For a serious connoisseur, very few things are as pleasurable as a skillfully cooked recipe – when every part comes together flawlessly, it’s nearly enchanting. In the mean time, a terrible dish can ruin an otherwise pleasing evening, so it’s natural to do some basic research and take a look around for suggestions before deciding where to eat.
As if that doesn’t make matters complicated enough, there’s a whole lot more to contemplate about a restaurant than just the meal! The mood of a place can really make an impact in your entire experience, whether it’s snotty and useless personnel or a yelling baby the second table over. However it’s not all bad, of course – a great setting can make a pretty good dish into an amazing dish!
We’ve lived in Houston for many years now, and we have gathered quite a nice repertoire of restaurants we love, ranging from small hole-in-the-wall businesses to dazzling fine dining, and listed below are 5 of our all-time favs (although it was so challenging to pick!). This is what people on Yelp.com say about our faves:
Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe – (713) 695-8757
4624 Irvington Blvd
Houston, TX 77009
Neighborhood: Northside Village
Definitely my new favorite fajitas, but you could come here just for the chips and salsa’s. Honestly, everything was great. They have a really long menu, with myriad less-than-typical (read: awesome) mexican dishes, but they also serve all the dishes you can find at any tex-mex place. The beef fajitas were incredible; good quality meat, seasoned well and cooked to perfection. the home-made tortillas will blow your mind.
The location is kind of interesting, a little far away, but totally worth the trek.
-Daniel H.
Houston, TX
Patrenella’s Ristorante Italia – (713) 863-8223
813 Jackson Hill St
Houston, TX 77007
Neighborhoods: Washington Corridor, The Heights
I was looking for someplace cozy and intimate with great food for date night. Patrenella’s was perfect! Service was a little slow, but we didn’t mind the wait. We were served delicious bread & garlicky olive oil immediately, and we ordered the stuffed artichoke as an appetizer. It was going to be a little while for the artichoke, so our waiter brought us a complimentary serving of Sammy’s Eggplant. My husband is not an eggplant fan, but we both agreed this was fabulous! When it finally arrived, the artichoke was to die for! By the time our meal arrived – tagliatelle genovese for me & lasagna for my husband – we were both too full to eat more than half. I took about 3/4 of my meal home. We were very pleased & will be back again.
-Somer N.
Stafford, TX
Bistro Alex – (713) 827-3545
800 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N
Building 9
Houston, TX 77024
Neighborhood: Memorial
Hands down, no argument, the BEST meal we’ve had out in Houston all year. Appetizers included a simple bistro salad, so fresh and perfectly herbed, to the duck debris with butternut waffle…awwww, every bite scrumptious. Mains were soft shell crab fried to catch a lightly but perfectly dressed field green and 3 bean salad and then the laquered scallops and crawfish which were very, very tasty. The bread was deliciously messy. Coffee was french press, nicely done and then dessert – a simple vanilla scoop and the obligatory bread pudding. Wonderful evening, wonderful service. Cannot wait to come back! Thank you Stephen and Khalid for taking such good care of us.
-Kristi D.
Spring, TX
Bangkok Chef – (713) 659-1600
914 Main St
Houston, TX 77002
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Fourth Ward
So I’ve been looking for a tasty place downtown and a good curry ever since I came back to Houston. Bangkok Chef fit the bill for both of these need. My curry was as good as I have had, the spring rolls were fresh and delicious and the staff was super nice. All around a winner.
Bangkok Chef is a little more expensive than I care with plates running between 11-18, but I would rather pay these fine folks for there fresh delights than give another $10 to chilis anyday.
-Jason K.
Houston, TX
Nippon Japanese Restaurant – (713) 523-3939
4464 Montrose Blvd
Houston, TX 77006
Neighborhood: Museum District
Best ramen in town. Comes in miso or pork (tonkatsu) flavor… the regular menu only shows 1 flavor, but both are on the japanese menu.
Sushi is good too. I rate it similar in quality to kubos in rice village. Overall best japanese restaurant in houston. Small and quaint… but so is the parking lot.
-Alan L.
Sugar Land, TX
If you need additional things to see in Houston, go and have a look at our other posts about our amazing city, and prepare a day of it! I am certain you will discover something that can help turn your fine dining trip into part of a wonderful day!
| Best Deals for Ruby Tuesday |
| Moving your boxes and furniture into your apartment or new home can be easy and cheap. Just call or visit Aptmovers.com |
When you are selecting a Thai eatery, there are tons of issues that contribute to the choice (particularly when you are eating at a high end spot that can drain your pocket book!). Of course, we understand you may not prefer to accept that these particular places genuinely have the best quality Thai menu you can find in Houston, so take a look at these opinions!
