11 things to know

11 Houston restaurant reopenings and closings to know about right now

Editor’s note: With the turbulent state of the restaurant industry, it can be difficult to keep track of which restaurants are currently open. Here’s a quick round up of reopenings and closings — both temporary and permanent — that may be of interest to CultureMap readers.

Rosie Cannonball isn’t ready to reopen its interior for dine-in, but the Montrose restaurant has a new offering for those who want to dine al fresco. The Spritz Patio utilizes a covered, outdoor space at sister concept Goodnight Charlie’s as a venue to serve a menu of cocktails, savory Mediterranean-inspired dishes, and frozen treats.

The menu, a collaboration between the chef teams for Rosie Cannonball and March (Goodnight’s highly anticipated tasting menu restaurant), includes a selection of shareable items such as arancini, frito misto, and “spreads & breads” such as chicken liver mousse with baguette. For dessert, choose from a selection of gelato and sorbet bars (hello, "Mint Fudgsicle"). Beverage options include cocktails, wines by-the-glass, beers, and smoothies.

The patio is open Wednesday - Sunday. Rosie Cannonball also remains open for delivery and to-go.

Pinstripes, the Upper Kirby bar and restaurant that offers both bowling and bocce, reopens Friday, July 17. With 30,000 square feet of indoor space plus a large patio, the venue presents itself as a safe way for people to socialize while dining on the restaurant’s Italian-American menu. In addition, Pinstripes is offering to-go family meals that includes gift cards good towards a future visit.

Heights hand roll restaurant Handoreopened for to-go service on Wednesday, July 15. Diners will also find the restaurant's sushi rolls and small plates on third party delivery apps.

Sixty Vines, the wine bar and restaurant in Rice Village, resumed dine-in service on Monday, July 13. The restaurant features an Italian-inspired menu as well as 60 wines on tap.

Speaking of wine-driven pizzerias, Crisp reopened for dine-in service on Wednesday, July 15. The Shady Acres favorite closed on July 7 after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

Also in Shady Acres, Bungalow Heightsannounced on social media that it has reopened for dine-in service after applying for the necessary permits to operate as a restaurant.

Monkey’s Tail reopened for dine-in service on July 7 after a two-week hiatus. The Mexican-inspired, modern ice house has expanded its patio to give patrons more options for outdoor dining.

Craft beer favorite Moon Tower Innreopened for to-go service on Monday, July 13. Get a wild game sausage or burger from 4 - 11 pm daily.

Earthcraft Juicery has reopened its location in Midtown’s Drewery Place luxury high-rise. In addition to juices, Earthcraft also offers smoothies and acai bowl.

Boomtown Coffee has permanently closed its downtown location on Main Street. “We're so grateful for all of your support over the years, and are excited for new opportunities even as this one comes to a close. Thanks for everything,” the cafe wrote in a social media post announcing the closure.

Originally the Honeymoon Cafe, Boomtown took over the space in 2018. The company’s other locations in downtown’s Understory food court and the Heights remain open.

Theodore Rex, the elevated downtown restaurant from James Beard Award winner Justin Yu, temporarily closed on Sunday, July 12, “so that the restaurant and our staff can take a moment to breathe and take care of themselves,” the restaurant wrote on social media. It expects to reopen in two weeks.

Monkey's Tail has reopened.

Photo by Shannon O'Hara

Monkey's Tail has reopened.

news-you-can-eat closings openings

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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