in the club

Billionaire Tilman Fertitta saddles up for new RodeoHouston steakhouse

The pop-up fine dining restaurant at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will look a little different next year. Instead of The Ranch Saloon + Steakhouse, rodeo attendees will be dining at the 1932 Cattleman’s Club.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 1932 Cattleman's Club

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and rodeo

Expect a full steak dinner at 1932 Cattleman's Club.

The restaurant’s new name also reflects a change in the company operating the concept. Instead of Berg Hospitality (B&B Butchers, Turner’s, Prime 131, etc.), the rodeo is working with Fertitta Entertainment, Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta’s company that owns Landry’s hospitality empire, the Houston Rockets, the Post Oak Hotel, and the Golden Nugget casino chain.

“Our fine dining guests have come to expect something extraordinary — and this new partnership delivers just that,” Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo President and CEO Chris Boleman said in a statement. “This collaboration honors our Western heritage while elevating the guest experience to new heights, ensuring that every bite reflects the excellence and passion at the heart of our brand.”

While certain aspects of 1932 Cattleman’s Club will be similar to the Ranch — diners will still be able to order prime and wagyu steaks, seafood dishes, and sides like lobster mac and cheese — it will be a different experience in meaningful ways. For example, Cattleman’s Club will be open for lunch. It will also offer a kid’s menu.

As noted in a release, Fertitta Entertainment has a more than 15-year presence on the rodeo grounds via its Saltgrass Steakhouse pop-up booth. With a range of luxury concepts in its portfolio such as Mastro’s, Vic & Anthony’s, La Griglia, and Palm, the Fertitta Entertainment team has an almost limitless number of menu items that could show up on the Cattleman’s Club menu.

“With Fertitta Entertainment’s deep roots in the Houston community, we are thrilled to bring a new, upscale dining, and entertainment destination to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2026,” added Patrick Fertitta, director of Fertitta Entertainment. “It’s an incredible honor to continue being a part of this Texas institution that means so much to our city; and we look forward to bringing Houstonians and visitors from all around the world an unforgettable experience that blends culinary excellence, energy, and authentic rodeo spirit.”

Berg Hospitality operated The Ranch Saloon for four years. In response to CultureMap's request for comment about today's announcement, a representative provided the following statement:

We are proud of what we’ve accomplished at The Ranch over the past four years. In true western spirit, we took a chance and built something from the ground up, creating an experience that became truly special. We take great pride in the blueprint we leave behind and as our chapter at The Ranch comes to a close, we congratulate Landry’s and wish them every success.

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo provided CultureMap with a statement about the decision to work with Fertitta Entertainment instead of Berg Hospitality:

As we continue to evolve and enhance the Rodeo experience, we regularly assess our partnerships to ensure we’re providing unmatched hospitality and introducing new, elevated offerings. Fertitta Entertainment's expertise in premium pop-up concepts and their deep connection to our event make them uniquely equipped to deliver a world-class experience at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. We’re thrilled to continue our fine dining experience with the introduction of 1932 Cattleman's Club in 2026.

Details about the 1932 Cattleman Club’s design, reservations, and other programming will be released at a later date. Those interested in more information should visit the Cattleman’s Club website or follow the restaurant on Instagram.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will run from March 2-22, 2026. It will conclude with a special concert-only performance by Texas-born country star Cody Johnson.

rodeo rodeohouston news-you-can-eat openings tilman fertitta

Houston's smallest restaurant?

Michelin-recognized Houston sushi chef fires up 4-seat Japanese skewer spot

Courtesy of Sip & Skewer

Diners sit in front of chefs cooking on a grill.

The team behind one of Houston’s Michelin-recognized sushi restaurants is opening an intimate new izakaya. Sip & Skewer is the newest concept from Hidden Omakase owner Tuan Tran and chef Marcos Juarez.

Opening Friday, February 13, Sip & Skewer is a four-seat restaurant devoted to skewered meats that’s located within Sushi by Hidden, the group’s affordable omakase restaurant in Rice Village. At Sip & Skewer, diners sit across from the chefs as they cook a 10-course, $90 meal on a Japanese binchotan grill.

“Sip & Skewer is small, loud, and intentional. The kind of hidden experience you’d find in Tokyo,” Tran said. “And with Chef Marcos guiding the team at Sushi by Hidden, this space is getting new energy from every angle.”

A four-seat restaurant within a 10-seat restaurant might seem kind of superfluous, but Tran explains that it’s part of a larger plan for his group of restaurants, which also includes West U. hand roll restaurant Norigami. It also builds on the success of Hidden Omakase, the Galleria-area sushi counter that earned a Recommended designation in the Michelin Guide.

“Sip & Skewer is part of a larger vision. It’s designed as a stepping stone toward our next concept, Kōri, a new hand roll and craft cocktail bar opening in the Heights. Our plan is to open Sip & Skewer directly next to our hand roll spot, creating a small alley of Japanese concepts that feed into one another,” Tran explains.

“This allows us to build awareness, train our team in a new format, and introduce guests to Japanese charcoal grilling in a very personal way before we scale the idea into a larger setting with Kōri. The four-seat format keeps overhead extremely low while serving as a live test kitchen and brand builder for what’s coming next,” he adds.

On a related note, Juarez and the other chefs at Hidden Omakase are dividing their time between all three restaurants. Tuam explains that it’s a deliberate strategy to ensure a consistent customer experience.

“The same team that works Michelin-recognized omakase service also runs the grill here, which keeps quality and execution consistent while allowing the chefs a creative outlet in a very different format,” Tran said. “Because Sip & Skewer is only four seats and reservations only, it does not require a dedicated full-time staff. It’s an extension of the team rather than a separate operation.”