I’m in the Woodland’s page, but with 10K members, it’s really cumbersome. There’s one in Memorial too, but I couldn’t take all the !!! exclamation points!!! Every post!!! Multiple points!!! They even modified the name to add !!!
I think the Press still does a openings and closings column on Fridays? I’m having trouble keeping up with my current list of wanna trys.
I’d like to get over to Helen Greek Food and Wine.
Thanks for the list!
You’re welcome. Yes, those Facebook groups can be cumbersome but more people, means more information and views of new or unknown places that Houston Chronicle, Houston Press, Houstonia, Eater, CultureMap and Zagat doesn’t cover. Thanks for the Memorial area foodie group. I’ll join it.
I miss B4-U-Eat too. Their coming and going lists were very useful and included places that weren’t hyped in the media. I found that helpful to find new places. In their place, you can combine several sites to get something close to it.
CultureMap
Monthly Where to Eat List:
All of CultureMap’s where to eat lists only (this is a Google search query that brings up every where to eat list written only in chronological order, something the where to eat section on CultureMap’s website doesn’t do.)
Houston Press
Opening and Closings:
Chronological list of Houston Press’ opening & closings column
Yelp
Most of these sites rarely list new places in The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, Pearland, Sugar Land, Stafford, Galveston and all the other cities and towns surrounding Houston but it’s a start.
I corresponded many times with Harry and Jane at b4 about new places I had spotted. They spent a lot of time verifying listings, many of which I think were submitted by users rather than business owners and PR agents. It’s a big city and probably impossible to keep up with all openings and closings, but none is doing it as well as they were, imo.
There used to be someone who would chime in on the Press’ weekly list with many that had been missed, mostly outside of the Loop, but I don’t think they’re doing that anymore.
I’m that someone who’d chime in on Houston Press’ opening and closing column. I still send restaurants their way that have recently opened or are on the horizon that haven’t been reported in the media. Sometimes they’ll include it and sometimes they don’t. I miss B4UEats’ newsletters which were chocked full of great information. I wish they didn’t discontinue that service when their website closed.
Yes I recently re-discovered your blog and was going to list it in response to this thread. I believe you were also at Eater Houston and I enjoyed your tenure there and was sorry to see you go.
Thanks for your input here.
I also would really love to try Helen. Maybe a meetup is in order?
And, DownSouthGoodEating, thank you for that list. I’m out in Katy and am happy to hear that there’s a group out here. I’ve gone to that FB page and requested to join. Am waiting to hear.
Appreciate the information.
So, LO, back to Helen. When?
Weeeelll, what’s better for you, lunch, brunch, dinner, weekday or end? I’m mostly flexible but first 2 weeks of April looks best for me.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I’m in, if that was meant as an open invitation.
With my schedule, it’s really hard for me to get into town on weekdays. I see that they have a Sunday Brunch. I love Sunday Brunch.
So my first choice would be one of those first two Sundays in April. Around 1 o’clock. Work for any of you?
The 10th is best for me.
The 10th, Sunday Brunch at Helen, sounds absolutely perfect. I’ll make reservations for 4 (Mr/ Mrs. L.O, Bruce, me) and we can add to it if anyone else wants to join us.
Really really looking forward to it!
So, again DownSouthGoodEating, thanks so much for this list of local food groups. I’m out in Katy and have had something of a difficult time meeting like-minded food folk, so imagine my pleasure at clicking on the “Katy/Ft. Bend Foodies” link and discovering a Facebook group that’s full of information about restaurants, dishes, markets, everything, right in my 'hood! So excited!
There was a link to click if one wishes to join this happy group, which, of course, I did. So I clicked it. The link showed “pending,” so I waited to hear something back.
After several hours had passed with no word, thought I’d check to see how that “pending” thing was looking.
Whereupon I discovered that, not only have I not been heartily welcomed into the ample bosom of my kindred spirits, I’ve been banned from even reading about what they’re doing, where they’re going, what they’re eating, how they liked it. Not only, “no,” but HELL NO!!! YOU “DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO VIEW THIS PAGE!!!”
I had no idea my reputation was so widespread. Which one of you ratted me out?
But, overall, I think this is pretty classless. How hard would have been to zip me a quick two lines, “Thanks for your interest in joining our group, but we’re currently closed to new membership.” As it was, I honestly thought perhaps the page was just down temporarily, and kept checking until, sometime the following afternoon, I understood that it was not. That I’ve been summarily and unceremoniously rejected.
So, this is a warning to anyone else that might be interested in what the Katy/Ft.Bend Foodies might be doing, saying, eating. Do not ask to join. At least you’ll be able to read. Which is more than I can do. It turns out that actually requesting to become one of them is an unforgiveable sin for which you will be punished for life.
I do have to say that, if this is the rude and classless way they do things, I’m pretty sure I’m much better off not being one of them.
Eh, their loss.
I had a similar experience with the Houston Chowhounds Facebook group. Except I didn’t even get the courtesy of a rejection - I was just completely ignored.
Twice.
[shrug]
Wow, that has to be a computer error. There are over 1500 in it. BBQer Andrew Leeper seems to have created it, I can message him and ask about the glitch?
If it’s a glitch, I’d still be interested in joining. But if it’s intentional, ain’t. Not going to beg.
I’ll admit, though, I am curious. So if you can find out one way or another, that’d be cool.
So I belong to a number of groups, including many buy, sell and trade groups (tho no one ever trades!). The admins in those groups say they can’t accept a joiner that doesn’t have an identifiable profile pic or identifying information on their page because of the super annoying spam/porn fake FB sites that get on and wreak havoc before they can be removed (at least without a recommendation).
You and I aren’t FB friends, but if that description fits your FB page, give them another join request today and see what happens. 
Doobs might have the same problem with the Chowhound group. I’m not FB friends with him either, no need when we are actual running buddies. (we are, aren’t we?)
Sounds good to me. What time? Anybody know if Helen issues vouchers for the parking garage??? Sunday parking is going to be a hassle.
Aw heck, I hadn’t looked at its location.The Village is a pain. I hear it’s worth it though! I’ll hit my other two favorite stores there maybe since I’ll need to scrounge for a parking spot. Rocky & Maggie’s and The British Isles. The latter has a rather large import food section. I once fought for a spot to try the Indian place there, Shiva and it was a disappointment.
I don’t do Facebook.
I have enough problems already.
As I recall, I set an account up just for that so you may be right.
