Entering the bustling, packed dining room on a recent Tuesday night, even though darkened, I sensed a palpable buzz. A very good sign for a new restaurant, especially midweek, and something I had hoped for when finally visiting Jun, which I thought to give at least a couple months for it to get settled in.
 
On 20th Street east of Heights Boulevard, Jun opened in February as one of this year’s most anticipated new restaurants. It’s led by chefs Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, who turned out some tasty and interesting southeast Asian-inspired fare at Kin in the Politan Row food hall in the Rice Village before the pandemic. Then Garcia had a star turn last year on the Top Chef season filmed in Houston, drawing a great deal more attention.
 
There’s quite a lot more here than at Kin, in all regards. The prime draw, the menu, has about fifteen savory items ranging from snacks to starters to larger entrée-sized preparations. There are identifiable notes and inspirations from Thailand, India, Spain, France, the Middle East and, maybe more so, Mexico, a mash-up that works very well in a testament to the insight and experience of the principals and skills in the kitchen. It’s a menu that should resonate with dedicated local diners, of which there are many now in the neighborhood. As with many fairly ambitious restaurants in recent years, items are described mostly by the significant ingredients. These can necessitate explanation from a server. “Lamb curry, pickled daikon, pistachio” is one. This is a lamb shank on the bone in a light curry sauce with some thin slices of daikon radish and a scatter of pistachios, served without accompaniments. Sharing is encouraged for that and all dishes, and a good way to go here. It worked well for my friend Robbin and I.
 
We started with aguachile with Gulf shrimp, a refined take on the piquant Mexican ceviche preparation, also with avocado, taro and shrimp oil. Though a light on the shrimp, the dish was delicious – if not quite like the fiery version once served nearby at Tampico on Airline – and I found myself trying to spoon up the last of the broth in the bowl. Our other starter, a quaint tartlet of small pieces of the beef tartare with toasted rice and egg yolk, was also enjoyable. Roasted heirloom carrots coated in a nutty salsa macha dotted with pieces of a fresh Salvadoran cheese and a couple halves of a tiny, fully cooked quail egg was one of the larger preparations, and the most enticing carrots I’ve had in a while. The lamb shank was the other. Moist and flavorful meat came easily from the bone without need of a knife. The sauce was more-than-pleasant if without the oomph of the Rogan Josh I had at Surya on Durham later in the week; to be expected, actually. Bread would have been welcome with that and the other dishes, but since it didn’t make an appearance, not available, we ordered a side of coconut rice that helped some. We quite enjoyed all four of the dishes, each exhibiting excellent technique with high-quality ingredients and appealing, sensible compositions. Though the portions are on the smaller size, the four items between the two of us left us satiated. And prices are fair.
 
Robbin’s mocktail with a cheeky name, Ginger She Hot, made with ginger, Thai basil, lime, agave spirit and sparkling water was terrific. Surprisingly so. Two were in order and probably a better match for the food than the wines I ordered. Just mocktails and wine- and sake-based cocktails as Jun has only a beer and wine license.
 
On the downside, I found the selection and service of wines to be disappointing. It’s a small list without many wines that I thought were that food-friendly. It was tough to pair any of the dishes with any of the wines, and not because of the diversity of dishes. Odd choices, too. There are a handful of offerings from Mexico including one from Guanajuato for $20 for a glass. I didn’t even know there was wine production there. That was unknown when visiting when my brother lived in the city a couple of decades or so ago and working in the beverage industry. Definitely not worth a flyer for me at the price. My Provencal Peyrassol rosé was expectedly inoffensive to start but not aiding the aguachile or tartare mch. And the second glass, a Spanish garnacha-heavy blend, was little too rough and simple to complement the lamb very much nor the carrots. Then, the wine pours are easily the least generous I’ve encountered in a restaurant in memory. Each seemed like three ounces, maybe, and certainly appeared smaller than the half-pours I had at Camerata later in the week. Full-sized prices at Jun, though.
 
The wine service was a far cry from a recent visit to the also new PS21 where we had a few excellent pairing suggestions from a waiter from a similarly concise, but conversely, nicely chosen list. Its Frenchness is probably part of the wide difference with wines, but a very noticeable one.
 
Most importantly, the food is well-done here and compelling, and served in an attractive and inviting setting. Service is earnest, attentive and proficient enough. Though the preparations are mostly suited for sharing, the bar near the entrance provides a number of seats for the single diner.  I’m looking forward to a second visit to sample some more of the menu, and maybe with a mocktail.
 
Jun
20 E 20th Street (between N. Main and Heights), 77008, (832) 469-7664
junbykin.com

The lamb and carrots the other night at Jun

I enjoyed my first visit to Home Slice, the intentionally kitschy, Austin-bred, New York-style pizza joint that opened a few months ago in Midtown amid a cluster of bars and restaurants in the former space of Monica Pope’s t’afia and Sparrow. It was busy Saturday evening at the restaurant, and tough to find even a stool near the cashier. But the freshly baked pizza was well worth the slight hassle, and service was friendly and efficient and the vibe was fun. There was also a short of list of enticing wines, which pleasantly surprised me, to say the least. All Italian, too.
 
I like wine with pizza, even if wine is not a classic pairing with New York-style pizza. You think a cold beer or a sugary soda water. You don’t think Italian wine. I like it, though, as Italian wines generally go well with food, even if the provenance is actually the city of New York. Here is its list:
 
Whites:

• Luchi Pinot Grigio – $8 per glass / $28 for a bottle
• Calasole Vermentino – $10 / $36
• Botromagno Gravina Bianco – $11.50 / $42
• Giuliana Prosecco – $12.50 / $46
• Saracco Moscato d’Asti (375mL) – $11.50 / $24

 
Reds :

• Pala Silenzi Rosso – $8 / $28 – A Carignano, Monica blend from Sardinia, and value performer
• Nevio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – $10 / $36
• Coppo L’Avvocata Barbera d’Asti – $11.50 / $42
• Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico – $12.50 / $46
• Allegrini Valpolicella Classico – $13.50 / $48

 
Lambrusco and Rosé:

• Cleto Chiarli Brut de Noir Rosé – $12 / $44
• Vigneto Cialdini Lambrusco – $12 / $44
• Ca’Maiol Chiaretto Rosé – $13 / $47

 
Wanting to give Lambrusco another chance with pizza, I went with the Cleto Chiarli. Not a success for me, but it’s certainly a good wine. My buddy’s Nevio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo was a much better choice with pizza. And I was especially happy to see the Coppo L’Avvocata, as Coppo was my favorite producer among the many I sampled in the Asti area on a trip sponsored by the Barbera d’Asti consortium a few years ago. The Moscato d’Asti consortium was another sponsor of that junket, so I’m more aware of those wines. The balanced Saracco Moscato d’Asti on the menu can be very enjoyable, too, but much more so with a dessert on the menu or just by itself.
 
The quality, food-friendly Italian wines at Home Slice are good to see. Cannisters of oregano joining the ones with red pepper flakes and Parmesan were, too, reminding me of my time in the northeast. Never had a good Italian wine with a New York-style pizza up there, though.
 
Home Slice Pizza
3701 Travis (between Holman and Alabama), (832) 810-7437
homeslicepizza.com/location/houston-midtown/

A little more than a slice from Home Slice on a subsequent visit

Everyone seems to love tacos in some form – there’s even a day of the week for it, the alliterative Tuesday. And there are plenty of places get tacos in Houston, from trucks that have long plied job sites or have found a place to park long term off busy street, at air conditioned taquerias serving broad menus, in out-of-town chains targeting teenagers with funky fillings, at restaurants where tacos are one of the only few Mexican or Tex-Mex items, and in bars which even might have destination-worthy creations.
 
Tacos have become more Mexican, and also less, in recent years. The crispy shelled tacos filled with ground beef, shredded lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese of my youth – the only ones we knew – are anomaly in the city these days. Nearly all tacos today have soft tortillas, more often corn than flour, with chopped onions and cilantro along with wedges of lime to accompany most of the meat-filled versions, as is done in Mexico. There are also restaurants, some with a number of locations, serving creative takes, using the tortilla as a multi-cuisine canvas – not unlike a pizza crust – for tacos with tofu, Korean fried rice, lamb keema, Buffalo chicken, etc.
 
Whatever the style, the best feature items that are cooked to order rather than scooped from a steam tray and with recently made tortillas accompanied by flavorful salsas. One thing I’ve found over the years is that pastor can be a test of a taco purveyor. The pork meat in an al pastor taco is a often a little dry and not very flavorful. It helps to have a trompo, a vertical roasting spit, though I’ve had versions made without that are quite tasty.
 
Listed in order of preference below, and just for the afternoon- , nighttime-type tacos. Breakfast tacos are something different, of course, and have a separate list.

The Best
 
Urbe – Opened in the summer of 2021, this street food outpost from Hugo Ortega and team in Uptown Park is necessarily more ambitious, wide-ranging and accomplished than just about any taco purveyor around. Though this does not have the culinary fireworks you may encounter at one of Hugo Ortega’s other three local Mexican restaurants – Hugo’s, Caracol and Xochi – Urbe serves tacos with the greatest depth of flavor around, some of the prettiest ones, too. These are three to an order, almost all with corn tortillas, and it’s tough to go wrong among pastor from the trompo, beef barbacoa, carnitas and chicharron, brisket with mushroom and chilaca pepper, birria with consommé, and certainly the charred octopus. Uptown Park
100% Taquito – The fare here is the street food of Mexico City: tacos, quesadillas, tortas, sopes, molletes, banderillas, etc., though done in a slightly more upscale and air-conditioned fashion. And the tacos here are taquitos; an order consists of three small tacos filled with a choice of excellent ingredients: chicken; barbacoa de brisket, or regular brisket, tinga, spicy brisket cooked with chipotle peppers, and pastor. There’s a choice between fresh corn or flour tortillas. These seem to taste a tad better with the more authentically Mexican corn tortillas. All taquitos are garnished with just cilantro and onions, as you might expect. The complimentary salsas, red and green, are excellent. The pico de gallo, suitably vibrant and zesty, is also a very nice complement to the dishes. The best bets have been the spicy brisket and the pork served with pineapple cubes. Quesadillas here are prepared in the Mexican fashion, very similar to tacos, might even be a better bet. Greenway Plaza
Master Taco – Parked at Richmond and Woodhead since the spring of 2020, this noticeably friendly taco truck staffed by a family from the state of Guerrero serves up terrific small tacos on flavorful house-made corn or flour tortillas Monday through Friday for lunch and early dinner, where, for good reason, you will usually find at least someone waiting near the intersection for their food. Those taquitos are what to order here, $2 on double corn tortillas, $2.50 for flour, though a little more for lengua and tripa – and the tender and flavorful lengua might be worth it. Beef, pastor, chicken, chicharron en salsa verde, chorizo with nopales, and carnitas round out the fillings, all worth ordering. Sopes, gorditas, quesadillas, chicharones, and the daily plates are also worth a try. Montrose
Tacos A Go Go – What began as a small storefront next to the Continental Club on Main Street in Midtown in 2006, Tacos A Go Go is the best of the Tacos 2.0 spots, a fun, very user-friendly mini-chain that hews closely to Mexico and Texas for its tacos, and doing nearly everything quite well – the salsas might need some more flavor and heat, though. Most tacos are assembled in the Mexican fashion with diced onions, chopped cilantro but it depends on the filling. And these offer the largest array of those of any local taco joint, and without a steam table. For beef, there’s grilled, brisket, carne guisada, picadillo, and the now necessary birria with consommé. For the other proteins: chicken a few ways, fish, shrimp and even lamb barbacoa, which won statewide acclaim from Texas Monthly, as did the pollo guisado. Vegetarian, a couple vegan versions and one with the quite odd tater tots round out the options. Also, you can get one of its breakfast tacos at any time, very nicely. Midtown, Heights, Garden Oaks, Greenway Plaza, Downtown
Eight Row Flint – Primarily a bar, or bars now, these are also great stops for tacos even with no drinks in the plans. A fun and enticing small complement of choices is led by the richly flavorful beef cheek barbacoa with the beef sourced from the well-regarded 44 Farms. The East End location has a different lineup including an odd roasted pork belly with crispy octopus combination. The similarly odd but also still trendy Brussel sprouts are in the middle of tacos at both locations, which proudly make their own corn tortillas. Unfortunately, only one tortilla is provisioned per taco, making for a mess as it’s impossible to finish taco, at least a barbacoa taco, before it falls apart. A second and nearly necessary tortilla per taco is, annoyingly, an extra buck. Heights, East End
Papalo Taqueria – The star of Finn Hall on Main Street is a small stall dishing artisanal tacos at a measured clip. There’s just five choices, each interesting, suitably accompanied and wrapped in tortillas made in-house from stone-mill ground heirloom corn: pork shoulder in a roasted tomatillo salsa, an actually flavorful chicken taco – with marinated chicken thighs – brisket, pork belly, and even one with a confit carrot centerpiece. About $5 a taco. You might need three. Downtown
Tio Trompo – As its name suggests, the key attraction at this quaint taqueria just past Saint Thomas High School on nearly finished Shepherd is the output from the trompo that’s tough to miss behind the counter. That slowly roasted pork, which retains its moistness unlike at far too many taquerias in Houston, makes its way into tacos, tortas and something called the Taco Arabe. That large taco is a version of the shawarma that originated with Lebanese immigrants who brought the trompo to Mexico a century or so ago and a specialty of the city of Puebla southeast of Mexico City. Stick with the tacos featuring pork, which are much tastier than any of the beef and chicken ones. Washington Corridor
Fusion Taco – What began as a taco truck several years ago is a friendly and inviting counter-service spot outside the Heights and the other, a newly opened spot in a food court in Greenway Plaza. Fusion Taco does the wide-ranging fillings better than any of the other Tacos 2.0 joints found in the area. Smoked Brisket, Chicken Tikka Masala, Agedashi Tofu, Falafel, Chicken Fried Oyster and Seared Brussels Sprouts are few of the dozen-and-a-half taco options whose inspirations cover a fair amount of the globe, all of which are thoughtfully comprised with quality ingredients and attractively presented. These are some of the prettiest tacos in town. More importantly, most taste at least pretty good and usually better. One is the Lamb Keema featuring cooling pieces of cucumber slice and a greenish tahini for a refreshing ground lamb taco served in a nicely texturally contrasting fried corn tortilla shell. Unfortunately, the chicken in a couple of the tacos might a little on the dry side. For some reason, the near-liter-sized white plastic bottle of the unique San Luis brand hot sauce (mild) available to bring back to your table seems to make nearly all the tacos better, including making those two chicken tacos enjoyable. Heights
Polanquito – This quaint bistro across the small street from Tio Trompo provides a little taste of a prosperous Mexico City neighborhood and a variety of tasty and pretty tacos, some served solo, in pairs or trios featuring pork, beef and seafood. There’s a delicious conchinita pibil with habanero salsa, carnitas with pickled jalapeños, notable beer-battered fried fish or shrimp with chipotle mayonnaise and pickled red onions, grilled ribeye with panela cheese, beans, and guacamole, and a beef steak with a skirt of cheese, costra-style. All worth an order. Washington Corridor
La Vibra – Serving something a little different, and a little more expensive, this quaint, largely sterile space offers are a slightly refined version of Mexico City style tacos. Tacos are small and come in three styles, classico, which will be familiar, a volcán that’s atop a toasted corn tortilla, and the even more unique Costra – born a couple decades or so ago near a night club in Mexico’s capital – with a layer of crusty Gouda cheese at its bottom. Noticeably good quality ingredients and superb salsas in a quintet of styles, including tamarindo and mole ones, help complete the tacos, of which the trompo-sliced pastor and the battered and deep-fried, but surprisingly light, shrimp and fish fillings are among the best choices. Heights
El Topo – Set deep in the heart of prosperous and well-groomed West U, this is a stop for tasty, nicely adorned and attractively presented tacos with a slick güeros ricos vibe. There should be one or more for most tastes: beef barbacoa featuring 44 Farms product, a trio of roasted mushrooms, barbecued chicken, roasted vegetables, pastor with pork belly but not trompo, and even a crispy ground beef version harkening back to youthful Tex-Mex memories of many nearby parents. Not much of a value, as the average-sized tacos run $6 to $8 a piece here. West U
Cantina Barba – Open after the bars close, when tacos can taste even better, this small drive-in is not far from I-45 on N. Main and not far from the Heights. Unusually and very welcome, barbacoa and breakfast tacos are served all the time, even combining for the Barbacoa Deluxe. There’s also carne asada, grilled chicken, al pastor, papas con rajas, and smoked pork in corn tortillas to satisfy most of those taco cravings. Near North Side
Tacos Doña Lena – A solid choice that is just a little nicer and much hipper than the typical Mexican-themed restaurant in Spring Branch that can be very busy on the weekends for its take on birria in several forms, including in between two corn tortillas, and its range of tacos. This offeres a large number of choices, many more than most. For the meats, from beef to pork to chicken to offal, there’s beef, bistek, barbacoa, chile negro con carne, pastor, pierna, chorizo, chicharron rojo, chicharron verde, along with tripa and lengua. For non-meat, nopalitos, calabacitas, and an odd soy pastor. The meats, especially the pastor can come out a bit dry, but this is one place where it’s safe to order the lengua. Corn is the default tortilla, but flour can be had for an additional $0.75. The typical chopped cilantro and onions can also be swapped for a Tacos Gringo version with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese in a flour tortilla, harkening back to an older Spring Branch. Spring Branch
Solecita – This “churreria y taqueria” in the heart of downtown is a slick, bright and friendly counter-service spot dishing well-made versions of tacos and tortas filled with a small number of more traditionally Mexican items: the recent-years popular birria, carnitas, chicken tinga, Campechanos – fajita beef, chorizo, topped with dried chicharron – poblanos and potatoes, and barbacoa, which is beef rather than lamb now. The tacos come first with corn tortillas but flour can also be had. Cool and breezy open-air seating is upstairs and there’s a patio out front that shares space with the churro cart, a welcome addition to the nighttime street scene. Those are also worth an order, if you’ve avoided that third taco.
La Chingada – With a subtitle of “Tacos & Tequila,” this friendly, small counter-service spot not far north of the Heights sells a fair amount of its fair-sized tacos from a wide-ranging menu on both house-made corn and flour tortillas. Near North Side
Laredo Taqueria – The lines running out the door of the original location on Washington of this air conditioned taco stand from about 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM and often beyond, are a testament to its popularity which derives in large part because of healthy-sized tacos on fresh flour tortillas that are nicely priced with a range of fillings from steam trays prefaced by a smear of refried beans unless you specify otherwise. Three is enough for most, and four for a really gluttonous meal. Never mind the occasional piece of cartilage or gristle, as these are never enough to ruin a taco. The locations on the near north side operated by other family members might be more consistent – or just less crowded – especially the one on Patton, but this location is far more convenient for most. Washington Corridor, Near North Side (3)
Brothers Taco House – A popular, value-oriented option with locally popular fillings dished from steam trays just outside of downtown. Don’t be dismayed if the queue extends outside, it moves quickly. EaDo
Gerardo’s – The barbacoa is the star at this Patton Street staple that’s been serving this north side neighborhood for nearly five decades. And now available on Friday in addition to the weekends. Near North Side
Tacos La Bala – Earnest, very casual, counter-service restaurants serving mostly a Mexican immigrant crowd, these offer tacos with the choice between corn and flour tortillas for nearly ten fillings including pork from the trompo, chicharon, fajita, barbacoa along with tripe and tongue. All of these can be fit into a quesadilla, gordita, tostada or sope for just a little more. Bellaire, Alief (3), North
TJ Birria’s y Mas – As the name indicates, this is a birria specialist, a slick and convenient one at that, and does tacos with that quite well. There’s also Mexico City-style tacos with pastor, beef fajita or chicken, five small ones to an order, attractively plated with double layer of corn tortillas, lime wedges, chopped cilantro and red onion. Heights, Stafford

