from tapas to steak night

Downtown tapas restaurant rolls the dice on new concept playing on its historic saloon days

Find an onyx bar at the Big Casino.

Photo by Danny Nguyen

A downtown restaurant has swapped Latin American-inspired tapas for a more contemporary small plates menu. Batanga’s owners recently converted the Market Square restaurant to The Big Casino Kitchen + Bar.

Named for the historic Big Casino Saloon that occupied the space at 908 Congress St. from the Civil War until Prohibition, the restaurant keeps the things people liked about Batanga — specifically, its massive, 3,600-square-foot, fully landscaped patio — but updates the interior and menu for 2023.

First opened in the spring of 2013, Batanga arrived around the same time as a wave of new bars such as Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar and the Original OKRA Charity Saloon, which reinvigorated the area around Market Square as an eating and drinking destination.

“We loved having Batanga available to Houstonians for a decade but looked forward to revamping the space to appeal to a wide range of guests,” owner Brian Fasthoff said in a statement. “The Big Casino has something for everyone, great food, killer drinks, and a fun atmosphere.”

To create that “great food,” Fasthoff turned to consulting chef Ben McPherson, the culinary mind behind Batanga’s original menu and the current owner of wholesale pasta manufacturer BOH Pasta. Choices include a selection of shareable items such as crawfish beignets, sausage corn dogs, and crab and corn ravioli (made with BOH pasta, of course). The menu also includes an on-trend smash burger, a shrimp roll, and a grilled cheese made with smoked gouda and cheddar.

The Big Casino features steak night every Sunday and Wednesday. The $25 offering comes with a choice of a 6-ounce filet or 16-ounce ribeye paired with mac and cheese and a wedge salad. A crab cake, shrimp scampi, or bacon and blue cheese can be added for an additional fee.

Bartender Megan Hill (1751 Sea & Bar) leads the restaurant’s cocktail program with sips such as the Casino Royale (vodka, gin, Lillet Blanc), High Roller (gin, herbal liqueur, raspberry shrub, lemon, and egg white), and the Hot Streak (tequila, Curacao, lime, ancho-chipotle syrup, and grapefruit soda). Beer and wine are also available.

Interior changes include the installation of a 30-foot onyx bar and an upgraded sound system. Outside, diners will find a dedicated bar as well as a 16x10-foot video wall for watching sports.

The Big Casino is open Wednesday-Sunday beginning at 5 pm. Weekend brunch service will begin in the fall.

Photo by Danny Nguyen

The Big Casino Kitchen + Bar takes its name from the space's early days as a saloon.

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a new chapter

New permit brings the party back to Third War Sunday Funday hotspot

Courtesy of Almeda Hospitality Group

Outdoor parties are returning to Bar 5015.

Sunday Funday is back on at Bar 5015. The Almeda Avenue hotspot recently regained the City of Houston permit that allows it to use amplified sound on its outdoor patio.

“[Losing the permit] affected our ability to play any amplified sound on our patio,” Bar 5015 owner Steve Rogers tells CultureMap. “The footprint is maybe 80 percent outdoor seating. Not being able to play amplified sound affected the business.”

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According to Rogers, Bar 5015 lost its permit when it was convicted of two violations of Chapter 30 of the City of Houston’s sound ordinance within 36 months. When the older conviction became more than 36 months old, Rogers was able to reapply for the necessary permit. While the process has been disruptive, Rogers is ready to move forward.

“We’re not blaming anybody or any particular person. We know we have to coexist with our neighbors and figure out a way not to disrupt their quality of life,” he says.

Towards that end, Bar 5015 has implemented a number of changes designed to help it stay in compliance with the ordinance. Insulated materials under the stage will help prevent bass from throbbing beyond the bar’s footprint. Any DJs the bar books will be required to sign contracts that they won’t turn up the volume past a certain level. “If they go beyond that, it could result in suspension or termination,” Rogers says.

In addition, the bar has purchased the same decibel readers that the Houston Police Department uses. Employees will take hourly sound readings throughout the night and enter them into a log.

“We’re staying in contact with the neighbors, also,” Rogers says. “If you hear something, tell us, so we can correct it in real time. Even if we’re below the number, let us know, so we can fix it.”

With the new procedures in place, Bar 5015 can get back to doing what it does best — showing Houstonians a good time

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