Catering · Stafford, Houston
Houston venues that let you bring your own caterer
For a lot of families this is not a preference, it is the whole decision. If the food has to be jollof, or halal, or properly vegetarian, or cooked by the aunt who has fed the family for thirty years, then a venue with an approved supplier list is not a venue you can use.
What the restriction actually costs you
Venues restrict catering for two reasons: they make money on food, or they do not want to manage outside crews. Either way it lands on your invoice in three places.
The markup
Typically 15–25% on the whole food bill. On $6,000 of catering that is $900 to $1,500 — more than the cost of a smaller room outright.
The minimum
A per-head floor that quietly sets the size of your event. You end up inviting people to hit a number.
The menu
Built to be produced at volume for a general audience. It is rarely bad. It is almost never the food your family would have chosen.
The questions that separate real freedom from marketing
“Outside catering welcome” on a website can mean several different things. Ask these five and you will know which one you are dealing with.
- Is there an approved or preferred list at all?
- Is there a fee, commission or percentage for using my own?
- What kitchen do they get, and how big is it?
- What insurance or licence do you need from them, and by when?
- Can they arrive early to set up, and through which door?
A venue that takes 10% “administration” on an outside caterer is not really an outside-catering venue. Neither is one that gives your crew a domestic kitchen and a fire door.
How it works at The Hendrix
There is no approved list and no markup. Any licensed caterer you choose may work here, and the same applies to your DJ, decorator, photographer and MC.
A 1,000 sq ft prep kitchen
A real working kitchen, not a warming cupboard. Enough room to plate for 300 without the crew standing on each other.
A side loading door
Ground level, straight from the car park. Chafing dishes and cases do not come through the guest entrance or up a staircase.
BYOB on clear terms
You supply the alcohol. It must be served by a TABC-certified bar company or bartender whose certificate reaches us five days before. Whatever is left goes home with you.
Houston does not eat one kind of food
This is one of the most culturally mixed metropolitan areas in the United States, and the guest list at almost every event here reflects that. A venue that dictates the menu is asking a family to celebrate in somebody else’s language.
Indian and South Asian
A kitchen that understands what vegetarian actually means, or that is properly halal, is not a preference to be negotiated. Bring the caterer who already cooks for your family.
Nigerian and West African
The jollof, the small chops, the pounded yam and the asun are the event. A banquet menu with an “African-inspired” option is not the same thing, and the room will know.
Caribbean
Jerk, curried goat, rice and peas, festival. Houston’s Caribbean community is large and long-established, and the food is specific. Bring your cook.
Mexican and Latin American
From a taquero at the door to a full seated service. Whether it is a quinceañera, a wedding or a baptism, the menu is yours to set.
Kosher
Your own kosher caterer, working from a kitchen large enough to do it properly rather than a warming cupboard.
Repasts
Families often want one particular kitchen — the one that cooks the food the person actually liked. That is entirely fine here.
One building, a lot of different celebrations
In the same month this room has held a Nigerian birthday, an Indian wedding, a church banquet, a corporate awards night and a repast. That is only possible because nobody here tells you what to serve or who may cook it.
The rooms
The Mansion seats 300 or holds 350 standing, from $2,500. The Dome upstairs suits 80 guests or fewer, from $1,200, and is the same price on any day. Only one event runs at a time. Every rate is on the pricing page.
Catering questions
Which Houston venues let you bring your own caterer?
The Hendrix in Stafford places no restriction on which licensed caterer you use and takes no percentage of your food bill. There is no approved or preferred list, and a 1,000 sq ft prep kitchen is available to them.
Is there a fee for using an outside caterer?
No. There is no markup, no commission and no administration fee for bringing your own caterer. The same applies to your DJ, decorator, photographer and MC.
What kitchen does my caterer get?
A 1,000 sq ft working prep kitchen, with a side loading door at ground level directly from the car park, so equipment does not come through the guest entrance or up a staircase.
Can we serve Indian, Caribbean, Mexican or West African food?
Yes, any of them. There is no approved list, so you bring the caterer who already cooks for your family – South Asian, Nigerian, Caribbean, Mexican, kosher, halal or anything else. They work from the 1,000 sq ft prep kitchen and we take no percentage of the bill.
What do you need from my caterer?
A current licence, and for anyone serving alcohol a TABC certificate that reaches us five days before the event. Beyond that they can arrive early to set up through the side door.
Can we bring our own alcohol?
Yes, BYOB is permitted. All alcohol must be served by a TABC-certified bar company or bartender. Anything left over at the end of the night is returned to you.
How much does the room cost?
The Mansion seats 300 or holds 350 standing, from $2,500. The Dome upstairs suits 80 guests or fewer, from $1,200, and is the same price on any day of the week. Every rate is published on the pricing page.
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