The Classics is an occasional series that spotlights and celebrates Houston’s oldest bars and restaurants.

The sizzle of breakfast meats, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and the chatter of longtime regulars fill the space at Yale Street Grill on any given day. It might now be a go-to spot for locals craving a homestyle hearty breakfast or a juicy hamburger, but back when it first opened for business in 1923 under Abel and Mildred Dupuis, it was known as Yale Street Pharmacy.

The couple, both pharmacists, were there to serve the community for decades with their dual-purpose business—whether through prescriptions, sandwiches, or a soda. Eventually, their son took over, but he sold the pharmacy operation in 1997, and a gift shop and post office took its place next to the restaurant.

When the business almost closed in 2001, Paul Gomberg, a Los Angeles native turned Houstonian, saved the day. He implemented a few healthier options that are still on the menu today, like turkey burgers and salads. Gomberg also helped make the 3,000-square-foot space that was once the pharmacy rentable for another business. Today, as you walk in, you’ll notice a half wall to your left separating Yale Street Grill and another beloved Heights gem: Lovejoy’s Antiques and Collectibles.

The building has been owned by Gage Investments since 2017, following a couple other owners after Gomberg. And Yale Street Grill is still thriving with that same “can do” attitude, in part thanks to manager Juan Salazar. The face of the restaurant today, he has been working at the Heights establishment since he was a teenager. He used to drive his sister, who was on the waitstaff, to work every day. As he waited for her shifts to end, he would hang out, keep to himself, and sip some coffee.

One day, the manager at the time took notice of him and said, “he’s not doing anything, just put him on the payroll,” and the rest is history. Salazar began working behind Yale Street Grill’s short-lived buffet, then in the kitchen, eventually working his way up to the waitstaff, and now, manager.

Since his start in the early 2000s, other than some added booths and tables, he says not much has changed. The restaurant feels like a time capsule, and the same sentiment goes for its menu. “[People] say we have great food, a friendly environment, and good coffee,” Salazar says.

From 2012 to 2013, the restaurant tried to incorporate Mexican-inspired menu options, but he says it wasn’t well-received. It became clear there's no need to change what isn’t broken. Now, the only remnants of this brief cuisine experiment include the huevos rancheros, migas, and breakfast tacos. Regulars have come over the years for Yale Street Grill’s variety of omelets, pancake stacks, waffles, French toast, milkshakes, and of course, its burgers.

Visiting the restaurant is also like walking into a bit of a museum. It stays true to the old-school diner that it’s been for years—no frills and thrills here. On the walls, you’ll find old photographs of celebrities like Elvis Presley, members of the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, and Frank Sinatra.

With more than a century under its belt, how does a diner like Yale Street Grill stand the test of time? Salazar says the answer is easy: the restaurant’s loyal customers who have been willing to support them through every crazy thing that has been thrown their way, from COVID-19 and hurricanes to inflation.

“We’re committed to the customers, and we’re here because of them,” Salazar says.

Sunday mornings find the restaurant packed with the after-church crowd, families, some hungover patrons, or folks just wanting a bite from the century-old establishment.

Mike Shelton, who has been going to the restaurant since he moved to the Heights in the 1980s, says one of his favorite things about the place is how consistent it is, from the food to the staff. He even sits at the same table each visit, which is coincidentally open almost every time he goes.

“My son [and I] have been going there so long—he’s only 19—but when he goes in, they don’t even ask, they bring his shake with his whipped cream and cherry,” Shelton says.

Margaret Vandever, a born-and-raised Heights resident, has been going to Yale Street Grill since she was a young girl. She says each time she visits, it’s like going home. Like Shelton’s son, she loves the milkshakes, and if she’s there in the morning, you’ll likely see her having one for breakfast.

“There’s just something very comforting about walking into a place and recognizing the faces, knowing the names, seeing the same people,” Vandever says. “It’s a neighborhood establishment and not a trendy new place that’s here today, gone tomorrow.”

Funnily enough, Salazar shares that there are still quite a few people who have lived in the neighborhood for decades who are just now discovering Yale Street Grill, which we find quite baffling given the big red “Yale” sign on the building—though the “Grill & Gifts” and “Postal Station” markers are just below it.

“We have customers that come in and ask me ‘this is a restaurant?’” Salazar says. “I say yes and tell them we’ve been here for 100 years. [They’ve] been living here for 20, 30 years, and tell me they didn’t know we were a restaurant. They come and have breakfast, and they always come back.”