"We thought we had a great idea for what the neighborhood really wanted in a little bit more family friendly, much more casual, lower-price-point eatery," Paul Miller of Gr8 Plate Hospitality told Chron in May, two days after Jax on the Tracks closed at 3452 Ella Blvd. It had been open for about three months. Before Jax, The Union Kitchen had occupied the same Ella Plaza space for 10 years.
That closing was one of several this year in and around Garden Oaks and Oak Forest. The openings that followed have mostly happened in one place. As of late October, both announced replacements are moving into units at The Stomping Grounds on W. 34th St. The freestanding and strip-center spaces left by longtime restaurants on Ella, Antoine and T.C. Jester have no reported new tenants.
The 2026 closings, by address
| Restaurant | Address | Last day | What's been announced for the space |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of Fries | 5322 Antoine Dr. | May 1 | No new tenant reported |
| Jax on the Tracks | 3452 Ella Blvd., Ella Plaza | May 25 | No new tenant reported |
| The Pho Fix | 1223 W. 34th St., The Stomping Grounds | June 8 | Pho Prime, coming soon |
| Juanita's Mexican Restaurant | 2728 W. T.C. Jester Blvd. | June 2026 | No new tenant reported |
| LuLoo's Day & Night | The Stomping Grounds | Not reported | Barnaby's Cafe, now open |
| Barbecue Inn | 116 W. Crosstimbers St. | Aug. 1 | Owners weighing offers |
Most of these were long-running neighborhood restaurants. Juanita's served Tex-Mex on T.C. Jester for nearly 26 years. Barbecue Inn had been open since 1946. House of Fries, known for burgers and loaded fries, closed on Antoine because its owners retired, according to Chron.
Costs, not just tastes
The reasons the owners gave are fairly consistent. Miller told Chron that Union Kitchen sales had been flat for nearly two years. Jax was his attempt to fix both the food and the price. The new concept missed the benchmarks the company had set, and he pointed to rent, food and labor costs along with too few customers.
When Barbecue Inn's closing was announced, owner Wayne Skrehot made a similar point about expenses. "Since COVID, nothing's been the same, and we're just more or less the last couple of years working for nothing really. Prices are high; everything is extremely high," he said, as quoted in the Houston Chronicle's August closings roundup.
Those pressures help explain where the new restaurants are going. The Stomping Grounds already has built-out restaurant units. Operators taking over there are stepping into a space a previous restaurant just used, surrounded by a dozen other businesses, rather than starting from scratch.
What's arriving at The Stomping Grounds
Both replacements so far are established Houston operators. Neither is a first-time concept.
Barnaby's Cafe has taken over the former LuLoo's Day & Night space, which Chron described as one of the development's largest interiors. LuLoo's was the all-day cafe and bakery from Blood Bros. BBQ and pastry chef Alyssa Dole. Chron reported in July that it would be Barnaby's 10th location.
- Status: Open, according to Barnaby's Garden Oaks page
- Address: 1223 W. 34th St., Suite C600
- Hours: Lunch and dinner every day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Phone: 713-485-0288
- From the menu: Burgers, Danish baby back ribs, meatloaf, chicken-fried steak
Pho Prime is going into The Pho Fix's old unit. It comes from Mamba Hospitality Group co-owners Kiet Duong and Julie Nguyen, who are also behind Crawfish Cafe. WhatNow Houston reported in July that the team was aiming for an Oct. 3 grand opening, depending on final permits and construction. In the same report the team called Garden Oaks "one of Houston's fastest-growing neighborhoods." In mid-October, Pho Prime's own site still listed the Garden Oaks location, 1223 W. 34th St., Suite C200, as coming soon. Check the restaurant's site before you go. The brand opened in Houston in early 2025 and is known for its oxtail pho. The menu also includes bo ne, bun bo hue, pork banh mi and beef vermicelli.
Those two are joining a group of tenants that has stayed in place. The Stomping Grounds' tenant page lists Little Sister, Fat Cat Creamery, Bollo Woodfired Pizza, Himari Sushi, La Mex, Sonoma Wine & Cheese, Cooking Girl and High Five Mini Bar. The page hasn't been fully updated yet. It doesn't list Barnaby's, and it still shows profiles for LuLoo's and The Pho Fix.
So at The Stomping Grounds, one vacated restaurant space has already been refilled and the other has a replacement on the way. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, nothing has moved yet.
The spaces still waiting
Ella Plaza has turned over twice in 2026. The Union Kitchen was set to close Feb. 15, and Jax began a soft opening at the same address on Feb. 18. After Jax closed, Miller told Chron about growing the company in other locations. He did not mention another concept for this address.
On Antoine and on T.C. Jester, the House of Fries and Juanita's buildings have no reported new tenant, lease or redevelopment plan. These are the closings without a reopening date. They are also the restaurants that served the neighborhood the longest outside a planned dining center.
Barbecue Inn, still undecided
The biggest open question is on W. Crosstimbers. During Barbecue Inn's final days, Houston Public Media reported hours-long lines of people trying to get one last meal. Many people expected the building to be sold and replaced with something new. On Oct. 2, Chron reported that this was what most people assumed would happen to properties near the 610 Loop.
The same Chron story described a possible revival. John Frels, chairman of the Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce, told Chron he had heard the potential buyer was a Barbecue Inn regular who wanted to reopen it. The reported plan included a new roof, new bathrooms and dining room upgrades, with David Skrehot, the owner's son, as general manager. David Skrehot told Chron it was too early to say anything and that the family was still reviewing multiple offers. As of this writing, there is no signed deal and no reopening date.
The outcome matters beyond one restaurant. If a buyer reopens it, the neighborhood keeps a restaurant that has operated since 1946. If the land is sold for another use, W. Crosstimbers will follow the same pattern Chron described near the Loop.
What to watch this fall
- Pho Prime, Suite C200, 1223 W. 34th St. The Oct. 3 target has passed. Pho Prime's site is the place to check for an opening date.
- Barbecue Inn, 116 W. Crosstimbers St. The family is weighing offers, and any announcement will decide whether it reopens.
- 3452 Ella Blvd., 5322 Antoine Dr. and 2728 W. T.C. Jester Blvd. None has an announced next tenant. New signage or permits would be the first sign of change.
- The Stomping Grounds directory. The tenant page is out of date, so the businesses' own sites are more reliable for now.
If you'd like to talk about how the changes on Ella, W. 34th and T.C. Jester affect a home you own or one you're considering, Ashley Eoff follows these corners closely and is glad to help. Let's Connect.
