Highway 146 Expansion brings on the End of an Era for Local Restaurants

For commuters who have had to endure the relentless traffic on State Highway 146 for the past decade, or the people living in Seabrook who simply want to get to the grocery store, post office or anywhere in the immediate area between the hours of 4 to 6 p.m., the Highway 146 expansion is a long-overdue, saving grace bringing desperately needed reprieve. For some of the businesses along 146, however, it’s a bittersweet end of an era.

The Highway 146 expansion through Seabrook and Kemah has been talked about for many years, but always remained off in the distance. But that "distance" has disappeared and the impacts, especially on the local dining SENE, are now being felt. All of the fast food restaurants along 146 have either already closed or will be closing soon, and some of the region’s longest running restaurants, all independent and born locally, are being forced out of their current locations. Soon, the strip of Highway 146 between Red Bluff and NASA Rd. 1 will look like a modern-day ghost town leaving Seabrook residents with few choices for dining out.

Mario’s Flying Pizza (Established 1976)

Mario’s has been serving old fashioned, New York style, hand-tossed pizza from its current location on Highway 146 for over 40 years, and although the exact date has not been determined, they will be closing the doors to this location and moving to their new location in January 2018. Details can be found in the Cover Story of this issue on page 10.

Tookie’s Hamburgers (Established in 1975)

Tookie’s Hamburgers came about in the mid-1970s. The founders wanted a restaurant with a nostalgic feel and friendly ambiance of a hometown mid-century Americana drug store (picture: soda jerks, ice cream, fountain drinks and home made pie). For 33 years it was a favorite for locals and visitors, until 2008 when the restaurant took in 5 feet of storm surge from Hurricane Ike. In 2012, with new ownership, Tookie’s was revived with a few modernizations, and outdoor patio and even a room with an operational model train overhead. Tookie’s is best known for their award winning burgers: The Squealer, The 99 and their can’t-miss appetizer Pelican Eggs. TX-Dot is requiring them to move. The closest restaurant space available within the nearby proximity was just on the other side of the Highway 146 bridge in Kemah. (They’ll be moving to the former Ichibon’s location.) Renovations are already underway. General Manager Lynda Hamilton says they are excited about their larger kitchen, larger bar, more seating (less wait time) and they plan on bringing the same nostalgic feel and tasty food to the other side of the Clear Lake Channel. They expect to be in their new location at the beginning of 2018.Tookie’s Seafood, however, will not be going anywhere.

Neptune Subs (Established 1978)

This legendary sub shop and their fiercely popular “Bald Monday” banners, featuring a famous or local bald person monthly, have been part of the Seabrook landscape for almost 40 years. Offering discounts to those with “a little shine on top” the first Monday of every month, is just one of the unique attributes locals are sure to miss when Neptune Subs closes its doors for the final time on December 3.

Owner, Vinny Schillaci, looking forward to his somewhat-forced retirement, is overwhelmed by the love and support he has been receiving from his loyal customers, some of whom now live out of state and have made a special trip back home to have their very last Neptune Sub before the legendary restaurant is gone.

Just days after this issue hits the streets, Neptune Subs will bid their friends farewell with a party. The restaurant will shut down, but don't declare the Neptune Subs’ brand dead, as Schillaci has been investigating options for keeping the brand alive with ideas ranging from selling to someone else to reopening in another location to helping the right person start a Neptune Subs food truck. Stop by and wish Vinny and the staff well on or before Sunday, December 3.

Laredo’s Tex-Mex Café (Established 1969)

Seabrook’s oldest Mexican restaurant has been serving old family recipes of authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine to local area residents for almost half a century. They will be relocating in Seabrook, but the details have not been finalized. As of press time, they still do not know the exact date they will be closing the doors of their current location.

Other Notable Moves

Donald Donuts, long-time supporters of Seabrook area schools (as can be seen by the hand-painted mascots adorning their windows), will be relocating further north along Highway 146 in March; they have not been given an exact date for when they will have to vacate their current location.

Fatty’s Bar, known for live music and nightly drink specials, will be relocating next to the Shell station on Highway 146 near Red Bluff.

Outriggers, located directly under the current Kemah Bridge, is still waiting to hear from TxDot for an exact date they will have to vacate their premises. They are looking into building another location within the Seabrook ZIP code.

The End of an Era

Although many of the details are still up in the air, with so many legendary restaurants set to close their doors soon, it’s definitely the end of an era for Seabrook. Locals are encouraged to visit their favorite restaurants before they close their doors and show their support to those establishments who have been around for so many years.