10 New Venues in Houston for Summer 2021 Meetings and Events

March, an ambitious fine-dining restaurant from Goodnight Hospitality, opened in March in Montrose with chef Felipe Riccio at the helm cooking six-course or nine-course menus inspired by the Mediterranean. The sophisticated space was designed by Curtis & Windham Architects and Studio Robert McKinley, and it features a custom chandelier, designer furniture and vintage accents. The ceiling and one wall of the private dining room is covered with a pastoral commissioned work by textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou. March can host events for as many as 12 people in the private dining room or up to 40 for a full buyout.

The Heights House debuted in the Heights neighborhood this May, unveiling a $3.5 million renovation that transformed a rundown motel into a hip destination for pool parties. The new look includes a colorful exterior with murals, mid-century modern decor and a retro sign. Within The Heights House is a bar and restaurant called Space Cowboy, where guests can find comfort food and tropical cocktails. The 133-room hotel includes three event spaces: the interior lobby and bar area, the outdoor canopy and lawn, and the pool with cabana space. The hotel is available for full buyouts as well and can accommodate approximately 300 to 400 people total.

WorkSuites opened a new location in January on Westheimer and Bering Drive, offering a mix of private offices, co-working spaces, meeting space, a full-service coffee lounge and a podcast room, all equipped with high-tech IT infrastructure. Located within a newly renovated Class A office tower, the WorkSuites Westheimer location includes two board rooms, four conference rooms and three team rooms. Meeting room rentals include presentation equipment, coffee service, access to common work areas and staff to greet guests and handle IT requests.

With restaurants in New York and Miami, Le Jardinier opened a Houston outpost in May within the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s new Kinder Building. The French restaurant from The Bastion Collection restaurant group offers glimpses of the museum's sculpture garden, with a picturesque interior with plush green seating and a serene tapestry by artist Trenton Doyle Hancock. There are 70 seats in Le Jardinier's main dining room.

Le Jardinier isn't the only new restaurant from The Bastion Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston: Cafe Leonelli opened in April, serving focaccia and Italian pastries from Michelin-starred New York-based chef Jonathan Benno. The cafe also is home to Frohzen Houston, serving ice cream, sorbet, popsicles, cookie sandwiches and milkshakes. The restaurant's look is gallery-like, with stark white walls and a light installation. Cafe Leonelli seats 100 inside.

Celebrity chef Tim Love originally opened The Woodshed Smokehouse at Levy Park in March 2020, but had to shut down within five days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant finally celebrated its grand reopening in April 2021, introducing diners to a menu revolving around grilling, roasting and slow-cooking everything from lamb to wild game to vegetables. The airy restaurant boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and brightly colored chairs, with a shady patio, too. The main dining room seats 80 for dinner or can host 125 for cocktail receptions. An indoor, semiprivate side room and bar can accommodate 30 seated guests or 40 for cocktail receptions. The outdoor Park Bar patio seats 40 or accommodates 75 for cocktail receptions, with an option to book the main bar with the patio for an indoor/outdoor event. A full restaurant buyout can accommodate 200 seated guests or 300 for cocktail receptions.

The Houston-based owners of Serca Wines, a winery in Argentina, opened a tasting room in the Heights in May that also doubles as an event venue. The homey, multilevel space is lined with bottles of Serca's wines like Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The first floor can accommodate approximately 45 seated guests or 60 standing guests, with room for another 15 guests on the porch. The third-floor event space can accommodate 60 seated or 80 standing, while the rooftop terrace with downtown views can seat 40 or accommodate 60 standing guests.

The dual-branded Holiday Inn Express Houston and Staybridge Suites Houston - Galleria Area opened in April in Houston's Uptown District. There are 319 rooms in the 14-story hotel, including extended-stay suites. The hotel's flexible meeting space spans 1,150 square feet, with natural lighting from wide windows. The combined Salon A and Salon B can accommodate 70 for banquet-style events or 115 for receptions. Salon A by itself can accommodate 40 for banquet-style events or 60 for receptions, and Salon B can accommodate 30 for banquet-style events or 55 for receptions. A private dining room can accommodate as many as 20 for receptions or 25 for theater-style events. One meeting space amenity is Barco ClickShare, a wireless button that guests can insert into their laptops in order to share their screens on one of the two large 86-inch televisions in the room.

Farm-to-table diner Dish Society opened its sixth location in December at Southside Commons, a new entertainment and dining facility inside the former Palace Bowling Lanes. Find dishes like Nutella French toast and Houston hot chicken sandwiches at this outpost, which features an indoor/outdoor bar. Gin Design Group created a modern space for Dish Society, outfitted with wood furniture, leather banquettes, mosaic tile and greenery. The 3,600-square-foot restaurant seats 100 indoors and 55 on the patio outside, which is equipped with fans and heaters.

Clé Group and Profit Hospitality Group opened the new restaurant Kiss in June in Houston's Washington Heights neighborhood. The private room at the nightclub-inspired restaurant can accommodate 50 guests.