Top Chef Justin Yu and Houston’s Bar Baron Lay the Groundwork for a Mysterious New Heights Hotspot

Houston bar baron Bobby Heuegel and  James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu are teaming up again by all indications.

It looks like tomorrow has come for the power duo behind Houston bar, Better Luck Tomorrow. Yu and Heugel’s latest collaboration? A mysterious brand new bar spicing up a long-shuttered spot in The Heights.

It’s looking like a collaboration on bar No. 2 is taking place in the old Southern Good space at 632 West 19th Street. Things went South for Southern Goods in 2017. The barbecue haven was ravaged by a fire — and despite chef and owner Lyle Bento’s months-long attempt at carving out a comeback, it closed for good. Bento moved on to Chris Shepherd’s Underbelly Hospitality.

Based on some pretty convincing permit applications that were filed with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission this week, Yu and Heugel are plotting to take over the spot. Other proof of the upcoming high-proof establishment? A limited liability corporation called 632 Rest Group. Which just so happens to ring of the property’s address.

The LLC was registered with the Texas Secretary of State earlier this month. And you can guess the principals: Heugel and Yu.

The cocktail king is known for Anvil Bar & Refuge, Tongue Cut Sparrow, The Nightingale Room and The Pastry War, along with Better Luck Tomorrow. Yu built a national foodie legend at Oxheart before opening the immensely popular Theodore Rex in the same warehouse district space.

Their Better Luck Tomorrow collaboration bar became an Instant Hotspot. But it’s too soon to tell if this upcoming project in The Heights will have the same vibe as BLT.

That’s all the information out there about this cryptic-but-sure-to-be-instant-classic concept. PaperCity has reached out to Heugel for further comment — and will keep you posted.

What seems certain now is that Houston is getting drinks and food lucky. Again.