• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    New Restaurants

    Houston's most anticipated new restaurants — from best bakery to BBQ, and caviar, too!

    Eric Sandler
    Jan 2, 2014 | 9:43 am

    Even in what felt like a down year for high-profile restaurant openings, Houston's vibrant scene produced a solid mix of new restaurants that have improved diners' choices. That trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2014. Even going by what's already been announced, a mix of well-established operators and intriguing newcomers are poised to make significant contributions.

     

    What's coming? A second-act from a chef who's previous restaurant earned national acclaim, an attempt to open the best bakery in America and a barbecue joint that aims to knock off Austin's Franklin BBQ as Texas' best.

     

    Two caveats before the list: First, these are the most intriguing restaurants that have already been announced for 2014. Other, still unannounced restaurants may emerge that are also exciting. Know of one? Fire off an email. Second, lots of things can delay projected opening dates. What follows is currently correct but should be considered subject to change.

     

    Still intrigued? Read on.

     

     Foreign Correspondents/Hunky Dory

     

    Since they're opening in the same location, let's group the new two restaurants from the Treadsack folks (Down House, D&T Drive-Inn) together. At Hunky Dory, former Feast chef Richard Knight will team up with Down House's Benjy Mason to open a tavern built around what Knight calls a "very big, sexy, wood-burning grill." The menu will feature a mix of Feast's rustic, European cuisine with a few steakhouse style dishes in a casual, neighborhood atmosphere.

     

     At Foreign Correspondents, fishmonger P.J. Stoops will move into the kitchen to create Northern Thai cuisine. How committed is Stoops to authenticity? He recently tweeted a picture of Thai chickens he's raising to use at the restaurant. Stoops will host the third pop-up to preview Foreign Correspondents on Jan. 11 from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m at D&T. Knight and Mason showed a few Hunky Dory-style dishes at a dinner at D&T during Houston Beer Week. Expect more pop-ups as the projected fall openings draw near.

     

    Together, they're a big, ambitious plan to open two high-profile restaurants in a neighborhood that's increasingly becoming a dining destination; just don't call it an empire.

     

     Holley's

     

    Former Pesce chef Mark Holley has decidedly fine dining aspirations for his new Midtown seafood restaurant. When he announced his plans to take over the former Sushi Raku space, Holley told CultureMap he wants to "reintroduce caviar to Houston" as part of an extensive raw bar. The food from the open kitchen will feature Holley's Creole training, and service will match the high standards Holley has for his food. Construction should begin in February, and Holley hopes to be open in April or May.

     

     Common Bond

     

    Pastry chef Roy Shvartzapel has a simple goal for Common Bond, the bakery he's set to open in February at the corner of Westheimer and Dunlavy. He wants it to be "the best bakery in America" and has recruited an all-star roster of talent from his stints at various Michelin-starred eateries across the country to help him achieve that goal. Every aspect of the facility has been carefully planned, including a climate-controlled pastry room; no more blaming Houston's humidity for inferior baked goods. While the opening has been pushed back from Shvartzapel's initial goal of being open by Thanksgiving, the images from recipe testing on Common Bond's Facebook page are absolutely mouth watering. Just look at that croissant!

     

     Killen's BBQ

     

    A year ago, Ronnie Killen was known for serving great steaks and feeding the Houston Texans top-ranked defense. How quickly things change! Although Killen still serves great steaks, he's also earned a reputation as one of Houston's top pitmasters thanks to a weekly pop-up that started in March. Located in a renovated building that once housed the Pearland ISD school cafeteria, the permanent home of Killen's BBQ will open in January. Whether being able to get Killen's top-notch brisket and beef ribs during the week will do anything to tame the hour-plus weekend waits remains to be seen, but regular hours should help him achieve his goal of dethroning Franklin BBQ as the best in Texas. Now, how about fixing that defense?

     

     Museum Park Cafe/Bosta Coffee & Wine

     

    Just as real estate developer Christopher Balat partnered with pastry chef Chris Leung on Cloud 10 Creamery because he wanted a banana split, Balat explains that he's opening Museum Park Cafe and Bosta Coffee & Wine in his Parc Binz building because he wanted a neighborhood restaurant and coffee shop he could walk to. Set to open in May, Museum Park Cafe will be a reasonably priced restaurant that Balat says will serve "really well-done dishes that the neighborhood can be proud of." Bosta will have a lighter menu and feature Greenway Coffee. Leung is consulting on the menu, so, of course, the desserts will be outstanding.

     

     Punk's Simple Southern Food

     

    Having successfully launched Coppa Osteria in Rice Village, Charles Clark, Grant Cooper and chef Brandi Key can turn their attention to next door neighbor Punk's Simple Southern Food. Set to open in February, Punk's features Key's re-imagined takes on classic Southern dishes from her childhood. Sweet corn hushpuppies, meatloaf and okra all have places on the menu. Wood-fired and raw oysters will emerge from a 50-foot long bar that will run the length of the dining room. Naturally, fried chicken is coming, too: served family style on butcher paper with all the fixin's.

