Tempo, a new all-day spot from the team behind Butter Funk Kitchen, quietly opened this week on the Richmond Strip. The music-minded restaurant has moved into the former Ruth’s Chris space at 6213 Richmond Ave, giving Butter Funk’s Cajun-Creole favorites a bigger, late-night-friendly stage. Once the Richmond location is fully up and running, the original Butter Funk Kitchen in Sunnyside will pivot to a primarily pickup-and-to-go operation.
Where to Find It and What’s on the Menu
Set at 6213 Richmond Ave, Tempo is designed to pull double duty: a daytime workspace that shifts into an upscale dinner and late-night hangout. Guests will find free Wi-Fi, kiosk ordering and plenty of room for students and remote workers. On the food side, the menu leans into Butter Funk’s comfort classics, with plates like fried chicken, smothered pork chops, catfish, shrimp, crawfish étouffée and oxtails, along with burgers, pasta, brunch dishes and late-night options, according to Tempo.
New Concept, Same Soul
In press materials, Tempo is billed as “an innovative restaurant concept.” The Sunnyside Butter Funk address will shift to serve mainly as a to-go outpost, a representative told CultureMap. “Tempo is about creating a feeling,” general manager Lia Miller said in that statement.
How Keith Lee Helped Put Butter Funk on the Map
Butter Funk’s profile jumped after a glowing taste-test from viral food critic Keith Lee, whose TikTok reviews have been credited with sending new customers to small restaurants. That boost and its ripple effect were covered by the Houston Chronicle, and Lee’s Houston round of reviews was previously detailed elsewhere.
What to Expect
Tempo is currently in soft opening, listing late-night service alongside daytime hours and kiosk ordering, with grand-opening details promised in the coming weeks, per Tempo. Butter Funk’s original Sunnyside location is still shown at 8511 Scott St Suite G on its site and will continue as the brand’s pickup hub, according to Butter Funk Kitchen.
