Chef Austin Simmons is quietly firing up a new playground for beef lovers in The Woodlands. Charolais, his beef-forward spot on Hughes Landing's restaurant row, opened this month for a family-and-friends soft preview, giving locals an early look at a concept built around cattle from his Chef & Rancher genetics program. The restaurant, in the former Local Pour space, clocks in at roughly 7,500 square feet and will seat nearly 300 guests, with steaks cooked over live fire or finished in cast iron.
Many of the early details surfaced via Woodlands Online, which reported on the soft opening and described Charolais as a mid-scale, modern, casual concept centered on steak boards, burgers, and specialty cuts. The outlet also noted the adjacent butcher shop, where guests can buy raw beef, watch butchery up close, and in some cases see premium orders cut to order in full view of the dining room.
From Tris To A Beefy Comeback
The new restaurant marks a homecoming of sorts for Simmons, who previously served as executive chef at TRIS before it closed in January 2025, according to the Houston Chronicle. Howard Hughes Communities announced its partnership with Simmons, along with a separate project from chef Aaron Bludorn, when it laid out plans for new chef-driven restaurants in The Woodlands in August 2025, per a release from The Woodlands.
What Diners Can Expect
Simmons told CultureMap that Charolais is intended to be "mid-scale, modern, casual, and polished," with an average check that should land about $30 less per person than at his previous restaurant. CultureMap reports that the menu will lean heavily on signature steak boards, three daily burgers, and cryovac'ed cuts that guests can take home, with cooking options that range from live fire to cast-iron finishes.
The team has not yet announced a public grand-opening date. According to Woodlands Online, more information will be shared once details are finalized. For now, Simmons appears focused on tying his ranch program to a more approachable, weekly dining model that gives The Woodlands one more full-scale destination for serious steak eaters.
