They put up a bunch of billboards before they opened. The city's young people stayed busy with singles nights and petition drives, and Houston traffic seems like it was almost as bad as it is now. We visit San Francisco regularly and the food served at restaurants there is usually superb. In the 1970s, Houston's first French restaurant lost its River Oaks patrons to a new generation of Italian "Rat Pack" restaurants like Tony's. Anyway, enjoyed reading this. Band member Billy Gibbons became a loyal customer of the restaurant. What about that crazy fish and chips place? If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Their pizzas were perfect, and I remember our favorite waitress, Kay. For dessert, have some of Mamas decadent bread pudding. Here are some of the other bars I remember from the early 80s in Houston. (which we'd get Voyager at 11:30 AM on a Saturday). Comfort plates include the St. Louis-style barbecue ribs, chicken fried steak with gravy, and stacked barbecue sandwiches. This Is It. Burgers are a menu mainstay, with versions that include the Original Diamond Jim Brady or the Charlie Brown. Lunch Tuesdays-Fridays and Sundays; dinner Tuesdays-Sundays.) Ate there a few times as a kid too. In Houston, our meals show the waves of immigration that shaped the city -- and are still shaping it. It was possibly the most influential restaurant in Houston's culinary history. Leo died two years later. And some fan favoriteslike Burger Chef, G.D. Ritzy's, and Howard Johnson'sfell by the wayside. Their tamales were delicious, but smelly. Century Development Corp, will build the new project. Permitless carry means more dangerous people have easy access to guns in Texas. - Foodservice IP, https://www.etsy.com/shop/MeredithBrittCollage?ref=hdr_shop_menu. Disadvantaged locals ate for free and left, like a community service. I think it's a delivery/carry out only location in an old converted house. (LogOut/ At one time, it sold 10,000 of its famous fish sandwiches a week. 1989 The largest ever bias lawsuit involving a restaurant chain is filed against the 1,500-unit Shoneys and its head Ray Danner. January 1980:Some celebrated the coming of 1980 with food and drink while others prayed that it would be a year of peace and serenity. 1. From Gay bars to the Greek Athens Bar and Grill, ABC13 crews show Houston's bustling night scene HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston in 1980 was booming. Then he sold them all and made a #$@#$load of money. --Jaime's on the corner of N. Braeswood & Main. I remember going there when I was about 10ish? NOT SO OLD . There were many other South Main Street/Medical Center area favorites, particularly Ye Olde College Inn across from what was then known as Rice Institute. Best 30 80s Night Clubs in Houston, TX with Reviews - Yellow Pages The food fashion cycle quickened as diners discovered a taste for arugula, radicchio, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, sushi, crab cakes, Pad Thai, mesquite grilling, and fresh ingredients. What Did Fast Food Restaurants Look Like in the 80s? - About the 80s on Bellaire -- don't think they lasted too long. List of defunct restaurants of the United States - Wikipedia can't remember the name seems like it started with a W. We have Weinerschitzel in Bryan/College Station, I ate there the day before yesterday. Other restaurants in this area included Lees Den, The Stables Steakhouse (with the lobster tank greeting you inside the front entrance), Red Lion, Pier 21, Valians (for pizza), Trader Vics in the Shamrock Hilton, Bill Williams (where my Great-Uncle Israel enjoyed breakfast every morning on his way to work at his Greater Third Ward Grocery Store), and Cathay House the renowned Chinese restaurant in an art deco strip center on Main Street across from the Medical Towers. The new 71-story, glass-sheathed Allied Bank Plaza will soon dominate the downtown Houston's western skyline. My uncle, Leon Levinthal Jr., had several favorite places for steaks, including the original Brenners Steakhouse on Katy Road and Bud Bigelows way out west location on Westheimer. There are also lots of snacky sides like fried green tomatoes, mac n cheese bites and tater tots. Its former site will be cleaned up and allowed to grow grass and remain part of the park. I don't remember what happened but shortly after he sold them, they all closed. The Molina family has been running Molinas Cantina for three generations, and the warmth of family can still be felt when dining there today. Comment below or send a letter to [emailprotected]. December 1980 - Ruth Ryan, wife of Astro pitcher Nolan Ryan, en route to a time of 52 minutes, 34 seconds in the women's 6.2-mile race Saturday at Memorial Park. Remember having a good time. Company representatives