Parallels between Houston and New Orleans existed long before Hurricane Katrina. Both cities share ports, the Gulf, and a love of Creole cooking—laying the foundation for one of the nation’s most famous restaurant families.

Brennan-Martin traces his family’s legacy back to the early 1900s, when his Irish grandparents and their six children settled in New Orleans. In 1943, during World War II, his eldest uncle, Owen Brennan, who was exempt from service due to asthma, juggled jobs as a gas station owner and a liquor salesman. One day, while calling the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street, the owner, who was one of his customers, mentioned he’d sell the bar for the right price. Owen didn’t have the money, but his father did. “[Our family] owned it the next day,” Brennan-Martin says. 

Three years later, Owen Brennan founded his family’s namesake restaurant across the street from the bar. Not long after, its chef created the famed bananas Foster, which is flambéed tableside with Caribbean rum, dusted with cinnamon, and served over vanilla bean ice cream. That dish has a fun backstory, too, Brennan-Martin says: Another uncle, John, who had married someone with a family working in the fruit-importing business, had an oversupply of bananas at the port that were being dumped into the river. John’s father-in-law had a better idea—send them to the restaurant. Cartloads arrived at Brennan’s, where the kitchen transformed them into the now-famous recipe. 

New Orleans raved about the restaurant, and the Brennans realized they needed more space to accommodate their growing clientele. In the mid-1950s, they moved to their current space on Royal Street. Then came the family’s next big idea to expand beyond Louisiana. Brennan-Martin says the next logical step was Houston, a city with which New Orleans had a symbiotic relationship (both were major centers of oil drilling and petrochemicals).

They searched for a space in Houston, and in the mid-1960s, the family came across a property they liked. Built by John Staub in 1920, the Midtown building that formerly housed the Junior League of Houston was nearly a replica of the restaurant building in Louisiana. “There’s just a lot of coincidence and a lot of nice serendipity,” Brennan-Martin says. 

Brennan’s of Houston opened in 1967, and it’s since become a destination for Houstonians seeking a taste of the French Quarter without the six-hour drive. Its cameo in the 1983 film Terms of Endearment hasn’t hurt either. “Filming it was a hoot,” Brennan-Martin says. “All of a sudden, Hollywood showed up, and there were 18-wheelers parked all over.” 

For years, fans flocked to the restaurant to dine in the room featured in the film (dubbed the “Terms of Endearment room”), which was recently redesigned as part of the restaurant’s renovation of the Courtyard Bar (all that remains is a photograph in the new bar depicting the lunch scene). 

Fast forward 58 years to 2025. The restaurant’s momentum endures despite the many storms it has weathered, both literally and metaphorically. There have been hurricanes, floods, a major fire followed by a rebuild, and a pandemic—and, through it all, the restaurant has embraced the spirit and flavor of New Orleans. 

The menu features staples, including Haute Creole seafood gumbo, shrimp remoulade, and snapping turtle soup—a creamy creation with Lustau Sherry. Seasonal plates like crawfish enchiladas blend Tex-Mex and Creole traditions, while the chef’s table experience debuts inventive dishes inspired by the team’s creativity.

Its hospitality is woven into every detail of the restaurant. On the back patio, diners can unwind with pickled deviled eggs, hearty muffuletta sliders, and savory New Orleans–style barbecue shrimp, along with a refreshed drink menu featuring cocktails like the Parisian Gas Lamp. This homage to Brennan’s signature gas lamps uses Rémy Martin VSOP cognac, Cointreau Noir, and the finishing touch of a flaming orange peel. To solidify the experience, diners are given a parting gift—Brennan’s signature pecan praline candies.

Brennan-Martin has been part of the family business since 1984, but a rift within his family in 1973 nearly led him to believe he’d never be involved. “It was a fairly traumatic event,” he recalls, but Brennan-Martin still pursued a career in the restaurant industry. 

After graduating from culinary school and living in France, he had stints in restaurants in New York and San Francisco. He returned to Houston to help his family run Brennan’s for what was supposed to be three months. That temporary setup lasted more than 40 years. “I just fell in love with Houston,” he says. “Being a Southern boy, it was a great fit for me.” 

Along the way, he’s built a staff that feels like family. Jose Martinez, who now works in banquet events, started as a back-waiter 37 years ago. Jose Arevalo, who began as a dishwasher nearly 40 years ago after immigrating from El Salvador, is also still working at Brennan’s as a Creole chef. He worked his way up through the kitchen, helping budding chefs like a young Chris Shepherd, who won a James Beard Award for the Best Chef: Southwest in 2014.

While the restaurant industry is challenging, Brennan-Martin says giving up has never been an option. “It’s a labor of love, and my definition for ‘labor of love’ is when what you’re doing stops making sense, but you don’t have the sense to stop,” he says.

It’s the success stories, loyalty, and commitment of the restaurant’s staff to serve Houstonians that keep the family restaurant going. Brennan-Martin says he often adheres to his uncle Dick Brennan’s enduring but straightforward motto: “We’ve got the easiest business in the world. When our customers walk in the front door, they’re in a good mood. Let’s not screw it up.”