EXHIBIT 31.1

                  CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
                           SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Eric S. Langan, certify that:

1.   I  have  reviewed  this  annual  report  on  Form  10-KSB of Rick's Cabaret
     International,  Inc.;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a  material  fact  or  omit  to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements  made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were  made,  not  misleading  with  respect  to  the period covered by this
     report;

3.   Based  on  my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and other financial
     information  included  in  this  report,  fairly  present  in  all material
     respects  the  financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
     Rick's Cabaret International, Inc. as of, and for, the periods presented in
     this  report;

4.   Rick's  Cabaret International, Inc.'s other certifying officer(s) and I are
     responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure  controls  and
     procedures  (as  defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for
     Rick's  Cabaret  International,  Inc.  and  have:

     (a)  Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or caused such
          disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to  be  designed  under  our
          supervision,  to  ensure  that material information relating to Rick's
          Cabaret  International, Inc., including its consolidated subsidiaries,
          is  made  known  to  us  by others within those entities, particularly
          during  the  period  in  which  this  report  is  being  prepared;

     (b)  Designed  such  internal  control  over financial reporting, or caused
          such  internal  control  over financial reporting to be designed under
          our  supervision,  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the
          reliability  of  financial  reporting and the preparation of financial
          statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted
          accounting  principles;

     (c)  Evaluated  the  effectiveness  of Rick's Cabaret International, Inc.'s
          disclosure  controls  and  procedures and presented in this report our
          conclusions  about  the  effectiveness  of the disclosure controls and
          procedures,  as  of the end of the period covered by this report based
          on  such  evaluation;  and

     (d)  Disclosed  in  this report any change in Rick's Cabaret International,
          Inc.'s  internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
          Rick's  Cabaret International, Inc.'s most recent fiscal year that has
          materially  affected,  or  is  reasonably likely to materially affect,
          Rick's  Cabaret  International, Inc.'s internal control over financial
          reporting;  and


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5.   Rick's Cabaret International, Inc.'s other certifying officer(s) and I have
     disclosed,  based  on  our  most recent evaluation of internal control over
     financial  reporting,  to Rick's Cabaret International, Inc.'s auditors and
     the  audit  committee  of  Rick's  Cabaret  International,  Inc.'s board of
     directors  (or  persons  performing  the  equivalent  functions):

     (a)  All  significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
          operation  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting which are
          reasonably  likely  to  adversely affect Rick's Cabaret International,
          Inc.'s  ability  to  record,  process,  summarize and report financial
          information;  and

     (b)  Any  fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant role in Rick's Cabaret International,
          Inc.'s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.

Date: May 4, 2004                         By:     /s/ Eric S. Langan
                                                  ------------------
                                                  Eric S. Langan
                                                  Chief Executive Officer


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