The Heights Restaurant And Bar Scene - More Coming

[J008]

Just wanted to mention Tacos a Go-Go is open on White Oak.

D'amicos is stocked inside so it appears to be close as well.

Went to tacos a go-go last night and it was pretty good. Tacos al Pastor with Pinapple was a bit of a suprise, but the food was good and it is a neat place.

D'Amicos was open last night as well.

[J008]

D'Amicos was open last night as well.

Went by last night and D'Amicos was closed, must have been a trial run.

[tanith27]

This could be interesting...

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/09/food-truck-park-without-the-wheels/

[Porchman]

Food Truck Park proposed for W. 14th and Shepherd.

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/09/food-truck-park-without-the-wheels/

This is the lot What's Up Cupcake parked in for a while.

The developers also may be able to leverage that this lot is in Heights Annex which is a wet zone.

[Porchman]

Food Truck Park proposed for W. 14th and Shepherd.

http://blog.chron.co...out-the-wheels/

This is the lot What's Up Cupcake parked in for a while.

The developers also may be able to leverage that this lot is in Heights Annex which is a wet zone.

{Bump} with new info...

HBJ (secured content) is reporting that this should begin construction in October and launch in December. Isaac Preminger is designing it. The developers are also planning a quick-serve, coal-fired pizza joint in the small house on the property which will also feature 100 wines and beers. They've hired Aldo Cantiana (former owner of La Strada) as the operations manager.

Edited September 19, 2011 by Porchman

[kylejack]

They've hired Aldo Cantiana (former owner of La Strada) as the operations manager.

Oh really, now....

[goavs4]

Anyone here know what is going in at the old Spectators Bar location on Washington? (6502 Washington 77007) I saw that they have cleared all of the weeds and bushes from the front and in the last few days partially torn down part of the old building there. I was hoping it might be a restaurant which is why I was posting here!

[20thStDad]

Best hummus in the hood?

Best non-fancy Indian near here (chicken tikka, curry)?

[heights_yankee]

Best hummus in the hood?

Best non-fancy Indian near here (chicken tikka, curry)?

I think Chatter's has the best hummus around. So good!

As far as Indian, I can't pin point anywhere north of I10...

[heights_yankee]

Liberty Kitchen is getting ready to open and so glad someone is finally using that freaking cute building behind it on 11th

http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11-17-11-liberty-kitchen-is-almost-ready-but-theres-more-coming-next-door/?utm_content=newslink&utm_campaign=news&utm_source=social+flow&utm_term=social+flow&utm_medium=socialmedia

[Marksmu]

Liberty Kitchen is getting ready to open and so glad someone is finally using that freaking cute building behind it on 11th

http://houston.cultu...ium=socialmedia

I really cant wait for a place in the Heights with good seafood...the seafood options here are pretty slim, and even then not that great....I wonder what the price point for liberty kitchen is going to be...I am thinking $15-$22...I have not looked for a menu online, but that is just my guess....seafood is never cheap.

[RedScare]

....seafood is never cheap.

Neither are restaurants owned by chefs...especially "famous" ones.

BTW, I just drove by. Looks like it may be open.

Edited November 17, 2011 by RedScare

[heights_yankee]

I really cant wait for a place in the Heights with good seafood...the seafood options here are pretty slim, and even then not that great....I wonder what the price point for liberty kitchen is going to be...I am thinking $15-$22...I have not looked for a menu online, but that is just my guess....seafood is never cheap.

That sounds about right. Frankly, I would not eat cheap oysters. Good oysters come at a price.

Neither are restaurants owned by chefs...especially "famous" ones.

BTW, I just drove by. Looks like it may be open.

Coolio. Maybe the soft opening? If so, you can usually get free booze...

[JCR]

I was told via text by one of the staff at BRC that Liberty Kitchen will be open tonight.

[heights_yankee]

I was told via text by one of the staff at BRC that Liberty Kitchen will be open tonight.

Saw a guy with an apron in his hand walking in at 4 oclock! Crossing my fingers they'll have oysters Kilpatrick at some point. My fave way to eat 'em! I've already requested it of the chef

[heights_yankee]

Went to LIberty Kitchen last night for a drink. Great bar area. Cool, funky interior. HUGE menu and definitely set up to be kid friendly. Kids' menu items come served on old cafeteria trays. Menu also says something like "almost all of our items can be sized down for kids' meals." Nothing childish about it, though- especially the drink menu. Great cocktails mostly named after Heights streets/schools. Prices vary- some things seem like a great price for the item (fresh seafood and also a wine we had at another restaurant this weekend was $7 cheaper at LK), while some things seem a little pricey ($6 for an order of onion rings). Overall, though, seems like a very welcome addition.

