Dishes & Drinks >>

• Best Chocolate Mousse
  Café Montrose
  We suspect a young boy owns the establishment that makes this city's best chocolate mousse — not because mousse is akin to pudding, and that's what's often packed in Lunchables. You'll see why, once you visit this hideaway featuring Belgian cuisine. Festooning the cafe's walls are dozens... More >>
• Best Enchiladas
  El Jardin
  It's hard to stand out from the crowd when it comes to enchiladas. They are, after all, just rolled-up corn tortillas filled with cheese or meat and topped with a sauce. The enchiladas at El Jardin follow the same formula, but it's the variations that make them the best in the city. There are... More >>
• Best Bread
  French Riviera Bakery & Cafe
  The farmhouse loaf made by brothers Louis and Robert Wu is a dense loaf of bread, about 15 inches long, in the shape of an elongated football that is dusted with flour, which makes everything it comes into contact with white. And it is so crunchy that taking a bite may cause scratches in your... More >>
• Best Breakfast Tacos
  Huarache Azteca ­Express
  The meat used for the barbacoa de Borrego is lamb, and it's lighter in color and slightly sweeter than the traditional beef used in most barbacoa found in the finest taco joints in Houston. It makes for a great taco, whatever the time of day. The lamb is slow-cooked in traditional Mexican spices... More >>
• Best Wings
  Coozan's
  There's a sign near the register that says, "10 minutes to cook, 1 minute to shake on the sauce, 1 minute to serve, hot & fresh." This is their way of letting you know that all their wings are made to order, so be patient. The wait is definitely worthwhile. What makes these wings special is... More >>
• Best Calamari
  Lomonte's Italian ­Restaurant & Bar
  Perhaps it's the flour, seasoned with Italian spices and parsley, used as the batter which makes them so incredibly crispy and greaseless; maybe it's the homemade picante sauce Lomonte's serves along with a terrific marinara sauce that you dip them in; then again, maybe it's the tiny pieces of... More >>
• Best Desserts
  Dessert Gallery
  This is a place where, even if you have the utmost self-control, you're likely to lose it once you see all they have to offer. As if the cakes, cupcakes, cookies and bars themselves were not enough, as you sit and enjoy your stash, you can even watch videos of the cakes being made, with sensual... More >>
• Best Falafel
  Al's Quick Stop
  Hidden at the back of a convenience store is a food counter that turns out some mean Middle Eastern food and the best falafel in the city. Tiny pucks of bright green masa are hand-formed and flattened on each side until they're the size of a half dollar. Then they're fried to a dark-brown, until... More >>
• Best Guacamole
  1308 Cantina El Tiempo
  There's nothing quite like the flavor of freshly made guacamole. Once you've tasted it, it's almost impossible to eat the stuff that was made earlier or, worse still, the pre-packaged stuff many places try to pass for guacamole, which has either a nasty, preservative taste or a stale taste that... More >>
• Best Ice Cream/Gelato
  Gelato Blu
  The 75 varieties of gelato available here are all made by hand, and they should keep even the worst ice-cream-aholic satisfied for quite a while. All of the gelatos are extremely dense with intense flavors. There's also sorbetto, made with virtually nothing but fruit. It's hard to pick just one... More >>
• Best Pho (1 Comment)
  Thien An
  What sets one pho apart from another? Quite simply, the broth. The longer it's cooked, the more profound the flavor, and here they start the broths early so that by lunch, they've been simmering for quite a while. Thien An has all of the traditional cuts of beef, steak, brisket, flank steak... More >>
• Best Bloody Mary
  Houston's Restaurant
  Sure, Houston's is part of a national chain, but boy do they know how to mix one hell of a Bloody. Located on Kirby just south of 59, the upscale eatery doesn't hammer its customers with too much pepper and heat, opting for a less spicy and more flavorful approach to one of America's favorite... More >>
• Best Pita Bread
  Abdallah's Restaurant and Bakery
  Abdallah's sells its pita bread not only at the store but also to many of the Middle Eastern restaurants and supermarkets in town. The bread here is large, about 12 inches in ­diameter. Six come in a package for the incredible price of $1.25. A whole-wheat version is available for $1.50.... More >>
• Best Tamales (1 Comment)
  Alamo Tamale Factory
  There are two kinds of tamales to be found here: the machine-made kind, which aren't bad, and the handmade kind, which are unbelievable. Either way, you'll be given a paper bag containing your booty, since there's nowhere to eat them. Pick up a dozen handmade chicken or beef tamales or, best of... More >>
