AFFECTING THE BAR-TO-RESTAURANT RATIO IN MIDTOWN 
An update about the former Midtown bar that a Swamplot reader reported was turning into a new Midtown bar: It’s gonna be a restaurant (that will serve drinks). Eater Houston reports that Michael Paolucci, who owns Pub Fiction, will be opening Cook & Collins, not (as had been reported) Bremond Street Grill, here in the former El Xuco Xicana space at 2416 Brazos near Bremond. Was there a change of heart or something? Nah, says Paolucci: “I know [M]idtown very well. There are too many bars and not enough restaurants. Until the restaurants start coming, it won’t become a world-class neighborhood. I’m from Chicago and in Chicago, for every bar there’s a restaurant; in [M]idtown, for every 20 bars there’s one restaurant.” [Eater Houston; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Swamplot inbox
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Because of all the bars, the whole area becomes a demolition derby at 2am.
@commonsense – that’s why Texas needs to get rid of the 2am thing and have 24/7 alcohol sales!
“implement a classic American menu with a unique twist on each item”
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This guy is certainly one of the better B&R managers in town so I hope this place does well, but the above quote has to be one of the most tired restaurant cliches of the last 10 years.
I want an American menu with absolutely no twists dammit!
It seems like bars are the first businesses to move into an area as it becomes established/gentrified. Other food and drink places seem like a logical next step, but what comes after that? In my mind a neighborhood has officially arrived when it has a grocer with decent produce, but there must be several intermediate phases.
@Walt, you bet, lets double the number of DWI fatalities!!!
He did a good job with Pub fiction
Midtown needs a parking garage with ground floor retail to become a true world-class neighborhood.
With several major apt complexes to be completed soon, i wonder where all these people are going to eat.
Lets all agree Parking would be the next obvious project. People won’t come if they can’t park. But I’m ok with it anyway. I don’t want midtown turning into Disneyland. People come in and party, trash it and then leave.
D’town boy: There is a lot of built up demand for people that don’t need to drive. I walk to Pub all the time from my place in Montrose (or used to at least). Given the density of people living in the area, and their (midtown management) desire to increase walkability, I don’t see huge parking structures anytime soon.
This guy is a legit bar manager, best in the city. Im interested to see how he designs the place and what price point the menu will be.
Midtown does need a new restaurant.
Parking is becoming an issue if you dont know a few secrets, or if you just cant stand the idea of walking.
I hope its not gonna be racist like the rest of midtown….and if you yuppies don’t believe me then paint yourself another color and you’ll see