Chic French Eatery Lucienne Is Houston’s Latest Permanent Restaurant Closure

In mid-March of last year, restaurants across the city were required to close their dining rooms in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus. The shutdown and ensuing occupancy restrictions have been disastrous for the industry, with millions of jobs lost across the country and, unfortunately, restaurants that won’t make it to the other side of this pandemic.

Eater Houston is keeping track of restaurant and bar closures across the city, and will update this list as more shutters happen.

January 2021

• Lucienne at Hotel Alessandra — This Downtown hotel, it’s highly-acclaimed French restaurant, and Bardot Bar, closed on January 6, the Houston Chronicle reports. It’s unclear whether the closure is permanent — Valencia Hotel Group’s website says it is, but a statement issued on January 12 called the closure temporary, the Chron reports. The restaurant had been closed for most of the pandemic.
• Perry & Sons — Originally opened in 1979 as a meat market in Scarsdale, this was the first restaurant that spawned the Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille chain. It closed in early January. An outpost at outpost at 614 South Friendswood Drive is still open.

December 2020

• Morningstar — Heights breakfast destination Morningstar closed on December 28 after five years in the business. The restaurant was known for its creative doughnuts, breakfast pastries, brunches and espresso.

November 2020

• Politan Row — This nascent Rice Village food hall, barely open a year, announced its sudden closure on Instagram on November 13, citing COVID-19 restrictions. “We’ve been closed due to the pandemic much longer than we were actually open,” the post read. Since then, two former Politan Row vendors have taken up shop in the space, selling food and spices for takeout and delivery.
• Public Services — One of Houston’s best whiskey bars, Downtown’s Public Services, closed on November 19. In the post, owner Justin Vann said all the bar’s staff had already secured other jobs, including himself — he’s now the wine consultant for Nancy’s Hustle and Tiny Champions.
• King’s Biergarten — This German-syle beer hall in Pearland closed November 29, just a few months after undergoing extensive renovations. The restaurant had been open for a decade. Sister restaurants King’s Bierhaus and Egg Haus Gourmet are still open. A new eatery, beachy burger joint Good Vibes, replaced the Pearland beer garden in January.

October 2020

• Kenny & Ziggy’s — The tiny West University outpost of this New York-style delicatessen closed in October. Owner Ziggy Gruber told CultureMap that the location’s narrow footprint made social distancing too difficult. The original location, on Post Oak Boulevard, remains open.
• Guava Lamp — Longtime gay bar and drag show destination Guava Lamp closed permanently in October after 22 years. The bar, which first opened in Shepherd Plaza before moving to Waugh Drive in 2003, had been shuttered since March due to the coronavirus. It will be replaces by Papi’s Nite Club, a Latin LGBTQ bar that will also host drag shows.
• Union Kitchen — The original Bellaire location of this popular brunch spot closed in October. Six other locations, including Memorial, Oak Forest, and a newly opened Katy restaurant, remain in business.

September 2020

• Frey’s Backyard Cafe — The Tomball diner closed in mid-September, according to ABC13.
• Luby’s — Amidst a move to liquidate and sell off assets, Luby’s has closed about half their locations — 35 unites total, including Luby’s Cafeterias and several Fuddruckers. QSR Magazine initially reported the closures were temporary, but the at least one Houston location, at Waugh and West Gray, has had its signage removed.

August 2020

• Burger-Chan — The restaurant’s Greenway Plaza location suffered after the office complex was closed to promote social distancing, and eventually shuttered in August. However, in October, Burger-Chan joined forces with Click Virtual Food Hall, and a planned location on West Alabama is still in the works.
• Alice’s Tall Texas — Beloved Heights dive bar serves its last chALICE in March before closing due to the Houston’s safe at home order. In August, its owners announced on Facebook that the closure would be permanent. Alice’s was open for 36 years.

July 2020

• Waba WingHouse — This Houston Japanese spot announced its permanent closure on July 7.
• Boomtown Coffee — The Main Street location of Boomtown closed its doors in mid-July, per CultureMap.
• Big Texas Spring — Located in Spring, this dance hall closed its doors during July after 15 years in business.
• Blackbird Izakaya — Chef Billy Kin announced the closure of this Heights restaurant on July 20.
• Breakfast Brunch Cafe — Located in Cypress, this restaurant closed its doors after five years in late July.
• Brazilian Joe’s — This Spring restaurant will permanently close its doors on July 30, per a Facebook post.
• Night Heron — Closed permanently, per CultureMap.

