What’s Open and What’s Closed in Houston After Severe Storms

Debris spreads across the roads near Interstate 10 and Interstate 45 close to downtown Houston.

A powerful line of severe thunderstorms swept through southeastern Texas and Louisiana on Thursday evening, causing the deaths of at least four people, and leaving more than 800,000 Houstonians without power and electricity. The storm battered the Houston metropolitan area, and winds reported as high as 78 mph damaged local businesses, shattered windows in high-rise buildings, and toppled transmission towers that hold power lines — leaving numerous Houstonians without power for over 12 hours.

As city workers work to clean roads and highways, The Harris County Sheriff’s Office and National Weather Service encouraged everyone to stay off the roads. The Houston Independent School District (HISD) canceled classes for the day, and many businesses are also weathering the impact. Some restaurants and bars are facing extensive damage, and many restaurants have announced closures on Friday due to ongoing power outages. Some Houston chefs are providing hot meals to those in need as the city recovers from the storm.

As locals wait to regain power, Eater Houston will be tracking the establishments that have closed for the day, restaurants that are still open for business, and restaurants that have suffered extensive damage from the storm. We’ll also update this story with information on any food service and donation efforts to support those in need of hot food and services. Check back to this space for more information as it becomes available.

Who’s Helping

• Bar Bludorn, which is closed for dinner service due to power outages, will host a parking lot cookout on Saturday, May 18. The cookout will begin at 3 p.m. and will continue until food is sold out. The restaurant is accepting donations.
• The Spring Branch location of Underbelly Burger is offering free burgers to those in need of a hot meal. The power is out — so the team will cook from a grill trailer in the front of the restaurant. There’s a limit of one free burger per person; burgers are free, or customers may pay what they can afford with cash or through Venmo. They will begin serving burgers at 12 p.m. on Saturday until they run out.
• The Southern Smoke Foundation is offering assistance to food and hospitality workers and is accepting donations to support industry workers impacted by the storms.

The Spring Branch location of Underbelly Burger is offering free burgers to those in need of a hot meal.

• On Friday, chef Evelyn Garcia of Jūn shared in an Instagram post that the Heights restaurant lost power, but she and her team had food and gas to cook with. The chef served hot meals on Friday afternoon, and is accepting virtual donations.
• On Friday, Erin Feges announced that the Spring Branch location of Feges BBQ lost power, but the team fired up the smoker and served free hot meals to the community.

Who’s Open

These restaurants have announced that they will be open for regular business hours

• Etoile Cuisine et Bar — Following a power outage on Thursday night during the storm, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner on Friday.
• Slowpokes — The Levy Park and West University locations are open on Friday. Both locations offer WiFi, coffee, food, and cell phone charging stations.
• Angel Share Houston - The bar is open on Friday and will offer ice, water, food, beer, and bar games. The bar has air conditioning, and visitors may charge their phones.
• Comfort Foodies — The restaurant is open on Friday and will offer meals at a reduced price of $9.95 from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• The Savoy — The bar and grill is open on Friday with charging stations and cold brew on tap. The Savoy will open early at 2 p.m., and happy hour is extended through 10 p.m.
• Burger Joint — The Heights location is without power, but a food truck stationed in the parking lot will offer a limited menu

Who’s Closed

The following restaurants have announced closures due to the local storms and associated power outages

• Brass Tacks | Coffee + Bar — The coffee shop and bar is closed on Friday. It did not announce when it will reopen, but a video shows extensive damage to the building’s interior.
• M-K-T Heights — The property announced that it is closed until further notice, and advised visitors to call in advance for information on weekend hours.
• Pappadeaux — The chain announced that many of its locations are closed due to power outages. Information is available on its website.

This story has been updated to include additional information about restaurants, and local efforts to support those in need of food services.