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    if i had a tail

    Award-winning Houston bar returns after short closure with big upgrades and exciting news

    Eric Sandler
    Sep 18, 2023 | 5:58 pm

    Changes have come to Monkey’s Tail. The CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning neighborhood bar in Lindale Park returned to service this weekend after an almost month-long closure for some behind the scenes renovations and upgrades.

    Those changes are only the start. As it prepares to open a second location in Conroe next month (hopefully) and Grease Monkey, a new concept in the former Petrol Station space in the spring, Monkey’s Tail owner Jessie Gonzalez has made other changes, too.

    First, the bar’s food truck is in the process of being replaced with a permanent kitchen that will take approximately six months to build. Second, beverage director Lainey Collum is stepping into the operations role formerly occupied by Steven Ripley, who will maintain a part-time consulting role on the food offerings at both bars.

    “Monkey’s Tail has morphed into something different than what it started. It just keeps growing,” Gonzalez tells CultureMap. “We want things to flow better. If you want to open multiple locations, you have to have structure.”

    He adds that he’s amazing that new people still visit the bar four years into its existing, coming from places as far away as Conroe and Katy. All of the changes are designed to deal with the growing crowds and plan for the future.

    “It’s growing pains,” Collum adds. “The volume keeps getting bigger. It’s an amazing problem to have. How do we make the bar more functional to deal with that, so people don’t have super long waits?”

    Physically, those structures start with improvements to the inner patio. It now features a U-shaped floating roof designed to provide more shade and protection from the rain than the umbrellas it replaces. The roof complements an outdoor bar and helps make the patio more comfortable. Adding new TVs mean Astros fans will be able to root for the team both indoors and outside during this year’s playoff run.

    “We’re trying to get ourselves ready for patio season,” Collum explains. “We also do a big Christmas celebration, a Feliz Navidad thing with a big Christmas tree and tons of decorations. We want to blow it out as big as it can be.”

    Similarly, the decision to replace the bar’s food food truck with a full kitchen reflects Gonzalez and Collum’s interests in serving more people more quickly. Monkey’s Tail’s weekend brunch service has become increasingly popular, and Monday’s steak night has doubled its revenue over the past couple of years.

    “We’ve gone over 200 steaks a night,” Gonzalez says. “For a bar, it’s a lot of steak.”

    While the kitchen is under construction, Monkey’s Tail will utilize guest food trucks. Elements, chef Zach McClendon’s traveling steak night pop-up that also operates the kitchen at Cottonwood, will take on steak night until the kitchen is operational.

    On the personnel side, Collum is taking the lead on operations and being granted a partnership stake in the company. She brings a wide range of experiences to her role, including working as the assistant general manager at Hay Merchant, a bar manager at The Pass & Provisions, the beverage director for Prohibition, and a management role at Yauatcha, the stylish dim sum restaurant from the international Hakkasan Group. Now, she’s accepted the challenge of being an owner and applying some of those fine dining standards to a casual, come-as-you-are, neighborhood bar.

    “I have a very varied background of all different types of places, but I do have a high end pedigree,” she says. “I switched over to a more casual concept, because in my mind, that’s where the bar world is going. Nothing against fine dining, it’s amazing, but as far as longevity goes, it’s tough.”

    Collum’s most immediate responsibility is opening Monkey’s Tail’s second location in Conroe (2017 N. Frazier St.). Announced last year, it’s expected to open in October.

    Conroe residents can expect the full Monkey's Tail menu — including wings, tacos, and the signature Chango Burger, along with all of its popular stirred, shaken, and frozen cocktails. Events such as steak night will also make the journey north. If Conroe proves to be successful, Gonzalez has his eye on other cities for additional locations, including Katy and Brenham.

    Once Conroe is up and running, Collum will turn her attention to Grease Monkey. The project has been delayed for a variety of reasons, but is expected to open by mid-2024. As in the Petrol Station days, draft beer will remain a core part of the bar’s offerings, along with cocktails and a slimmed-down version of the Monkey’s Tail food menu to allow for its smaller kitchen.

