Saigon House Shutters

Midtown's acclaimed Viet-Cajun restaurant has served its last crawfish

A seafood tower at Saigon House.

Courtesy of Saigon House

UPDATE: See below for a statement from owner Tony Nguyen.

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One of the Inner Loop's most popular Viet-Cajun restaurants has served its last bowl of crawfish. Saigon House announced it has permanently closed its location in Midtown.

Chef-owner Tony Nguyen earned wide acclaim for his flavorful Viet-Cajun preparations that included boiled seafood, wok-fried tamarind crab, and oxtail pho, including a spot on Thrillist's list of America's 28 best Vietnamese restaurants. It also recently took second place in the recent 6th Annual Bánh Mì Cookoff.

At the height of crawfish season, diners would huddle by the entrance waiting for the opportunity to order multiple pounds of Nguyen's signature H-Town Bang, his take on the garlic-butter flavor. Pounds of steaming mudbugs emerged from the kitchen before being quickly devoured.

Those crowds fueled the perception that the restaurant has been successful, which makes the announcement such a surprise. The owner of Chinatown staple Crawfish Cafe cited Saigon House's success as one of the reasons they chose to open a second location in The Heights.

Saigon House ranked 30th on CultureMap's list of Houston's top 100 restaurants. It is the first restaurant on the list to close.

CultureMap contacted Nguyen to learn more about the specific reasons for the closure as well as what his future plans might be. He offered this statement:

Saigon House was reaching towards the end of its lease. We decided as a team that it wasn’t in our best interest to continue Saigon House at 3101 Main in Midtown. We appreciate all the love and support from Houston. You will hear from us soon. We are going to get organized and find funding. We are looking into NextSeed for our next projects. We are going to take some time to work on our craft. Chef Tony J. Nguyen really wants to learn BBQ.

We love Houston too much to be gone for long.

See ya soon,

Tony J. Nguyen

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another surprise shutter

Coastal-inspired Houston restaurant will shutter after 3 years in Montrose

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

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A Montrose restaurant devoted to fresh and healthy fare will soon serve its final meal. Graffiti Raw will close on December 31.

Located next to Uchi in the Montrose Collective mixed-use development, Graffiti Raw opened in early 2023. It is part of the Big Vibe Group, the hospitality company behind Coppa Osteria in Rice Village and Flora, the stylish Mexican restaurant in Buffalo Bayou Park.

Graffiti Raw took inspiration from coastal destinations such as Big Sur, Mexico, and the Mediterranean. True to its name, the menu included raw items such as tartare and ceviche alongside classic fare such as steak frites, chicken schnitzel, and crab fried rice.

“Since opening, Graffiti Raw has been a place for connection — from shared meals to vibrant

nights that reflected the creative energy of Houston. The Big Vibe Group is grateful to the

guests, team members, partners and the Montrose Collective community who helped shape the experience,” the company said in a statement.

Big Vibe emphasizes that both Coppa Osteria and Flora “remain central to the company’s long-term vision, with an emphasis on growth, consistency, and elevated hospitality.” It made a similar commitment to those concepts when it closed Gratify, a neighborhood bistro in Rice Village, back in 2024.

Montrose has seen a number of openings and closings, with additions such as jazz supperclub Doc’s and wine shop/bar Montrose Grocer. Paulie’s, a neighborhood staple for more than 25 years, will also close on December 31.

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