Bangkok Chef – (713) 659-1600
914 Main St
Houston, TX 77002
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Fourth Ward
So I’ve been looking for a tasty place downtown and a good curry ever since I came back to Houston. Bangkok Chef fit the bill for both of these need. My curry was as good as I have had, the spring rolls were fresh and delicious and the staff was super nice. All around a winner.
Bangkok Chef is a little more expensive than I care with plates running between 11-18, but I would rather pay these fine folks for there fresh delights than give another $10 to chilis anyday.
-Jason K.
Houston, TX
Whenever you’re going to be traveling to a new place in Houston for the first time, among the most rewarding experiences is locating your local food options.
You can relish the more exotic neighborhood offerings such as the star chef’s high end restaurants, or you can look at a more inexpensive experience and look for the local hole-in-the-wall’s mouthwatering meal.
Following a couple excursion meals however, have a look at checking out a few of the close by Thai options. After all, who couldn’t go for some delicious Thai curries?
If you test Houston’s indigenous version of classic Thai food you will be surprise by the mix you will discover. From Mango salad to Tom yum soup (lemongrass soup), Houston has it all. You will find meals hailing from different parts of Thailand, as well as modern-day interpretations of classic Spring rolls. This is sensible due to the fact that these kind of family run restaurants have heritage which usually goes back to a particular area in Thailand. Thanks to immigration, getting great Thai cuisine doesn’t necessarily mean having to visit all the way to Thailand.
I hope you enjoy the restaurants featured on this page and don’t forget to leave space for dessert!
| Best Deals for Ruby Tuesday |
| Moving your boxes and furniture into your apartment or new home can be easy and cheap. Just call or visit Aptmovers.com |
When you’re in need of Crème brulee, nothing but Steak frites will suit your hunger! Take a look at these opinions of the highest quality Steak frites establishments in Houston that we’ve ever located – and all these patrons agree with us that your particular Steak frites} fulfilled!
Bistro Alex – (713) 827-3545
800 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N
Building 9
Houston, TX 77024
Neighborhood: Memorial
Hands down, no argument, the BEST meal we’ve had out in Houston all year. Appetizers included a simple bistro salad, so fresh and perfectly herbed, to the duck debris with butternut waffle…awwww, every bite scrumptious. Mains were soft shell crab fried to catch a lightly but perfectly dressed field green and 3 bean salad and then the laquered scallops and crawfish which were very, very tasty. The bread was deliciously messy. Coffee was french press, nicely done and then dessert – a simple vanilla scoop and the obligatory bread pudding. Wonderful evening, wonderful service. Cannot wait to come back! Thank you Stephen and Khalid for taking such good care of us.
-Kristi D.
Spring, TX
Whenever you’re visiting a different place in Houston for the very first time, one of the exciting elements is exploring the area’s meal options.
You can enjoy the extravagant nearby choices such as the high profile chef’s high end bistros, or you can attempt a more low-cost experience and look for a local hole-in-the-wall’s mouthwatering meal.
After a handful of excursion meals however, consider visiting some top nearby French restaurants. After all, who could resist some fabulous French onion soup?
If you test Houston’s indigenous version of classic French food you will be amazed by the variety you will discover. From Steak frites to Crème brulee, Houston has it all. You will come across food hailing from diverse parts of France, as well as modern-day interpretations of classic Crème brulee. This makes sense given that many of these family run businesses have history which extends back to a particular area in France. Thanks to multiculturalism, enjoying terrific French cuisine does not mean having to visit all the way to France.
I hope you enjoy the restaurants featured on this web site and don’t forget to leave space for dessert!
Down below there are several solid opinions of excellent Japanese dining establishments in Houston. Although it’s always a smart idea to try out different restaurants, occasionally it is really useful to see other customers’ views when deciding on a Japanese restaurant – especially if you have never been out for Japanese food before!
Nippon Japanese Restaurant – (713) 523-3939
4464 Montrose Blvd
Houston, TX 77006
Neighborhood: Museum District
Best ramen in town. Comes in miso or pork (tonkatsu) flavor… the regular menu only shows 1 flavor, but both are on the japanese menu.
Sushi is good too. I rate it similar in quality to kubos in rice village. Overall best japanese restaurant in houston. Small and quaint… but so is the parking lot.
-Alan L.
Sugar Land, TX
When you are traveling to a different destination in Houston for the first time, among the most engaging aspects is discovering your local food options.
