where’s the rub
Memorial Villages favorite restaurant reveals new locale with major twist
The original Jonathan's the Rub will move to a new location in 2021, but the Memorial Villages' favorite restaurant won't be going far. Chef-owner Jonathan Levine has leased the former Peli Peli Kitchen space at 9090 Katy Freeway for a bigger, better version of his namesake restaurant, according to a press release.
Slated to open in April 2021, the new location will feature more than twice as much interior space as the current restaurant on Gaylord Drive. In addition, it will feature an expanded patio and more parking. The original location will remain open until the new one is ready to open.
While those improvements will likely be warmly received — especially the parking — another change may prove more controversial. Unlike the current restaurant, the new location will not be BYOB. Instead, it will offer a full bar with cocktails along with an expanded selection of wine and beer. Accordingly, the restaurant's name will change from "Jonathan's the Rub BYOB" to "Jonathan's the Rub at Campbell Place," which is the office building that contains the new location.
Expanding the restaurant will allow Levine to expand his menu. In addition to Jonathan's steaks, Italian-American cuisine, and signature "new Houston" dishes, look for more salads, an all-new selection of bowls, and Southern fried chicken that will be served with a choice of biscuits and gravy or roasted-corn cornbread with smoked mixed berry jam. Dessert options will include newcomers such as apple pie and peach cobbler.
The new location will also have a number of features adapted to the way people are dining in the age of COVID-19. A UV-C air purifying system will be installed to help filter our airborne bacteria and viruses. Online ordering will more easily facilitate purchasing meals to-go, and curbside pickup will be available.
Levine opened Jonathan's the Rub in 2008 as a catering kitchen. Over time, it grew to encompass entirety of its small shopping. A sister location in the Memorial Green mixed-use development opened in 2018. The original's move will not affect the second restaurant.
