Stafford · Fort Bend County
Your caterer. Your food. No markup.
No approved list. No catering markup. No one telling your family what they may serve on the day that matters most to them.
1,000 sq ft prep kitchen · Any licensed caterer · BYOB permitted with a certified bartender
The short answer is yes
Most venues in Houston hand you a list of caterers you are allowed to use, then take a percentage of whatever you spend with them. We do not do either.
You may bring any licensed caterer you like, and we take no cut of your food bill. Catering is usually the largest single line in an event budget, so being free to choose your own is often the difference between a quote you can live with and one you cannot.
The same goes for your DJ, your decorator, your photographer and your MC.
Yours to choose
- Any licensed caterer
- Your own DJ or live band
- Your own decorator
- Your own photographer
- BYOB, served by a certified bartender
- Tables and chairs already included
Why this matters in Fort Bend County
This is one of the most diverse counties in the United States, and at most celebrations here the food is the point.
Owambe and Nigerian celebrations
Families have a caterer for the jollof, the small chops and the pounded yam, and that caterer is not interchangeable with a banquet menu. Bring them.
Indian and South Asian weddings
A kitchen that understands what vegetarian actually means, or one that is properly halal, is not a preference. Choose your own and we will work with them.
Quinceañeras and family cooking
Sometimes the caterer is an aunt who has cooked for the family for thirty years. As long as she holds a food handler’s licence, she is welcome in the kitchen.
The kitchen your caterer gets
A 1,000 sq ft prep kitchen, theirs alone for the length of your booking. The Mansion and the Dome share it, which is one of the reasons the two rooms are never booked at the same time.
It is a preparation, finishing and storage space rather than a production kitchen — room to plate, hold and serve, which is what most event caterers actually want.
One thing worth knowing early: cooking and frying are not permitted indoors. Both can be done outside, in the area behind the kitchen, with prior approval — so live frying is possible, it simply happens outdoors. Tell us at booking and we will arrange the space.
What we ask, in plain terms
Everything below comes straight from the two forms your vendors sign. There are no other conditions.
Licensing
Your caterer emails us a valid food handler’s licence, and completes the Outside Catering Form no later than three days before the event.
That is the only paperwork they need to provide.
Insurance
We do not require a certificate of insurance. The caterer agrees to indemnify the venue, and compliance is secured against your security deposit instead.
Where nothing is deducted, the deposit is returned within five business days.
Kitchen access
The kitchen is for preparation and storage tied to your event, and only your caterer’s staff may be in it.
It is left swept and mopped, surfaces wiped, fridge, freezer and shelves emptied, equipment back where it was, and all waste taken to the dumpster. Bags are provided.
Alcohol
Who may serve
All alcohol on the premises must be served by a TABC-certified bar company or bartender, who sends us their certificate no later than five days before the event.
Bringing your own
BYOB is permitted. Everything you bring is left behind the bar and set up by your contracted bartender — no bottles on guest tables or carried through the rooms, and none in the parking lot.
Anything left over is returned to you at the end of the night.
Timings
Service begins once your bartender and security are on site, and stops thirty minutes before your contracted end time.
No coolers or ice chests in the suites, at guest tables or outdoors.
Planning something particular?
By room
The Dome — 80 guests or fewer, from $1,200
The Mansion — up to 300 seated, from $2,500
Pricing — both rooms, by slot
Talk to us
Catering questions
Can I bring my own caterer to The Hendrix?
Yes. The Hendrix has no approved caterer list and takes no percentage of your food bill. You may use any licensed caterer you choose, for any event. The same applies to your DJ, decorator and photographer.
What does my caterer need to provide?
A valid food handler's licence, emailed to the venue, and a completed Outside Catering Form no later than three days before the event. The Hendrix does not require a certificate of insurance — compliance is secured against the client's security deposit, which is returned within five business days where nothing is deducted.
Is there a kitchen for my caterer to use?
Yes. A 1,000 sq ft prep kitchen is available to your caterer for the length of your booking. It is a preparation, finishing and storage space. Cooking and frying are not permitted indoors, but both can be done outside in the area behind the kitchen with prior approval.
Can I bring my own alcohol to The Hendrix?
Yes, BYOB is permitted. All alcohol must be served by a TABC-certified bar company or bartender, who provides their certificate no later than five days before the event. Anything you bring is left behind the bar and set up by your bartender, and leftovers are returned to you at the end of the night.
Are there venues in Houston that allow outside catering?
The Hendrix in Stafford, Texas allows outside catering with no restriction on who you hire and no markup on your food bill. Most venues in the Houston area require you to use a caterer from their preferred list.
Can I bring my own caterer for a Nigerian, Indian or Hispanic celebration?
Yes. Families often have a specific caterer for jollof and small chops, for halal or vegetarian cooking, or for family recipes. The Hendrix places no restriction on the cuisine or the kitchen you choose, provided the caterer holds a food handler's licence.
Also at The Hendrix
One building, one event at a time. Whatever else you are planning, the room and the rules are the same.
Pick a date
Check a date
Tell us the date, the guest count and who is cooking. We will confirm availability and a straight price, and send your caterer the load-in details directly so you do not have to relay anything.