At Urbe

For three decades now, the nexus of interesting Chinese restaurants has been along Bellaire Boulevard in Chinatown. But today there are other areas with restaurants serving quality traditional and contemporary Chinese food including Sugar Land, the restaurant-filled Katy Asian Town, and even inside the Loop. The last has been one of the most significant and welcome changes in Houston dining in the past two decades, for me at least.
 
When I started writing about restaurants in Houston that began with the inaugural edition of Houston Dining on the Cheap published in 2002, with an easily overlooked exception or two, the only restaurants that were serving dishes beyond the familiar Chinese-American staples in all their gloppiness and simplicity were in and around Bellaire Boulevard. The number of those more authentic Chinese restaurants has grown with growth of immigration and migration from China. Along with those working the Medical Center, the number of Chinese in Houston has grown significantly, and it’s often professionals at companies inside the Loop, like my own. It can pay to help feed them. That’s been a boon to Houston diners, regardless of origin, with many more appealing Chinese restaurants, an increased diversity in cuisines, and a few really fine values, too.
 
With that greater range of Chinese fare available, there’s been an explosion of Sichuan restaurants and spicy Sichuan dishes in the past decade. That classic Sichuan dish, kung pao chicken, has long been around but it wasn’t made like it was made in its home province, in part because it didn’t have uniquely flavored and numbing Sichuan peppercorns. Feared as carriers of a bacterial disease, Sichuan peppercorns were banned in this country from 1968 until 2005. Chinese food here has gotten a lot better, and more Sichuan since then. There’s a lot of Sichuan cooking to be encountered here now. It’s popular with diners, seemingly nearly everywhere.
 
Along with kung pao chicken and its nearly as frequently seen Sichuan brethren, mapo tofu, Shanghai’s soup dumplings and the famous Peking duck are found in most local Chinese restaurants. Hot pots are a big draw for Chinese patrons, but don’t have nearly the appeal beyond. And General Tso’s Chicken might never be retired from the field as most Chinese restaurants continue to battle for customers of all stripes.
 
Listed alphabetically, and each are more enjoyable when eaten and dishes shared with others.
 
Chengdu Taste – Sichuan – This Sichuan specialist, named after the capital of that province, actually has its roots in Los Angeles. Popular with transplants from China, it’s a nice fit amidst a clutter of other restaurants on Bellaire Boulevard, serving an array of both locally popular Sichuan dishes along with earthier preparations that might not play as well elsewhere in the city. Intestines, chicken gizzards, beef tripe and pork hock star along with kung pao chicken and sauteed green beans. Chinatown
Cooking Girl – Sichuan – This was first of the in-town, authentically Chinese restaurants when it opened from a Chongqing native in 2015 in a small space in the heart of Montrose – now housing Cucharita – earning plenty of local attention and spawning Pepper Twins. It has changed and grown, now in three user-friendly and friendly locations that are not intimidating for the casual Chinese food consumer, except for the tiny parking lot at the smart Montrose location, and maybe the noted Mr. and Mrs. Smith appetizer, which features beef tendon and tripe there. It is worth a try, though. Montrose, Medical Center, Sugar Land
Duck N Bao – Sichuan / Peking Duck – Serving a contemporary take on Chinese fare “while keeping it authentic,” this duo specializes in “Peking duck, soup dumplings, and Sichuan cuisine.” The menus, which include some dim sum item, too, actually make sense, especially for areas far from Bellaire Boulevard. The owners are, fairly appropriately, from Beijing and Sichuan province and offer an array of usually well-executed preparations that will appeal to a gamut of customers. There’s more beef than at most Chinese restaurants and several widely recognized dishes. Nicely, and reflecting its names, Peking Duck can be had without advance order and even in half-orders. Memorial Park, Cypress
Fung’s Kitchen – Dim Sum / Cantonese Seafood – Returning from an enforced two-year hiatus due to a fire in late 2022, the cart-driven and wide-ranging dim sum service hit its stride more quickly than its later-in-the-day seafood emphasis. It’s the best, and most fun, dim sum spot in the area. Tanks hold lobster, a restaurant specialty, that can be prepared in a number of ways, featuring jalapeño and garlic, black pepper, black bean, coconut curry and even in a hot pot. Blue crabs appear in a number of preparations, even in soft shell form, as do another top local product, shrimp. The menu is voluminous; Peking duck, of course, a section highlighting free-range chicken, and a number of noodle and fried rice items that should be able to entice most palates. After the rebuild, the expansive setting is nicer, more inviting than ever, sitting at what is about the eastern gateway to restaurant-mad Bellaire Boulevard. Chinatown
Hai Cang Harbor – Cantonese Seafood – Set in one of the many strip centers along Bellaire Boulevard that’s adorned with live sea creatures along the walls – fish, lobsters, crabs, large geoduck clams, spot prawns, and striking marbled goby swimming in the large tanks – that are primed to star in a meal. Dungeness crabs are a specialty along with one of the whole steamed fishes. Less grand, traditional preparations like Shrimp with Scrambled Egg and Walnut Shrimp with Mayo Sauce can also aptly satisfy. The menu is huge, but the helpful staff can provide recommendations or there are dinners for six, eight and ten that might be easiest of all with a group. Chinatown
Lao Sze Chuan – Sichuan – These two branches of a Chicago-based chain provide nicer settings than most for Sichuan-rooted cooking that’s aimed for a broad audience with a menu – tendon, tripe and lung aren’t to be found – and dishes like its signature twice cooked pork that can delight. BYOB. Chinatown, Montrose
Mala Sichuan Bistro – Sichuan – Named after the unique numbing and hot flavors of Sichuan cooking, the “ma” and the “la,” its initial location along Bellaire Boulevard helped popularize that cuisine to non-Chinese in Houston, incorporating a decent beverage program, in part. And the second spot, in the heart of Montrose, has the look of a modern Asian bistro. But the food is the draw. The House Special Funky Cold Noodles, Kung Pao Chicken with the Sichuan peppercorns, and Dry Pot Fish Fillet – battered and deep fried fillet seasoned with ginger, garlic, dry red chiles and Sichuan peppercorns – are a few usual standouts. Chinatown, Montrose, Heights, Sugar Land, Katy
Mama’s Kitchen – Sichuan – An easy-to-overlook spot nearly across Richmond from a Costco amidst a flurry of other small eateries, this churns out some tasty, if fairly straightforward Sichuan fare. The Szechuan Stir-Fried Lamb (with pickled pepper, parsley, ginger, garlic, dried red pepper and sliced serranos), the similar Szechuan Stir-Fried Beef, its take on Spicy Chicken Chunks, and the Pan-Fried Pork are a few of the frequently ordered winners. The menu hosts a number of popular Sichuan-rooted preparations among a variety of proteins, vegetable dishes, fried rice, a few hot pots, and also a few smoothies and milk teas. Greenway Plaza
Mein – Cantonese – With a stylish, contemporary setting in Chinatown, this “offers food that reflects the immigrant Cantonese experience.” It hits the right notes with plenty of appealing preparations like Charsiu, honey roasted pork here, the chilled Hand Pulled Chicken featuring poached free-range chicken, Garlic Eggplant, and the spicy Drunken Noodles with shrimp. Reflecting that emigrant experience from Canton, there are also some Vietnamese, Thai and Singaporean items. Chinatown
Ocean Palace – Cantonese Seafood / Dim Sum – This giant two-story restaurant – nearly 40,000 square feet of it – has anchored a corner of Hong Kong City Mall for nearly a quarter century. Serving dim sum daily via cart to a multi-cultural local crowd daily until 5:00, the offerings are especially grand on Sundays. But it might be a better bet for its on-the-menu Cantonese cooking that’s heavy on the seafood with items like Fried Salt and Pepper Dungeness Crab, Lobster with Ginger and Scallions, and the House Special Crispy Fried Egg Noodles. Chinatown
One Dragon – Shanghainese –  Tucked into a strip center space on Bellaire Boulevard, this quaint spot seating less than forty has been sought out for their delicious and delicately sheathed soup dumplings that are filled with pork or pork and shrimp, the standard in the city. Other Shanghai specialties, the crispy bottom bao with shrimp or pork, braised pork belly with hard-boiled eggs, and scallion pancakes are also tough to pass on. The kitchen does well with larger plates featuring beef and duck, and likely hairy crab, too, if it was available. Chinatown
Pepper Twins – Sichuan – Eclipsing its parent Cooking Girl, these Sichuan stalwarts distinguish themselves with the noticeably high quality of the meats, which is readily apparent with the chicken dishes. Tilapia is the fish of choice here, but the fish preparations like Hot Diving Fish and Fish Loves Tofu are loved by many Chinese patrons. Their versions of Ma Po Tofu and Mongolian Beef, the very spicy Pepper Twins and starters Spicy Potato Silk with Vinegar and Dry-Fried Green Beans are a few of the stars. To note, the Kirby and San Felipe locations are more consistent than the one on West Gray, which has noticeably slipped. Montrose, Upper Kirby District, Galleria Area
Regal Seafood House & Lounge – Cantonese / Dim Sum – One of the best Chinese restaurants in the area. At least moniker that is what a fair number of Chinese nationals believe and they pack the restaurant on a regular basis for Cantonese and Honk Kong-style cuisine, mostly seafood, plus one of the better versions of Peking duck in the city. The duck is even cut in front of you. Dim sum items are also served, and though these might not quite reach level of Fung’s Kitchen further north on the freeway, these can be quite tasty, and even has well-crafted versions of Shanghai’s soup dumplings. The interior includes a cozy bar area off the entrance – the “Lounge” in the name – banquettes complementary the necessary large round tables and shiny white marble-like walls. Somewhat modern. Muted. Pleasant. This is not your typical Chinatown restaurant, it’s nicer and service is better, if not overly polished, especially if you don’t speak Cantonese or Mandarin. Without those language skills or a dining companion in the know, the menu can be a little interesting to navigate, but with the quality of the cooking, it will like be a very enjoyable journey. Sugar Land
Taste of Mulan – Dim Sum – Yes, it’s got a silly name and an unpromising location in a dull strip center along side wing and a pizza chain spots, but this dishes some nice dim sum staples and more daily by menu card. It’s not that cheap, but a trio or quartet of those small plates makes for a satisfying visit. There’s also another menu of the more-familiar Sichuan and other items, but are best ignored. Midtown
Tim Ho Wan – Dim Sum – A famed chain originally from Hong Kong – where it held a Michelin star for over a decade – and with several stateside locations, this Katy Asian Town spot has been packed with customers since finally opening in 2022. Serving well-crafted versions of the familiar dim sum items via menu – except a contemporary baked rather than steamed take on char siu bao – service is noticeably attentive to complement the satisfying fare. There are also good-sized soups serving as a meal for the single diner. Katy
Wanna Bao – Shanghainese / Sichuan – Proclaiming itself on its signage as “Hearty Chinese Bistro / Dumpling House.” It is. And a good one at that, and in a hip, industrial-sparse bistro-like setting at the edge of Midtown is well beyond what would be typical of a similar place along Bellaire Boulevard, serving both dishes from Shanghai, including soup dumplings, of course, and the madly popular spicy Sichuan region, Wanna Bao succeeds with both – as with both ends of its signage, the dumplings for certain. Midtown

One of the flavorful creations found at Mein

Hamburgers might be the most American of foods, stereotypically and often deliciously so, and fatteningly, at least. And there are more high-quality burgers served in Houston than ever before. It seems nearly every pricey restaurant does a commendable burger, and usually much better, during lunchtime. But the heart of this post is what I refer to broadly as burger joints, restaurants that specialize in burgers, usually at an affordable price buttressed by a casual atmosphere, or one where burgers are a big reason for a visit. This are where most of the burgers are consumed. Quality burgers that is. Also, burgers for this just means hamburgers, not turkey burgers, bean burgers or the horrific Impossible burgers.
 
