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Photo: Thomas B. Shea / For the Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Image 2 of 23 Tempura soft-shell with a Taqueria style pickled vinaigrette is a featured dish at Reef restaurant. Bryan Caswell is the owner/chef of Reef restaurant at 2600 Travis, Suite 100. Wednesday, June 6, 2007, in Houston. ( Steve Campbell / Chronicle) less Tempura soft-shell with a Taqueria style pickled vinaigrette is a featured dish at Reef restaurant. Bryan Caswell is the owner/chef of Reef restaurant at 2600 Travis, Suite 100. Wednesday, June 6, 2007, in ... more Photo: Steve Campbell / Houston Chronicle Image 3 of 23 Reef Restaurant's Market salad with bread basket are photographed Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007, in Houston. This photo accompanies an Alison Cook features story. ( Kevin Fujii / Chronicle ) Reef Restaurant's Market salad with bread basket are photographed Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007, in Houston. This photo accompanies an Alison Cook features story. ( Kevin Fujii / Chronicle ) Photo: Kevin Fujii / Houston Chronicle Image 4 of 23 Cheese enchiladas with chili con carne on a table decorated with an old Gebhardt's advertising at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, 1201 Westheimer, shown Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, in Houston. Chef Bryan Caswell and partners, Bill Floyd and Robb Walsh, are calling the restaurant "vintage Tex-Mex". ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less Cheese enchiladas with chili con carne on a table decorated with an old Gebhardt's advertising at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, 1201 Westheimer, shown Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, in Houston. Chef Bryan Caswell and ... more Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle Image 5 of 23 Image 6 of 23 Fish a la plancha at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, 1201 Westheimer, shown Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, in Houston. Chef Bryan Caswell and partners, Bill Floyd and Robb Walsh, are calling the restaurant "vintage Tex-Mex". ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less Fish a la plancha at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, 1201 Westheimer, shown Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, in Houston. Chef Bryan Caswell and partners, Bill Floyd and Robb Walsh, are calling the restaurant "vintage ... more Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle Image 7 of 23 Chef Bryan Caswell, left, and partners, Bill Floyd, center, and Robb Walsh, right, are opening a new Tex-Mex restaurant called El Real Tex-Mex Cafe at 1201 Westheimer shown Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, in Houston. Doors from Felix are among the many Tex-Mex collector's items featured at the restaurant they are calling "vintage Tex-Mex". ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less Chef Bryan Caswell, left, and partners, Bill Floyd, center, and Robb Walsh, right, are opening a new Tex-Mex restaurant called El Real Tex-Mex Cafe at 1201 Westheimer shown Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, in ... more Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle Image 8 of 23 Bryan Caswell, of Reef and El Real fame, photographed for SAM magazine, in the Houston Chronicle Studio, Friday, March 18, 2011, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Bryan Caswell, of Reef and El Real fame, photographed for SAM magazine, in the Houston Chronicle Studio, Friday, March 18, 2011, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 9 of 23 Chef Bryan Caswell at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, 1201 Westheimer, with his favorite photo of Felix Tijerina (shown left) that is one of many items displayed in homage to Felix taken on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, in Houston. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less Chef Bryan Caswell at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, 1201 Westheimer, with his favorite photo of Felix Tijerina (shown left) that is one of many items displayed in homage to Felix taken on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, in ... more Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle Image 10 of 23 Image 11 of 23 Bryan Caswell's snapper carpaccio at Reef Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, in Houston. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle ) Bryan Caswell's snapper carpaccio at Reef Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, in Houston. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle Image 12 of 23 Bryan Caswell's hot pot of muscles, shrimp, clams and scallops at Reef Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, in Houston. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle ) Bryan Caswell's hot pot of muscles, shrimp, clams and scallops at Reef Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, in Houston. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle Image 13 of 23 Chef Bryan Caswell, left, and business partner Bill Floyd, right, talk about their new restaurant called 3rd Bar Eating House during a preview of the Terminal B South Concourse at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday, April 15, 2013, in Houston. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less Chef Bryan Caswell, left, and business partner Bill Floyd, right, talk about their new restaurant called 3rd Bar Eating House during a preview of the Terminal B South Concourse at George Bush Intercontinental ... more Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle Image 14 of 23 Chef Bryan Caswell with the bottarga curing box at Reef. Photo by Alison Cook Chef Bryan Caswell with the bottarga curing box at Reef. Photo by Alison Cook Photo: Alison Cook Image 15 of 23 Image 16 of 23 Chef Bryan Caswell, owner of Reef, Little Big's and Stella Sola, Houston Chef Bryan Caswell, owner of Reef, Little Big's and Stella Sola, Houston Photo: brad swonetz / Food Network Image 17 of 23 (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, September 24, 2009)The Reef, at 2600 Travis (at McGowen). (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, September 24, 2009)The Reef, at 2600 Travis (at McGowen). Photo: Gary Fountain / For the Chronicle Image 18 of 23 Reef chef Bryan Caswell speaks with fllight attendants aboard a United flight traveling from Newark, N.J. to Hong Kong. Flight attendants from left are Ilon Thys, Leslie Espanol and Janet Balangitao Reef chef Bryan Caswell speaks with fllight attendants aboard a United flight traveling from Newark, N.J. to Hong Kong. Flight attendants from left are Ilon Thys, Leslie Espanol and Janet Balangitao Photo: Syd Kearney / Houston Chronicle Image 19 of 23 Bryan Caswell, the chef/owner of Reef exhibits this fresh Amberjack. 08/18/2009. Bill Olive Photography. Bryan Caswell, the chef/owner of Reef exhibits this fresh Amberjack. 08/18/2009. Bill Olive Photography. Photo: Bill Olive / For the Chronicle Image 20 of 23 Image 21 of 23 Featured in Southern Living's April 2012 issue: Houston chefs Monica Pope of T afia; Chris Shepherd of Underbelly; Bryan Caswell of Reef, Stella Sola, and El Real; and Anita Jaisinghani, who serves modern Indian at Pondicheri and Indika. less Featured in Southern Living's April 2012 issue: Houston chefs Monica Pope of T afia; Chris Shepherd of Underbelly; Bryan Caswell of Reef, Stella Sola, and El Real; and Anita Jaisinghani, who serves modern ... more Photo: Jason Wallis / SOUTHERN LIVING Image 22 of 23 3/31/11: A trio of Bryan Caswell's Shroom Sliders, Beef Sliders with carmelized onions and Pulled Pork Sliders are served at Minute Maid Park on the grill portable or in the 5-7 Bar and Resteraunt in Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Special to the Chron: Thomas B. Shea less 3/31/11: A trio of Bryan Caswell's Shroom Sliders, Beef Sliders with carmelized onions and Pulled Pork Sliders are served at Minute Maid Park on the grill portable or in the 5-7 Bar and Resteraunt in Minute ... more Photo: Thomas B. Shea / For the Houston Chronicle Image 23 of 23 Rejoice: Caswell, Floyd and Killen to open bbq spot inside the Loop 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

