Historic Houston Restaurants

[mwest]

I'll bet none of you remembers Vicky's Drive-In on Old Galveston Road.

It was a classic '50's drive-in with a giant Martian on the roof. Next to

the drive-in was the La Fonda Motel, which Vicky and her husband also

owned. (Don't know their last name.) I wish I could find a picture of the

drive-in, cos that Martian was a sight to see!

They had another location in Pasadena next to a Shakey's where my dad

used to play with his buddies. (Shakey's was a pizza restaurant that had

"family" entertainment thru the '70's.) When the family went there with him,

we would go next door to Vicky's to get me a hamburger, cos I didn't like pizza

when I was little!

Edited December 23, 2008 by mwest

[IronTiger]

I'll bet none of you remembers Vicky's Drive-In on Old Galveston Road.

It was a classic '50's drive-in with a giant Martian on the roof. Next to

the drive-in was the La Fonda Motel, which Vicky and her husband also

owned. (Don't know their last name.) I wish I could find a picture of the

drive-in, cos that Martian was a sight to see!

They had another location in Pasadena next to a Shakey's where my dad

used to play with his buddies. (Shakey's was a pizza restaurant that had

"family" entertainment thru the '70's.) When the family went there with him,

we would go next door to Vicky's to get me a hamburger, cos I didn't like pizza

when I was little!

That was the 666th post...

[NenaE]

I'll bet none of you remembers Vicky's Drive-In on Old Galveston Road.

It was a classic '50's drive-in with a giant Martian on the roof. Next to

the drive-in was the La Fonda Motel, which Vicky and her husband also

owned. (Don't know their last name.) I wish I could find a picture of the

drive-in, cos that Martian was a sight to see!

They had another location in Pasadena next to a Shakey's where my dad

used to play with his buddies. (Shakey's was a pizza restaurant that had

"family" entertainment thru the '70's.) When the family went there with him,

we would go next door to Vicky's to get me a hamburger, cos I didn't like pizza

when I was little!

Oh....I do, I do...wonder what happened to that martian & his spaceship...I think the bldg. is still there, in some incarnation. That Shakey's was probably the first place I had pizza. The big treat was watching them make it, thru that big window.

[musicman]

Oh....I do, I do...wonder what happened to that martian & his spaceship...I think the bldg. is still there, in some incarnation.

was this @ winkler?

[ronniejay]

Even though it's only been gone a short time, I miss the original Antone's on Taft. The chain Antone's pale in comparison to the original locations. I don't even know how many 'original' stores exist.

I also miss ZuZu, which was on Shepherd near Fairview. It was Mexican fast food and I remember a salsa bar or something... it was quaint with good food.

Just joined and this my 1st post. I am trying to find the name of a pretty exclusive and expensive restaurant near Post Oak and Post Oak Park, behind thw "TwinTowers" (one is now Cooper-Cameron), just east of the West Loop and Post Oak. As I recall, it was in a big one-story mansion and was run by a big name chef. There are townhouses there now.

[NenaE]

was this @ winkler?

Yes, Winkler Dr. at Old Galveston Rd. (Note: Winkler changes to S. Richey after OLG). That restaurant was of the style (layout wise) of the Princes Restaurants. (from what I can remember) It was run-down in later yrs. but I figure from the looks of it that carhops waited on you at one time, also remember the main dining area (inside) having those white or green, frosted, square tile blocks (like seen in ice cream parlors from the same time period). I never went in it, as a kid. Sat on the southwest side of intersection, corner lot.

PS Welcome to HAIF mwest & ronniejay!

Edited December 29, 2008 by NenaE

[mwest]

That was the 666th post...

Not quite, 667, I think!

"Missed it by THAT MUCH!"

Yes, Winkler Dr. at Old Galveston Rd. (Note: Winkler changes to S. Richey after OLG). That restaurant was of the style (layout wise) of the Princes Restaurants. (from what I can remember) It was run-down in later yrs. but I figure from the looks of it that carhops waited on you at one time, also remember the main dining area (inside) having those white or green, frosted, square tile blocks (like seen in ice cream parlors from the same time period). I never went in it, as a kid. Sat on the southwest side of intersection, corner lot.

PS Welcome to HAIF mwest & ronniejay!

Thank you NenaE!

Glad someone remembers Vicky's AND "Dark Shadows!"

[slmintx]

Does anyone remember a hamburger joint on S. Gessner between Harwin and Bellaire? It was about 1/2 way down on the east side of the street in a little strip center.

Also Montery House was my fav growing up and the closes I have found to it is El Burrito in Livingston Texas.

Edited January 20, 2009 by slmintx

[RhinoVP]

I remember Monterey House well, but aren't there still some of those around? I thought they just changed names to Monterey's TexMex cafe. I guess though, that those could be closed too now.

Wasn't it Monterey House that had the chili con queso puff's, or am I thinking of Los Tios?