Featuring ground beef patties, sometimes from a named purveyor, with a suitable amount of fat for flavor and juiciness, these are the heart of a good burger. Typically cooked on the flat top grill, sometimes smashed to create an exterior char, or over an open flame, whatever method, the ones recommended are all cooked to order. A quality bun helps, but not quite as much as for bread for sandwiches. Some worthwhile spots don’t do much with the buns other than toasting them for a little additional support. The other components can help or hurt. It’s annoying to come across tomato slices that are not red nor soft. The best local burgers feature high quality ingredients, except for the widespread predilection for that processed cheese food, American cheese. Meltability. Seemingly, whatever the components, even a minimal number, burgers are invariably messy, one of the messiest foods around.
 
A ridiculous number of burgers were consumed in the research for this: well over 500 in area restaurants over the years as a food writer, if not quite Wimpy-esque in this pursuit. I hope that my cardiologist doesn’t stumble on this piece.
 
Divided among burger joints, nicer restaurants with appealing burgers, and the best of the out-of-town chains and listed in order of preference in each section. Though fries are the almost necessary accompaniment to a burger order, this list is just for the burgers. Fries are a different matter and are too often disappointing, even when the burger is really satisfying. I’ve got a separate post for those.
 
The 20 best casual spots for a burger
 
Burger Chan – The notepad menu used to order at this family-friendly counter-service place near the Galleria can initially seem overwhelming with the all the possibilities: two styles and sizes of patties, the number of patties, one the several buns or not, the cheeses, the extra proteins, the vegetables, free and not, the many condiments and sides, many unusual. Scallion aioli, soy serrano peppers, pickled habaneros, kimchi relish, and seared spam are some of the fun you can have in the creation. In a sense, it doesn’t matter what you check on the sheet because the burger you come up with will be excellent. Top-notch ingredients and expert cooks will make it work. The key decision is between the two-ounce smashed patties or five-ounce grilled. The former results in a slightly crisp and very beefy, very flavorful patty among the accompaniments. The larger grilled patties are more like an upscale version of the backyard burger. The superb, fresh brioche bun might be the best choice for any of the burgers; classic, but better. Good, crisp fries, too. The meticulousness extends to the order-taking; the line can move painfully slow. It’s certainly worth it, though. Galleria Area
Burger Bodega – Just nicely crusty smashed burgers here now available options for single, double or triple patties. Go for the triple, it’s really not that large nor obnoxious and the burgers are so delicious. Topped with American cheese, grilled onions, house-made pickles, their own slightly spice sauce with soft potato bun, it all works together really well, and in even messier fashion than most. Though base accompaniments are perfectly fine, you can spice it up with jalapeños or habaneros, or a spicy aioli or mayonnaise. Fries, though, aren’t really necessary. Get another burger. The small spot features cheeky decorations of the familiar supermarket items with labels replaced with Houston or Burger Bodega labels. Popular since opening in the second half of 2022, there’s a good chance you’ll have to wait in the line extending out the door, as these burgers are deservedly very popular. Washington Corridor
Underbelly Burger – These are just similar two burgers at this tiny space in the commercial farmers market off Airline, both descendants of Hay Merchant’s Cease and Desist Burger that won national plaudits: two patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato slices, house-made pickles and a slightly piquant House Sauce. Both messy and delicious. One version is made with agnus beef from 44 Farms. The other for a couple of dollars more, is wagyu from R-C Ranch. Nicely, both of these are suppliers for the upscale Georgia James steakhouse, and the burger joint is “utilizing the whole cow so nothing goes to waste.” Heights
Pappas Burger – As a hamburger joint with Pappas in the name, Pappas Burger is pretty much what you would expect from the family. This is a good thing. Pappas Burger is a slicker-than-usual operation for a modestly priced restaurant that primarily serves hamburgers: service is much better; the setting is cleaner and more comfortable; the food is well prepared; the large portions provide a decent value; and the menu hits more accurately at its target patrons. The burgers are made with patties of around one-third pound. These are cooked to the properly charred exterior while retaining a moist interior at medium well. The buns and the rest of the accompaniments are fresher, and better than at most burger places. For burgers, creations beyond the basic Pappas Burger, there are a cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, chili cheeseburger, and the Hickory Cheddar Bacon Burger. All worth ordering, and all with freshly cut French fries. Galleria Area
Peaky Grinders – Making a name for itself in the seemingly-always-empty Railway Heights Market, these are simple, very tasty burgers that manage to be more than sum of its parts. The in-house ground patties are four-ounces each – two will be necessary for most – that are cooked on a flattop, smashed along the way for nicely crisp exterior retaining juiciness and sporting a nicely beefy flavor. Topped with American cheese and put into a somewhat bland toasted potato bun and adorned with their own pickles, a bit of onion along with some mustard and ketchup, these burgers eat very quickly. Moving to more appropriate digs in Midtown soon. Midtown
FM Kitchen – Beautiful burgers here. For burgers, at least. The base version, the FM Burger, with a four-ounce patty or two, comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato slices, onion, their house sauce on a soft potato bun. The especially tasty Cooper Burger has a thick, beefy half-pound patty, that’s topped with melted queso for additional messiness, tomato, sturdy slices of bacon for a nice effect all on a high-quality Bread Man brioche bun. Spicy green chile and patty melt options, too. Washington Corridor
Hubcap Grill – Beginning as a burger shack downtown – literally, nearly a shack – unfortunately, there’s no longer a location in town other than the airport for these burgers with flattop-cooked patties of never-frozen beef and toasted house-made buns that easily satisfy. And there are nearly twenty ways one can be had. One star is an odd one, the NOLA Muffaletta Burger, with house-made olive dressing, Swiss cheese and a mayonnaise sauce. I’m still not sold on the one with crunchy Cheetos, though. IAH, Pearland, Galveston
Winnie’s – It’s just the Winn-A-Burger at this somewhat funky, casual joint by light rail stop that does a number of things enticingly well. Featuring a 44 Farms beef patty or two, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, serrano mustard, and a black pepper-spiked mayo au poivre, its done Oklahoma style, that’s the patties being cooked on the flat top with thinly sliced onions. It retains flavor even when cooked all the way through. You have the choice of one or two of those. Fries or a unique side Caesar to accompany for $3 more. And you can get a nicely done cocktail for $7 if visiting during lunch weekday. Midtown
Flip 'n Patties – Providing a Filipino twist and a sense of humor at a couple locations, in the Understory food hall downtown and along the Energy Corridor, for burgers featuring Akaushi beef, which is known for its rich, meaty flavor. The half-dozen-plus burger creations are fun like its namesake Flip 'n Patties Burger featuring a deep-fried panko stuffed portabella mushroom cap, cheddar cheese, a couple strips of bacon, lettuce, a tomato slice, and a couple house sauces. The PogiMelt with two patties and sauteed onions is in the running for messiest burger in the city.  Downtown, West Houston
Lankford Grocery – The biggest draw here is the excellent hamburgers, as is well known. Quite tasty; properly juicy and unpretentious even with the somewhat wild versions. Not the designer-style hamburgers, these are the basic, flavorful burgers that you wish you could consistently make on the backyard grill. Lankford begins with large handmade patties about a third-pound in size or so that are grilled to order all the way through, and are served with a slice of usually ripe tomato, thickly sliced white onions, and an ample-sized leaf of crisp iceberg lettuce on large toasted hamburger buns. You can get these fitted with cheese and bacon and with a second patty and in a variety of other toppings. Midtown
Armadillo Palace – One of the several concepts from estimable Goode Co. collection, among the casual, hearty Houston-suited preparations there’s a nice burger, the Damn Goode Burger, in fact. It’s a half-pound patty featuring proprietary blend of beef ground in-house and cooked to the desired temperature and fitted in a soft, fresh house-made bun, buttered and toasted. It’s served with fries for $14. West U
Champ Burger – A tidy, friendly oasis in the East End, this has been serving more-than-satisfying hamburgers and other easy-to-eat foods since 1963. Under a large awning, there are usually a number of patrons waiting in line before the window to place or pickup an order, which are dispensed in brown bags. By the late morning these are usually a hamburger featuring one-third prime ground chuck patties that are nicely cooked with a crust bounding them. Available with cheese, bacon, and chili, the unadorned version is quite tasty, too. For sides, the pre-cut fries are served hot and crispy, but nothing special. Much better for an additional fifty cents are the thick, deep golden-hued, and very appetizing onion rings. To note, the only seating here is around the side from the counters, outside on concrete tables under large umbrellas, and it’s closed on the weekends. East End
Jonathon’s The Rub – Bustling neighborhood restaurants offering a range of west Houston comfort foods, several burgers done well, included. Attractively presented to a great height – maybe the tallest burgers in town – these can be even messier than usual to consume. Memorial, West Side
Becks Prime – Serving fast food that’s more upscale, more considered, and more expensive, the burgers here have been a local favorite since the first Becks Prime opened in 1985. These are “made with fresh, never-frozen 100% certified Angus beef” and usually cooked to medium, or often a little more, but are always nicely juicy and satisfying. Attractive packaging, very thick, and nicely convenient but slow-moving drive-thru are other hallmarks. Upper Kirby District, Memorial Park, Briargrove, Energy Corridor, West Houston, Meyerland, Sugar Land, Katy, The Woodlands
Burns Burger Shack – Adjacent to the longtime barbecue joint and pork ribs star, this burger specialist cooks up a well-seasoned, one-third 44 Farms beef patties to a typically well-done finish, though not overly so, and fitted within a nice, toasted brioche bun along with the  lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayonnaise, mustard and noticeable ketchup for a fine result. Fried egg additions are popular, and double patties and bacon can be had, too. Fries or sweet potato fries, and a lot of them to an order. Acres Homes
Stanton’s City Bites – A noticeably friendly and comfortable little stop for the burger fix just west of downtown that’s been around for decades, the burgers here are made with half-pound patties in about a dozen options. One of the best features plentiful grilled mushrooms, bacon, Swiss cheese and mayonnaise. Sixth Ward
The Nickel Sandwich Grill – The one burger here has a half-pound juicy patty grilled to the desired redness in the middle and served with verdant non-iceberg lettuce and ripe tomato slices. It’s in the tradition of the great Fifth Ward burgers of the past, The Lockwood Malt Shop and Adrian’s, if not quite as hefty. The fries are cut by hand, and fried crisp enough are tasty, and more recommended accompaniment than at many other places. Fifth Ward
Ray’s Real Pit BBQ – Barbecue and fried fare are bigger draws at this strip center space along OST not far east of the Med Center, but it sports a tasty unique burger, The Big Herb, named after one of the proprietors and pitmaster, former NFL lineman, Herb Taylor. It features a nearly-heart-stopping combination of a fully cooked half-pound patty topped with some really tasty chopped brisket, thick slices of bacon, shredded cheese and barbecue sauce. There’s also a basic burger and the another hefty one, the Shack Burger with two patties, grilled onions, shredded cheese and jalapeños. Avoid the odd-tasting onion rings. Third Ward
Hobbit Café – If not for a parking lot’s expanse of an asphalt crowded with cars, you might envision that this low-slung Tudor-style building housing the Tolkien-themed restaurant sits on a shire. Though known more so for its healthy options over the five decades, this it has a big range of enjoyable if somewhat pricey burgers that have a following featuring patties cooked to medium and surrounded by decent quality ingredients and good-sized buns that can be had in wheat, too. Fries are extra, and not that great. Upper Kirby District
The Burger Joint – Solidly rendered burgers in about a dozen ways, late nights, even until 4 AM on weekends at the Montrose location, and a comfortable, casual sports bar vibe are the draws at these well-run, popular patio spots. Parking is noticeably tough at the Montrose original. Montrose, Heights
 
Five nicer restaurants where burgers aren’t the main attraction, but excellent
 
Alice Blue – This longstanding Heights comfort spot might not receive all the credit it’s due, as it seems to excel in nearly everything, and that includes its burger. Double Bacon Cheeseburger, with challah bun, aioli, pickled red onions, pickles, lettuce, French fries for $17. For both lunch and dinner. Heights
Squable – There’s only the French Cheeseburger at this Heights star, but it’s rather famed. It has a “stout” beef patty, gooey Raclette cheese, butter, pickles, and is served with crisp fries for $20 that’s actually a deal. Heights
Nancy’s Hustle – Originating in what was once named the best burger in the country by Bon Appetit – Chef Jason Vaughan was on the opening team at Chicago’s Au Cheval – the Cheeseburger here is on a brioche English muffin a little differently, with American cheese, pickles, and slices of red onion. Delicious. East End
Bistro Menil – This adjunct to the Menil museums does an excellent job with the burgers during lunchtime that feature a hearty half-pound of beef and some more upscale accompaniments. The four enticing options are the Manchego Cheese and Jamón Serrano Burger; one with porcini-mushroom-rubbed patty served with bacon, truffled cheese, and caramelized onions; another with chevre and with lemon-avocado salad; and The Classic, cheddar cheese, Bibb lettuce, tomato, and Dijonnaise. For $18, these also come with home fries and cornichons. Montrose
Riel – The eclectic menu at this terrific Montrose bistro has a take on dairy land Wisconsin’s butter burger. Here it’s a small burger with a slice of melted American cheese, caramelized onions, and butter, for $15 for two of these fantastic sliders. As with other things, butter works well on a burger. Montrose
 
Five out-of-town burger chains that are actually worth a visit
 
Like its beefy brethren, steaks, high quality hamburgers can be replicated readily in restaurant concepts spanning the country.
 
Five Guys – Though the settings are here are very basic, a single largely unadorned room with tables scattered about, and not terribly inviting, the straightforward but quality ingredient-laden burgers featuring flat-top grilled patties are consistently really good. Better than most burger joints, for sure. 15 Houston area locations
Fuddruckers – Founded back in 1980 and showing its age at some locations, these are maybe not as satisfying as in the past, but usually still quite satisfying. The aroma of freshly baked buns when entering are a key reason along with “fresh, never frozen” beef available in one-third, one-half and two-third pound patties that are grilled to order. The produce bars and cheese food dispensers are fun and way to make your burger creation even more messy to eat. Greenway Plaza, Third Ward, Jersey Village, CityCentre, Kingwood, West Houston, Stafford, Tomball, Webster
Smashburger – A chain that has gotten less slick and less nice over the years – tables not well bussed and settings that can seem a bit trashy – but the smashed burgers with Angus beef and a nice exterior crispness remain quite pleasing in a half-dozen options. Greasy but enjoyable thin, crisp fries are a fitting side. Heights, Med Center, Galleria Area, Energy Corridor, IAH
Shake Shack – These seem to taste the best at MinuteMaid, or at an airport when traveling – maybe its of the dearth of competitive offerings at those places – but are tasty elsewhere, too, if expensive for what they are. The smallish burgers are flavorful, even if the soft potato buns are not ideal, getting mushy rather too quickly, and the fries are lame. Just stick to the basics and avoid the pricier specialty burgers like a seasonal white truffle burger with no discernible taste of truffles, for example. Downtown, Montrose, Rice Village, Galleria Area, The Woodlands
Rodeo Goat – An outpost of a bar-burger concept that fifteen different options or so, most featuring popular regional flavors like Bad Hombre with candied bacon, caramelized onions, Gouda, a mango pico de gallo, habanero salsa plus a cooling cream cheese spread. Anchored by noticeably good patties, the accompaniments can sometimes lag, as do the fries. EaDo

As it’s become wealthier and more densely populated, the Heights has become a dining destination in the past decade. And there are a few places, even only for drink, that are just plain cool. It’s a far cry from when my brother and sister-in-law moved there a couple of decades ago when there was virtually nothing of note and no bars, officially. Just private clubs back then.
 
One of the more welcome developments with this, tracking with other parts of the city, is that there are now interesting Asian restaurants in the Heights. Where once there were only quickly forgettable Chinese-American and Vietnamese places, there are now several really noteworthy and even drive-worthy Asian-rooted concepts. White Oak, busy with restaurants clustered often unattractively just west of Studewood, is home to a trio of excellent sushi stops: Ume, Handies Douzo, and 5kinokawa. There’s even a couple of appealing Korean concepts right there, far from Long Point.
 
Listed alphabetically.
 
