AGU Ramen's Plans

Hawaii-based ramen shop invades Houston with three locations and unique recipes

AGU Ramen will arrive in Houston this month.

One of the dominant themes of this year in Houston restaurants has been the arrival of out-of-town restaurants that are seeking success in the Bayou City. As the lines at Hopdoddy, the ridiculous revenues at Steak 48, and the frenzy surrounding the imminent opening of Shake Shack all demonstrate, Houstonians have embraced the newcomers.

That trend will continue this month when Hawaii-based AGU Ramen makes it debut. Chef-owner Hisashi Uehara tells CultureMap that he’s firmed up the plans he first announced in April by signing three leases in Houston: one in the Energy Corridor on Eldridge Parkway, one on Westheimer for the shuttered Pollo Feliz, and a third that will replace the original location of Christian’s Tailgate at Washington Avenue and I-10. The first two locations will open in November; Washington Avenue will follow in December, pending some renovations to the space.

AGU serves two broths: a pork-based tonkotsu that cooks for 22 hours and a chicken-based jidori that cooks for nine hours. In addition to making its own soup, AGU makes all of its toppings in-house. The same noodle company AGU uses in Hawaii will ship product to Houston from three times per week in refrigerated trucks from its facility in Los Angeles.

Uehara explains that he originally trained as a classical Japanese chef in tempura and sushi, but the self-described ramen lover wanted to make soup. He developed all of his own recipes after visiting over 600 ramen restaurants Japan.

“Throughout these experiences, I met a lot of old school Japanese ramen master,” Uehara. “There was no social media. I would go eat, take notes, watched the toppings. Now, it’s common to take pictures. Back then, you had to have notepad and pen. You had to hide, because some ramen masters would get mad. They’d kick you out, because they’re old school.”

Those lessons paid off. AGU has become popular enough to open five locations in Hawaii with more on the way. While opening three Houston-area locations in such a short period of time may seem overly ambitious, Uehara explains it will allow him to centralize production at the Westheimer location, which will ensure quality and consistency. Five AGU employees are moving to Houston from Hawaii for up to a year to make sure the recipes are followed and to train a Houston-based team.

Houston only has a few dedicated ramen shops, and Uehara says he’s visited them all. He sees the city as an emerging market for his product and hopes diners will give him a shot.

“I want a challenge,” Uehara says. “Sure, it may take a long time. Sometimes it’s not easy, but if I do it right and stick with what I believe, I just want to introduce real, authentic, Japanese ramen to Houstonians.”

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food news round up

12 things to know in Houston food: Openings, closings, and meal deals

Photo by Carla Gomez

Diners at Maximo can take a culinary tour of San Luis Potosí through the five course tasting menu inspired by Chef Adrian Torres’ home state.

In this edition of CultureMap’s look at the latest Houston restaurant news, a successful hand roll restaurant continues to grow, a Chinese American restaurant quietly signs off, and a popular Houston chef shows off his Peruvian heritage. Plus, Houstonians can eat cold noodles for a good cause.

Read on for all the food news Houstonians need to know.

Openings and Closings

Houston-based Duckstache Hospitality, the group behind restaurants such as Doko and Himari, is adding three new Houston locations of the hand-roll and sushi bar concept Handies Douzo. As CultureMap has previously reported, the restaurant will be the first dining establishment to open at Central Park Post Oak in Uptown and at 1107 Hutchins Street in EaDo as pat of the East Blocks project. In addition, the company announced plans for a West U. outpost at 3908 Bellaire Boulevard. All three are expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027.

Photo by Carla Gomez

Diners at Maximo can take a culinary tour of San Luis Potosí through the five-course tasting menu.

Comfort Foodies, the Latin-Caribbean and Southern soul food restaurant, has relocated from Cypress-Fairbanks to a larger space in Missouri City. The 3,000-square-foot restaurant seats more than 50 people and adds a full bar with specialty cocktails. Owners Elsa and Jeff Matthews launched Comfort Foodies in 2020 as a food truck. The restaurant also offers takeout, delivery, catering, and frozen empanadas. Comfort Foodies is located at 8731 Highway 6.

Chinese American restaurant Qin Dynasty has quietly closed its location near West U. although the restaurant's website remains active, all signage has been removed from its location at 5115 Buffalo Speedway. Open since 2001, the neighborhood staple was known for dishes such as pork dumplings, chicken lettuce wraps, and spicy and tangy chicken.

