Tag: Aaron Bludorn

Los Cucos Mexican Cafe, 1401 Lake Plaza, is slated to open in late 2025 at City Place. The new restaurant from the Cabrera family will be an elevated version of its popular Tex-Mex restaurant, representing the next-generation with a more cosmopolitan approach to the family-friendly concept.

Taking its cue from the successful Montgomery location that opened last year, the City Place restaurant will offer a bustling full-service bar with craft cocktails, margaritas, generous happy hours and later-night bites. With a modern wrap-around patio, the restaurant will occupy the ground floor of an endcap, two-story LEED Silver-certified office and retail building. It will be located near the lakefront promenade which also boasts the City Place Plaza where live music, food festivals, fitness activities and family-friendly programs are often held.

Locally-owned, Los Cucos has been serving the Greater Houston community for more than 30 years. The Cabrera family have expanded their holdings to include Vida Mariscos, Lago Mariscos and Gauchos du Sul with restaurants across Texas. Los Cucos was its flagship, however, and has been dishing out many a platter of sizzling fajitas and plates of enchiladas verdes, while creating a welcoming space for friends and families.

Owner and brand steward Sergio Cabrera Jr, says that the vision goes beyond being just another dining option. “It’s about bringing energy and atmosphere to the heart of City Place, especially in the evenings and on weekends…We were drawn to City Place not only by its thoughtfully designed setting, but also the built-in customer base.”

That built-in base includes employers like Exxon Mobil and Hewlett Packard, but also nearby multi-family residences and three on-site hotels. The development of the area has made City Place its own little village with a number of dining options such as Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, Sushi Rebel, Star Cinema Grill and Starbucks.

Kirby Ice House, 1421 N. Loop W., opens to the public August 29. Located right off the 610 Loop, the massive ice house and beer garden occupies three and a half acres with 24,000 square feet of interior and outdoor space. That’s enough room for 800 guests to mingle. And, for those who dread finding a parking space in Houston’s inner loop, the new Kirby Ice House offers 400 free spots. It also boasts a 146-feet long bar that is purported to be the longest in Texas.

It’s the fourth location for the ice house, which opened its first in Upper Kirby in 2016. It has since opened locations in Memorial and The Woodlands. Founder and co-owner Danny Evans said in a press release, The fundamentals of Kirby Ice House are simple: Great service, ice cold beer, huge patios and the best game to watch games and host big events. It’s a Texas thing.”

Of course, Kirby Ice House is also a more contemporary version of the old school bars that offered cold beer and set-ups. Now, there are craft cocktails, craft brews on tap and a wine list. The walls are not only lined with Texas-themed signs and the occasional cow head, but also vintage-style glamour shots of screen legends like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Paul Newman. There are also a few images of Playboy bunnies, including a photo of Hugh Hefner with his lady friends.

Speaking of ladies, the staff here is primarily a group of young, pretty women wearing a bit more than the once-famed bunnies and minus the cotton tails. The male staff tends toward bussers keeping glasses cleared and kegs filled.

There are dozens of television screens for sports viewing, plus a giant outdoor screen. The huge patio is covered with numerous seating options. A rotating group of food trucks will be on-site to provide sustenance for those extra innings.

Howard Hughes has announced that two of Houston’s top chefs are each bringing a restaurant to The Woodlands in 2026. With a population of nearly 125,000 people, the master planned community has become its own green enclave, with more and more restaurants and businesses heading up north, along Interstate 45.

First up will be Charolais by Austin Simmons. The Woodlands community was disappointed earlier this year when Simmons resigned from his role as executive chef at TRIS, effectively closing the restaurant immediately. The acclaimed chef has numerous accolades including being named Truffle Master in 2018 and Best Chef: 2020 here in the Houston Press. In 2024, he partnered with Larry Ludeke of Bar J Ranch and Joe Morris of Morris Stock Farms to create an online meat retail site called Chef & Rancher, according to Paper City.