did not return calls. January 1980: Dressed in a three-piece suit, Johnny L. Turlington, a chairman of Clerical Workers in Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, Houston, Local 4227, pickets the Crown Central Petroleum Corp. refinery at 111 Red Bluff. Until then, enjoy making your own dining memories. The Way It Was by Beth Berg - GREAT KOSHER RESTAURANTS Excellent dancing music and d.j Great atmosphere. Rockefellers in the Heights, an old bank turned into a mini concert hall with big name shows and retro nightclub tables. A large dance club and saloon on the opposite end of the shopping plaza from Todds, on Richmond Avenue. Lots of random kissing. sincerely, Meredith https://www.etsy.com/shop/MeredithBrittCollage?ref=hdr_shop_menu. For the less energetic, there was backgammon. To leave a comment, please log in or create an account with The Buzz Magazines, Disqus, Facebook, Twitter or Google+. In 1993, the restaurant moved to 77 Harvard Street, after the landlord of the Shepherd location tripled the rent. The mall, located in southeast Houston along I-45, opened in 1968. local news and culture. Paralleling the growth of the food elite were chefs who became famous as they gave interviews, dashed off cookbooks, and demonstrated cooking techniques on the dais and the small screen. African-American tea rooms Romantic dinners Flaming swords Theme restaurants: castles Know thy customer Menue [sic] mistakes Waiter, telephone please! Conference-ing Top posts in2010 Variations on the wordrestaurant Famous in its day: BuschsGrove Between courses: a Thanksgivingtoast Basic fare: Frenchfries Linens and things partII Linens and things partI Menu art Dining in shadows Spotlight on NYCrestaurants Laddition: on tipping Taste of a decade: 1870srestaurants He-man menus That glass ofwater Famous in its day: TonyFausts Theme restaurants: prisons Laddition: French on the menu, dratit Anatomy of a restaurateur: RomanyMarie Between courses: onlyone? Passengers Jason Smith, 7, and Kenneth Blanton, 17, were in guarded and stable condition, respectively. Concern with smoking and drunk driving brought changes too, as restaurants set aside non-smoking sections and saw their liability insurance premiums rise even as drink orders declined. While Ive only just started reminiscing on Houston restaurants past and present (I havent even touched on my favorite subject hamburgers), our journey must end for now. View our guides to the city's growing culinary scene from award-winning restaurants and fine dining to amazing places for budget-friendly meals. (Photo: Houston 175: A Pictorial Celebration of Houstons 175-Year History, The Houston Chronicle). Leo's Mexican Restaurant How about Three Gables Hamburgers in South Houston/Pasadena? 1850s. Vintage Houston Foods Tea Cup 1980\'s dining restaurant ware Green/White. It later turned into a Po Folks. Not sure where it was exactly but my faded memory suggests somewhere on 59 near Sharpstown. You cannot paste images directly. . Anyone remember Zuider Zee? One night, overindulged, I slept alone in the hotels crash room.. Oh Yes - Houston in the 80's 1. We won't fault you for getting misty-eyed over these failed fast-food chain restaurants from the 1980s. I know it was in a mall, just can't remember which one). Thank you for making Chowhound a vibrant and passionate community of food trailblazers for 25 years. Ma Bell's - 94 service dr. Ypsi. Eventually, the suburbs evolved into a popular destination for dining experiences, with the citys development to the west. $26.25. September 13, 2004 in Historic Houston. Restaurant groups proliferated, ranging from those that owned a dozen or fewer restaurants in one city to groups controlling hundreds of franchises throughout a region. Can the 1980s Restaurants Be the Key to Growth in the 2020s? There was a Del Taco on Edgebrook. Adorned with a large crab on the front canopy, Gaidos was true Southern white-linen service waiters in white dinner jackets and white gloves, with napkins draped over their wrists. Furrs!! The eatery is expected to open by December 2020 at 920 Studemont where The Beer Market used to be. From old-fashioned burgers and seafood-stuffed po-boys to killer Tex-Mex and Beyonce-approved fried chicken, heres where to find the citys best classic eats. Located in a quaint shopping plaza, Westbury Square, Rumpleheimers was fantasy brought to life. Vaness Vajdos, left; Mary Cullen, center, and Laurie Pipenur, right, will try to challenge Donna Burge's Texas record for the marathon. Classic Restaurant Chains: Where Are They Now? | Kiplinger yep - it is there, and not easy to access i am sure i saw a krystal burger cup in a parking lot at a kroger heremust have been traveling! gatti's is still in clear lake, i prefer cici's or double