The Bluebonnet Grille has been in existence for more than 40 years but has only been open to the general public since 2012.

The restaurant originally operated as the grill for the Quail Valley Country Club, which was a private and members-only club. The city of Missouri City bought the club in 2008 and converted it to a public golf course. In 2012 the city opened a new facility to house the pro shop and restaurant, which is known as the Quail Valley City Centre.

“The grill was part of the private golf course before and was not always referred to as a restaurant,” said Tyson Stittleburg, general manager of the Quail Valley Golf Course and City Centre. “It was not until the city built the new facility that The Bluebonnet Grille really become a restaurant.”

Stittleburg said the restaurant faces many challenges because it operated as the grill for a private club for so long and many still think they have to be members to eat at the restaurant. It also lacks visibility due to its location inside the City Centre.

“We hesitate to want to call [The Bluebonnet Grille] the best-kept secret because we believe we have a really good restaurant here and a lot of good things going on, but we don’t want it to be treated like a secret,” he said. “We want people to know about it, so we are trying to get the secret out.”

The restaurant is open to the public and serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. The menu boasts traditional grill items, such as burgers, sandwiches, salads and a few entrees.

The restaurant also has a full-service bar and offers breakfast on the weekends.

“We feel we have one of the best breakfast values in town,” Stittleburg said. “There is really not a whole lot of places to go for breakfast in Missouri City, and when you look at what we have and charge, it’s a great deal.”

In an effort to attract more people, Stittleburg said the restaurant puts on special events, such as live music, karaoke and bingo nights. The eatery also hosts a Mother’s Day and Easter brunch. Food and beverage manager Cyrille Girouard said they are also looking at changing the menu slightly in the near future by adding new items.

“What we strive for is to be a place that has quality food and [a] casual atmosphere,” Stittleburg said. “We want it to be casual and where people feel comfortable.”