He’s made a name for himself on the Atlanta restaurant scene, and now chef and owner Virgil Harper is expanding his geographic range. He made his way to Houston, opening the posh seafood-centric restaurant Atlantic Ocean at 6011 Washington Avenue near Memorial Park.
While Georgia can boast that the entire eastern edge of the state faces 110 miles of gorgeous Atlantic coastline replete with 14 barrier islands known as the Golden Isles, here on the Third Coast, Houstonians can delve deep into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico for red snapper, redfish, white shrimp and oysters galore. But despite the advantages its new Houston restaurant’s location, Harper is fishing for seafood that represents a commitment to global seafood cuisine. And he has put together a menu that reflects just that at Houston’s own Atlantic Ocean.
Harper is well known to diners in Atlanta for his celebrated brunch spots Toast on Lenox, located in the tony Buckhead area, and his expansion to a second restaurant dubbed Toast on Lenox Midtown. In addition, the talented chef has cooked for the likes of Joe Biden and Martha Stewart, not to mention the James Beard Foundation where he was asked to participate in a dinner honoring the pioneering chef James Hemings. Hemmings was none other than Thomas Jefferson’s chef.
However, what inspired Harper to venture back to Houston (he lived here for a short stint several years ago) was not only the Bayou City’s affection for fish and shellfish, but also the city’s ranking as one of the metro areas where diners spend the most money on dining out. (Although Houston’s slipped from the top ranking in the country for dining out to No. 9 in America according to the latest rankings based on 2024 dining data.)
“Atlantic Ocean was created to deliver a dining experience where every detail feels intentional, from the quality of the seafood to the warmth of the service and the atmosphere around you,” Harper says. “Houston’s dynamic food culture makes it the perfect home for this concept, and we’re excited to share a menu that respects seafood traditions while bringing a fresh, creative perspective.”
While Harper is now dividing his time between Atlanta and Houston, chef Aliyah Watley is manning the range here nightly at Houston’s own new Atlantic Ocean restaurant. Highlights on the menu include a warm Cajun seafood dip ($24) and Moroccan lamp chops ($24) for starters. Entrees include a grilled branzino ($48) napped with a chimichurri sauce and a citrus mojo, plus a spicy arrabiata a la mar ($62) with scallops, shrimp, lobster tail, clams and mussels bobbing in a zesty Calabrian chili tomato broth. And don’t sleep on the lobster pasta ($58) linguine tangled with butter poached lobster claw meat in a white wine garlic sauce.
Atlantic Ocean is located at 6011 Washington Avenue. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 pm to 10 pm.