5kinokawa – Sushi – The latest addition to what has become a destination for sushi, White Oak, joining Handies Douzou and Ume. From Chef Billy Kin, who help start Hidden Omakase, this also easy-to- miss fourteen-seat spot offers creative set-course omakase dinners of nigiri sushi and a good deal more – it helps to be somewhat open-minded here – with two seatings a from Thursdays through Sundays featuring ingredients flown in weekly from Toyosu in Tokyo and elsewhere that’s $150 per person, prepaid.
Alice Blue – American – A true public service for discerning diners in the Heights, and beyond, for years, including from its predecessor Shade, this offers up informed but unpretentious and delicious foods – like a modern Houston bistro – for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch; even pastries at the big farmers market on Saturday mornings. Items range somewhat far and wide but make sense here: hummus, flautas, crab remoulade, sautéed red snapper, steak frites, and even an excellent burger to boot. Well-done cocktails and an informed list of wines also help out.
Coltavare – Americanized Italian – A significant opening in 2014 for the Heights becoming a dining destination, as its contemporary takes on pastas and pizzas along with a breezy, easy charm have resonated with many diners.
Da Gama Canteen – Indian – “Drawing inspiration from the former Portuguese-Indian territory of Goa, Gujarat and Portugal all through our Houston lens” is how the experienced local restaurateurs (Oporto and The Queen Vic) describe the fare here, which will be mostly recognizably Indian to local diners but something a little different, and readily appealing. Appealing also applies to the quite comfortable, contemporary space scattered with tables, banquettes that feels roomy along with an attractive long bar punctuating one end and pleasant patio seating off the side. Set in the somewhat sprawling M-K-T complex at the edge of the Heights, the restaurant resides alongside a breezeway and a park that adds to the charm. Also do the presentations of dishes, belying its reasonable prices, including water served in fetching traditional metal cups that are very appropriate for our heat- and humidity-racked climate. Well-crafted mains run from $15 to $36, meat, seafood and vegetarian. And there plenty of tempting appetizers like East Coast oysters, plus house-made breads, curries, salads, and desserts, too. Cocktails in line with the cuisine, several fun wines on tap, and an intriguing, natural-heavy wine list. It all can encourage many returns.
Fields & Tides – New American – Charmingly set in a quaint former house on 11th Street, the Southern and southeastern influence is evident through much of the seafood-heavy menu with items like she crab soup, pimento cheese fritters, chicken and sausage gumbo, crispy Alabama catfish, and cast iron seared snapper. But carnivores and the more health-conscious have plenty of options, too. Influences and flavors from Italy and Asia are also found among the offerings. The wine list is quite limited and mostly supermarket-found as the often more brunch-appropriate cocktails take up more bandwidth here.
Handies Douzo – Sushi – From the folks at Kokoro and now Aiko, this handroll specialist can be an easy stop for the quick raw fish fix that has certainly resonated first along White Oak before successfully expanding to a second location on Montrose. Especially good nori – crisp, thin and more flavorful than usual – is first thing you’ll notice with the handrolls, the specialty. There’s also sashimi and crudos, which are worthy of attention, too.
Jun – Southeast Asian – An attractive and early 2023 entrant on 20th Street, this builds on the success of the Kin that charmed diners in the Politan Row food hall in the Village before the pandemic, and Chef Evelyn Garcia’s star turn in the locally set “Top Chef” season in 2022. Gulf shrimp aguachile, sweet potato lebneh, beef tartare with its classic egg yolk accompaniment but also toasted rice, lamb curry with pickled daikon, and a whole fish with guajillo chiles, red onions and charred limes are some of the inspired combinations that can trek beyond Asia.
Maison Pucha Bistro – French – This French outpost from Manuel Pucha, the former executive chef at the well-regarded La Table here, and his brothers, veterans of the New York restaurant trade, offers a menu of classic French restaurant preparations along with a few items – ceviches, principally – and flavors from their coastal Ecuadoran home. Like all local French-themed establishments here, the dishes aren’t very recent – steak frites, bouillabaisse, duck a l’orange, coq au vin – but can shine in execution along with attractive presentations. Dishes like the impeccably plump, moist filet of trout almondine in brown butter, especially so, and even a straightforward assemblage of top-flight charcuterie and cheese. The wines are sufficient, if not yet terribly interesting, and the bartenders quite adept in their mixology. The setting is quite stylish, contemporary, and welcoming, not to mention busy since the doors opened in late 2017, and the staff noticeably earnest and hard-working.
Mastrantos – New American – A bright and cozy spot with a concise, fairly eclectic menu that highlights the Venezuelan roots of the principals while incorporating some influences from around the world, well-suited for today’s Houston. A sample: salted beet and burrata salad with heirloom tomatoes and green apple to start, dumplings filled with African plantain paste with coconut curry, cucumbers, onions, and chickpeas; a pan-seared white fish with English cucumbers, red onion, tomatoes, feta, and balsamic. Freshly made pastas feature in seven dishes that can retain a slight South American accent. The small wine list will have enough to complement the meal and naturally skews to Spain, Italy and South America.
Squable – New American – Offbeat offerings mostly in small plate format done well are the calling card for this Heights hotspot that pairs the guidance of James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu of Theodore Rex and cocktail star Bobby Heugel of Anvil. They’ve assembled an experienced and skilled squad cooking, crafting and serving in an approachably hip space. On the menu there are several of each of breads, small plates, big plates and desserts compiled in contemporary fashion. The Common Bond heritage in the kitchen is evident with the baked goods, but there is much more to entice, from the sea, from plants and also tasty mammals like the crispy-skinned heritage pork served with salsa verde and the French cheeseburger – featuring raclette and butter – which is just a whole lot better than any Royale with cheese.
Ume – Sushi – From Chris Kenjo of MF Sushi and his team, this quaint-for-Houston space with about sixty seats, a small sushi counter and a good-sized bar with plenty of light wood and clean lines, is very well-suited for present-day Heights: attractively and intelligently designed, bustling, and serving excellent, upmarket fare
Wild Oats – Texan – From the Underbelly Hospitality folks, this provides a fun and chef-driven take into Texan fare from our part of the Gulf Coast, with necessary nods to our deeply imbedded Tex-Mex food culture. It features dishes found or inspired from restaurants of yore of various – well, much lower – price points, but done with better ingredients more adroitly, more interestingly, and serving nicely crafted cocktails and smartly chosen wines. Among the highlights from the well-edited menu is the manageably sized chicken fried steak that’s made with American wagyu beef; it’s the best version of that traditional dish in the city. There’s also Gulf snapper – done with hibiscus, beets, orange – fajitas, quesadillas, a King Ranch casserole, game like antelope or quail, and an artfully presented queso starter. The chili service shtick is fun, and quite tasty; dispensed by the shot, cup or bowl. It can be tough not get at least a shot, if not a bowl, of red before your entrée. Though the food and drink are done well, set in new construction adjoined to the commercial farmers market on Airline, the décor, unfortunately, is staid, boring, really, and with plenty of hard surfaces, it’s cacophonous even when many of the seats are empty.

One of the artfully composed dishes at Maison Pucha Bistro

I posted a few years ago that one of the most satisfying changes in the Houston restaurant scene for me was that there has been better and more dining options, including some very fine dining, featuring the cuisines from the subcontinent, Indian and Pakistani. These restaurants have expanded well beyond the buffets, though some are still found.
 
Listed alphabetically.
 
Aga’s – Pakistani – The lengthy menu at this longstanding southwest Houston favorite has numerous enticements, including vegetarian, but the grilled and goat preparations might be the biggest attractions. Curries are plentiful, featuring beef, seafood, chicken and vegetarian items, some from Peshawar that are made and presented in a wok-like karahi. For the chicken dishes, those with meat on the bone are noticeably more flavorful. Rice and naan and other tandoori-baked breads must be ordered additionally, but that’s small quibble here. Aga’s is an excellent value. The very functional space, bifurcated into two rooms, is in accordance with the value theme. Alief
Da Gama – West Indian – “Drawing inspiration from the former Portuguese-Indian territory of Goa, Gujarat and Portugal all through our Houston lens” is how the experienced local restaurateurs (Oporto and The Queen Vic) describe the fare here, which will be mostly recognizably Indian to local diners but something a little different, and readily appealing. Appealing also applies to the quite comfortable, contemporary space scattered with tables, banquettes that feels roomy along with an attractive long bar punctuating one end and pleasant patio seating off the side. Set in the somewhat sprawling M-K-T complex at the edge of the Heights, the restaurant resides alongside a breezeway and a park that adds to the charm. Also do the presentations of dishes, belying its reasonable prices, including water served in fetching traditional metal cups that are very appropriate for our heat- and humidity-racked climate. Well-crafted mains run from $15 to $36, meat, seafood and vegetarian. And there plenty of tempting appetizers like East Coast oysters, plus house-made breads, curries, salads, and desserts, too. Cocktails in line with the cuisine, several fun wines on tap, and an intriguing, natural-heavy wine list. It all can encourage many returns. Heights
Himalaya – Pakistani / West Indian – Deservedly garnering plenty of national attention in the past decade, it’s been modestly set in a restaurant-laden strip center off the Southwest Freeway since 2004 and been a smart stop for a tasty, spicy, robust and a great value meal. The oft-present owner, Kaiser, now well-known on the local restaurant scene, is welcoming and quick to explain the cuisine and offer suggestions. The various meats, chicken, lamb, goat and beef, are cooked to a very flavorful and properly moist conclusion. The restaurant does an especially good job with beef in a variety of ways. Perfect for Texas. Resha Gosht (a stew of shredded beef), beef vindaloo, Sandy’s Steak Tikka Bourdain (pieces marinated in a very flavorful mixture of garlic, ginger, chiles, papaya and yogurt than grilled) – recommended in my Houston Dining on the Cheap in 2007 that got its name a decade later. Another on-point food-show-lauded item or items is the Hunter’s Beef Plate Zimmern that either cured lean pastrami is served in thick slices with sliced tomatoes and a house mustard sauce or hot, chopped then sauteéd in butter and spices. The kitchen doesn’t seem to makes any missteps across the broad array of dishes. The fried chicken is even drawn plaudits far and wide. The vegetable offerings are limited but excellent, especially the popular saag paneer. Himalaya has also been well known locally for its biryanis. Among the desserts, the kheer is exceptional, thicker and tastier than other local versions, and one of a half-dozen sweet ways to finish a meal, provided you have some room, which is unlikely for most patrons. Southwest Houston
Kahn BBQ & Grill – Pakistani – Amazingly flavorful and surprisingly complex chana masala, dal, and goat curry, complemented with fresh naan and perfectly cooked rice, are a few of the highlights this very humble Pakistani stop on the west side. Humble is an understatement. The interior is unattractive – like the exterior – and fitted with uncomfortable booths and lacking any décor. This might be the least atmospheric restaurant in Houston. Take away seems very popular. The food can be so good, though. Spring Branch
Kiran’s – North Indian – A fine-dining stalwart for years and even longer as namesake Kiran Verma was highly regarded  for her work at Ashiana back in the 1990s. “Inspired by the Awadhi style of cooking – the art of cooking over a slow fire,” the preparations here can be traditional or creative, most attractively presented. The large menu begins with different starters like a salad with tandoor-roasted beets and goat cheese, foie gras with fig chutney, and roasted and lamb belly with candied jalapeños. Street Foods section provide more traditional first courses. For the larger dishes, there are items from the tandoor including duck and several fish filets that can provide a unique taste of the Gulf, biryanis, familiar curries, thalis with either a Panjabi or vegetarian theme, and more breads that about anywhere else. There are many options for any lover of Indian food. Unfortunately, staffing issues that have affected most restaurants have been much more noticeable at times here with the service, inept and even sloppy, that you don’t expect for this level of cooking, space, and prices. Upper Kirby District
Musafeer –  Pan Indian – The most recent local example of fine-dining Indian fare; this is the most impressive and the priciest, and the best. With the capacity of well over 500 diners in a series of ornately decorated rooms featuring artwork shipped from India, this upscale restaurant inside the Galleria mall offers preparations inspired by many traditions across India, sometimes creative and even featuring modernist or playful touches, especially for desserts, and always plated very attractively. The wide-ranging a la carte menu, unusually, also includes several beef dishes – a node to regions like Kerala with millenniums-old Christian populations. For an indulgent and fuller experience, choose a tasting menu. To complement the visit, there’s a smart list of wine and an array of creative cocktails including a slew of serious gin-and-tonics for $20. Galleria Area
Pondicheri – Pan Indian – An attractive, inviting space set in a smart upscale urban retail setting, this showcases the skills of Anita Jaisinghani, chef and co-owner, who has been delighting Houston diners with contemporary and vibrant renditions of Indian cooking since she opened Indika on the west side in 2001 and here from 2011. It’s full service at dinner with a bistro-like atmosphere and counter-service before then. Preparations scattered under headers like curries, thalis, small bites and tempting, fun desserts each provide a slew of evening options, many without animal proteins. If you are hungry early enough, the Indian-influenced breakfasts will likely entice about any Houstonian who enjoys well-done breakfast. There are about a dozen hot items all arriving quickly from the proficient kitchen plus several of the tempting breakfast pastries. It’s not your diner breakfast, with a coconut pancake that’s also made with almond and rice flour, a fermented dosa waffle, the French toast is brioche with cardamon, chocolate and bananas, and the Morning Thali. Among the knowing, international patrons you’ll probably hear an expensive English accent or two and have a sense that you’ve made a keen choice. Another indication of its quality is that a second branch which opened in Manhattan was named one of the ten best new restaurants several years ago by the New York Times. Upper Kirby District
Shri Balaji Bhavan – South Indian – In the heart of the Mahatma Ghandi District on Hillcroft, this bare-bones counter-service place serves a fully and lengthy vegetarian menu. Though it might be best to avoid the most familiar items like samosas to start and gulab jamen to finish, as these aren’t done as well as at other places, there are plenty of other dishes. Stick with the less seen items like Chole Bhatura, a piquant, flavorful chickpea curry served with a couple of initially puffy fried breads or one of the many dosas. An added bonus is that you might be able to feed yourself for less than $10 here, quite unusual these days. Southwest Houston
Surya – North Indian – A small, minimalist spot located in a small space on Durham a couple of blocks south of Washington. With a concise menu of mostly familiar northern Indian dishes presented attractively and prepared even more enticingly all for a fair price, it is easy to like. One item is indicative of the caliber of the cooking, and accompanies every entrée, the side of rice. The high-quality, long-grained and inherently fragrant and a bit nutty basmati rice at Surya is cooked fairly quickly to an al dente texture with cinnamon and bay leaves and then some saffron, the last giving it streaks of yellow. The resulting rice, grains properly distinct and topped with a few peas, is a perfect pairing to the curries, delightful in its own right, and quite possibly the best Indian-style around. Chicken Vindaloo has been superb. This Goan-originated dish was properly spicy, actually extremely spicy, but more significant was the deep flavor of the reddish-orange-colored sauce with an enjoyable brightness, richness and complexity that makes it tough to pause from – even with the considerable heat – ladling it on the terrific long-grain rice side or scooping it up with the soft, occasionally blistered fresh naan. Washington Corridor
Verandah Progressive Indian – Pan-Indian – Set appropriately among the recently sprung luxury high rises on Kirby, this is a beautiful contemporary sliver of a space serving fairly expensive, artfully presented preparations that range largely along the now-more-familiar Indian restaurant offerings. Samosas are among the starters, many items cooked in the tandoor, curries, biryanis, breads and a “Gourmand Section” with dishes featuring rabbit, duck breast, venison chops, and lobster tails. Dinner only. Upper Kirby District

A beautifully presented dish at Kiran's

Sometimes, a hearty breakfast is what’s in order to start the day. This post is for that: sit-down breakfasts with an emphasis on the big American breakfast, and Mexican breakfasts beyond breakfast tacos. Some, or most, of these spots will also serve breakfast tacos, though. It’s Houston, after all. Extra consideration given for those establishments open for breakfast daily or nearly so. And, weekend brunch is something completely different, of course – more elaborate and far more boozy – and will warrant its own section.
 