     

     Bernie's Burger Bus Stop

     

    Add Bernie's Burger Bus to the list of food trucks opening brick and mortar locations. Set to open this spring, Bernie's Burger Bus Stop will feature the signature burgers and fries that have made the bus Houston's most popular food truck along with rarely seen specials like lobster rolls and new additions that will include milkshakes (with and without alcohol). Unlike food trucks like Good Dog or the Eatsie Boys which have relegated their trucks to catering duty once the storefront opens, Bernie's buses will still be rolling after the Bus Stop arrives; it will serve as a central kitchen so that owner Justin Turner can maintain quality. One other twist: Turner tells Eater that he's working with design firm Collaborative Projects to include a bus inside the restaurant to maintain the food truck experience.

     

     Bradley's Fine Diner/Ogden's Pour Society

     

    With Funky Chicken open and his last restaurant in Las Vegas closed, Bradley Ogden can turn his attention to the two other restaurants he plans to debut in Houston.

     

    In March, Bradley's Fine Diner will open in the same Heights-area strip center as Funky Chicken; it will feature a fine-dining spin on comfort food classics with a full bar. In May, gastropub Ogden's Pour Society will open in the Gateway Memorial City development that's already home to the fourth Churrascos and steakhouse Vallone's.

     

    While Ogden resides in the Bay Area, his son Bryan has moved to Houston to manage the projects and forge the necessary relationships with local purveyors. Fine Diner may be a new concept, but a version of Pour Society saw life as Hops & Harvest in Las Vegas, where it received generally strong reviews; hopefully, these two new restaurants open to similar acclaim.

     

     Preview: Modern Seafood

     

    Sushi chef Jason Liao fled Austin for Sugar Land to open his vision of a sushi-inspired seafood restaurant where the menu changes to reflect seasonal ingredients. While opening in a suburban strip center near a grocery store and a Chinese buffet doesn't sound like a recipe for success, Preview will only have 38 seats. Surely there are that many people per night in the fast-growing suburb who want something different than California rolls and spicy tuna. Liao will put that theory to the test when Preview opens in February; in the meantime, his Instagram feed occasionally features some intriguing looking dishes.

    At Punk's Simple Southern Food, chef Brandi Key will serve re-imagined Southern classics.

    Punk's Simple Southern Food December 2013 meal
      
    Photo by © Debora Smail
    At Punk's Simple Southern Food, chef Brandi Key will serve re-imagined Southern classics.
    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    something to talk about

    Country star Koe Wetzel opens new location of his lively bar in Houston

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 1, 2025 | 4:15 pm
    Koe Wetzel Riot Room Houston
    Photo by Motion Theory Media
    The pickup truck on the front of the building makes it easy to spot.

    One of Texas country’s rising stars has brought his lively bar to Houston. Koe Wetzel’s Riot Room opened last month in Midtown.

    Located at the former Electric Feelgood space (2416 Brazos Street), the Houston location of Riot Room builds on the success of the Fort Worth original that opened in 2023. Known for his outlaw country swagger, including his 2022 release, Hell Paso, that debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, Koe Wetzel partnered with Fort Worth hospitality veteran Emil Bragdon to bring the Riot Room to life. It consistently ranks as one of Fort Worth’s highest-grossing bars.

    At over 8,000 square feet, the Houston Riot Room has considerably more space than the original. Wetzel and his team have used that to their advantage, expanding on the country music dance hall theme with details such as:

    • A seating area made from a full-sized pontoon boat
    • A DJ booth in the engine bay of a Ford pickup
    • Photo ops in a “jail cell” and a life-sized bucking bull
    • Neon signs that display Wetzel’s song lyrics.

    A full kitchen allows the bar to serve a menu of Southern-inspired bar fare such as chicken wings, Texas chili, potato skins, Southwestern egg rolls, burgers, salads, and more. Signature dishes include smoked beer can chicken and the Trailer Park Sandwich, featuring two breakfast sausage patties topped with cheddar cheese and served on a biscuit with strawberry jam. Houston will also be the first city to experience the bar’s take on weekend brunch.

    Bragdon told CultureMap that the bar’s name references someone who’s fun to be around, as in a laugh riot.

    "It's about who Koe is and what he represents," he says. "He has a carefree party attitude, that whole persona, which is so infectious. He's a true Texas guy, a good old country boy who's hospitable and likes to have fun - that’s what the place is about."

    ----

    Teresa Gubbins contributed to this article.

    Koe Wetzel Riot Room Houston
      

    Photo by Motion Theory Media

    The pickup truck on the front of the building makes it easy to spot.

    news-you-can-eatopeningscelebritiesnightlifekoe wetzel
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    This Houston suburb had the highest apartment rent prices in June

    2 Houston universities declared among world's best and more top stories

    Houston will have vivid sunsets and air quality issues from Saharan dust

    Loading...