The Resy Hit List: Where In Houston You’ll Want to Eat in Aug. 2024
There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
We’ve designed it to be your essential resource for dining in Houston: a monthly-updated (and now expanded!) guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Four Things In Houston Not to Miss This Month
- Support Local: It’s been several weeks since Hurricane Beryl wreaked havoc on the Houston metropolitan area, and many restaurants — some of which lost power for days, including Theodore Rex, Bludorn, Squable, Rosie Cannonball, Montrose Cheese & Wine, and scores of others — are still recovering from the heavy losses they took after the storm. So, if you’re able, please consider visiting your favorite establishments this month (and always!) and showing your love. Another way to help is to donate to the Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit organization co-founded by chef Chris Shepherd that provides emergency relief for food and beverage workers in crisis — including those impacted by Beryl. Shepherd is also hosting his first Celebrity Chef Pop-Up Series in partnership with the Four Seasons Houston on Aug. 4, benefitting Southern Smoke. Find more info here.
- Slurp Away: Aug. 5 marks National Oyster Day, and whether you love them raw on the half shell or cooked with cheese, Little’s Oyster Bar has you covered. At Little’s, you can have your oysters in the classic style with mignonette, horseradish, and citrus. Or you can order it broiled and topped with blue crab, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and Béarnaise sauce with a touch of tomato. Or take it from us and have it both ways — it’s a win-win. Book your Resys here to commemorate the day.
- Sip and Socialize: Summer is in full swing — and there’s nothing like kicking back and enjoying cocktails and sparkling rosé at happy hour with friends, or having a glass of celebratory bubbly on a night out. Some suggestions: Stylish restaurant-lounge Ciel boasts a sizable wine and champagne list, plus festive drinks like the lychee Cosmo and blood orange margarita (book your Resy here). There’s also Zutro, inside the Le Méridien Hotel downtown, where the Cowboy Bellini — a peach bellini spiked with bourbon — is calling your name (Resys here). Sunday Social — the nighttime alter ego of all-day cafe Sunday Press — has gotten in on the mixology action, too, with its caffeinated cocktails. Reserve your spot here, and see what else catches your eye on New on Resy.
- Save the Date: What’s more fun than a beach party? A beach party … with wine. On Aug. 8, Bocca Italian Kitchen is hosting a five-course wine dinner, prepared by chef Justin Turner, at which easy-breezy attire is highly encouraged. Book here to save your spot. Then on Aug. 25, head to Mutiny Wine Room for the venue’s monthly Paella Sunday, where chef Eduardo Alcayaga divulges his culinary secrets as he cooks his famous seasonal paella on the patio. Seatings are $38 per person, and available at 1, 4, and 6:30 p.m. An optional wine pairing is available for an additional fee. Book here to reserve your spot, and find more noteworthy Resy Events here.
New to the Hit List (Aug. 2024)
Ostia, Karne Korean Steakhouse, NoriNori, Phat Eatery — The Woodlands.
1. Ostia Montrose
Before Houston native Travis McShane’s solo foray debuted in 2020, the chef spent a decade under the guidance of acclaimed chef Jonathan Waxman, of New York’s Barbuto. Waxman is widely credited as a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement in New York, and Ostia — which serves New American cuisine with Mediterranean and Italian undertones — pays homage to this with a focus on local and sustainable ingredients. If you’re familiar with Waxman’s restaurants, you’ll also know of his famed roast chicken, of which McShane has made plenty. The version on Ostia’s menu, which also tips a hat to McShane’s longtime mentor, is beautifully simple with crisp skin and served with lemon and salsa verde. You won’t want to miss it.
2. Phat Eatery – The Woodlands Grogans Mill Village
When the late chef Alex Au-Yeung opened Phat Eatery in Katy Asian Town in 2018, he aimed to share his passion for Malaysian cuisine with a broader community. Today, diners regularly flock to the restaurant for its hawker-style Southeast Asian street food, which includes tender beef rendang, soft and flaky roti canai with savory-sweet dipping curry, and fragrant Malaysian fried rice. Au-Yeung had been working with teammates Kevin Lee and Marvin He to open a second location in The Woodlands when he died in March after a private battle with cancer. Lee and He have kept Au-Yeung’s legacy alive with the new Woodlands outpost, which opened to great fanfare in late June.