You can relish the more exotic nearby choices such as the star chef’s five star restaurants, or you can attempt a more inexpensive experience and find the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall’s mouthwatering meal.
Following a couple of excursion meals however, give thought to checking out a handful of the nearby Japanese fare. After all, who could resist some fabulous Sashimi?
If you sample Houston’s indigenous take on classic Japanese cuisine you’ll be impressed by the range you will find. From Udon to Udon, Houston has it all. You will uncover delicacies hailing from distinct areas of Japan, as well as contemporary interpretations of classic Teriyaki. This makes sense because some of these family owned establishments have history which usually goes back to a particular place in Japan. Thanks to multiculturalism, having great Japanese cuisine does not mean having to travel all the way to Japan.
I hope you enjoy the restaurants shown on this web page and make sure you leave room for dessert!
If you want Pizza, then look no farther than the Italian establishments down the page! These are the highest quality Houston can give, and we are positive you’ll not finish unhappy – provided that you are sure to enjoy the Pasta or their superb Pizza!
Patrenella’s Ristorante Italia – (713) 863-8223
813 Jackson Hill St
Houston, TX 77007
Neighborhoods: Washington Corridor, The Heights
I was looking for someplace cozy and intimate with great food for date night. Patrenella’s was perfect! Service was a little slow, but we didn’t mind the wait. We were served delicious bread & garlicky olive oil immediately, and we ordered the stuffed artichoke as an appetizer. It was going to be a little while for the artichoke, so our waiter brought us a complimentary serving of Sammy’s Eggplant. My husband is not an eggplant fan, but we both agreed this was fabulous! When it finally arrived, the artichoke was to die for! By the time our meal arrived – tagliatelle genovese for me & lasagna for my husband – we were both too full to eat more than half. I took about 3/4 of my meal home. We were very pleased & will be back again.
-Somer N.
Stafford, TX
When you’re visiting a different area in Houston for the first time, one of the most pleasant aspects is uncovering the area’s meal options.
You can indulge in the exotic nearby offerings such as the high profile chef 5 star restaurants, or you can try a more affordable experience to get the area hole-in-the-wall’s mouthwatering meal.
Following one or two excursion dinners however, have a look at checking out some of the city’s Italian options. After all, who couldn’t go for some delectable Pasta?
If you sample Houston’s local version of classic Italian cuisine you will be shocked by the range you’ll discover. From Risotto to Gnocci, Houston has it all. You will come across meals hailing from various regions of Italy, as well as modern interpretations of classic Risotto. This makes sense given that these kind of family managed establishments have history which extends back to a particular area in Italy. Thanks to multiculturalism, getting good Italian food doesn’t mean having to visit all the way to Italy.
I hope you take advantage of the restaurants highlighted on this web site and don’t forget to leave space for dessert!
Listed below you can find a few reliable reviews of terrific Mexican restaurants in Houston. Even though it’s always a smart idea to try out fresh dining establishments, occasionally it’s really useful to read other visitors’ opinions when picking a Mexican place – particularly when you have never been out for Mexican food before!
Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe – (713) 695-8757
4624 Irvington Blvd
Houston, TX 77009
Neighborhood: Northside Village
Definitely my new favorite fajitas, but you could come here just for the chips and salsa’s. Honestly, everything was great. They have a really long menu, with myriad less-than-typical (read: awesome) mexican dishes, but they also serve all the dishes you can find at any tex-mex place. The beef fajitas were incredible; good quality meat, seasoned well and cooked to perfection. the home-made tortillas will blow your mind.
The location is kind of interesting, a little far away, but totally worth the trek.
-Daniel H.
Houston, TX
When you’re traveling to a new area in Houston for the very first time, among the most satisfying elements is finding out the local meal options.
You can indulge in the extravagant nearby offerings including the superstar chef’s high end bistros, or you can look at a more affordable experience and discover a local hole-in-the-wall’s mouthwatering meal.
After a handful of excursion dinners however, contemplate checking out some of the the nearest Mexican restaurants. After all, who couldn’t go for some delectable Quesadillas?
If you try out Houston’s native version of traditional Mexican cuisine you will be impressed by the variety you’ll discover. From Guacamole to Quesadillas, Houston has it all. You will locate meals hailing from diverse areas of Mexico, as well as modern interpretations of classic Tacos. This is sensible since a majority of these family operated establishments have history which dates back to a particular community in Mexico. Thanks to immigration, having good Mexican food does not mean having to travel all the way to Mexico.
I hope you enjoy the restaurants presented on this web page and be sure you leave room for dessert!
