Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles to open first Houston location Saturday on Gulf Freeway near East End

A new entrant joins Houston’s crowded comfort-food field

Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles, an Arizona-founded restaurant known for pairing fried chicken with waffles and other Southern-style dishes, is scheduled to open its first Houston location on Saturday, February 21, 2026. The restaurant is located at 3611 Gulf Freeway, near the border of the East End and Third Ward.

The Houston opening marks the brand’s latest expansion beyond its original home market. Lo-Lo’s began operations in Phoenix in 2002 and has since added locations in other cities, including Las Vegas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Soft opening plans, event details, and operating rules

The Houston restaurant has planned a soft opening on Friday, February 20, followed by a grand opening on Saturday. The grand-opening schedule is set to run from 10 a.m. to midnight. A separate Friday happy hour period is scheduled for 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For the opening weekend and beyond, the venue’s policies include age-related restrictions during late-night hours. Children are not expected to be allowed after 8 p.m. The patios are expected to offer hookah service, with customers required to be at least 18 years old.

What’s on the menu

As the name suggests, chicken-and-waffle combinations anchor the menu, with variations built around different cuts and portion sizes. The restaurant also promotes all-day breakfast offerings and a broader selection of soul-food staples.

• Chicken and waffles with multiple portion and cut options
• Breakfast items served throughout the day
• Soul-food sides and plates, including items such as collard greens and fried okra
• Seafood-forward comfort dishes such as shrimp and grits
• Cocktails, including brunch-associated drinks such as mimosas

Design choices and local positioning

The Houston location is expected to feature Houston-inspired painted walls and both indoor and outdoor seating. The site’s placement along the Gulf Freeway positions it within reach of downtown-adjacent neighborhoods while also serving drivers moving along one of the city’s major corridors.

The opening arrives in a city where chicken, breakfast concepts, and comfort-food menus are already competitive categories. Lo-Lo’s is seeking to differentiate through a recognizable out-of-state brand identity, a late-night service profile, and an opening-weekend event format that includes giveaways, live music, and entertainment.

“This isn’t just about opening a restaurant. It’s about creating a space where people come together, celebrate and enjoy food that feeds the soul,” franchise operators Lucious and Aundria Barnum said in a prepared statement.

The restaurant has also drawn attention from Houston-based musician and restaurateur Bun B, who has publicly praised the brand ahead of the opening.