Legendary Steakhouse Finds New Life Under Houston Billionaire — An Exclusive First Look Inside The Palm’s New Downtown Digs

The night before the doors officially opened on the new Palm Restaurant, relocated to downtown Houston in Midway’s GreenStreet development from its aging perch on far out Westheimer, a very merry throng of revelers poured in getting a first look at the truly swank steakhouse. And it was a partee!

Yes, the Palm will be a serious contender among Tilman Fertitta’s plethora of downtown steakhouses, competing with McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks on Fannin, Vic & Anthonys on Texas Avenue, Salt Grass Steak House on Avenida de las Americas, and Morton’s The Steakhouse on McKinney. Not to mention all the other steakhouses in meat loving Houston.

A ballsy move? Yes. But Fertitta is no fool and his Landry’s Inc. hospitality team is keen to single out the Palm as something apart from the numerous other steakhouses in the hood.

“We’re the only classic American steakhouse that has the Italian heritage in the roots and that makes it a little bit different,” Palm COO James Hamilton tells PaperCity. “So you are going to find a lot of classic Italian favorites from the founders who immigrated here from Italy. So that’s a different twist from what a lot of steakhouses have. And you’ll find that in a lot of the cuisine.

“Take the Tuna Poke. It’s made with a 25-year aged balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, a little bit of raisin, a little bit of caper berries, so it has that Sicilian touch to a dish that otherwise is served the same way everywhere else. And you’ll find the same thing with our steak tartare. It’s more of a Tuscan style with a chianti-infused salt and different items of that nature to create that classic American dish with an Italian twist to it to honor the heritage.”

Fertitta through his Landry’s Inc. purchased The Palm for $45 million in early 2020 adding the legendary restaurant, often noted not only for its fab steaks and lobster but also for its walls covered in murals and caricatures, to his burgeoning hospitality empire.

This new Palm took over the old 111 Forks steakhouse space and the transformation is remarkable. There is a New York vibe, maybe even a touch of New Orleans, in the restaurant that flows from dining room to dining room to the private salons, each of which are decorated in a Houston-centric theme. Sleek banquettes, cushy tufted banquettes, tablecloths and comfy contemporary dining chairs give the Palm fresh visuals and comfort. As several guests noted, the original Houston Palm, which opened in 1978, had grown somewhat seedy over the decades.

That ambience has changed dramatically with a sophisticated decor sure to please even the most demanding high roller. Consider the themed private rooms.

First floor private rooms include Clutch City, a nod to Fertitta’s ownership of the Houston Rockets; 41, an homage to the President George H.W. Bush; Space City, a NASA inspired room with seating for eight guests; and Bayou City, the largest of the private rooms that includes a mural of the entire Fertitta family, members of the Bush family and more. On the second floor, the 1926 private room is an homage to the founders with wall photos from the original Palm in New York.

The restaurant will have live music seven nights a week, the high-decibel sounds of a singer on piano blasting through all dining areas. (We have been told that Fertitta likes his restaurants loud. But whether his well-heeled diners will enjoy shouting over their $69 ribeye steaks remains to be seen.) The sounds will surely be a hit in the good-sized bar where bar seats, cocktail tables and banquette and table seating offer all manner of options.

Directions Please

The only problem with this nifty new location is the unfortunate legal address: 1201 Fannin, No. 129. Don’t go there. More than a few guests on Thursday night wandered up and down Fannin looking for the restaurant only to be directed to San Jacinto, which is where the valet parkers are stationed and the restaurant entry is. The Palm is located in the GreenStreet development in the heart of downtown.