50 Best American Restaurants in Houston

“The BEST ceviche I’ve ever had!“

“I always enjoy Black Bear and go there at least 3 times a month.. The food and service is great.. and Jody..Rachel and Tiara are the very best servers! Always smiling and helpful.. ?“

“First visit I was offered a sample of each flavor. Very friendly and great food. I go at least once a week for lunch.“

“Let me make this VERY clear: I do NOT like seafood. I avoid it like bad credit.

But that Pistachio Snapper at Ruggles Black? Man… listen. That fish had no business being that good. I took one bite and immediately started questioning my entire personality. I said, “Hold up… do I like seafood now? Or is this just THAT fire? I still don’t like seafood but I won’t mind getting the snapper 🫣

Perfect taste, perfect flavor, perfectly disrespectful to every seafood dish that ever disappointed me. That snapper was hitting so hard I almost apologized to all the fish I talked bad about.

The vibe at the restaurant is crazy good, the service is on point, and the food comes out looking like it got styled by a professional food photographer.

If a person who doesn’t even LIKE seafood is telling you to order the snapper… just trust me.
Ruggles Black, y’all did y’all thing.

And shoutout to the servers, they were on point the whole night.
Friendly and fast. Drinks stayed full, plates came out smooth, and they checked on us just enough without doing that weird “hovering” thing. Real customer service pros.“

“We flew from Pensacola FL and had to visit. When I saw EVERYTHING was on point and delicious. Staff was so friendly, food was hot & fresh and I have NEVER had better tasting food from a restaurant. I normally can’t say everything was good when I visit a new place. We can on Saturday and again this morning before our flight. See y’all soon ??❤️“

“HOLY SMOKES! The dinner menu here is AMAZING. We came with friends and tried so many dishes and truly they were all so good, I was blown away. The mashed potatoes are the best I’ve ever had!!! Short rib French fries Short rib grilled cheese Salmon Chicken Caesar family Mac and Cheese Steak with Chimichurri Literally everything was so so good!!! Also the team here is so fun and nice. We have loved coming here for drinks — but I hadn’t come for full dinner until tonight and I think this is going to be a new staple in our date nights!!!! — BUT ALSO THEY HAVE MOVIE NIGHTS FOR KIDS ON WEDNESDAYS!!!“

“In town visiting friends from Atlanta.Great suggestion the food was on point. Huge menu hard to choose. Our waitress she was really nice. She was on point and professional. It was cute. They had the little robots. My husband and I would go back crab legs on point Mashed potatoes, catfish shrimp. Fried Ribs not so good for us little over done. Great place!!! On point!!!“

“Wonderful experience ❣️Highly recommend 😋“

“trinity was the best server that we ever have she made us feel like home when she was helping us“

“I recommend the full menu. My wife and I had our 37 year anniversary dinner tonight,and our server Paisley did an awesome job… kudos to you! Thanks Ingrid for checking with us about our dining experience! We will be back soon.“

“We had an amazing experience at Balboa! Starting with the complimentary valet, which was quick and friendly service. The entry to the restaurant was super nice and a great photo opportunity spot. Kyrah took excellent care of us during our visit, and we loved the team style service. It felt like we had a team serving us, and they are so quick and quiet that you can continue to hold conversations and visit but someone is always near if you need anything. Kyrah took special care to "refresh" our cocktail glasses when we finished about half of our drinks, and made excellent recommendations. The food was absolutely amazing. Our table tried the fried shrimp, oysters, spicy ahi tuna roll, crab cake, Post Oak ribeye with pureed potatoes, salmon with the most delicious and unique salad, and heirloom tomatoes. The cocktails were delicious, including the Gold Rush, Rum Dum, and el Guero. The restaurant vibe is romantic but fun and sophisticated and has an open kitchen concept where you can see the food being made if you care to watch. I will most definitely be back and can confidently recommend this place to anyone!“

“Great place to hang out with friends and family“

“This is one of the BEST restaurants I have eaten at. First, Cori our server is awesome! She is attentive, responsive, knowledgeable, and super friendly! The food is amazing! This was my 3rd time eating at this location and I will be returning. I gotta try more dishes off the menu. Kudos to the chef! Bow Wow!!!“

“What a great restaurant! 4 of us had the goat cheese/apple salad, medium rare ribeye steak au poirve with red wine reduction, short ribs, scallops, crème brule, and chocolate brownie with strawberry sorbet. All dishes were perfection. Hostess/waitress/sommelier Irena is charming and the wife of the chef. She used the proper wine thief tool to remove the cork on a 40 year old Bordeaux and did so perfectly.“

“Fortune Nwahaiajuzie is the BEST server ever and she’s so nice and is always smiling and she smells like cotton candy. Will be coming back!“

