From Spring to Third Ward, several Houston restaurants served their last meals in October, as many more restaurants have cropped up.
It has been a challenging year for many restaurants. For some, their lease has ended, and they’ve decided to call it quits. The I-45 expansion project has also affected restaurants, such as Kim Son.
Along with 43-year-old Kim Son, Houston said goodbye to other longtime restaurants in October, like Ginger & Fork and This Is It Soul Food.
RESTAURANT CLOSURES: 11 Houston restaurants closed in September, including Ostia and Dak & Bop
Here are the closings we tracked in October.
If you work in the restaurant industry and want to provide insight on hardships you’re experiencing, email sonia.garcia@houstonchronicle.com.
Big Owl Craft Brew House
Big Owl Craft Brew House closed in the Heights. (Big Owl Craft Brew House)
Big Owl Craft Brew House and its in-house brewer, Turkey Forest Brewing, are the latest craft beer casualty in Houston. The last day of business was Oct. 24, after four years in the Heights. It joins a growing number of local breweries that have closed in the past two years, such as Elder Son Brewing Co., North Shepherd Brewing and Urban South Brewery, among others.
Cobos BBQ
The patio area at Cobo’s Que in EaDo reflects its sports bar aesthetics. (Alison Cook / Staff)
A hangout for Astros fans that served birria, quesadillas and brisket closed in mid-October by pitmaster Raul Jacobo – for now. Cobos BBQ had been in business for four years in EaDo, having first opened on Atascocita Road in 2017. On Oct. 9, the sports restaurant-bar posted on X, “Cobos is officially for sale…” Then, on Nov. 6, it said it will be coming back with a new menu.
“Numerous people reached out to us about investing in Cobos when we announced we were closing. It was never about going out of business, it was a grind making it through another off-season. We aren’t corporate, s—Â takes its toll. That being said, looks like we’ll be back soon! Definitely going to create a new menu with some favorites from the food trailer days (iykyk). We will keep you updated. Much love as always!!” the post read.
Ginger & Fork
Ginger & Fork is now closed in Houston. (Gary Coronado/Houston Chronicle)
0In July, Cantonese restaurant Ginger & Fork announced it was closing its doors for good in October after deciding not to renew its lease. The day has come. Its last day open was Oct. 25. It pointed to never recovering from a staffing shortage that was onset by the pandemic. The beloved restaurant had been open for 10 years.
Jenni’s Noodle House (Heights)
Shrimply curry at Jenni’s Noodle House. (Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle)
Fifteen years after opening in the Heights, Jenni’s Noodle House decided not to renew its lease and closed on Oct. 26. However, it is still serving Vietnamese dishes at its Shepherd location.
Kim Son (East End)
Kim Son’s 2001 Jefferson location near the downtown has since closed. (Kevin Fujii/Houston Chronicle)
It’s the end of an era for the flagship location of Kim Son, which was one of the last remnants of a once-thriving Chinatown that existed in East Downtown. The closing of Kim Son was brought on by the I-45 expansion project. The Vietnamese restaurant was open for 43 years, and still has a remaining location in Asiatown. The owners plan to “lay low” over the next year or two before deciding whether to possibly reopen in the neighborhood, said Tao La, Kim Son’s chief operating officer.
“We still want to have a downtown presence,” he said. “We’d love to be in the area because it’s where we grew up.”
Kitsune Sushi & Hibachi
Kitsune Sushi & Habachi closed at the end of October, citing personal reasons in a social media farewell post. Located in northwest Houston, the restaurant had been serving all-you-can-eat sushi, along with hibachi, for over a year.
This Is It Soul Food
This Is It Soul Food staff Camryn Wilson fills an order during lunch hour Friday, May 19, 2023, at Third Ward in Houston. The famous soul food restaurant is opening a second location in Humble. (Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer)
Over 66 years, This Is It Soul Food has been a mainstay, receiving visitors like Beyoncé and Jill Biden. It closed its doors in Third Ward on October 12. The location, which originated in the Fourth Ward, had opened in the Third Ward in 2010. In a social media post, it detailed that family members of those who run the restaurant opened Mikki’s Soul Food Cafe in that location. This Is It Soul Food still has a location in Humble.
“From the heart of Fourth Ward to the historic 3rd Ward, we now say goodbye and we look forward to focusing on growth, re-branding, and innovation at our Humble location. We are grateful for the communities we’ve served across Houston and beyond and we remain thankful for the relationships that sustained us,” the post read.
Uncle Tony’s
Chela bacon cheeseburger and fries at Uncle Tony’s, which just closed in Spring. (Alison Cook)
This Spring burger joint closed at the end of October after nine years. In a social media post, the restaurant announced that it has opened a location in Porter to replace its Spring location; it also operates a food truck in Magnolia. A peri peri restaurant is reportedly slated for the Spring location.
This article originally published at These Houston restaurants closed in October, from Kim Son to This Is It Soul Food.