two years in the making

Woodlands favorites fire up a fresh new restaurant in River Oaks

One of The Woodlands’ most successful hospitality groups will soon make its inner loop debut. Fielding’s River Oaks will open this Sunday, December 8.

Located on the first floor of the Novel River Oaks luxury apartment development, Fielding’s River Oaks builds on the success of Fielding’s Culinary Group’s two popular restaurants — Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill. CEO Cary Attar and executive chef Edel Goncalves will lead the new establishment.

The approximately 6,000-square-foot restaurant will seat about 200 people, divided between a dedicated bar/lounge area, a spacious dining room, and a private dining room. Two patios, including one with cabanas, will add more seats at some point after the opening. As shown in the photos above, the restaurant has been decorated for the holiday season with wreaths, poinsettias, and garlands.

Initially, the restaurant will only open for dinner with a daily social hour from 3-5 pm that's expected to begin opening week. Lunch will follow a week after opening on Tuesday, December 17. In January, Fielding’s will add brunch and a daily continental-style breakfast built around coffee and grab-and-go pastries such as croissants that will be made in-house.

At dinner, Goncalves will put his French training to create an eclectic, globally-inspired menu that utilizes the restaurant’s wood-fired grill and oven as well as an extensive program of breads and pastries that are baked in-house. Meals at Fielding’s will begin with bites such as yellowtail crudo, a wagyu sando, or foie gras with curry apple butter. Starters include karaage-style fried quail with Thai peanut sauce, a potato pancake with smoked salmon tartare, risotto with clams, fried okra, and French onion soup.

For entrées, diners have options such as pizzas, pastas — including radiatori with beef cheek bourguignon; spaghetti with cheese, lemon zest, and caviar; and bucatini with piri piri shrimp — or seafood entrees that include salmon, branzino, and cod. Meat lovers will find an Iberico pork chop, dry-aged duck, and steaks from Texas-based 44 Farms such as a filet or dry-aged New York strip.

Lunch will feature many of the options from the dinner menu along with an expanded selection of salads and sandwiches. They include a smash burger, shrimp banh mi, croque monsieur, and crispy chicken sandwich.

Beverage options start with a 1,400-bottle wine inventory, many of which are displayed in temperature-controlled cases at the restaurant’s entrance. As at Fielding’s Local, the restaurant will use a lower markup to entice oenophiles to discover new favorites. Similarly, the cocktail program uses quality spirits paired with freshly squeezed juices. Non-alcoholic cocktails will also be available.

“Fielding’s River Oaks is a concept nearly two years in the making,” Attar said in a statement. “We’re excited for lunch, social hour and dinner service to begin in December, and we’re confident it will add a distinctive layer of upscale offerings to the Houston restaurant scene, just in time for the holiday season.”

Courtesy of Fielding's

Fielding's River Oaks will open on Sunday, December 8.

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steakhouse switcheroo

River Oaks restaurant fields a new menu devoted to prime and wagyu steaks

Courtesy of Fielding's Steak

The new menu includes steak and sides such as onion rings.

A River Oaks restaurant is switching things up. After a year of operations, Fielding’s River Oaks has rebranded as Fielding’s Steak with an all-new menu that will launch on Tuesday, January 27.

While the restaurant has always served steaks from Texas ranch 44 Farms, Fielding’s Steak leans more heavily into beef with more cuts and more kinds of beefs, including both American and Japanese wagyu. Similarly, diners can pair their steaks with steakhouse sides such as lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and onion rings.

The new menu starts with four prime steaks — filet, ribeye, NY strip, and bavette — along with a dry-aged cuts including a 35-ounce cowboy ribeye, a porterhouse, a 12-ounce bone-in ribeye, and a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye. Those seeking the most luxurious experience may opt for a wagyu tasting that features four ounces each of Japanese, Australian, and American striploin.

Appetizers and salads include a number of familiar dishes, such as lobster bisque, wedge salad, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, and an imperial crabcake. Non-steak entrees include maple-brined salmon, lobster risotto, lamb chops, and a grilled Kurobata pork chop with apple mostarda.

Fielding’s River Oaks opened in December 2024. Part of Fielding’s Culinary Group, The Woodlands-based hospitality company behind Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill, the restaurant served a European-inspired menu that included pizzas, pastas, steaks, and seafood.

“Fielding’s Steak represents the natural evolution of who we are and where we’re going,” said CEO Cary Attar said in a statement. “We wanted to create a true steakhouse experience — one that’s chef-driven, ingredient-focused, and worthy of the River Oaks dining scene — while still feeling warm, welcoming, and unmistakably Fielding’s. This new menu allows us to showcase exceptional proteins, refined flavors, and a level of execution that reflects our passion for hospitality and culinary excellence.”

Fielding’s Steak will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch from 11:30 am-3 pm and dinner beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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