daves for the buffet though. Best 30 80s Night Clubs in Houston, TX with Reviews - Page 2 - Yellow Pages Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. With red, blue and green color-themed rooms, Christies was known for its remoulade sauce on French-fried shrimp. Bopp Health Food Store. Restaurant-ing al fresco A chefs life: CharlesRanhfer The (partial) triumph of the doggiebag Early chains: John R.Thompson Anatomy of a restaurateur: Mary AllettaCrump Laddition: on discrimination Between courses: dining withreds Banqueting at $herrys* Who invented lobsterNewberg? A dining institution embedded in the lives of so many Houstonians will permanently shut its doors after Christmas this year. This was a go-to restaurant for Sunday lunch after church and for special occasions., Another of Criswells favorites was Heberts Ritz in what is now known as Midtown. Gone were the days when people indulged in a nice restaurant dinner only when traveling or celebrating a birthday or anniversary. Guiseppe Barranco/Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise. From iconic burgers to killer Tex-Mex, these longstanding restaurants have stuck around for a reason. January 1980: Houston's "Luv Ya Blue" Oilers fans turn out in full force at the Astrodome to welcome the team back from Pittsburgh and express their sentiments about the Oilers' 27-13 loss. Cirque du Soleil Presents KOOZA under the Big Top, The Riot presents Friday Night Comedy Showcase. Marfs had sofas and curtained nooks, a great place for lovers. but I practically saw one in every Houston-area mall back in the 1980s . Houston's Best Cafeterias: Hearken Back to the Good Old Days Additional photographs and information about the book can be found at www.bellairebook.com. The dancing was full throttle by 5 pm. (Austin, 1972) As a young student at Little Red Schoolhouse (adjacent to Westbury Square), I enjoyed many field trips to Rumpleheimers. May 1980 - Outbound traffic on Southwest Freeway (59 South) approaching Newcastle exit. Had a great Chicken Tchopitoulas and the best cornbread muffins I've ever had in a restaurant. February 1980: Houston police officer John McClellan, February 2: Hermann Park Stables: While riding through the park one day.. Dana Cobb follows Larry Smith down a trail at Hermann Park, where a number of students of the saddle like to ride. Beautiful people, heavy druggy amorous glamorous and booze-soaked. The suit by the NAACPs Legal Defense and Educational Fund charges that Shoneys sets limits on how many Black workers can be hired in each outlet, keeps them in jobs out of public view, and punishes white supervisors who refuse to go along with the program. Yesterday Once More best I remember it was located in South Houston. hardee's is ok, but i don't mind not having it here. They are still around in California. Night Clubs. I can remember walking up to the counter with my father as he introduced me to his favorite flavor of ice cream, pistachio. Oops. I believe the old Mimosa Lanes site is now a hotel. Fortunes cookies Famous in its day: DutchlandFarms Toothpicks An annotated menu Anatomy of a restaurateur: KateMunra Putting patrons atease Anatomy of a chef: Joseph E.Gancel Taking the din out ofdining The power of publicity:Maders Modernizing Main Streetrestaurants Adult restaurants Taste of a decade: 1820srestaurants Find of the day: the StorkClub Cool culinaria ishot Restaurant booth controversies Ice cream parlors Banquet-ing menus Image gallery: stands Restaurant-ing on Sunday Odd restaurant food That night atMaxims Famous in its day: theParkmoor Frank E. Buttolph, menu collectorextraordinaire Lunch Hour NYC Restaurants and artists: NormandyHouse Conferencing: global gateways Peas on themenu Famous in its day: Richards TreatCafeteria Maxims three ofNYC Service with a smile . Also still in Rice near the stadium last I saw. Top 9 Houston Restaurant Closings of the Decade I've always thought of it as a poor man's jack in the Box. 1860s. 27 Old Houston Restaurants ideas - Pinterest Back in the day, it was called Der Weinerschnitzel. State Parks and Wildlife Department workers disposed of the remains. With the stocky and loveable Alfred at the helm behind the front counter, one could buy authentic Kosher deli meats, fish and cheese, or order huge sandwiches too large to get your mouth around. Nothing brings people together like food and conversation, so as I stroll down this culinary memory lane, I invite you to join me in the nostalgia by remembering some Houston restaurants of yesterday. Really built up curiosity! Indulge on tender, melt-in-your-mouth brisket, pork ribs seasoned with a no-frills salt and pepper rub, fall-off-the-bone chicken, and hickory smoked sausage. Checkers was definitely down in League City years ago. July 