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Look’s Sir-Loin Inn At 9810 South Main St.


WillowBend56

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Is there still a Spaghetti Warehouse (or Inn) in business in downtown Houston? What old building does (did) it occupy?

Not too far away there was a steak place that had as its centerpiece a stainless steel Santa Fe lounge or dining car. I think it was called Sonny Look's. Anyone else recall that place?

Timeframe: 1975-1978

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yep 901 commerce. it was the desel boettcher warehouse

I just had lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse last Wednesday.

There are tales of the building being haunted, or ghosts being seen, etc. From what I remember is was a pharmacy supply warehouse and a guy was carrying boxes and walked into an open elevator shaft. The ghost is said to be that of his wife, who is still looking for him.

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I don't really recall Sonny Looks as having a train car, but maybe they did.

Sonny Looks was on S.Main near the dome. Not really in the downtown area.

It's been so long I've forgot, but I seem to remember Sonny Looks having

kind of an Old English motif. I seem to recall a shield, and for some reason

I keep thinking of a suit of armor out front.. Time has made it fuzzy in my brain..

:/

Edit.. I was surfing trying to find a pix of Sonny Looks when I ran across this

article from Leon Hale..

"And on Washington Avenue, across the street from the present main Houston Post Office,

there was a cafe in a railroad dining car. Remember that place?

What I ate there was scrambled eggs with chili poured on top."

I bet that is the train car place you are thinking of.. I never did find a pix

of Sonny Looks, although I know I have seen some.. Probably here.. :/

Edited by nm5k
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I think that dining car restaurant was The Depot. He had several restaurants over the years. My favorite was the Sir-Loin Inn on South Main. Only went there for really special occasions, but we could go eat anywhere near there and I'd behave like an angel to be rewarded with my dad driving by the parking lot so I could see the knight on the white horse riding around - Sonny's weekend evening promotional gimmick during cool weather. :D

YIKES!! Look what I just found! Wonder if he knew Hulda? :lol:

Rare and Well Done

Edited by Native Montrosian
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Is there still a Spaghetti Warehouse (or Inn) in business in downtown Houston? What old building does (did) it occupy?

Not too far away there was a steak place that had as its centerpiece a stainless steel Santa Fe lounge or dining car. I think it was called Sonny Look's. Anyone else recall that place?

Timeframe: 1975-1978

Railhead was on Richmond Avenue. There was also a Victoria's Station (not sure where). BOth of those had train cars. Didn't Sonny Look's have a knight on horseback out front? Was there also a Look's Depot? I seem to remember that.

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Looks like Sonny Look opened all the following:

Quitman Coffee Shop

Sonny Look's restaurant - 715 Quitman

Look's Sir-Loin House (1959-1977) - 6100 Westheimer (now the Palm)

Look's Sir-Loin Inn (1967-1991) - 9810 South Main

The Depot (1971-1978) - 212 Milam (on Old Market Square) - A 1974 article says it took Look a year to convert the (then) 72-year-old furniture warehouse into a restaurant. It notes that "the Caboose" is decorated like a wine cellar, and there is an all-you-can-eat lunch in the "Train Car."

Don Quixote

The Oaks

Several (five?) Bar-B-Q Barns

3672639845_e02af5c9ec_o.jpg

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there was also a rail car place on south main and n. braeswood. can't recall the name of it but i do remember it being there in the early 80's.

the sonny look's i remember was the one across from the astrodome. that is where we would go on special occasions. and yes they had a knight on a horse.

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Is there still a Spaghetti Warehouse (or Inn) in business in downtown Houston? What old building does (did) it occupy?

Not too far away there was a steak place that had as its centerpiece a stainless steel Santa Fe lounge or dining car. I think it was called Sonny Look's. Anyone else recall that place?

Timeframe: 1975-1978

The description also sounds like Simpson's Dining Car, but Simpson's Dining Car was at 1415 Main and not really that close to Spaghetti Warehouse.

Edited by isuredid
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there was also a rail car place on south main and n. braeswood. can't recall the name of it but i do remember it being there in the early 80's.

It was actually located near S. Main and Kirby, where the new burger place is and where Target used to be. I think there was a po-boy shop in there?

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You are right, I remember when it was Victoria Station, late '70's - 80's. And that was down the cross street that the pony rides were located on (S.Main), at Kiddie Wonderland. There is a hamburger joint that has been there for many years on Kirby, across the street from Droubi's (VS). Can't remember the name.

Could the hamburger joint be " DJ's Burgers"?

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  • The title was changed to Look’s Sir-Loin Inn At 9810 South Main St.

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