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    Secret Bar Opens

    New secret bar quietly opens on Main Street: Are you ready for live music and acrobats?

    Eric Sandler
    Mar 11, 2014 | 4:02 pm

    Over the last year, the 300 block of Main Street has become Texas' best destination for new bars, but the city's scene shows no signs of slowing down. For those who are bored with Bad News or think The Pastry War is already played out, a new, hidden bar has opened quietly above Clutch City Squire.

    Barringer Bar is the product of long-time industry veterans Robby and Chieko Cook, and the husband and wife team aims to bring something a little different to downtown.

    Not that they think there's anything wrong with what's already opened. "This downtown scene is really cool," Robby tells CultureMap. "We all know each other from bartending or working other places . . . We all talk about each other and send people to each other."

    "We’re trying to be a little more upscale. We’ll have some entertainment on Friday and Saturday night, because I think that’s something that hasn’t come back yet."

    At Barringer, the Cooks hope to bring an upscale lounge atmosphere with live entertainment to distinguish the new bar from the nearby cocktail bars and the more casual industry bar it sits above. "We’re trying to be a little more upscale," Robby explains. "We’ll have some entertainment on Friday and Saturday night, because I think that’s something that hasn’t come back yet."

    Robby has also reached out to a long-time friend, local blues player the Mighty Orq, to play during happy hour on Friday. Pop-up Bourbon & Bacon will also appear twice a month on Fridays to bring in people who want food with their drinks.

    Chieko has even bigger plans. She's a trained aerialist who sees the opportunity to revive one of the space's signature features from its Club 410 days. "This place a long time ago used to have a swing from the bar . . . We’re going to actually make sure that the reinforcements are good, because that was 10 years ago. I own a trapeze and a lira. I want to bring that in with the DJ, but that’s a little bit later on down the line."

    The Cooks think Barringer's symbiotic relationship with Clutch City will be good for both bars. They've made sure that Barringer stocks different liquor and has a different cocktail menu than its neighbor. "We just want to make sure that we complement them," Chieko explains. "Why go upstairs and get the exact same shot, when downstairs it’s $3 cheaper . . . Otherwise, everyone will come upstairs and say ‘This place is pretty,’ then go downstairs to spend money."

    The space certainly is pretty thanks to the work the Cooks put in over five weeks to redecorate. They built new bar tops and shelves, added "strategic lighting" for the stage and decorated with pictures of Houston from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Robby explains that he wanted to pay tribute to the building's alleged history as a brothel with a secret door to the former bank next door.

    Barringer's lack of a sign also pays tribute to that history, although neither Cook wants to use the word "speakeasy" to describe it.

    "I think the space and the way we’re situated definitely lends itself to a speakeasy style place, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a speakeasy," Robby says. For Chieko, it's more important to let other people define what Barringer is than focus on any specific term.

    "I believe that a lot of other people will call it a speakeasy and I will agree with that," she says.

    Barringer Bar is located at 410 Main Street, upstairs from Clutch City Squire. Hours are: Tuesdays to Fridays 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturdays 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

    Chieko and Robby Cook have opened Barringer Bar upstairs from Clutch City Squire.

    Barringer Bar girl and guy
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    Chieko and Robby Cook have opened Barringer Bar upstairs from Clutch City Squire.
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    Next Level Lounge at Fogo de Chão  in Katy
    Courtesy of Fogo de Chão
    Katy's Fogo de Chão features the restaurant's Next Level Lounge.

    Everyone knows how quickly Houston’s ‘burbs are growing — and that includes the dining scene. From Katy to Stafford, Pearland to Webster, new restaurants are popping up all over. Whether you’re craving grilled meats carved tableside or a stack of pillowy pancakes, these fresh spots have something for every appetite.

    Fogo de Chão
    Katy just scored its first Fogo de Chão, making it the fifth Houston-area location for the popular Brazilian steakhouse. Diners can feast on the endless parade of grilled meat and seafood that servers slice tableside, or enjoy all-day happy hour at Bar Fogo. The new location also marks the Houston-area debut of Fogo's Next Level Lounge concept, billed as a sleek whiskey and bourbon hideaway. Located at 222 West Grand Parkway South, Fogo is open Monday - Thursday from 11:30 am–10 pm, Friday until 10:30 pm, Saturday from 11 am–10:30 pm, and Sunday from 11 am–9 pm.

    Hash Kitchen
    It’s brunch all day, every day at Hash Kitchen’s new Webster outpost, joining its sister spot in Pearland. The lively location dishes out plates of tamale eggs Benedict, pineapple upside-down pancakes, and birria-loaded scramblers. It’s always a party with an extensive drink menu featuring a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar with more than 50 toppings, plus a live DJ spinning tunes on weekends. Hash Kitchen is located at 1065 W Bay Area Boulevard, Suite 170, in Webster, and is open Monday-Friday from 7 am-2 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 7 am-3 pm.

    Via 313
    Pearland is now home to a slice of Motor City with the opening of Via 313 in the Silverlake Business Park. The Austin-based pizzeria serves up Detroit-style rectangular pies with crispy edges and focaccia-like dough, plus vegan and gluten-free options. Try The Jalapeño Poppa with bacon, whipped cream cheese, jalapeños, and Sriracha hot honey, or go for The Cadillac — a sweet-and-savory combo of prosciutto, gorgonzola, fig preserves, and balsamic glaze. This is Via’s fourth Houston-area location and can be found at 9250 Broadway St., Suite 190. Hours are Monday - Thursday from 11 am–10 pm, Friday and Saturday until 11 pm, and Sunday from 11 am–9 pm.

    Hopdoddy Burger Bar
    Hop on over to Stafford’s The Grid for a bite at Austin-based Hopdoddy Burger Bar. Highlights include the Cadillac Burger — a half-pound wagyu beef patty topped with steakhouse bacon and truffle aioli — plus veggie options, gluten-free buns, loaded Brussels sprouts, salads, and boozy milkshakes. The chef-crafted “Burger of the Month” keeps the menu fresh. The Stafford spot joins Hopdoddy’s nine other Houston-area locations and is decked out with custom neon signs and vibrant artwork. Located at 12333 Southwest Freeway, Suite 300, it’s open Sunday - Thursday, 11 am-10 pm, and Friday and Saturday, 11 am-11 pm.

    Next Level Lounge at Fogo de Ch\u00e3o  in Katy
      

    Courtesy of Fogo de Chão

    Katy's Fogo de Chão features the restaurant's Next Level Lounge.

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