Inside the New Montrose Country Club — How This Pool, Restaurant and Bar Actually Works With Nightlife Cred

It’s cool. It’s cheeky. And on a scorching hot and humid Houston summer day, it will host quite the party scene. It’s the new Montrose Country Club, a multi-million dollar, first-of-its-kind splashy oasis in the midst of Montrose featuring a chef-driven restaurant, inviting cocktails, a pool and club — open by day and by night. Created by Houston nightlife impresario Jeff Harmon, who moved his famed dance club Rich’s (aka The Studio 54 of the South) from its longtime home of San Jacinto Street in 2019 to evolve it into a boutique lounge with entertainment and contemporary dining (the latter care of Italian born chef Diego Chiarello).

“Don’t let the term country club mislead you,” Harmon says. “This is a casual and welcoming neighborhood restaurant featuring a chef-driven menu, cocktails and a poolside oasis with spirited day and nightlife all merged into one venue, no membership required.”

The Louisiana-born Harmon was inspired in part by a similar pool/club/restaurant in the New Orleans area. He started renovation on the 17,000-square-foot Tuam Street location in 2019 before COVID would slow the entire process down to a crawl.

Aiming to create a Tulum vibe, the 65-foot pool will be open seven days a week starting in May, closing at dusk. With three separate dining areas labeled inside, outside and poolside, you can dine in your cabana, custom pool chaise lounge, by the outdoor bar area or inside tucked in a cozy booth. Day club and pool access are available for $20 before noon and $25 after 12 pm. Although annual memberships are not required, one can purchase s founders membership package ($499 a year), which includes special event access and 10 percent off daybed rentals. VIP membership ($750 a year) includes all founders perks plus exclusive access to reserved lounging for the member and their guests.

“The addition of the swimming pool and day club is an exciting milestone for the continuing evolution of Montrose,” Harmon says. “Not only have we created a unique and beautiful amenity for our guests, but we have also fashioned a menu, vibe and overall craft-casual restaurant that we think will strongly resonate with locals and visitors alike.

“If you want to create an elevated space, you must provide an elevated product.”

Montrose Country Club’s Chef Power

Montrose Country Club executive chef Diego Chiarello grew up in Sicily and was immersed in the culinary world. His father was a fisherman, and his four brothers became bakers. By the age of eight, he was already working in his brothers’ bakery, shaping dough and learning the art of traditional Italian pastries before moving to New York City to work in a Sicilian bakery in Brooklyn. That ultimately led to his first significant restaurant role in Manhattan as a pastry chef at the perennially popular Chelsea hotspot Cafeteria. Chiarello later worked at an exclusive private Italian club for Standard Hotels before moving to Texas in 2016 to continue his culinary journey in Houston, where his technical skills and kitchen prowess garnered widespread acclaim, culminating in a feature on The Food Network in 2023.

Partnering with Harmon, Chiarello aims to redefine bar cuisine by emphasizing fresh, made-on-site ingredients. From dough to sauces to cocktail juices.

“It’s my mission to elevate the menu,” Chiarello says. “I strive to create dishes that are not only visually appealing but also leave a flavorful impression on our guests.”

Montrose Country Club is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch (including a Sunday Drag brunch). Membership is not required to secure a table and feast. Everything from egg rolls filled with crawfish etouffee ($14.95) to Cap’n Crunch onion rings ($12.95) thick cut onions dipped in a combination of flour, panko and pulverized Cap’n Crunch Berries (they’re actually pretty delicious). There are pastas that include Asiago pork meatballs ($16.95) and rigatoni with smoked gouda and brisket marinated in Jack Daniels ($16.95). A summer zest couscous ($14.95) and an Italian chopped salad ($15.95) beckon on the salad side.

Don’t miss Chiarello’s flatbreads, including a balsamic glazed onion caramelized in olive oil with fig preserves and melted mozzarella ($15.95).

Meanwhile, fans of the original Rich’s note, Harmon has reopened the legendary Midtown spot as an event venue for parties, weddings and more.

The Montrose Country Club is located at 202 Tuam Street. Its restaurant is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 pm to 10 pm, and Sundays for a Drag Brunch from 11 am to 5 pm. The day club and swimming pool are open seven days a week from 11 am to 9 pm.