3. El Tiempo Cantina Multiple locations
Houstonians love to debate about which restaurant serves the best fajitas in town, and with so many worthy options, it’s hard to give a definitive answer. But one mainstay that comes up time and again is El Tiempo Cantina, a chain of restaurants with locations across the city that was launched by the same family behind another local institution, Original Ninfa’s. Without a doubt the sizzling fajita platters — choose from beef, filet mignon, chicken, vegetable, salmon, shrimp, ahi tuna, or a combo — are a must. (The melted butter sauce that comes on the side adds an extra level of indulgence.) Pair it with one of their signature margaritas for a truly Tex-Mex meal.
4. Navy Blue Restaurant Rice Village
Aaron Bludorn’s second Bayou City outing, with wife Victoria Bludorn and their partner Cherif Mbodji celebrates Texas Gulf Coast seafood, and executive chef Jerrod Zifchak — who worked under Bludorn at Café Boulud in New York City — at the kitchen’s helm. At Navy Blue, the decadence dial is turned up, with offerings that include a rich linguini vongole with creamy sea urchin and plump little neck clams, and a beautiful seafood paella special on Mondays and Tuesdays that’s teeming with shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and chicken. The service is also impeccable, making for a top-notch experience all around.
5. Pondicheri River Oaks
Anita Jaisinghani — a multiple James Beard Award nominee — runs the show at Pondicheri and Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop, where her modern approach to Indian cuisine has developed a loyal following since the restaurant’s debut more than a decade ago. Customer favorites include fragrant butter chicken, spice-laden curries, and vibrant thali platters. Many dishes are also vegetarian and gluten-free. Pro tip: Save room for dessert at the Bake Lab upstairs — we recommend enjoying a chai pie on site, then ordering an extra one to go.
6. Hidden Omakase Galleria
Diners might never guess the luxury that awaits at Hidden Omakase based solely on its location in a nondescript shopping center near the Galleria. There’s no signage either, so you’d have to know exactly what you’re looking for as well. Hint: It’s a display of comic books in the window. Once inside, you’ll find an intimate, 18-seat sushi counter and one of the most unique omakase experiences in town. Executive chef Marcus Juarez leads the curation of the multi-course tasting after the recent departure of fellow Uchi alumnus Niki Vongthong in the role. In addition to the signature sushi courses, the updated menu utilizes seasonal ingredients to create more composed dishes. It’s BYOB, but the restaurant does offer a selection of mocktails that you can spike yourself if desired.
7. Squable Heights
The team behind Better Luck Tomorrow — bar mogul Bobby Heugel (Anvil, Refuge) and award-winning chef Justin Yu (Oxheart, Theodore Rex) — opened this cozy Heights spot in 2019, and the restaurant has yet to slow down. In the kitchen, executive chef-partner Mark Clayton runs the show, serving up casual, unstuffy “European fare with American influences” that transforms with the seasons. That said, longtime faves such as the marinated mussels on crusty grilled bread and the decadent French cheeseburger with gooey raclette remain constant menu staples.
8. Tatemó Spring Branch
Houston-raised chef Emmanuel Chavez and co-owner Megan Maul’s intimate Spring Branch spot has consistently won raves since opening in 2022 (though, Chavez’s tortillas alone already had a following by this time). For $125 per person, diners can experience a seven-course tasting that showcases Chavez’s adept use of different heirloom corn varieties from Mexico. Indeed, maize is the main star of Tatemo’s progressive, Mexican-inspired menu, which includes quesadillas, tamales, and tacos thoughtfully filled with the season’s best local ingredients. Pro tip: It’s BYOB, so plan accordingly.
