New Killen’s Steakhouse set to open next week

American wagyu long bone ribeye from Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland.

American wagyu long bone ribeye from Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland. Photo: Nick De La Torre Photo: Nick De La Torre Image 1 of / 35 Caption Close New Killen’s Steakhouse set to open next week 1 / 35 Back to Gallery

If you're sentimental about Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland, you better move fast to grab your last gnaw of bone-in ribeye and bottle of Scarecrow cabernet sauvignon at the original location. Because if everything goes according to chef Ronnie Killen's plans, Saturday night might be the final bow at the boutique steakhouse at 2804 S. Main that he opened nearly a decade ago.

Come Monday, Nov., 16, Killen hopes to open the doors to his first customers at the palatial new digs he's readying at 6425 Broadway in Pearland.

"This is what my goal is. This is what my plan is," Killen said Thursday during a walk-through of his nearly completed new steakhouse "Everything is ready to go."

Well, almost. Killen is still waiting on two 6-burner stoves to be installed. And custom chairs that are delayed but promised to arrive Friday. And bar stools for the slick marble-top bar at the entrance. And dozens of little details he's not happy with that dot his grand makeover of the former Malibu Steak and Seafood spot.

Anyone who has witnessed last-minute restaurant turnovers knows Killen & Co. will be able to pull it off. But the move doesn't just represent the award-winning chef's next step; it's a seismic jump for his steak restaurant, considered one of the finest steakhouses in the country.

Killen reportedly paid $2 million for the property, a site he's had his expansionist eyes on for years. "I was thinking about a bigger space two or three years after opening [Killen's Steakhouse]," he said. "I looked at this space even seven years ago. I just didn't have the money."

But the growing success of the steakhouse and the home run he hit with Killen's Barbecue, which opened in February 2014, made it possible for Killen's dream of a bigger home possible.

Not just bigger, gigantic. The new space, at capacity (including the bar area, private dining room and banquet room) is 375, nearly quadruple the original store's 100-seat space. There's also a generous patio flanking the entire east side of the restaurant.

"We're excited about accommodating more guests and tapping into our potential," Killen said Thursday.

The chef has called this new space his "dream restaurant." And he's packing a lot into his aspirational reveries. Special touches include a 1,200-bottle wine tower at the foot of the main dining room; new Riedel stemware for the $250,000 worth of wine in the inventory; Frette linens that will be laundered and pressed in-house; 40 10-bottle wine lockers for top customers who want to drink from their own collection; a climate-controlled room for dry aging meat; 20 taps for beer at the bar (including two reserved for batched cocktails); tremendous banquet and private dining space; and all new kitchen equipment including a 6-foot wood-burning grill for his steaks; and a baby grand to provide live music for his guests. He's even planning a private dining room for his buddy, Texans posterboy J.J. Watt.

While some of those details aren't in place just yet (the Watt room, for example, is still just in the planning phase), the steakhouse's construction has progressed enormously since the Chronicle's last walk-through in September.

In addition to the steakhouse's move, Killen also is planning for his next project, Killen's Burger, a '50s-style restaurant to take over the South Main space. Killen's Barbecue will serve as a place for Killen's Burger pop-ups while the burger store is being readied. Killen has given himself another breakneck goal for the burger joint: he wants it open first quarter 2016.

The burger spot will add to Killen's Pearland empire. Killen's Steakhouse debuted 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. Chronicle restaurant critic gave Killen's Barbecue a rare 4-star review in January.