[J008]

Went to LIberty Kitchen last night for a drink. Great bar area. Cool, funky interior. HUGE menu and definitely set up to be kid friendly. Kids' menu items come served on old cafeteria trays. Menu also says something like "almost all of our items can be sized down for kids' meals." Nothing childish about it, though- especially the drink menu. Great cocktails mostly named after Heights streets/schools. Prices vary- some things seem like a great price for the item (fresh seafood and also a wine we had at another restaurant this weekend was $7 cheaper at LK), while some things seem a little pricey ($6 for an order of onion rings). Overall, though, seems like a very welcome addition.

I went there last night as well. I expected to see a whole page of various types of oysters and styles, but there were only raw oysters and a couple chargrilled varieties. Otherwise the menu was huge and had a lot of gastropub style fare. Was fairly busy for a sunday night.

[callisthenes]

Went to LIberty Kitchen last night for a drink. Great bar area. Cool, funky interior. HUGE menu and definitely set up to be kid friendly. Kids' menu items come served on old cafeteria trays. Menu also says something like "almost all of our items can be sized down for kids' meals." Nothing childish about it, though- especially the drink menu. Great cocktails mostly named after Heights streets/schools.

My fifth-of-bourbon sense is kicking in. I prefer partaking in cocktails without children, and am wary of the company of parents that bring their children to adult/bar settings. We’ll see how it pans out, if the bar's vibe is too cool to pass up I may just have to recon when to sneak in a drink in between the play date times.

[heights_yankee]

My fifth-of-bourbon sense is kicking in. I prefer partaking in cocktails without children, and am wary of the company of parents that bring their children to adult/bar settings. We’ll see how it pans out, if the bar's vibe is too cool to pass up I may just have to recon when to sneak in a drink in between the play date times.

I do like my adult time, so I know what you mean. However, I think LK is intentionally set up to be a family friendly restaurant. It's not going to be a Berryhill, where kids are allowed to take the place over, but it's not a strictly adult spot, nor is it a bar.

[s3mh]

My fifth-of-bourbon sense is kicking in. I prefer partaking in cocktails without children, and am wary of the company of parents that bring their children to adult/bar settings. We’ll see how it pans out, if the bar's vibe is too cool to pass up I may just have to recon when to sneak in a drink in between the play date times.

Haven't been to Liberty yet, but Beavers does a nice job of balancing a family friendly menu while having a good drink menu for the adults. Usually, by 9 pm, all the people with kids have gone home to fight bedtime wars, leaving the boozehounds free to roam. And it is just good business in the Heights. If you aren't a Glass Wall and cater too much to the barflies, you will be empty from 6-8. A few dishes for the little ones will bring in a ton of business before the adults hit the town.

[Marksmu]

Haven't been to Liberty yet, but Beavers does a nice job of balancing a family friendly menu while having a good drink menu for the adults. Usually, by 9 pm, all the people with kids have gone home to fight bedtime wars, leaving the boozehounds free to roam. And it is just good business in the Heights. If you aren't a Glass Wall and cater too much to the barflies, you will be empty from 6-8. A few dishes for the little ones will bring in a ton of business before the adults hit the town.

S3MH is right on this one....restaurants in Houston, especially areas like the heights that are rapidly becoming very family oriented are doomed to be fads if they do not offer something for families....Even Cedar Creek is family friendly, and its mostly bar....I've said it a million times - if you don't want to dine around children then you need to eat only at very expensive restaurants, or late....families have as much a right to be there as people who don't have kids.

I did not know Liberty Kitchen was going to be family friendly....now that I know that, I am inclined to go much sooner, and hopefully more often, than I had planned....I was thinking I needed to line up a babysitter for pretty much all decent seafood places in Houston.

[callisthenes]

The report of the Liberty Kitchen cool/funky bar with “kid-friendly” menu and cocktails named after schools was dissonant to me, especially understanding that the layout of BRC (the group’s last venture) is bar-centric. I am probably a bit paranoid about the “Berryhillification” of local joints; if you really want to expose your children to alcohol early in life, cut to the chase and go hang out at Shiloh Club .