BTW- welcome to the board slmintx

Edited January 20, 2009 by RhinoVP

[TexasVines]

I remember Monterey House well, but aren't there still some of those around? I thought they just changed names to Monterey's TexMex cafe. I guess though, that those could be closed too now.

Wasn't it Monterey House that had the chili con queso puff's, or am I thinking of Los Tios?

BTW- welcome to the board slmintx

I believe both had the puffs.....they were great

[slmintx]

Here is a link that has a brief history of MH. The thing I liked the best was the queso dip, not sure if the current ones still have the same queso, but the last time I ate at one I didn't like it as much as the old one.

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/l...hp/t2777-0.html

I do not remember the puffs at the old one...

Edited January 20, 2009 by slmintx

[vapdog]

How about Roy Roger's in the galleria?

[WestUNative]

How about Roy Roger's in the galleria?

Really good stuff! Right by Joske's. My young daughter and I haunted the place after our Galleria shopping.

[NenaE]

I remember the Roy Rogers at Gulfgate (close to Dot's) & the Monterey House candy in that basket...have never been able to find that anywhere else. Yumm..."Summer Special" please!

[sigma]

Confederate House, Red Lion, On the Board where Sullivan Steak House is; bring them all back, please!

[Cajun Cutie]

There was one on OST and main, the Taft store, and another one around 390 and voss or bingle, somewhere. The OST and Taft stores were around for a long time, one of them since the 1940s. Antones blues club in Austin was another family venture, and the original restaurant is I believe the oldest one in the French Quarter, around since the 1840s. I make the poorboys myself, have for years, but I really miss the original stores.

Their bread was the best for poboys. I use to go there and buy it to make my own as well. My favorite of theirs was the ham salad, with the jalapeno cheese - called the "Piggy", that "end piece" of the bread was the bomb!

I have been going thru this thread for sometime so many fabulous old places. Alfreds was sort of in my hood...Heberts, our parents use to take us there, it was my Dad's favorite. I can only remember small memories of the inside, dark and brocade like wallpaper. Vallians...that was an institution!! Sonny Look's...my brother worked a summer or two there, kinda tacky of him, but he kypted one of those Gold coffee cups and gave it to Mom...I think they still have it! I saw Yamins brought up. Man that brought back memories, when I was a teenager, I use to work in the clothing/jewelry shop inside Goofy's on Buffalo Spdwy back in the day. My parents would swing by and pick me up to go to Romana cafeteria (now Luby's) which was right behind Goofy's on Fridays, (I use to always run into one of my teachers while standing in line, so it made for interesting times let me tell ya ) that place was so good. You guys mentioned Pappas took it over too, which explains the change in their food quality (what is the deal with Pappas wanting to own everything, and running alot of restuarants out of business here)? Anyway - Yamins was there in that strip mall (along with the original Buffalo Pharmacy lunch counter - yum!!), but Yamins had this sandwich, which was basic....hamburger, with pizza sauce...toasted with a bit of mozzarella. Nothing to it, but I guess it was their combination of ingredients that was so good. Can't remember their pizza being all that, just this one sandwich? I haven't seen anyone mention Old Mexico so far....they were on W. Gray close to the mid-town area now, actually right on the curve. That dude was German from what my parents say. anyway, you walked thru an area reminiscent of being in Mexico, with all these things you could buy at market. They had cool toys for kids. This kept you occupied waiting for your table. They had some awesome food! Place caught on fire, and they never rebuilt it.

I guess I'll finish reading this thread...I had to post, I couldn't help myself...thanks for the memories y'all!

Edited January 23, 2009 by Cajun Cutie

[Cajun Cutie]

I think you're confusing two different places here - the building that housed Hamburgers by Gourmet on Alabama (at Yoakum, I believe) is long gone; the barrel-shaped burger joint is Lucky Burger, on Richmond at Mandell, and it is indeed still in business. I used to eat at the Alabama HBG regularly, as I lived only a few blocks away from it for most of the 80s. Wish they were still around.

HBG, had the best burger, and onion rings!

[slmintx]

Does anyone remember a hamburger joint on S. Gessner between Harwin and Bellaire? 1983-84 time frame, seems like it was called "Things" but not sure about the name.

[JohnEric]

I haven't seen anyone mention Old Mexico so far....they were on W. Gray close to the mid-town area now, actually right on the curve. That dude was German from what my parents say. anyway, you walked thru an area reminiscent of being in Mexico, with all these things you could buy at market. They had cool toys for kids. This kept you occupied waiting for your table. They had some awesome food! Place caught on fire, and they never rebuilt it.

I guess I'll finish reading this thread...I had to post, I couldn't help myself...thanks for the memories y'all!

