Since we're on a run of restaurants closing, let's add one more.

This seems pretty certain so shouldn't be much confusion, but this is TexAgs.

This is/was one of my favorite steak houses in Houston. Didn't have the scene some want but I'm okay with that. Food and steaks were always top notch and I loved the laid back atmosphere.

I only went 1-2 times a year but I'm gonna miss it.

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/ronnie-killen-stq-restaurant-closing/

that's a shame. It had a good run though. That's a tough location.

Yep. Lasted longer than any other restaurant that's been in that spot. It was damn good too. I had a lot of birthday dinners there.

I was thinking the same, as I knew a guy that had that setup before STQ, but Ronnie made it close to eight years. That's not a bad stretch these days.

Bummer. One of the wife and I's favorite place for a nice meal. Always great and like others have said it wasn't a pretentious spot. Laid back and nice at the same time. I liked that it was small and never too loud and crowded. I really hope they are just moving locations.

RIP. I didn't do my part to patronize it enough, but I really liked the unique steak/smoked meat menu.

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

BDubs is a sad shell of what they used to be. I go occasionally and there seems to only be one waiter and one bartender working max, and service is horrible as those folks are also coordinating with doordash pickups. Probably different during big games.

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

It's more the service impacts from the storms, overall economy, and inflated costs of goods that are WAY higher than what they are reporting. Costs are just out of control and restaurants can't pass it all onto customers who are already looking to cut back. The next year is setting up to be really ugly for the industry.

Good concepts are still doing fine, but there's going to be a lot of places closing that people just don't expect. We went to a casual local neighborhood joint the other night with neighbors and 2 drinks, and appetizer, and 2 sandwiches was $100 with tip for a couple. That's just not sustainable.

I'm more worried than most as food service is the main driver of sales to one of our companies.

Quote:

---

It's more the service impacts from the storms, overall economy, and inflated costs of goods that are WAY higher than what they are reporting. Costs are just out of control and restaurants can't pass it all onto customers who are already looking to cut back.

---

I think the storms have far less to do with it than overall economy and door dash effect. at least for the "fast casual" type places.

went to buffalo wild wings a few weeks back. it was empty, but there were no less than 15 to go orders stacked up on the shelf for the door dashers.

on a killen's note, I had the Killens burger in pearland for first time this past weekend. it was fantastic. if you have the means to travel, check it out.

schmellba99 said:

---

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

It's also a function of the fact that a significant contingent of the population doesn't have a whole lot of disposable income to drop $150 or whatever on a dinner for two very often.

Hell, going to a fast food joint these days runs $15 per person. Money is much tighter than it was just a handful of years ago.

---

40 pack of nuggets and two large fries for $15 on the McDonald's app for the win. You get nuggets, and you get nuggets and YOU GET NUGGETS.

/Oprah

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

Yep, post-pandemic effect. Combined with inflation and high cost of everything that is crushing middle and lower income people. Prob going to get much worse.

But we both noticed the same after a couple nice dates out in recent years. Just a different vibe...restaurants not as packed and lively, with a few exceptions. "Hearsay" and "Little's Oyster Bar" were pretty normal in recent months.

Sea Speed said:

---

schmellba99 said:

---

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

It's also a function of the fact that a significant contingent of the population doesn't have a whole lot of disposable income to drop $150 or whatever on a dinner for two very often.

Hell, going to a fast food joint these days runs $15 per person. Money is much tighter than it was just a handful of years ago.

---

40 pack of nuggets and two large fries for $15 on the McDonald's app for the win. You get nuggets, and you get nuggets and YOU GET NUGGETS.

/Oprah

---

haha thats been my go to at McD's. I told the kids no more happy meals. Yall dont play with the toys or drink the drinks so here is your giant box of nuggets and basket of fries minus the dad tax.

Al Bula said:

---

Something ironic about Austin county dwellers seeking out laidback vibes at an upscale city stq-house.

Have you had the "we don't need a date night 70 miles away just so you can NOT impress the girls in your circle you're trying to impress" conversation yet?"

---

there is nothing ironic about someone driving from austin county to a damn good steak house on the west side of houston to eat a nice meal considering there are basically zero options in Austin county to go somewhere to eat a nice meal.

cajunaggie08 said:

---

Sea Speed said:

---

schmellba99 said:

---

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

It's also a function of the fact that a significant contingent of the population doesn't have a whole lot of disposable income to drop $150 or whatever on a dinner for two very often.

Hell, going to a fast food joint these days runs $15 per person. Money is much tighter than it was just a handful of years ago.

---

40 pack of nuggets and two large fries for $15 on the McDonald's app for the win. You get nuggets, and you get nuggets and YOU GET NUGGETS.

/Oprah

---

haha thats been my go to at McD's. I told the kids no more happy meals. Yall dont play with the toys or drink the drinks so here is your giant box of nuggets and basket of fries minus the dad tax.

---

Absolutely. Best fast food value out there. Feeds our family of five with some leftover. I'm annoyed they appeared to have taken the BOGO big Macs and quarter pounders off the app now. That was always good if my wife and I wanted something different because you could add that to the 20 pc nugget and basket of fries. Oh well.

AustinCountyAg said:

---

Al Bula said:

---

Something ironic about Austin county dwellers seeking out laidback vibes at an upscale city stq-house.

Have you had the "we don't need a date night 70 miles away just so you can NOT impress the girls in your circle you're trying to impress" conversation yet?"

---

there is nothing ironic about someone driving from austin county to a damn good steak house on the west side of houston to eat a nice meal considering there are basically zero options in Austin county to go somewhere to eat a nice meal.

---

You mean Hartz Chicken, Chicken Express, or Whataburger on 36 @ I-10 don't fit the bill?

William Foster said:

---

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

Yep, post-pandemic effect. Combined with inflation and high cost of everything that is crushing middle and lower income people. Prob going to get much worse.

But we both noticed the same after a couple nice dates out in recent years. Just a different vibe...restaurants not as packed and lively, with a few exceptions. "Hearsay" and "Little's Oyster Bar" were pretty normal in recent months.

---

El Tiempo on Washington will have close to an hour wait tonight, like they do every Wednesday

that's crazy. why wouldn't people just go to a different one?

I did see that one of the reasons why they closed is because they were leasing the property and did not outright own the property and that was something the Killen didn't like. Maybe rent just got jacked up on renewal.

Diggity said:

---

that's crazy. why wouldn't people just go to a different one?

---

Is there no wait at other locations?

I don't know why anyone would want to open a restaurant. I don't see how more places aren't going under. We don't eat out much anymore. But when we do it seems so many places are pretty empty.

I've never had a wait at the Westheimer locations (or the Stafford).

drumboy said:

---

William Foster said:

---

Ciboag96 said:

---

The sancha and I have noticed that restaurants are rarely 30% full anymore. So many people door dashing and not being civilized human beings and going out to eat, I suspect we'll see a bunch more closures.

---

Yep, post-pandemic effect. Combined with inflation and high cost of everything that is crushing middle and lower income people. Prob going to get much worse.

But we both noticed the same after a couple nice dates out in recent years. Just a different vibe...restaurants not as packed and lively, with a few exceptions. "Hearsay" and "Little's Oyster Bar" were pretty normal in recent months.

---

El Tiempo on Washington will have close to an hour wait tonight, like they do every Wednesday

---

True, wasn't trying to argue that there weren't exceptions...especially around the urban hot spots...but have just noticed this phenomenon at a lot of places. Could all be figment of my imagination. maybe nothing has changed since 2019.