Historic Houston Restaurants

[brucesw]

Hmm, I hadn't been by there in a while. Last time I passed by, it looked deserted. You mean they're still doing business?

It's been several months since I was down there but I think it was; they're closed Sunday, maybe Monday too. I think they were featured on FoodTV several years ago, the first I'd ever heard of them, one of those travel shows they do or did.

What was good? Gumbo?

[hammerofhope]

Anyone remember that Fire + Ice restaurant that was on, I believe, Kirby? Was it any good?

That was the weird high concept/ theme restaurant right? That took over the space after Hard Rock closed.

Never went as it was open for less than a year but here was the Press article on its closure:

http://www.houstonpr...-hot-to-handle/

[houstonmacbro]

I thought the comments below the article were telling and I concur with many of them. Luby's used to have good food at great prices. They really did price themselves out of the casual dining marketing. While Luby's entire fate is not sealed, this is pointing to where they are headed if they don't get control of their prices and food.

Leaner Times as Luby's Trims Locations

Citing the economic slowdown, Houston cafeteria chain Luby's is closing 25 of its 120 restaurant locations.

That represents 20 percent of its restaurants.

Six Houston stores closed by Thursday, leaving 36 restaurants in the area. The closed stores are:

• • 6223 Bellaire Blvd.

• • 8440 Gulf Freeway

• • 4511 FM 1960 West

• • 1210 Southmore Ave. in Pasadena

• • 6125 Central City Blvd. in Galveston

• • 5115 Avenue H in Rosenberg.

Full article here: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6671963.html

[EMME]

Totally agree about the demise of Luby's I can get just as good hot meal at Avalon and other places around town. When they stopped using the steam tables and brought prices up they lost me as a customer.

THey lost me in all those same ways, plus the pressure to tip the waiter in a cafeteria. If I am going to feel obligated to tip a waiter, I will sit at my table, have somebody "take my order and deliver it".

[YellowRose]

[Don't know if I or anyone mentioned Vliiage Inn Pizza on Westheimer near Chimney Rock. Dean Scott used to play there in the early 70s.]

Haven't seen anyone mention Village Inn Pizza but I've seen several mentions of the Strawberry Patch and now Pappas's Steakhouse which is what is on the spot now..... Bobby Bradshaw and I P Sweat played at the Pizza place too... even ran into Kenny Rogers there one night.

Many, many memories in this thread. I was born in Houston in 1950 and moved to Pearland in 1959 but spent plenty of time "next door". Speaking of pizza, Godfather's Pizza out in Clear Lake was some of the best......

[brucesw]

There was a great feature on ice cream on Postcards from Texas last week with extensive information from Story Sloane with mentions of Rettig's, D'Arcy (sp?), Camelia, Honey Boy, Hostess, Saxet, Lone Star Creamery and others. There was also quite a bit about Purity Ice Cream of Galveston, the first ice cream company in the state and still available at La King's Confectionery on the Strand. It was said to be more popular than Blue Bell at least on the island.

I had come across mentions of Purity in my research for my radio history but didn't realize it was still available. Here's a feature on Purity by isle historian Bill Cherry.

[samagon]

I admit to not reading the entire thread, but did anyone mention the Boston Sea Party?

Expensive all you can eat buffet, had lobster and crab legs, it was on Westheimer where Molina's Cantina is now (between Voss and Dunvale).

Not sure when they closed, but it had to be mid 80s.

[brucesw]

I've forgotten about the Russian restuarant on Richmond and Yoakum! Unfortunately, I forgot the name along with it - though "Rasputian's" lingers in my mind.

Nikita's - I just found this on Google Books from Texas Monthly, 1978. I just linked to the beginning of the Houston restaurant review section - lot's of other great old places mentioned there.

Also, JR Gonzales has started doing restaurants in his Bayou City History blog in the Chron. The first ones were about Felix and Alfred's.

