15 splurge rooms in Houston, editor-picked. tasting menus and the full big-night-out treatment in Houston. All Houston food.
March ★ 4.8
montrose · 1624 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
March in Houston is the Goodnight Hospitality tasting-menu room on Westheimer Road from chef Felipe Riccio, with six- or nine-course menus rooted in one.
Tip: The wine pairings (June Rodil curates) are unusually well-judged. Take them.
March ★ 4.8
1624 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
March in Houston is the Goodnight Hospitality tasting-menu room on Westheimer, chef Felipe Riccio's six- or nine-course Mediterranean menus rooted in one.
Tip: The menu changes seasonally; ask which Mediterranean region you are eating before you book. Greece in spring tends to be the strongest.
Bludorn ★ 4.7
807 Taft St, Houston, TX 77019
Bludorn in Houston is Aaron Bludorn's Gulf Coast fine-dining room on Taft Street, opened 2020, with a lobster pot pie that broke nationally and a serious.
Tip: Bar seats face the open kitchen and serve the same menu. Book the patio if the weather is sub-30C.
Uchi Houston ★ 4.6
montrose · 904 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Uchi Houston is the Montrose outpost of Tyson Cole's James Beard-winning sushi house, on Westheimer since 2012, with a hama chili and untraditional Japanese.
Tip: Sit at the sushi bar, never the dining room, and order omakase off-menu. Sushi happy hour 5 to 6:30 is the city's best deal.
Theodore Rex ★ 4.6
1302 Nance St, Houston, TX 77002
Theodore Rex in Houston is Justin Yu's Nance Street bistro, a Michelin-recommended relaxed fine-dining room, a sequel to his closed Oxheart with a tomato.
Tip: Bar is walk-in and the best seat. Arrive at opening, 5pm Thursday through Monday.
Uchi Houston ★ 4.6
904 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Uchi Houston is Tyson Cole's James Beard-winning Japanese room in Montrose since 2012, with hama chili, untraditional sushi and one of the city's strongest.
Tip: Sushi happy hour 5 to 6:30pm Sunday to Thursday is the city's best deal. Bar seats only.
Killen's Steakhouse ★ 4.5
pearland · 6425 W Broadway St, Pearland, TX 77581
Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland (south of Houston) is Ronnie Killen's white-tablecloth room on West Broadway, with a 1,200-bottle wine tower.
Tip: Reserve four to six weeks ahead for Saturday. The bar serves the full menu and is the easier seat.
Pappas Bros Steakhouse (Downtown) ★ 4.5
downtown · 1200 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
Pappas Bros Steakhouse Downtown in Houston is the McKinney Street steakhouse from the Pappas family, with a 4,000-bottle wine list, dry-aged ribeyes.
Tip: The wine list is the reason. The downtown room is quieter than Westheimer; both serve the same kitchen.
Xochi ★ 4.5
1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010
Xochi in Houston is Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan dining room at the Marriott Marquis downtown, a James Beard winner with seven moles, a tasting menu and a masa bar.
Tip: Lunch tasting at $48 is the value entry. Sit at the masa bar to watch the corn ground fresh.
Pappas Bros Steakhouse (Downtown) ★ 4.4
1200 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
Pappas Bros Steakhouse Downtown is the Houston steakhouse on McKinney Street with a 4,000-bottle James Beard outstanding wine program, dry-aged ribeyes.
Tip: The wine list is unrivalled in the city. The Galleria-area location on Westheimer serves the same menu but with a busier room.
Killen's Steakhouse ★ 4.3
6425 W Broadway St, Pearland, TX 77581
Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland is Ronnie Killen's white-tablecloth steakhouse on West Broadway, with a 1,200-bottle wine tower, 44-Farms wagyu and dry-aged.
Tip: Pearland is south of downtown Houston; 25 minutes drive. The bar serves the full menu and is easier than the dining room.
Da Marco ★ 4.2
1520 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Da Marco in Houston is Marco Wiles's Italian dining room on Westheimer since 2002, with hand-rolled pastas, a salt-baked branzino and Houston's most serious.
Tip: The upstairs room is quieter and smaller. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Hugo's ★ 4.2
1600 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Hugo's in Houston is Hugo Ortega's regional Mexican room on Westheimer since 2002, with cochinita pibil, chiles en nogada in season. Book 2 weeks ahead.
Tip: Sunday brunch buffet is the city standard. Reserve the noon slot; it sells out by Tuesday.
Brennan's of Houston ★ 4.1
3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006
Brennan's of Houston is the 1967 Texas Creole dining room on Smith Street, the New Orleans Brennan family's Houston outpost, with turtle soup.
Tip: Sunday jazz brunch is the local routine. Reserve the courtyard if the temperature stays under 30C.
State of Grace ★ 4.0
3258 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098
State of Grace in Houston is Ford Fry's River Oaks dining room on Westheimer, a Southern-and-steakhouse menu in a redesigned room of limewashed brick.
Tip: The bar serves the full menu and is the quickest seat at peak. Sunday brunch is the local routine.