These Houston Restaurants Received The Most COVID Money: List

HOUSTON, TX —Restaurants in Houston were among the more than 6,000 in Texas that received money from the Small Business Administration's Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which was passed by Congress last year as part of a sweeping coronavirus relief package.

More than $1.6 billion in funding was given to Texas restaurants. But the 6,406 Texas businesses that received funding under the program were just 34.7 percent of the 18,461 that applied to the program, which SBA is shutting down Wednesday. In Houston, 1,060 eateries were awarded grant money.

These restaurants and restaurant groups were awarded the most money in Houston:

• Pepi Companies LLC — $10 million
• Huaxin Investment Holding LLC — $6.44 million
• JDDA Concession Management Inc — $5.63 million
• A Fare Extraordinaire Inc. — $5 million
• City Kitchen LLC — $4.47 million
• Rosalina LLC — $4.45 million
• Club Down House NP — $4.01 million
• Amber Green Corporation — $3.76 million
• Houston Hibachi Grill Buffet Inc. — $3.51 million
• Ouzo Bay Houston LLC — $3.16 million

But restaurants across the country are facing an uncertain future after the U.S. Small Business Administration said last month it was shutting down the Restaurant Revitalization Fund passed by Congress as part of the coronavirus relief package.

Related: 52 Montgomery County Eateries Got Restaurant Revitalization Money

Melissa Stewart, executive director of the Southeast Region of the Texas Restaurant Association, said TRA conducted surveys of its members during the pandemic and found that an estimated 10 to 13 percent of Texas restaurants closed permanently during the first two months of the coronavirus pandemic. Over a year later, the estimate of closed Texas restaurants is up to 21 to 22 percent.

Stewart estimated that the Greater Houston area had around 13,000 restaurants before the pandemic and said that number is closer to 10,000 now.

"[The restaurant industry] was one of the hardest hit in the pandemic," Stewart said. "We were closed. We stayed closed, and ... so many folks in our community rely on us for nutrition, not even just the parties and the fun.

"We've got a number of allies in Congress, and they're working hard. Thankfully, we've gotten what we've received, but to be at this stage and know that there is so much more need and not be able to fund it is frustrating."

In an email to applicants last month, the SBA said the program will be "disabled" July 14. At that time, it will stop accepting applications. Nationally, the program has handed out grants to 105,000 restaurants, but another 265,000 applicants are still waiting. A bill to replenish the fund has been introduced in Congress, but it has not moved forward.

Despite restaurant industry lobbying for Congress to replenish the fund, lawmakers have been more focused on reaching a compromise on the Biden administration's infrastructure improvement bill.