7 upscale rooms in Houston, editor-picked. occasion rooms in Houston — destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Houston food.
Bludorn ★ 4.7
montrose · 807 Taft St, Houston, TX 77019
Bludorn in Houston is Aaron Bludorn's New American room on Taft Street since 2020, with a lobster pot pie and Gulf-seafood menu that defined Montrose's tasting-menu corridor.
Tip: Book three weeks out for a Friday or Saturday. Bar seats open up at 5pm if you walk in early.
Theodore Rex ★ 4.7
eado · 1302 Nance St, Houston, TX 77002
Theodore Rex in Houston is Justin Yu's bistro on Nance Street, the warmer sequel to his now-closed Oxheart, with a tomato toast and seasonal blackboard menu that locals book first.
Tip: The bar is walk-in only and the best seat. Get there at 5pm Thursday or Sunday.
Xochi ★ 4.7
downtown · 1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010
Xochi in Houston is Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan room on the ground floor of the Marriott Marquis downtown, with seven moles, masa-based tlayudas and a James Beard chef behind it all.
Tip: Sit at the masa bar to watch the corn pressed fresh. The lunch tasting is the value at $48.
Hugo's ★ 4.6
montrose · 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 and a chocolate-from-the-stone tableside service.
Tip: Sunday brunch buffet is the city standard. Reserve the noon slot; it sells out by Tuesday.
Da Marco ★ 4.6
montrose · 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 Italian wine list.
Tip: Sit upstairs in the smaller dining room. The downstairs window seats are the loudest in the house.
Brennan's of Houston ★ 4.5
montrose · 3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006
Brennan's of Houston is the 1967 Texas Creole dining room on Smith Street from the New Orleans Brennan family, with turtle soup, bananas Foster tableside and Sunday jazz brunch.
Tip: Sunday jazz brunch at 10am or noon books fast. Request the courtyard if the weather holds.
State of Grace ★ 4.4
river-oaks · 3258 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098
State of Grace in Houston is Ford Fry's River Oaks dining room on Westheimer Road, a Southern-and-steakhouse menu in a glossy room with limewashed brick and chandeliers.
Tip: The bar serves the full menu and is the quickest seat at peak. Sunday brunch is the local routine.