A Michelin Guide-recommended Denver chophouse may be setting its sights on downtown Houston, according to a newly surfaced state filing. A Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation permit shows A5 Steakhouse slated to open inside Texas Tower, the 47-story skyscraper at 845 Texas Ave., Ste. 125, that once housed the Houston Chronicle's headquarters.
What the Permit Reveals
As first reported by Chron, the permit was filed Wednesday and estimates a $5.7 million renovation or alteration for a 6,582-square-foot space on the building's first floor. Construction is listed to begin January 8, 2026, with completion expected by May 28, 2027, per the filing. Chron's reporting also notes that Shop Companies, the firm marketing Texas Tower's retail space, lists the Denver-based A5 Steakhouse as a tenant on a floor plan for the property.
Neither A5 Steakhouse nor Shop Companies had responded to Chron's requests for more information at the time of that report, so the restaurant's final tenant status, ownership arrangement and opening date remain unconfirmed. Texas Tower itself is currently about 90% occupied with roughly 4,000 weekly occupants, according to Shop Companies, which also describes the building's ground-floor retail as offering garage parking and valet services for tenants.
A Michelin Pedigree in Denver
A5 Steakhouse opened in Denver in November 2021 from The Culinary Creative, and it has since picked up recognition as a MICHELIN Guide restaurant, with Partner and Chef Max MacKissock heading the kitchen. The restaurant has also earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, per Wine Spectator's listing. On its own site, A5 describes itself as a chef-driven contemporary steakhouse that builds its menu around peak freshness, seasonality and thoughtfully sourced local ingredients, according to a5denver.com.
The restaurant leans heavily on beef provenance, listing suppliers that include Creekstone Farms in Kansas, Strube Ranch in Texas, Black Hawk Farms and Westholme, and noting that its team practices seam butchery. Dishes documented by Condé Nast Traveler include a Japanese-style beef tartare sando served on toasted milk bread, Wagyu strip loin, and mac-and-cheese croquettes, alongside menu items that pair Thai chile and bordelaise sauces with Japanese milk bread rolls. A5 also tells diners a 20% service charge is added to every bill, with the proceeds going to team members.
Texas Tower's Revolving Restaurant Roster
If A5 does land in Texas Tower, it would join a ground floor that has already seen significant turnover. Berg Hospitality Group announced in 2023 that it planned to open Dune Road, an upscale New England-inspired restaurant, in the Texas Tower location, and the group went on to open The Sylvie there in 2024 instead. Atlas Restaurant Group, a Baltimore-based company that also operates Marmo and Azumi, took over that restaurant in 2026.
The Sylvie now offers what Atlas Restaurant Group describes as an upscale French-European dining experience for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the heart of downtown Houston. The company is also expanding its Houston footprint with Kannon, a planned Japanese-inspired sister property to The Sylvie, with a debut targeted for late 2026, according to What Now Houston's reporting on the Atlas buildout at 845 Texas Ave.
A Denver steakhouse arriving in Houston would not be unprecedented. Guard and Grace, which operates inside Houston's C. Baldwin hotel, has been described as the first Denver steakhouse to open in the city. Whether A5 follows that path through Texas Tower, and on what timeline beyond the permit's listed construction window, remains to be confirmed by the parties involved.
