call it a comeback

7 hot Houston restaurants reopening their doors this fall

Xochi reopens October 1.

Courtesy photo

While most Houston restaurants have already reopened for dine-in service, Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to allow them to operate at 75-percent capacity has prompted some of the last holdouts to resume operations. In addition, two of downtown’s most prominent establishments are once again welcoming diners.

On the other hand, a stylish cafe that opened with lots of potential has issued its last call. Let’s take a quick look at the latest in reopenings and closings.

Reopenings

Miss Carousel
Agricole Hospitality has reopened its elegant cocktail lounge in EaDo. With Miss Carousel easing back into service, the menu is limited to six house cocktails plus beers (local and national) and a few wines by-the-glass or bottle. With sister concept Indianola still closed, food comes from Vinny’s, the restaurant group’s adjacent pizzeria. Hours are 4 pm-midnight Thursday-Saturday.

Nobie’s
Sara and Martin Stayer’s eclectic Montrose restaurant has reopened for dine-in service. For the first time, Nobie’s will accept reservations for its dining room (call 346-319-5919), but the patio will be seated on a first-come-first-served basis. Inside or out, saving room for a slice of the pie-of-the-day is always recommended.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Downtown
Sign number one that downtown is coming back: Houston’s best traditional steakhouse will reopen its downtown location for dinner service three nights a week (Thursday-Saturday) on October 1.

State of Grace
The River Oaks favorite reopened for dinner service on Wednesday. It temporarily closed on September 8 after at least two employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Sticky’s Chicken
The food truck-turned-restaurant has reopened for dine-in service at 75-percent capacity. In addition to its popular wings and chicken and rice plates, the restaurant recently added a spicy chicken sandwich to its menu. On the weekends, the Sawyer Yards spot has added Miss Mini Donuts, a side hustle by Bosscat Kitchen owner Leslie Nguyen, to its offerings.

Tacos A Go Go
The Tex-Mex taqueria has reopened the dining rooms at its Cinco Ranch, T.C. Jester, and Heights locations (Midtown is “soon to follow,” according to a press release).

‘As everyone sees the numbers going down, everybody feels more confident about staying safe," founder Sharon Haynes said in a statement. "We took it to a vote with our employees, and they felt comfortable with taking these next steps, so that's what guided our decision to reopen."

Xochi
Sign number two that downtown is coming back: Tracy Vaught and James Beard Award winner Hugo Ortega will reopen their Oaxacan restaurant in the Marriott Marquis hotel on October 1. Open for dinner only, Xochi will serve a limited menu that includes many of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, including wood-roasted oysters, tlayudas, and Barbacoa de Res de Zaachila (grilled rolled skirt steak with hoja santa, etc.).

“With so many business offices not yet re-opened in downtown, and conventions, concerts and sporting events halted, our customer base for this downtown location has been severely impacted and we have struggled with when to re-open,” Vaught said in a statement. “While these hurdles are still in place, we felt it was important to welcome guests back and again and start to bring life back to downtown.”

closings news-you-can-eat openings

inspired by Houston's

Houston steakhouse reboots as a more affordable neighborhood restaurant

Photo by Michael Anthony

Find a steak frites on the new menu at Andiron.

Michael Sambrooks is ready to unveil the refreshed Andiron. Beginning this Monday, November 25, the fine dining steakhouse will begin operating as the more affordable Andiron Grille & Patio.

“We looked at more neighborhood restaurants [like] Nancy’s Hustle and Nobie’s,” Sambrooks tells CultureMap. “We wanted to fall into that neighborhood restaurant category instead of fine dining and steakhouses. With the patio opening, we wanted to turn it into an eating and drinking place that’s more casual. Seemed like the vibe that would work for the neighborhood.”

To get that everyday appeal, Sambrooks and chef Michael O’Connor worked to decrease the restaurant’s prices by removing luxurious items such as caviar and truffles. Andiron still serves imported Japanese wagyu, but now it’s the chuck instead of strip or ribeye. Overall, diners can expect to spend about $100 per person, which is down from the $150 per person or more of Andiron’s original iteration.

Similar to a restaurant like Hillstone (formerly Houston’s), diners will find steaks at Andiron, but they have other options, too. The restaurant’s prime rib sandwich and decadent wagyu burger both appear on the new menu. They’re joined by a roasted half chicken, pork steak, and Gulf fish with Thai curry.

“People seem to really enjoy [the new menu],” Sambrooks says. “A lot of our neighborhood folks and regulars have come in. They appreciate the value-driven options. A lot of people say they can come more often.”

Another reason they’ll come more often is to enjoy the restaurant’s new patio. Part of the 2,800-square-foot space features lounge-style seating designed for people who want to devote most of their attention to bartender Angel Bautista’s refreshed cocktail offerings. Inspired by his time working at Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy — ranked No. 1 in the world by the World’s 50 Best organization — the menu includes a selection of carbonated cocktails that are both refreshing and able to be served quickly.

“We’ve got 75 seats. Some of those are for dining, some are for lounging and cocktailing. About 20 seats are love seats for lounging with a place to put your drink,” Sambrooks says.

“We’re pitching it as a cocktail garden. We want people to walk in, get a seat on the patio, order a couple of cocktails, order a snack or don’t. Just a really great additional space to sit and have a drink.”

The wine list is cheaper, too. Inspired by his time working for restaurateur Bill Floyd at Reef, Sambrooks is selling wine at a much lower markup than before. “We get a deal, we pass that along, even if it’s something we can only get one time,” he says.

Photo by Michael Anthony

Find a steak frites on the new menu at Andiron.

news-you-can-eat openings