15 Houston Restaurants That Closed in 2024

On top of the already high costs of running a restaurant in 2024, owners have had to scramble after the storms in May and the hurricane in July. Houston restaurants have lost up to tens of thousands of dollars as many were left without power for days, forced to throw out inventory and repair damage.

Case in point: Chris Nguyen opened Sweet Boutique Bakery with his wife 15 years ago. They were forced to consider closing this summer after a six-month slowdown. Sales were down 15 to 30 percent each month, and their busiest holiday, Valentine’s Day, was down 35 percent. But the nail in the coffin was Hurricane Beryl. Although they were only closed for one day, potential customers were dealing with their own power outages and not ordering cupcakes.

“The restaurant business has always been tough, but it’s especially tough right now, especially for single-location mom-and-pop establishments,” Nguyen said. “It’s almost impossible right now to operate (single-location stores).”

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The bakery announced its last day of operation would be Saturday. Longtime Midtown restaurant Damien’s Cucina Italiana and Nyam Nyam Cafe in Cypress also set dates for their respective last days of operation. The May derecho was the final straw for Xin Chao; the establishment lost at least $25,000 in sales and closed permanently.

Here are 15 places that recently closed in Houston.

In a matter of days, the Canary went from announcing the opening of its outdoor pool to announcing its closing. The neighborhood bar and grill had only been open for seven months in the Oak Forest neighborhood before closing its doors in July. It was a project by friends in the restaurant industry that took three years to open. The highlight was supposed to be the backyard pool, which customers didn’t get a chance to enjoy.

Canary Coffee House closed its doors last week. It had been located in its Montrose location since 2021, after outgrowing the former Lindale Park location. It served coffee, tea, and beautifully made croissants, among other baked goods. In a short message on Instagram, the business said, “If we’ve brightened your day even just a little bit over the past few years, know that you’ve done the same for us.”

Underbelly Hospitality’s Mexico-inspired concept has closed its doors at the Houston Farmers Market after just seven months. The company said Comalito would be moving to a new space, but no other details have been revealed. Comalito had a buzzy opening, with award-winning chefs Luis Robledo Richards and Atzin Santos at the helm. In a statement, Richards said the space was bigger than they had hoped for the concept that served street tacos and a stunning spiral churro.

Eau Tour, a French bistro from Local Foods Group, had been open in Rice Village for just over a year. It closed last month, and the team plans to open a new restaurant in its place, Milton’s, an Italian-American trattoria. They had planned to add Eau Tour dishes to their neighboring restaurant, Lees Den.

Em’s Pho serves Vietnamese dishes, such as pho, grilled pork sandwiches and vermicelli bowls. The restaurant opened in late 2018. A new restaurant, Absolute Thai, is now open at its location, 6420 FM 1463 in Fulshear.

Longtime Pearland restaurant Juanitos served its last Mexican dish on June 1. It had been open for 34 years. In a Facebook post, the owners said they were selling the restaurant to their friends at Iguanas Ranas Cantina Pearland.

After three years in Rice Village, Gratify Neighborhood Bistro closed its doors this month. Owned by the Big Vibe Group, the company behind Flora and Coppa Osteria, Gratify offered classic American bistro cuisine in a white-tablecloth setting. CultureMap reported that the restaurant group is focusing on expanding its other concepts.

Harris County Smokehouse closed its new Katy restaurant in May. The barbecue joint has been in business for 36 years and still has locations in northwest Houston and Tomball. Diners can visit those restaurants for barbecue, brisket sandwiches, chicken-fried steaks and other Southern favorites.

Holman Draft Hall closed earlier this month after seven years in Midtown. It was an indoor-outdoor bar with dozens of beers on tap, cocktails and bar food. Owned by the Kirby Group, the bar is set to be transformed into a new concept called Solarium.

Montrose lost its favorite pizza place in May. Love Buzz closed after 10 years for a variety of reasons, including an electrical fire, rising costs and increased competition. Owner Sam English also noted a lack of parking compared to its newer peers. The news of the closure received a flood of messages from customers sad to see a Houston staple go.

Nearly two years after opening in Spring Branch, Low Tide Kitchen & Bar has announced its closure. The restaurant served seafood and Southern fare. It started as a food hall vendor before opening in 2022 by restaurateur Alli Jarrett, owner of Harold’s in Heights. Harold’s also closed earlier this year.

Muse didn’t last long in the River Oaks neighborhood. The sleek, modern restaurant opened in March, showcasing flavors from around the world. Dishes ranged from maki rolls to wood-fired steaks and seafood. A sophisticated new cocktail lounge, The Kennedy, is set to open in the space this summer.

Prego held its final dinner service on May 31 after 40 years in business. The Italian restaurant had originally planned to move to the Rice Village neighborhood, but announced it would suspend its plans and close the restaurant entirely. “We have decided that this is not the right time for Prego to make such a move,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post. In the comments, customers shared that they hope to see it return in a new chapter.

Space Cadet was open for about six months. It was located in a renovated historic building in the Heights neighborhood, which had seen a surge in growth. The family-run restaurant/bar offered a mix of local flavors, from Cajun to Tex-Mex to barbecue.

Xin Chao has fallen on hard times since celebrity chef Christine Ha left the restaurant. A slow crawfish season and May storms contributed to the restaurant’s closure, chef Tony J. Nguyen said. He also closed his other restaurant Saigon House due to the initial crawfish shortage and rising prices. The May derecho was the final straw for Xin Chao, which had been open since 2020. The restaurant lost at least $25,000 in sales after losing power due to the storms that hit in May.