Consistency is key when it comes to crafting the authentic Louisiana flavors of owner Darrin Cobb’s family recipes at TaD’s Bar & Grill in Tomball.

“We have a lady from New Orleans who makes all of our gumbo and etouffee, so all the food stays very consistent,” General Manager Dory Steen said. “All the recipes are originally from Darrin’s grandma and mom, so it’s true stuff from Louisiana. This is the real deal, authentic.”

After opening D C’s Sports Bar & Steakhouse in Eunice, Louisiana, in 1997, Cobb brought a slice of Cajun dining to Texas with the launch of his Seafood on the Geaux location in Katy in February 2014. He opened his second Texas restaurant a year later—TaD’s Bar & Grill in Tomball—with a complete menu of seafood dishes, Cajun customer favorites, steaks, po’boys, appetizers, salads, sandwiches and desserts.

“It does take a little bit longer [to cook the food], but we pride ourselves on everything being homemade and fresh,” Steen said. “Nothing is put in a freezer. Everything is prepped fresh, hand-battered and fried. It’s done the right way, and you can tell. It’s quality.”

The restaurant features a bar, a number of big-screen TVs and a patio area that will accommodate live music in the coming months, Steen said. TaD’s also offers catering for events and fundraising opportunities for local groups through crawfish boils.

Prior to managing the estimated 25 employees at the Tomball restaurant, Steen worked as a cashier at Seafood on the Geaux last year. Over time, she began taking on more responsibilities.

“I was going to school to be a teacher and working in the little seafood shack for a part-time job, and now I’m running a restaurant, which I never thought I’d be doing,” she said. “But it’s a blast. The people are what make it completely worth it.”

Aside from crawfish season each spring, the restaurant has also seen a surge in business during football season.

“We recently had a party of 10 in here on a busy Friday night, and they were so happy with the food and drinks,” Steen said. “To see a big party like that leave happy and tell us they would tell their friends to come here, that is what makes it worth it.”

1000 W. Main St., Tomball
832-843-6440
www.tadsoftomball.com
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-midnight