But Deshaun is a righty

Famous cheesesteak restaurant teams up with Deshaun Watson for new Houston locations

Decadent cheesesteaks are coming to Houston from Detroit. Not only does Lefty's Famous Cheesesteaks Hoagies & Grill have plans to open at least five stores in the Houston market, but it will do so in partnership with Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Lefty’s has already leased a former Dunkin' Donuts at 1000 Federal Rd. and will sign this week on a former Freebirds at 8057 Kirby Dr., Eric Broussard, Commercial Advisor for commercial real estate firm RESOLUT RE, tells CultureMap. The Houston restaurants are part of a plan Lefty’s announced in April to open locations in Florida, California, and Texas.

“They had been exploding in Detroit,” Broussard tells CultureMap. “They were piqued by one of my blasts and wanted to know more about the Houston market. I told them what’s going on in Houston with all the growth and development. They decided this would be one of their initial rollouts.”

Founded by Sam Berry, Lefty’s features cheesesteaks named for left-handed celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Sylvester Stallone, and the Notorious B.I.G. In addition, diners may opt for corned beef, cold sandwiches, burgers, or salads. Appetizers such as cheesesteak egg rolls and fried mushrooms round out the menu.

The restaurant has been a hit in the Detroit area, where it has grown to 15 locations. Berry recently partnered with franchisor and CEO Allie T. Mallad to take the concept national. Mallard has operated a number of successful franchises, including Little Caesars, Applebees, and Golden Corral.

Berry announced his partnership with Watson in August and has already introduced a Deshaun special: a cheesesteak topped with mac and cheese and Hot Cheetos. If that’s not enough mac and cheese, Lefty’s also offers the cheesy pasta as an egg roll filling. The Kirby Dr. location will be "Deshaun's store," Berry said on Instagram, which seems fitting given its proximity to NRG Stadium.

CultureMap has contacted both Lefty’s and a representative for Watson for more information about the company’s plans. We will update this story if they respond.

Lefty's features cheesesteaks named for left-handed celebrities.

Lefty's Famous Cheese Steak Hoagies Grill/Facebook

Lefty's features cheesesteaks named for left-handed celebrities.

openings news-you-can-eat houston-texans

head east

Eagerly-anticipated Houston barbecue joint hosts weekend preview pop-ups

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

One of Houston’s most eagerly anticipated new barbecue joints is giving diners a preview of what’s to come. Eastbound Barbecue will host “Sneak Peak Weekends” every Saturday and Sunday beginning this Saturday, December 20, until the restaurant opens in early 2026.

Held at the restaurant’s location in the East End (1105 Sampson Street) from 12-4 pm (or sold out), the weekend service gives diners their first chance to try Eastbound Barbecue’s smoked meats, sides, and desserts. That includes, smoked brisket, baby back ribs, jalapeno & cheese sausage, hatch chili lasagna mac & cheese, herbed potato salad, and more. Save room for the two dessert offerings, salted caramel banana pudding and cookie butter cake.

To distinguish Eastbound’s barbecue, chefs Lopez and Granville use different seasonings than other restaurants, such as rosemary salt in the brisket rub and a miso-caramel sauce that gives its ribs a sweet and savory bite. During the preview, Eastbound’s prices are noticeably lower than many other Houston barbecue joints, with brisket priced at $29 per pound, ribs at $26 per pound, and pulled pork at $22 per pound.

As CultureMap reported in August, Eastbound unites four friends, Ryan Penn, Ryan Powell, Luis Lopez, and Jake Granville, who also held senior roles at various restaurants owned by prominent Houston chef Ronnie Killen. Since then, the four partners have finished many of the improvements they needed to make prior to opening, including closing in the patio and installing offset smokers on the property.

For Penn, leaving the Killen’s organization after almost 20 years was a difficult decision, but one he felt he had to make. “I could have worked for [Killen] forever and been happy. It was more along the lines of, if I don’t do this now, I don’t want to be 70 and wish that I had,” he said at the time.

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

news-you-can-eat barbecue openings