New Taste-and-Choose Technology

Over in near-loop Spring Branch, a revolutionary tasting tavern awaits. Shoot The Moon, features first-in-the-world self-pour technology that allows guests to pour themselves samples and full pours of 80 fine selections of craft cider, beer, wine, signature cocktails, and straight spirits. Guests never have to flag down a server or bartender to place a drink order or get a refill, because they can simply head to the tap wall and serve themselves.

“The Shoot The Moon experience is very different from a traditional table service restaurant because we’ve eliminated a lot of the frustration points like waiting to get the attention of a server to order your next drink or food item,” says Kevin Floyd, Shoot The Moon’s executive director. “We give guests a high level of control – we won’t dictate the pacing or try to steer choices, unless you ask for input, so you can simply make it your own.”

Wait—how is this legal?
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) allowed self-pour concepts to be licensed in 2019. Shoot The Moon is the first full bar self-pour restaurant in Houston and the first restaurant in the world to offer taste-and-choose technology with drinks on draft and finer selections in from-the-bottle Enomatic machines (all with the convenience of a one-tap access card). And don’t worry, the high-tech system tracks consumption so it’s not an all-you-can-booze buffet.

So what about the food?
Shoot the Moon’s dynamic tasting tavern experience includes a delicious menu anchored by hand-crafted pizzas, complete with house-made dough, fresh sauces, house-made meats, plus an impressive array of toppings.

Chef Dax McAnear’s from-scratch kitchen turns out not only top-notch pizza but also fresh salads, fun, shareable plates such as calamari, buffalo crab claws, and pimento cheese stuffed mushrooms. The menu also features comfort food entrees prepared with healthy touches. Quite a few items comply with gluten-friendly, vegan, Whole30, and Paleo lifestyles, making it the perfect spot for groups with a wide range of tastes and preferences.

While the menu is meticulously prepared, this fine-food experience won’t take three hours to play out. The food at Shoot the Moon is served up in a fast-casual format. Much like the tap wall, guests are not constrained by a traditional service format, and can simply order their food and have it delivered to their table promptly.

Where is this amazing place?
Shoot The Moon is located in the Spring Branch Village. Opened in late Summer 2021, Collaborative Projects, known for its restaurant projects, completed the building’s 4,000-square-foot space. Local graphics firm Letterset Houston designed the restaurant’s logo, branding, and a range of playful signage and graphic, displayed inside and outside the restaurant space.

What should I expect when I go there?
Guests will check in, show IDs, open a tab, place their food order, and get a special card that activates the tap system. They’ll be able to select and pour their own drinks at their leisure, while their food is prepared and promptly delivered.

Who owns Shoot The Moon?
The restaurant is owned by STM Hospitality LLC, a team comprised of Kevin Floyd, Dax McAnear, and Jonas Herd. Floyd co-founded Anvil Bar & Refuge, Underbelly, Hay Merchant, and several other Montrose concepts. Chef McAnear has worked alongside many of Houston’s elite chefs, including Ryan Pera, Scott Tycer and Chris Shepherd. Herd is also a partner with Collaborative Projects and has been the operating partner of Cecil’s Pub in Montrose since 2017.

Shoot the Moon is located at 8155 Long Point Rd. Houston, TX 77055
INFO: 281-888-4801 shootthemoontexas.com