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A pop-up bar inspired by The Office debuts in downtown Houston this weekend

Dunder Mupplen Office pop-up bar cocktails

Dunder Mupplen will feature drinks inspired by The Office.

Courtesy of Plethora/Four44 Hospitality Group Inc.

Did you know that actor Briam Baumgartner is the highest-earning personality on the celebrity app Cameo? Best known for portraying Kevin from Accounting, the actor made over $1 million via the app in 2020, according to a recent interview with Cameo CEO Steven Galanis published by the New York Times.

Baumgartner's success helps explain why a pop-up bar inspired by The Office is coming to downtown Houston. Dunder Mupplen will occupy 711 Main St. from January 15-30.

Presented by Plethora/Four44 Hospitality Group Inc, the creators of last year's Harry Potter-themed Muggle-less Bar, Dunder Mupplen will offer Office superfans a range of experiences including Instagram-worthy photo opportunities, food and drinks inspired by the show, and activities such as trivia and costume contests.

“My goal is to create unforgettable experiences to downtown Houston,” Asha Holloway, owner of Plethora/Four44 Hospitality Group Inc., said in a statement. “For years, The Office brought people together and created its own ‘culture,’ so we are so excited to bring it to life with added twists exclusive to us.”

The food and drink menus reference the show. Sip a "That's What She Said" or an "Assistant to the Regional." The large-format "World's Best Boss" is served in a giant coffee mug. A full list of food items hasn't been released, but it will include Kevin's chili, a reference to one of the show's most cringeworthy moments.

For a show that hasn't aired a new episode since 2013, The Office remains extremely popular. NBC Universal paid $500 million to make the show the centerpiece of its Peacock streaming service, stealing it away from Netflix, where it reportedly accounted for an astonishing 3-percent of the platform's traffic.

Tickets to Dunder Mupplen cost $15 per person and can be purchased online. Food and drink is available for additional costs. Groups of five or more who wish to sit together should expect to pay an additional $15 reservation fee per party. The event is only available for people 21 and over. Measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, including mask requirements and temperature checks, will be in place.

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a cursed location?

Ramen joint that served super hot broth will shutter after only 18 months

Photo by Tracy Ling

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A Heights-adjacent ramen shop will soon serve its final bowl of soup. Kazzan Ramen & Bar will close this Saturday, January 24.

Located at 191 Heights Blvd., Kazzan was only the second American location of a restaurant that’s based in Osaka, Japan. Named for the Japanese word for “volcano,” Kazzan distinguished itself from other ramen restaurants by serving its noodles in a stone bowl that’s heated to 350 degrees Celsius — more than 650 degrees Fahrenheit. When the broth is poured tableside through a cylindrical top, the steam shoots out like a volcanic eruption. The menu also includes shareable plates like gyoza and rice bowls.

Diners who visit the restaurant during its final week of operations will receive 50-percent off all alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, sake, cocktails, and spirits.

Google lists its other U.S. location in Los Angeles as “temporarily closed.” A representative declined to comment on the reason for the closure but confirmed that Kazzan is not looking for another Houston location at this time.

Notably, Kazzan is the fourth restaurant to occupy the space at 191 Heights. Originally, it was home to Bradley’s Fine Diner, a short-lived New American concept from Las Vegas-based chef Bradley Ogden. Next up was Star Fish, an ambitious seafood restaurant from the late Houston restaurateur Lee Ellis’ Cherry Pie Hospitality.

When Sambrooks Hospitality acquired Ellis’ restaurants, it rebooted the space as 1751 Sea & Bar, a seafood concept that closed in 2023. Kazzan opened in July 2024, so its tenure only lasted about a year and a half.

So, yes, restaurant obsessives, the time has come to discuss whether the location is “cursed.”

Kazzan isn’t the only ramen restaurant in the area to close recently. Nearby Ninja Ramen shuttered at the end of December after 11 years. The space has been claimed by Yuma, a Cuban and Brazilian-inspired sandwich pop-up that will open its first brick-and-mortar location later this spring.

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