Angostura Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 22 hours ago, Triton said: Hunky Dory and Bernadine's closing! Both of these concepts were very much tied to the chefs that created them. Once both of the them left, closing them was probably the right thing to do. Here's hoping someone snaps up these (still pretty nice) 2nd generation restaurant spaces quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 We Olive opens on Saturday. Alice Blue looks to be in soft opening. Balls Out Burger opened this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/06-19-17-ascension-coffee-dallas-heights-waterworks-braun-enterprises/#slide=0 Braun looks to be moving fast on the Waterworks project. I would say that the Heights is approaching coffee house over saturation, but Ascension is more of a full service cafe/wine bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 On 6/21/2017 at 9:30 AM, s3mh said: http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/06-19-17-ascension-coffee-dallas-heights-waterworks-braun-enterprises/#slide=0 Braun looks to be moving fast on the Waterworks project. I would say that the Heights is approaching coffee house over saturation, but Ascension is more of a full service cafe/wine bar. This was pretty much the concept for Downhouse, which originally opened from 7AM to 2AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights/business/article/Hopdoddy-signs-on-as-tenant-in-Heights-Waterwork-11296852.php?ipid=hpctp I like Hopdoddy . . . . 171 miles away from Houston. It is really time to see some Houston area talent step up and open some new restaurants in the Heights instead of getting infested with additional locations for Dallas, Austin, Denver and Atlanta restaurant concepts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Yes, but all the incentives run the other way. In order to open a restaurant, you need a space, a concept, and money. All of these are finite resources. Sometimes the space drives the concept, but more often, the money does. It's a far less risky proposition to invest in a proven concept (or chef, or partnership) than an unproven one, so the incentive for investors is to replicate existing successful concepts. The incentive for the chef/operator is the same. It's a lot higher return on effort to establish recipes, processes, systems, training, etc. once, and then replicate it than it is to create a new concept for every new location. Back-of-house staff work long hours for a long time for not much money, so when they get a chance to provide for themselves and their families by opening 2nd and 3rd and 15th locations of a successful concept, they have every right to take it. Every wish that a chef-driven concept remain a single location with the chef in the kitchen in reality puts a ceiling (and a pretty low one) on that chef's income. While I love new and interesting and unique restaurants, I'm more interested in getting delicious food made from quality ingredients in a pleasant atmosphere at a reasonable price. If that's in the 2nd Bernie's, or the 2nd Cloud 10, or the 2nd Helen, or the 3rd Superica, or the 5th Hopdoddy, or the 17th Snooze, I'm OK with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 1 hour ago, Angostura said: Yes, but all the incentives run the other way. In order to open a restaurant, you need a space, a concept, and money. All of these are finite resources. Sometimes the space drives the concept, but more often, the money does. It's a far less risky proposition to invest in a proven concept (or chef, or partnership) than an unproven one, so the incentive for investors is to replicate existing successful concepts. The incentive for the chef/operator is the same. It's a lot higher return on effort to establish recipes, processes, systems, training, etc. once, and then replicate it than it is to create a new concept for every new location. Back-of-house staff work long hours for a long time for not much money, so when they get a chance to provide for themselves and their families by opening 2nd and 3rd and 15th locations of a successful concept, they have every right to take it. Every wish that a chef-driven concept remain a single location with the chef in the kitchen in reality puts a ceiling (and a pretty low one) on that chef's income. While I love new and interesting and unique restaurants, I'm more interested in getting delicious food made from quality ingredients in a pleasant atmosphere at a reasonable price. If that's in the 2nd Bernie's, or the 2nd Cloud 10, or the 2nd Helen, or the 3rd Superica, or the 5th Hopdoddy, or the 17th Snooze, I'm OK with that. There are plenty of chefs in Houston who can get the backing to do a new concept in the Heights, even with the steep rise in rents. There are a few in the pipeline. But the commercial leasing agents have a big bias for chains and restaurant groups. My problem with getting the 2nd, 3rd, 5th etc. location is that quality is always compromised when an additional location is added. The 15th Torchy's is a distant relative to the original food truck in Austin. Bakery Lorraine in San Antonio was my favorite spot for breakfast when I was out there for work. But they opened a second location and have seriously dumbed down their menu to help them mass produce. And then there is just the benefit of having a restaurant scene that is doing something new and interesting instead of just making existing restaurants more convenient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 (edited) On 7/19/2017 at 10:19 AM, s3mh said: There are plenty of chefs in Houston who can get the backing to do a new concept in the Heights, even with the steep rise in rents. There are a few in the pipeline. But the commercial leasing agents have a big bias for chains and restaurant groups. My problem with getting the 2nd, 3rd, 5th etc. location is that quality is always compromised when an additional location is added. The 15th Torchy's is a distant relative to the original food truck in Austin. Bakery Lorraine in San Antonio was my favorite spot for breakfast when I was out there for work. But they opened a second location and have seriously dumbed down their menu to help them mass produce. And then there is just the benefit of having a restaurant scene that is doing something new and interesting instead of just making existing restaurants more convenient. Yeah, why can't Houston chefs like Ryan Hildebrand, Mike Tran, Kent Dormas, David Colby, Justin Yu bring new concepts to the Heights? Edited July 20, 2017 by Houston19514 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Mac Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Its