Prominent Houston Restaurant Family Returns With New Spot in Midtown’s Innovation Hub

Popular chef David Cordúa and his father, restaurant entrepreneur Michael Cordúa, are back with a bar-forward concept dubbed The Lymbar that will join a trio of restaurants in The Ion in Midtown. The Ion is Rice University’s innovation hub that is transforming the old Sears Building into a center for tech-centric entrepreneurial, corporate and academic collaboration.

While Michael Cordúa founded Churrasco’s in 1988 and expanded the family stable of restaurants to include Américas, Artista and Amazón Grill each with a decidedly Latin flavor, his chef-trained son plans on bringing broader global influences to the menu with dishes that reflect David Cordua’s roots in French cooking. He earned his culinary diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

Named for the street that Cordúa grew up on in Southwest Houston, The Lymbar is placing emphasis on barrel-aged spirits, craft cocktails and small plates.

“If Churrascos and Américas were our family story in Central America, The Lymbar is our first opportunity to tell our family story in Houston,” David Cordúa says in a statement. “We’re really excited to be a place where people meet, think, eat and drink in The Ion, and we look forward to being a part of the heartbeat of Houston’s new Innovation District.”

The restaurant, set to open this summer, is located in a street level corner suite providing 120 seats in the 4,000 square foot space that includes indoor and outdoor seating. Anticipation is building for the interiors as longtime Cordúa family friend, Gin Braverman of gin design group, is creating the space that features a vertical rotisserie in theater-style open kitchen and the bar positioned in front of stunning floor-to-ceiling bay windows. The Lymbar will be open for lunch, dinner and drinks seven days a week.

The Lymbar is the fourth restaurant to be revealed for The Ion. It joins Late August from chefs Dawn Burrell and Chris Williams; Stuff’d Wings, a brick-and-mortar concept for a Third Ward Food Truck; and Common Bond On-the-Go’s grab and go selection of light fare.