Follow Tatemó on Instagram to stay in the know.
9. MAD Houston River Oaks/Galleria
Ignacio Torras and Luis Roger’s BCN Taste & Tradition gave Houstonians a genuine taste of Spain. With MAD Houston, the restaurateurs take Spanish tapas to greater heights with a menu that combines the classics (buttery Iberico ham and wood-fired rice paella) with more artsy interpretations (steak tartare wrapped in an edible Houston Chronicle newspaper). Meanwhile, the interior — with its postmodernist bursts of color, original Picassos, neon signs, and fun house-like hallways — only adds to the overall experience. And whatever you do, don’t leave without visiting the bathroom. Just trust us.
10. Kata Robata Upper Kirby
This Upper Kirby institution has been serving Houstonians its mix of traditional and modern Japanese cuisine for the past 15 years, and what an exquisite time it’s been for diners so far. James Beard–nominated chef Manabu Horiuchi — endearingly known to all as Chef Hori, and whose other restaurant, Katami, has been garnering raves since opening in late 2023 — leads the charge here, ensuring that everything from the cold and hot dishes (the lobster and crab ramen is a crowd favorite) to the sushi and sashimi selections are executed to the nines. And with fish sourced from Japan multiple times a week, guests are all but guaranteed an exceptional experience.
11. Breakfast Klub Midtown
This Houston institution, opened in Midtown by radio host and restaurateur Marcus Davis in September 2001, regularly has a long queue out the door for a reason: It’s traditional soul food at its very best. People come in droves from around the city — and from out of town — for a taste of the Breakfast Klub’s famous fried chicken wings and golden Belgian waffles. (Though, we’re also partial to the fried seasoned catfish and grits, and the buttery biscuits smothered in pan sausage gravy.) If you haven’t gotten up at the crack of dawn at least once to stand in line with your friends at the Breakfast Klub, are you truly a Houstonian? You know what you need to do.
Call 713-528-8561 for more info.
12. Doris Metropolitan – Houston Montrose
There’s no shortage of steakhouses in Houston, but Doris Metropolitan stands out as it draws inspiration from owners (and 2024 James Beard Award nominees) Itai Ben Eli and Itamar Levy’s Israeli roots. Sure, there are succulent premium dry-aged cuts of meat on hand, but the menu also offers a wealth of bright, plant-forward appetizers and sides such as the artichoke flower salad, the roasted cauliflower-starring Jerusalem salad, and carrots dressed with mint labneh and honey harissa glaze. Come hungry.
13. Kolache Shoppe Greenway
If there’s one thing Houstonians can’t get enough of, it’s kolaches — those delightfully fluffy, buttery pastries brought to Texas in the mid-1850s by Czech immigrants. Made with either a sweet fruit jam or a more savory filling, these breakfast staples can be found in dedicated storefronts and doughnut shops across the city. One longtime purveyor of the beloved pastry is Kolache Shoppe, which opened on Richmond Avenue in 1970, and now has locations in the Heights and Pearland as well. In addition to serving up more classic flavors — who doesn’t love a jalapeno sausage with cheese, or an apricot kolache? — the shop also partners with local restaurateurs for special collaborations. Follow Kolache Shoppe on Instagram to see what else they have in store.
14. Karne Korean Steakhouse Houston Heights
Local restaurateur Jason Cho first won over the hearts — and stomachs — of Houstonians with the seriously crispy and oh-so-juicy Korean fried chicken wings served at his Museum District restaurant Dak & Bop. At Karne, he levels up with a concept that reimagines the traditional American steakhouse and imbues it with the flavors of Korean cuisine. Here, patrons can order cuts of wagyu (American or Japanese) and prime beef (non-marinated, marinated, or dry-aged), alongside Korean-inspired dishes such as spicy seafood stew, chewy cold noodles, and hot stone bibimbap. Meats are cooked to order by tableside hosts.
15. Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House San Leon
Is there a better place to savor the bounty of the Gulf Coast than right by the water? This San Leon hotspot from second-generation oysterman Raz Halili of Prestige Oysters overlooks Galveston Bay and has no shortage of locally sourced seafood for those needing a fix. Start with freshly shucked oysters, of course, raw on the half-shell or wood-grilled four ways. Then move on to customer favorites like the piri-piri grilled shrimp, or redfish on the half-shell with chimichurri sauce. The restaurant has also partnered with Great Escapes Yacht Charters to offer Wine Down Wednesday Yacht Cruises on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Each excursion only accommodates 12 passengers, so make your Resys in advance.
16. Stuffed Belly Spring Branch
“MasterChef” winner Christine Ha (The Blind Goat) and husband John Suh opened this casual drive-thru sandwich shop in Spring Branch for one simple reason: They love a good sandwich, and wanted to share their fresh takes on comforting, all-American classics with other sandwich enthusiasts. These include a gooey grilled cheese on buttery Texas toast (featuring three types of cheese), a tangy-creamy egg salad, a patty melt with two all-beef patties, and more. Complete your order with loaded tots (a meal in and of itself) and a refreshing strawberry cream soda. Stuffed Belly also occasionally does collaborations with other local chefs — follow the sandwich shop on Instagram to stay in the know.
17. NoriNori Asiatown
The Japanese-style hand roll boom has taken hold in Houston in recent years, and newcomer NoriNori is a welcome addition to the burgeoning scene. The restaurant — which rebranded recently from its original name Nomi Nori — had been doing pop-ups at other local venues before launching its permanent location in Houston’s Asiatown in May. (Once upon a time, partner-chef Cong Nguyen also helped run the bi-monthly Norigami pop-up at Hidden Omakase, before Norigami opened as a brick-and-mortar last year.) Although NoriNori specializes in hand rolls — the scallop foie gras is a must — the menu also includes other hot and cold selections such as the creamy truffle uni pasta and the foie gras chawanmushi (a silky Japanese steamed egg custard). Go on, you deserve a little luxury.
No reservations.
18. Urbe Uptown Park
This casual hot spot from award-winning chef Hugo Ortega (Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi) and his wife, restaurateur Tracy Vaught, pays homage to Ortega’s childhood experiences of selling street foods such as flan, guisados, and wood-oven baked bread from a neighborhood stall in his native Mexico. The menu at Urbe includes all the usual favorites — like juicy al pastor, barbacoa, and birria tacos — alongside more modern takes, like the Urbe burger topped with Chihuahua cheese. Pro tip: Come for happy hour Monday through Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., where you can enjoy $5 tacos, $9 classic cocktails, and other delectable deals.
Find more info here.
19. Jun Heights
This Heights gem may only be a year old, but it’s already won the hearts and stomachs of Houstonians — and gained national recognition, thanks to a 2024 James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant. The secret to Jun’s success is in the skilled and flavorful way in which chefs Evelyn Garcia (a former “Top Chef” contestant) and Henry Lu have fused their diverse backgrounds — Garcia grew up in Houston in a Mexican-Salvadoran household, while Lu hails from a first-generation Chinese American home in the Bronx — to create what they describe as “new Asian American” cuisine. The result: compelling dishes (like the fried chicken marinated in fermented shrimp paste, and sweet potato topped with toasted cumin labneh) that have customers returning often.
Call 832-469-7664 for more info.
20. Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition Midtown
Lovingly named for Mississippi-born chef Lucas McKinney’s great-grandmother, this Midtown seafood spot takes its cues from up and down the Gulf Coast, creating new traditions while paying homage to past generations. The deep-fried, pickle-brined chicken on a stick, for example, is a nod to Ole Miss. Meanwhile, the blue crab rice bowl features fragrant Carolina Gold rice, and the shrimp and grits and stacked Muffalettas (a limited-time special) tip their hat to New Orleans. Pro tip: End the meal with the peanut pie, a rich and gooey confection topped with house-made vanilla ice cream and Barq’s root beer caramel. You’re welcome.
