Shawn Bermudez, a prolific bar owner and restaurateur, wearily (and perhaps falsely) suggests that his latest venture, Present Company, might be the last bar he opens in Houston.

"I'm leaning toward it," Bermudez, who owns Boondocks, Pistolero's, Stone's Throw and The Burger Joint, said on the eve of opening Present Company to the public.

If it's the last bar he has in him, Bermudez is going out with a bang.

Present Company, the bar/restaurant that literally has sprung from the ashes of the former Royal Oak on Westheimer, opens to the public today. It has been nearly two years since Bermudez closed Royal Oak to re-concept the space at 1318 Westheimer in Montrose – a redesign and expansion that was supposed to open in October 2017. But a fire on Sept. 9 damaged the structure which was only weeks away from its debut.

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There were no injuries, but it pushed back the project significantly – a major disappointment for Bermudez. At the time, he stated: "The hardest part of this whole fiasco is having to wait that much longer to show everyone what I've been working on for the last 15 months. I always aim to please and I promise this place will not disappoint."

The drinking and dining public can now decide that for itself. Bermudez named his new bar to suggest being "present" with the people you're with, in an age where constant cell phone use and social media engagement are ubiquitous.

Ironically, Bermudez has created his own multi-layered distractions that might keep you from your present company.

Let's start with the design: color heaped on textures piled on motifs swirled in kitsch (with a measure of pixie dust for the emoji age). Look above at the brightly colored birdcages holding twinkling chandeliers. Wall surfaces cannot stand to be without lush floral painting and embellishment; wallpaper themes run from pink flamingos and palm fronds that would make Florida envious to retro iconography such as "Barbarella" and Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie. Bright velvets and floral chintz cover chairs, sofas and sectional furniture. Neon messages do a slow burn on the brain. It's a joyous, somewhat unprincipled whimsy run amok.

Bermudez has built generous patios on two levels and populated them with the same ferocious energy of his frenzied interiors. Only greener. The patios feature verdant walls of live plants (we're told more than 8,000), potted palm trees, and structured bookcase like installments holding potted plants. Everywhere sherbet colors clash with Starburst candy hues. It's safe to say there are no other patios in Houston that look like Present Company's.

Or sound like them. Bermudez has curated his own playlist that is achingly "present" in classic familiarity and party-starting splendor.

The Present Company team – Bermudez, managing partner Michael Leitner and beverage director Rex Nielsen – hopes to ensure that the drinks/food/hospitality are just as inviting as the design.

The cocktail menu has a similar unicorn charm, including drinks such as the Stranger Danger (watermelon vodka, lime juice, honeysuckle liqueur and watermelon-kiwi soda served in a slim LaCroix Sparkling Water can); The Whispering Eye (blanco tequila, ginger liqueur, lavender syrup and a house-made butterfly pea elixir); Plan Bee (bourbon, Italian liqueur, fresh honey and jalapeno); and Once Bitten (gin, grapefruit liqueur, hibiscus syrup and orange bitters) and its answer cocktail Twice Shy (coconut water rum, Falernum and pineapple juice).

Matthew Pak, chef/partner of The Burger Joint, was tapped to create the inaugural menu of crowd-pleasing bar foods such as wings, nachos, queso fries, pork belly bites and green chili macaroni and cheese. There are more substantial salads, burgers and pizzas, too.

Bermudez said every detail of Present Company has been considered to provide customers with the one thing you can't have too much in life: "It's a simple, three-letter word: FUN."

Present Company, 1318 Westheimer, 281-974-4752; presentcompanyhtx.com. Open Monday and Tuesday 3 p.m. to midnight; Wednesday and Thursday 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday noon to 2 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Follow him on the podcast BBQ State of Mind to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.