A familiar name in Clear Lake dining is about to take a big swing across from Mission Control, with plans to turn the long-empty Luby’s on NASA Parkway into Schafer’s Coastal Kitchen, a full-service seafood restaurant clocking in at around 10,000 square feet.
Deal And Plans
According to the Houston Business Journal, the building at 1600 NASA Road 1 has been purchased by the Clear Lake restaurateur behind the Schafer’s brand. The owner plans to gut and renovate the old cafeteria-style layout and convert it into the operator’s third restaurant, this time as a larger, sit-down coastal concept aimed squarely at the busy NASA Parkway corridor. The outlet reported the deal and concept details on March 10, 2026.
The Building And Its Past
Commercial listings identify the property as a former Luby’s restaurant, with the structure coming in at roughly 9,934 square feet on about 1.7 acres, per LoopNet. That listing shows the freestanding building was first pushed to market in 2021, when the once-busy comfort food stop began its search for a new chapter.
Who’s Behind The Concept
The same Schafer family already runs Schafer’s Coastal Bar & Grille in Clear Lake Shores, a waterfront spot operated under its own brand, as highlighted on Schafer’s website. The new NASA Parkway-facing restaurant would expand that local footprint, with the Houston Business Journal noting it will be the owner’s third area location.
What It Means For NASA Parkway
The property sits directly across from Space Center Houston and near the Johnson Space Center, planting the future restaurant in a steady stream of tourists, school groups and space center employees that keep nearby dining spots humming, according to Space Center Houston. Specifics on the build-out timeline, menu details and opening date have not yet been released as the project moves from purchase to renovation plans.
