Historic Houston Restaurants

[ArchMemoH]

a closed churchs chicken on yale and the loop

[Robin Jeambert]

Does anyone remember the name and have pics of the Polynesian restaurant that was off of South Main, down from Sonny Look's? It had tiki torches all the way up the drive to the restaurant. It was a stand alone restaurant, so I'm pretty sure it was not Trader Vic's. But I could be wrong.

[Earlydays]

Trader Vic's was at the Shamrock Hotel.

[IronTiger]

On 4/6/2016 at 2:24 PM, Zenjive said:

Does anyone remember El Yucatan on Hwy 6, about a block or two south of I-10? It was just south of Grisby on the west side of 6. It closed around 2002-2004.

They had hundreds of photos of Pancho Villa on the walls. Tucked away on one of these walls was a small print of what looked like somebody in a panda suit "wrestling" with a nun in a sort of nature scene. It was quite magnificent!

I really wish I had a camera phone back then, because I have yet to find this image anywhere on the internet.

The restaurant closed in 2005, from what I've heard due to the Highway 6/I-10 project. No luck on the panda suit guy vs. nun battle, but I did find this photo of the exterior courtesy of John Williams (no, not the one who created all those great movie scores) of WestHoustonArchives.org...

 

http://webzoom.freewebs.com/theoldcopperfield/Album%2007%20Pic%2039a.jpg

[mollusk]

I sure miss El Yucatan.  It was one of the few places I could take my otherwise gracefully aging mother where one could get food mild enough for her system and flavorful enough for everyone else's that was also reasonably close to her house.

[Subdude]

On 4/20/2016 at 6:52 PM, Robin Jeambert said:

Does anyone remember the name and have pics of the Polynesian restaurant that was off of South Main, down from Sonny Look's? It had tiki torches all the way up the drive to the restaurant. It was a stand alone restaurant, so I'm pretty sure it was not Trader Vic's. But I could be wrong.

 

 

Probably Albert Gee's Poly-Asian at 9530 South Main.

[mkultra25]

Longtime Northside institution Triple A Restaurant has closed, apparently due to a combination of a lease renewal impasse and the owners' desire to retire. 

 

http://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/end-of-an-era-triple-a-restaurant-closes-8428839

 

I was thinking about going to eat lunch there on Monday, before remembering that they were closed on Mondays. Little did I know that the closure would be permanent. 

[djrage]

On June 8, 2008 at 7:27 AM, brucesw said:

I don't remember that at all and I can't think of anything along there that would have been a building it was in, but I don't think W. Bellfort went all the way through to 59 back then and I seldom got over there on Fondren. I do remember the Champs, later an Antone's at the next cross street (now a Subway?).

Later in the decade and into the early 80s there was a Texas Tumbleweed further north on Fondren, at the southern end of that big strip center at Fondren and S. Braeswood - that would be close to a mile north of W. Bellfort.

I remember that one on Fondren because I used to pass by it on the way to my girlfriends house off of Gessner. They used to go there a lot, her dad hung out there quite a bit too. 

[djrage]

 

On August 5, 2005 at 2:22 PM, gnu said:

The Credit Union on Edgebrook was a Taco Bueno. i think the company was dallas-based. it may have been a del taco too later but it was built as Taco Bueno.

Maybe Alfie's fish and chips?..i remember eating at one on Broadway in galveston.

Their logo was the canadian mountie from the cartoons.

What about H Salt fish and chips? They are still around in California. I know their were a few here in the early 70's.

And the little places..about the same size as an old box shaped jack in the box but were made to look like windmills with cedar shake siding. can't remember the name seems like it started with a W.

The old Del Taco on Edgebrook is now Marcos Seafood & Oyster Bar, the facade has been altered some, mostly the upper portion of the building

Edited June 17, 2016 by djrage

[Gurgis]

There was a large upscale restaurant and facility, maybe in the Memorial area, that my family occasionally went to in the 70s and 80s. I want to say it was called Valdo's or something. It was a big place, with lots of landscaping, and water near it - a pond or lake - with maybe swans. It was always the fanciest place we ever went to, for special occasions. It was definitely more than just a restaurant. It was a place for weddings, etc.

 

Wait a second.... I think it was Vargo's. That sounds right...

Edited June 18, 2016 by Gurgis

[IronTiger]

13 minutes ago, Gurgis said:

There was a large upscale restaurant and facility, maybe in the Memorial area, that my family occasionally went to in the 70s and 80s. I want to say it was called Valdo's or something. It was a big place, with lots of landscaping, and water near it - a pond or lake - with maybe swans. It was always the fanciest place we ever went to, for special occasions. It was definitely more than just a restaurant. It was a place for weddings, etc.

 

Wait a second.... I think it was Vargo's. That sounds right...

Vargo's has been discussed here (including someone here who paddled in from behind to find a wonderful landscape, then shooed off the property), it closed in 2012 and was demolished for an apartment complex named after the restaurant.

[Hethnchris]

The Italian Beef House on the Gulf Freeway- best pizza ever. I can still recall the taste. My mom used to do their liquor licenses and book keeping. I used to sit at the bar and eat marischino cherries. Good times...

