1. GJ Tavern
Downtown Houston/ Theater District
James Beard award-winning chef Chris Shepherd and his Underbelly group head downtown with this casual version of Georgia James steakhouse, which itself is an offshoot of the successful pop-up One Fifth Steak. The motif here is “timeless food and drinks,” and as such, the menu includes the types of dishes Shepherd and chef de cuisine Matthew “Tally” Coburn love to cook themselves, including cast-iron seared steaks, hearty roasted vegetable salads, and of course, a tavern-style burger made with 44 Farms ground chuck and topped with melty American cheese, smoked onion mayo, pickles, and red onions.