Ronnie Killen moving his Pearland steakhouse to make way for burger joint

Killen's Steakhouse

Dish: The Broken Arrow Ranch Venison Chop with house made blueberry sausage and sweet corn Rissoto Cuisine: Steakhouse Entree price: $$$ Where: 2804 S. Main, Pearland Phone: 281-485-0844 Website: killenssteakhouse.com less Killen's Steakhouse

Dish: The Broken Arrow Ranch Venison Chop with house made blueberry sausage and sweet corn Rissoto Cuisine: Steakhouse Entree price: $$$ Where: 2804 S. Main, Pearland Phone: 281-485-0844 Website: ... more Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle Image 1 of / 47 Caption Close Ronnie Killen moving his Pearland steakhouse to make way for burger joint 1 / 47 Back to Gallery

It’s been said that when one door closes, another opens.

And that certainly is the plan for well-regarded Killen’s Steakhouse in Pearland.

“We’ll close on South Main on a Saturday and open the new restaurant on Monday,” chef/owner Ronnie Killen told the Chronicle of the move that will take place in about two months.

The steakhouse, considered one of the best in the country, is moving about two miles west of its current location, which eventually become Killen’s Burger. The steakhouse has earned positive reviews from restaurant critics across the country. Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook ranked it No. 22 in her Top 100 Restaurants list for 2014.

The 48-year-old Killen said he has coveted the building at 6425 Broadway for nearly seven years. “It’s beautiful,” he said. It has been the home of Malibu Steak and Seafood, and includes 2.5 acres with 200 parking spaces.

Killen said he’s paying $2 million for the property, which includes kitchen equipment and dining room furniture. “I’m in shock that I was able to buy this building. Everyone thinks, ‘oh, everything Ronnie touches works.’ That’s so not true. I’ve had to work. (Setbacks) have made me who I am.”

Killen, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in London, is excited about the improvements the new restaurant will allow in both the front and back of the house. He’ll add a dry-aging room near the entrance of the restaurant, as well as a 30-seat bar. In the back, he’ll build out a laundry facility, which will allow nicer table linens and service befitting a fine dining room. The now-carpeted dining room also will get wood flooring.

One of the features of the new space that excites Killen is the bar. While the South Main steakhouse offers wine, beer and cocktails, it has never had a bar. With the move, Killen’s Steakhouse will open the bar for a 3-5 p.m. daily happy hour with a bar menu and cocktails.

He predicts that the additional bar business alone will pay the steakhouse’s mortgage.

Timelines can be tricky but Killen said he can see opening in the new space in two months. “We don’t have to do much to the building; it was renovated just seven months ago. I’m very excited.”

In addition to the steakhouse’s move, Killen also is planning for his next project, Killen's Burger, a 50’s-style restaurant to take over the South Main space. “We’ll be doing burger pop-ups here,” Killen said, calling from his Killen’s Barbecue. “We did one recently and sold 80 burgers in 30 minutes. It was crazy.”

The burger joint will add to Killen’s Pearland empire. Killen’s Steakhouse opened in 2006 and last year Killen’s Barbecue opened and immediately became a destination restaurant. Last month it was named the No. 2 barbecue restaurant in the country by the Food Network. It was ranked the No. 3 restaurant The Chronicle's 2014 Top 100 Restaurants Guide.

“We want to be the best at whatever we do,” Killen said.

As for the new burger joint, Killen said he thinks it will open three to five months after the steakhouse closes. He’s hoping to have a 50s-style feel, like a Steak ‘n’ Shake or In-N-Out Burger, and with an old-school soda fountain offering hand-spun milkshakes and signature carbonated drinks. “It’s going to be all about the meat,” Killen said.

Earlier this year Killen announced his intention to open the burger joint in a former gas station located at Main Street and Broadway in Pearland.

“I so, so wanted to do it there,” he said of that site. “I just had to get over the romance of it. You’ve got to let the emotions go.”

Killen said owning the property became a priority. “I didn’t want to rent anymore. When you do, you’re at the mercy of the landlord,” Killen said. “I want to control my own destiny. That’s the reason I don’t have partners. I don’t play well with others.”