There is beer and wine too, plus glass cases full of Texas-sized desserts like pound cake and chocolate icebox pie. Pair them with a heaping plate of nachos and a Ninfarita for Tex-Mex gold. In the early 1980s, millennials didn't even exist yet. Houston has more restaurants per capita than any other U.S. city. Ceilings on display The Automat goescountry Maitre ds Added attractions: cocktaillounges Lunching at the drugstore Lunch in a bus station,maybe Suffrage tea & lunchrooms Image gallery: have aseat! Does anyone remember? Det. Pizza at 25 cents or perhaps falafel at 50 cents, were "reasonable" investments in a blind date. Former Presidents Nixon and LBJ stand together outside the LBJ library. Many of these historical restaurant photographs are courtesy of Mike McCorkle from his book Life and Times Around Bellaire, Texas 1909 2013. 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. 1981 Social indicators small families, working women, projected long-term increases in real income and leisure, and more single-person households promise growth in restaurant going according to a Bank of America Small Business report. I don't even know how many 'original' stores exist. I remember the color yellow, there where generally in parking lots, ONLY drive threw and CHECKERS!!! In his younger years, founder Leo Reynosa, Sr. rode with Pancho Villa. The patio features a lush garden with a picturesque waterfall. (I lived in Fondren Southwest) I used to go to Mr. Gatti's by Braes Bayou (I think).. What I remember of Mr. Gatti's is that they had a big screen and they'd show "The little Rascals" and old newsreels. 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. March - He gets in his share of people-watching. Barbecue Inn - 1946. Those were great days. Isn't there going to be a "El Pollo Loco" here in Houston comingI think way later in the year. I don't remember what happened but shortly after he sold them, they all closed. I remember having Del Taco around the corner from me. What ever happened to Krystal Burger expanding? Pizza with Duck Sausage wins quick stardom. Filed under cafeterias, chain restaurants, elite restaurants, ethnic restaurants, food, menus, patrons, racism, women, Tagged as 1980s restaurants, California cuisine, celebrity chefs, chain restaurants, foodies, Northern Italian cusisine, Shoney's lawsuit, Pingback: Can the 1980s Restaurants Be the Key to Growth in the 2020s? Cooters I think that was the name, anyway. Putting a picture of something that looks distinctly like a pile of ____ on your advertisement is probably not a well thought out ad campaignand, if my hot dog ever looks at me, it's going into the garbage. i think they got sued by taco cabana for copying style. Howard Johnson's (Closed in 2017) See more '80s Nostalgia By 1975, the Howard Johnson Company had more than 1,000 restaurants and more than 500 motor lodges in 42 states and Canada. My favorite after-work hangout. I also miss ZuZu, which was on Shepherd near Fairview. Website. The lease on the new location, which was just off Washington Avenue, expired in 2001. Come for Sunday Supper, and you'll be in for a family-style meal of items like chicken-fried steak, fried chicken, mac 'n' cheese, coleslaw, and chocolate-chunk banana bread. Old maps of Houston on Old Maps Online. Over the years, I've had a lot of traffic coming to read my article called " A Look Back at Gilley's 1980 .". I would order either a filet mignon or fried shrimp. -- Trash, garbage, andwaste Americas literary chef The smrgsbord saga Meals along theway Dinner in Miami, Dec. 25,1936 An early restaurateurs rise &fall Runaway menu prices Thanks so much! Arnold John Tomac was chef, and older brother Pete Tomac ran the dining room and was often seen passing around broiled Oysters a la Kaphans to all the tables. I look forward to hearing your tales. Meet the Astros prospect tearing up Spring Training, Mayor: HISD has two optionsclose school or be taken over, To get these special tacos, drive out to the Houston Ship Channel, Report: Houston ranked No. April 1980- Reeking Regatta Houston. Wop salad? The competition turned out a few serious paddlers, but most were fun seeking amateurs. That was really something big.. They had the BEST fries!! (LogOut/ May 1980 - Outbound traffic on Southwest Freeway (59 South) approaching Newcastle exit. And some fan favoriteslike Burger Chef, G.D. Ritzy's, and Howard Johnson'sfell by the wayside. One eventually learned to book a room far in advance. Good eaters: AndyWarhol Birth of the themerestaurant Restaurant-ing with royalty Righting civil wrongs inrestaurants Theme restaurants: barns Men only Taste of a decade: restaurants,1900-1910 Celebrating restaurant cuisine Decor: glass ceilings Between courses: dont sniff thefood In the kitchen with Mme Early: black women inrestaurants Burger bloat On the menu for2010 Christmas feasting Todays specials: books onrestaurants With haute cuisine for all:Longchamps Restaurant-ing on Thanksgiving High-volume restaurants: Smith &McNells Anatomy of a restaurateur: DarioToffenetti Between courses: rate thismenu You want cheese withthat? L'eggs/YWCA Race - Houston, Texas. Spats A high-end bar and dance place in an office plaza near the Galleria. They put up a bunch of billboards before they opened. Mr. Gatti's is/was all the way down here? Something went wrong. 