Can Houston barbecue lovers handle any more good news?

Ronnie Killen, whose Killen’s Barbecue is expected to Saturday in Pearland, is teaming with longtime restaurant partners Bryan Caswell and Bill Floyd to open a barbecue-centric restaurant inside the Loop.

A rumor circulating among foodies put the new restaurant in what is now Chelsea Grill in the Museum District. Foodies even had a name for it: Montrose Meat Market.

Caswell, reached by phone Friday, said the rumor, like all hearsay, had a dash of truth, a bit of fiction and a lot of fairytale.

“We’re really close to making all those decisions,” Caswell said, referring to the location and the name of the restaurant.

“Ronnie and I have been friends for a very, very long time,” Caswell said. “And Ronnie has been wanting to do something here in town. We finally said, ‘darn it, let’s do something together.’ ”

Caswell sees the new restaurant as being a country-style barbecue spot that also serves burgers and other fare.

“Ronnie, Bill and I agree that we want it to be simple,” Caswell said. “It’s going to be Ronnie’s barbecue.”

The new spot also will house Caswell & Co. Catering Company, which has been doing off site events for about a year. Caswell has been working the catering out of his Tex-Mex cantina El Real and posh Reef, but expects this new restaurant — wherever it may land — to be large enough to handle both serving customers and catering needs.

As for location, Caswell hopes to keep it in Montrose (“I love being in Montrose and I don’t like driving all around”). Another option is a spot near Minute Maid Park, where Caswell’s beloved Astros play.

“We just purchased two Oyler pits, just like Ronnie’s. We’re gonna refurbish them. Get them spruced up. It’s gonna be great.”

No word on if/how this new merger affects the Killen and Hubcap Grill’s Ricky Craig’s previously announced CK Steakhouse.

