Beloved Diner Shutters

Once-beloved 24-hour diner with lots of good memories shutters

The list of Houston restaurants open 24 hours a day got a little shorter on Monday. All three remaining locations of 59 Diner appear to have closed permanently, the Houston Press reports.

A sign posted at the door of the Farnham location states that the restaurant is "closed for remodeling." A woman who identified herself as a server stopped by the Farnham location this morning. She said none of the employees knew that the restaurant was about to close.

While the typical outpouring of grief for the once-beloved restaurant has spread over social media, the 59 Diner of so many post-prom hangouts, late night study sessions, and other teenage rights of passage in the ‘90s barely resembles the restaurant as it existed until Monday.

An expansion to Shenandoah north of The Woodlands that opened last summer only lasted about six months, with consistent reports of subpar food and indifferent service. Yelp reviews for the three locations that just closed tell similar tales.

Meanwhile, Houstonians can get their greasy spoon fix at any number of better options, including House of Pies, Dot Coffee Shop, Harry’s Restaurant & Cafe, and the Tel-Wink Restaurant & Grill.

Just before 11 am on Tuesday morning, the 59 Diner parking lot was empty. Next door, a small line had begun to form at the recently opened Halal Guys. Whether the NYC-based hot spot will achieve 59 Diner's longevity remains to be seen, but, in 2016, it appears to fit more closely with the food Houstonians want to eat.

A poorly-spelled note informs passers-by that the restaurant has closed.

Photo by Eric Sandler

A poorly-spelled note informs passers-by that the restaurant has closed.

closings news-you-can-eat

family-friendly outdoor bar

Massive, German-inspired beer garden coming to new Energy Corridor project

Photo by Eric Sandler

The new beer garden will be similar to Katy Beer Garden.

One of Houston’s most successful bar operators is bringing his talents to the Energy Corridor. Steven Salazar is opening Ashford Beer Garden at the Ashford Yard mixed-use development.

Slated to open in early 2026, Ashford Beer Garden will build on the success Salazar has had with Katy Beer Garden, the project he opened last summer at The Dryer, a mixed-use development on the property of Katy’s historic Cardiff Rice Dryer. Like KBG, Ashford Beer Garden will be large — roughly 21,000 square feet — divided into a 10,000-square-foot indoor beer hall with a companion cocktail bar and a 11,000-square-foot outdoor beer garden that’s shaded by trees.

“We’re sticking with that Bavarian charm,” Salazar says about his vision for Ashford Beer Garden. “Bring your family. It’s really relaxed. The kids are playing. You have multiple generations hanging out. It’s worked well in Katy. We’re excited to bring it to a new area.”

Of course, the new project will make some improvements on the original. Most importantly, Ashford will have a full kitchen (KBG mostly relies on food trucks and a nearby food court). Salazar says he’s looking for a chef to lead the kitchen.

In response to customer demand for private event space, Ashford Beer Garden will also have a larger second floor patio than KBG does. The beer garden will have a larger screen to make it easier for people to watch sports.

Located on the site of a former Schlumberger campus near the intersection of Dairy Ashford Rd. and Briar Forest Dr., Ashford Yard is a 12.7-acre development that will include apartments, restaurants, and retail tenants. Salazar says he found his values aligned with the projects developers, Houston real estate firms Market Square Companies and Tenon Property Company.

“We have a similar vision of quality for the community and creating a space and having great neighbors. Not being a strip center but a true development that’s above and beyond what the area has to offer,” Salazar says. Later, he adds, “It seems great for us to be surrounded by companies such as Shell and Baker Hughes and all these great neighborhoods."

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