[hydeaway]

Nikita's - I just found this on Google Books from Texas Monthly, 1978. I just linked to the beginning of the Houston restaurant review section - lot's of other great old places mentioned there.

Also, JR Gonzales has started doing restaurants in his Bayou City History blog in the Chron. The first ones were about Felix and Alfred's.

I remember Dalt's and Houlihan's that were by the entrance to Joske's at Greenspoint Mall. Dalt's also had a location on Westheimer. Victoria's Station was great by Greenspoint as was Fajitas on Greens Road. Maggie's was on I-45 by Greenspoint as was Scooby Doo's Fun Factory Pizza. Birra Poretti's took their space over later. Foley's had the Greenhouse restaurant and Lord & Taylor had their own. Smuggler's Inn was on the Beltway 8 interchange by Greenspoint Mall. York Steakhouse was good. It was in the Joske's wing of Greenspoint. Duff's Smorgasbord was a change of pace in Humble.

[cowboybud]

I remember Dalt's and Houlihan's that were by the entrance to Joske's at Greenspoint Mall. Dalt's also had a location on Westheimer. Victoria's Station was great by Greenspoint as was Fajitas on Greens Road. Maggie's was on I-45 by Greenspoint as was Scooby Doo's Fun Factory Pizza. Birra Poretti's took their space over later. Foley's had the Greenhouse restaurant and Lord & Taylor had their own. Smuggler's Inn was on the Beltway 8 interchange by Greenspoint Mall. York Steakhouse was good. It was in the Joske's wing of Greenspoint. Duff's Smorgasbord was a change of pace in Humble.

Hard to believe that "Gunspoint" was once a vibrant, semi-upscale area.

[Subdude]

The discussion on Wienerschitzel got me wondering. Did Houston have any Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips? They were big for a year or two when I was a kid, but that was on the east coast.

[crunchtastic]

I'm almost positive there was one on Nasa Road 1, by the old putt putt near Galveston Rd. If it wasn't Arthur Treachers, it was another fish and chips place (before there were long john silvers here). late 60s to mid 70s.

haha, i just looked more closely at the photo, what's with vinnie barbarino out there cleaning the windows? or is it chachi?

Edited July 29, 2010 by crunchtastic

[brucesw]

I couldn't swear to it but I think we had each of the f & c chains here for a while - Arthur Treacher's, H. Salt, Esq., and Alfie's. There's still an Alfie's down in Texas City.

There was a f & c place on Shepherd, a block north of Richmond, on the east side of the street; I think it was an Arthur Treacher's but I'm not sure. I don't remember that lantern. Treacher's was supposed to be the best according to a friend of mine but he didn't go with me there, I went on my own to check it out. I don't remember the food at all.

I think I remember the Arthur Treacher's ads, too. They shouldn't have been running here if there were no outlets but sometimes ads on a national buy do get run in markets where they are irrelevant.

This would have been ca. 73-74.

The building was later Mama's Po' boys or something like that and is now gone.

Edited July 29, 2010 by brucesw

[Subdude]

haha, i just looked more closely at the photo, what's with vinnie barbarino out there cleaning the windows? or is it chachi?

Chachi, definitely!

The building was later Mama's Po' boys or something like that and is now gone.

I do remember that po' boy shop. Not fondly, however.

[Specwriter]

There's still an Alfie's down in Texas City.

This would have been ca. 73-74.

Again from the "believe it or not department" there was an Alfie's on Crosstimbers just east of I45! There was also a Shakey's Pizza Parlour on the same block. The last time I had fish 'n' chips was at the Black Lab on Montrose. The fish was soggy and expensive.

[sevfiv]

There was an Alfie's listed at 3301 S Shepherd (at Branard) which may be the one brucesw mentioned - it was rebuilt and is (was?) an MRI clinic.

It looks like you can tell what is still an Alfie's freestanding building by the half-timbering..

