11 Houston Restaurant Closings to Know Right Now, February 2025
Upscale Korean barbecue restaurant Karne, live-fire steakhouse Andiron Grille & Patio, Sonoma Wine Bar, and a mustache-thehave all called it quits
Houston’s restaurant scene kicked off 2025 with some surprises. The closing of The Woodlands restaurant Tris was likely the most shocking of them all, but diners also said “see you soon” to a longtime restaurant by Hugo Ortega; a beloved, family-friendly Kemah waterfront restaurant by Landry’s; and one of the city’s most low-key pubs. Here are some of the most noteworthy closings in February so far.
The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another closing? Send all tips to houston@eater.com
Karne
Jason Cho, the owner of Karne, announced the sudden and unplanned closure of this upscale Korean barbecue restaurant in the Heights on Wednesday, February 26, after two years in business. Cho wrote in an Instagram post that the closing was “prompted by circumstances beyond our control.” Cho expressed his gratitude to the Karne team, encouraging other restaurateurs to hire them, and thanked patrons who dined there. “We made it our mission to treat each day as a special occasion for every guest,” Cho wrote. “As a man of faith, I am beyond grateful and feel blessed that I had an opportunity to introduce Korean food and culture at Karne.”
Cho urged diners to support other Houston restaurants, including those serving Korean cuisine and noted that despite its closing, people should stay tuned. “We believe we have something truly unique and special that Houston loves, and it is our goal to open again in the future,” Cho wrote.
Andiron Grille & Patio
This live-fire steakhouse in Montrose is officially closing on Saturday, March 1, after roughly two years in business. Owned by Sambrooks Hospitality, the same restaurant group that owns the Pit Room and Tex-Mex restaurant Candente, Andiron opened in 2023 as one of the first upscale live-fire steakhouses in the city, serving steaks and other dishes that all incorporated fire in some way. It went through a rebranding in November, transitioning to a more casual neighborhood restaurant with a new outdoor patio and cocktail garden, and a menu with more small plates and snacks. Owner Michael Sambrooks did not state why the steakhouse is closing, but noted that it was a difficult decision and a “bittersweet end.”
Sonoma Wine Bar
February is also the last month for this wine bar’s Upper Kirby location. Houston Food Finder and Chron.com report that Sonoma Wine Bar will close on Saturday, March 1, after roughly 18 years in business. The bar still has locations in Katy and the Stomping Grounds in the Garden Oaks area.
Vibrant
This health-conscious cafe, which opened in 2018, closed its Montrose location on Tuesday, February 11. “It has been the project of a lifetime, made so by the incredible team and customers we have had for the past almost 7 years,” owner Kelly Barnhart stated in an Instagram post. “The magic has been in the endless meaningful human connection around doing good for ourselves and each other.” The restaurant has another location in Memorial Park.
The Barking Pig
After eight years in business, this Heights restaurant and watering hole closed on February 9, following Super Bowl Sunday. Chron.com reported the closure, noting that little reasoning was given behind the closure, but owner Kristen Powell later stated on Instagram that she closed the restaurant to focus on her family and grandmother, who has cancer. “I didn’t want it to be a huge storyline,” she said.
HandleBar
This mustache-themed Washington Avenue watering hole permanently closed sometime this year. Social media users have mourned the space, posting memories and odes to the bar, but the business has made no official statement about the closing. Its Instagram last features a post from three weeks ago. Google lists the space as permanently closed, and the business website is inactive. The Austin-based Bear Hug Hospitality, which operated the bar, still has Handlebar listed on its website along with Disco Unicorn, another bar located in Midtown. Eater Houston has reached out for comment.
Killen’s Steakhouse
This steakhouse in The Woodlands closed in mid-February after its owner, Ronnie Killen, sold its building to a new owner. Killen, a Pearland resident, told Culturemap Houston that he’s also in the process of selling Killen’s Barbecue. Killen said that running restaurants in the Northern Houston suburb became challenging, especially as he faced health challenges that made commuting difficult. The restaurants also weren’t performing as well as Killen wanted. It seems as though Killen will instead pour more into his other steakhouse location in Pearland in hopes of gaining Michelin recognition, and focus on his anticipated Killen’s Barbecue location in the airport.
Money Cat
Helmed by chef Sherman Yeung, this Upper Kirby sushi restaurant closed its doors in early February after two years in business, CultureMap reports. Deemed initially “New Japanese,” the restaurant served a variety of sushi, crudo, and hot dishes, including its chicken katsu sandos, chu-toro toast, and honey vanilla milk buns with cultured butter and trout roe, plus Japanese-inspired cocktails and out-of-the-box ice cream flavors. Yeung says the restaurant, which opened in the summer of 2022, was not financially stable and failed to fully connect with diners because he didn’t clearly define the cuisine. He admits he struggled while avoiding calling it a sushi restaurant. Yeung, who still owns the sushi restaurant Tobiou in Katy, says there’s some hope that some of the most popular dishes from Money Cat will show up elsewhere. Yeung tells CultureMap he’s considering starting a paired-down restaurant focusing on sandos.
Sipple Bottle Shop
Houston’s non-alcoholic bottle shop in the Rice Village area that offers alcohol-free options, including wine, spirits, and mocktails, is closing its doors at the end of February after nearly four years in business. Sipple owners Helenita and Danny Frounfelkner posted about their “heartbreaking decision” to close on social media and in a newsletter.
Sipple began selling its inventory on a first-come, first-served basis and taking bulk orders through February 12 to get rid of its remaining inventory. They plan to host a garage sale selling items like shelves on Saturday, February 22. Co-owner Danny Frounfelkner, who is now the general manager and beverage director of chef Andrew Musico’s Filipino tasting menu Chikahan, told Eater Houston that there was too much competition with larger retailers and grocery stores that now sell a variety of non-alcoholic beverages. “It’s hard to be an independent,” he says. Diners will soon be able to find some of Frounfelkner’s boozy and non-alcoholic creations at Chikahan.
“It has been more than a pleasure to help lead the way in Houston’s and Texas’ non-alcoholic journey. We will miss you, our customers and loyal followers, so very much. Laughing, crying, and sharing stories of triumph has made everything worth it. “
El Big Bad
This Downtown Mexican restaurant and watering hole known for its cool rooftop patio and a bevy of house-infused tequilas quietly closed its doors in early February. CultureMap Houston reports that the landlord locked the doors and left a notice stating that the owner, Steve Sharma, didn’t pay rent. Sharma tells CultureMap he had already let the landlord know that he was leaving the space and that the landlord refused to make repairs to the 150-year-old building that houses the bar. Sharma also says that the new landlord has tried to make him pay from 2020 that the previous landlord had forgiven. According to the bar owner, this isn’t the last of El Big Bad. He’s in search of a new location.
Shanghai River
Chron.com reported that this Chinese restaurant in River Oaks (2407 Westheimer Road) closed on Friday, January 31. Shanghai River, which opened in 1970, specialized in Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, with staples like hot and sour soup, egg rolls, and shrimp toast. Chron reports that a 15-story mixed-use property will replace the restaurant.
