After trying one bite of fish tacos at The Fish Place in Spring, Bland and Andra Brown ended up buying a franchise of their own, Restaurant Manager Tracie McCartney said.

Bland purchased The Fish Place at the intersection of Rayford and Richards roads in 2010. In 2011, the couple decided to rebrand, and Bubba T’s Cajun Kitchen was formed.

“The thing we’re known for is our hospitality,” McCartney said. “We’re rolling out the red carpet for everybody. That’s how we treat everybody—they’re special. They’re important.”

Bubba T’s—named after Bland’s childhood nickname—expanded in March, opening a new location across I-45 on Sawdust Road. However, the original Rayford Road location sustained water damage from Hurricane Harvey, the owners said.

The Browns do not anticipate renovations taking too long and hope to reopen the Rayford location by Oct. 1, Andra said. Meanwhile, the Sawdust location remains open and fully operational, Andra said.

Popular menu items at both restaurants include fried shrimp, fried catfish and fish tacos, McCartney said.

“Our fried food is fried in cornmeal, cornstarch and flour,” she said. “Most places don’t do that, so it’s different.”

In addition to classic Cajun entrees, Bubba T’s offers beer, wine and specialty desserts on the menu, McCartney said. Happy hour specials run from 3-7 p.m. daily, and the restaurant serves Baby Cakes cupcakes from the Willis-based bakery.

Most of the seafood served at Bubba T’s comes from Louisiana, and the restaurant has its own special spice blends for fried, grilled and blackened menu items, Andra said.

“Our cooks use only the finest, freshest and highest quality ingredients and vegetables, which make each served dish taste just like our family recipes, right down to our home made sauces,” she said.

McCartney said the restaurant also offers unique fundraising opportunities during which local corporations and nonprofits can work at the restaurant for a night and keep their tips and a portion of the proceeds.

“If you want to come in here and try to earn money toward your corporation, you can let all your friends and family know you’re coming in to work that night,” she said. “That’s our contribution toward to community.”

In the future, Andra and Bland hope to open more locations in places like Willis, which is where the couple lives, Andra said.

“Bubba T’s is hot on the trail to land our next location in the Conroe-Willis area,” she said.