The doors at the Thirteen restaurant have been shut down… for now. The restaurant Thirteen, owned by former Houston Rockets player James Harden, is closed because of a notice of unpaid rent to its landlord. 

A sign was posted on the front doors on September 1, and still remains up. Looking into the sign closely, it is stated that the restaurant owes $2.2 million dollars in fines and other fees.

If all is paid, then the restaurant can continue operating. 

James Harden opened the restaurant in 2021. The former Houston Rocket has established himself as a legend after spending eight years playing for the Space City. When the restaurant opened, he was on the verge of leaving the Rockets due to growing frustration with front office staff, and was later traded to the Brooklyn Nets.   

Known for its high-quality food and bar atmosphere, the restaurant went through a rebrand in 2024, under the direction of new Head Chef Siddartha Cadena, who is known internationally for cooking with another high-end restaurant.

But how did we end up here? With a restaurant no one can enter, and no updates from anyone involved?

The restaurant originally signed a lease in 2020 for a five-year deal, and then got an extension through October 2025. During this time period, rent and other fees were not paid.

Their social media is still active and reservations are still open through the OpenTable app.  

For right now, the restaurant doors are still locked, denoted by the posted sign, for the time being until all fees are paid.