Bosscat Kitchen & Libations – the hotly anticipated whiskey bar with American comfort food from Newport Beach, Calif. – opened this month.

Owners John “JT” Reed, Leslie Nguyen and Vinnie Capizzi and their team, who now call Houston home after relocating last summer, have put the finishing touches on the 6,900-square-foot space at 4310 Westheimer Rd. The rustic, industrial-chic interior – with 14-foot ceilings, stained concrete floors and expertly finished reclaimed wood, steel, and brick – seats 220 guests, with 40 additional patio seats on 2,000 square feet of patio space.

“This has been a long time coming, and we have been very fortunate to meet so many great people in Houston who have opened their arms to us over the last several months,” Reed said. “We’re beyond excited to return the favor and open our doors to a city that has been so welcoming to us.”

Added Nguyen: “We feel we have an extended family here in Houston and can’t wait to welcome them in.”

Bosscat’s signature glass-enclosed Whiskey Room houses one of the largest whiskey selections in Houston, with more than 260 offerings ranging from local whiskeys such as Yellow Rose, Balcones, Herman Marshall and TX, to rare, sought-after allocations from around the world. The Whiskey Room also is home to a limited number of whiskey lockers for VIP guests and a 12-seat table for private dining and private whiskey tastings.

Bar Director Matt Sharp oversees a seasonally rotating cocktail menu with signatures including The Bosscat (Basil Hayden’s bourbon, citrus bitters, rosemary), House Old Fashioned (made with Maker’s Mark) and Bosslady Vol. 2 (Wild Turkey bourbon, blackberry citrus-infused syrup, thyme). A rack of whiskey barrels – dubbed a “mini-rickhouse” – allow Bosscat to offer a rotating selection of barrel-aged cocktails, with a private barrel-aging program to be announced soon. A full array of spirits, wine, and 10 rotating draft beers are also available from behind Bosscat’s 360-degree center bar.

Chef Peter Petro’s innovative menu places an emphasis on local ingredients, with beef from 44 Farms, pork from Black Hill Meats and bread from Kraftsmen Baking. In addition to staples such as the Bosscat Burger (bacon, cheese, black garlic sauce) and Cajun Brick Chicken (brick-crisped spicy chicken breast with Carolina dirty rice), new menu items for the Houston location includes Pork Belly Poutine (Bosscat Fries with crisp pork belly, Ellsworth Creamery cheese curds and Andouille sausage gravy, optional duck fat fried egg) and the Bosscat Press (slow-roasted BBQ pulled pork, ham, cheese, house-made pickles, mustard on an American baguette).

Bosscat’s original location opened in Newport Beach in 2014. It was named one of “America’s Best Bourbon Bars” by the Bourbon Review in 2015 and 2016 and the “Best Whiskey Bar in Orange County” by OC Weekly, one of Orange County’s “Best Whiskey Bars” by the Orange County Register and one of the 15 “Best Bars” in Southern California by World’s Best Bars in 2016. Both locations were designed by Hootan & Associates Design Studio of Irvine, Calif.

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations, a whiskey bar with American comfort food, is located at 4310 Westheimer Rd. Suite 150 in Houston. Operating hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, with brunch service launching soon. For more information, visit www.bosscatkitchen.com or call Managing Partner Tai Nguyen at (281) 501-1187.