The best restaurants in EaDo and the East End
Since not long after the dawn of the new millennium, the area across the freeway and just east of downtown has seen plenty of development, spurred first by the ballpark then the soccer stadium, steadily transforming a landscape of underused warehouses into a part of town with a new vibe and a new nickname, EaDo. Further the east, the primarily Mexican-American East End also attracted new bars and restaurants expanding the options beyond Mexican and Tex-Mex, and drawing even more diners and imbibers to areas of the city that might have been terra incognita even for longtime Houstonians. The best of the dining options in EaDo and the East End are listed alphabetically below.
Updated somewhat on January 23, 2024.
El Tiempo – Tex-Mex – 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 fajitas here can be terrific and the robustly flavored – and some very robustly priced – dishes of all sorts along with the potent 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.
Huynh – Vietnamese – The Asian grocery store that was nearly across the street is gone as are the banh mi spots nearby, but as the city’s original Chinatown has segued into a more modern urban landscape, this home-style, value-laden Vietnamese eatery for fifteen years has been serving the familiar cooking that Houstonians of all stripes have embraced in recent decades. The lenghty menu has all of the local favorites, but whatever comes later for dinner, start with the excellent Gỏi Vịt, a salad of pulled duck mixed with fresh herbs, cabbage, that’s served with ginger dipping sauce. One of the stuffed, freshly made rice paper preparations, Bánh Cuốn, makes for a wonderful entrée, especially filled with the char-grilled pork, which does admirable duty in several other dishes. Well-suited for groups and sharing – helped that it’s BYOB here, with a low $2.50 per bottle tab – the pleasant setting belies the low prices.
J-Bar-M BBQ – Barbecue – Though suffering through some well-publicized operational tumult that caused it to fall off the local media radar, the grandest setting for barbecue in the city is still worth a visit. The has the smoked meats match the clean-lined, extremely handsome build-out led by its moist and deeply flavorful brisket, as it needs to be. And that is USDA Prime. It goes into what is the best chopped beef sandwich in the city. That’s largely because it is not really chopped, rather mostly sliced, but, no matter, it’s delicious, helped by an excellent soft fresh bun. Pork ribs, pulled pork and turkey are the other meats, and the kitchen puts out a greater array of sides than any other barbecue joint around, including hand-cut fries and some fun desserts not seen at similar spots. The brisket alone warrants a visit, but the big well-stocked bars inside and out and the great picnic area with views to the downtown skyline a few blocks to the east might entice when you might not need to eat.
Nancy's Hustle – New American – Though this could likely fit in seamlessly in the other top restaurant cities in the country, but it is also perfectly suited for the present-day Houston led by a very experienced and talented crew, which is quickly evident. The quickly boisterous and nicely casual set-up in a comfortable strip center coupled has a serious kitchen churning out delectable dishes with flavors ranging from the Mediterranean on either side of the Bosphorus to stateside, most designed for sharing, and an expertly chosen array of wine, well-crafted cocktails and even beers to complement the evening. It's one of the city’s best.
Neighbors Pizza Bar – Pizza – From the ashes of Louie's, just steps away is slice spot-cum bar that is one of the best pizzerias in town.
Ninfa’s – Tex-Mex – 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 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-traditional items might be a better bet, as that is where the kitchen’s heart seems to lie these days.
Roostar – Vietnamese – Now with a trio of locations in various parts of town, including one on Navigation in the East End, this counter-service Banh Mi 2.0 operation is both slicker and better, overall, than its predecessors. What began as Vietnam Poblano in Spring Branch, an area with much higher Hispanic and Korean populations than Vietnamese, this has adapted to a growing clientele with a menu and preparations that are broadly popular. Jalapeños, shredded pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro with stems, soy sauce and garlic aioli help provide the sandwich platform along with rolls from excellent Slow Dough Bakery that are maybe more traditionally French than is found at other banh mi spots. Not just the bread, but the proteins are generally better quality than similar spots, too.
Street to Kitchen – Thai – Probably the most unique and maybe ambitious of the local Thai restaurants, this is has moved from its initial gas station location further east on Harrisburg Boulevard to the much more attractive spot that had housed Louie's. If you can dine in, the still-quaint space is packed tight with noticeably happy customers; both because of the food and that they scored a reservation. The hospitality of the extremely affable husband of the married couple that own and operate the place helps, too. Portions are also on the small side, but are usually quite flavorful with a menu that changes regularly. The Pork Panang Curry and Red Curry with Chicken have been excellent in the past, and we can hope for their return. Those and the Green Curry Fish Balls are on hiatus and there are more restaurant standards like laarb, green papaya salad, Drunken Noodles, and green and massaman curries today.
Tiny Champions – Pizza / American – Something more than just a pizzeria – with fresh pastas, oysters on the half shell, nicely crafted cocktails, and house-made ice cream from the highly regarded folks at Nancy’s Hustle – it’s also clearly the best pizzeria in Houston. The pizzas look a lot like those in Italy, but with a flavor that has a touch of a New York accent, buoyed by a delicious bready-tasting crust for a uniquely Houston style, possibly. That crust is the difference-maker here. A smattering of excellent ingredient on top and skill with the oven ensures that these pizzas taste amazing even when picked up and eaten at home and through all the slices, as these were during the depths of the pandemic. High praise, indeed.
