the pit room expands

Guy Fieri-approved Montrose barbecue joint fires up hot new Memorial location

The Pit Room uses offset smokers.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

A popular Montrose barbecue joint is heading west. The Pit Room will open a second location in the Memorial City area in the third quarter of 2023.

Located in MetroNational's Benignus Plaza, the new restaurant will occupy approximately 6,200-square-feet just west of the Gateway Memorial City development (10301-A Katy Freeway). Considerably larger than the Montrose original, the new restaurant will combine both the Pit Room and its adjacent bar the Patio at the Pit Room into one space. The new restaurant will feature seating for 100 inside, 25 at an indoor-outdoor bar, and 80 on a covered, 2,600-square-foot patio. A dedicated to-go counter will allow customers to purchase barbecue, sausages, sauces, and more.

“We are excited to grow the Pit Room concept and serve a new area of Houston,” owner Michael Sambrooks said in a statement. “The Pit Room is our original concept, really our baby, and we look forward to serving the residents in Memorial and on the West Side.”

Opened in 2016, the Pit Room serves Central Texas-style barbecue prepared in offset barrel smokers. It has drawn a devoted following, including an appearance on a 2021 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

In addition to the usual meats such as brisket, pork ribs, and three kinds of housemade sausage, the restaurant has built a devoted following for its Mexican and Tex-Mex-influenced sides such as chips and queso, elotes, and charro beans. Three kinds of tacos, served on housemade tortillas made with brisket fat, are always popular with regulars. Texas Monthly taco editor José Ralat hails the smoked chicken taco with garlic cloves as "the magic order" at the Pit Room.

The new location will bring the Pit Room's full menu to Memorial. A larger kitchen will allow it to serve a bar menu for game watchers, a "specialty grill menu," and more desserts.

“We are pleased to announce the arrival of the Pit Room’s legendary Central-Texas barbecue to Memorial City,” MetroNational vice president of retail leasing Danna Diamond said. “This hometown favorite reinforces our commitment to provide special dining experiences for our community.”

openings barbecue news-you-can-eat

family-friendly outdoor bar

Massive, German-inspired beer garden coming to new Energy Corridor project

Photo by Eric Sandler

The new beer garden will be similar to Katy Beer Garden.

One of Houston’s most successful bar operators is bringing his talents to the Energy Corridor. Steven Salazar is opening Ashford Beer Garden at the Ashford Yard mixed-use development.

Slated to open in early 2026, Ashford Beer Garden will build on the success Salazar has had with Katy Beer Garden, the project he opened last summer at The Dryer, a mixed-use development on the property of Katy’s historic Cardiff Rice Dryer. Like KBG, Ashford Beer Garden will be large — roughly 21,000 square feet — divided into a 10,000-square-foot indoor beer hall with a companion cocktail bar and a 11,000-square-foot outdoor beer garden that’s shaded by trees.

“We’re sticking with that Bavarian charm,” Salazar says about his vision for Ashford Beer Garden. “Bring your family. It’s really relaxed. The kids are playing. You have multiple generations hanging out. It’s worked well in Katy. We’re excited to bring it to a new area.”

Of course, the new project will make some improvements on the original. Most importantly, Ashford will have a full kitchen (KBG mostly relies on food trucks and a nearby food court). Salazar says he’s looking for a chef to lead the kitchen.

In response to customer demand for private event space, Ashford Beer Garden will also have a larger second floor patio than KBG does. The beer garden will have a larger screen to make it easier for people to watch sports.

Located on the site of a former Schlumberger campus near the intersection of Dairy Ashford Rd. and Briar Forest Dr., Ashford Yard is a 12.7-acre development that will include apartments, restaurants, and retail tenants. Salazar says he found his values aligned with the projects developers, Houston real estate firms Market Square Companies and Tenon Property Company.

“We have a similar vision of quality for the community and creating a space and having great neighbors. Not being a strip center but a true development that’s above and beyond what the area has to offer,” Salazar says. Later, he adds, “It seems great for us to be surrounded by companies such as Shell and Baker Hughes and all these great neighborhoods."

news-you-can-eat openings craft-beer ashford beer garden

the pit room expands

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