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. Maxim's was named the "Restaurant of the Century" by Texas Monthly in the magazine's 1999 "Best of the Century" issue. One night, overindulged, I slept alone in the hotels crash room.. I believe that was the name of the place on Fuqua at Sabo. Taste of a decade: 1930srestaurants Anatomy of a restaurateur: H. M.Kinsley Sweet and sourPolynesian Bar-B-Q, barbecue, barbeque Taste of a decade: 1920srestaurants Never lose your mealticket Beans and beaneries Basic fare: hamburgers Famous in its day:Tafts Eating healthy Mary Elizabeths, a New Yorkinstitution Fast food: one-armjoints The family restauranttrade Taste of a decade: restaurants,1800-1810 Early chains: Vienna Model Bakery &Caf When ladies lunched:Schraffts Taste of a decade: 1960srestaurants Department store restaurants:Wanamakers Women as culinaryprofessionals Basic fare: friedchicken Chain restaurants: beans and bibleverses Eating kosher Restaurateurs: Alice FooteMacDougall Drinking rum, eatingCantonese Lunching in the BirdCage Cabarets and lobsterpalaces Fried chicken blues Rats and other unwantedguests Dining with Duncan Basic fare: toast Department store restaurants Roadside restaurants: teashops Tipping in restaurants Rewriting restaurant history Basic fare: hamsandwiches Americas first restaurant Joels bohemian refreshery. Cowboys A crowded sort of upscale C/W bar. Open in Google Maps Foursquare 3606 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 (713) 667-2386 Visit Website Also featured in: 17 Excellent Dining Options For Christmas Eve and Day in Houston 16 Classic. 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. 111. Tea at the MaryLouise Restaurant-ing as a civilright Once trendy: tomato juicecocktails Famous in its day: Thompsons Spa The browning of McDonalds Eating, dining, and snacking at thefair A Valentine with soul(food) Down and out in St.Louis Serving the poor For the record The ups and downs of FrankFlower Famous in its day, now infamous: Coon ChickenInn Nothing but the best, 19thcen. toulousehouston@lfcco.com toulousecafeandbar.com (713) 871-0768 Reviews Write a Review Play Video Working Hours: Sun-Thu: 11am - 10pm Fri & Sat: 11am - 11pm TBR Inspection Report: Call Contact BRASSERIE 19 1962 West Gray Street, Houston, TX 77019 Since 2011 Brasserie 19 is a famous French cuisine restaurant in Houston. Candy canes adorned the counter, and wrought-iron tables held many birthday parties. 116 W Crosstimbers Rd, Houston, TX 77018 (713) 695-8112 Visit Website Barbecue Inn/Facebook Also featured in: 18 Houston Restaurants Serving Up the Finest Fried Chicken Brenner's Steakhouse. We had some of the best music in the country, and some really rad places to hang out with our friends. Century Development Corp, will build the new project. The 1990s were. A 1981 study conducted in NYC found that Black workers rejected the low pay and poor conditions typically found in restaurant kitchens, preferring to take better jobs in industry if they could. We did a house swap with a family from Santa Cruz in California. Oops. The restaurant had an extensive wine list and maintained "private club" status so patrons could store their booze in lockers. Bell Street Cafe is also a non-traditional cafeteria in the sense that it doesn't cater to the general public (though anyone can eat there). 15 Essential Tex-Mex Restaurants In Houston, 22 Iconic Houston Dishes to Try Before You Die. We should go back., Local physician Stuart Weil says, My favorite place for fried chicken was Youngbloods on Main Street near Bill Williams. I vaguely remember my stepfather working at one. In fact, Barbecue Inn is most famous for it's crispy golden-fried chicken and country-gravy fried steak. All they said were, Jaime's is coming. See our, By submitting your email, you agree to our, 16 Classic Restaurants Every Houstonian Should Visit at Least Once, Sign up for the (Austin, 1972) I don't think we ever had a Carl's Jr. but I do remember when I lived in El Paso we got "KTLA" (for free) and I'd watch the Carl Jr. Ads (if its not in your face, it doesn't belong on your sandwich) -I think that was the ad. You can post now and register later. BFE Rock Club. In 1993, the restaurant moved to 77 Harvard Street, after the landlord of the Shepherd location tripled the rent. Mr. Gatti's (their still around somewhere), JoJo's (breakfast housey'all know what I am talking about right?). See all (64) Though conditions were improving, women also faced continuing discrimination in restaurant work. Once we got the little problem of babysitters sorted out, we were eager to try all the recommended restaurants within a reasonable radius. With red, blue and green color-themed rooms, Christies was known for its remoulade sauce on French-fried shrimp. Originally it was solely a barbecue pit, but the restaurant expanded its menu to include a wide variety of southern comfort food. Disadvantaged locals ate for free and left, like a community service. The Stables Steak House at 7325 S. Main was sold to a investment. and our Kolaches (which is now expanding)even though Canadian I wish we had a Tim Hortons! And, by the way, so were his ice cream shops. Those were great days. 75 Pins 3y T Collection by Theresa Wolski Similar ideas popular now Restaurant Burger Sliders Mini Burgers White Castle Hamburgers Onion Burger Patty Melt Hot Dog Stand New York Food (Photo: www.bellairebook.com), Valians Restaurant, where Houston pizza was born, was in the Medical Center. 