So I reconnoitered the place last night, since it’s only a block away from my lair. As the name implies, Liberty Kitchen is kitchen-centric. The bar is actually more of a diner counter, or their upscale take on it, with the kitchen immediately behind it. With a fair number of booths, the layout and vibe are more conducive than BRC is to the tastes of Heights parents and their kids. So is the menu, as others have observed. If your kids are screaming for an upscale dining experience to salve the proletarian sting of another night of mac and cheese, chicken fingers or Whataburger, then by all means make reservations now.

Drinks are good, and they are named after local personalities (i.e. Hogg, Reagan) or schools if you prefer. Wine selection is extensive enough for fickle palettes. Karbach beers are on tap. The food is also good, the dishes on offer are reminiscent of BRC. It will take me some time to get a fair and broad sampling, but I had a shrimp remoulade sandwich that hit the right notes. And the menu says they are open for breakfast from 8am on weekends. Service is also good, and that’s a sign of good staff and management, considering they are still in the first week. They are still working through some things, but the place is sure to settle into a groove soon.

[Marksmu]

if you really want to expose your children to alcohol early in life, cut to the chase and go hang out at Shiloh Club .

I never saw the point of shielding your kids from Alcohol...It is everywhere and they have to learn about it at some point....I have an 18 month old, and I have drink before dinner and a glass of wine with dinner - every night. We just call it daddy's juice.

While I am excited about the possibility of bringing my child to this restaurant, at this phase in her life its not a practical reality....I am conscious of her behavior around others and right now I am fully aware that 15 minutes at the table is all I can expect from her without a total break down..thus we do not currently eat out. Hopefully by the time she can actually talk we can work up to getting to eat out again - but I certainly welcome a restaurant that welcomes kids, as I hope to one day be able to have nice dinners out again...its about the only thing I miss about not having kids.

[RedScare]

S3MH is right on this one....restaurants in Houston, especially areas like the heights that are rapidly becoming very family oriented are doomed to be fads if they do not offer something for families....

This is why I still read HAIF. You never know when you'll read a gut busting funny comment like this one. A restaurant that doesn't cater to families will become a fad? Really? A quick glance at the 77008 zip code demographics would reveal that 75% of the households here have NO children. Let that sink in a bit. 75% of the homes in the Heights have no kids. Remember, with no kids, these people go out to eat more often (you admitted it yourself). Yet, you believe that restaurants that don't cater to the other 25% who don't eat out as often, are fads.

Brilliant.

Three things that I notice about new parents. First, they think everyone loves their sweet child (we don't). Second, they suddenly think everyone else has kids (we don't). Third, they think restaurant owners love families (as a former restaurant owner, I can unequivocally say they don't). And you wonder why singles and couples always complain about families in restaurants.

[heights_yankee]

Third, they think restaurant owners love families (as a former restaurant owner, I can unequivocally say they don't). And you wonder why singles and couples always complain about families in restaurants.

In the case of this specific restaurant, at least 3 of the 4 business partners are parents. One has 4 kids. Parents who own restaurants often want places they can bring their own kids.

Many families I know in the Heights eat out as much as childless people because often 2 working parents are too tired to cook, or a stay at home mom is too worn out to want to do dishes, yet meal time requires real food, not the kind of swill or bread and water I would have with my bottle of wine before I reproduced.

Where did you get that 75% stat? Not doubting you. Just wondering... In any case, a statistic doesn't take in to account a lot of the gray area important to this particular discussion. There are over 950 families in Heights Kids group. Of the childless homes in the Heights, many of them are elderly and don't eat out much anyway. THere are empty nesters who moved to a small house after their kids were grown, but are still welcoming toward young families. Another group is young couples who, like me, moved to the Heights from a less family friendly area to prepare for starting a family, so they just don't have kids yet.

I think MarkSMU was a little strong in his statement. I would not call Stella Sola particularly family friendly, although I have seen kids dining there, and it does an amazing amount of business. I would say it's here for the long haul. However, a casual dining restaurant will flourish more easily in the Heights if it welcomes and accommodates the needs of families. Of this there is no doubt.

[Marksmu]

This is why I still read HAIF. You never know when you'll read a gut busting funny comment like this one. A restaurant that doesn't cater to families will become a fad? Really? A quick glance at the 77008 zip code demographics would reveal that 75% of the households here have NO children. Let that sink in a bit. 75% of the homes in the Heights have no kids. Remember, with no kids, these people go out to eat more often (you admitted it yourself). Yet, you believe that restaurants that don't cater to the other 25% who don't eat out as often, are fads.

Brilliant.

