Today we’d like to introduce you to John Amato.
Thanks for sharing your story with us John. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been in the restaurant business almost my entire working life. At age 17, I started working in a small, mom and pop, restaurant in my hometown and worked my way up to managing large, high volume, chains and an intimate, fine dining, restaurant. My love of the restaurant business led me to receive a Hotel and Restaurant Management Degree from the Conrad Hilton College at The University of Houston. Throughout this journey, I never stopped dreaming of following in my Grandfather’s footsteps and owning my own restaurant. In 2012, my wife and I began to seriously pursue making that dream a reality. After 3 long years of research, concept development, property searches, and meetings with our investors, we took the plunge and signed the lease to open J. Henry’s Draught House + Kitchen. Getting the doors opened was a true team effort. Our family and friends put in countless hours helping with remodeling, painting, cleaning, and decorating J. Henry’s. Our vision for this restaurant was to create a place where people of all ages would feel comfortable enjoying a great meal and an amazing selection of craft beer. I am proud to say that I think we have achieved that goal. I never would have thought when we opened 2 years ago, that we would already be in a position to open a 2nd restaurant. Craft 96 Draught House + Kitchen will open later this year in League City.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our first challenge was definitely having a very tight budget to get our doors opened. We knew from the start that we would have to do most of the work ourselves and only contract out a few select projects. I am not naturally a handy man, but by the time we opened and with the help of family and friends, I learned how to re-grout tile, build and install a bar, scour restaurant auctions, and much more. I am so grateful for each and every person who helped us get J. Henry’s ready for customers. It is fun to sit in the restaurant every now and then and remember those long, hard days working together, but I am very glad that they are behind us.
Our next big challenge was finding the right staff. I felt confident that I had a good restaurant concept and good recipes, but I have learned through my experiences in other restaurants that the staff has the power to make or break you. We were very nervous about finding the right people to fill positions in both the front and back of the house. I have to say that we have been extremely blessed by an AMAZING staff in all positions. In fact, almost every person who was with us on our first anniversary was with us on our second as well. That is very rare in such a high turnover industry. We are so grateful for a staff that has bought into our concept and has been committed to our family and this restaurant.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about J Henry’s Draught House and Kitchen – what should we know?
J. Henry’s is a family owned and operated restaurant specializing in craft beer and unique American food. We offer a casual drinking and dining experience for craft beer lovers and novices, foodies and families. With 51 taps, craft beer is surely a huge draw, but we are proud to say that our menu also keeps people coming back. Some of our more unique, customer favorite, items include our Fried Egg Burger, Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, Soft Pretzel with Beer Queso, and our Chicken Fried Steak Tacos.
We are proud to be a part of the growing craft beer scene in the Clear Lake/Houston area. We really enjoy supporting small startup breweries and watching so many of them achieve success. We are also proud to be able to use J. Henry’s to support the community and causes near and dear to us through fundraisers and events.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I would not be where I am today without hard work, patience, the support of my family, and most importantly, my faith in God. I feel so blessed to be able to support my family doing what I love to do.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1105 Clear Lake City Blvd., Houston, TX. 77062
- Website: www.jhdraughthouse.com
- Phone: 281-786-1994
- Email: jhdraughthouse@gmail.com
- Instagram: jhdraughthouse51
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/J-Henrys-Draught-House-Kitchen-1388842404750750/?ref=settings
- Twitter: @jhenrysdraught
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/j-henrys-draught-house-kitchen-houston
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