16 Kid-Friendly Houston Restaurants That Grown-Ups Wont Hate. Maxim's catered to Houston's new oil tycoons, like John De Menil, with fawning service and lavish prices. Shampu. Comment below or send a letter to [emailprotected]. Superb ambience, great mixologists behind the bar. hardee's is ok, but i don't mind not having it here. We were in awe of the quality of the meat, and how much of it Americans ate. A number of cities lag behind, though, including Minneapolis and Chicago where many cling to meat and potatoes, and Columbus OH which has the dubious distinction of serving as a test market for fast food chains. The Fig Pig, pictured, took the former spot for Bryan's 797, at the corner of Fifth Street and Hazel Avenue in Old Town. It's a credit union now. Nelsons favorite dining memory is from Elliotts Steakhouse in the Medical Center. July 1980 - Shun Davis, 6, spend part of another over-100-degree day by reveling in the shade at Hermann Park Lake while her mother, Lillian Davis, cools off by reading in a recliner. Swingin at MaxwellsPlum Happy holidays, eatwell Department store restaurants: MarshallFields Anatomy of a restaurateur: DonDickerman Taste of a decade: 1860srestaurants The saga of Alicesrestaurants The brotherhood of the beefsteakdungeon Famous in its day:Maillards Lets do brunch ornot? $26.25. Their logo was the canadian mountie from the cartoons. Every weekday morning, enjoy your coffee and the buzz in your inbox. Nixon was President at the time. Hundreds of people in a variety of water craft jammed Buffalo Bayou, braving water snakes and other perils of the bayou, for the Reeking Regatta. To order the clip clean and high res or to find out more visit http://www.kinolibrary.com. Digesting the MadonnaInn Halloween soup Restaurant-ing with JohnMargolies True confessions Basic fare: pancakes Black waiters in whiterestaurants Catering to airlines What were theythinking? and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Claimed. 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100 | Bellaire, TX 77401 | Phone: 713.668.4157 | Fax: 713.665.2940. Dozens of Banks and S&Ls go bust 4. Atmosphere Taste of a decade: 1840srestaurants Eating Chinese Park and eat Thanksgiving quiz: dinner timesfour Dining sky-side Habenstein of Hartford Back of the house: writing thisblog Image gallery: supperclubs Restaurant cups Truth in Menu Every luxury the marketsafford See it, want it: window fooddisplays Time to sell the doughnuts Who was the mysterydiner? Lunch Tuesdays-Fridays and Sundays; dinner Tuesdays-Sundays.) Not only did the Cathay House serve the best Chinese pork ribs in town, but it also had an awesome Astrodome rendering displayed on the wall, complete with twinkling lights. I. I miss that drive threw only burger place, and they where cheap, but the BEST! Ohio + Tahiti =Kahiki Find of the day: the RedwoodRoom Behind the kitchendoor Before Horn & Hardart: Europeanautomats Distinguished dining awards Restaurant as fun house: Shambargers Dressing for dinner Dining on the border:Tijuana Postscript: beefsteak dinners Three hours forlunch Light-fingered diners Mind your manners: restaurantetiquette Celebrity restaurateurs: PatBoone Diary of an unhappyrestaurateur Basic fare: bread Busboys Greek-American restaurants Roadside attractions: TotosZeppelin 2012, a recap Christmas dinner in a restaurant,again? Anyone who lived in middle America and grew up in the '80s likely knows the odd name G.D. Ritzy's. First founded in Ohio in 1980, the 1950s-style restaurant grew quickly, with about 100 locations at its peak. Despite an off-and-on economy, the 1980s was a decade in which Americans ate out more often than ever before. Other objections were their alleged boyfriend problems and lack of tableside skills such as meat carving and salad making. November 1980 - Vice President George and wife Barbara Bush wave at crowd. From the Kinolibrary Archive Film collections. The Nichols-Rice-Cherry House sits on its new foundation in the background of the site it formerly occupied in downtown Sam Houston park. The atmosphere was kind of stale, because I guess people started visiting less but the food was great and the staff very friendly. . 