Which of these lost Houston Restaurants did you eat at?

A long time family favorite long before I was born was Gaido’s location on South Main Street (Big Shrimp and I think a Blue Crab Statues at entrance). I think my family started going their after WWII.

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What was the name of the restaurant off of Woodway - was it Swiss Chalet? Good place if I have the name correct. Need to add The Hobbit Hole and The Old San Francisco Steak House -The gales on the swing ringing the bell. Ha Ha what a scene and good steak. Also the AAA Restaurant at the Original Farmers Market on Airline. First time there for me was 1971. Best home country cooking in a restaurant. OK, not in Houston but The Hempstead Inn for family style after a trip out to Chapple Hill for Blue Bonnets. Spindle Top in the Hyatt that spun and still does spin around, if not closed.

Correct. We got to Houston in 1963 and Gaido’s on South Main had the Shrimp with a Six Shooter and the Blue Crab out front. Really good Gulf Coast Seafood. Back then mostly fried, but good.

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WM - If I recall correctly the original Cellar Door was a upscale BBQ just off or on Belaire Blvd. just South of West U area.

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Yes…Swiss Chalet. It also had quite the reputation of a place where a younger guy might be able to meet an older woman or two. :sunglasses:

So you say the Swiss Chalet was one of the original or early “Cougar Dens”?? Man I always wanted to see how my 30 year old body (1983) would have functioned with a 50 year old woman. Dam missed out. If I had known Swiss Chalet was early Cougar Gathering Place, I would have skipped Judges, Fox Hunter, and Uncle Sam’s. Had success in these joints, but not with a Cougar (50+).

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Oh wait!

If you meant The Cellar Door, then you can add that one to my list!

What about “The Great San Francisco Steakhouse?”

The Hobbit Hole had great sandwiches.

I went there both when it was in Carillon West, and when it moved inside the loop!

Does anyone remember 2Ks on post oak near the old Sakowitz? A great ice cream place, sit down style. Here’s some more… Valians, the Rail Head, Angelos( #34) favorite. Antones, Dos Gringos, and Sonny Look has great prime rib!

Thanks for bringing back old and pleasant memories.
I gave my wife her engagement ring during a family gathering at Vargos. Valians introduced me to pizza. Never had one like it since. Lots I could say about the others but does anyone remember:
The restaurant across from the Rice Hotel. In the early 60’s my first wife and I would go there for oysters that were shucked while you waited with crackers and cold mug beer.
The Mexican food restaurant on W.Alabama, I believe, close to Kirby. As I recall it was in an old house. When my cousin would come into town my lawyer cousin would take us there again in the 60’s
The great seafood restaurant in an old house just west of downtown. We could walk to it from the Bank of the Southwest when I was working for Fulbright and Jaworski.
The original James Coney Island downtown had two levels for tables and was always packed at lunch.
The L & C cafeteria in the basement of some building was huge and great food.
There was a great fried chicken place (all you could eat) on I believe 59 or I 10 North about thirty minutes from Downtown.
I would appreciate if if anyone remembers the name of any of those memorable spots.

Had my reception at Vargo’s as well, they went to our church and I knew their son. Here’s another one that had great chargrilled hamburgers that wasn’t here for long on South Main, Ruby Red’s.

My first job was at a Pizza Parlor with great stone ovens name Panjo’s in Town and Country Village, had a teen side (where a lot of drugs were consumed) and an adult side with banjo music on weekends and jammed after football games, right off Memorial.

So does anyone else remember 2Ks?

Have another one… who remembers the old APC building cafeteria (where Oilers offices were)?

It was across the street from the Bellaire theatre which showed triple features on Saturday morning which is where my mom would drop me off at 9 AM and pick me up at 3 PM.

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Did anyone else ever go to the Howard Johnson’s on Bellaire near the train tracks. I remember going there when I was 10.

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OH MY GOSH, I THINK I ATE AT EVERYONE OF THESE PLACES. BUT TRIPLE A ON
AIRLINE WAS MY ALTIME FAVORITE. THE MRS AND I LIKED MASSAS DOWN TOWN
ACROSS FROM THE HOUSTON CLUB. LOL WE CALLED ONES A MEAL AFTER ONE
OF OUR COEDS IN MID 50’S TONYS OFF GALERIA AREA WAS FIRST CLASS PLACE.
ALSO REST INSIDE THE LOOP ON ALA. OR RICHMOND. THE COMPANYS BOARD
OF DIR. MEETING WAS HELD IN HOUSTON. WE WERE TOLD TO CHECK OUT ALL
THE BEST REST SO WE COULD RECOGMEND ALSO NATL READY MIX CONVENTION
WAS HELD IN HOU A FEW WEEKS LATER. I PROBABLY PUT ON 10 LBS AT THAT
TIME. GOODSONS IN TOMBALL WAS THE FAV OF A LOT OF PEOPLE. CHICKEN
FRIED STEAK. THEY FLEW IN WITH HELLICOPTERS AND LANDED IN A FIELD
BEHIND MA GOODSONS REST. WAY TOO MUCH TO EAT. THE SMALL ORDER
WAS AS BIG AS THE PLATTER. BUT I NEVER GOT FAT. MOST I EVER WAS 199
AND I TOLD MYSELF THTS IT. PLAYED AT UH AT 196. ALL GOOD MEMORIES FOR
THIS OLD COOG.

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Anyone here remember “Pipe Organ Pizza?”

Near Memorial City back in the day!

Great pizza and organ show!

Yep,
Upscale ice cream joint. One of the stops for my prom night !

I know not totally restaurant theme, what about the Ice Cream parlor in Westbury Square Rumpleheimers?

Yes, remember it well. Westbury Square was theeee place back in the day as well.

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Jim - When I was attending U of H in the early 1970’s, I remember eating at Leo’s Mexican restaurant on Shepherd which was close to Alabama and I thought it was in an old house. Leo’s relocated in early 1990’s close to Washington, then closed after Leo passed away. I believe Leo’s was one of ZZ Top’s favorite restaurants.