TELA Lounge, a swanky new cocktail lounge, is set to open its doors in the Galeria/Uptown area of Houston by Spring 2026. According to this recently filed permit, the upscale bar will live at 5333 WESTHEIMER RD SUITE 150.
The inspiration for the concept blossomed out of the global travels that two of its three owners have undertaken over the course of the last decade. One of the leading minds behind the vision is Samir Kavadi, owner of the Houston tea company, CHAIBOY. The entrepreneur opened the tea brand with co-owner Abhi Sundaram in the summer of 2021.
In a conversation with What Now Houston, Kavadi confirmed that he hopes to begin construction on TELA Lounge by the end of October and is planning for a springtime opening next year. Kavadi, along with Haii Keii’s, Alaric Fortell, and the president of the Dhanani real estate family empire, Nikhil Dhanani, plan to offer an unmatched elite club experience to Houstonians and visitors from around the world.
“It’s kind of the bits and pieces that we love most in hospitality service,” Kavadi said.
“We’re very fond of the different countries (we’ve visited) and wanted to bring the experience to Houston, but do it in a very approachable, yet fun, elegant way that we haven’t really seen the city play around with yet.”
To further set the establishment apart from the nightlife that Kavadi says is already being offered in the area, he plans to transcend the usual lounge experience by stripping the strict dress code often enforced at similar cocktail spaces to enhance the natural feel and appeal of the new establishment.
“We want to have a loose dress code but still let people feel exclusive and elegant without having that stuffiness that you would get at any other high-end cocktail bars or cocktail clubs that Houston has opened in the last couple of years,” Kavadi said.
Details about the menu will be unveiled as Kavadi’s aspirations for the new venue continue to unfold and come to life. You can expect ritzy yet affordable cocktails with global inspiration infused in each sip.
“The cocktail menu is going to be inspired by international flavors and cities that I’ve traveled to and enjoyed. South America, Asia, and Europe will be featured heavily,” Kavadi shared via text.
The food menu will be elevated tapas-style and comfort food like flatbreads, burgers, cookies, and ice cream.
If Kavadi is considered the brainchild behind the operation, the Dhanani family’s Nikhil may very well be the brawn. The Dhanani Private Equity Group has been a powerhouse in Houston real estate for the last two decades. Nikhil, who is now running point at the property management firm, is the landlord of Galeria Park and introduced the 2,900 square-foot property on Westheimer Road to Kavadi, sparking the beginning of this transformative journey.
“My entire vision and career path has always been in hospitality, and I had the idea to do something, and timing just fell into place where Nikhil with Dhanani told me they had a property near Galeria if I wanted to check it out and see if it was a good fit for the concept,” Kavid said.
While Dhanani is supporting Kavadi’s creative venture on the infrastructure side, Fortell is providing insight around the design elements.
Kavadi shared that he is one of the owners and investors for both Haii Keii (pronounced High-Key), an Asian-inspired sushi experience, and Juliet Steakhouse. The black-owned speakeasy-style steakhouse has drawn the likes of many celebrities, like Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, and GloRilla, to its doors since its inception in 2023. Juliet is owned by Candy Shack Daiquiris founder, James McGhee.
With the roundup of bright minds and the long list of contacts between the three collaborators, TELA Lounge is sure to bring in a wide variety of high-end clientele once the Uptown cocktail-lounge concept opens doors in the Spring of 2026.