The passion for a genetics-driven cattle program is the inspiration behind Charolais, which also happens to be one of the oldest French cow breeds. Chef & Rancher also sells wagyu, which will also be part of the high-quality beef program at the new restaurant. Simmons’s intent for the meat sourcing is that it be sustainable, as well as genetics-driven. He says he is thrilled to open Charolais in The Woodlands and also to partner with Howard Hughes on the new concept. “Charolais represents my lifelong passion, a restaurant focused on elevating American beef through hand-reared cattle.”

The restaurant is expected to open in early 2026.

Chef Aaron Bludorn will be opening a second location of his Bar Bludorn at 25 Waterway in The Woodlands in summer 2026. As chef and partner at Bludorn Hospitality Group, he has opened several very successful concepts in Houston, including his flagship Bludorn, his seafood-centric Navy Blue and his slightly more casual tavern Bar Bludorn. Most recently Chef Bludorn opened Perseid in January 2025 at Hotel Saint Augustine.

The Woodlands is the first foray for Bludorn outside of Houston proper. He said in a press release, “Opening our first restaurant outside of Central Houston is an exciting venture and we feel really confident partnering with Howard Hughes on this project. We see a lot of guests from The Woodlands visit Bar Bludorn in Memorial, so we are looking forward to bringing the same Houston-Inspired hospitality to the community.”

Late August, 4201 Main, is heading into it second year with a change in its dining model. Having earned a recommendation from Michelin Guide 2024 its first year, owner and chef Chris Williams is looking to shake things up a bit. The Afro-Mexican concept will launch a new format in which there are three different experiences. One side of the restaurant will be dedicated to its 7 to 9-course tasting menu, another area will be a cocktail lounge with snacks, and an updated private dining room will offer family-style service with signature plates from its original menu.

Executive chef Sergio Hidalgo is leading the development of the new seasonal $95 tasting menu, with the culinary support of chef Jennifer Parsons. With this more deliberate, chef-driven approach, guests will see some of the fan faves with new twists like Mustard Green Memelitas and Crispy Octopus. The duo will also introduce stellar seasonal plates like Tuna Agua Chile, Stuffed Okra with she-crab bisque and a delightful Banana Pudding Stuffed Churro. There will be an optional $55 wine pairing which highlights a number of varietals from minority-owned and women-owned wineries, plus some organic and bio-diverse choices.

The snacks available in the lounge will be equally as fun including the Suardero Tacodilla and standby classics like Lucille’s Fry Bread and Field Pea Hummus.

Late August will close for renovations September 1 and will debut the new space and menus September 17 at 5 p.m. Reservations are required for the tasting menu and go online at OpenTable September 5.

The new changes are a progression of the restaurant’s focus, sourcing hyper-local ingredients including many from Lucille’s 1913 farms. Chef Hidalgo says that, quietly, this transformation has always been the goal. “Sustainability has been at the heart of everything we do and moving to a tasting menu in our second year is a blessing.” He added, “It allows us to be even more intentional-to minimize waste, highlight the integrity of our ingredients and stay true to the mission that’s guided us from the beginning.”

Federal American Grill, 2400 Mid Lane, is expected to open in River Oaks by the end of 2025. Founded in 2013 by Matt Brice, the restaurant currently has five locations with number six on the way. As with its other spots, there will be a lively bar with an extensive whiskey program, plus craft cocktails and a curated wine list. In addition to its main dining area, there are private dining options as well.

Its menu of American classics will include favorites like the Freedom Burger, Fried Cheeseburger Rolls, Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad and Janice’s Meatloaf. There are seafood dishes like Thai Shrimp & Grits and Blackened Ahi Tuna, as well as a beef filet and a 16-ounce ribeye.

Smash City, 6377 Westheimer, softly opened August 15 and is planning an official grand opening September 13 and September 14. The festivities begin with a ribbon cutting September 13 at 5 p.m., followed by a one-hour meet and greet with local rap artist and philanthropist Trae Tha Truth. The first day, guests can enjoy free food from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with 50 percent off discounts from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. That’s right, into the early hours of the morning. On the following day, September 14, guests can enjoy 50 percent off from 11 a.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning.

