It had been a while since My Table magazine last visited This Is It!, but rest assured that this old school Houston classic is still serving up some of the best soul food in the city. Moving from its Gray Street location – kind of an awkward fit in the hip Midtown scene, no? – a little over a year ago hasn’t affected the friendly service or the wonderful down-home Southern cooking. It’s easy to see why lines snake out the door around lunch time: It’s hard to resist heaping portions of delicious comfort food the way your mom or aunt used to make it.
A bit of background: This Is It! was opened in 1959 by Frank and Mattie Jones and was a near-instant success. It drew crowds of people, including local politicians, celebrities and professional athletes. The couple ran This Is It! for 36 years before retiring. Their grandson Craig Joseph and his wife Georgette took over the business at that time, and remain there today.
The new building in the Third Ward near Texas Southern University includes a dining room as well as a banquet hall, and the restaurant now offers full-service catering. The menu features different entrees throughout the week, so check the website if you’re looking for something specific.
The food is pure American comfort food, with a cafeteria-style steam-table line that includes meatloaf, yams, mac ’n’ cheese, braised oxtails, chitlins, ribs, smothered pork chops and much more. For about 10 bucks, you get three heaping sides, an entrée and cornbread. The ladies who dish it up usually know what you’ll like and how much you should have.
The staff was friendly when we visited last week, even asking my dad and me if we’d visited the restaurant before. (No, we had not. I am the magazine’s newbie intern.) My eyes went straight for the smothered pork chops (not one, but two nice chops to the serving), paired with the mac ’n’ cheese, collard greens and green beans. After carrying my tray to the table, I dug in with a big grin and, if this is possible, I don’t think that smile left my face the entire time I ate. The pork chops were flavorful, and I couldn’t get enough of the sides. However, even though I loved every bite, there was no way I could finish all of the food I was served. I took home a whole pork chop and about half of each side, which made for a yummy lunch two days in a row. We also enjoyed fried catfish, pinto beans, candied yams and mashed potatoes. What a meal for only about $10. I’ll definitely be going back soon to This Is It!, even after my magazine internship ends.
This Is It! is open for breakfast 7 to 10 am Monday through Saturday, for lunch and dinner from 11 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday, and Sundays 11 am to 6 pm. All you need to see is the overflow of appetites willing to wait in the long after-church-on-Sunday lines to know you’re at the right place.
THIS IS IT! 2172 Blodgett bet. Alabama & Southmore Blvd., 713-521-2920, houstonthisisit.com