Historic Houston Restaurants

[brucesw]

Mexico City Restaurant Houston, TX Postcard (cardcow.com)

I may have been there, mid-70s.  I remember a place on Main, entrance right on a corner, in that vicinity.  The postcard doesn't show it on a corner but maybe the door moved?  We parked on the side street, which was short as I recall, like Isabella.  I've been trying to remember the name of that place for a long time.

[unionroofer]

Help me if you can - in the late 70's there was a hole-in-the-wall Greek restaurant near the Westheimer strip between Westheimer and Avondale or maybe California. 

It wasn't the Zorba's that was on Tuam later, but it might have been named Zorba's also - could it have moved to Tuam later? Or maybe it wasn't named Zorba's at all. 

Memories would be appreciated. 

[brucesw]

A couple of observations - 'near the Westheimer strip' - so, it wasn't on Westheimer?

California runs into Westheimer just before Mandell but doesn't cross it, nor does Avondale, so you must be talking about something on a cross street?  Might be the first incarnation of Niko-Niko's, on Montrose, 2 blocks north of Westheimer on the west side of the street, in an empty Shamrock/Diamond Shamrock gas station?  Still there (in a completely new building). Niko-Niko's had originally been out on San Felipe just before Voss but I'm not sure of the name out there.

I'm pretty sure Zorba's was on Tuam before that, probably long before that.  

A man named BIbas had a Greek Pizza place on Memorial near Otto's.  He took over the last location of One's a Meal across the street and started adding Greek dishes.  Then moved down to West Gray, then to Westheimer in the block between Art Wren's/Katz and Felix Mexican restaurant in a strip center with a plant house with topiaries out in the parking lot and then the first location of HPD's neighborhood stations.  I 'm pretty sure he wasn't on Westheimer until late 80s at the earliest.  I wouldn't call that one a hole-in-the wall.  Bibas Greek Restaurant/One's a Meal was what the sign said.  Became Theo's but closed about 4 years ago.

There were a number of small restaurants - mostly in old houses - out on Westheimer between the curve and Mandell.  I don't remember any Greek but I had to get out of that neighborhood before 75 because the oak pollen was trying to kill me.

Edited September 14, 2023 by brucesw

[unionroofer]

Yes, on a side street and in an old house. Now I'm thinking could well have been on Waughcrest or Commonwealth.

[brucesw]

Okay - a couple of possibilities

https://www.alquickstop.com/  - Waugh at Welch - short blocks so not that far off Westheimer.  Website says only since 1991 but the building obviously goes back to the 20s or 30s - might have been something else in there.  Rudyard's Pub in the same block which probably goes back to the 70s.  Arguably the best gyro in town at AL.

https://order.toasttab.com/online/la-fendee-mediterranean-grill-1402-westheimer-rd - La Fendee - right on Westheimer at Commonwealth.  No history on the site.  I've never been - never think of it even when I'm passing right by because of all the traffic and the double curve.  

Couldn't place Waughcrest, had to look it up.  A stub of Waugh after Waugh was re-routed like Lincoln all but disappeared when Montrose was re-routed.  Waughcrest is still all residential so far as I know.

Pics of both of these on Yelp may help.

Edited September 14, 2023 by brucesw

[unionroofer]

I appreciate the response but it couldn't have been those places even under previous incarnations judging  from the photos. 

This would have been circa 1977 and probably was open only a few years after that. This was a dark, narrow restaurant with booths on each side of a single aisle. It appeared to be fairly popular with the locals the times I was there.