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Lazy Lane, 923 Wakefield, will open November 25 in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest neighborhood. It comes from Doke Concepts, the hospitality group behind Heights & Co., a restaurant and patio bar on Yale. The newest concept has been in the works for several years, with owner Brian Doke bringing in a team of industry professionals to elevate the dining and bar scene in the area.
Joining Doke in the venture are Evin Wood, operating partner, and general manager Taylor Stephenson. Leading the kitchen is chef/partner Daniel Davidson whose impressive resume includes Michelin-starred California establishments French Laundry, Meadowood and Saison.
Davidson’s menu melds classic comfort food with global influences, relying on local and seasonal ingredients to make the dishes shine. Guests will find healthy items like Farro & Brassica Salad, made with farro from Anson Mills, plus Smoked Pasta, Davidson’s take on carbonara, flavored by an olive-oil poached egg yolk. As a nod to Houston’s love of bold flavors, the Birria Beef Peccheri Pasta is a dish of birria-braised beef, chile de arbol brodo (broth) and cilantro chutney.
The restaurant’s dry-aged meat program will satisfy the carnivorous cravings of Texans with its Cast Iron Filet and Dry Aged Bone-In Ribeye for Two. On Friday and Saturday nights, the ribeye comes with two complimentary martinis. There are also handcrafted pizzas, made with two-day fermented dough using imported Italian flour.
Martinis are stars in the cocktail program with sweet versions like the lychee-fig vodka and a savory option with blue cheese-infused vodka and house-stuffed olives. Signature cocktails include the Parisian Mojito and Endless Summer Margarita. The curated wine list will soon include Lazy Lane’s house label, expected to launch in December.
The restaurant itself spans 4,000 square feet, with tall ceilings and large windows, plus a 25-foot marble bar that serves as a focal point in the open area. It connects to a private dining room with a retractable glass wall. The private space can also be extended to the outdoor veranda.
On the Kirb, 6777 Woodlands Parkway, opens November 15. It’s the 5th location for the organic eatery and sports bar, which takes over the former home of an El Tiempo restaurant. The 6,000 square-foot space has been completely renovated, echoing the rustic charm of its other locations. However, the Woodlands spot, with its 2,000 square-foot patio, will be the largest location for the brand.
First opened on Kirby in 2016, it offered an alternative type of sports bar where guests could enjoy a cold beer and the Big Game, while also indulging in elevated bar fare that was fresh, responsibly-sourced and still craveworthy. Yes there are wings and fries, but they’re cooked in beef tallow, instead of seed oils. There are still sports bar favorites like giant pretzels and burgers, but there are also entree salads and handcrafted pizzas. The menu features plenty of vegan, keto and low-carb options, as well. OTK also offers daily specials like Organic Taco Tuesday and Wednesday Steak Night with grass-fed beef.
On tap, there are a number of local craft beers, but the bar also has a line-up of signature cocktails and a thoughtfully-constructed wine selection.
Owner Joe Arbeely says he is thrilled to bring OTK’s fresh approach to the sports bar scene to The Woodlands. “From ample TVs to catch your favorite team to premium outdoor space and bar food you can feel good about indulging in, we’re confident On the Kirb is going to be a great add to the dining scene in this community.”
Bari Ristorante, 24 Waterway Ave., is expected to open in early 2026 in The Woodlands. It’s the second location of the upscale Italian restaurant that first debuted in River Oaks in May 2023. It’s part of Bari Hospitality Group, led by industry experts Pedro Teyuca and Tommy Nally. The group also acquired Georgia James from Underbelly Hospitality in late 2024.
At the helm of the kitchen is Certified Master Italian Chef Renato de Pirro, who brings over three decades of experience in restaurants across Italy and the United States. Many of the River Oaks favorites will be on the The Woodlands menu, including many of its tableside pasta dishes like the Truffle Pasta which is finished in a giant wheel of parmigiano reggiano, then topped with freshly-shaved truffles. Other tableside spectacles include its Chateaubriand, a center-cut filet that is first cooked in the pizza oven, then flambeed at the table.
The pasta is made in-house for dishes like Pappardelle Bolognese and Tagliolini Neri, a squid ink pasta in vodka sauce and there are delicious seafood plates such as Mediterranean sea bass cooked in rock salt. The upcoming Woodlands location will have an expanded selection of premium meat cuts as well.
Woody’s Hideaway, 1128 W. Dallas, is shooting to open in December in Conroe. Part of Woody’s Brands, the company behind Texas sports bar Little Woodrow’s, it will join two other locations, one in Houston and another in Midland, Texas.
Part sports bar, part entertainment venue, Woody’s Hideaway features a variety of game options from Full Swing golf simulator bays to multiple pro-size Diamond 7 pool tables. Multiple televisions, augmented reality darts, outdoor games, karaoke and signature cocktails add to the fun.
The food menu has bar faves like wings, fried pickles, crispy Philly eggrolls and Frito Pie sliders, plus the Hideaway Burger and Cajun Hot Chicken Sandwich, for reasonable prices. In addition to cold beers on tap and by the bottle, there are signature cocktails like the Tee Time, with gin, grapefruit and St. Germain, plus mocktails such as Cherried Away and Faux Loma. We’re eyeing the Boozy Orange Dreamsicle on its Dirty Sodas list.
Swamp Spot, 12220 Jones, is getting closer to opening. Lights are on, signage is hung and the interior is almost near completion. That’s about all we know. Two frozen machines were spotted, so it’s highly likely that there will be frozen cocktails.
Carla’s Coffeehouse, 12218 Jones, opened a couple of months ago in the same strip center as Swamp Spot. It’s a coffeehouse by day, cocktail bar by night, with coffee drinks like cappuccino, cold brew and a sweet potato pie latte that’s getting rave reviews. For nosh, there are croissants, brownies, cookies and waffles. The cocktail menu includes an espresso martini, along with its signature Golden Harvest, a margarita with the flavors of cinnamon, peach and brown sugar.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.
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Lorretta Ruggiero
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