Get your crawfish fix with Crawfish Cafe’s new location, which serves as a dual concept with Pho Prime.
Sunny spring weather calls for getting out of the house, and in Houston, that often means checking out a new restaurant or finding a new patio to soak in some vitamin D. Whether it’s a family-friendly hangout in the Heights, a steak dinner at a Houston chef’s latest restaurant, or a Mexican spread in Lindale Park, here’s what’s worth keeping tabs on, plus a roundup of what’s coming soon.
Chinatown
Crawfish Cafe’s dual concept with Pho Prime officially debuted in Chinatown in early March. Situated in a 10,000-square-foot space, the new restaurant blends modern design, Vietnamese tradition, New Orleans flair, and Houston vibes to create the ultimate all-day dining experience. Dig into staples like boiled crawfish, crawfish cheese bread, beer-battered cod tacos, shrimp and grits, po’boys, and fried fish platters, or choose from 16 variations of pho and a bevy of banh mi combinations from Pho Prime. Be sure to try the restaurant’s buttery signature Viet-Cajun sauce, made with garlic and a hint of citrus. The sauce is set to debut at Crawfish Cafe’s other locations mid-March. A bar and drink station, stacked with margaritas, signature cocktails, beer, wine, tea, and coffee, serves as an anchor, so be sure to grab a drink to quell the spice.
The Green Room features an intimate space with appetizing dishes.
heights
Plan your next intimate dinner at this 26-seater Heights restaurant, from Doke Concepts, of Heights & Co. and Lazy Lane. The Green Room, which opened on Thursday, March 5, sets the tone for the evening with complimentary champagne and mini martinis. Chef Tom Cunanan leads the dining experience with an à la carte menu, featuring cast-iron Parkhouse rolls, sliced hamachi, patatas bravas, Wagyu sliders, dry-aged duck, and roasted confit chicken. Diners can also opt for a five-course chef’s dinner party experience.
The Union Kitchen in Garden Oaks closed to make way for new restaurant, Jax on the Tracks.
Garden Oaks
The closure of Union Kitchen’s Garden Oaks location made way for this Houston destination from Gr8 Plate Hospitality. An evolution of the Jax Grill brand, Jax on the Tracks held its grand opening on Saturday, February 28, offering a laid-back gathering space for families and neighbors in the area. The menu is packed with refined takes on wings, burgers, and pizzas, plus desserts from Kenny & Ziggy’s.
Lindale Park
Yet another Mexican restaurant enters Houston’s dining scene; this time, with a mash-up of Tex-Mex classics, Oaxacan tradition, and Baja-inspired seafood. Launched in early February, Johnny Ritas Cocina y Cantina specializes in dishes prepared over an open flame, using mesquite and charcoal. Highlights include trompo al pastor tacos, fajitas al carbón, and Johnny’s snapper a la parrilla (grilled), and it wouldn’t be complete without tequila. Find sips including margaritas, on the rocks or frozen, made from ingredients like Aguasol Blanco, orange liqueur, and fresh orange juice (available in classic, strawberry, or mango); the mezcal-based Smokeshow; and Johnnys Martini, a mix of orange liqueur, lime, and olive and orange juices.
Long Weekend is a family-friendly dining destination.
Heights
Husband-and-wife duo Paige and Andrew Alvis opened this ranch-inspired restaurant on Wednesday, March 4. Nestled in the Heights, Long Weekend offers a family-friendly indoor-outdoor layout with a playground for the kiddos, a stage for live music, TVs for sports viewing, and a breakfast café equipped with an arts-and-crafts station. A menu that leans into wood-fired Western cuisine includes elk burgers, spatchcock-style rainbow trout, Wagyu tomahawk steaks, Texas quail, and rotisserie heritage chicken. For dessert: campfire-inspired treats, including a cast-iron bread pudding and peach cobbler pizza.
Try the 76’er challenge at Star Rover for a chance at free food.
heights
Giddy up, Houstonians. This new honky-tonk-inspired steakhouse from Houston-born chef Ford Fry (La Lucha, State of Grace) opened on Thursday, February 26, in the spot formerly home to Tex-Mex joint Superica. Start your visit with appetizers, such as shrimp cocktail and crispy Gulf oysters, before slicing into one of its “steak dinners.” The menu features various cuts, including T-bone, skirt, chopped steaks, and rib eyes; there’s also blackened redfish, half-chicken, and chicken-fried chicken for those craving something other than red meat. The sides, included in the price of entrées, are simple: a salad, milk rolls, and a split portion of fries and onion rings. Finish with a slice of pie, brown-butter saltine crunch soft serve, or a “Frosty” with fries. Up for free food? Attempt the 76’er challenge. Those who finish a 76-ounce steak with all the fixings in under an hour get their meal on the house (24-hour advanced notice is required).
Coming soon
northside
East River 9 is preparing for even more fun with the March 18 opening of Birdies Icehouse. This new watering hole will pair beer, wine, and cocktails with “caddy snacks” like crispy empanadas, nachos, hummus, and pimento dip and kettle chips, plus burgers, tacos, and chicken sandwiches. Though icehouses seem synonymous with cold beer, Birdies plans to go all out with cocktails, including playful drinks like the vodka-based Transfusion, made with grape juice and ginger ale, the Sunset Spritz that will appeal to Aperol lovers, and zero-proof options, including the bubbly Spring Berry Fizz, made with blueberry and strawberry essence. Stunning views of Downtown, a sprawling patio with several TVs, and an oversize LED screen might make this a new spot to watch your favorite sports team live.
Carlo and Casa Carlo
montrose
When the owners of Paulie’s and Camerata announced they were closing the restaurant and its wine bar, diners wept and made a beeline for the establishments for one last visit. Now, two new restaurants are opening in their place. Charles Clark, the veteran Houston restaurateur behind French restaurant Brasserie 19, is breathing new life into that Montrose corner with Carlo, a fast-casual Italian restaurant, and its fine-dining sister, Casa Carlo, which will offer handmade pastas, seafood dishes inspired by Southern Italy, and an extensive wine program.
lindale park
After spending years in the East End, Cochinita & Co. is finally expanding this April with a second location in Houston’s Near Northside area in the former location of 2nd Cup, a coffee shop the restaurant previously used as a pop-up. Diners can expect the same breakfast and lunch dishes Cochinita is known for, including its signature cochinita pibil, in addition to a slate of fun, new events, including chef collaborations and one-night-only menus.