Houston is a car-centric city on the go, and there seems to be fewer diner-style restaurants here than most big metropolitan areas and older parts of the country. The offerings at this city’s morning places can be more diverse than diner fare, in addition to those Mexican and Tex-Mex preparations. Similar to almost everywhere these days, chicken and waffles, once unusual, are widely found during the mornings. And avocado toast has made it nearly everywhere in the past decade, even most of the greasy spoons that can be found here.
 
Listed in order of preference.
 
The Best
 
Goode Co. Taqueria – Friday from 7 to 11 AM; Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 12:30 PM – It might be not an understatement to write that Goode Co. Taqueria serves the best breakfasts in the city, the state, the country; etc. This comfortable, counter-service Goode family restaurant has been fashioning gustatory masterpieces with large eggs, potatoes, mesquite-grilled meats, butter, nicely discernible manteca de cerdo, a bit of salt and pepper, and the ancillary grease, cholesterol and fat for years during, once only on weekends and every morning in recent years. The place has long been busy on weekends, but those patrons must come solely from the nearby neighborhoods because, from unscientific polling on my part, seemingly too many people beyond the 77005 are still unaware of the amazing breakfasts here. The breakfasts are Texan and Tex-Mex in nature. Strongly influenced by Mexico and south Texas ranch cooking, these are consistently exceptional and hearty. But, it is all done in a distinctively Goode Co. manner and better than elsewhere. It begins with top-notch ingredients, which are well-executed no matter how busy the place gets, and an understanding how to improve upon the familiar. Dishes seem both more robust and refined than typical. Really tasty pecan waffles, too. West U
The Breakfast Klub – Weekdays 7 AM to 2 PM; Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 2 PM – On the weekends, and seemingly most days during the week, lines form well outside the entrance; some evidence that this has become a local icon since opening in 2001. Deserving of its national attention, The Breakfast Klub serves excellent and interesting, fun and unpretentious food – Green Eggs and Ham and Katfish and Grits – for breakfast and lunch in an informal setting with a certain amount of cool. Though stylish, the staff are noticeably very friendly, and the restaurant always seems to have a warm vibe to it. Though not soul food in the traditional sense, the offerings have a noticeable African-American feel, and are divided neatly among breakfast plates, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, salads, and lunch sandwiches and larger format lunch specials, most with a fair amount of fat and a lot of flavor. Midtown
Picos – Monday to Saturday 9 AM to 11 AM, Sunday brunch 10 AM to 3 PM – It's easy to forget that this very adept, long running Mexican restaurant also serves breakfast each day, one of the best breakfasts in the city, in fact. The wide-ranging menu is mostly Mexican morning classics like migas, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles with a choice among five sauces, proteins and whether or not you want an egg, and an especially well-done huevos con machacado. Plus pozole rojo or verde and menudo daily. There's also pancakes, fresh fruit in a couple of ways, and a design-it-yourself omelet with four items, common and less so, including huitlacoche and fresh serranos. The execution and presentation of any of the dishes, in line with its later service, are both much better than you'll typically find at other places serving similar fare. Sunday is a brunch buffet that's both morning and afternoon preparations, and more of an enticement to drink. And Picos has been for decades regarded as one of the top margaritas shakers around. Upper Kirby District
Buffalo Grille – Weekdays from 7AM, Weekends form 8 AM – Open since 1984, and seemingly crowded during Saturday and Sunday morning hours since then, with folks stretching well outside the restaurant waiting to order food at the counter during peak times. The lengthy weekend line usually moves quickly because the friendly counter staff and kitchen are quite efficient at dealing with crowds. Breakfast, served all the time, features the basic Houston-area morning meal options: pancakes called hot cakes here, French toast, bacon, potatoes, a variety of omelets, and several Mexican egg dishes. Some things work better than others. The French toast, large whole slices of thick bread that is surprisingly light, is among the best around. The pancakes and the create-it-yourself omelets with three very large eggs are generally good, too. The hash browns, though not the home fries that are often served under the guise of hash browns, should usually be avoided. Too often these can be strangely gray in color, and rather listless and unappealing. The thickly sliced pecan-smoked peppered bacon, however, is excellent, if not cheap. It’s diner fare, but this provides some nice touches that you would certainly not find at a diner like heated syrup and the option of regular coffee and that flavored with a little bit of cinnamon, which are both quite palatable. West U, Briargrove
Black Walnut Café – Daily from 7 AM – Breakfast is what this small, locally sprung counter-service chain does best. There is a wide range of offerings from playful versions of Eggs Benedict – Nashville Hot Chicken, Avocado Bacon, and Bacon Jam Cheeseburger – omelets, pancakes and French toast, combination plates and a few popular Mexican items. You can expect perfectly cooked eggs, thick, flavorful bacon, well-done pancakes served with warmed maple syrup. Handsome, inviting and friendly places, there’s even a bar area and a whole slew of alcoholic morning drinks, every morning. The lame breakfast sausage might be the only demerit here. Order more bacon. Rice Village, Memorial Park, The Woodlands, Katy, Cypress
Kenny & Ziggy’s – Daily from 8 AM – Toward the end of the lengthy menu at this amazingly popular restaurant-deli, there is a lengthy list of breakfast dishes, with all the expected American favorites along with Jewish-American ones – including more than lox among the preserved fish options – and more, often fun and caloric. But, healthy can be done, too with a quinoa bowl and granola with fruit and yogurt. No one really comes here to eat healthy, though. Galleria Area
Cucharita – Tuesday through Saturday 7 AM to 3 PM – The little sister to Cuchara, just a half-block away, is an extension on the motif of excellent, truly Mexican cooking that is lighter and more vibrant than most, this one only for breakfast and lunch. The menu is short but tempting and all done in a little more refined fashion than typical: several egg dishes, chilaquiles changing weekly, a tasty rendition of Huevos Montuleños with a patty of plantains and black beans substituting for tortillas, enchiladas filled with shredded chicken breast and topped with a creamy, green poblano sauce, waffles, and breakfast tacos served with corn tortillas. Portions are quite sensibly sized, as at Cuchara. There is also a pastry counter filled with tempting baked-in-house goodies that change daily plus the requisite coffee drinks and even a list of breakfast cocktails beyond just mimosas, bloody Mary’s, and micheldas. It is a pretty place – the food is pretty, too – with pinks and aquas, much different, much better, than when it housed Cooking Girl (which begat Pepper Twins and the acceleration of Sichuan cooking in Houston). Cucharita seats just about thirty, some is communal seating, helping quickly to make this feel like comfortable and appropriate part of this neighborhood that actually has some pedestrians. Montrose
Weights & Measures – Tuesday through Friday 8AM to 11 AM; Saturday-Sunday brunch 8 AM to 3 PM – One of Midtown’s best does a service with nearly daily breakfast that’s heavy on the eggs and breads; the excellent Slow Dough Bake Shop is a part of the show. The very small menu includes a take on Avocado Toast, of course, but with smoked bacon, fried eggs, and chimichurri sauce on ciabatta bread, and also preparations like smoked salmon with truffle scrambled eggs, dill-flavored cream cheese, purple onions and pumpernickel bread. Though there should be something for everyone including those eating healthy at this bright, inviting space, interestingly, pancakes and French toast are available only as sides. Midtown
Frank’s Grill – Daily from 7 AM; 6 AM in Spring Branch except on Sunday – Now a trio, these are very proficient greasy spoons that serve high quality diner-style food quickly, and usually with a smile. With the low prices and all-American fare, yet very humble setting, it’s the type of the place, you will readily expect to see a parked patrol car in the parking and both police and thieves enjoying the food (well, maybe not the latter). The breakfast offerings here are the basic American diner breakfast items with some concession to the region like breakfast tacos and the biscuits and gravy. Those biscuits are nicely made on-site. The S.O.S. on the menu is actually the biscuits and sausage-inflected gravy, and worth an order, as are the hash browns, which should be given a thought along with any of the morning mains: egg combination plates, omelets, pancakes, waffles, French toast and breakfast sandwiches. If you like the type of caloric, not-so-heart-healthy breakfasts that help make this country fat and happy, this a place for you. Spring Branch, West Houston (2)
Blacksmith – Daily from 7 AM – Though the breakfast / lunch offerings are limited, these are done well enough to encourage repeat visits, along with the serious coffee, at this very casual counter-service outpost of the acclaimed Underbelly Hospitality Group. Befitting that connection, the offerings are a bit offbeat, interesting and spot-on for present-day Houston. There is the Vietnamese Steak and Eggs that’s served with house pâté, French bread and a side salad, house-made biscuits or croissants with crème fraîche and jam, or bacon or sausage, egg and cheddar. Eating healthier but enjoyably is easy here, with oatmeal and yogurt headliners, and even the couple of breakfast tacos feature black beans. Montrose
Empire Café – Daily from 7:30 AM – For almost thirty years now right on Westheimer, this counter-service stop serves most of the local breakfast staples, which includes some Tex-Mex ones, tempered with some flair. Packed on weekend mornings for the four-egg omelets, and packed a great many mornings, its version of French Toast made with an Italian-style of bread and topped with mixed berries, and range of other items you’d expect in a Montrose restaurant with some personality. A true café, it’s popular for a coffee with work to do on the laptop. Montrose
La Guadalupana – Tuesday through Sunday 7 AM to 2 PM – Though the kitchen is reliable for all meals, breakfast have been the most enjoyable of the hot items and this tiny and still-not-so-attractively-adorned spot on Dunlavy that’s become popular in recent years. The breakfast tacos served in the mornings are still quite popular can be quite good, if maybe not once they once were. A judicious amount of fillings – eggs, bacon, etc. – are ladled into either a thin flour or corn tortilla, which are then rolled fairly tightly around the fillings. The salsas, a nice complement to these and most dishes, are fiery and packed with flavor. The other breakfast preparations like Huevos Rancheros, Huevos a la Mexicana, and Machaca Norteña featuring dried beef are also commendable. Don’t forget about the breakfast croissant as this is a bakery foremost. Then there are an array of tempting items in the display case by the door that can make this a quick stop for pastry-centric breakfast on the go. Montrose
Dot Coffee Shop – Open 24 hours – The Dot Coffee Shops were the restaurants that got the Pappas corporate juggernaut rolling in the 1960s. The only location left is the one just off the Gulf Freeway, near the Gulfgate Mall. This is an skillful interpretation of the traditional American diner, done more nicely. As with most of the Pappas establishments, the restaurant is quite large, even big for a diner. It seems spacious, though it’s usually crowded with patrons. The service is usually a little better than other similar places. The kitchen does not quite have the deftness of the much humbler Frank’s Grill, but it does well enough and there are enough variety to satiate everyone in the group: pancakes, French toast and omelets in a variety of ways along with eggs that can be paired with a number of proteins including chicken fried steak and catfish. The egg dishes are the best breakfast items, featuring eggs are noticeably large and even the simple eggs over-easy have a surprisingly amount of flavor. The French toast is nearly as good; some of the best around, in fact. The small-sized regular pancakes are nothing special, the bacon at times can seem like it has spent too much time under a heat lamp, and, annoyingly, vegetable oil spread is used instead of butter. No matter, this is still worth a visit for your breakfast cravings, and at any time.
Pondicheri – Daily from 9 AM – The Indian-influenced breakfasts dished counter-service in this smart upscale urban retail setting will likely entice about any Houstonian who enjoys well-done breakfast. There are about a dozen hot items all arriving quickly from the proficient kitchen plus several of the tempting breakfast pastries. It’s not your diner breakfast. There is a coconut pancake that’s also made with almond and rice flour, a fermented dosa waffle, the French toast is brioche with cardamon, chocolate and bananas, and the Morning Thali. That’s uppma, sambar, saag paneer, a fried egg, and a potato cake that’s served with a carroty paratha. Among the knowing, international patrons you’ll probably hear an expensive English accent or two and have a sense that you’ve made a keen choice. Upper Kirby District
Barnaby’s / Baby Barnaby’s – Fairview, weekdays from 7 AM to noon, weekends 8AM to 2PM; Shepherd, Tuesday to Friday 7 AM to 10:30 AM, weekends 8 AM to 11 AM; Heights and Binz, weekends 8 AM to 11 AM – Not every location of this comfortable big food local chain serves breakfast, which is quite good, though does not seem as satisfying as the lunch and dinner offerings. As with those, the fare is diner-esque with nods to our locale. A couple of the pluses are that the bacon is thick, crisp and excellent, and coffee is charmingly served in small individual pots. Montrose, River Oaks, Museum District, Heights
Lankford Grocery – Daily – Here you get the basic American breakfasts plus, requisite for this city, a few Tex-Mex items: three eggs and toast with bacon or sausage and sautéed potatoes or grits; French toast; biscuits and gravy and sausage; omelets; oatmeal; Chilaquiles served with eggs and either bacon or sausage, and breakfast tacos on flour tortillas. Also the unique and messy Lonestar Tostadas, layered crispy corn tortillas, refried beans, Monterey Jack cheese, eggs, fried or sunny-side-up and choice among bacon, sausage, or ham and ranchero sauce. These are all generally quite fulfilling, filling and nice values. The hearty biscuits and gravy, which are served with a couple of good breakfast sausage patties, might be the best in town. Fresh, butter-laden biscuits and thick flavorful gravy complement each other very well, if not your arteries. Service is always very friendly here, as are the regulars. Montrose, Bellaire

Carne asada and eggs at Goode Co. Taqueria

More so than ever, there’s some really good sushi to be found in Houston, growing in part as alumni of Uchi spread out and open their own restaurants. And there’s plenty of money here to be spent on it; excellent sushi and sashimi are usually expensive, of course. Many of the top places fly some of their seafood in regularly from the famed Toyosu market in Tokyo and other sought-after items elsewhere, which can help ensure both quality and a hefty size to the check. Then the increasingly popular set-course omakase meals add to the sense that a sushi dinner is best for special occasions. But there’s at least one very good value option in Houston.
 
Listed alphabetically.
 
