farewell, fleming's

Steakhouse chain's Upper Kirby outpost will shutter after 25 years

Fleming's will close in April.

Fleming's/Facebook

The Upper Kirby location of a popular steakhouse will soon say goodbye. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar will close on April 18.

In response to CultureMap’s request for comment, Elizabeth Daly, director of media & community relations for Fleming’s parents company Bloomin’ Brands, writes that the restaurant chose not to renew its lease at 2405 West Alabama Street.

“Team members will have the opportunity to transfer to another restaurant,” Daly adds. “We appreciate the community’s support the past 25 years and hope to serve them at one of our other Houston-area Fleming’s locations.”

Those other Houston-area locations are in Town & Country Village (788 W. Sam Houston Parkway North) and at The Woodlands Mall (1201 Lake Woodlands Drive, Suite 305).

As Daly notes, Fleming’s opened its Upper Kirby location in 2002. In the early days, it benefitted from the leadership of Maeve Pesquera, who worked for Tony Vallone prior to joining the company. Sam Governale followed, eventually leaving in 2017 to open River Oaks-area restaurant Emmaline.

Between now and April 18, the restaurant’s fans have time to visit for specials such as its Tomahawk Tuesday promotion —a 35-ounce steak with salads, sides, and dessert for $165 — as well as a two-course, Easter brunch on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.

Fleming’s is only the latest Houston steakhouse to close. In January, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille closed its location in the River Oaks Shopping Center. Last year, Andiron, an upscale steakhouse from the owner of The Pit Room and Candente, shuttered after only two years.

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they're back

2 treasured Houston Mexican restaurants reopen after brief closures

Courtesy of Picos

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Two staple Houston-area Mexican restaurants are making comebacks after brief closures. Picos has already returned to service, while El Tiempo Cantina’s Webster location isn’t far behind.

After closing its Upper Kirby location on August 30, Picos reopened Saturday, September 12 in the former Cyclone Anaya’s space in River Oaks (3736 Westheimer Rd.). The move is only about two miles from Picos’ former home at Kirby and Richmond.

Chef-owner Arnaldo Richards partnered with Cyclone Anaya’s owners The Dhanani Group to transform the space into Picos. It allows Richards to preserve Picos, which opened on Bellaire Blvd. in 1984 and operated on Kirby Dr. for 12 years. Last year, Richards announced Picos would close due to declining sales but later stated his intentions to find a new, slightly smaller home for the restaurant. That dream was realized via a “last-minute agreement” with Cyclone Anaya’s owners The Dhanani Group according to press materials.

“After spending the past year searching for a new home, it truly feels like the stars aligned,” Richards said in a statement. “We were willing to do anything we could to keep Picos, and we finally found the right space for this next-generation evolution of Picos.”

Picos Westheimer River Oaks interior The new Picos features an indoor-outdoor bar.Photo by Becca Wright

At over 6,000 square feet, the new Picos still offers a spacious environment that includes an indoor-outdoor bar. It will serve the same menu as the prior locations, including fan favorites such as moles from all seven regions on Mexico, enchiladas, and the signature shaker margaritas.

“As native Houstonians, we understand what Picos means to this city and the generations of Houstonians who have supported the restaurant for more than 40 years,” said Usman Dhanani of The Dhanani Group, which still operates five other locations of Cyclone Anaya’s across Houston. “We’re excited to partner with Arnaldo and his family to carry the Picos tradition forward and ensure that a restaurant so deeply rooted in Houston remains part of the city’s dining community for years to come.”

The Houston Chronicle was first to report that Picos had reopened.

El Tiempo Cantina Post Houston El Tiempo is returning to Webster. Courtesy of El Tiempo Cantina

As for El Tiempo, franchisee Liquid Gold Hospitality surprised Bay Area diners when it abruptly closed the location at 20237 Gulf Fwy at the end of August. In a Facebook post, El Tiempo announced the location will reopen under direct management of the Laurenzo family, which founded El Tiempo and operates most of its other locations.

Notably, the post did not specify an opening date, merely that the restaurant is “reopening soon.”

El Tiempo’s Webster location opened at the end of 2017 after significant delays, including a lawsuit between the Laurenzo family and Liquid Gold. Overall, Houston is home to 18 locations of El Tiempo, with its outpost at The Post in downtown Houston being the most recent to open.

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