[ANDROID 26]

On Monday, September 13, 2004 at 8:23 PM, groovehouse said:

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.

Looking back through this discussion in itself , the posters have created some excellent history since 2004.  Preserving some fond memories and naming places that have gone to the big Boulevard in the sky,  long gone but will never be forgotten thanks to all contributions here.   I sure do remember many of these places.  Speaking of,  who remember Georges!  Iranian guy who cooked Soul Food .  I never had some of the dishes until we stopped here for lunch one day.  Every since then all i ste was soul-food.  George's is long-gone now but it was open still back in 2003-4

 

 

[aggieengineer]

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.

I'm trying without luck to remember that restaurant. I lived in Maplewood at the time, and do recall a pizza joint in that strip mall. Wish I could remember the name. They had one of the first video games back around 1974.....Pong! 

[Sisyphys]

Alfred's Deli, my Mom went to the one near St. Thomas when she was a student there in the 50's and I "found' the Alfred's on Stella Link when I moved to Willowbend in the 90's.  The buffet there was incredible.  Also miss the Shakie's Pizza in Bellaire.   And the Cattle Rustlers Steak Buffet near Sharpstown.  Lee's Den on South Main and the middle eastern restaurant at Kirby and South Main that was housed in the train cars (don't remember the name).   And who could forget Po' Folks (another buffet) off of 45N.  Or the Boston Sea Party on Westhiemer (pricey but worth every penny).  I moved to Houston right out of college, poor and hungry.  Houston eateries got me through those lean years.

[sevfiv]

On 8/28/2016 at 6:34 PM, aggieengineer said:

I'm trying without luck to remember that restaurant. I lived in Maplewood at the time, and do recall a pizza joint in that strip mall. Wish I could remember the name. They had one of the first video games back around 1974.....Pong! 

 

Straw Hat Pizza? It was on Fondren just south of South Btaeswood around that time.

[FilioScotia]

Am I the only one here who remembers the Pizza Yoint on Spencer Hwy in South Houston? I think I remember I set a record for chugging a mug of beer one night in the sixties when i was a student at San Jac College just down the road.

 

Edited September 2, 2016 by FilioScotia

[torimask]

On 9/2/2016 at 4:11 PM, FilioScotia said:

Am I the only one here who remembers the Pizza Yoint on Spencer Hwy in South Houston? I think I remember I set a record for chugging a mug of beer one night in the sixties when i was a student at San Jac College just down the road.

 

[Zenjive]

Does anyone remember The Rustic Oak? There is currently another restaurant by the same name in midtown, apparently unrelated. The old one was in a large, late 60s / early 70s era house, in the southern quadrant of the SW freeway/Beltway 8 interchange. I think the address was technically on Thurleigh street at Dover. Thurleigh ran parallel to Keegan's bayou a short way, between Dover and Bedford, but now has the Beltway crossing and covering most of it.

The restaurant was kind of a fancy and expensive place, reservation only, I believe, and had a nice comfortable atmosphere. I had only been two or three times, but I can still taste the filet minon!

I think they closed in the early 2000's... maybe later, not sure. The house is still there and doesn't appear to be abandoned.

[JoJo]

Does anyone remember the Log Cabin off US 59 north? I think it was close to the Aldine Mail Route exit. It was great.

I loved Quasimodo on Welch----long gone and now Mockingbird Bistro.

Also, I moved to Houston in 1979 and was introduced to Mexican or TexMex as many say is more correct. There was a great play that was open late, east of I45 in the Fulton/North Main area. It was not Donaraki's. I am so trying to remember the name. Any help would be appreciated.

[Zenjive]

Was it Don Carlos?

[belmont]

Las Cazuelas    2200 Fulton

[JoJo]

On ‎9‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 1:41 AM, belmont said:

Las Cazuelas    2200 Fulton

YES! That was it. It was good. I wonder what happened to it?

[NenaE]

On November 20, 2011 at 3:35 PM, Pyrotek40 said:

Alfies fish and chips is still alive and well in Texas City on Palmer Hwy just before the dike! We ate at that on after the one on broadway in Galveston closed down.

 

I couldn't believe it, when I saw this building! The sign near the road is newer, but the building looks original (maybe someone can confirm) and the sign on the facade is how I remember it, originally, in the 60's, or was it the 70's? Alfies. I remember the location on Nasa Road 1, and one on Edgebrook, by a pizza place, close to Old Galveston Road. Address for Texas City location, from Google Earth is approximate, @ 2151 FM 1764 or @ 2170 9th Ave N.

 and another location with facade, still unaltered, 60's white with brown, Olde English look. 108 E. Edgebrook Dr.

Edited October 7, 2016 by NenaE

[Sharon]

Dirtys

Spoons

Velvet Turtle?

Old San Francisco Steakhouse (really Target?) 

Great Mine Company 

Taco Bueno

[Sharon]

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?

[Sharon]

Oh...Tokyo Gradens?

[Sharon]

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!

[Sharon]

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

[Rexster314]

I don't remember seeing it, but does anyone remember getting dressed up and going to El Chico on South Main to sit on the second level to people watch? Used to really enjoy that place.