give this all your lovin'

Houston restaurateur teams up with Billy Gibbons for ZZ Top tribute Tex-Mex cafe

A well-established hospitality group's new project will combine two things Houstonians love: Tex-Mex and ZZ Top. Delicious Concepts, the company behind Pink's Pizza, Lola Diner, and others, announced that it's converting Shepherd Park Draught House into Tres Amigos Cafe y Cantina (3402 N. Shepherd Dr.).

Slated to open around April 22, the new restaurant will feature a Tex-Mex menu of tacos, burritos, chips and queso, and "classic combo plates," according to a release.

As its name implies, the restaurant also serves as an homage to legendary Houston rock band ZZ Top. Tres Hombres, the band's third album, became its commercial breakthrough, reaching number eight on the Billboard 200 and regularly ranking among the greatest rock albums of all time. Delicious Concepts owner Ken Bridge and his wife Christina have decorated Tres Amigos with items from their extensive collection of ZZ Top memorabilia.

The restuarant's name also represents the three friends who are collaborating on the project. Bridge recruited ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons and Pura Vida Tequila founder Stewart Skloss to join him as non-financial partners in the venture. Tres Amigos will serve margaritas made with Pura Vida and will eventually feature cocktails made with spirits from Skloss' upcoming Luckenbach Road Whiskey Distillery.

In addition to serving as a venue for eating and drinking, Tres Amgios will have a charitable component as well. The restaurant will donate 75 percent of its proceeds to the St. Jude Foundation in Bridge, Skloss, and Gibbons' names.

"The three of us have tinkered with the idea of doing a 'hole in the wall' Tex-Mex cantina that could house some of my and Billy's favorite pieces in a casual atmosphere that serves classic Tex-Mex, while benefiting the St. Jude Foundation," Bridge said in a statement. Later, he added, "Christina and I are absolutely thrilled to be supporting such an amazing organization and to continue to give back to those in our company who have contributed so much to our success over the years."

Tres Amigos is the second new concept Bridge has announced in the last two weeks. He closed Ritual, his Southern-inspired steakhouse in The Heights, on Easter Sunday. It will soon be replaced by Mapojeong Galbijib, an upscale Korean BBQ concept.

The restaurant will serve classic Tex-Mex like enchiladas.

Courtesy of Delicious Concepts

The restaurant will serve classic Tex-Mex like enchiladas.

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J.J.'s hot takes

Texans legend J.J. Watt drops 'controversial' crawfish take on soccer podcast

Courtesy of FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee

J.J. Watt discussed Houston's food scene on Men in Blazers.

“If you’re checking your watch, I’m on food talk now, so we’re going to be awhile.”

With that comment, former Houston Texans star and future Pro Football Hall of Famer J.J. Watt launched into an epic tribute to Houston’s dynamic food scene. Speaking with host Roger Bennett on the globally-renown soccer podcast Men in Blazers, Watt spent about 15 minutes introducing the show’s audience to many of the cuisines and restaurants that Houstonians love.

“When you look at this singular city, at Houston, what is it in your mind that makes it great — that the world is going to see this summer,” Bennett asks at approximately the 1:45 mark.

“Food,” Watt replies. “Truthfully, we have great, great food. I have always said that Houston is one of the most underrated food cities in the world. People that come here are going to get fatter.”

Encouraged by Bennett to “go deeper” into the topic, Watt offered more than 20 suggestions for restaurants to try. They included:

Breakfast tacos at Island Grill and Pappas Bar-B-Q
Barbecue at Killen’s Barbecue
Burgers at Becks Prime, The Burger Joint, and Killen’s Burgers
Seafood at Pappadeaux

Watt told an entertaining anecdote about Trill Burgers, the smash burger concept from Houston hip-hop legend Bun B.

“Trill Burgers, they put something in there that can’t be legal,” Watt quipped. “I’ve talked to Bun B. It’s like crack, okay? He gave me one of those burgers. When I came back from the Ring of Honor at the Texans, they put Trill Burgers in our suite. There were six, and there were 12 people in the suite. I had four of them. Everyone else had to fight over two burgers.”

Asked about crawfish, Watt dropped an opinion that he acknowledged would be controversial. “You’re not going to like,” he told the 300-person, sold-out crowd.

“That’s a lot of work. Then they tell you to suck the head. I’ll be honest. Didn’t do a lot for me,” Watt stated. “Look at this [points to himself]. The amount of crawfish you have to break and eat. When they dump it all out, I have to have my own 9-foot table. Nobody has the time to break that many crawfish open and suck the heads on every one.”

Watt appeared on the show as part of its Houston episode that marked 99 days until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Houston Rockets icon and Basketball Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon also appeared on the show, which was recorded at Rice University.

Houston will host seven matches from June 14 - July 4, including five in the group stage and one each in the round of 32 and the round of 16. Find more details about the tournament and local celebrations at the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee website.

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