historic bbq joint prepares to shutter

Iconic Fort Bend barbecue restaurant will soon shutter after 50-year run

The Swinging Door's Steve Onstad announced the closure.

The Swinging Door/Facebook

A historic Houston-area barbecue joint will soon extinguish its smokers. Richmond staple The Swinging Door will close in the next few weeks, owner Steve Onstad announced via Facebook.

“We have been blessed to have been of service to this area. However, this old BBQ guy has decided to move on to another chapter in life, that being said Swinging Door is closing its doors,” Onstad wrote.

Unlike most other barbecue restaurants, the Swinging Door uses pecan wood, rather than post oak, to smoke its meats, giving them a distinct flavor. Those meats, paired with the homemade-style sides and desserts, have been luring Houstonians and Fort Bend County residents to the restaurant since 1973.

Back then, the restaurant’s location on FM 359 felt so far away from central Houston that a nearby field served as a landing pad for helicopters for energy company executives and Bum Philipps invited Luv Ya Blue-era Houston Oilers players there for dinner, the Houston Chronicle reported in 2016. (Jewish Houstonians of a certain age may remember seeing it pass by on their way to summer camp at the Jewish Community Center’s shuttered Gordon Campsite, but I digress.)

Now, bustling Richmond neighborhoods like Pecan Grove and Grand River surround the property, providing it with an enthusiastic customer base.

After a 2015 visit, Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn praised the restaurant’s ribs, “excellent sides,” and blackberry cobbler. “With so many good options for barbecue popping up in Houston, you don’t have to drive out this far, but there’s just enough good stuff on the menu to make it worth the trip,” he concluded.

The restaurant’s Fort Bend County neighbors share a similar sentiment. The Facebook post announcing the closure has swelled to hundreds of comments that range from people who have been eating there for almost the entirety of its run to newer arrivals who had their first taste of Texas barbecue from its pecan-fueled pits. It will undoubtedly be missed by many.

“Being a huge part Fort Bend County the past 50 years I want to give a big THANK YOU to all of our wonderful customers, customers that became friends, friends that became family and especially all my employees throughout the years that created the backbone of this establishment,” Onstad added. “It has been a honor to be a part of the last 50 years of memories.”

Swinging Door barbecue closings news-you-can-eat

there's the rub

Restaurant known for 'new Houston cuisine' now open in Cypress

Courtesy of Jonathan's the Rub

Jonathan's the Rub serves steaks and other dishes.

A restaurant known for its eclectic “new Houston cuisine” has opened in Cypress. The fourth location of Jonathan’s the Rub is now open for dinner in Bridgeland (20215 Bridgeland Creek Parkway).

First announced last year, the new Jonathan’s is located in Village Green, a 70-acre mixed-use development within the 925-acre Bridgeland Central district. The 5,500-square-foot restaurant includes two patios totaling 2,600 square feet, giving the restaurant plenty of room for private dining rooms, a bar area, and indoor-outdoor areas with fire pits and greenery.

“We were looking for the next frontier — a community with a booming population and a clear vision for growth that aligns with our brand,” chef-owner Jonathan Levine said in a statement. “When we discovered Bridgeland and learned it was a Howard Hughes development, we were immediately impressed. With their reputation for developing generational communities, we felt confident that Bridgeland was the right place for our family and for Jonathan’s the Rub.”

Like Jonathan’s three other locations, the menu at Bridgeland is built around Levine’s signature “new Houston cuisine,” a kicked-up take on comfort food that includes everything from lobster tacos and blackened shrimp and grits to Italian American classics and steakhouse fare.

Village Green is also home to H-E-B and restaurants such as Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café and Crust Pizza Co. Austin-based burger joint P. Terry’s will open there next year.

“Jonathan’s the Rub’s arrival in Bridgeland Central brings a distinguished addition to the culinary scene in both the community and northwest Houston,” said Jim Carman, president of the Texas region, for Bridgeland developer Howard Hughes Communities. “We’re proud to partner with exceptional restaurateurs like Chef Jonathan Levine to bring elevated dining experiences that enhance the lifestyle offerings for our residents and neighbors.”

Courtesy of Jonathan's the Rub

Jonathan's the Rub serves steaks and other dishes.