Lancaster and Baba Yega also, although I think Baba is temporarily closed for remodel or something.
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Baba had a fire. Bought by Hungry’s owner but I think it’s going to keep the BY name.
@Vecchiouomo - a lot of those names seem familiar …
Uncle Tai’s - Post Oak @ Westheimer???
Zimm’s - Montrose Blvd near 59?
Harvey’s - wha???
Papa Joe’s - just off Gessner, near Memorial City Mall??
Sammy’s ???, not Sammy’s Wild Game Grill - that was much later and now gone. seems like I remember a Sammy’s on the Richmond Strip but I’m not sure
St. Michel - Richmond @ Greenbrier???
These are all gone.
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Well sorry I missed Mata Hari! Never heard of it til now. Yep, fun, good eats here, f’sure.
I entertained a # of A-holes from the home office (NYC) at Boston Sea Party, but also got to take the staff several times, which may be what drove them out of business 
.
The nicer higher ups from hdqtrs we took to the Courtyard on I-10 for prime rib, king crab legs and margaritas. Houston was a popular town for the touring execs. Geeks freaked out over what was available in early tech shops here, everybody wanted to go to that western wear store on Westheimer near Chimney Rock. And some bar in Pasadena…hmmm, now what was that place?
Sometimes, to facilitate them getting out of town/off our backs as early as possible, we had lunch brought in from Nielsen’s Delicatessen instead of going out for a big lunch. They were impressed.
Btw, saw a recent article on Nielsen’s history - can’t find it right now.
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Thanks. It was the Sammy’s Lebanese. They may have had more than one Papa Joe’s. Ours was on Richmond or Alabama.
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The Lancaster has, like most hotels, gone through some wholesale remakes. As long as I can still get Chinese Food at the Ambassador on Richmond, I am content.
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This is about all we had to go on:
https://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/State-Grille-has-stellar-service-1984780.php
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I remember going to a place on Richmond or Westheimer, I think it was called Circus Circus. It had a large round bar that was fashioned to look like a round top or carrousel, can’t remember. I liked going to that bar in my youth.
One place I truly miss was a seafood place on I-10 around Kirkwood or Dairy Ashford. It was called Kingfish I think. It closed maybe 15 years ago. I had my first soft shell crab there and fell in love. They had unique seafood appetizers that I could just make a meal from. It closed abruptly although it was very popular. I loved the interior that meant to make you feel you were dining under water.
Maybe I already mentioned these here 
This is an older thread and I am too 
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I remember both of those. Circus Circus predated Kingfish by a decade or more. The original Kingfish Market was on Richmond just east of Fondren.
I think they were started by Chris King who was also involved with starting Joes Crab Shack before being bought out by Tillman. I think.
Damn I’m old.!
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Wow that is an offensive ageist screed. I hope Alison Cook is embarrassed by it, especially now that she’s 20 years older and “that person.”
But this caught my eye:
Along with Damian’s, Frank and Bubba also owned the underappreciated Frankie B. Mandola’s burger joint near Rice Village.
Somehow I missed that burger joint, never heard of it.
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Anyone remember Mary Ann’s Old Timey Hamburgers on OST near the pony ride? We loved Mary Ann, Nina (her mom), and the food.
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You’re concerned about ageism now? Oh, I get it. Nevermind 
Was Circus Circus a Pappas joint? I never heard of that one until after it closed, Kingfish – not before now, I think.
ETA: I never heard of the burger joint, either! Damn. My first experience of a Mandola restaurant, I think, was —some---- Mandola’s Blue Oyster Bar on the Gulf Freeway, looking very much like a Capt. Benny’s.
I ate at Buon Appetito on Holcombe sometime back when I was working in the Fannin Bank Bldg (Main @ Holcombe). Was that an early Mandola place? I remember reading the neighborhood behind the Shamrock was an Italian neighborhood in the ---- 40s???
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Oh, Yes! I first encountered Mary Ann’s working a booth at the Rodeo. She told me about her place, which by then was on Kirby between OST & Main, in an old Toddle House. She sold it to an employee and it lasted a while longer. Then it was Moe’s (or Mo’s) Knockout Grill, run by a Syrian American professional boxer who had lots of his memorabilia on display. His father was a damn good cook!
That place has had some interesting eateries, obviously, but I have no idea what it is now.
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That was it! I am guessing the muddy pony ride and the South Main Golf Course are now condos or townhomes.
I’ll have to stop and think just where they were on S. Main! 
but no condos or ths - strip centers or fast food joints - it’s about feeding the out-of-towners before and after the games, I guess. Best food along there is 5 Guys, Hank’s Ice Cream and maybe Mama’s Oven (soul food). Oh, there is a Capt. Benny’s right where S. Main and OST merge.
Used to be a Gaido’s, Angelo’s FIsherman’s Wharf, and Kaphan’s @ Main and Kirby, most memorably for me,
Houston had certainly changed since I moved away in 1989. We get back periodically and out old haunts like the Buffalo Grille, all three Goode Company spots but mainly the seafood, and even Skeeters seem unchanged.
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Tell me about it. Ha, I get lost in mid-town easily (never knew my way around downtown).
I didn’t know Skeeter’s had been around that long. I think that’s the Adair family; they own Los Tios chain now and several other places. Never been to any of them but Skeeter’s.
Nailed it. I think our daughter was in preschool with one of their kids. Also the family, whose name I forgot (sue me) that owned Star Pizza. Yum.
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Well, this one is not gone but I mentioned it above:
https://www.chron.com/food/article/nielsens-delicatessen-oldest-deli-houston-17362670.php
I had heard they had to drop the open faced sandwiches to survive. Our first Scandinavian restaurant I guess, and to date we only have IKEA to add to the list ??? 
I never knew they had branches other than the original on Drexel and now the one on Richmond and I never knew you could buy that mayonnaise 
. I’ll be stopping by there soon.
Can’t help you with Star; only been 2 times I think over all the years. My fav pizza for year’s was Romano’s in the Sharpstown Center Food Court. By the slice, thin NY pies. I think it’s the same people on W. Gray now.
