The Last Days at Damian’s, Houston’s Favorite for Milestone Moments

Diners came out in droves to say goodbye to the Midtown Italian restaurant, which officially closed on Saturday, August 17, after 41 years in service

This past weekend, Houston diners came out in droves to celebrate the closing of Damian’s Cucina Italian after 41 years in business. Over several decades, the restaurant welcomed a world of noteworthy Houstonians, such as U.S. presidents, including George. H.W. Bush, actors like Donald Sutherland and Kevin Costner, countless Astros players and coaches, and many unnamed celebrities who preferred its popular downstairs chef’s table, which offered an easy escape route through the kitchen. But much of this Midtown’s most prized clientele were its local diners, many who chose the restaurant for some of life’s biggest celebrations. At Damian’s, there were decades worth of proposals, wedding rehearsal dinners, baby showers, birthdays, pre-prom dinners, power lunches, date nights, and everything in between.

“All those things make it special,” general manager Johnny B. Mandola says.

Damian’s owners announced the closure nearly two months in advance on social media, giving residents plenty of time to revisit and say their goodbyes. As word spread, regulars hurried to secure one last reservation, resulting in a final, bittersweet week that was overbooked with diners and a small group of staff working double shifts to accommodate the demand.

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During closing weekend, the dining room buzzed with diners chatting with friends over silky spaghetti carbonara and grilled veal chop infused with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. “They’re getting one last chance to go down memory lane, to experience Damian’s,” Mandola said.

Dean Eiseman, who has been dining with his wife Elaine at Damian’s for the past 30 years, booked a reservation as soon as he could. “We didn’t want to have regrets by missing out,” Eiseman said. The food, including their favorite dish — the shrimp Damian (Gulf shrimp sauteed in a garlic white wine sauce and served with fettuccine Alfredo) — had always been “consistently outstanding.” “I don’t know if they’ve had a misstep in 30 years,” Eiseman said.

Brenda and David Young, who have dined at Damian’s for 22 years, weren’t as lucky. The couple was unable to get a table but landed seats at the bar. Though typically cozy, the bar was hot, packed with diners waiting for their turn to dine. The Youngs eventually settled for drinks and food to go, reminiscing all the while about their many memories at Damian’s — the New Year’s Eve celebrations, family birthdays, the kind waiters, and the bustling atmosphere that would soon die down.

“Tonight will be our last birthday dinner here,” said Kristen Percenti Ritz, who celebrated her husband Joseph Ritz’s 28th birthday at Damian’s on Friday. The closing was especially emotional for the Ritzes, who had been dining at the restaurant since 2007. For them, it was a go-to for celebrations and even Percenti Ritz’s father’s homegoing after he passed. With Damian’s being his favorite restaurant, the Ritzes got married at Damian’s last year in his honor. “It was truly one of the best nights of our lives,” a teary-eyed Percenti Ritz said.

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The restaurant’s closure was a long time coming. According to Mandola, Damian’s had never truly recovered from its losses at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020. The push for working from home amid quarantine and social distancing efforts rendered many Downtown office spaces empty. Fewer people dined in the city during lunch. Business luncheons or work banquets, even now, are less common, and with a struggling economy with inflated labor and utility costs, the strain became too much to bear, said Mandola. The manager tried various ways to save the restaurant. He even considered relocating it, but after analyzing the past two years of sales, the closing seemed inevitable.

Family affair

For the Mandolas, Damian’s has always been more than a restaurant — it was a family affair. The combination of Damian’s loyal diners, the ability to work with family and lifelong friends, and the comforting Italian food have made Damian’s feel like home for many, Mandola said. “It’s something really special to experience.”

The original Damian’s, named for its first owner Damian Mandola, opened in Huntsville. With the help of investors, the restaurant reopened in Midtown in 1983 on Smith Street, where it transformed the digs of a former wholesale florist company into a vibrant Italian restaurant serving Tuscan-style food. Though the restaurant switched owners — Mandola bought out his investors, became the sole owner, and later sold the restaurant to restaurateurs Nancy and Bubba Butera, and Johnny B. Mandola’s parents, Judy and Frankie B. Mandola — the restaurant built its reputation as a community staple.

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Server Andy Benites, who has worked at Damian’s for 20 years since he was 24 years old, said Damian’s staff became like a second family. “The owners are nice people,” Benites said. “I’ve stayed here working for so long because they take care of us, and we all take care of each other.”

Ben Garcia, a server who first started as a busboy when Damian’s first opened in the ‘80s, agreed. “People come and talk to me, and I feel like I’m beaming because this place is like my house,” he said. “I feel sad about the restaurant closing, but I have so many wonderful memories. Waiting on people, my clients … This is what I love.”

Saying goodbye

For Mandola, the reality of the closure hadn’t hit him in the weeks before its final service, but heart-to-hearts with staff members reinforced for him that the end of an era was near. “We have known each other for so many years and supported each other through work and personal issues. We’re going to miss working together, so it’s all kind of going to hit me on Saturday,” Mandola said. “It’s one last time working with my employees, some of whom I’ve known for almost 13 years, since high school.”

Mandola said the restaurant is typically used to handling large crowds, but in the last few days, the restaurant was slammed. It eventually halted to-go orders and turned diners looking for a last-minute spot to the bar, which was only serving drinks as opposed to providing full service. “Still, everybody’s coming together and making it happen, “ said Mandola, who worked the floors alongside his cousin Brooke Gotula and uncle, co-owner Bubba Butera during closing weekend.

On a rainy Saturday, on August 17, Damian’s officially closed. Though not quite the same, diners still seeking a taste of Damian’s can indulge in some of the restaurant’s dishes, including its meatballs, lasagna, and Italian cream cake through its sister company Mandola’s Catering. But there will always be the memories. “We’re lucky and blessed to have loyal employees and customers,” Mandola said.

Brittany Britto Garley