Upscale ‘modern clubhouse-inspired’ restaurant Kirkwood slated to open in Energy Corridor this fall

By Bao Ong,Staff writerMay 5, 2025

Gift Article

Kirkwood, a sprawling upscale restaurant with the backing of a local holding company, is slated to open in Houston’s Energy Corridor this fall.

The “modern clubhouse-inspired” restaurant comes from Mac Haik Restaurant Group and will be located on the ground floor of Energy Tower II, 11720 Katy Freeway.

Mac Haik owns car dealerships across town, but his holding company Mac Haik Enterprises is largely focused on real estate. The restaurant’s name is a nod to one of the largest thoroughfares in the Energy Corridor and is part of Haik's plans to transform an area surrounding that freeway once dotted with farmland and dirt roads.

“Kirkwood is about a creating a sense of place — one that’s rooted in warmth, character and a strong connection to the community,” said Alec Poynter, vice president at Mac Haik Enterprises, in a statement.

Stephen Chiang, a Houston native, is the restaurant’s executive chef. For seven years he lived in New York City, where he attended culinary school and later worked at acclaimed restaurants including Del Posto and Lafayette. More recently, Chiang cooked at local spots such as the Blind Goat, Saigon Hustle and Relish.

At Kirkwood, the menu of “elevated American classics” is expected to include standards like seafood platters, steaks, salads and desserts.

The group tapped Gin Design Group to remake the 5,500-square-foot restaurant, which is filled with rich leathers, dark woods, an open kitchen covered in copper and artwork inspired by the Astrodome, according to a release.

Just over 150 customers can be seated at Kirkwood, including spaces for private events and a sun room with a fireplace.

MORE FROM BAO ONG: Houston’s top 25 restaurants to try in spring 2025

“This project is incredibly special to us because it captures so much of what makes Houston — and Mac — unique,” said Joseph Kubicki, Mac Haik’s chief operating officer, in a statement.

Mac Haik owns the Energy Plaza campus, where Energy Tower II is located with 1.3 million square feet of office space and a Hilton Embassy Suites hotel.

Spanning seven miles of the Katy Freeway, Houston’s Energy Corridor extends from Kirkwood Road to Barker Cypress Road, according to the Energy Corridor District website. It neighbors Memorial, an area of Houston with influx of restaurant openings

Bao Ong

Restaurant Critic

Bao Ong is a restaurant critic for the Houston Chronicle.He moved to Houston in summer 2022 and in his first year as a restaurant columnist, he won the top award in the Comment and Criticism category awarded by the Texas Managing Editors organization. He previously worked on staff at Eater New York, Bon Appétit and Time Out New York. In addition to Bao's background in journalism, he also graduated from the French Culinary Institute. Follow where he's eating and drinking on Instagram: @baohaus