Ibiza closing

Pioneering Midtown Houston restaurant announces closing date

Ibiza will close next year.

One of the restaurant's that led Midtown's transformation is calling it quits. Ibiza Food & Wine Bar will close February 15, 2020, owner Clark Cooper Concepts announced.

Partners Charles Clark and Grant Cooper opened Ibiza in 2001 with the then-revolutionary idea of charging near-retail prices for bottles of wine. At a time when most restaurants charged three or more times their cost, Ibiza's pricing structure lured oenophiles who suddenly found themselves able to order two or three bottles of wine with dinner instead of one.

“We had the concept of Ibiza in our heads for years. We wanted to create a restaurant where we could drink great wine, eat really good food, and enjoy the experience without spending a fortune,” Clark said in a statement. “After I came back from working in Marbella, Spain, Grant and I knew it was time to open our own concept, and so Ibiza came to life, and we were the first to 're-invent' Midtown.”

When Ibiza opened, Vietnamese restaurants such as Van Loc and Mai's and a couple of Houston classics like Damian's and Brennan's mostly defined Midtown's identity from a dining perspective. Ibiza helped demonstrate that it could support more trendy concepts. Now, dozens of establishments and a thriving nightlife scene call the neighborhood home.

Even as Clark Cooper's reach has grown with restaurants such as Brasserie 19, Coppa Osteria, and The Dunlavy, Clark will typically be found working dinner service at Ibiza. Shuttering the restaurant will allow him to focus on those other businesses. In addition, the company is working on opening new restaurants, as the partners discussed during a recent appearance on CultureMap's "What's Eric Eating" podcast. Without Ibiza, Clark will be able to focus on those yet-to-be-announced projects more intensely.

“It is hard to see a restaurant you’ve worked in everyday close, but we just did not see ourselves in this space for the next five to 10 years," Clark added. "We see this evolution as an opportunity for our customers to frequent our other restaurants more often and for us to evolve our focus and concepts and allow for continued growth of our group of restaurants."

closings

riel returns

Shuttered Houston restaurant revived for 1 night only at Canada Day pop-up

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

The pop-up will serve Riel's caviar and truffle pierogi.

One of the saddest restaurant closures of 2025 will get a one-night-only revival. Favorite dishes from Riel will return at Chardon on Sunday, June 28 for an event being called “Booze Can Sunday.”

While a French fine dining restaurant might seem like an unlikely host for a Riel revival, Chardon executive chef E.J. Miller once served as Riel’s opening sous chef. Miller invited his former boss, Riel chef-owner Ryan Lachaine, to join him for a pop-up that honors Canada Day.

Together, the duo will serve some of Riel’s most popular dishes, including:

Truffle and Caviar Pierogies
Steak Au Poivre Poutine with Cheese Curds
Deli Dog
Montreal Smoked Meat Sliders
Torche Kolaches
Mushroom Empanadas
Gator Karaage
Maple Whiskey Soft Serve with Foie Caram

The day will also feature drink specials such as Canadian Jell-O Shots, Molson X, Canadian Club, Old Grand-Dad, and more. Robin Wong, a co-owner of Blood Bros. BBQ and a successful DJ, will spin throughout the event.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

The pop-up will serve Riel's caviar and truffle pierogi.

"Riel was a special place for a lot of people, and Booze Can Sunday was always one of the most anticipated events of the week," said Miller. "Ryan and I wanted to bring back that energy for one day, celebrate the restaurant that meant so much to us, and give guests a chance to revisit some of the dishes and memories they loved."

Riel Restaurant Ryan Lachaine E.J. Miller A vintage picture of chefs EJ Miller and Ryan Lachaine. Photo by Eric Sandler

Riel opened in January 2017 and closed in August 2025. In between, it earned wide acclaim for the way Lachaine blended his Canadian upbringing and Ukrainian heritage with the modern Gulf Coast cuisine he learned while working at restaurants such as Reef and Underbelly.

Currently, Lachaine works as the executive chef at River Oaks restaurant State of Grace. He added two Riel signatures to State of Grace’s menu — the caviar tater tots and signature butter burgers.

Chardon, which earned a Best New Restaurant nomination in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards for its blend of classic French fare with Texas ingredients, opened in February 2025. In addition to Riel, Miller’s resume includes SaltAir Seafood Kitchen, International Smoke, and Muse.

Booze Can Sunday takes place from 3-9 pm. Attendees are encouraged to register on Eventbrite.

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