I mentioned Old Mexico in the forum some time ago. I was raised in the Bellaire/Southwest Houston area and in the 50's and 60's Old Mexico was the only place to go for good Mexican food. Do you remember what was at the check out counter? There was a baksket with a large white card that read "Mexican Jumping Beans" and a warm lamp shining down on the basket to keep the beans active. Next to the basket were small maracas, just right for the kids. I still remember my parents buying a painted pop cork gun for me on one trip. What a great restaurant, I rank it up there with my childhood memories from Alfred's Delicassen, Prince's Drive In, Brittons Broiler Burger and JuJubees at the Bellaire Theater...Eric Younkin

[Kimmy]

Boston Sea Party - awesome seafood buffet & The Windswept Inn - most amazing homecooked food & biscuits ever

[mkultra25]

The Windswept Inn - most amazing homecooked food & biscuits ever

I really miss the Windswept Inn. I grew up not too far away from its final location on Airline, and ate there regularly with my parents for years. I've yet to encounter anyone who ate there who doesn't remember it fondly - it's been mentioned a few times in the past in this long-running thread.

[glzuma]

I remember going to a reataurant in the early 70's in Montrose somewhere east of Anderson Street Fair called "Ebenezer's". No one else I know remembers it but I remember eating there a lot. It was in the upstairs part of an old house on a corner and had a 40's theme.. The music was usually poor old dead Judy Garland and items on the menu had clever names like "Marilyn Monroe Cheese plate" . Does anyone else remember it?

I remember hearing the radio ad for Ebenezer's regularly on KLOL (101) in '72. It was kind of funny as I recall. They claimed it was the place where "boozers bedraggle" at night and was located "on Converse between Willard and Welch". Well, we just had to check that out.

So after the Jethro Tull "Thick As A Brick" tour concert that year at the Coliseum, we went to Ebenezer's. It was kind of weird for us suburban Westbury boys to go to a restaurant in an old house in Montrose. Very weird. But I remember that it was upstairs (still weird) and once we sat down, it was OK. Not like your typical restaurant, but OK. I think some hippie chick/patchouli scented/earth mother served us. We had burgers and beer as we allowed our eardrums ample recovery time from the concert onslaught. Can't remember if the food was any good. Didn't matter, it was the experience we were after. I think that's the only time we went there.

P.S. concert trivia - the opening act for Tull was a new group that had just come out called the Eagles. We thought they were pretty good, but kind of a mismatch in genre with Tull.

Edited February 12, 2009 by glzuma

[Tiftoo]

This is going back a bit, but El Fenix Mexican Restaurant in Bellaire at the circle, and Youngblood's Fried Chicken. Prince's Hamburgers, too.

Edited February 15, 2009 by Tiftoo

[Dagnabbit]

Does anyone remember a hamburger joint on S. Gessner between Harwin and Bellaire? 1983-84 time frame, seems like it was called "Things" but not sure about the name.

I seem to recall a burger joint in the center of a strip center (no drive thru) near there called Toby's Old Fashion hambugers.

[KimmerTX]

Does anyone remember a hamburger joint on S. Gessner between Harwin and Bellaire? 1983-84 time frame, seems like it was called "Things" but not sure about the name.

Texas Hamburger Palace?

Oh wait, they were right around Harwin but off of Briarpark Dr.

[Johnhw2]

Sonny Look's in 1970 or so was a good steak place. I remember it along with Red Lion as one other mentioned. Also how about Swiss chalet, near galleria. Humble Oil took me there on a job visit trip to Houston in 1969.

Third Coast on san felipe at voss was a great restaurant. anyone remember.

dream

I remember it well. Great place, started as a joint venture between Brennan clan and the guy who owned the Empress on 1960 and had great food. But this location was cursed as difficult to see and turn into the parkin lot from this busy intersection

[Johnhw2]

Even though it's only been gone a short time, I miss the original Antone's on Taft. The chain Antone's pale in comparison to the original locations. I don't even know how many 'original' stores exist.

I also miss ZuZu, which was on Shepherd near Fairview. It was Mexican fast food and I remember a salsa bar or something... it was quaint with good food.

Ocean Club Buffet - Does anyone remember the happy hour buffet at Ocean Club? I believe it replaced Elan's. I moved here in 1983 and Ocean Club had a fabulour happy hour buffet. The place was nice with a good crowd, sure it wasnt a restaurant but still had great food<G>

[rsb320]

Ocean Club Buffet - Does anyone remember the happy hour buffet at Ocean Club? I believe it replaced Elan's. I moved here in 1983 and Ocean Club had a fabulour happy hour buffet. The place was nice with a good crowd, sure it wasnt a restaurant but still had great food<G>

Where was the Ocean Club? I almost got it confused with Don the Beachcomer. I thinks that's the name of it. It was out in Woodlake and was a restaurant.

[musicman]

Where was the Ocean Club?

san felipe between the loop and chimney rock. (closer to chimney rock)

[Subdude]

Where was the Ocean Club?

Saint James Place.