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    New Downtown Bar

    Worth Watching: New addition to downtown bar boom in historic building focuses on classic cocktails

    Eric Sandler
    Apr 21, 2015 | 12:00 pm

    Downtown Houston's bar boom shows no signs of slowing down. In the last few months, the bar scene has grown beyond its home on the 300 block of Main with new arrivals like Henke & Pillot in Market Square, the duo of The Commoner and The Boulevardier in the former Clutch City Squire space, craft beer joint Bovine and Barley and the relocated Barringer Bar.

    Last weekend, another new establishment has joined their ranks.

    "Our plan is to be the new Warren's," Bogle says. "Maybe not to replace it, but to add a second Warren's to the neighborhood."

    Meet Houston Watch Company. Located in the lobby of the Bayou Lofts on Franklin St., the bar is named after a retail establishment that occupied the space 100 years ago. Co-owner Erik Bogle is a veteran bartender, with stints at places like Rudyard's and Catbird's. Bogle met his business partner Ryan Clark when he left the hospitality industry for the stability of oil and gas, but both men decided to ditch their office jobs and open a bar together.

    "I'm happy to be back in the bar business," Bogle tells CultureMap. "It's like a homecoming for me."

    Inside, Bogle and Clark performed the restoration work themselves; they've had the keys to the property since August, but the renovations took time. Improvements include removing paint from the oak-paneled walls and carpet from the wooden stairs. Both the railing along the second story balcony and the tile floor are original. The upstairs features a lounge seating area as well as chairs purchased from the Petroleum Club auction.

    The women's restroom features a two-ton safe that originally stored watches (I knocked before entering to grab a picture).

    For now, Houston Watch Company's focus is on delivering well-executed classic cocktails, including four variations on an Old Fashioned made with different base spirits (rye, sotol, rum and bourbon). Bogle and Clark have plans to grow their offerings over time with more housemade ingredients, but patrons are already responding to two things they're making.

    The bar serves a strawberry shrub made with fruit that Bogle and his wife picked during a visit to farmers market favorite Wood Duck Farm in Cleveland, Texas. Bogel's coffee bitters have proven so popular that the rum Old Fashioned may come off the menu for a bit in order to allow him to make more to meet the demand.

    Five taps feature craft beer, which is supplemented with a tidy selection of bottled beers that on Sunday included the highly coveted Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 9. Former Mark's sommelier Cat Nguyen is helping craft the bar's wine list.

    During its soft opening, Bogle says most of his customers came from either the 100-plus unit loft building above him or neighboring offices. He and Clark are certain enough they'll be able to build on that support that they purchased the space outright, condo-style, rather than sign a lease and risk increases.

    "Our plan is to be the new Warren's," Bogle says. "Maybe not to replace it, but to add a second Warren's to the neighborhood."

    Co-owner Erik Bogle shows off his strawberry shrub.

    Houston Watch Company downtown bar Erik Bogle
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    Co-owner Erik Bogle shows off his strawberry shrub.
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    news/restaurants-bars

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    Feeding Queen Bey

    Houston restaurant served Beyoncé a Southern feast for her first meal in H-Town

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 28, 2025 | 2:38 pm
    Taste Kitchen + Bar surf and turf
    Courtesy of Taste Kitchen + Bar
    The group feasted on a surf and turf of lobster tails and jerk lamb chops.

    One of Houston’s most prominent Black-owned restaurants gave Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and her family their first taste of the Bayou City. On Friday night, the party ordered an extensive spread from Taste Kitchen + Bar, the restaurant in downtown known for its chicken and waffles and other Southern-inspired fare.

    Check out the spread, as shared by Beyoncé cousin Angie Beyince to her over 320,000 Instagram followers.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Angie Beyince (@angiebeyince)


    A representative provided CultureMap with the complete order, which included all of the following dishes:

    • Surf & Turf (Jerk lamb chops and deep fried lobster)
    • Fried lobster tail
    • Jerk lamb chops
    • Taste of New Orleans (Blackened or fried catfish and shrimp)
    • Taste of Soul (Smothered chicken with collard greens and candied yams)
    • Chicken & Waffles
    • Lobster Mac & Cheese
    • Sides: Yams, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Braised Collard Greens
    • Desserts: Whiskey Butter Cake, Cheesecake, and Deep-fried waffle bread pudding

    Taste chef-owner Don Bowie credits his friend, ALife Hospitality co-owner JR Martins, for suggesting Taste to Beyoncé and her party.

    “His support meant a lot, and the opportunity to represent our city in that way was something I didn’t take lightly,” Bowie said. “It truly spoke to the spirit of how we lift each other up in Houston. When we later heard that they loved the food, it was a moment of sincere gratitude and pride.”

    Queen Bey, of course, is in town for two sold-out performances of her Cowboy Carter tour at NRG Stadium. Houston restaurants are celebrating the occasion with a number of food and drink specials. CultureMap also consulted with Houston fashion experts about how to craft the perfect Cowboy Carter look.




    Taste Kitchen + Bar surf and turf
      

    Courtesy of Taste Kitchen + Bar

    The group feasted on a surf and turf of lobster tails and jerk lamb chops.

    celebritiesbeyoncenews-you-can-eat
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    Casual River Oaks restaurant closure leads our top stories this week

    Houston fave Frank Billingsley's house hits the market for $1.5 million

    Casual River Oaks restaurant will shutter after 10 years

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