There is good news this week for all Austinites pining for a simpler — and if you ask them, better — Austin of the past. The beloved West 6th Street eatery Katz's is making a comeback more than 10 years after it famously closed. Someone in the Katz family has re-purchased the original location and is hoping to bring back the good old days.
For the many new Austinites since its closing, let's do a quick refresh: Katz's was an eatery that opened in Austin almost 50 years ago. It became a late-night staple at 618 West 6th Street, serving up New York style flavor, all-day breakfast, sandwiches, fried pickles, and deli-style desserts 24 hours a day. Then-owner Marc Katz's classic yellow Cadillac was always parked out front, and the restaurant was constantly abuzz, often with late-night kids with post-bar munchies.
Even though Katz's motto was "Never Kloses," in 2011, it famously did after filing for bankruptcy. At the time, owner Marc Katz sited issues like parking and a desire to leave the restaurant business, so it seemed unlikely Katz's would ever reopen.
Meanwhile, Marc Katz's son, Barry and his wife, Lisa, had quietly migrated the restaurant to Houston in 2000. Since then, the Katzes have grown the number of restaurants in Houston to four, with a fifth one on the way in late 2025 or early 2026.
"When I was in my late 20s, I wanted to grow the business and I was looking in the Houston area, " Barry Katz says. "I was lucky enough to find a place the Montrose area. So [my wife and I] decided to come to Houston and open another Katz's here. My dad and I separated our businesses, so I took the Houston restaurant and my dad took complete ownership of the Austin restaurant."
Barry Katz and his wife, Lisa, are re-opening the beloved Austin staple after over 20 years of successful Katz's restaurants in Houston.Photo courtesy of Jay Brasher with Champion Management
After over 20 successful years in Houston, Barry Katz has decided to bring Katz's back to its hometown. In fact, he's bringing it right back to where it all began: 618 West 6th Street. And this could not have been more fortuitous if it was written in a movie.
"My best friend from middle school is a real estate broker, and he forwarded me [the listing.] We used to go to Katz's as kids together," he says. "So initially, we had it on our radar to start looking for another location outside of Houston. But with [my friend] forwarding me the listing, we didn't even get a chance to start looking. We were so lucky. This opportunity came to us."
The historic Austin property was previously owned by WC 6th & Rio, LLC, and was won during an auction at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Austin on August 23.The Katzes officially closed on the building on August 30. Of course, this is all very new, so an exact opening date hasn't been decided yet.
Like the Houston Katz's restaurants, this one will be designed by the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. In a press release, Michael Hsu says they are "excited that Katz's is returning to Austin." He adds, "The fact that they are going back to the old location is really special. We look forward to helping design a space to help welcome back former regulars and to attract a new crowd of Austinites."
Of course, just like Austin, the new Katz's won't be exactly the same as it used to be.
"I grew up in Austin since I was six or seven," says Katz, "so I want to honor what made Austin what it was; really honor the 'keep Austin weird' phase of the 80s and 90s, but also speak to what it is today. That'll be a tough balancing act that I'm glad to be doing with Michael Hsu."
When asked if this restaurant would be open 24 hours like the original Katz's, Katz didn't hesitate.
"Katz's never closes. It will absolutely be 24/7... Full stop."
"To be back in the old location is just an amazing scenario of events that all came together," Katz says. "We're just so grateful."
More information is available at katzsneverkloses.com.
