Terry Black's BBQ is opening a $6.5 million restaurant and hotel in Houston. What to know
Rendering of the boutique hotel from Terry Blacks that will be built in the Heights. (Courtesy of Mark Black)
Earlier this year, a major player in Texas barbecue shared plans to enter the Houston market, bringing its Central Texas-style smoked meats - and a sweet boutique hotel - to the Heights.
Terry Black's BBQ is slated to break ground this year at 1311 N. Shepherd. Black Family Hospitality, led by Mark Black, has been working toward this opening for around four years.
Heights residents and leadership are appreciative that the development team has been open to talking about the plans before breaking ground, said Kevin Strickland, president of the Greater Heights Super Neighborhood Council.
Terry Black's restaurant and hotel compound is sure to continue being a topic of conversation for Heights residents, as it transforms a large piece of real estate. Here's what to know about Terry Black's coming to Houston.
What's the big deal about Terry Black's?
Terry Black's Barbecue in Lockhart. (J.C. Reid/Contributor)
Terry Black's BBQ is one of the most popular barbecue joints in Austin, known for Central Texas-style brisket and beef ribs. Texas Monthly has called it "the most impressive barbecue chain in Texas." It received Michelin recognition in 2024 and has been visited by celebrities over the years, including Justin Timberlake, Emily Ratajkowski and Nick Kroll.
Rendering of the boutique hotel from Terry Blacks that will be built in the Heights. (Courtesy of Mark Black)
The first Terry Black's opened in 2014 in Austin, but the Black name is part of barbecue history. The Original Black's BBQ has been operating in barbecue capital Lockhart since 1932, one of the oldest joints in Texas. A feud between Mark Black's dad and his uncle severed the family business. Mark Black and his siblings opened Terry Black's, named for their father.
Today Terry Black's has locations in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Lockhart and Waco; there is another under construction in San Antonio. The Black family ventured outside barbecue in 2024 with a restaurant in Waco named Opal's Oysters, which is on the same property as Terry Black's. Black Family Hospitality also owns a winery.
Terry Black's enters a hot barbecue market in Houston, where the thriving scene includes both classic award-winning barbecue and promising, innovative new kids on the block. Heavy hitters such as Pinkerton's, Truth BBQ and Gatlin's BBQ, to name a few, are not far from the Terry Black's plot in the Heights.
When will Terry Black's open in Houston?
Mark Black doesn't want to promise a day that the restaurant will open since the building permits have yet to be approved; they do already have site plan approval, though. "It's in the city's hands right now," he said. The restaurant is expected to open before the hotel.
Construction on the restaurant is slated to begin in August with a June 2026 completion date, costing $6.5 million, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
The expansion to Houston has been a long time coming. The Black family started purchasing land in the Heights in 2021. It quietly acquired more over the years, leading to the latest restaurant-hotel project.
That block in the Heights was formerly home to a used car sales lot, along with other small businesses, according to Heights news outlet the Leader.
What do we know about Terry Black's Houston restaurant and hotel?
Rendering of the boutique hotel from Terry Blacks that will be built in the Heights. (Courtesy of Mark Black)
While the restaurant and hotel will be on the same property, they will operate separately in different buildings - Terry Black's will not be the hotel's restaurant.
"When you're in a hotel, you're not supposed to know that Terry Black's is next to it," Black said.
The Houston Terry Black's restaurant will be a replica of its other locations across the state, serving brisket, beef ribs and other smoked meats. It will be roughly 7,000 square feet with a 1,200 square foot pit house. Black Family Hospitality has yet to open a hotel. It has another hotel planned next to the under-construction Terry Black's in San Antonio.
The hotel will have 15 bungalow-style rooms and an atrium. The plans include inputting extensive greenery. A pool, bathhouse and gym are all part of the amenities. The pool and spa may be available to neighboring residents. The family also has an idea for a private members club.
"I think (Houston) is one of the best food cities in the United States; it's so diverse," Mark Black said. "We're just happy that we're able to be a part of it in some way."
How is Terry Black's integrating itself into the neighborhood?
Rendering of the boutique hotel from Terry Blacks that will be built in the Heights. (Courtesy of Mark Black)
Mark Black has made it clear from the start that neighborhood integration was important, establishing communication with community leaders early on. Before making an announcement to the press, he wanted to ensure the neighborhood knew about the plans directly from his team.
The Black family had initial conversations with city council member Abbie Kamin before reaching out to neighborhood entities. The Black's team has since spoken at two Greater Heights Super Neighborhood Council meetings, providing details on the plans for the restaurant and hotel.
The scale and design of the project have been key components in making sure the hotel will fit in aesthetically. The hotel will not exceed three stories and the bungalow-style architecture is meant to gel more with the neighborhood than hyper-modernism found in new developments.
"We're just trying to blend in with the neighborhood... where it feels good for the Heights for what it is and what it has been," Black said.
What does the neighborhood think about Terry Black's?
Strickland said the community has been receptive to the plans since they have been able to hear directly from the developer and could voice any initial concerns.
"There are a lot of change happening on Shepherd/Durham. So the fact that they're letting us know about their plans and that they're working to be consistent with the rebuild of Shepherd/Durham, we very much appreciate it," Strickland said.
One of the concerns that was raised is that they want to ensure Shepherd/Durham stays on track in its rebuilding, which is meant to improve the Shepherd and Durham north-south corridors between I-10 and Loop 610. Strickland said the community was reassured that the Terry Black's construction would be coordinated with TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone), the entity managing the redevelopment.
They also asked the Black Family to be mindful of any road closures Terry Black's might require during construction, especially if it coincides with work being done on Shepherd/Durham. The community wants to ensure the sidewalks are still accessible, Strickland said.