    “We don’t want to take it lightly. We can take Monkey’s Tail and replicate it in Conroe. That’s not what Grease Monkey is,” Collum says.

    “With Steven leaving the group, I don’t want to say what it’s going to be. It might change a little bit.”

    Ultimately, Gonzalez and Collum share the same goal of making the original Monkey’s Tail and any related locations durable Houston institutions. With the right systems in place, they plan to serve customers for years to come.

    “We want to be here for the long term,” Gonzalez says. “I know it’s hard for bars to do that, but Little Woodrow’s has. If they can do it, why can’t we?”

    A look inside Monkey's Tail.

    Monkey's Tail interior
      
    Photo by Shannon O'Hara

    Monkey's Tail has reopened after a month away.

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    long live the king

    Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse

    Eric Sandler
    May 14, 2025 | 11:20 am
    King Steak restaurant food spread
    Photo by Lauren Holub
    King Steak serves its guacamole with bacon.

    Houston’s newest steakhouse aims to lure diners with a simple, back-to-basics approach. Opening Wednesday, May 21, King Steak is the latest project from restaurateur Johnny Vassallo and chef Eric Aldis, two of the people behind Mo's...A Place for Steaks, a see-and-be-seen steakhouse that thrived on Post Oak until it closed in 2016.

    Working together, Vassallo as owner and Aldis as operating partner, the duo intends for King Steak to recapture Mo’s lively atmosphere while serving a menu in line with current trends, such as frying items in beef tallow rather than seed oils. For Aldis, who’s done everything from serving as a senior manager who helped grow Federal Grill to operating a short-lived barbecue joint in Midtown, the opportunity to focus on a single location is a welcome change of pace.

    “I’ve been overseeing a bunch of pubs and restaurants,” Aldis tells CultureMap. “Now, I’ll be at King’s six days a week. I want to be more centralized and do one spot for the next 20 years.”

    For a restaurant with “steak” in its name, King Steak keeps things simple. It serves a 16-ounce strip, a 20-ounce ribeye, and a filet in three sizes ranging from four to 12 ounces. They’re joined by steakhouse staples such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, and four different potato sides — loaded baked potato, jalapeño hashbrowns, mashed potatoes, and beef tallow fries.

    Where the restaurant sets itself apart is its selection of non-steak entrees. Options include a short rib with mashed potatoes, chicken Parmesan, ahi tuna with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, and a French dip sandwich. One item Aldis hopes diners will embrace is the restaurant’s vegetable charcuterie, a shareable appetizer platter made with grilled and roasted vegetables paired with an array of dipping sauces.

    “Having artichoke carpaccio, beet pastrami, all different types of vegetables presented in the style of charcuterie. It’s fun and a little healthy, too,” Aldis says. “Don’t get wrong. I still love a great charcuterie board with meats and cheeses, but it’s something different that goes well with a glass of wine and chilling on a patio.”

    Speaking of the patio, Vassallo and Aldis have invested in major upgrades to location’s outdoor seating, which now has year-round utility courtesy of glass walls and climate control. Formerly Osteria Mazzantini and Cafe Ginger, the dining room has been transformed with a mural and artwork that evokes the American West.

    Aldis is confident that the patio, and the restaurant’s private dining room that can be divided into three spaces, will help lure customers — as will Aldis’ outgoing personality.

    “Don’t shy away from a caviar bump when I’m walking around with a kilo to get the party started,” he says with a laugh.

    Yes, the Galleria area is thick with steakhouses at all price points, but many are corporate-owned or part of larger chains. Aldis sees an opportunity for a locally-owned, single location to distinguish itself with a more personal approach.

    “We’re not chef driven. We’re guest driven. That’s where we want to be,” he says. Later, he adds, “Whatever you want, we’ll go above and beyond to make it happen. Give me a couple days, I’ll get it in. We’ll make it beautiful for you.”

    King Steak is located at 2200 Post Oak Blvd. It will be open for dinner Monday through Saturday beginning at 4 pm. Weekday lunch service is expected to follow in mid-June.



    King Steak restaurant food spread
      

    Photo by Lauren Holub

    King Steak serves its guacamole with bacon.

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