recess time

New Houston restaurant's supervised playground will give parents a break

A family-friendly bar, restaurant, and playground is starting to take shape where River Oaks meets Montrose. When it opens in early 2026, Recess will offer a number of amenities designed to appeal to busy families.

Recess restaurant playground interior rendering

Courtesy of Recess

Recess will give kids a place to play.

Located in a former bank building at 1500 Waugh Dr., Recess is a 12,500-square-foot, two-story venue that’s designed for parents and kids. At its heart is a supervised play area created by Houston design firm Rootlab that will allow kids to romp in a creative, colorful environment. Since the play area will be supervised by Recess’ staff (described in press materials as “highly trained caregivers”), parents are free to have a bite to eat and sip a drink in the facility’s second-story restaurant. Recess’ owners portray the concept as a win-win that gives kids a break from screen time while allowing adults to have a little break from the responsibilities of childcare.

“As parents, we know how hard it can be to find balance — to stay connected to your spouse, your friends, or even just yourself while raising young kids,” co-founder Jonathan Davy said in a statement. “Recess was born from that everyday reality. We wanted to create a space that makes that truly possible — a secure environment where kids can play freely while adults can genuinely breathe for a minute without feeling like they’re on duty.”

Recess will offer families a range of price points, including hourly rates, multi-visit packages, and long term memberships. Towards that end, it will soon offer a limited number of “Founder Memberships” that come with perks such as priority reservations and early booking for private events.

Details on the food and drink offerings have yet to be finalized, but Recess promises its adult-oriented spaces will match the quality of its playground. Towards that end, the owners have retained hospitality consultant Scott Sulma to develop that aspect of its offerings. Prior to going out on his own, Sulma worked as the general manager of Tony’s and as the area director for Baltimore-based Atlas Restaurant Group’s Houston operations (Loch Bar, Azumi, Marmo).

“Recess is about reclaiming family time — making it easier, more joyful and more meaningful,” added co-founder Paul Rice “Our goal from the start was to take the stress out of family outings and give parents a chance to unwind and be present.”

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Goldee's and Barbs Go North

2 Michelin-recognized pitmasters cooking up Texas barbecue joint in NYC

Photo by Will Milne

Kirbee's will stay true to the menus at the two barbecue joints that came before it. (Pictured: A tray at Goldee's Bar-B-Q)

Two important restaurants in the Texas barbecue scene have spawned a new project in a less-expected locale: New York City. Barbs B Q owner Chuck Charnichart and former Goldee's Bar-B-Q partner Jonny White will open Kirbee's, a restaurant combining classic dishes from both of its progenitors, at 55 McGuinness Blvd. South in Greenpoint (a neighborhood in Brooklyn) in about four to five months, White says.

Both White and Charnichart have led two of Texas's most well-regarded barbecue joints. Located in Fort Worth, Goldee's ranked No. 1 on Texas Monthly's list of the state's 50 best barbecue restaurants in 2021 and ranked No. 3 on the 2025 list. Charnichart, who worked at Goldee's, opened Barbs B Q in Lockhart in 2023. Earlier this week, Barbs earned an impressive three-star review in the New York Times. Both restaurants hold Bib Gourmand designations in the Michelin Guide.

Eater New York broke the news on February 24, and White caught CultureMap up with some additional written details.

As Eater points out, Charnichart brings creative dishes from her Lockhart restaurant like pork ribs with lime zest, Mexican-spiced brisket, and the famous "green spaghett" made with poblanos and cilantro. White brings lauded barbecue from Fort Worth that's more fit for purists, including smoked turkey, brisket, and classic sides.

For many, Barbs B Q represents the Texas barbecue vanguard. Now New Yorkers will be in on it, too.Photo by Bryce Gilbertson

White further tells CultureMap that the menu will probably be organized into plates and trays so that guests can sample one barbecue joint or the other.

White has been in New York for seven months after selling his shares of Goldee's. He's secured a building and is working with contractors to convert it for barbecue greatness. The two pitmasters will get to work together physically soon — although White doesn't spill the beans about whether Charnichart plans to move there or just visit.

Kirbee's exterior New York Kirbee's will take over this cheerful space.Photo by Jonny White

"Chuck is one of my best friends and an amazing chef," White says. "I’m super excited for us to be working together again and we are excited to be in New York!"

One of the adjustments the duo had to make to thrive in the Big Apple is to make do with a smaller smoker setup. Instead of traditional offset smokers — the large barrels Texas foodies are used to seeing out back at their favorite barbecue joints — Kirbee's will use smoker ovens. White confirms the decision was about space, but he's hopeful the more consistent cooking process will actually be better than the Texas norm. "I think it will be interesting for people to compare," he says.

The real question for barbecue-lovers who are in it for the culture: How will New Yorkers deal with the lines?

"I think they’re used to long lines and being served to order because of Katz," White says, referring to Katz's Delicatessen, an ultra-famous New York deli since 1888 that's known for its gigantic pastrami sandwiches. But if it's not the brisket that transports Yankees to the Southwest, the Texas pitmaster looks forward to introducing them to Waco's own Big Red.

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