This Fan-Favorite Restaurant Just Closed Its Doors For Good—Here's Why
- Money Cat, a beloved Japanese restaurant in Houston's Upper Kirby area, closed its doors for good on February 1 due to economic challenges, an influx of new restaurants, and the owner's struggle to define the restaurant's direction.
The writing is unfortunately on the wall for a number of Texas-based restaurants this year, one of which is Houston's-own, Money Cat . The beloved Japanese restaurant resided in Upper Kirby and was in operation for two years before ultimately closing its doors for good on February 1.
Owner Sherman Yeung told reporters that the economy, an influx of new restaurants and his inability to translate the direction of the restaurant were each a catalyst in the restaurant's unfortunate demise.
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"I don't believe anything was wrong with the direction—maybe just ahead of its time," Yeung offered. "Since the inception of Money Cat, I always avoided calling it a sushi restaurant for the fear of overshadowing our kitchen since we put so much effort into our hot dishes (such as having our own bread program)."
Over his career, Yeung's resume grew to include Tobiuo , Uchi, Yuatcha (now Joey Uptown) and Izakaya Wa (now Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition ). Yeung would go on to open Money Cat in January of 2023, naming the restaurant after the 270 some-odd golden cat figurines that would eventually make up the decoration of an entire wall.
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While Yeung is planning to focus all of his energy back into his Tobiuo project in Katy, Texas, he explained that Money Cat "didn't want to offer straight, traditional Japanese food." Instead, he offers a little more context for fans. "That's not who we are. We're part of a new age of restaurants. We're young and want to do something new that pays tribute to and builds up tradition."
Yeung's efforts are beyond respectable. The restaurant industry is no joke, and anyone who ventures into it deserves each and every bit of credit due for stepping outside of their comfort zone and creating something they love. While Money Cat did not survive its new direction, this certainly is not the last we'll hear of the talented Sherman Yeung.
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