The Best
 
5kinokawa – The latest addition to what has become a destination for sushi, White Oak, joining Handies Douzou and Ume. From Chef Billy Kin, who help start Hidden Omakase, this also easy-to- miss fourteen-seat spot offers creative set-course omakase dinners of nigiri sushi and a good deal more – it helps to be somewhat open-minded here – with two seatings a from Thursdays through Sundays featuring ingredients flown in weekly from Toyosu in Tokyo and elsewhere that’s $150 per person. Heights
Aiko – On a section of Washington just west of downtown that’s become somewhat restaurant-heavy in recent years, chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee have opened their third and grandest well-received sushi venture following Kokoro and Handies Douzo. Offering sushi, sashimi, hand rolls and crudos, it’s somewhat a combination of both those concepts and in a more comfortable space. The restaurant also offers three options for omakase at three fixed-price points that are more affordable than most. Sixth Ward
Aya Sushi – Off the beaten path for most serious sushi fans, this nonetheless joins a few other worthy dining options in the heart of commercial Bellaire featuring a kitchen led by Chef Yoshi Katsuyama, who some might have seen behind the sushi counter at the acclaimed Soto in Montrose. Sushi, sashimi, and maki and omakase often with seafood flown in daily are draws here complemented by other plenty of non-sushi preparations in a more suburban address that, unusually for a sushi restaurant, has a good-sized patio. Bellaire
Handies Douzo – From the folks at Kokoro and now Aiko, this handroll specialist can be an easy stop for the quick raw fish fix that has certainly resonated, expanding to a second location on Montrose. Especially good nori – crisp, thin and more flavorful than usual – is first thing you’ll notice with the handrolls, the specialty. There’s also sashimi and crudos, which are worthy of attention, too. Heights, Montrose
Hidden Omakase – Led by an alumna of Uchi who’s also cooked in Spain and Thailand, this cheekily obscured spots offers only set course visits with two seatings of no more than eighteen folks nightly from Thursday through Sunday, which are $175 a head these days, for just the food, though you can add to that, too. You need to bring your own wine or sake, BYOB is $20 per bottle. It will be fifteen courses of sushi with flavors that can go well beyond Japan. The terrific Burger Chan located nearly adjacent won’t be open when you depart, unfortunately; though delicious, you might need that after dinner here. Galleria Area
Kata Robata – With a kitchen led by Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, certainly one of the city’s top chefs in the city in any genre, this restaurant still excites for its sushi, featuring a long list of seasonal specialties, and much more from its range in Japanese cuisine that’s “both traditional and modern.” An omakase from Hori is a real treat, worth the expense and effort to score a reservation at night. Sushi and Japanese food doesn’t get any better in Houston than this. Upper Kirby District
Kokoro – The first effort from Uchi alumni, which has since led to other worthy sushi stops, Handies Douzo, now in duplicate, and Aoki. A more casual counter-service place in Bravery Chef Hall that serves some serious sushi offering an array of the popular Edomae sushi, makimono, sashimi along with fun sides and other preparations like chicken fat rice and Wagyu Toast. Downtown
Kuu – This very attractively appointed, modern Japanese restaurant just in front of the Memorial City medical complex has been led since it opened about a decade by Addison Lee, a veteran of the famed Nobu chain who decamped to several well-regarded stints at Houston sushi restaurants and that experience shows. There’s plenty to entice at the sushi counter, and plenty of sushi and makimono option. You can also treat yourself to the Toyosu sashimi box or a piece or several of Seared A5 nigiri. Memorial
MF Sushi – Chris Kinjo, like Ford Fry of State of Grace, has managed to easily translate acclaim in Atlanta to the larger, more diverse and more demanding Houston market. He did that first on Westheimer near the Galleria a couple of years ago, and then in a beautiful, sleek space in the Museum District. As their name suggests, sushi is the specialty, and its impressive array of raw fish accompanying vinegared rice are among the very best in the city. A special treat is the omakase, a chef’s choice of small, mostly seafood preparations, maybe twenty or more, that is served at the twelve-seat sushi bar and might require some advance planning. Museum District
Neo – Another omakase concept from alumni of Uchi, this is more than sushi and fish and might impress even someone who is no a sushi devotee. The setting is also different, in a menswear showroom. It can be tough to get a ticket and that will cost $260 for the twenty or so courses, drinks and tip, along with something to brag about, if successful. Montrose
Nippon – Around since 1986 and unlike the vast majority of area Japanese restaurants, Nippon is Japanese-owned and -staffed. And, the comfortable dining room is usually peppered with ex-pat Japanese clientele, a sure sign of its authenticity and quality. It‘s also one of the best value Japanese restaurants in the city. Separated from the main dining room, the sushi bar of soothing, light wood and the small tables that flank it, provide an enjoyable place to enjoy some of the better sushi in Houston, for which Nippon has long been known. The sushi is reliably very good and has been expertly prepared by a friendly Japanese sushi chef; the senior one is a certified master. Nippon features a similar array of fish in the sashimi, nigiri sushi (the popular version with fresh fish sitting atop vinegared rice and wasabi) and the related rolls that is found in most area Japanese restaurants. You can order here without hesitation. Montrose
Nobu – The local outpost of the famed global chain, now with almost sixty restaurants, this might interest visitors more than locals and it’s not one of it’s star locations, but some excellent sushi can be had, lightening the wallet a fair ways in the process. There’s nigiri, mako and sashimi and omakase for $185 a pop, plus plenty more here like A5 Wagyu and famous non-sushi preparations like its Black Cod with Miso, Hamachi with Jalapeño, Soft Shell Crab rolls, and the cooked New-Style Sashimi plus the fun Nobu tacos. Galleria
Oishii – Not much of all from the outside, in a tiny older strip center, and not much on the interior, either, the sushi and restaurant nonetheless draws a lot of Japanese food fans, even occasionally attracting some students from Tokyo. This is the value choice among sushi lovers and the oft-filled dining room is a testament. Greenway Plaza
Roka Akor – Sushi shares billing with the robata-cooked steak and seafood, an expansive of nigiri sushi, maki and sashimi draws fine-dining aficionados to gorgeous local spot set in a skyscraping residential tower from this small upscale chain. A table is likely in order here, as there are only a half-dozen seats at the sushi bar. Greenway Plaza
Shun – From the son of the owners of longtime favorite of Japanese transplants and visitors, Nippon, also in Montrose, Shun is something nicer, hipper and more ambitious than his parents’ comfortable stop. A little less traditionally Japanese, too, with locally attuned flavors and ingredients make their appearance in some of the dishes. With a mix of sushi and sashimi, grilled robatayaki items, and a grab-bag of Japanese small plates, the menu might be tough to navigate for some, but the servers are helpful guides. The pricey, but large pieces of nigiri sushi and sashimi are excellent, as you might expect with the experience at Nippon, with some sourced from more exotic waters. Fun and delectable rolls like the Sun Blast filled with salmon, apple, tobiko, micro cilantro, lime, spicy aioli and topped with a piece of crispy salmon skin might have more wide-ranging appeal. Shun can seemingly appeal to a range of customers with familiar items like tempura, miso soup, pork katsu, and sushi rolls, those interested in a meal of mostly sushi and sashimi, and there’s a separate sushi counter, or those wanting something more unique. Montrose
Soto – A transplant from Austin sporting a gorgeous dark interior, this offers an approachable, well-executed, well-sourced take on the popular Tokyo-style sushi occasionally spiked with some regional favorites like jalapeño, avocado and even tacos of a sort. Truffles and foie gras make appearances, too. Some items arrive from Tokyo’s Toyosu seafood market; the uni here is from Hokkaido rather than Santa Barbara. Japan Express menu changes daily and with often about ten seasonal available as nigiri or sashimi. One of the omakase menus, at $150 and $250 a head, offers an indulgence. In that vein is the A5 Wagyu beef that’s one of the fairly numerous hot dishes on the menu that can be worth visiting even if sushi is not part of the meal. But, it’s one of the top handful of sushi purveyors in town. Montrose
Teppay – The owner has recently turned over the reigns of this longtime sushi specialist just off Westheimer on Voss, but doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. If not as flashy nor as modern as some others, it can satisfy at maybe a little lower key. Briargrove
Uchi – Serving a creative take on modern Japanese food and known for its sushi and sashimi preparations, this is a version of the most acclaimed restaurant in Austin that won Chef Tyson Cole a James Beard Award several years ago. It quickly became part of the restaurant firmament in Houston after opening in early 2012, and remains a top destination for sushi and seafood, period. Terrific service, too. Happy hour daily from 4:00 to 6:00 is way to experience some of the excellence here for just a little less. Montrose
Uchiko – “Uchiko, child of Uchi,” is likewise a transplant from Austin, if not quite a replication of its namesake there, with its full bar and grander setting. Located along a glittery stretch of Post Oak Boulevard, it is like its parent, a “non‑traditional Japanese concept,” and has an emphasis on sushi, while also “bringing smoke and char” to some of the creations. That sushi is Uchi-level, superb, in a variety of forms. The Toyosu section showcases the ten to twenty items recently flown in from that market in Tokyo, the successor to Tskuiji, and the home of the most prized pieces at sushi counters worldwide. Regardless of the provenance, the preparations here are deeply flavorful, and often creative and fun. Boquerones, rolls with soft shell crab and nuon mam, and post oak-grilled pork belly were just a few of the temptations on a recent visit. The menu is updated daily and posted on its site, highlighting the attention paid to the ingredients here, and taken with the restaurant, overall. To note, you can certainly spend some money for a meal, even without considering the bluefin tuna and caviar selections. The décor is in line with the high bar of the kitchen. It’s clean-lined and beautifully brown that’s accentuated with abstract works from local artists. With the notably adept service, too, this is a terrific addition to the city’s dining scene. Galleria Area
Ume – From Chris Kenjo of MF Sushi and his team, this quaint-for-Houston space with about sixty seats, a small sushi counter and a good-sized bar with plenty of light wood and clean lines, is very well-suited for present-day Heights: attractively and intelligently designed, bustling, and serving excellent, upmarket fare. Heights

Bluefin nigiri sushi at Uchiko

Though seemingly all of the Great American Steakhouse national chains of any significance have, or had, outposts in Houston – and are usually quite satisfying, some are overpriced destinations with indifferent or worse steaks and fare like Mastro's to my experience – there are a few homegrown steakhouses that might be of greater interest to discerning local diners, hence this post.

It's interesting to note that high-priced steakhouses seem to draw the greatest disagreement among diners, at least it's been among the folks I have queried for articles in the past. That appears to be for a few reasons: the considerable expense involved in visiting an pricey steakhouse leaving little room for error in the diner’s mind; that steak is a dish often cooked at home creating strong ideas about how it should taste; then steaks at a steakhouse are really a slightly different product, it’s aged longer, usually featuring more marbled, better quality beef, and cooked at much higher temperature than can be employed at home. Though nearly all of the upscale steakhouses, certainly those national chains, for the most traditional and popular steaks, feature the same type of grain-fed USDA Prime beef from the Midwest and wet-aged, usually for a similar amount of days, the differences in cooking temperature – broiled at 1,200 versus 1,800 degrees, for example – can make a lot of difference for some diners. Because of this, some might believe that Ruth's Chris is the best steak around, plied with melted butter as it is, while others much prefer Morton's, among the national chains.
 
The steakhouses recommended below offer some diversity in cooking methods, but all done well. Listed in order of preference.
 
The Top Local Steakhouses

Georgia James – Beef is easily the most popular protein for Texans, and Houstonians, and this might be the best and most interesting address in which to enjoy it. Created by star chef and Houston cheerleader Chris Shepherd, this is a modern steakhouse that does things a little differently – steaks are not all the familiar cuts and are cooked in cast iron – but hitting all the right notes in a refined but user-friendly fashioned way. The current roster is a 100-Day Hanger Steak that’s a true steak onglet, Wagyu Zabuton, Ribeye, Texas Strip, Porterhouse, and the Long Bone Ribeye, plus the now-requisite A5 Wagyu per four-ounce slice. An excellent wine list complements the beef and everything else on the menu, on which Cabernet is not king. With the steaks, one nearly and a couple well over three-digits, wines, and the other temptations here, make sure there is ample credit on your cards before visiting. River Oaks
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – Boisterous, always loud and often delightfully indulgent and even excessive, this is the locally grown version of the prototypical, clubby masculine steakhouse, on steroids. These two and Georgia James are clearly the best steakhouse concepts in the city. Not only is the food excellent, especially the nearly unparalleled wet- or dry-aged steaks, most importantly, but the compendious wine list is the most impressive in the city. The Westheimer original has around 5,000 labels and 28,000 bottles, and the downtown branch slightly less, so there is seemingly everything you might want at a fine dining restaurant with depth in Champagne, Burgundy – both colors, with pages of Grand Cru and Premier Cru – Bordeaux, Napa, Super Tuscans, Barolo, Rhone, and much, much more. You can spend a small fortune on just drink here. Along with the kitchen and cellar, the wait staff here, is also a cut above among the local steakhouses. The attentive, friendly and proficient service usually stands out. Galleria Area, Downton
Vic & Anthony’s – A take on the upscale Italian-American steakhouse concept that has resonated locally since opening some years ago. Even people who swear never to eat at any of the numerous Landry’s properties seem to really like Vic & Anthony’s. Located in a bunker-like building catercorner from the ballpark, it sports a proper bit of refined raffishness that comes with the Italian-American steakhouse turf. That feel not forced, as Landry’s capo Tilman Fertitta is a nephew of the Maceos, the Sicilian-American businessmen who ran the gambling and entertainment operations in Galveston decades ago. Even more of a reason for a visit is that the food, the steaks, especially, are seemingly always spot-on. There are all the expected expensive steakhouse cuts that are USDA Prime, even the filet. There’s also Japanese Wagyu, even an A4 Ribeye, and several steaks from a respected American wagyu producer in central Texas, HeartBrand Beef. Terrific wine list, too. This is the one Landry's concept you can visit without having to apologize for yourself. Downtown
Saldivia's – This comfortable family-run Uruguayan steakhouse serves the best value steak in the area, by a wide margin, too. Imbued with considerable skill at the grill, years of steakhouse experience, and a deep tradition of beef and grilling from their native Uruguay, the steaks at Saldivia’s are serious business. The entraña is the signature cut and the star here. It is the rather humble outside skirt steak – coming from the plate section, below the rib and between the brisket and flank and whose fat has been trimmed off by the restaurant – that is always cooked to perfection, typically medium-rare. It remains juicy and remarkably tender for the cut, while being extremely flavorful, rich and beefy. If you like steak, you will love the entraña at Saldivia’s. You can’t go wrong with the other cuts of beefsteak: the tira de asado, boneless beef ribs, vacio, a thin flank steak, bife de lomo, a filet of the tenderloin, and bife ancho, the ribeye. No assist is necessary to the steaks, but the oily and garlicky house-made chimichurri sauce is an excellent accompaniment that can make them even more enjoyable. Tannants from Uruguay, especially, and Malbecs from Argentina get nearly all the attention from the customers to complement the meaty offerings. Westchase
Killen’s STQ – Barbecue star Ronnie Killen brings his smoking and grilling skills along with his penchant for robustly favored regional fare to the big city from suburban Pearland, offering a slightly different take on steak – a wood-fired grill rather than a broiler here – and the steakhouse experience in a fairly quaint setting a few miles west of the Galleria. You can still do it up really big here, though, as you can hope for at any pricey meat palace. For steaks, there are a number of choices, familiar cuts that are wet- or dry-aged, Japanese A5, and domestic and Australian waygu. This top restaurant is good for more than just steak-lovers with a menu that includes local seafood preparations, some Tex-Mex and fun Texan dishes like chili and a chicken fried ribeye. Briargrove

The entraña at Saldivia’s

Cocktails have really drawn attention and have been much more of a draw, both at bars and restaurants, since the cocktail revolution had its first significant sparks in the mid-aughts in Manhattan and San Francisco and then began spreading. That modern era in Houston really began with the opening of Anvil by Bobby Heugel and team on lower Westheimer in 2009, the first bar dedicated to serious mixology. It proved to be a fairly momentous event here that spawned other excellent cocktail-centric bars as its owners opened other concepts as did former employees.
 
The emphasis in this list is on the quality of those cocktails. The scene is secondary, if that. For those cocktails, it’s been my experience – too many cocktails to count, as my liver gets plenty of exercise – that the classics with superb ingredients, and updated, slightly revised versions of those are the best. Many of the classics have around 150 years on them; there’s a reason why they are still on menus. I’ve almost never been wowed with an extremely creative cocktails. Disappointed, yes, and far too often.
 
Listed alphabetically.
 