becoming more and more difficult for one off concepts due to the investments needed to open. Rent has escalated at an astonishing rate over the last 2 years. Just 2 years ago you could get into a space at around $25 - $29 sq ft. Today those same spaces are now at $50 - $70 sq ft and that's the gross rent not including the NNN's. The larger restaurant groups/chains that have scale have also contributed to the rise in rent rates. This is why you're for the most part only seeing restaurants from out of the city i.e hopdoddy, shake shack, etc. These are huge players with deep deep pockets. If you look around you'll find smaller local restaurants struggling to keep pace with rent and labor increases. A lot of these restaurants arent advertised as struggling publicly but many are up for sale or attempting to have their spaces subleased out. Today's restaurant landscape is a day and night comparison from only a couple of years ago. Expect food prices to keep going up to combat the cost of doing business. Its a perfect storm; buyer habits have changed, cheaper groceries, a down economy combined with what I say is an over saturation of restaurants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Kukuri Japanese Restaurant opened on Washington Ave in Old Sixth Ward. link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/houston.eater.com/platform/amp/2017/8/11/16130166/houston-kukuri-japanese-restaurant-open-washington-avenue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamHouston Posted August 27, 2017 Share Posted August 27, 2017 Justin Yu just opened a place in the Heights, Better Luck Tomorrow at Yale & 6th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Happy Fatz is closing. The owners are going to open a restaurant in Canyon Lake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 2 hours ago, s3mh said: Happy Fatz is closing. The owners are going to open a restaurant in Canyon Lake. Dang! That sucks. Wanted to go back too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 What's Canyon Lake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 20 minutes ago, Texasota said: What's Canyon Lake? A very nice lake near New Braunfels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 On 11/2/2017 at 6:36 PM, gmac said: A very nice lake near New Braunfels. But in this case, I think it refers to a subdivision in Katy, south of I-10, West of 99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 9 minutes ago, Angostura said: But in this case, I think it refers to a subdivision in Katy, south of I-10, West of 99. Ohhhhhhh.... Canyon LakeS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Developer Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 5 hours ago, Angostura said: But in this case, I think it refers to a subdivision in Katy, south of I-10, West of 99. No, pretty sure it is canyon lake, near New Braunfels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatline Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 This new spot looks very close to opening in the Bedford/Stella Sola/Black & White space on Studewood: https://www.maisonpucha.com/story/ Shepard Ross (formerly Glass Wall, currently Pax Americana) is consulting with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 Snooze and Golden Bagels and Coffee are pretty much built out and are staffing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntheKnowHouston Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 The Sitter Group behind King's Bierhaus is bringing another concept to the Heights area. They are planning to open several outlets of King's Kolache Haus. One is slated for the Heights area, but I don't know the exact location. I would be interested in a kolache shop from Revival Market. I don't see that happening any time soon, however with their upcoming concepts in East Village on the boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Maison Pucha is open for dinner. Menu is mostly French classics. We will see whether the jinx can be broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innerloop Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 (edited) New sign for Dunkin' Donuts spotted at the old Schlotzsky's on the northeast corner of Yale and 20th. Or maybe it was a Quiznos? Edited January 3, 2018 by innerloop Possible error. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 The Sunny Food Store was the first off-premise beer/wine licensee in the formerly dry Heights, but the first new establishment to open with an off-premise license if finally set to open: Italian-America Grocery Store, next to Gelazzi. TABC permits were issued all the way back in April of last year. Congrats to owners on the opening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Developer Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 On 1/2/2018 at 7:35 AM, innerloop said: New sign for Dunkin' Donuts spotted at the old Schlotzsky's on the northeast corner of Yale and 20th. Or maybe it was a Quiznos? pretty sure it was a quizno's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 https://houston.eater.com/2018/1/23/16924532/ripe-cuisine-food-truck-permanent-location My vegetarian wife will go nuts for this. I guess this is needed to balance out the food karma of Hugs and Donuts, Pinkerton, Lee's Fried Chicken and other belly busting delights in the neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 23 hours ago, s3mh said: https://houston.eater.com/2018/1/23/16924532/ripe-cuisine-food-truck-permanent-location My vegetarian wife will go nuts for this. I guess this is needed to balance out the food karma of Hugs and Donuts, Pinkerton, Lee's Fried Chicken and other belly busting delights in the neighborhood. Hopdoddy will be just across the patio. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Ascension OUT, Common Bond IN @ Waterworks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Moku Bar (poke bowl place in Conservatory downtown) is opening somewhere on White Oak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Richard Knight is taking over Harold's in the Heights. I liked Chef Ware, but thought that he was phoning it in the past year or two. The menu was a bit watered down (no Beaufort stew) and a little like a high end Luby's. Richard Knight is the best and deserves a good break after the clowns running Treadsack submarined Hunky Dory. http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/03-01-18-harolds-heights-new-chef-richard-knight-feast-hunky-dory-alli-jarrett/#slide=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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