Upcoming Food Events

Sunday, September 13

Better Together: New Orleans Brunch at Camaraderie
The Heights restaurant is paying tribute to New Orleans brunch culture with a $35 prix fixe menu featuring dishes inspired by iconic NOLA restaurants, including shrimp etouffee from The Herbert Hotel, beignets from Cafe du Monde, and grillades and grits from Arnaud’s. Brunch runs from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Monday, September 14

Keylan Rutledge at The Pit Room Memorial
Hopefully, the Texans first round draft pick will be celebrating a victory over the Buffalo Bills when he makes an appearance at the Memorial location of the popular barbecue joint. In between bites of ribs, Rutledge will pose for pictures and sign autographs for fans from 6-8 pm.

September 18-October 4

Karbachtoberfest at Karbach Brewing Co.
Karbach Brewing Co. brings Oktoberfest to Houston for three weekends with stein-hoisting contests, wiener dog races, live music, German food, and its seasonal Karbachtoberfest Märzen lager. The event runs September 18-20, September 25-27, and October 2-4 at the brewery’s Biergarten, 2032 Karbach Street.

Thursday, September 14

Pepitas Pop-Up at Agnes and Sherman
Craft Pita founder, chef Raffi Nasr, and his mother, Claudia Nasr, are popping up at the Michelin-recommended Asian American diner in the Heights to debut Pepitas, their new Peruvian-inspired pop-up series. For this edition, they're collaborating with Agnes and Sherman chef and co-owner Nick Wong on a menu of Chifa-inspired dishes, including fried wontons with sweet-and-sour sauce; Salchipapas Wong, fries topped with Peruvian sauces and Chinese sausage; Arroz Chaufa, Peruvian-Chinese fried rice with shrimp, chicken, and hot dog; and Lomo Saltado, wok-fried steak with garlic corn rice and fries. Reservations are available via OpenTable.

Tuesdays in September

September Cold Noodles Club
Eight Row Flint's original location in the Heights is partnering with I’ll Have What She’s Having for a monthlong cold noodle fundraiser. Every Tuesday from 6 pm until sold out, a Houston chef will serve a favorite cold noodle dish, with all proceeds benefiting preventive healthcare services for hospitality workers through IHWSH. The lineup includes Christine Hà of The Blind Goat on September 15, Niki Vongthong (formerly of Hidden Omakase) on September 22, and Suu Khin of Burmalicious by Suu on September 29.

New menus and experiences

After being discontinued during the 2020 pandemic, Noon Mirch Kitchen + Bar has brought back its Indian lunch buffet. The Clear Lake restaurant serves its buffet daily from 11 am to 3 pm for $17 Monday through Thursday and $20 Friday through Sunday. An expanded Grand Buffet will be offered on holidays and special occasions for $25. To mark the return of the buffet, the first 100 buffet diners each day will receive a complimentary mimosa.

Diners at West U. Mexican restaurant Maximo can take a culinary tour of San Luis Potosí through the five-course tasting menu inspired by chef Adrian Torres’ home state. Highlights include zacahuil, a banana leaf-cooked communal tamal that the James Beard Award winner has reimagined to feature a masa marbled with mole rojo and served with pressed short rib. The menu is $50, with optional wine or cocktail pairings for $35. A donation of $5 will be made for each tasting menu to Caritas in San Luis Potosi, a charity that provides food and clothing to those in need.

51fifteen in the Galleria is launching a new Friday night experience for those who like to get an early start on the weekend. From 6-10 pm in the Tulip Room, a live DJ spins tunes from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, while diners can order food and drinks from the bar menu in between hitting the dance floor.

Warehouse 72 is celebrating its seventh anniversary with “7 Years, 7 Ways to Experience Warehouse 72,” a lineup of weekly dining experiences. Highlights include Taco & Tequila Tuesdays with three tacos and a margarita flight for $39, Wine Wednesdays with 30 percent off wines, Thursday steak specials, and a seven-course tasting menu for $85 on Fridays.

Saturdays feature monthly cooking classes with chef Jaime Salazar, while Sundays offer a family-style dinner for four for $80. The restaurant has also added lunch, including poke and Peruvian chicken bowls, and customizable bento boxes. Patrons who complete five of the seven experiences will receive an invitation to an exclusive VIP anniversary celebration at the end of the year.

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