The Best
 
Anvil – Bar – Still Houston’s premier destination for serious mixing and one of the best cocktail bars in the country, the highly trained, very proficient and usually engaging staff paired with the excellent materials going into in an innumerable array of cocktails help make for a terrific time. The loud space adds to the energy as do the soon-to-be-dulled senses caused by the easy drinking drinks. Montrose
BCN – Restaurant – Primarily a fine-dining restaurant, the gin and tonics here are revelatory, some of the best cocktails in town, in fact. As many as twenty different versions of the Spanish-influenced gin and tonics might be on the menu at any time, often with unusual ingredients in seemingly odd combinations that all manage to work, usually grandly. It’s fun just to try to score one of the nine seats at the bar for the wonderful gin-tonics a small plate or two, even if a full dinner experience is not in the cards. Montrose
Better Luck Tomorrow – Bar-Restaurant – A bar with good, fun food, this is a partnership with Bobby Huegel of Anvil fame and top toque Justin Yu. That attention to quality is evident in the creative and expertly crafted cocktails, especially so. Easy prices before 5:00 and a fair amount of patio space make this a popular choice for early imbibers of some discernment. Heights
Captain Foxheart's Bad News Bar & Spirits Lodge – Bar – An industry favorite for a few years now on the Main Street bar row, it’s place to unwind with boozy delights after climbing stairs a bit from the nightly hubbub below. Downtown
Double Trouble – Bar – Subtitled, “Caffeine and Cocktails,” this nicely-worn dual-duty spot is set long the strip of walkable neighbors near the light-rail including Winnie’s. It touts a “small but special selection of quality spirits” used in its cocktails that include fun frozen creations and coffee-based ones, as might be expected. Among the enticing specialty concoctions is Captain's Orders, with rye, a French vermouth, allspice dram, orange bitters and absinthe. Midtown
Grand Prize – Bar – The old house at the northern edge of the Museum District has been a bar for decades, and this one since 2010 drawing attention to its cocktails. And it’s nicely got fully stocked mixing and serving stations on two floors that serve an ever-changing list of libations. Museum District
Lei Low – Tiki Bar – The city’s premier tiki destination, this does a terrific job with those fun drinks of yesteryear properly updated when necessary, but served in those great cheeky old school-style vessels. Parking can be very tough here so it might be best to use a ride-sharing service. Plus, it’s really easy to get plastered during a visit. North Side
March Lounge – Bar – The gorgeous spot upstairs from Rosie Cannonball is your first stop for the set-course meal at March with a necessarily exquisite and exquisitely priced cocktail, but you can probably sneak up before or after a meal downstairs, too. Montrose
Miss Carousel – Bar – Tucked behind two other welcome sister property’s, Vinny’s and Indianola, on St. Emmanuel, this subdued space mixes slight twists on the classics and also some fun originals among its regular selections between $13 and $18. EaDo
Johnny’s Gold Brick – Bar – The cinder block building off Shepherd just south of 610 is fitting place to enjoy more than one of the dozen classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, etc. for just $8 all the time and open until 2:00 AM each day. There’s more to imbibe here, too. Heights
Julep – Bar – On a more sedate, but busy enough stretch of Washington Avenue is one of the city’s most serious cocktail destinations and another Anvil offspring. Owner Alba Huerta and the bar have won some national attention and the very well-composed cocktails include a wide range of classic and more contemporary ones that’s not as Southern-themed as in the past, but there’s still a selection of juleps, of course. Washington Corridor
Nancy’s Hustle – Restaurant – This eclectic modern American bistro seems to do about everything well and that includes and excellent, interesting cocktail program to get a visit started. One of the current creative offerings is the Black Manhattan made with rye, strawberry amaro, aperitif, amaretto, and Angostura bitters. East End
Refuge – Bar – Anvil’s slightly smarter sibling and next-door neighbor, it’s also an event space and you can make reservations. The small list of riffs on classics and originals – and the handful of “Excessives” like the El Presidente for $34 mixed with Samaroli 2002 Barbados rum, Dolin Blanc, Grand Marnier Cuvee Louis Alexandre – are all Anvil-quality. Montrose
Riel – Restaurant – This wonderful neighborhood boîte has a bar that’s almost as serious as the kitchen and a small bar area where terrific mixtures and service are nearly guaranteed. Montrose
Squable – Restaurant – Exceptional cocktails are part of the package at this Heights star. The nearly ten house specialties feature some twists on the classics like a clay-aged Negroni over a rock that are among the best of breed in the city. You can enjoy them half off each weekday from 4:00 to 6:00, an incentive to stop working early. Heights
Tiny Champions – Restaurant – You are coming here from the food, the top-notch pizza, the pasta, the ice cream, but the small bar area is a nice place to repair to, provided you can find a seat, for an excellent cocktail from the folks who did the same at Public Services previously. A half-dozen well-informed and fun cocktails are on its menu – like the Nordic Thunder with aquavit, vodka, guava and Cocchi Rosa vermouth and lemon – but it can do a bang-up rendition of a classic, too. You can enjoy these at the table, too, of course, and one is recommended to start. East End
Toasted Coconut – Tiki Bar – The palapa near Richmond marks an appropriate setting for this tiki-inspired place with good grub from the folks at nearby Nobie’s. One of the dozen fun featured cocktails is the Captain’s Grog with several overproof rums, passionfruit, allspice, lime, and honey. Montrose
Under the Volcano – Bar – Classics and much more are crafted quite well at this longstanding place with a comfortable vibe north on Morningside from the Village proper that’s far more than the frozen screwdrivers of yore. Rice Village
Winnie’s – Bar / Restaurant – This enjoyable spot along the light-rail does a few things well anchored by its well-made cocktails, many just $7 before 5:00 during the week, which help make this one of the best options for day drinking. Divided among Frozens, Shaken or Stirred, Staff Cocktails, Treasure Chest, a cooler with ice. For $25 that will make either a couple pours of a Fancy Cognac Old Fashioned or a French 75 or a quartet of frozen cocktails or some beer. Cocktails here are just $11 during the more traditional drinking hours. Midtown
Wooster's Garden – Bar – A handsome indoor-outdoor setup and nearly fifty house cocktails helpfully explained by brief descriptions of the components that are competently and attractively mixed and sporting an Anvil heritage makes this a user-friendly spot to enjoy a tasty drink or more. Midtown

Big batches of boiled crawfish have been a big thing in the area for at least a couple of decades at casual bars and restaurants. Those flavors and fun have really caught on. As popular as they are now, it’s odd to think that I helped to throw the very first crawfish boil held at the West Alabama Ice House back in 1995. The newer Viet-Cajun-style boiled crawfish has struck a chord and spread, too, moving beyond just Vietnamese-owned restaurants. Though as messy as ever, there’s a lot more going on in addition to those Viet-Cajun dipping sauces, including the prices. Most places now charge for the traditional corn on the cob and potatoes. And there’s many more items being thrown into those pots. Mushrooms, sausages, Brussel sprouts and additional types of shellfish like shrimp, crabs of various types and lobsters, as restaurants try to keep the boil going year-round beyond just the six months or so of crawfish season here.
 
Listed alphabetically.
 
The Best
 
BB’s – They’re serious about crawfish here, and not too constrained by tradition, offers it in a variety of ways helping set the pace for the enjoyment of crawfish in Houston. You can get the crawfish done in their signature Tex-Orleans fashion or the more familiar Louisiana way, you can get butter or another sauce for dipping, and you can add a whole slew of items beyond corn and new potatoes to the boil: an array of different sausages, boudin, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, greens, edamame, boiled eggs. You can also add those meatier crustaceans, shrimp, and Dungeness and snow crabs. And for the crawfish, you can now even select the sizes, like shrimp. Market price. Montrose, Heights, Upper Kirby, Briargrove, Katy, Pearland, Cypress, Oak Forest, Energy Corridor, Kingwood, Tomball, Clear Lake
Boil House – Driving on 11th Street between Studewood and Heights, there’s a good chance you won’t not notice this single-story structure. It’s small and always seems closed, but it springs to life during the season from Wednesday through the weekend with its traditional southern Louisiana-style featuring crawfish delivered daily that’s $9.99 per pound this year. A boil can be enhanced with the almost necessary corn and new potatoes, and also mushrooms and link sausage for a little more. A dipping sauce, too. Another regional specialty, shrimp, can also be boiled. Heights
Crawfish & Noodles – Near the western part of Chinatown on Bellaire Boulevard, this busy and easily enjoyable outpost helped to introduce and popularize Viet-Cajun crawfish in the area so much so that it’s drawn national attention to the restaurant and proprietor and chef, Trong Nguyen, along with making the dish one of Houston’s signature culinary offerings, a testament to Houstonians love of the Louisiana-instigated mudbug culture and Vietnamese flavors. Even more, their crabs, wings and more show that casual, communal fare done very well can make the day that much more pleasurable and rewarding. A new location is in the commercial farmers market. Chinatown, Heights
Crawfish Shack – Serious boiled crawfish aficionados have been making the trek all the way to Crosby for a couple of decades now, and even forming long lines of cars at times for its drive-thru operation, and the output of the boil served with a choice of spiciness: Mild, Medium or Spicy, Med LA, Spicy LA, or Mo Spicy, and Mo Mo Spicy. For an additional amount, there’s corn, new potatoes, a spicy boiled egg, mushrooms, and sausage links. You can dine in, too, just remember to bring your beer, as it is only BYOB here. Crosby
Crawfish Café – The Viet-Cajun boil crawfish is the real draw at this expanding concept, though an array of other shellfish are also available for the pot, where a three-step order process is employed. You choose the shellfish, the spice level and the sauce among Cajun, Kickin Cajun, Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper, Thai Basil, and Coco Loco. Blending those is encouraged. Heights, Chinatown, The Woodlands
Orleans Seafood Kitchen – A destination for boiled crawfish in season way out west, done in the familiar way, and just $8.99 now. Katy, Fulshear
Ragin’ Cajun – One of the first in the area to regularly offer boiled crawfish, the first time in 1976, the season is a clarion call for many mudbug lovers. Crawfish are in its logo, after all. Done in the familiar fashion, you can also get them boiled with new potatoes, corn, sausage and then butter after for dipping. Greenway Plaza
T-Bone’s Sports Pub – This no-thrills spot in a no-thrills part of town on TC Jester and 19th Street has been a go-to spot for those in the area for some years now, available seven days a week from open until close, and $9.99 a pound this season. Timbergrove
The Boot – Along the row of bars on 20th Street just west of the Heights proper, the Duplechin brothers who run the place know crawfish boiling it for years before opening this joint less than a decade ago. Their father even has a business delivering it here from farms in Louisiana. With plenty of leafy patio space and picnic tables, this can be the perfect place to enjoy them. Heights
The Patio at Pit Room – The friendly, kind of dumpy bar with plenty of outdoor space adjacent to The Pit Room with plenty of cold beer on the ready is an appropriate setting for a messy crawfish meal during the season. Thursday through Sunday starting early and $12.95 a pound, which comes with corn, potatoes, mushroom and a half link of andouille sausage. Montrose
Willie’s Grill & Icehouse – This Houston-bred chain of casual eateries now has nine suburban area locations and crawfish shipped from Louisiana is found at each. Boiled with corn, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and sausage, and then tossed in your choice of flavors: traditional, Crazy Cajun, garlic butter or Texas BBQ butter. Conveniently for home, you can even order one or pickup in a  reusable thermal bag, three, four and five-pounds, from $35 to $55. Katy, Jersey Village, Cypress (2), Spring, Pearland, Sugar Land, 1960, The Woodlands
Winnie’s – A couple versions are served here at this useful and adept bar and restaurant with strong Louisiana roots in the kitchen. There’s the classic and Viet Cajun with butter, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and Cajun spices at $11 and $12 a pound. Potatoes, corn, sausage, lots of spice and a side of Viet Cajun butter are also $1 a more extra, though. Midtown

At our boil at the West Alabama Ice House a few years ago

Near the coast, Houston has long had a tradition of the raw bar and oysters on the half shell. My father remembers fondly having them at Grand Central Oyster Bar in Manhattan early in the day before traveling to Houston and eating oysters on the half shell again that evening at the Rice Hotel several decades ago. Here, the raw bar mostly means those raw oysters on the half shell; oysters, just shucked and served on a metal tray atop a bed of rock salt and with a couple lemon quarters, usually a vinegary mignonette sauce and always the simpler cocktail sauce along with a side of some horseradish, typically served as a dozen or half-dozen.
 
The oysters found locally are largely oysters from the Gulf, sometimes from nearby, more often from further east, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. The more flavorful oysters from the northeastern waters and the Maritime provinces of Canada are also pretty widely seen, though more expensive, even up to $4 an oyster now. Nicely, most places that serve oysters also have a happy hour with cheaper prices, and an easier way to sample the more interesting appellations.
 
And raw oysters lend themselves to happy hour, with a cold, lager beer or several at a comfortable, humble bar. I prefer a crisp white wine, its classic companion featuring plenty of salinity, Muscadet, or something a little heftier. At a Bordeaux tasting recently, a producer described his basic white wine as something that’s perfect the morning after a long night when you are having a dozen oysters to start the day.
 
Continuing the French inspiration, the local raw bar description includes seafood towers that originated in the plateau de fruits de mer – found at the more expensive restaurants here – an array of mostly raw and chilled shellfish with accompanying sauces, most compositions having some nods to the area. One can be a spectacular way to start a meal, if necessarily pricey.
 
The best twenty-five raw bars in Houston are listed alphabetically below.
 
Posted on February 27, 2023.
 
