A Renowned Celebrity Chef Brings a New Restaurant to Houston’s Classic Downtown Hotel

Major changes are under way at Four Seasons Houston. The storied hotel, which opened in 1982, is being treated to an extensive transformation, designed to give a much-needed facelift to the nearly 40-year-old property.

The hotel’s newly renovated fitness center and spa was unveiled in April, and next in the queue is its sprawling lobby. While the space will undergo a series of cosmetic enhancements, the lobby is also gaining a new bar and restaurant — Bayou & Bottle — courtesy Denver-based restaurateur and chef Richard Sandoval.

Sandoval operates restaurants in 11 states, as well as international destinations including Dubai, Mexico, Qatar, Serbia, and Tokyo. Bayou & Bottle is Sandoval’s first-ever Texas concept.

“I chose to bring Bayou & Bottle to Houston as my first concept in the state of Texas because I am a firm believer in the vibrancy of the city’s cuisine and an avid proponent of the extensive diversity Houston offers,” Sandoval says. “I love Houston’s multi-ethnic makeup and wanted to bring my passion for flavorful cuisine to a city that I feel is on the rise nationally.”

At the center of Bayou & Bottle is an extensive bourbon and whiskey program (hence the restaurant’s name.) B&B is pouring everything from high-end whiskey flights to more than 70 bourbon bottles (all served in vintage barware, of course.) You can, for a price, even keep your valuable bottles in one of the restaurant’s bourbon lockers. What’s more, a “Bourbon Baroness” will be on hand to guide guests through Bayou & Bottle’s cocktail menu.

As for the fare, menu specifics have not been confirmed, but Sandoval’s dishes are inspired by the American southwest.

“Bayou & Bottle will be a distinctly American bar and restaurant that draws its primary influence from a past generation and celebrates the rugged aesthetic of the American southwest,” says Sandoval.

Bayou & Bottle is scheduled to open in January 2017.