The couple had lived in Canada, New York and Florida and had been in the restaurant business for 25 years. They looked at restaurants all over the country before deciding to move to Texas in 2009 to buy Fajita Jacks, a restaurant in Montgomery.
“Texas was always vibrant,” John said.
The couple bought Fajita Jacks and moved it to its current location at the Waterpoint Shopping Center on Lake Conroe. Then, they set their eyes on the restaurant across the parking lot: Sam’s Boat, a Houston-based Gulf Coast kitchen and sports bar.
The spot was a regular hangout space for bargoers, the Morrises said, but they had other plans. They purchased the restaurant, reconstructed and redesigned it, and in October 2019 opened Monty’s Lighthouse—a Cajun seafood diner.
Their son, Aaron Morris, said the vision behind Monty’s was to deliver a beautiful restaurant with a bar, a great view, outdoor seating and delicious food with a focus on the people of Montgomery—hence the inspiration behind the name.
“We heard from what people in Montgomery wanted,” he said. “They want good seafood.”
Menu items include crawfish, stuffed flounder, shrimp and grits, Cajun pasta and po’boys.
John said he takes pride in the restaurant’s cleanliness and layout, which the family designed and built themselves. The Morrises worked together to remodel and decorate—from the water, the restaurant is designed to look like a lighthouse.
Although the Morrises still own Fajita Jacks—often running between the buildings throughout the day—the atmosphere between the two is different, they said. Fajita Jacks is family oriented and casual. Meanwhile, Monty’s is a bit more upscale and subdued with quiet music.
Monty’s is a place to enjoy a drink, such as a pina colada, while enjoying the waterfront view, John said.
“We wanted to create something special,” he said.
Monty’s Lighthouse
15250 Hwy. 105, Montgomery
936-588-1212
www.montyslighthouse.com
Hours: Sun.-Thu. 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
