Editor’s note: Readers turn to CultureMap to stay informed on all the latest Houston restaurant news, but some stories grab more people’s attention than others. As always, closings rank highly, taking seven of the 10 places on this list. What’s notable is that the closings included both restaurants open for more than 25 years as well as a steakhouse that closed in less than two years. While the results are mostly doom-and-gloom, we found joy in one of America’s most famous former athletes surprising the diners at popular Houston restaurant — and leaving one lucky waiter a tip worth celebrating.
Here are the 10 most-read CultureMap restaurant and bar stories of 2025.
1. Houston chef breaks his silence on sudden exit from Woodlands restaurant. Speaking exclusively to CultureMap, chef Austin Simmons explained the reasons for his surprising departure from Tris, including a dispute with the restaurant’s owner over interior renovations. After taking some time to focus on his Chef & Rancher beef company, Simmons announced in September that he’ll open Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons in the Hughes Landing district. Scheduled to open in April, the restaurant will also have a companion butcher shop that sells meat from Chef & Rancher.
2. Pioneering Houston Mexican restaurant will shutter after 44 years. Chef Arnaldo Richards announced his intention to close his Mexican restaurant Picos. He cited a number of factors, including a decline in business and the death of his brother Alex. Due to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Houstonians, Picos extended its closing until early 2026.
3. Houston restaurant served Beyoncé a Southern feast for her first meal in H-Town. When Beyoncé Knowles-Carter returned to Houston for two sold-out shows at NRG Stadium, she and her family turned to downtown restaurant Taste Kitchen + Bar for a Southern feast. The epic spread included jerk lamb chops with deep-fried lobster, smothered chicken with collard greens, and the restaurant’s signature chicken and waffles. Later that weekend, Taste chef-owner Don Bowie shared a photo with Jay-Z.
4. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. The NBA Hall-of-Famer, media personality, and restaurateur dined at Ninfa’s Uptown in July. Sitting in the main dining room, he posed for pictures with both fans and the restaurant’s staff. After dining on crispy tacos, he left his server a very generous tip.
5. James Harden's Houston restaurant locked out over $2.2 million in unpaid rent. The former Houston Rocket’s tenure as a restaurant owner came to an abrupt end in September, when the building’s landlord locked out Thirteen for non-payment of rent. Harden opened Thirteen in 2021, shortly after he left the Rockets for the Brooklyn Nets. In July, he signed a two-year, $81.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
6. Award-winning Houston steakhouse will close after only 2 years. Although it has achieved success and spots in the Michelin Guide with both Candente and The Pit Room, Sambrooks Hospitality couldn’t find an audience for Andiron, its live fire steakhouse in Montrose. Even after pivoting to a more affordable menu, Andiron wasn’t financially viable. New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre claimed the space for Casa Kenji, a new seafood restaurant that blends Japanese and Latin influences.
7. Surprise chef resignation shutters The Woodlands' best restaurant. Chef Austin Simmons took two spots in this year’s top 10. The sudden closure of Tris, a fine dining steakhouse that drew celebrities such as Joe Rogan, shocked the Houston community. Bari Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in River Oaks District, will open its second location in the space in early 2026.
8. Top-rated Houston restaurant will close after 8 years in Montrose. Chef Ryan Lachaine cited the increased costs of operating a restaurant when he announced he would close Riel at the end of August. Food enthusiasts and hospitality workers flooded the restaurant for one final meal of caviar tots, pierogies, and other fan favorites. Lachaine found a new position as the executive chef of River Oaks restaurants State of Grace.
9. Beloved Houston Italian restaurant will close after 27 years in Montrose. Surely one of this year’s saddest closures is Paulie’s, the Italian restaurant in Montrose, and its companion wine bar Camerata. Owner Paul Petronella said he was unable to agree on lease terms with the building’s landlord. Since the announcement, fans have lined up for one last meal of pastas, salads, and decorated shortbread cookies.
10. Meet the men behind Houston's most under-the-radar Italian restaurant. In this episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Mimo owners Mike Sammons and chef Fernando Rios share how working together at Da Marco became the basis of a friendship and business partnership. In addition to discussing their decision to open Mimo and how it has achieved success, the episode also includes insights from both men on Marco Wiles, the pioneering Houston chef and restaurateur behind Da Marco, Vinoteca Poscol, and the late, lamented Dolce Vita pizzeria.
Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.