The Best
 
Acme Oyster House – Though the mostly fried fare on the menu at this outpost of the touristy French Quarter spot can easily be ignored, the utilitarian dining space of this former theater works well as a place to slurp freshly shucked Gulf oysters. Montrose
Brasserie 19 – The bar remains a popular destination here and East Coast, Gulf and even West Coast oysters on the half shell can complement the wines. For the table, there are also the seafood towers with oysters, lobster, tuna tartare, shrimp, and blue crab claws. River Oaks
Brennan’s – A fixture just off the spur in Midtown since 1967, with roots in New Orleans, oysters are part of its DNA. Top appellation Gulf oysters are now $36 a dozen and the East Coast ones are $40. The freshly shucked raw oysters, boiled jumbo shrimp, crab fingers, Crab Ravigote, and a red snapper ceviche are features in the seafood platters and towers. Midtown
Caracol – This is the seafood specialist in the quartet of H-Town Restaurant Group’s top-flight Mexican restaurants and you can expect it’s raw bar selections are interesting. The Gulf oysters on the half shell come with salsa bruja, a spicy flavored vinegar, and a charred lime half, $18 for a half-dozen and $36 for a dozen. It’s grand Seafood Tower have raw oysters, mussels, jumbo shrimp, ceviche, a Mexico City style campechana, lobster tails, crab fingers, clams, costeño aioli, a canario mignonette and cocktail sauce. Galleria Area
Eugene’s – Gulf oysters on the half shell with cocktail sauce and horseradish are always worth a consideration to start here. For the daily happy hour – Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 and Saturday from 2:00 to 5:00 – these are $1.25 each and a dozen for $15. Montrose
Eunice – Featuring a purposed perch emblazoned with “Fresh Shucked Oysters,” those bivalves are taken seriously at this very adept, attractive Louisiana-inspired space. The well-sourced oysters aren’t cheap: $30 for a dozen with the “Specialty” ones are now $46. Oysters make it on to their seafood platter, of course, which also has tuna tartare, Royal Red shrimp, smoked fish dip, and a crab salad. Greenway Plaza
Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers – You can see the oysters being shucked here that come with horseradish and cocktail sauce and can be a good way to begin an evening meal. North Side
Golfstrømmen Seafood Market – With catch from the North Sea arriving at the start of the week, the seafood served here can be impressive, even the food court setting is not. The oysters can be quite interesting like the Belon oysters, though likely from Maine rather than Brittany. A dozen coming with lemon mignonette and a chili oil will set you back $38 now. Cheap oysters on Monday evenings. There are plenty of other raw options – bluefin tuna, salmon, red drum – and platters, too. Its Classic Seafood Platter has bluefin tuna, oysters, scallop, salmon, and crab and there are a couple grander options, too. This is a must-visit for a seafood lover. Downtown (Post Market)
Goode Co. Seafood – There’s always an attractive display of area Gulf oysters on the ready at these long-loved locally attuned spots. The chilled seafood towers in two sizes have a regional bent: Gulf oysters, jumbo Gulf shrimp, smoked redfish dip, the superb Campechana Extra, and blue crab fingers. West U, Memorial
La Lucha – With inspiration from the long gone San Jacinto Inn – a staple of many of our childhoods – in the hands of a skilled restaurateur, you can expect the oyster service will be of interest. A February menu had five Alabama appellations: Admiral, Grand Batture, Mon Louis, Murder Point, and Point Aux Pins. That’s not inexpensive, $3.75 a pop, from the Gulf. Served with cocktail sauce, pickle juice mignonette, fresh horseradish During happy hour, select oysters are $1.50 each, until 6:00 daily; opens at 4:30 during the week, but 10 in the morning on the weekends. Heights
Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette – A duo of pretty places with Gulf oysters for $3 a piece and the more flavorful East Coast ones at $4, or $48 a dozen. The seafood towers in a couple of sizes have mixed raw oysters, cocktail shrimp, a one-pound poached lobster, and an avocado crab cocktail. River Oaks, Memorial
Loch Bar – Fittingly plush spot for the address but that can still feel like it’s part of an out-of-town chain, this serves Maryland fare like cream of crab soup and crab cakes, but also in a grand way with striking chilled seafood towers in three sizes and up to $295 filled with East Coast oysters, clams, shrimp cocktail, mussels, king crab, Maine lobster and ceviche. East Coast oysters and River Oaks District
Margaux’s Oyster Bar – In Bravery Chef Hall just off Market Square, this features a well-informed staff, expert shucking and terrific oysters from the East Coast and elsewhere. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 with $1 Gulf oysters. Downtown
McCormick & Schmick's – It’s been part of Landry’s for over a decade now, but it still sources an array of excellent oysters. Pink Moon from Prince Edward Island, Heart’s Desire and Johnny Shucks both from Massachusetts were recent offerings at the downtown location. These can be enjoyed a little differently, with yuzu jalapeño granita, pomegranate mignonette, house-made cocktail sauce.  Downtown, Uptown Park, CityCentre
Navy Blue – The best of the city’s seafood-centric restaurants also does a very creditable job with oysters on the half-shell, at price, of course. The kitchen likes to cook here, so that’s the only raw preparation. Rice Village
Pappas Seafood House – A dozen Gulf oysters will be sure to satisfy at one of the trio left of the long-satisfying Pappas family seafooders. North Houston, Humble, Clear Lake 
Ragin’ Cajun – The casual setting makes this an appropriate place to enjoy some freshly shucked Gulf oysters and you likely won’t be alone doing so while there. Greenway Plaza
Riel – The only menu option for freshly shucked oysters is four for $16 topped with an appealing coconut lime granita. Montrose
Relish – A handsome, comfortable place on Westheimer right near Kirby that might be too often overlooked by many dedicated diners. This includes its oysters on the half sell both from the Gulf and East Coast, $2.75 and $3.75 each, respectively, that are served with lemon, crackers, cocktail sauce, horseradish and a changing mignonette. River Oaks
State of Grace – Sporting The Oyster Room, a separate, beautiful tiled outlet apart from the rest of the restaurant, this River Oaks eatery, certainly has the most attractive and conducive setting for oysters and other chilled creatures from the ocean. There are a couple of enticing seafood platters and items like boquerones and a tuna crudo, but the emphasis is on oysters here. At the end of February 2023, a full dozen of oyster appellations were on hand, half from the Gulf, half from the East Coast. Pushing $4 each now, several are just $1.50 during happy hour that’s from 5:00 to 6:00 Monday through Thursday but much longer on Friday, from 11:00 to 6:00. River Oaks
The Oceanaire Seafood Room – Befitting its name, this upscale seafood chain’s shiny outpost in the Galleria takes the oysters and the raw bar concept seriously. The oyster offerings in late February were Cape Cod Bay, Mill Creek, Oceanaire Pearls, Shiny Sea, and West Port, all from Massachusetts and all $4 a piece. Quality is not cheap. There is also the Grand Shellfish Tower with oysters, shellfish cocktails, and much more. Galleria
Tommy’s Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar – Featuring Galveston Bay oysters…. The mignonette here is Champagne vinegar, white wine, crushed white peppercorns, diced shallots, diced jalapeños and chopped cilantro. Clear Lake
Weights + Measures – It’s just Gulf Coast oysters here, served with honeydew mignonette and micro mint. A dozen is $36. During happy hour is just $14 for a half-dozen and that’s Tuesday through Saturday from 3:00 to 6:00. Midtown
Winnie’s – Oysters can make a fine and well-sourced accompaniment to your cocktails at this casual, fun bar-restaurant. The Gulf Coast oysters are $18 for a half-dozen and the East Coast are $21. Montrose
Xochi – The Gulf oysters on the half shell come with a tomatillo mignonette and a charred lime half, $15 for a half-dozen and $29 for a dozen. Yet another temptation at this upscale Oaxacan-themed place and sibling of Caracol across from Discovery Green. Downtown

A seafood tower at State of Grace

For many Houstonians of a certain age, Tex-Mex was among the first restaurant loves with its spicy, slightly exotic dishes that were hearty and eminently gratifying, and always nicely affordable for the parents. The world of dining in Houston has expanded dramatically in the last three decades or so, and what most of us thought was Mexican food has also grown in terms of knowledge about and experiences with the wide range of more truly Mexican flavors and dishes. Taco trucks and humble taquerias serving primarily the million-plus Hispanic residents here, and then Hugo’s opening in 2002 and its successors helped show that Mexican food was not really humble, mostly brown-colored combination plates prefaced by thin corn chips and a bowl of melted orange cheese-food.  
 
Chips and salsa, nachos, cheese enchiladas, fajitas and frozen margaritas haven’t gone away and can still provide a satisfying and fun evening, if not so cheap anymore, especially if fajitas are involved. Fajitas can still be terrific; there is a reason fajitas, properly beef fajitas, became a restaurant sensation across the country and even Europe in the 1980s and remain popular. There is still a demand for Tex-Mex. Local Tex-Mex restaurants have incorporated many more traditionally Mexican dishes in recent years and the distinction is often blurred as to what is a Tex-Mex versus a Mexican restaurant here. This also has meant better preparations are on the menus.
 
Something interesting is that Tex-Mex restaurants lend themselves to successful replication, maybe more so than most cuisines or concepts. These places are typically not chef-driven, most notably, and the preparations can be easier to execute. Most of the recommended restaurants have more than one location, which is usually a good thing with these.
 
Listed in order of preference.
 
El Mejor
 
El Tiempo –  Though it might not be as important on the dining scene as it was years ago, Houstonians still love Tex-Mex and the occasional fajita, and the best place to enjoy it is at the restaurants from the family that popularized the fajita and made it an international star, El Tiempo. The mesquite-grilled fajitas here can be terrific and the robustly flavored – and some very robustly priced – dishes of all sorts along with the still-potent-enough house margaritas can make for a fun visit. Some locations are better than others and the one on Navigation in the East End across from where the Laurenzo family got their start is always a good choice. It’s actually a value choice for a weekend breakfast, too. East End, Montrose, Greenway Plaza, Washington Corridor, Briargrove, Timbergrove, Westchase, Katy, Kingwood, Stafford, Clear Lake, Cypress, The Woodlands (2)
Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina – With their experience and aptitude with Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes at other concepts, it was natural that Goode Co. would finally expand into a full-service Tex-Mex restaurants. Thankfully, they did. These are among the very best in the area. The Mexican seafood cocktail Campechana is a refreshing, wonderful way to start while the mesquite-grilled fajitas in one of its many iterations here is another crowd-pleasing order found on many tables. Any of the enchiladas or old school combination plates are done better than what you had growing up and the preparations with that require some more expertise like local Gulf favorite redfish cooked on the half-shell or bacon-wrapped, stuffed and roasted jumbo shrimp are a reminder that this is from a top area restaurant group. Memorial, Heights, The Woodlands
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen – Though the currently handsome spaces are a far cry from the humble spot on the western edges of Westheimer where it started a couple of decades ago, the specialty, and the draw for many patrons, remains one of the numerous enchilada creations. All named after cities and towns in Texas and Mexico, some of the highlights are the McAllen, which is a basic chicken enchilada plate topped with Sylvia’s Signature Chile Gravy – which is notably tasty – the similar Donna, but filled with ground beef, Crystal City, especially good spinach-filled enchiladas topped with a slightly sweet tomatillo-based salsa, and the San Miguel, enchiladas suizas. It’s really tough to go wrong with any of the many municipalities here, though. And there’s a lot more of the regional comfort fare done well from soups, quesadillas, chalupas, fajitas with either beef or chicken grilled over mesquite, chile rellenos, flautas and carne guisada. If you’ve got room for dessert, flan and sopapillas from childhood. Briargrove, Energy Corridor
Lupe Tortilla – In the 1990s, it was fashionable for many Inner Loopers to drive out to Highway 6 for fajitas at the original location. That was high praise given that there were many noted fajita purveyors, much closer. Available with beef, chicken and shrimp, or a combination, the fajitas are served with guacamole, pico de gallo, char-grilled green onions and unusually very thin, large, tasty freshly made flour tortillas. The beef is moist and quite flavorful. The beef fajitas, and the similar tacos and steaks are still a prime draw. The rest of the offerings and ethos are a little less brash than years ago, but still an easy call for an enjoyable Tex-Mex. And there are plenty of area locations, mostly suburban, for Lupe Tortilla now, even elsewhere in the state. Upper Kirby District, Washington Corridor, West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Clear Lake, Pearland, 1960 Area, Spring, Cypress, The Woodlands, Humble, Tomball  
Goode Co. Taqueria – This longtime casual counter-service stalwart shines brightest for its breakfasts – combinations featuring eggs scrambled with a choice of items like bacon, chorizo, and nopalitos, and the migas; huevos rancheros; huevos a la mexicana – but it’s really good for its daytime Tex-Mex offerings, too. The chicken enchiladas filled with thick strips of grilled and slightly smoky chicken breast are tempting, as are the cheese versions. The expected sides, beans and rice, are first-rate, as expected from Goode Co. Actually, there is not an unappealing choice on the short menu. Like their restaurants, there is their renowned pecan pie, if you need a sweet finish. That’s Tex rather than Mex, but it’s delicious. West U
Flora – Very pleasantly perched above Buffalo Bayou and sporting a clean, contemporary look, it’s an appropriate setting for the often excellent, vibrant and upscale Tex-Mex cooking that reaches far and often into Mexico. There is traditional queso, chips and salsa, nachos, and fajitas but also a starter featuring the trendy octopus, an array of ceviches and several seafood-topped tostadas – seafood is a strong suit here – a quinoa-centered dish, and barbacoa with lamb. Portions are on the small side, probably the smallest of any Tex-Mex restaurant in the area, so order more than usual, provided your budget can afford it. The attractively plated food here is pricey and overpriced, like all of the Big Vibe restaurants (Coppa, Graffiti Raw, Gratify); chips and salsa are not free, even a single fish taco is $13, and a pound of fajitas is well north of $50 – the latter not unusual these days. But you’re also paying for the atmosphere and the overall enjoyment of a visit. There is a reason its parking lot has seemingly always packed since opening in early 2022. River Oaks
Lopez – A very popular place in Alief since 1978, it’s still usually packed during the weekday lunchtime hours, and evenings on the weekend. The compendium of quality, familiarity, service, décor, location and price makes Lopez a pleasant and regular value dining option for many. You’ll be disappointed if you are looking for “authentic” or regional Mexican food. The menu is basic Tex-Mex; comfort food for a great many in the area and well-suited for suburban southwest Houston. Lopez’s popularity is due in large part to the adept execution of the familiar, satisfying Tex-Mex items. The basic tomato-based salsa is tastier than average, and better than what might be expected, flavorful and spicy, with the pepper seeds very evident. The chips are consistently fresh. The cheese in the enchiladas is cheese, cheddar cheese. The refried beans are thick and heavy, as those used to be at most Mexican restaurants in years before the greater prominence of cardiologists. Just a few of the hallmarks here. Alief, Richmond
Superica – This engaging, casual restaurant sharing a building with its sibling La Lucha is a version of a concept begun in Atlanta, albeit by a native Houstonian; this is Tex-Mex done just a little differently. It can be quite good, though. All of the familiar local Tex-Mex dishes are found here: nachos, queso and queso fundido, enchiladas in all the expected forms, quesadillas and fajitas. There’s also some more, with an aguachile appetizer, street-style tacos, the childhood favorite hard-shell tacos and a few more upscale beef and fish preparations. This can make for an easy choice for Tex-Mex done nicely when near the Heights. Heights  
El Patio – More than the home of the cheeky, fun Club No Minors where food is usually an afterthought though not fake IDs, the Tex-Mex dishes here are actually fairly well done plus it’s got some of the legacy Felix dishes including the strangely addictive queso. Keep the cheese enchiladas in mind because of that. The menu is lengthy enough, and with a very high rate of dishes that will appeal to discerning Tex-Mex patrons of a certain age. It contains most items from the familiar, local Tex-Mex repertoire, and these are conceived with a heavy-hand. That’s meant as a compliment. Dishes are satisfyingly hearty here. The old timey combination plates are done well here such as surprisingly good tamales, a dish that is rather forgettable at too many restaurants. Briargrove
Ninfa’s – Not what it once was, but bears inclusion for its historical importance and also some fun can still be had here. This was where the fajita was popularized by namesake and former owner Ninfa Laurenzo, first in Houston and then the world. Those fajitas, and the similar tacos a la Ninfa, have been filled with slices of beef that are tougher and less flavorful than they should be for at least a dozen years now. This hasn’t really dimmed the crowds too much on Navigation who have seen it featured on one of the national food shows, though a great number of former regulars now head across the street to El Tiempo for similar and better Tex-Mex which Ninfa’s son and grandson run. See above. If here, the non-traditionally Tex-Mex items might be a better bet, as that is where the kitchen’s heart seems to lie these days. East End, Galleria Area

Some of the mesquite-grilled delights at Goode Co. Kitchen and Cantina

Featuring slightly sweet, slightly yeasty dough and traditionally topped with fruit preserves or cream cheese, though now the pigs in a blanket, technically called klobasniky in the plural in Czech, and scrambled egg-filled versions and others also lay claim to the moniker – much to the chagrin of only the editors of Texas Monthly – this breakfast pastry with roots in Czechoslovakia has been a much-loved Texas staple for years. Most versions are rather lacking here and throughout the state, to be honest. Don’t bother stopping at any of the five or six kolache shops that draw travelers on I-35 en masse in West, Texas, just north of Waco, for example. A recent whirlwind tour of the five then open confirmed previous visits. My mother who was with me, and who grew up with kolaches from her Slovak grandmother, might have been even more disappointed.
 
Mediocre kolaches like those can actually have a function, though. Mediocre kolaches for breakfast on the weekends, cheap calories gotten via a drive-thru when possibly hungover, have been a guilty pleasure for me over the years. Several of the convenient Kolache Factory locations. Don’t go there if you don’t have to.
 
Thankfully, and in start contrast, Houston is also home to what I believe is the very best purveyor in the entire state and this really is only place to regularly get kolaches in the area. And here are three locations now. Monica Pope’s Sparrow stand at the farmers market on Saturday mornings at St. John’s School also does a great job with kolaches, too, including sometimes one filled with a Filipino pork stew that is a delicious multi-cultural mash-up. Unfortunately, her kolaches are often not available, but it pays swing by every time, just in case or for something else.
 
The Best and Only Recommendable
 
Kolache Shoppe – Originally opened in 1970, the kolaches in common parlance are the best of breed here across all versions: the traditional Old World-derived fruit-or-cheese-filled pastries, those sausage-centric pigs-in-a-blanket, the nicely caloric breakfast ones often with Tex-Mex fillings along with the newer styles featuring beef brisket or boudin inside. The quality begins with the dough, just slightly sweet, not overly yeasty, airy, fresh-tasting, and flavorful, unfailingly complementing whatever filling it surrounds. It’s the best kolache dough I’ve found.
 
Then those fillings are usually terrific, too. All the numerous versions here are excellent. You really can’t go wrong, even the one topped with prunes, though that requires a special order. Breakfast sausage, egg, pickled jalapeño and cheddar cheese; excellent Pinkerton’s brisket, egg, cheddar cheese and pickled jalapeño; Kiolbassa brand sausage link and cheddar cheese; Prasek’s venison and pork sausage with cheddar cheese and jalapeño; blueberry, and strawberry and lemon cream, the last three topped with a judicious amount of sugar, are several of the ones I’ve really enjoyed in recently. The only real competition to Kolache Shoppe that I’ve encountered in the entire state is Weikel’s in La Grange, which is worth a stop when driving to from Austin on Highway 71. Nicely, there is a drive-thru at Kolache Shoppe’s spiffy Heights location where the wait can be pushing thirty minutes on weekend mornings. You won’t mind when you finally get the kolaches, though. Greenway Plaza, Heights, Kingwood

Blueberry