Becks is back

River Oaks favorite burger joint reopens after renovations

An Upper Kirby burger institution will return to service this week. Becks Prime will reopen its original Kirby Drive location this Thursday, December 22 (2902 Kirby Dr).

First opened in 1985, the Kirby location needed a refresh after 37 years of continuous use. Changes include an all-new, 48-seat patio and a digital menu for drive-thru customers. Inside, customers will find wooden tables, new wallpaper, leather banquettes, and framed photographs from the restaurant’s history.

“Our classically designed restaurant had remained frozen in time for 37 years since first opening on Kirby in 1985 so it was time for a refresh while still holding onto reminders of where we started,” Becks Prime president Molly Voorhees said in a statement. “We have missed our neighbors in River Oaks and cannot wait to welcome everyone back just in time for the New Year.”

Becks Prime serves burgers made with beef that's ground fresh in-house and grilled over mesquite. A diverse menu that also includes salads, steaks, and sides like queso and guacamole has allowed the company to grow to nine Houston-area locations. In an appearance on CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Voorhees credited part of Becks Prime’s success to the restaurant's willingness to tailor an order as to suit each person's tastes.

"Something like 50 or 60 percent of the people who come in our doors customize some part of the meal . . . If you want two pieces of bacon, mustard on the top, prime sauce on the bottom, I want to put a hot dog in that sandwich instead of a burger, it's okay," she said. "Most of the time it comes out exactly as our customers like it. If it doesn't, bring it back to the counter, and we'll fix it. Becks does that well and always has, and our customers expect us to keep doing it, so you better not change a darn thing."

Beginning Thursday, the restaurant will be open daily from 11 am-10 pm. It will close at 4 pm on December 24 for Christmas Eve and be closed on Christmas Day.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Becks Prime will reopen its Kirby location this week.

openings burgers news-you-can-eat

Let's a-go-go tacos

Houston taqueria opens 2 new locations with cocktails by Anvil owner

Tacos A Go Go Sharon Haynes Bobby Heugel Maribel Gomez

Photo by Dylan McEwan

Co-owners Sharon Haynes and chef Maribel Gomez with Anvil owner Bobby Heugel.

Residents of the Heights and Briargrove have a new options for tacos and margaritas. Tacos A Go Go has opened new locations in both neighborhoods.

Located in the former Lola Neighborhood Diner (1102 Yale St.) and Killen’s STQ (2231 S. Voss Rd.), the two new restaurants are the first Tacos A Go Go locations to feature a full bar. Owners Sharon Haynes and Maribel Gomez turned to Anvil owner Bobby Heugel to create the cocktail program.

“Launching a full bar felt like the natural evolution of Tacos A Go Go,” Haynes said in a statement. “We’re known for fresh, authentic flavors, and our bold, fun new cocktails and designated bar area are totally in line with that thinking. Working with Bobby Heugel meant we could bring that same care and thought to the bar, offering excellent cocktails with fresh-squeezed juices and perfectly matched spirits.”

Heugel, along with bartenders Máté Hartai and Tyler Wang, put a Mexican spin on familiar cocktails, including the Mole Espresso Martini (vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and mole spices), the Frozen Mangonada (Mexican rum, mango, lime, chamoy, and chile spices), and a fresh spin on the margarita that can be enhanced with a housemade pico de gallo syrup and finished with a pico de gallo garnish.

At 2,646 square feet, the Heights location offers more space and better parking than Tacos A Go Go’s former home on White Oak. Both new locations feature interior design by Brittany Vaughn of Garnish Designs (Milton’s, Tiny Champions) and hand-painted graphics and collages by Matt Tabor of Letterset Houston.

The restaurants will serve Tacos A Go Go’s familiar menu. Led by chef Gomez, it includes street-style tacos with fillings such as carne guisada, pastor, picadillo, and barbacoa. In addition, the restaurant offers breakfast tacos all day and more elevated options such as grilled shrimp and smoked brisket. Non-taco options include burritos, quesadillas, and salads.

The Heights location is open from 7 am-10 pm Sunday through Wednesday and 7 am-12 am Thursday through Saturday, while Briargrove is open daily from 7 am-10 pm. Both restaurants offer happy hour daily from 2-5 pm, including $5 margaritas.

Photo by Dylan McEwan

Co-owners Sharon Haynes and chef Maribel Gomez with Anvil owner Bobby Heugel.

news-you-can-eat openings tacos the-heights