How the Ranch, the Houston Rodeo’s Fine Dining Destination, Rakes In $3 Million in Just 20 Days

When Houston restaurant group Ben Berg Hospitality announced in 2022 that it would be opening the Houston Rodeo’s first standalone restaurant, it attracted much fanfare and some skepticism. How would a fine-dining restaurant fare at one of the city’s biggest events, which is typically fueled by over-the-top, often deep-fried, carnival-style treats?

It turns out Houston rodeogoers were revved up for a more high-end experience at one of its biggest events of the year: The Ranch Saloon and Steakhouse has proven to be one of the Rodeo’s biggest culinary successes. For 20 days out of the year, it’s one of the busiest restaurants in the country, according to a Berg representative, raking in around $3 million in sales, on par with revenue that some of the country’s top independent restaurants make in an entire month. By owner Ben Berg’s math, that’s $30,000 an hour. “It’s incredible,” he says. The Ranch also served more than 23,000 people last year and is sent to surpass that this year. “You gotta pinch yourself.”

Some of its success can be credited to the Ranch’s allure, which offers a see-or-be-seen vibe where rodeogoers can wear their cowboy best in a space that fits the get-ups. Inside is 16,000 square feet of Western-style, climate-controlled indulgence on NRG Stadium grounds, with plenty of callouts to cowboy culture so chic it has landed on the pages of Vogue. There are nightly DJs, a bustling bar, a stage for live music, and displays by Texas artists, including Laura Goodson. The artist decorated the interior with prints and paintings featuring her signature cowboys, outlaws, and renegades. The restaurant also houses an interactive photo booth-style area designed by Marla Hurley, owner of Round Top consignment shop Modern Marla.

Brian Kennedy

Brian Kennedy

Brian Kennedy

Brian Kennedy

Just this year, the Ranch also launched a special elevated VIP area that overlooks much of the dining room where wealthy Rodeo “steakholders,” celebrities, and local chefs have convened and attended special events. The 20 available tables include special signage, dedicated servers, and access to a private bar and restrooms (this is a big perk at Rodeo, where porta-potties are the most readily available option). Diners can secure a spot in VIP for $12,000 for six guests or $20,000 for up to 10 people.

With over 200 seats, the Ranch offers a different ambiance for every type of diner: A bustling bar and lounge area in the Saloon serves more casual dishes like steak frites and corn souffle; a formal sit-down steakhouse where reservations are encouraged; and a bright pink and disco ball-silver carnival-style walk-up window, where Berg Hospitality serves its own rendition of festival treats, including corn dogs, hot dogs, smash burgers made with wagyu beef, and Carvel’s famous Flying Saucer ice cream sandwiches — all of which are served at Berg’s Heights restaurant Buttermilk Baby. There’s also a covered outdoor patio, aptly called the Porch, which is outfitted with cocktail tables where rodeogoers can people-watch or easily scurry into the nearby stadium for scheduled events.

All of it is far fancier and far more expensive than the already pricey carnival dishes that are a rite of Rodeo passage. The food at the Ranch is good, too (and has gotten better since the 2022 launch); the menu is an amalgamation of hits from other Berg establishments (B&B Butchers & Restaurant, the Annie Café & Bar, B.B. Lemon), where seafood and grilled various cuts of kobe, Texas, and Japanese wagyu are staples. The rigatoni alla vodka, a Ranch favorite, flies from the kitchen at dinnertime; specials offered throughout the week — like platters of brisket from Truth BBQ that go for $42 per half-pound — switch things up. The service, fueled by a combination of Berg Hospitality staff members and new temporary hires who are trained within just two days, is fast and efficient. And at night, the crowds get especially rowdy thanks to its Ranch After Dark series, which features Houston DJs each night and tables, available to reserve with a $500 spend minimum.

Alex Montoya

Alex Montoya

Kirsten Gilliam

Berg, who is no stranger to opening restaurants in Houston, says he pitched the idea for a full-service restaurant at the Rodeo before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were starting to get a little traction before COVID, and then there was a standstill,” he says. But soon, members of the executive board started to get behind it. Following its launch in 2022, Rodeo executives also noticed drink sales had increased in the nearby Champion Wine Garden, which was and still is already one of the largest wine events in the state. “We created something that was just not being offered out there, and it definitely proved there was a great demand for it,” Berg says, adding that the Ranch will likely only continue to level up each year.

The Ranch staff will take the week off after the Rodeo ends and reflect on how the three weeks went — what worked (apple spritzes and tequila do surprisingly well, Berg says), and what to improve. By June, the planning begins again. “We don’t take it for granted,” Berg says.

Daniel Ortiz

Brian Kennedy

The Ranch Saloon + Steakhouse is located at NRG Park near the Astrodome. It is open through March 23 from 3 p.m. to midnight on weekdays, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. DJs are featured from 9 p.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.

Pricing: Appetizers: $16-$46; Shellfish: $35-$175; Salads: $19-$42; Entrees: $32-$82; Steaks: $72-$250 (Toppings $8-$52); Family-style sides (feed 2-3 people): $12-$28.