ABOUT US
At Parkwood American Grille, dining is more than a meal — it’s a moment. Rooted in the art of modern American cuisine, Parkwood brings together quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and timeless hospitality to create an experience that feels both refined and familiar.
Every plate is crafted with care, every pour served with purpose, and every guest welcomed as part of the story we’re building. Whether it’s a relaxed brunch, a business lunch, or an evening shared over a bottle of wine, Parkwood is where conversation flows as easily as the flavors.
Here, sophistication meets comfort — and every detail, from the atmosphere to the service, is designed to elevate the everyday.
Founder
Raz Halili
A second-generation oysterman and vice president of his family’s internationally recognized fishery, Prestige Oysters, Raz Halili was raised with a deep appreciation for hard work, family and the waters of the Gulf Coast.
His father, Johnny, immigrated to the United States from the Balkans during a period of political unrest. Alongside Raz’s mother, Lisa, he spent decades enduring cold winters, scorching summers and the demanding realities of shrimping and oystering to build the family business. Together, they created their own version of the American Dream while instilling in Raz a lasting connection to his Albanian heritage, strengthened through annual visits with extended family in Kosovo.
Although his parents insisted that he complete his education before working in the Prestige office, Raz learned the oyster business from the ground up. As a child, he helped customers at the family’s seafood market. As he grew older, he unloaded boats, loaded trucks and operated forklifts at the processing plant before learning to work on the water aboard the Bad Johnny under Captain Coyote.
At just 16 years old, Raz captained his first oyster boat. He continued working the Galveston Bay each summer throughout high school and college, leaving the docks before sunrise and returning in the afternoon with the day’s harvest. Those years gave him a profound respect for the oyster—not only as a food source, but also as an essential part of the coastal ecosystem and a livelihood for generations of Gulf Coast families.
Before committing himself fully to the family business, Raz dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player. A ball was rarely far from his feet, whether he was practicing on the docks with fishing crews or chasing one that had been kicked into the Gulf. His talent eventually led him to Houston Baptist University, where he was recruited to play NCAA Division I soccer. After earning his bachelor’s degree in communications, Raz retired his cleats and returned to the industry that had shaped his life.
Upon taking on a leadership role at Prestige Oysters, Raz initially focused on sales and business development. He expanded the company’s reach throughout Houston and helped establish relationships with major restaurants and food distributors across the Southeast. Under the Halili family’s leadership, Prestige Oysters has grown into a vertically integrated operation with facilities in Texas and Louisiana, providing jobs for hundreds of people and supplying premium Gulf oysters to customers across the country and beyond.
“Oystering is very honorable work,” Raz says. “It’s labor-intensive, and you’re constantly battling the elements to make sure there are oysters for next week’s market. When it’s done properly and sustainably, you’re not simply taking from the water—you’re replenishing it for the future.” That commitment to responsible harvesting has become a defining part of Raz’s work. He helped guide Prestige Oysters through an intensive three-year assessment that resulted in the company becoming the first fishery in the Americas to earn certification from the Marine Stewardship Council. Prestige’s conservation efforts include recycling 100 percent of the oyster shells processed through its facilities, returning shell and limestone to the water to help restore reefs, and carefully managing harvest practices to protect the long-term health and productivity of Gulf Coast bays.
Raz brought that same respect for the Gulf to the creation of Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House in San Leon. With direct access to some of the freshest seafood harvested from nearby waters, Pier 6 offers guests an authentic tide-to-table experience in a relaxed waterfront setting. The restaurant reflects Raz’s vision of creating more than a dining destination—it is a place where guests can gather, connect with the Gulf Coast and develop a greater understanding of seafood seasonality, sustainability and the distinct character of oysters harvested from different regions.
Today, Raz continues to build upon his family’s legacy while helping shape the future of the Gulf Coast seafood industry. He serves in leadership roles with several fisheries and seafood organizations, including the Gulf Seafood Foundation, Stronger America Through Seafood, the Gulf Seafood Institute and the Gulf Oyster Industry Council.
Building on the success of Pier 6, Raz and his team are now developing their newest establishment, PARKWOOD. Guided by the same commitment to exceptional hospitality, quality ingredients and memorable guest experiences, PARKWOOD represents the next chapter in Raz’s culinary journey. The forthcoming concept promises to carry forward the standard of excellence that has made Pier 6 a celebrated Gulf Coast destination while establishing an identity and experience entirely its own.
Raz lives in Kemah, Texas, with his wife, their two daughters and their son. Whether working on the water, growing the family business or developing his next hospitality concept, he remains guided by the values passed down by his parents: work hard, honor your heritage, protect the Gulf and always leave something meaningful for the next generation.