In-N-Out in Katy

In-N-Out Burger reveals highly anticipated second Houston location

Double doubles are coming to Katy in 2019.

Photo courtesy of In-N-Out Burger

In-N-Out Burger's long-delayed entry into the Houston market is building momentum quickly. With one location of the California-based restaurant already announced for Stafford's The Grid mixed-use development, now comes word that a second Houston-area location will be coming to Katy.

Local real estate developer BPI Realty Services has revealed that In-N-Out is part of the site plan for its Y Shops at Park West shopping center. Located at 806 Katy Fort Bend Rd., the restaurant will be one component of the plaza that will also include 30,000 square feet of additional retail space. BPI tells KHOU that the restaurant secured the space "a couple of months ago."

For inner loopers contemplating how far a drive that will be to score a Double-Double Animal style, that's a little past the Grand Parkway near the Katy Mills outlet mall. In other words, Stafford's probably closer, but Memorial-area folks will have a straight shot down I-10.

Rumors of In-N-Out's entry into the Houston market have swirled for years, but Houstonians have had to watch as the restaurant came to Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio before the Bayou City. The burger chain made a splash last year when it purchased property at 8373 Westheimer Rd., but a tenant's long-term lease on the space has prevented the company from moving forward with building a restaurant there.

At least Houstonians will have the opportunity to weigh in on the In-N-Out versus Whataburger debate. The rest of the country won't be so lucky, as the company has no plans to expand further east.

"I don’t see us stretched across the whole U.S. I don’t see us in every state. Take Texas — draw a line up and just stick to the left. That’s in my lifetime,” CEO Lynsi Snyder told Forbes. “I like that we’re sought after when someone’s coming into town. I like that we’re unique. That we’re not on every corner. You put us in every state and it takes away some of its luster.”

That should be just fine for most Houstonians — as long as the company opens at least a couple locations inside the Beltway.

burgers news-you-can-eat openings

reboot rejected

Family friendly Houston restaurant shutters after less than 6 months

Photo by Quy Tran

undefined

A Houston restaurant group has abruptly pulled the plug on its Garden Oaks location. Jax on the Tracks has closed, owner Gr8 Plate Hospitality announced.

Opened in February, Jax on the Tracks evolved out of The Union Kitchen, Gr8 Plate’s globally-inspired, full service restaurant that had operated in the neighborhood for almost 10 years. At the time, owner Paul Miller thought Garden Oaks diners would appreciate a more family friendly, affordable concept that centered around classic American fare such as burgers, pizzas, and fajitas. Unfortunately, it didn’t catch on quickly enough.

Gr8 Plate provided CultureMap with the following statement:

After careful consideration, Jax on the Tracks on Ella Boulevard has made the difficult decision to close its doors. While the concept was recently introduced to the neighborhood, many challenges ultimately led to the decision to discontinue operations at this location.

We are incredibly grateful to our guests, team members, and the Garden Oaks community for the warm welcome and support. There are currently no plans for another concept in the space.

In a separate conversation, Miller tells CultureMap that the switch from The Union Kitchen to Jax on the Tracks was too abrupt. It created confusion with regulars who missed dishes they’d been ordering for years.

“The people who had never been to the Union Kitchen loved it. They had a great time,” Miller says. “The people who had been to the Union Kitchen and had an expectation for that kind of food — our hummus, steak night, different cuts of fish — were blasting us.”

With revenues flat or declining, Miller says he made the difficult decision to close rather than using revenues from his other locations to keep Jax on the Tracks open in hopes its fortunes improved. Thankfully, the company’s other restaurants — including The Union Kitchen locations in Kingwood, Memorial, and Cypress; Jax Grill locations on Shepherd Dr. and in Bellaire; and Italian restaurant Passerella in Cypress — all remain open.

“It’s a hell of a lot more fun opening restaurants than closing restaurants. I can tell you that for damn sure,” Miller says.