Smash City opened a food truck in Baton Rouge, Louisiana earlier this month as well. Now, it has opened its first brick and mortar in Houston, where the smashburger concept is based. In addition to halal burgers, the late night eatery features loaded fries and over-the-top beef hot dogs, all halal.

The smashburger line-up includes The Smash City with two Angus patties, American cheese, pickles and grilled diced onions on a potato bun that is smeared with its signature sauce. Other smashburgers include Jalapeno Jackpot, Smashroom and OG, with the addition of lettuce and tomato. There are also regular burgers like the Swiss Mushroom Deluxe and Walkin’ On Sunshine.

The hot dog list includes the elote-inspired Cornado, the Classy, and the Sweet heat, loaded with gochujang sauce, crispy fried onions, chives and beef bacon. All dogs are served on a spilt-top potato bun. Sides include fries, curly or straight, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and churros. There are several milkshake options plus soft drinks and lemonade.

Insomnia Cookies, 508 W. 19th, will have its grand opening in the Heights September 6. Customers who sign up on that day for Insomnia Rewards will receive a free classic cookie, no purchase required. The offer also extends to existing rewards members.

This is the third Houston location for the cookie brand which was founded by Seth Berkowitz in 2003. Originally just a cookie delivery business out of his dorm room at the University of Pennsylvania, Berkowitz expanded to a brick and mortar in Syracuse, New York in 2006. The cookie options include flavors like Caramel Corn Classic, Snickerdoodle and Cookies ‘N Cream, along with options like Vegan Birthday Cake and Vegan Double Chocolate Chunk. There are also cookie cakes and cookie ice cream sandwiches.

Insomnia also offers ice cream by the pint or atop a cookie or a brownie. Flavors include vanilla, chocolate, Cookie D’ough and vegan cotton candy.

Bojangles, 13109 N. Grand Parkway W., opened August 26 in Tomball. Prior to opening the store hosted a friends and family event called “First to Table”, honoring local first responders including police officers, firefighters, EMTs and medics. City officials and representatives from Bojangles were also on hand for its traditional “biscuit cutting”, its version of a ribbon cutting.

The chicken and biscuit chain was founded in North Carolina in 1977 and now has more than 850 locations across the country and globally. Its menu features its signature Cajun-seasoned crispy chicken, buttermilk biscuits and ‘Legendary’ iced tea. There is a breakfast selection of chicken, sausage, egg, or bacon biscuits, plus grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, tenders and salads. Sides include fries, Bo-tato Tots, baked mac and cheese and dirty rice.

Restaurants Reported Open August 2025:

Berwick’s Bird of Paradise, 2020 Studewood, opened early July
The Board Room, 800 Sorella, opened August 1
Einstein Bros. Bagels, 23701 Cinco Ranch Boulevard, opened August 12
Handel’s Ice Cream, 3425 Ella Boulevard, opened July 31
Handies Douzo, 9936 Westview, opened August 18
KP’s Kitchen & Market, 2000 Bering, opened July 8
Krua Thai, 6324 Richmond, opened mid-August
Local Public Eatery, 9595 Six Pines, opened August 21
Nando’s Peri Peri, 1201 Westheimer, opened July 29
Phat Eatery Katy, 23119 Colonial Parkway, reopened August 18
PJ’s Coffee, 1021 Lake Olympia Parkway, opened August 24
The Road to Nowhere, 1617 Richmond, opened August 14
7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee, 4800 Fairmont Parkway, opened August 27
Urban Bird Hot Chicken, 8015 Spencer Highway, opened July 30
Via 313, 20725 Tuckerton, opened August 15
The Waffle Bus, 10615 Fry, opened August 9
Weaver & Co. BBQ, 3501 Harrisburg, launched August 2
Yiayia’s Greek Kitchen, 2410 Richmond, opened August 11

Restaurants reported Closed August 2025:

The Maple Leaf Pub, 514 Elgin, closed late July
Riel, 1927 Fairview, closed August 30