“This restaurant is a gem! The menu offers such a wide variety of dishes, and every single one we tried was delicious! What really makes this place stand out, though, is the heart behind it. The owner leads with generosity and is deeply invested in supporting local schools and the community. It’s rare to find a spot where you not only enjoy incredible food but also know your visit is helping uplift the neighborhood. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a memorable meal and a business worth supporting!“

“Came by here tonight to grab dinner. Not only is the food delicious, it’s reasonably priced, and the staff are very friendly. I will definitely be back!“

“We ate lunch there Monday and were impressed. Burger. Fish chips. Tonight we went back and ate dinner I ate pot roast with veggies and I can say that’s the Best Pot roast I’ve ever had. Cut with a fork. I’m in my 70s so have eaten a lot of pot roast. Husband had Tri Tip very good. Veggies. All excellent. The staff is so friendly and efficient. Will go back.“

“The food and service were excellent.“

“I recently went here with my girlfriends for a little beer and French fry action! Our server Marissa made us feel so welcomed and encouraged the fun of a couple of girlfriends wanting to have a nice break from life. She definitely made our experience all the better and we will be coming back for girls night again I promise you that!“

“Tried them for the first time on a Friday and went back the next day…I intend to try everything on the menu…lol. I’m talking about so much flavor. I had the garlic lemon butter wings and fries first, then the pork chops the next day…they do not disappoint!!!! What will I try next????“

“Excellent service food was very good and fresh ..“

“This is our neighborhood go to. We have so many favs- turkey burger, chicken willy, shrimp poorboy. fried fish, sweet potatoes fries. Great service. They make you feel like friends. We love Cynthia and Danny.“

“We in the area at a brewery and stumbled upon this place via google reviews. Safe to say it did not disappoint! The food was amazing. My husband said they were “the best wings” he’s ever had. The seafood fries and burger were also outstanding. Highly recommend!“

“Dinner was amazing. We live on the east coast. By far one of the best crab-cakes I’ve had. Very flavorful. My husband had the NY strip steak. Cooked to perfection. Our server Kelly S., friendly and gave great recommendations. The pecan pie was incredible. Flaky crust, not to sweet. Served with ice cream and berries. Absolutely delicious. Thank you Granger’s for a wonderful dining experience on our first trip to Houston. We will be back.“

“This restaurant embodies refined taste and consistent excellence. Every item on the menu is thoughtfully crafted, flawlessly prepared, and never disappoints. The ambiance is clean, elevated, and inviting — a true testament to hospitality done right. Living just down the street, we find ourselves returning often, and each visit feels like an experience. Worth every penny for those who appreciate quality without compromise.“

“Great food and great customer service“

“Barnaby’s never has given me bad service. Every location, including this one. The food is amazing with large portions. I have never had any anything I never disliked even though 50% of the time when I go there, I always order lasagna because it’s like hands-down my favorite thing on the menu. Everything else I have there is delicious. The salads are huge and it’ll take days to eat them. I recently had the French dip which is another favorite item of mine. I had my birthday dinner there two days ago at the Fairview location and everything was perfect. The staff did an amazing job accommodating the amount of guests I had. I had around 18 people and they were able to accommodate it without even having a reservation and that’s really hard to find especially this time of the year during the holiday season. It’s really hard having a December birthday considering people are celebrating the holidays and most restaurants tend to be super busy than usual and I appreciate everything the restaurant did the night of my birthday. It couldn’t have been any better. Thank you guys for giving me such a good birthday experience with all of my friends being together. The staff is always incredible going above and beyond. The food is always very delicious and large portions. If I could give any recommendations, I would love for you guys to get more cake flavors. I think red velvet would be amazing for you guys. However, I really appreciate everything you all did. Thank you.“

“Customer service was great. Ambience is amazing. Love the decor . The setup is beautiful. The DJ was great as well. The food was good but not amazing. I also had a hookah that was great. I think it was a little on th pricey side. They add an automatic 20 percent gratuity to the bill no matter the size of the party.It was only a party of 2.I would def still return but for happy hour.“

“What a nice hidden gem! We sat on the beautiful patio.. So many amazing choices on the menu. Our Food was Delicious and our server was very friendly and patient with us! We had the Shrimp Egg rolls, avocado burger, quesadillas, Queso fries & a Smoothie! We definitely be back soon!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“i was in Grace 1/22/2022 i had a party of 15 from the time we sat down the service was really bad mind you they made some really good money off my party but we was treated really bad the part that sticks out is one of my people paid for a drink that they did not have the manger told her i got your money already so there is nothing i can do about it you probably just paid for someone else drink so deal with it but they really had added an extra drink cuz everyone had paid for there drinks long story short i will not go there anymore“

“Had a couple Wit beers, some Root Beer Mead, and an Apple Duck Brandy sausage. Great stuff.

Took one sausage home, the Duck and Foie Gras with Chef toppings.

Holy cow, this one is even better. Like, stunningly...