June 2020

• Patrenella’s — The longstanding Italian restaurant closed its doors after 28 years in early June.
• Pappas — The Houston-based family of restaurants announced it was permanently closing five locations throughout Houston, including Yia Yia Mary’s, Pappas Seafood Houston on Aldine-Bender and I-45, Pappas Seafood Kitchen at Richmond and Kirby, Pappas Shrimp Shack on I-45 and Woodridge, and Little Pappas Seafood House on Shepherd and West Alabama.
• Azuma on the Lake — This Sugar Land restaurant announced that it would close its doors after 10 years on June 23.
• Zachary’s Cajun Cafe — Closed in June.
• Grazia Italian Kitchen — The Katy outpost of this Italian spot closed in June. The Clear Lake and Pearland locations remain open.
• Penny Quarter — Closed “indefinitely” due to COVID-19.

May 2020

• Starbucks — Made infamous by comedian Lewis Black, the Starbucks location “at the end of the universe” closed its doors in early May, possibly due to a rent hike.
• Meccha Matcha — The only Houston outpost of this dessert shop announced its closure on May 3 via Instagram.
• The Chicken and Rice Guys — This Boston-based pop-up in the Heights called it quits on May 12.
• Cajun Town Cafe — Closed permanently on May 15.
• Dak & Bop — The Museum District outpost of Korean fried chicken favorite Dak & Bop announced its closure on May 15. Fortunately, Dak & Bop’s brand new location in Timbergrove will remain open.
• Ragin’ Cajun — The Westchase location of this seafood spot closed its doors on May 17 after being open for 20 years. The original location on Richmond Avenue will remain open.
• Suzy Q’s — Via an Instagram post, this snow cone stand in The Woodlands announced its permanent closure, citing “personal and family reasons.”
• Treebeards — This popular Market Square spot announced its impending closure on May 18. Open for 40-plus years at 315 Travis Street, Treebeards faced a “huge increase in rent” if it wanted to renew its lease at the location. A new outpost, at Bunker Hill and I-10 in Memorial, is set to open in July.
• Dolce Vita — Open since 2006, this longstanding Montrose pizzeria will close its doors for good on May 24 after its building was sold to a new group of investors.
• Barry’s Pizza — After slinging pies for 37 years in Houston, Barry’s announced that it would bow out for good on May 26. The restaurant had been closed since March 28.
• The Tasting Room — Will close permanently on May 30 after a dispute with its landlord over rent, according to the Houston Chronicle.
• Bernie’s Burger Bus — All locations closed on May 31. Bernie’s Burger Bus led Houston’s food truck trend a decade ago before pivoting to a brick and mortar concept, eventually opening four locations throughout Houston.
• Ahh! Coffee — Closed in late May.
• Kaneyama Japanese Restaurant — The outpost at 9527 Westheimer closed in May.
• Chicken Station — Closed in May.
• Crisp — The Underground Hall location of this salad restaurant closed in May.
• Poitin — According to CultureMap, Poitin has quietly closed its doors.
• Indika — The acclaimed Montrose Indian restaurant shuttered during the coronavirus pandemic, and will not reopen.
• Atlas Diner — This spot inside Bravery Chef Hall has been replaced with Hawker Alley, which now houses four distinct pop-up eateries.
• Sweet Tomatoes — Along with all of its outposts across the country, the Houston locations of this salad bar chain closed permanently due to the coronavirus pandemic.

April 2020

• Pie Town — According to Community Impact, this sweet shop in The Woodlands closed on April 11.
• Momentum Coffee — According to Spring Happenings, this Spring coffee shop closed on April 5.
• Frank’s Backyard — Closed in April.
• Chatime — This Bellaire Food Street boba tea shop shuttered quietly.

March 2020

• Helen in the Heights — Closed permanently since March 24, according to CultureMap.
• Americas — The River Oaks restaurant closed in mid-March, per CultureMap, and will not reopen.
• Smoosh — The Katy outpost of this ice cream sandwich spot closed its doors in March, and won’t reopen.
• BeanPunk Coffee — According to Community Impact, both the Conroe and Montgomery locations of this coffee shop have closed.
• Tropicales — Closed permanently in March.
• Brio — The Woodlands’s location of this casual Italian eatery is closed.
• Acadian Bakers — Closed in March; will not reopen.
• Stuffed Turkey Leg King — Per Google, this restaurant formerly located in the Northwood Village Center has permanently shuttered.
• Komchop — West Belfort location closed, Westheimer location remains open.

Know of a permanent Houston restaurant closure that’s not on this list? Drop us a line at houston@eater.com.