All but the most bartender-obsessed Houstonians may not know Steven Salazar’s name, but even regular bar patrons know the places he’s worked. During a lengthy tenure with the Kirby Group, Salazar played a key role in opening most of the group’s most popular bars, including Wooster’s Garden, Holman Draft Hall, Pitch 25, and Tastemaker Awards winner Heights Bier Garten.

Salazar left two years ago to create his newest project, Katy Beer Garden. Located on 25,000-square-feet at The Dryer, a new mixed-use development on the property of Katy’s historic Cardiff Rice Dryer. Katy Beer Garden opened on Monday, June 17 (5345 E 3rd St. Katy).

Salazar tells CultureMap that the new bar reflects the lessons learned from his time with the Kirby Group, along with a trip to beer gardens in Germany and becoming a father. He’s matured quite a bit from the experiences and sees his place in the bar world a little differently than when he opened Wooster’s 10 years ago.

“My daughter, literally, I’m thinking about this place,” he says. “I’ve got to buy a house for her. I’ve got to do all these things. I feel a different sense of motivation. I used to be very selfish. Now it’s do whatever it takes to have a good life for her.”

Customers will find a 10,000-square-foot interior that’s divided into an expansive beer hall and a more intimate cocktail bar. The beer hall has high ceilings, 85-inch TVs, and lots of plants along the walls. Those who want a more intimate experience will find it in the cocktail bar, which takes some inspiration from Diversión, the upscale lounge Salazar opened in Spring Branch that earned a Bar of the Year nod from Esquire in 2022.

The outdoor beer garden is divided into different sections: a picnic area near the stage, a covered seating area, a section for lawn games such as bocce and cornhole, and a fully landscaped area that’s shaded by trees and stocked with a range of different greenery. With some slight elevation changes, it’s one of the most striking aspects of the new bar. These features reflect some of what Salazar observed in Europe.

“Taller trees — I bought the largest ones I could afford. Intricate landscaping with different textures, heights, and colors throughout. Open areas for gaming. A picnic area, that was huge in Europe,” he says.

Anyone who’s familiar with Heights Bier Garten will recognize some similarities with Katy Beer Garden’s beverage offerings. That starts with the 100 taps that include craft beer along with wine, sake, mead, and cider. At a time when many bars are scaling back their draft offerings, Salazar sees having a broad selection as a key component of Katy Beer Garden’s appeal.

“In my experience, the beer has always been fresh. We blow through it,” he says. “Twenty of them are wine. I’ve never felt that we had too many. Sometimes I feel like maybe we could have fit a few more.”

At opening, the bar will offer 31 house cocktails created by Salazar and his wife Jessica, a Tastemaker Award bartender of the year nominee who worked with him at Wooster’s and other establishments. With room for 1,400 bottles on the back bar, the cocktail program will grow over time to 50 or more, but the staff needs to get comfortable with these before adding more drinks to their repertoire.

Food will be provided by local food trucks serving barbecue and tacos. Eventually, Salazar plans to lease the bar’s kitchen to a chef who will use it to create a menu of different snacks at a range of price points.

Behind the scenes, Salazar is taking steps to ensure his employees are happy. Not only do they have a dedicated break room, but full-time employees get access to health insurance. No surprise then that some of Salazar’s former colleagues, including managing partner Taylor Percle, are working with him at Katy Beer Garden. It’s all part of Salazar’s plan to be here through his 10-year lease and well into the future.

“I’m all about us being a neighborhood bar. You’re here for happy hour, date night, girls’ night out,” he says. “You’re here for brunch with your grandparents and your baby in a stroller. It’s your home away from home.”

As CultureMap has previously reported, other plans for The Dryer development include a three-story building called Main Street that will have an eight-vendor food hall, co-working spaces, and a banquet facility. The property will also be home to the Katy Heritage Society’s museum, a full-service restaurant, an outdoor event space with a stage, and a children’s play area — complete with a functioning railroad track.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Salazar bought the tallest trees he could afford.