Recently named by Southern Living magazine as one of 20 legendary steakhouses of the South thanks to its wild game program, Rainbow Lodge at 2011 Ella has seen its share of changes over the course of its near half-century run. Serving as one of Houston’s longest-running restaurants, The Lodge also offers one of the most beautiful settings in the city. It’s housed in a cozy, 119-year-old log cabin on an acre of lush grounds along White Oak Bayou with dynamic views, two onsite gardens, a beehive for its own honey and a variety of lush decks and patio spaces. The venerable restaurant recently announced both a new executive chef and beverage director. 

Brandon Holmes, formerly the sous chef, is taking over the kitchen. He joined Rainbow Lodge in April 2024 under now-retired executive chef Mark Schmidt, diving headfirst into the legendary restaurant’s culture while absorbing the rhythm of the kitchens and dining room. Having spent much of his career focused on whole animal butchery, charcuterie and aging cuts of meat, the Las Vegas native seems to have an ideal background for Rainbow Lodge.

Upon moving to Houston at age 18, Holmes landed a gig with Houston meat master Felix Florez as a meat-cutter, and within a year became head butcher and plant manager for Flores’ Black Hill Meats. When Florez, in conjunction with Ken Bridge, opened Ritual restaurant in the Heights (now closed), Holmes was chosen to run the award-winning meat program, and became not only head butcher but also executive chef. All the while, Holmes has continued to hone his knives by staging at various kitchens around the Bayou City, learning techniques as varied as the city’s dining interests, while developing his culinary discipline.

Rounding out the restaurant’s leadership (which include owners Donnette Hansen and Sheila Shell, and longtime general manager Tim Neely) is Holmes’ former Ritual colleague and veteran mixologist, Peter Clifton, who was recruited in the fall of 2024 as beverage director. This duo worked together at Ritual from 2016 to 2020, so it’s a well-established work partnership. Clifton not only develops the cocktails at Rainbow Lodge and its Tied Fly Bar (including the increasingly popular no-alcohol/low-alcohol cocktail program), but additionally coordinates the wine list and other beverage offerings . 

Guests can also check out the bespoke selection of rare, hard-to-find whiskeys, Hansen has had a hand in selecting, even traveling to distilleries for Rainbow Lodge-branded selections. All are available throughout the restaurant and in the famous Tied Fly Bar, the centerpiece of which is a hand-carved bar evoking a trout stream  — etched from a single piece of wood — that provides the ideal perch for the bar’s cheffy bites and thoughtful sips. 

Rainbow Lodge is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. For menus and information, go online or call (713) 861-8666. At lunch, it offers a $21 three-course business lunch for those in a hurry, and romantic tables for those who want to slow it down. Happy hour at the Tied Fly Bar runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Friday.

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Alex Gregg