Picos Reopens on Westheimer With a Smaller New Home and the Same Menu

Picos is back. The influential Houston Mexican restaurant has reopened in a new Westheimer home after closing its longtime Upper Kirby location, giving one of the city’s most established regional Mexican restaurants another chapter instead of a final goodbye.

The new restaurant occupies a 191-seat space previously used by Cyclone Anaya’s. That makes it substantially smaller than Picos’ former location, a change that owner Arnaldo Richards has said better matches how the restaurant needs to operate today.

The menu stays the same

Despite the move, diners should not expect Picos to reinvent itself. The Houston Chronicle reports that the menu remains unchanged, including familiar regional Mexican dishes, parrilla plates, ceviches and the restaurant’s well-known shaker margaritas.

The new dining room also carries forward recognizable visual touches, including Talavera plates, tequila barrel planters and a portrait of Richards’ late brother.

A restaurant that helped widen Houston’s view of Mexican food

Richards opened Picos in 1984, when much of Houston’s mainstream Mexican dining conversation still centered heavily on Tex-Mex. Over the decades, the restaurant became known for showcasing dishes from different regions of Mexico and helping local diners see Mexican cuisine as something much broader.

The restaurant’s future had looked uncertain after falling sales and the closure of its previous location. Instead of disappearing, Picos found a smaller space and a new operating arrangement that allows Richards to continue leading daily operations.

Grand opening still ahead

The reopened restaurant is currently operating in its new home, with a grand opening planned for September 24. Early service may use limited hours while the team settles into the space.

For longtime customers, the most important part of the news is simple: Picos survived the move. The address and room may have changed, but the restaurant’s menu and identity are still here.

Source: Reopening, seating, menu and grand-opening details were reported by the Houston Chronicle on September 13, 2026.

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