Three things that I notice about new parents. First, they think everyone loves their sweet child (we don't). Second, they suddenly think everyone else has kids (we don't). Third, they think restaurant owners love families (as a former restaurant owner, I can unequivocally say they don't). And you wonder why singles and couples always complain about families in restaurants.

A few things I notice about people who dislike kids in restaurants 1) they are bitter and relatively unhappy people. 2) They generally don't have kids because nobody wants to be around them long enough to reproduce 3) They believe the world caters to them, 4) No matter what their income level they are snobs.

I also have to agree with the previous comment about the various groups, and I will generalize based upon what I see in the Heights, at the grocery store, on the jogging trail, and actually out at the various restaurants...but out of the people who reside in the Heights, the ones who can afford to go out to eat at places that are not just an ihop - Im talking about the segment not using the check cashing stores - those the service industry are trying to attract....they are generally one or more of the following: 1) young, 2) newlyweds, 3) new parents, 4) professionals....at least half the population still living in the Heights can not afford to eat at places like Stella Sola, Glass Wall, Liberty Kitchen, etc....Out of the remaining half of the residents who can, I would venture to say 20-30% already have kids, and another large segment of that population will eventually have kids.

So while your statistic may be technically correct - I don't put much weight behind it. The Heights is not Washington Avenue...I don't expect a restaurant on Washington to cater to, or in many cases even allow Children, but the Heights....if you have not noticed is trending towards younger working professionals, many of whom have started or are starting families...and that is not going to change no matter what the grouchy kid hating crowd says...

There are not many restaurants that can make it without serving children. That is a fact. If you chose to not serve them, you better be serving up the absolutely best of everything else - because you have alienated an enormous, if not the super majority, of all dining consumers.

[RedScare]

I also have to agree with the previous comment about the various groups, and I will generalize based upon what I see in the Heights, at the grocery store, on the jogging trail, and actually out at the various restaurants...but out of the people who reside in the Heights, the ones who can afford to go out to eat at places that are not just an ihop - Im talking about the segment not using the check cashing stores - those the service industry are trying to attract....they are generally one or more of the following: 1) young, 2) newlyweds, 3) new parents, 4) professionals....at least half the population still living in the Heights can not afford to eat at places like Stella Sola, Glass Wall, Liberty Kitchen, etc....Out of the remaining half of the residents who can, I would venture to say 20-30% already have kids, and another large segment of that population will eventually have kids.

So while your statistic may be technically correct - I don't put much weight behind it. The Heights is not Washington Avenue...I don't expect a restaurant on Washington to cater to, or in many cases even allow Children, but the Heights....if you have not noticed is trending towards younger working professionals, many of whom have started or are starting families...and that is not going to change no matter what the grouchy kid hating crowd says...

There are not many restaurants that can make it without serving children. That is a fact. If you chose to not serve them, you better be serving up the absolutely best of everything else - because you have alienated an enormous, if not the super majority, of all dining consumers.

While I love a good debate, it is not nearly as much fun when the opposing viewpoint proves up my case before I get to respond. You state that 20-30% of the Heights residents who can afford to dine out have kids. Well, my post quoted a statistic that 25% of Heights households have kids. What's your point? You then claim that restaurants that do not cater to kids are alienating an "enormous, if not super majority" of the dining public. Since when did 20-30% of any sample become a super majority? Is that Republican math?

Your anecdotal evidence somewhat proves my point that you see what you want to see. When I hang out at my local Kroger, I see lots of middle aged singles and couples. Oh, sure, there are some kids, but nothing like I see when I visit a grocery store near my suburban office. And, the demographics bear me out. The Heights is known for two groups, gay couples moving from the more expensive Montrose, and empty nesters moving in from the suburbs. Neither of these groups bring kids with them. Just in the 8 years I've lived here, the number of families with kids on my block has dropped from 6 (out of 20 homes) to 2. The predominant group on my block is middle aged singles and couples, 'middle age' being defined as 40s to 60s. However, I am confident that in those parts of the Heights where the housing stock is less expensive that the number of younger couples with kids is higher.

Here is a demographic chart of zip code 77008.

http://www.movoto.com/neighborhood/tx/houston/77008.htm (scroll down to Household Distribution)

You'll note that, of the 12,500 households, only about 2500 have children, or roughly 20%. For comparison purposes, here is the demographic breakdown of zip code 77382 in The Woodlands...

http://www.movoto.com/neighborhood/tx/houston/77382.htm

Note that roughly 60% of households there have children.

Additionally, Claritas, a market research firm, defines the Heights as containing predominantly the following groups...