Other Alfie's from the 1970s and 1980s were at 74 E Crosstimbers near Fulton like Specwriter mentioned (now a seafood market but the half-timbering design is still there), 7525 Bellfort (near Telephone, across from the Fiesta, now a car lot), 3452 Ella (just north of 34th, same strip mall), 7229 Fondren (just south of Bellaire Blvd. - gone?)), and 10025 Long Point (just east of Gessner, now a Taco Stand?).

Here is the streetview of the Alfie's in Texas City:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Alfie%27s+Fish+%26+Chips,+Texas+City,+TX&sll=29.383845,-94.9027&sspn=0.449328,0.617294&g=Texas+City,+TX&ie=UTF8&hq=Alfie%27s+Fish+%26+Chips,&hnear=Texas+City,+Galveston,+Texas&ll=29.393309,-94.925914&spn=0.00351,0.004823&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=29.393281,-94.925762&panoid=-pZtEI5LQP4fjtjtyWgSkw&cbp=12,222.81,,0,5.8

[brucesw]

There was an Alfie's listed at 3301 S Shepherd (at Branard) which may be the one brucesw mentioned - it was rebuilt and is (was?) an MRI clinic.

That was it. Thanks. I was pretty sure there wasn't any lantern. I think that was the only f & c shop I ever went to. As I recall, the fish was very greasy. It was served in cardboard cone printed on the outside to look like a newspaper since f & c in England supposedly is served in rolled up newspapers.

Edited July 29, 2010 by brucesw

[NenaE]

Wow...that's wild, a pic of an actual Alfie's fish-n-chips restaurant...I remember a Fish-n-Chips fast food restaurant in Pasadena on Southmore, by the Sears. Don't recall that it was actually called Alfie's, there was another competitor, for a while. Maybe someone can verify another name. Seems like it had red and blue colors.

I remember the old signs for the Alfie's on Edgebrook, around old Galveston Rd. A Pizza Inn or Hut was later in the strip.

I also vaguely remember one on Bay Area Blvd.

[sevfiv]

^There was an H Salt's Fish & Chips 307 Southmore (by S Main/S Shaver) - it's a pawn shop now

[sevfiv]

There were also H Salt's at 5800 Kirby (now and has been for a long time a Shipley's) and 5842 MLK/South Park (still a restaurant).

There was another place on the southwest side in the 1970s called Monty's Fish & Chips - long gone but it was on Wilcrest and 59..

[NenaE]

^There was an H Salt's Fish & Chips 307 Southmore (by S Main/S Shaver) - it's a pawn shop now

That must have been it. You're right, it is a pawn shop.

BTW, I saw those small paperback Houston History books for <14.00 a piece at Costco. The one titled "Houston" postcards has some great pictures of early restaurants, among other things. S. Main was mentioned quite a bit.

Edited July 30, 2010 by NenaE

[gnu]

Here is the former Alfie's in Galveston. My parents and I went there several times when i was little.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2117+broadway,+galveston,+tx&sll=29.300513,-94.789844&sspn=0.010853,0.02238&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2117+Broadway+Avenue+J,+Galveston,+Texas+77550&ll=29.300416,-94.790275&spn=0.010853,0.02238&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=29.300396,-94.790378&panoid=OhMmRoDy1wohFDUUQVPecQ&cbp=12,171.65,,0,5

And there was an H.Salt in Baytown in front of Bay Plaza. I think it is where the Popeye's is now.

Not sure if it is the same building. BTW. The building to the right used to be a Shakey's Pizza.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=baytown,+tx&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.27343,91.669922&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Baytown,+Harris,+Texas&ll=29.744407,-94.950135&spn=0.00068,0.001399&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=29.744407,-94.950135&panoid=wakmLyU_zaMmoze2_LiiIA&cbp=12,140.33,,0,5

[sevfiv]

The Baytown Popeye's was built in 1979 and maybe was a Popeye's from the beginning or turned in to one by 1984 - I don't think there was anything there beforehand but I'm not sure. If your time frame matches up, though, that could have been it..

