“With a magnificently marbled bar and exposed brick walls, State of Grace’s interiors are stunning. And the sight of a dedicated oyster shucker gives you a visual hint at the deliciousness to come at this River Oaks hot spot.”

“State of Grace is serving happy customers a steady diet of gumbo, cacio e pepe, Oaxacan queso, Spanish grilled octopus, German schnitzel and Nashville hot chicken.”

“This buzzy neighborhood restaurant and oyster bar by Ford Fry … boasts a diverse menu with bold Southern influences.”

Houston’s hottest rising star chefs shine at prestigious awards gala

Chef Ford Fry comes home to open River Oaks restaurant State of Grace

America’s youngest city offers a potpourri pot of cuisines, quirky shops and art with both global and local reach.

“His River Oaks outpost rivals Hunky Dory and Peska as the year’s most beautiful; there is nowhere I would rather be during oyster season than in the polished, gleaming rotunda of the State of Grace oyster bar, with its semicircular counter and array of impeccably opened cold-water and Gulf Coast oysters on the half shell. ”

“As you scan the concise single page, your eyes stop in astonishment at an item that Houstonians likely never expected to see again: ‘cheese enchilada a la Felix,’ in all its  molten, Tex-Mex glory. Genius, pure genius.”

“Atlanta chef Ford Fry brings an upscale taste of the Hill Country to tony River Oaks with a raw bar, iconic Texas grilled specialties (from quail to Gulf fish) and a nod to Tex-Mex traditions.”

“If you’re not here to join the glam crowd chucking back sea wings from the Texan Gulf, pull up a seat in the main dining room where windows frame the sprawling branches of a grand oak tree out front.”