Checking In On the Revamped Georgia James — What This Houston Steakhouse Favorite Is Like In Its Third Life

Call it Georgia James version 3.0. A full six years after its original 2018 opening — and nearly three years after the exit of its founding chef Chris Shepherd — the team of Bari Hospitality Group took over as both the owner and managing company of the River Oaks area steakhouse late last year.

So how is the Houston restaurant doing a few months into its new life?

Chefs Renato De Pirro and Philippe Schmit were tapped to tweak the menu, adding lunch and brunch service and bringing more seafood options in an effort to appeal to more women diners. The thinking was perhaps that diners will enjoy some lighter options to the steakhouse’s groaning Baller Boards, started under Chris Shepherd. This includes the signature board ($500), a bonanza of beef combining porterhouse, chateaubriand, Askaushi, branzino, fried chicken and more to quell the appetite of up to six ravenous diners.

As you might recall, Schmit led the kitchens at Bistro Moderne, Toulouse, and his own restaurants Philippe Restaurant + Lounge and PS-21, before this Georgia James stint. His menu revamp, with a now slightly lower price point, features an array of new additions with a Modern American take with culinary influences from the West Coast, France and Europe.

Some notable dishes, including the Viet-Cajan roasted oysters ($25) and the smoked redfish dip ($24), do remain from Georgia James’ original incarnation. They join new dishes such as bone marrow with pickled onions, creole mustard, toasted focaccia, bonito flakes; Ōra King salmon with a beurre blanc and a pan-roasted snapper paired with marinated heirloom tomatoes, cucumber and coconut gazpacho.

Steaks are still procured from two Texas cattle ranches: R-C Ranch and 44 Farms, and are dry-aged and seared in cast iron. New selections include chateaubriand, a mighty 20 ounce 100 percent grass-fed Argentinian Angus, as well as personal size portions like an A5 Japanese Wagyu (market), eight-ounce filet ($59), and a 16-ounce ribeye ($76). Meanwhile, the Georgia James wine program, which has been honored with Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” since 2020, will continue to expand under the guidance of Fremmiot Rodriguez.

The interior has been recently renovated by Carlos Castroparedas of Castroparedas Inc. and is infused with a subdued palate. At dinner, a self-playing piano plays nightly. Upstairs in the rooftop GJ Lounge, a jazz trio is featured inside. A theatre-sized screen poised under the stars is also set to be unveiled outside soon.

Yes, Houston’s Georgia James restaurant has come a long way.

First, the James Beard award-winning Shepherd, who once helmed the restaurant group Underbelly, originally opened the boisterous steakhouse in the Montrose to much acclaim before setting out to create an even larger, swanky 2.0 version at Regent Square off West Dallas. (Read: A restaurant befitting the sizable 11,000-square-foot two-story space.)

Now it is Bari’s turn to tweak one of Houston’s now regularly evolving restaurants. Pedro Teyuca and Tommy Nally operate Bari Hospitality along with the popular Italian-inspired River Oaks District restaurant Bari Ristorante.

Georgia James is located at 3503 W. Dallas. It is open from  Sundays through Wednesdays from 11 am to 10 pm and Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 am to 11 pm.