Texas barbecue pitmasters may frown at tough meat, but their business is nothing if not resilient. In Houston, Cobo’s Que has seen plenty of ups and downs, including talk of an impending closure. More recently, the East Downtown joint saw something else: an actual barricade.
On Sunday, Cobo’s Que pitmaster and owner Raul Jacobo called out the City of Houston on the social media platform X. “Hey @cityofhouston, I appreciate the heads up of this big a-s baracade [sic] you put up in front of our establishment that caused a 66% drop in sales from last Sunday (no Astros game),” Jacobo wrote. “Y’all going to cut the check or what?”
As shown in Jacobo’s accompanying photo, a chest-high construction barricade could be seen directly in front of Cobos Que’s restaurant at 2012 Rusk St. The obstruction essentially blocks all turning traffic headed northwest along the street. Jacobo told Chron he and his business had no warning from the city.
“I wish I could tell you but I honestly don’t know either,” Jacobo said. “It was a surprise to the staff and myself when we showed up for work yesterday.”
Houston Public Works has yet to respond to Chron’s request for comment.
East Downtown has been a hotbed of roadwork activity for a few years now. The North Houston Highway Improvement Project, colloquially known as the I-45 project, is carving up the area. The Texas Department of Transportation describes it as a planned effort to reconstruct and widen the North Freeway from Beltway 8 to Downtown Houston in an effort to reduce traffic, update infrastructure, and future proof against flooding.
Critics argue that the I-45 project will destroy more than a thousand homes and hundreds of businesses, disproportionately impact communities of color, worsen pollution and, long term, do nothing about Houston’s traffic problems.
The other big project in the works is preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026. EaDo has been designated the World Cup District and will host the official fan festival come June 11. There are already reported upgrades in the works to make the area more walkable and more retail friendly when tourists arrive.
Cobo’s Que has been one of the many food-and-beverage industry businesses affected by all the goings on in EaDo over the past few years. Agricole Hospitality shuttered three of its concepts in the area ahead of the I-45 construction: Indianola’s, Miss Carousel and Vinny’s. Neil’s Bahr and Tout Suite have relocated away from the area. Cobo’s has stubbornly held on, though Jacobo announced in October 2025 it was up for sale and would soon close. As of Monday, however, the restaurant is still kicking.
“We aren’t searching for one (buyer) at this time,” Jacobo said. “Depending on how it goes during World Cup will determine how we go forward.”