Looks like H Salt is still going strong in California - this is the history they posted:

Haddon Salt operated his fish and chips store in Skegness, in the northeastern corner of England, as his father had before him. Americans passing through were taken by the taste of Salt's "non-greasy" fish & chips.

Persuaded by the American enthusiasm for his fish, he and his wife Grace came to the United States and opened their first shop in Sausalito, California, under the name of "Salt's Fish & Chips." The year was 1965.

The shop prospered and others soon wanted to get into the business. Salt trained the new owners on how to prepare and serve fish and chips himself. Interest was high. Soon after he thought about franchising.

Change In Name

Although the shops were successful, the name Salt's Fish & Chips was not right. When Haddon consulted an advertising firm, it was suggested that he use the initial of his first name an add "Esq." for an English touch. The name of the new operation became "H. Salt, Esq. Authentic English Fish and Chips."

http://www.hsalt.com

[gnu]

The Baytown Popeye's was built in 1979 and maybe was a Popeye's from the beginning or turned in to one by 1984 - I don't think there was anything there beforehand but I'm not sure. If your time frame matches up, though, that could have been it..

Looks like H Salt is still going strong in California - this is the history they posted:

http://www.hsalt.com

Cool. i will have to visit the next time i am in california

The H.Salt was somewhere in there and I know the Popeye's came later so I just assumed it was in that spot. This was about 1972-ish. I know the Jack in the box was there (although it was the old style 2-story box). I believe the KFC (now defunct) was also there. That leaves a big gap between it and Shakey's. Also the grocery store in the Bay Plaza strip was originally an A&P. It later became an O'Brien's (a local baytown grocer with several stores).

[sevfiv]

It also looks like besides the Texas City location, there are only two Alfie's left (and in California, too).

One is in Lompoc and had the original design but another angle showed it redone (stuccoed I think). The other is in a strip mall in Santa Maria.

[H8S 4 LIFE]

Again from the "believe it or not department" there was an Alfie's on Crosstimbers just east of I45! There was also a Shakey's Pizza Parlour on the same block. The last time I had fish 'n' chips was at the Black Lab on Montrose. The fish was soggy and expensive.

Yes there was. In the same strip as Hungry Farmer. I don't recall Shakey's though. That Alfie's location lasted up until the early 90's.

[mojo1158]

Does anyone remember Leonardo's Pizza? It was in the Chimney Rock area I believe. They had lots of antique toys, including a "monkey band" mounted on on of the walls and a gypsy fortune teller machine from the 1900's.

[4PROP]

Here is a Kaphan's ad from 1970 - "the Aristocrat of Sea Food and Steaks" featuring their "world series of gold bats"

Kaphan's moment to remember: They were always proud of their kiddie menu. I recall once ordering "what the elephant is having" from their kiddie "zoo animals" menu. It was during a sizable family dinner back in the sixties. The problem being at the time I was 13 years old and was completely embarrassed as any recently-turned-teenage young man would have been. Thank goodness it didn't affect me later in life. ....#$%#&^&*(*&^%%$$....

[john Lopez]

Renu's, a Thai restaurant on Westheimer near Commonwealth. They had a dish called "Tiger Cries", and I'm drooling just thinking about it.

We used to eat there at least once a week and at Mrs.Me's. They were the first Thai and Vietnamese places in town, I believe. Yes, the Tiger Cries were on our plate at each visit.

[little frau]

Yes there was. In the same strip as Hungry Farmer. I don't recall Shakey's though. That Alfie's location lasted up until the early 90's.

That Shakey's on Crosstimbers was there in the very late 60's. Don't know how long it lasted.

There was a guy who worked there who was also a professional clown. I think he was asst. manager. My roommates and I were going to a costume party one Halloween and since we always flirted with him when we ate there, he volunteered to do one of the gals' makeup for the party. She rented the clown outfit at Houston Costume Co. when it was on the lower end of Main Street in a walkup over a shop. I rented a purple, flimsy almost diaphanous Greek gown sort of thing. Fun party.