Houston Rockets Star James Harden Is Opening a Swanky New Restaurant

Houston Rockets baller James Harden is getting into the restaurant business, with a brand new upscale eatery that’s set to land in Midtown very soon.

Called Thirteen, construction permits indicate that the restaurant will open in a familiar space, formerly occupied by Mr. Peeples, on Bagby Street. This is Harden’s first foray into the hospitality industry, and details are scant on what exactly the restaurant will look like. Harden is, however, a connoisseur of the city’s restaurant scene, popping up at spots like La Griglia, the Turkey Leg Hut, Vic & Anthony’s, and Taste Bar and Kitchen.

Per ABC13, the restaurant is currently in the process of staffing up, hiring kitchen staff, barbacks, valet parking staff, hostesses, servers, and bartenders, among other roles. A job fair is set for December 3 and 4.

Harden’s new restaurant will, in a sense, be in competition with the spots owned by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who also operates plenty of upscale eateries across the city. In theory, that could intensify the rift between Harden and Fertitta, who have reportedly been at odds over the past several months over Fertitta’s support of President Donald Trump. In mid-November, it was reported that Harden had requested a trade from the team, just like his now-former teammate Russell Westbrook, who was just traded to the Washington Wizards.

No opening timeline for Thirteen’s arrival has been announced, but there’s a countdown clock on its website that points to an early January, possibly New Year’s Day, opening. Stay tuned for more details.