Dido's Restaurant

Proudly serving the Lake Jackson, Freeport, Brazoria, Angleton, and Brazosport area with fresh Gulf seafood, hand cut steaks and gorgeous sunsets on the San Bernard River for over 20 years!

Our Beginnings...

Dido's (pronounced Diddo's) was founded by Pete and Sue Smirch.  They operated the restaurant on County Road 519 at Churchill and have been good neighbors to area residents for the past 23 years. The casual, welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant is as comfortable during the winter months as it is when relaxing there with a cold drink on a hot summer day.

The place seated 30 people when it opened in 1984. Today, it holds well over 300 between the dining area inside and the screened-in porch area outside...both overlooking the San Bernard River.   Business increased over the years, mostly from "word of mouth" recommendations. 

Pete, who is of Croatian descent, gave the restaurant it's name because his grandchildren called him "Dido" which in his native language means "grandpa"! He named the place in honor of all grandfathers.

After years of being in the shrimping business, the Smirch's decided that they could not make a living on that alone. In addition to that, there was no place down on the river for the kids to go and eat and get gas for their boats. Pete loves to cook, so opening a restaurant with a dock on the river where he could serve his fresh catch seemed the natural thing to do.

To date, ten floating docks rest in the water, below the porch and deck lined with palm trees, with room for 20 ski boats. Often times you can see yachts spending the weekend at this delightful riverside retreat.

Although finding Dido's can be tricky...you can do it! Here's a map  for you! Once you have been there...you won't soon forget the wonderful food, warm, friendly staff and the relaxing atmosphere! Come join us!

Who We Are today...

In the spring of 2007, Jeff Luckey approached his friend Andrew Alexander about looking into a restaurant that was for sale near Lake Jackson.  Jeff had heard wonderful things about Dido's, and wanted to see what it was all about.  They visited Pete and Sue in April, and were hooked immediately by the warm atmosphere, and great food.

Jeff Luckey has been in the restaurant business for 25 years.  He moved to Houston from Chicago in 1984 and started working at Steak and Ale while going to college.  From there he went to work at the legendary Stables Restaurant where he soon became a manager and then General Manager of the Westheimer location.  It was a regular customer at The Stables that insisted that Jeff look into an "opportunity" on the river.  Jeff divides his time (carefully) between Dido's, and his wonderful wife and beautiful daughters who still live in "the big city".

Andrew Alexander has been working in restaurants since he was 15.  A native Houstonian, he worked at The Stables with Jeff for 5 years before leaving to become a GM for Chipotle, and later Ruby Tuesday's.  He has moved to "the river" full time and now serves on the "Board of Directors" for the Brazoria Chamber of Commerce.

With a combined 40 years in the industry, Jeff and Andrew look forward to 23 more great years on the waterfront! 

                
           Andrew-hard at work?     

         Jeff-playing in the kitchen?