Montrose restaurant switcheroo

Soon-to-shutter Houston margarita bar will transform into new Latin eatery

Verde Garden is closing this Saturday, January 17.

Photo by Joel Ramirez

The owners of Bari Ristorante are opening a new restaurant in Montrose’s dining-oriented Harlow District. Exilio Latin Flair will be the latest project from the trio of Pedro Teyuca, Tommy Nally, and Renato De Pirro, who also acquired Houston steakhouse Georgia James in 2024.

Coming later this year to the Verde Garden space, Exilio will serve dishes inspired by the cuisines of Central America, Latin America, South America, and Spain. That could include everything from Peruvian ceviches to Argentinian steaks and Spanish-style tapas. It will pair those dishes with New World wines from South America as well as select vintages from Spain.

"Our food 'language' is romance and having a restaurant that serves Latin food is a good marriage," Teyuca and Nally write in an email. "Latin food comes with rich back stories, heritage ingredients, and a passionate soul. It's easy to see why we are excited to bring Exilio to Houston diners."

Exilio will be open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Exilio Latin Flair restaurant rendering A rendering previews Exilio Latin Flair.Rendering courtesy of Castroparedes International, Inc.

Designer Carlos Castroparedes, who also created the distinctive look of Bari Ristorante, will take the lead in transforming Verde Garden into Exilio.

Prior to opening Exilio, the partners will unveil a second location of Bari in the former Tris space in The Woodlands Waterway district. In addition to the Italian cuisine served at Bari’s original location in River Oaks District, The Woodlands’ location will offer an expanded menu of steaks.

The Kirby Group (Heights Bier Garten, Pitch 25) opened Verde Garden in 2023. Scheduled to close this Saturday, January 17, the Mexican-inspired concept featured a menu of Tex-Mex favorites and blended-to-order frozen cocktails.

“Verde was a special place for us, and we’re proud of what it became and the community around it,” Kirby Group co-owner Andy Aweida said in a statement. “While this location is closing, the brand isn’t going away. This decision allows us to focus on what’s next, and we’re excited about the future of Verde. We’re also pleased that another concept will be taking over the space, further adding to the energy and making Harlow District an even more desirable destination.”

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at your service

First look: Drake's Hollywood owner dishes on new members-only club

Photo by Becca Wright for Vandelay Companies

Maître D opens Saturday, January 17.

By any measure, Drake’s Hollywood has been one of Houston’s most successful restaurants since it opened in the summer of 2024. Beginning this Saturday, January 17, the restaurant’s most passionate fans have a new opportunity for an even deeper connection to the restaurant when Maître D, its new private club, opens for the first time.

Photo by Becca Wright for Vandelay Companies

Maître D opens Saturday, January 17.

Located next to Drake’s Hollywood in the former Hay Merchant space, Maître D is an invite-only private club that’s intended to offer a more refined experience compared to Drake’s lively atmosphere.

“Due to the explosive popularity of Drake’s and the snowballing narrative of members’ areas in restaurants across the country, we thought this was a natural fit as we expand into other markets,” Vandelay Companies CEO Hunter Pond tells CultureMap.

“There was just a giant appetite for it. We floated the idea around Houston. Everyone just freaked out. We got a glowing response.”

From Pond’s perspective, the ideal members are people who are already Drake’s regulars. They’ve also got to be capable of paying an annual fee of $3,000 for an individual, $5,000 for a couple, or $2,000 for people under 30. Pond says they’ve already received more than 500 applications, which will take them six months or so to evaluate.

“We’re looking for people who are giant fans of the genre and the brand and are looking to expand on their existing experiences,” he says.

That experience starts with Maître D’s distinct look. Instead of Drake’s oversized murals of Hollywood legends and red leather booths, members of Maître D will find a more subdued interior that’s inspired by some of Pond’s favorite hotel lobby bars. Think brown leather chairs, polished wood, and brass accents.

“It still adheres to a timeless Old Hollywood theme. It has the same connective tissue, but it feels like a totally different world,” Pond says.

Members have access to the full Drake’s menu as well as some unique shareable bites such as snow crab hand rolls, chips with French onion dip and caviar, and filet mignon sliders. Entree choices include an expanded selection of wagyu steaks and the “Private Cheeseburger.”

In addition to a full range of cocktails, Maître D will offer a limited selection of premium wines by-the-glass which will poured via a Coravin, the device that uses argon gas to keep wines fresh. They range from a $20 glass of Orin Swift Sauvignon Blanc all the way to a $300 glass of Hundred Acre Wraith, a highly coveted Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.

While Maître D is new, Vandelay already operates a members-only club at Tei An, its sushi restaurant in Dallas. Pond offered one example of the sort of premium experience that his team can create for members.

“Just last month, someone asked to do a suckling pig roast for their birthday party with a DJ on the rooftop. We made it happen. We enclosed the patio. We had a pretty famous DJ come in from Las Vegas. It was epic,” he says.

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