on the quad

Houston-born NFL veteran fires up Southern-inspired restaurant and cigar lounge in Third Ward

Yes, that's a gold-wrapped lobster tail.

Courtesy of Quad Restaurant

A former NFL player is opening a new restaurant and sports bar with a sister concept devoted to cigar lovers. Quad Houston Restaurant & Sports Lounge and its companion cigar lounge The Den have begun a quiet soft opening soon an eye towards celebrating their grand openings July 20-23.

Located at 4608 Almeda Rd., Quad comes from NFL veteran Michael Brockers. Currently a free agent, the Houston native and LSU alum has an 11-year pro career in which he defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions. Sadly for Brockers, the Rams traded him to the Lions prior to their Super Bowl-winning 2021-22 season. According to Spotrac, he has earned almost $70 million during his career, paving the way for him to found On Lock Investments with his business partners, Justin Cobb-Bell and former high school football coach Diahron Myers

Quad will serve a menu of elevated, Southern-inspired dishes. Although a final menu has yet to be released, press materials tout blackened salmon sliders, shrimp and grits with gouda and cheddar grits, and chicken wings and French toast.

Those looking to splurge will find options such as the Lobster Boss, a 12-ounce broiled lobster tail that’s adorned with edible gold.

All told, the restaurant expects to seat 140 people inside with a private dining room that’s available for events and spirit tastings. Outside, customers will find a massive patio and hookah lounge capable of accommodating 860 people.

TVs throughout the space will cater to sports fans. It also plans to host trivia nights, live music, and other events.

The Den Cigar Lounge interior Here's a sneak peek inside The Den.Courtesy of Quad Restaurant

The Den will be Quad’s companion, members-only cigar lounge. Its expected to have a good selection of cigars along with a refined, upscale atmosphere. It began a soft opening last weekend. Follow it on Instagram for updates on hours of operations.

Athlete-owned restaurants have become something of a trend in Houston. Dynamo legend Brian Ching has opened two bars, Pitch 25 in EaDo and the expansive East End Backyard. Former Rockets star James Harden owns Thirteen, a fine dining restaurant and bar in Midtown. More recently, NBA legend and media personality Shaquille O'Neal opened a Houston location of his fast casual restaurant Big Chicken.

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a very fine house

Mexican restaurant with private tequila lockers sets Cypress opening

Courtesy of Grupo Herrera Restaurants

The menu includes ceviche.

An upscale Mexican restaurant is coming soon to the Towne Lake development in Cypress. Galiana’s Casa Del Tequila will begin its soft opening this Monday, September 21 ahead of a grand opening on September 28.

Located at 11231 Greenhouse Road, Galiana’s Casa Del Tequila is an evolution of Galiana's Tex Mex & Agave Bar, a restaurant that closed in May. It’s part of Grupo Herrera Restaurants, the company behind Alicia’s Mexican Grille, Dario’s Steakhouse & Seafood, and Marvino’s Italian Steakhouse.

The new name comes with a new menu that’s designed to be more upscale than its predecessor. Owner Dario Herrera describes Galiana’s as “the fresher side of Mexico,” according to press materials, with a focus on high quality ingredients and tableside presentations.

Appetizers include street corn with grilled bone marrow, charred octopus, gorditas filled with pastor or chicken fajitas, and tableside guacamole. From there, diners may opt for tacos filled with pastor, octopus, vegetables, tempura fried Gulf snapper, or ribeye.

Galiana’s offers three choices of beef fajitas — skirt, ribeye, or filet — along with chicken. Diners can add familiar toppings such as bacon-wrapped shrimp, a lobster tail, or jalapeño sausage.

Other entrees include shrimp and crab enchiladas, mole enchiladas with chicken, risotto Veracruz with shellfish and octopus, and pan-seared Gulf red snapper with tequila poblano-chipotle cream. The company’s experience with steakhouses is reflected in Galiana’s steak selection that includes skirt, ribeye, an American wagyu New York strip, and a Black Angus tomahawk that’s carved tableside.

As the “house of tequila,” Galiana’s will also serve a wide range of tequila and mezcal-based cocktails, all of which are made-to-order with fresh citrus. In addition, private liquor lockers ae available for diners who want access to premium spirits and other perks.

During the soft opening, the restaurant will be open for dinner from 5-10 pm. After that, it will be open for lunch and dinner daily with brunch served on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available online.

Courtesy of Grupo Herrera Restaurants

The menu includes ceviche.

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