Established in 2009, the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards is known as the world’s most important food and beverage space design competition across the globe. The organization celebrates the world’s most creative spaces, honoring venues on specific elements like color and lighting as well as bestowing its highest honors: the Best Overall Restaurant and Best Overall Bar worldwide and specific to region.
On October 27th, the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards will hold an official ceremony at EPIK Dubai, where it will announce the competition’s winners: bestowing awards to both the designer and the operator. Among 46 U.S. bars and restaurants in contention for the title of the best in the U.S. – and the world, for that matter – is one sole Houston restaurant, Haii Keii.
Haii Keii opened in the Upper Kirby/River Oaks area of Houston in February earlier this year. Designed by gin design group, the venue offers a striking, immersive environment accented in bold colors, visual projections, and scintillating metallics. According to officials, its design was in part influenced by Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
For the five regions assessed by the organization, including the Americas, Asia, Australia & Pacific, Europe, Africa & the Middle East, the categories of the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards are broken down into five categories: cafe, hotel, in another space (ie venues housed in anything from museums to cinemas, airports to museums), standalone, and surface interiors.
The competitions also features 14 categories that are not region specific. These categories are both concept-specific, such as nightclubs, luxury venues, small spaces, and fast casual venues, and specific to design elements like lighting, visual identity, and ceiling. Among the latter, the award organization have shortlisted Houston’s Haii Keii in the category of color — or “colour” as written on its webpage.
As explained on the official website, all shortlisted entries are designated finalists in contention for the award’s highest honors. These awards include:
- Best Overall Restaurant
- Best Overall Bar
- Best American Restaurant or Bar
- Best European Restaurant or Bar
- Best Asia Restaurant or Bar
- Best Australia & Pacific Restaurant or Bar
- Best Middle East & Africa Restaurant or Bar
Haii Keii is located at 3300 Kirby Drive, Suite 9-A. The upscale Asian steakhouse offers a diverse menu, fusing the traditional with the modern. Additionally, Haii Keii features a curated, Asian-inspired cocktail program.
Recently, the venue expanded its Lucky 7 Happy Hour; running from 5 pm – 7:30 pm Tuesday through Friday, offering $7 specials on its signature cocktails, wine, and sake. The $7 special also includes select menu items including its Korean Short Rib Tacos, Fried Pork Belly, Thai Chili Shrimp, Shrimp Banh Mi Roll, and other dishes.
The award organization employees a panel of influential hospitality and media company personnel to judge the entries. The Restaurant & Bar Design Awards will announce its winners on October 27, 2025.