This Week's Hot Headlines

Promising Houston restaurant's surprise shutter leads our top stories

Succulent closed after less than one year in service.

Succulent Fine Dining/Facebook

Editor's note: It's time to catch up on the top Houston news of the week, beginning with two sudden restaurant closures, followed by four exciting openings. Read on for our most popular stories, then visit our guide to the best weekend events.

1. Parking problems shutter Houston restaurant after less than a year. A promising Houston restaurant has closed after less than a year. Succulent Fine Dining served its last meal on February 5.

2. Houston barbecue joint will soon shutter due to $72,000 of unpaid rent. Unpaid rent is forcing a Houston barbecue joint to shutter its brick-and-mortar location, but the restaurant’s popular catering business will live on.

3. Exclusive: Houston restaurateur brings two new Italian spots to Montrose. A veteran Houston restaurateur has claimed a prime Montrose location for two new establishments. Brasserie 19 owner Charles Clark will expand his portfolio with two Italian restaurants, a fast casual eatery, called Carlo, and a fine dining concept, called Casa Carlo.

Casa Carlo Michael Hoffman Davide De Angelis Charles Clark Michael Hoffman, Davide De Angelis, and Charles Clark are partnering on Carlo and Casa Carlo. Photo by Kennon Evett

4. Michelin-recognized Houston sushi chef fires up 4-seat Japanese skewer spot. The team behind one of Houston’s Michelin-recognized sushi restaurants is opening an intimate new izakaya. Sip & Skewer is the newest concept from Hidden Omakase owner Tuan Tran and chef Marcos Juarez.

5. Iconic Houston Tex-Mex restaurant will reopen in new Third Ward project. An iconic Houston Tex-Mex restaurant that closed in 2023 will return to service next year. Spanish Village will reopen as part of a new development on its former site on Almeda Road.

most popular stories closings openings top stories

love on a budget

Texas makes top 10 for most affordable date nights in the U.S.

Photo by Christina Griffin/WDR Imagery

undefined

Finding love on a budget has never been easier in Texas, which was just ranked one of the top 10 states with the most affordable date costs in the country.

Texans spend about $81 on average for a typical date night, which is the 10th cheapest cost out of all 50 states, according to a new study from dating advice platform Muse.

The report compared statewide costs for a date based on the average price of a restaurant meal for two and the average price of a soft drink, domestic beer, and a bottle of wine. Muse additionally extrapolated total costs across "basic," "standard," and "premium" dinner date tiers. Pricing data was provided from consumer pricing database Numbeo on February 2, 2026.

Texas' typical dinner date cost is nearly $11 lower than the $91.75 national average.

This is how the analysis broke down the average price of a dinner date in Texas:

Mid-range restaurant meal for two: $66.67
Soft drink: $2.47
Domestic beer: $6
Bottle of wine: $13.41

Based on these figures, Muse determined that the cost of a "basic" date in Texas – defined as "a three-course meal for two and two soft drinks" – adds up to $71.61. Texans spend an average $78.17 for a "standard" date, meaning the same three-course meal but sub in two domestic beers instead of soft drinks. "Premium" dates for couples, who splurge on a bottle of wine with their meal, will rack up a $93.49 bill at the end of the night, the data says.

Houstonians have extra bragging rights considering the city is conveniently home to one of the most romantic restaurants in America.

States with the most and least expensive date costs
West Virginia topped the list with the most affordable date nights in the U.S., with the typical date costing $60.22, far lower than the national average. Hawaii, on the other hand, is the most expensive state for dinner date in the nation. The average cost for a date in the Aloha state will set couples back by $144.24.

"People often assume it’s the drinks that make date nights expensive, but it’s really the meal that changes everything," a Muse spokesperson said. "Depending on where you live, the same dinner for two could cost twice as much, and that adds up fast when you're planning something special for Valentine’s Day. No matter the price tag, what matters most is the time spent together, but knowing where your dollar stretches further never hurts."

Celebrating love doesn't have to revolve around going out for dinner. There are many ways to surprise your sweetheart that don't involve going out to eat, like visiting a local museum or going on a romantic retreat elsewhere around Texas.

The top 10 most affordable states for a dinner date with their average costs are:

No. 1 – West Virginia ($60.22)
No. 2 – North Dakota ($65.67)
No. 3 – Minnesota ($68.33)
No. 4 – Alabama ($69.74)
No. 5 – Mississippi ($74.37)
No. 6 – Illinois ($74.97)
No. 7 – Kansas ($75.14)
No. 8 – Georgia ($76)
No. 9 – Wyoming ($78.50)
No. 10 – Texas ($81.09)

texas reports dating restaurants