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.
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, 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.”