1980- Fifth Ward, Houston Community leaders hope that stimulating the economy of the Fifth Ward will enable residents to improve deteriorating dwellings, such as these in the heart of the neighborhood. They had a dish called "Tiger Cries", and I'm drooling just thinking about it. Coral Gables (later Dallas)- ecorse rd./ taylor. . This is what Montrose looked like in 1980 - ABC13 Houston I enjoyed watching the weather and traffic and news. I remember that Gatti's near A&M. 4055 Highway 6 N. Houston, TX 77084. Clary's maintains a private-club feel, although you don't need a membership to get in. I don't even know how many 'original' stores exist. The high Wednesday reached 103 and forecasters predicted more of the same. Weren't Showbiz and Chuck E. Cheese two different companies that merged at some point? The Chinese craze did not fully take hold until the early 1960's. On any Saturday night, at Shmulka Bernstein on Essex Street, the average wait for a table and the privilege . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Leo's sons Felix and Robert Reynosa closed when they couldn't find another property they could afford in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. March - He gets in his share of people-watching. Music has been relieved of duty with pay, pending an investigation of why he struck one of the accused kidnappers after the suspect was arrested and handcuffed. Paste as plain text instead, Then they opened, served burgers & beans, at least that's what we ate the ONE time we went. It was also a fried seafood type of place but it was more of a sit-down-and-order restaurant. near Old Galveston Rd in South Houston. January 1980: Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips shows the emotion that he shared with many of his players as they were welcomed by a crowd of more than 55,000 inside the Astrodome after returning from Pittsburgh. These 1980s Restaurants Didn't Stand the Test of Time - Eat This Not That Tea Cup dining restaurant ware Green/White : . Where to Find Swoon-Worthy Soup in Houston. 176 reviews #254 of 4,033 Restaurants in Houston $$$$ American Seafood Vegetarian Friendly. I look forward to hearing your tales. May 1980 - A Houston police officer directs traffic after a collision Wednesday between a police car and van in the 3700 block of the Katy Freeway. Dining underground on LongIsland My blogging anniversary Underground dining Odors and aromas Digging for dinner Restaurant as communitycenter The Mister chains Celebrity restaurants: HeresJohnnys Pizza by any othername Womens lunch clubs The long life of ElFenix Pausing to reflect Sugar on thetable Famous in its day: LePavillon Native American restaurants Restaurant ware An early French restaurantchain Biblical restaurants Thanksgiving dinner at ahotel Dinner and amovie Restaurant murals Dining at theCentennial Restaurant-ing in 1966 Romanian restaurants Nans Kitchens Fish & chips & alligatorsteaks Appetizer: words, concepts,contents French fried onionrings Hash house lingo The golden age ofsandwiches Black Tulsas restaurants They delivered Americas finest restaurant,revisited Tableside theater Bicycling to lunch anddinner Anatomy of a chef: JohnDingle Sunny side up? :retch: Why would you want them to? 1983 The Food Marketing Institute reports that 2/3 of all fish consumed in the U.S. is eaten in restaurants. I only got to go there once or twice, but it was a treat to see (and hear) the seemingly 100-ft long organ in there. Y'all really love Chick-fil-A's waffle fries! THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Anthony's Houston TX Reviews | GAYOT Collection of restaurant menus. 1984 With the opening of Spiaggia in Chicago, Chicagoans learn that Italian doesnt inevitably mean spaghetti and candles in Chianti bottles, as they sample pumpkin-stuffed pasta and goose carpaccio with shaved white truffles. This long-standing Montrose staple offers 20 burger varieties from an old fashioned hamburger to the Frito pie burg, made extra savory with house-made chili and crunchy Fritos. Numbers Night Club. Further to the south in Westbury, Rumpleheimers Ice Cream Parlor brought joy to all. The Stables Steak House at 7325 S. Main was sold to a investment. Sillouhette Lounge a cozy neighborhood nudie club on the unfashionable side of Bellaire Blvd. Almeda Mall saw a spike in popularity in the 1980s. Originally it was solely a barbecue pit, but the restaurant expanded its menu to include a wide variety of southern comfort food. Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor in Almeda Mall. Noted for the knight in armor perched upon a horse, greeting patrons in the parking lot, Looks Sirloin Inn sported a British Castle feel. Despite an off-and-on economy, the 1980s was a decade in which Americans ate out more often than ever before. Was "Checkers" ever in Houston? 