Pretty sure my first time going was about 10 years ago.

Glad to see it's still a gem.“

“1/12/2025-This is a awesome vibe here. The ambiance is a nice bistro with some crazy art to keep you entertained but the music and lighting sets the mood. I would come back here again and again. I visited here without a reservation and was greeted when I first came in. The staff was nice friendly and attentive. Emma was awesome and recommended some dishes. The burger, half chicken, rice, and sesame butter cookie were awesome and the drinks. I had the voodoo drink. I highly recommended and you won't be disappointed.“

“Don’t forget about dinner.
we were very happy with the selection they had for dinner. The healthy options were great alternative to the usual pizza, burger, and fries although that goat cheese, sweet potato, french fries with honey was truly decadent. Great meal.“

“Just left there. Had the big breakfast. Friendly staff and I loved the oldie's vibe in music. The food was great. We will definitely be back again!“

“We love the atmosphere and delicious food! Had a birthday dinner tonight-and everything was delicious❤️ Pork chops, ribs and Brussel sprouts, miso glazed salmon, Mac and cheese, chocolate cake and key lime pie-everything was perfect! Highly recommend“

“We stopped at Little Matt’s after an appointment at Texas Children’s because I read a review about how their mission was to give back to the hospital. We were greeted at the door by the manager,Mr. Tim, and shown the menu. He asked our kids their names and ages and where we were from and what brought us to the area. When we got to the register we learned that the meal was on the house. We went with the goal of supporting Little Matt’s and they ended up giving to us. The meal was delicious and the staff were very kind. Cannot recommend enough. We will be back and spreading the word about this place!“

“We had breakfast tacos and they were good. I absolutely can recommend the breakfast tacos. Looks like a decent lunch menu as well. We will be back.“

“Here’s a review of Take The Wheel Restaurant in Houston, TX:

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✅ What works well
- Reviewers appreciate the freshness and flavor of dishes like wings, burgers, grilled chicken salad, and catfish. [1]
- Service gets positive mentions — friendly staff and comfortable atmosphere in what’s described as a “mom‑and‑pop” establishment. [1]
- The menu shows variety — from wings (with flavors like mango habanero or lemon pepper) to burgers and salads. [2]
- Good value: Large portions and reasonable pricing make it appealing for casual meals. [1]“

“Cherriese was GREAT thank you the food was great“

“Don't let the outside fool you... YES they are open
open... YESSS the food is gooood! We ordered a turkey burger with onion rings, brisket sandwich w/ fries and a loaded baked potato with 2 meats. Everything was EXCELLENT and it was NOT overly priced!“

“Food was delicious!!! Everything tasted so good and fresh. Our first time and we will definitely go back!“

“Barnaby’s never has given me bad service. Every location, including this one. The food is amazing with large portions. I have never had any anything I never disliked even though 50% of the time when I go there, I always order lasagna because it’s like hands-down my favorite thing on the menu. Everything else I have there is delicious. The salads are huge and it’ll take days to eat them. I recently had the French dip which is another favorite item of mine. I had my birthday dinner there two days ago at the Fairview location and everything was perfect. The staff did an amazing job accommodating the amount of guests I had. I had around 18 people and they were able to accommodate it without even having a reservation and that’s really hard to find especially this time of the year during the holiday season. It’s really hard having a December birthday considering people are celebrating the holidays and most restaurants tend to be super busy than usual and I appreciate everything the restaurant did the night of my birthday. It couldn’t have been any better. Thank you guys for giving me such a good birthday experience with all of my friends being together. The staff is always incredible going above and beyond. The food is always very delicious and large portions. If I could give any recommendations, I would love for you guys to get more cake flavors. I think red velvet would be amazing for you guys. However, I really appreciate everything you all did. Thank you.“

“Best burger and fries in Cypress. Try the candy bacon! Most excellent.“

“Man o man Mooka is always my go to late night spot after work. I use to stick to my chicken or lamb over rice bowl because it never missed but recently I decided to try the French toast breakfast. 10/10 I must say!! The wait wasn’t long and the food was hot & ready. I appreciate you all for the delicious consistency!“

“Best burgers in houston!“

“Been Going To Willie's for awhile. Always great service And Management. Corey B. Best Waitress Ever“

“Love this place!! Consistently get great food and great service. We eat out all the time, but this place stands out above the rest. Would definitely recommend for any occasion. We've had family celebrations and company meetings there and they always go above and beyond to provide an exceptional experience!“

“What a fantastic experience. The food was amazing and the staff was wonderful. A little special made whipped cream for a little girl’s pancake goes a long way with a mom! The skillet and chicken and biscuits was fresh and delicious. Thank you for starting our day off just right!“

“It was our first time there, and the lady behind the counter was very helpful about the best items to get, and also what she recommended. Great food and HUGE portions! Gotta visit this place and come hungry.“