A longtime Freeport restaurant hit by Hurricane Beryl damage marked a comeback Thursday afternoon as On The River Restaurant officially opened “The Boardwalk,” a rebuilt section of the business designed for meetings and private events.
The ribbon cutting was held July 9, 2026, at 3 p.m. with the Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce. Jay Collins, a previous general manager of On The River who is now a business partner and part owner, cut the ribbon.
The new space, called “The Boardwalk” at On The River, was named from an idea by Collins’ son, Jacob.
The opening marks another chapter for a Freeport restaurant that has been part of the local dining scene since 1988. On The River was founded by Drew Ryder and has become a familiar name in Brazosport-area dining, earning recognition over the years including being voted “#1 in Brazosport” by local diners and being named among the “Top 40 Small Town Cafes in Texas” by Texas Monthly.
But Hurricane Beryl left part of the building badly damaged.
During remarks at the ceremony, Ryder said many people thought the hurricane had destroyed On The River. He explained that while the restaurant continued, the storm damaged the front porch, the room now known as The Boardwalk, and the restrooms behind it.
“For two years we’ve been trying to get this part of the restaurant opened,” Ryder said. “A lot of people thought that the hurricane actually destroyed On The River, and it did destroy this part of the restaurant, the front porch, this room and the restrooms behind it.”
Ryder said the roof and ceilings were damaged, forcing crews to tear the affected area down to the studs. After working through the insurance process, he said he had reached the point where he did not think rebuilding that portion of the restaurant was worth it.
“We were just gonna tear this part and the front porch down,” Ryder said.
That changed when Collins and Becka Ryder had a different vision for the space.
“Jay and Becka had a vision of doing this,” Ryder said, referring to the rebuilt room. He joked that he had also resisted Becka's earlier idea to rebrand the business.
“Just like the Swamp Shack when Becka said we’re gonna rebrand, and I said, ‘No, we’re not doing that,’ she started painting and I shut up,” Ryder said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Ryder said he had also been against rebuilding the damaged section into The Boardwalk, but said Becka pushed the idea forward.
“I was adamant we were not doing this, but the boss told me we were doing this, so here we are today — and I’m grateful for that,” Ryder said.
The moment brought smiles from those gathered as Ryder reflected on the work, the hesitation, and the family-and-business effort that helped bring the damaged section back to life.
The Boardwalk now gives On The River a separate space for business meetings and other more private events. The room has a modern-rustic feel, with sports items, televisions and roughly nine tables visible inside.
Several local officials, business representatives and community members attended the ribbon cutting. The Chamber introduced multiple people and organizations in support of On The River, including Freeport Mayor Cain, Robert Johnson with the Freeport Economic Development Corporation, Rob Giesecke, chairman of the Port Freeport Commission, and others. Attendees also took photos with Jay Collins, Becka Ryder and Drew Ryder after the ceremony.
For On The River, the opening of The Boardwalk is more than just another room. It is a visible sign of recovery after storm damage and a reminder of the restaurant’s long place in Freeport’s business community.
The restaurant has operated in Freeport since 1988 and remains one of the city’s familiar local dining spots for residents, visitors and longtime customers.
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