance nights) the immediate area is no longer filled with visitors. You may not like to hear that, but that's just a reality. Don't like it? Then change it. Convince your fellow citizens to patronize Irma's year round. Should be easy right? And It makes sense because to some citizens, downtown is an actual neighborhood where they live and/or work, pay taxes, etc. Thus, If you want to have a serious discussion as to how make the downtown neighborhood better then perhaps you should actually speak to people who have a stake in the neighborhood, and not just people drinking tequila shots and beer, throwing up then going home to Sugar Land. If however the goal is to make downtown like a Times Square entertainment venue and to push out the local residents that live there then by all means lets add more bars for Astros games.

They are part of a fabric, just not the downtown fabric. They are really part of the entertainment fabric that just happens to intersect parts of downtown. Accordingly, those restaurants cater to patrons of their respective entertainment venues first, and then to local downtowners second, if at all. For example's Irma's restaurant hours based on Astros home games. Artista hours based on performance nights, etc. I lived in downtown and there were very few street level restaurants that i could count on to be open most evenings and weekends. The rest i had to look at my Astros calendar, Hobby Center calendar, etc. Not saying there weren't any open, because there were/are some, but just not as many as you would like to believe.

The issue is the people who work downtown and who utilize the tunnels are part of the downtown neighborhood fabric (which is why it is relevant to this subforum). Although they do not live in downtown (most of them anyways) they do however rent office space, pay property taxes, have employees, etc. They have a stake in the downtown neighborhood. They and their workers also, mostly interact with downtown eateries via the tunnels. Tourists on the other hand have no stake in downtown other than to visit the venue they are patronizing that night. They are drinking near Minute Maid, drinking near bowling at Lucky Strike, catching a bite before a theatre district performance. To them downtown is not really their neighborhood, instead it is just a means to go drink or entertain themselves at night and then exit back to their respective neighborhoods. I could see how you think those street level restaurants that cater to the entertainment/tourist crowd add to the downtown neighborhood, but they really don't. What we need more of, and what downtown lacks is restaurants that cater to the locals of downtown. But as I mentioned earlier, food eating trends will make more of those type of eateries less economically feasible.