At Nancy's Hustle
Updated somewhat on January 23, 2024.
El Tiempo – Tex-Mex – 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 fajitas here can be terrific and the robustly flavored – and some very robustly priced – dishes of all sorts along with the potent 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.
Huynh – Vietnamese – The Asian grocery store that was nearly across the street is gone as are the banh mi spots nearby, but as the city’s original Chinatown has segued into a more modern urban landscape, this home-style, value-laden Vietnamese eatery for fifteen years has been serving the familiar cooking that Houstonians of all stripes have embraced in recent decades. The lenghty menu has all of the local favorites, but whatever comes later for dinner, start with the excellent Gỏi Vịt, a salad of pulled duck mixed with fresh herbs, cabbage, that’s served with ginger dipping sauce. One of the stuffed, freshly made rice paper preparations, Bánh Cuốn, makes for a wonderful entrée, especially filled with the char-grilled pork, which does admirable duty in several other dishes. Well-suited for groups and sharing – helped that it’s BYOB here, with a low $2.50 per bottle tab – the pleasant setting belies the low prices.
J-Bar-M BBQ – Barbecue – Though suffering through some well-publicized operational tumult that caused it to fall off the local media radar, the grandest setting for barbecue in the city is still worth a visit. The has the smoked meats match the clean-lined, extremely handsome build-out led by its moist and deeply flavorful brisket, as it needs to be. And that is USDA Prime. It goes into what is the best chopped beef sandwich in the city. That’s largely because it is not really chopped, rather mostly sliced, but, no matter, it’s delicious, helped by an excellent soft fresh bun. Pork ribs, pulled pork and turkey are the other meats, and the kitchen puts out a greater array of sides than any other barbecue joint around, including hand-cut fries and some fun desserts not seen at similar spots. The brisket alone warrants a visit, but the big well-stocked bars inside and out and the great picnic area with views to the downtown skyline a few blocks to the east might entice when you might not need to eat.
Nancy's Hustle – New American – Though this could likely fit in seamlessly in the other top restaurant cities in the country, but it is also perfectly suited for the present-day Houston led by a very experienced and talented crew, which is quickly evident. The quickly boisterous and nicely casual set-up in a comfortable strip center coupled has a serious kitchen churning out delectable dishes with flavors ranging from the Mediterranean on either side of the Bosphorus to stateside, most designed for sharing, and an expertly chosen array of wine, well-crafted cocktails and even beers to complement the evening. It's one of the city’s best.
Neighbors Pizza Bar – Pizza – From the ashes of Louie's, just steps away is slice spot-cum bar that is one of the best pizzerias in town.
Ninfa’s – Tex-Mex – 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 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-traditional items might be a better bet, as that is where the kitchen’s heart seems to lie these days.
Roostar – Vietnamese – Now with a trio of locations in various parts of town, including one on Navigation in the East End, this counter-service Banh Mi 2.0 operation is both slicker and better, overall, than its predecessors. What began as Vietnam Poblano in Spring Branch, an area with much higher Hispanic and Korean populations than Vietnamese, this has adapted to a growing clientele with a menu and preparations that are broadly popular. Jalapeños, shredded pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro with stems, soy sauce and garlic aioli help provide the sandwich platform along with rolls from excellent Slow Dough Bakery that are maybe more traditionally French than is found at other banh mi spots. Not just the bread, but the proteins are generally better quality than similar spots, too.
Street to Kitchen – Thai – Probably the most unique and maybe ambitious of the local Thai restaurants, this is has moved from its initial gas station location further east on Harrisburg Boulevard to the much more attractive spot that had housed Louie's. If you can dine in, the still-quaint space is packed tight with noticeably happy customers; both because of the food and that they scored a reservation. The hospitality of the extremely affable husband of the married couple that own and operate the place helps, too. Portions are also on the small side, but are usually quite flavorful with a menu that changes regularly. The Pork Panang Curry and Red Curry with Chicken have been excellent in the past, and we can hope for their return. Those and the Green Curry Fish Balls are on hiatus and there are more restaurant standards like laarb, green papaya salad, Drunken Noodles, and green and massaman curries today.
Tiny Champions – Pizza / American – Something more than just a pizzeria – with fresh pastas, oysters on the half shell, nicely crafted cocktails, and house-made ice cream from the highly regarded folks at Nancy’s Hustle – it’s also clearly the best pizzeria in Houston. The pizzas look a lot like those in Italy, but with a flavor that has a touch of a New York accent, buoyed by a delicious bready-tasting crust for a uniquely Houston style, possibly. That crust is the difference-maker here. A smattering of excellent ingredient on top and skill with the oven ensures that these pizzas taste amazing even when picked up and eaten at home and through all the slices, as these were during the depths of the pandemic. High praise, indeed.
At Nancy's Hustle