403 Winkler Dr. - Houston TX (built early 1980s; demolished 2017; also 888 Chinese Restaurant) This restaurant is a second generation Pizza Hut building - the first was built in the late 1960s and was . April 1980- A group of Houston residents marched outside City Hall Saturday in an appeal for support and protection of Cambodian refugees who have fled to Thailand. Restaurant history quiz (In)famous in its day: the Nixonschain The checkered life of achef Catering to the rich andfamous Famous in its day: London ChopHouse Who invented Caesarsalad? August 1980- Add a pair of basic black slacks to the sweater you normally wear to work with a skirt and you've got a classic weekend look. Police on site. An article in the trade journal Restaurant Hospitality noted that while more women had become bartenders, chefs, and managers by end of the decade, For women, the American foodservice industry is still rife with barriers. In the kitchen, women tended to be confined to pastry and pantry. There was another great ice-house closer to Bellaire but I cant recall its name. March 1980- Iranian Demonstration in Downtown Houston. Im confused about the wording of your question and also what restaurant you are referring to. BFE Rock Club. In fact, Barbecue Inn is most famous for it's crispy golden-fried chicken and country-gravy fried steak. I was fond of Vivian the bartender. Racial discrimination also kept them from waiting jobs in some instances and the limited number of Black-owned restaurants prevented widespread training in kitchen skills and entrepreneurship. Don't be sorry for posting, we like that! Sheila Jackson Lee first elected to office somehow Busy bees Eat and run,please! See our, By submitting your email, you agree to our, 16 Classic Restaurants Every Houstonian Should Visit at Least Once, Sign up for the Houston is known as "The Restaurant Capital of The World". 111. Houston Nightspots 1980-1986 Explore the history of Houston by decade in this interactive timeline. Open since 1936, Brenners rustic wood interior coupled with white tablecloths creates an upscale, but unpretentious atmosphere. Camille Bermann's Maxim's of Houston later relocated to Greenway Plaza on Richmond. If you were there, youll recall some of them. Just north of 610 South was Looks Sirloin Inn, owned by Sonny Look. Cajun restaurant, and the first restaurant that became a "favorite" after I moved here. Northwest Freeway Houston Texas China Villa Restaurant Matchbook 16 Kid-Friendly Houston Restaurants That Grown-Ups Wont Hate. Mr. Gatti's is/was all the way down here? It was the only upscale restaurant in the city for decades and its French cooking and quasi-French dining room became the very definition of fine dining for generations of Houstonians. Vice President George and wife Barbara Bush wave at crowd. Lane Center, allegedly ran a stop sign and collided with a full-size bus carrying about 40 students from Shotwell Middle School. Though shunned by the food elite, corporate chain restaurants continued to grow and thrive. The Big Easy. Meghan Overdeep. I think it was on Westheimer or Richmond, out west. Brennans, the simbling restaurant to New Orleans world-famous Commanders Palace, is renowned for its unparalleled Creole cuisine and New Orleans-style jazz brunch, available in Houston since 1967. While the restaurant may be gone, a Leo's Tex-Mex feast is forever immortalized in the double-truck photograph that graces the inside cover of ZZ Top's 1973 Tres Hombres album. October 1980 -Frank Rios, 22, examines the corpse of an alligator found shot in the 4600 block of Simsbrook in south Houston. Features Valet parking & parking lot Dress code: Ties suggested Full bar 1203 Saxony Ln, Nassau Bay, TX 77058 | MLS# 33949261 | Redfin George's Restaurant Houston Second Verse Bar. I vaguely remember my stepfather working at one. 25 Classic Restaurants Every Houstonian Should Visit At Least Once Mr. Gatti's (their still around somewhere), JoJo's (breakfast housey'all know what I am talking about right?). Fish & Chips just seemed to be all the rage in the 70s, they came in to Houston in force and then most of them went out of business pretty quickly. Gallaghers - Restaurant From 1970', 1980's Gallaghers was a chain that had restaurants in SA, I-35 Windsor Park, I-10 and Wurzbach, Tidwell and 45 in Houston, Beaumont, Richardson. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. June 1980 - Allied Bank Plaza Tower, Houston. April 1980- Reeking Regatta Houston. We wish you all the best on your future culinary endeavors. I know their were a few here in the early 70's. One early employee there, Alfred Julius Kahn, was a young immigrant from Germany. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our.