1986 Most restaurant reviewers contributing to John Marianis Coast-to-Coast Dining Guide report that their towns have better restaurants and a wider selection of ethnic cuisines than ten years earlier. I can recall celebrating many birthdays at Bud Bigelows as a teenager, feasting on a rib eye steak with a baked potato and the famed fudge brownie pie with vanilla ice cream. Do you remember any of these places? Numbers Night Club. 2. Feb 09, 2010 #1. Another staple is the Chicken Isabella. And Green Parrot was a charming restaurant in a big colonial house on MacGregor, and they had the finest Southern dishes in town. Free shipping for many products! It was a very fun place to work, I worked at both San Antonio locations 78-79 and the Houston in 1980. Neither was very good; the only real attraction there was the games. --Wyatt's Cafetaria. The Big Easy. ft. 1203 Saxony Ln, Nassau Bay, TX 77058 $499,000 MLS# 33949261 Enjoy Waterfront lifestyle in this centrally located townhome in the heart of Clear La. 26503 Town Center Dr., Novi; djbistro.com . It was Mexican fast food and I remember a salsa bar or something it was quaint with good food. He was tied up and . (8509 Teichman Road, 409-740-0771. . A food elite emerged, composed of frequent restaurant-goers with insatiable hunger for new cuisines and unfamiliar foods. Then they opened, served burgers & beans, at least that's what we ate the ONE time we went. Losers included coffee shops, Cantonese Chinese and red-checkered Italian restaurants, and even sanctums of haute French cuisine. We were youngish professionals with two kids, so were they. More or less like a Luby's. I think its latest incarnation was a fajita place. Closed now : See all hours. Then he sold them all and made a #$@#$load of money. Openings: Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner Mon.-Sat. Rockefellers in the Heights, an old bank turned into a mini concert hall with big name shows and retro nightclub tables. I think it lasted into the 90s. In the 1980s, the Acres Homes neighborhood laid claim to two of Houston's most popular barbecue joints, Burns BBQ and Williams Smokehouse, which closed in 2007 after a fire. You cannot paste images directly. ALSO Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. 17 Excellent Dining Options For Christmas Eve and Day in Houston, Where to Find the Best Comfort Food Dishes in Houston. March 1980 - Aerial view of Houston International Festival, looking east from high atop the Chronicle garage showing Preston closed to traffic as the festival spills over from Market Square. Find authentic Cajun eats here including po-boys served traditionally on French baguette, special muffulettas, and 100% Acadiana rice field pond-raised, purged crawfish when in season. 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. Glad we don't have around here, although really wouldn't make any difference either way. I believe that was my first steakhouse. Alligators - Houston. Beginning as a seafood stand in Galveston, Christies has gone through many iterations over the last 100 years. Bryan's 797. Pizzitolas has been firing up their brick barbecue pit for more than 80 years, and its the only one of its kind allowed inside the city limits. One of Houstons first vegetarian restaurants, Hobbit Cafe is still serving up fresh veggie-friendly eats almost 50 years later. In Seattle, Colonial-themed Mad Anthonys executes a style and cuisine turnabout, replacing a beefy Steak & Kidney Pye-style menu with seafood. local news and culture. Its former site will be cleaned up and allowed to grow grass and remain part of the park. For an investment of less than $10,000, the duo would become the founding fathers of Houston and what began as a struggling trading post would in time become the fourth largest city in the nation and a capital of industry. I think he and his brother opened a kiddie amusement center in one of the malls after that but I don't think it lasted very long. The sizes were just perfect., Another resident, Julie Scheinthal, fondly remembers Antonios Flying Pizza on Hillcroft. It lasted a few years and was gone. I saw several in San Diego last weekend. . I know their were a few here in the early 70's. I dont mean families, I mean couples. 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. RT @shannonrwatts: Woman eating pizza in Houston restaurant is shot in the mouth, but so many people opened fire that police can't identify the shooter. 41. In the decades after the steel industry collapsed, hundreds of thousands of us have found ourselves scattered across the country and around the world. (Courtesy of the Weil Family). Noted for the knight in armor perched upon a horse, greeting patrons in the parking lot, Looks Sirloin Inn sported a British Castle feel. --Jaime's on the corner of N. Braeswood & Main. They served "burgers" which were really kind of like sloppy Joes if I remember correctly. April 1980 - This truck was going under a railroad pass on Houston Street near Center Street on Friday when its load of empty packing crates suddenly shifted and fell off. