A New Steakhouse With Roaring ‘20s Vibes Arrives in Montrose

An intimate new steakhouse — and its soon-to-open companion bar — aim to provide a boutique European-style restaurant vibe and luxe fine dining in the Montrose.

Gatsby’s Prime Steakhouse, which opened in March, is a project from Houston-based entrepreneur Luis Rangel, who recently took over swanky drinking spot Bar Victor. Daisy Buchanan Lounge, which will open in May, will taken over the former Bar Victor space next to Gatsby’s at the 4300 block of Montrose Boulevard.

Rangel reopened Bar Victor, at 4321 Montrose Boulevard, in May of 2020, a year after the original owners shuttered the sophisticated lounge. When the spot next door opened up — which previously housed Pax Americana and (briefly) B.B. Lemon — Rangel decided to jump on it. Sometime later he also closed Bar Victor in order to transform it into a companion lounge for the new restaurant.

“I’ve been thinking about opening a steakhouse for years, as it’s a cuisine and environment I gravitate to,” he said in a statement.

Michael Anthony

For Gatsby’s, Rangel wanted the eschew the large Texas-style steakhouses common in Houston and instead aim for a more staid, yet still swanky, approach, he said. The restaurant is meant to pay homage to Montrose’s longstanding cafe culture.

Dishes include deluxe deviled eggs with bacon jam and fried shrimp, seafood towers, and several cuts of steak, like 40 oz tomahawk ribeyes and bone-in New York strips, all seasoned with a signature spice blend developed by the restaurant. There’s also a splurgy-worthy caviar service and desserts like red velvet cake.

Rangel recruited a handful of staff who’ve cut their teeth at well-known steakhouse restaurants — general manager Luis Rodriguez of Mastro’s and Morton’s, beverage director Frank Moore (Smith & Wollensky, Sullivan’s); and chef Erick Anaya, who has more than 20 years of steakhouse experience — to lead the kitchen and bar.

The building at 4319 Montrose dates back to the 1920s, according to a press release, and the restaurant’s decor — black marble, gold accents and red leather booths — contribute to the retro vibe. Daisy Buchanan, when it opens in May, will also likely pay homage to the speakeasies of the Prohibition era.

Gatsby’s is open Tuesday through Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m., and Sunday 5 to 9 p.m. Stay tuned for more details on the opening of Daisy’s.

• After Closing Last Year, Montrose’s Swanky Bar Victor Makes a Comeback [EHOU]