D

Demographic Profiles of the Heights Area

Young Influentials Once known as the home of the nation's yuppies, the Young Influentials now reflect the fading glow of acquisitive yuppiedom. Today, its young, middle-class singles and couples are more preoccupied with balancing work and leisure pursuits. Having recently left college dorms, they now live in apartment complexes surrounded by ball fields, health clubs and casual-dining restaurants. American Dreams is a living example of how ethnically diverse the nation has become: more than half the residents are Hispanic, Asian or African-American. In these multilingual neighborhoods - one in ten speaks a language other than English - middle-aged immigrants and their children live in middle-class comfort. Multi-Cultural An immigrant gateway community, Multi-Cultural Mosaic is the urban home for a mixed populace of singles and families. With nearly a quarter of the residents foreign born, this segment is a mecca for first-generation Americans who are striving to improve their lower-middle-class status. Home Sweet Home Widely scattered across the nation's suburbs, the residents of Home Sweet Home tend to be upper-middle-class married couples living in mid-sized homes with few children. The adults in the segment, mostly between the ages of 25 and 54, have gone to college and hold professional and white-collar jobs. With their upscale incomes and small families, these folks have fashioned comfortable lifestyles, filling their homes with toys, TV sets and pets..

© Claritas Inc.

Note that young families are nowhere to be found. That is not to say they don't exist, but that they are not a "super majority" as you suggested. They are not even a strong minority. This is why you do not see CiCi's Pizza and other kid friendly restaurants here. There are too few kids to make a go of it. Heights restaurants are not so much 'family friendly' as they are family tolerant. No one makes a killing off kids. The menu items are $2-3. The kids make a mess, taxing wait and bus staff. The parents drink little, if any, alcohol. The profit is in high priced meals, but especially in alcohol. One mixed drink made by one bartender making $2.13 per hour can bring $4 profit (or more). A kid meal is likely break even or sold at a loss. A fine dining restaurant will discourage kids by having no kid menu. A casual restaurant will tolerate them by having some kid items.

[barracuda]

A few things I notice about people who dislike kids in restaurants 1) they are bitter and relatively unhappy people. 2) They generally don't have kids because nobody wants to be around them long enough to reproduce 3) They believe the world caters to them, 4) No matter what their income level they are snobs.

I could post a point-by-point counter argument regarding breeders, but it wouldn't be fair to profile an entire group of people based upon this single attribute.

[TheNiche]

I'm just going to do some quick demographic calculations based on 2011 Census and TEA data. I'll improvise some cross-tabulation to try to get a relevant indication of market size, where the only group that matters is the family status of non-Hispanic adults. It's not perfect, but it should be relevant.

Adults : Children by census tract

3100:531 core houston heights

3256:714 core houston heights

3261:576 core houston heights

2330:519 core houston heights

4361:923 woodland heights

2482:519 norhill

3430:1211 brookesmith

5265:1207 sunset heights

Total Population: 33,685

Hispanic Population: 13,213

Non-Hispanic Population: 20,472

Total Age 0-18 Population: 6,200

(66% non-white, non-asian @ Harvard Elem.)

(88% non-white, non-asian @ Hamilton MS)

(96% non-white, non-asian @ Reagan HS)

Let's just say 85% of students in the Heights area are Hispanic; I think that's lower than actual, and it doesn't even factor in the dropout rate or zoning of less gentrified elementary schools. That leaves 930 students to factor out of the non-Hispanic population, leaving us with 19,542 non-Hispanic adults.

To be conservative I'll assume that each individual non-Hispanic student is an only-child with two parents. That should make up for any private school effects. That means that there would be a maximum potential for 1,860 non-Hispanic parents in the Heights area, or just shy of 10% of the adult non-Hispanic population of the Houston Heights.

(Also of interest: When I looked at Harvard Elementary's data on ethnicity by grade. The white student population halves between the fourth and fifth grade. It's harder to make the comparison from 5th to 6th, unfortunately, due to the school change, but I'd imagine that there's further attrition. Why should any retailer bother to build customer loyalty with people with young children if they're only likely to move away?)

[Ross]

NIche, Harvard isn't really a good analog for the Heights, as something like half the students are zoned to other schools.

Overall, keep in mind that the Heights restaurants pull in folks from Timbergrove, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, etc, and lots of us have kids. We generally won't go somewhere that isn't kid friendly, as our well behaved son goes with us except on special occasions. It's cheaper to feed him a (usually full price) good restaurant meal than it is to hire a baby sitter.