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Houston had Bo Jangles for a while and they left quickly. Houston is known as "The Restaurant Capital of The World". There was also a supreme version available . Here are some of the other bars I remember from the early 80s in Houston. Helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega and housed in a charming 1930s-era home, Backstreet Caf has served as a destination restaurant for Houston diners for almost four decades. The 970 foot tower, located on the block bounded by Lamar, Smith, McKinney, and Louisiana, will contain two million gross square feet. The 1980s were a pretty cool time to grow up, and Austin was particularly awesome. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. 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. Anyone remember Zuider Zee? In the early 1980s, millennials didn't even exist yet. and i'm very glad we don't have krystals or white castle. Houston, Texas - Weather. i think the company was dallas-based. While few Houston food lovers remember the place anymore, Maxim's stamp on Houston fine dining is indelible. We have Gatti Town in Bryan College Station. Editors note: Russell Weil reviews hamburgers at his foodie blog, eat-more-burgers.com. June 1980 - Bat heads by Bert. Night Clubs Bars Restaurants. I remember their sign with a bear, and the words A-Bear to indicate pronunciation. A large dance club and saloon on the opposite end of the shopping plaza from Todds, on Richmond Avenue. Many luxury restaurants rejected them as waitstaff in the belief that patrons attributed higher status to male servers. Permitless carry means more dangerous people have easy access to guns in Texas. Barbarella. Most of these places have sadly been replaced, or have closed. Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 24 of 29 About 3,000 people turned out at Sharpstown Shopping Center on Nov. 27, . My dear husband who loves cheese and a glass of a good red wine at the end of a meal was in despair at the appalling selection of cheeses he was served in some really well-known restaurants. Guiseppe Barranco/Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise. And we just got Chucky Cheese after them being gone for about 20 something years. Try the Gulf red snapper topped with jumbo lump crabmeat or the filet mignon paired with one of the 200 wines on hand and famous apple strudel for dessert. There was another great ice-house closer to Bellaire but I cant recall its name. hopefully they'll open more raising cane's here, had it in new orleans and those are some good, fast tenders. Bermann and many other American restaurant owners of the 1950s decorated their dining rooms in the "fin de siecle" bordello style. Had the reputation of over-served customers. Though shunned by the food elite, corporate chain restaurants continued to grow and thrive. Maybe Alfie's fish and chips?..i remember eating at one on Broadway in galveston. Things were changing then, but not dramatically. - Foodservice IP, https://www.etsy.com/shop/MeredithBrittCollage?ref=hdr_shop_menu. I did not know Del Taco was in Texas before! 1840s. Where to Get Crawfish in Houston This Season. Tex-Mex adds meat, shredded cheese, and spices. Remember having a good time. The Rose had a free happy hour buffet too. The '80s are back at Hungry Like the Wolf, Houston's only '80s themed diner and bar. As a native Houstonian, I fondly remember many great local restaurants that were favorites of our family. With dinner for two easily totaling $100 [about $228 now], they learn it often means higher prices too. I was fond of Vivian the bartender. A sketch of the planned 71-story Allied Bank Plaza building is superimposed on the downtown skyline. Opened a bunch of ice cream places and did a booming business. 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. Some of the visiting rival Mets were arrested there. Do we still have Mary Lee Donuts? Famous in its day:Feras Why the parsleygarnish? Head to Lankfords Grocery, open since 1938, for one of Houstons best burgers. Norman Mailers Gospel According to the Son. A dining institution embedded in the lives of so many Houstonians will permanently shut its doors after Christmas this year. Really built up curiosity! They had a dish called "Tiger Cries", and I'm drooling just thinking about it. I was on another site and someone started a blog on old 70's and 80's bars and lounges around the Detroit area it was pretty cool. Houston Gamblers formed (what a joke) 9. I think its a car dealership now. Oh, how time flies. Back in December, the fast-food chain revealed its most popular menu items of 2021 and waffle fries once again reigned supreme. I am proud to say my family helped start one of Houstons early delis, which evolved into Schwartzbergs. I used to eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches there when I was a kid. Onto the auction block go pewter plates, crocks, jugs, and replica muskets, along with a Nacho Cheese Dispenser. 1. 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. A family stands in front of the grocery store they proudly own.