• Best Burger (5 Comments)
  105 Grocery & Deli
  The 105 Grocery & Deli is located in the rural hamlet of Washington, not far from Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park. Inside, there are a lot of cold drink cases and about six tables scattered around the interior. The burgers are made on a griddle behind the cash register. They come wrapped... More >>
• Best Cheeseburger (2 Comments)
  The Hill Bar & Grill
  J's Special at The Hill Bar & Grill in Waller is a cheeseburger served on Texas toast. Swapping out a bun for two double-thick slices of toasted white bread sounds like a pretty minor change. But the effect that ­aggressively griddled Texas toast has on this cheeseburger is quite... More >>
• Best Chicken-Fried Steak (1 Comment)
  Ouisie's Table
  The perfectly battered chicken-fried steak at Ouisie's has been rated the best in the state by more than one chicken-fried critic. The awesome meat patty is covered with an undulating crust and served with black pepper milk gravy in a metal gravy boat on the side so that you can dip each bite in... More >>
• Best Crawfish
  Swampy's Cajun Shack
  If you like your mudbugs out on a patio with lots of beer and a Hawaiian Tex-Mex cover band, then Swampy's is your kind of place. The rest of the Cajun menu is hit or miss. But the bar is always hopping, and the crawfish are a relative bargain. Last spring, while the average price in Houston was... More >>
• Best Pizza (1 Comment)
  Russo's New York Coal-Fired Pizzeria
  At Russo's New York Coal-Fired Pizzeria near the intersection of the Northwest Freeway and Highway 6, Anthony Russo has re-created the old-fashioned coal-fired pizzeria experience in a suburban strip center. But the superhot oven is only part of what Russo is doing right. You don't get a pizza... More >>
• Best Dim Sum
  Fung's Kitchen
  The sesame balls filled with sweetened red bean paste are hot out of the fryer — they taste like Chinese jelly doughnuts. The regular dim sum items are all nicely done, but it's the upscale exotica that catches your attention here. The cart with the shell-shaped metallic dishes of seaweed... More >>
• Best Cevaps/Kebabs
  Café Pita +
  Cevapcici, or cevaps for short, are the Slavic version of kebabs. It's also the Bosnian national dish and the signature item at Café Pita +, Houston's favorite Bosnian restaurant. To make cevaps, ground beef and lamb are mixed with pureed onions, herbs and spices, formed into cylinders... More >>
• Best Mussels
  Mockingbird Bistro Wine Bar
  The multicultural mussel appetizer at the Mockingbird Bistro in Montrose starts with perfectly cleaned, gritless Mediterranean mussels. The black-shelled, white-fleshed shellfish are stewed in a stout Asian-fusion coconut milk broth seasoned with garlic, lemongrass and spicy red curry. Then... More >>
• Best Empanada
  The Original Marini's Empanada House
  Owner Marcello Marini claims his are "the best empanadas in the world," and while we can't know if that's true, we can certainly vouch that they're the best in Houston. The Marini family has expanded its empanada empire, opening this location at the Carillon Shopping Center last year to go along... More >>
• Best Oysters
  Danton's Gulf Coast ­Seafood Kitchen
  The oysters are expertly shucked and beautifully served on a tray full of ice with lemons and all the sauces. They'll give you puny ones under two-and-a-half inches if you want, but they will also accommodate those who like their oysters big — ask for the sea monsters and you'll get... More >>
• Best Campechana
  Pan y Agua
  Pan y Agua is a new and already packed upscale cantina where the elite meet to pay a premium for Latin food. If you're not up for an expensive steak, there are some real standouts on the appetizer menu. One such standout is the campechana. Beautifully presented, well-flavored and full of plump,... More >>
• Best Drink Special
  The Mezzanine Lounge
  The Mezzanine Lounge is a little unsettling in that its general vibe defies description, but it has some seriously good drink specials, so who cares? You can land there any day of the week and find yourself overcome with joy about how cheap the drinks are. And good news for sports fans —... More >>
• Best Dumplings
  Xiong's Cafe
  Tucked into one of the endless strip centers of Bellaire Chinatown, this tiny cafe offers some delicious traditional Chinese fare. And what Xiong's lacks in size, it makes up for in dumplings. Steamed, boiled and pan-fried varieties are handmade, and show up at the table in generous portions.... More >>
• Best Fish Tacos
  Berryhill Baja Grill
  Berryhill Baja Grill is a Houston-based chain that's vegetarian-friendly. They've been serving up their famous fish tacos since 1993 and know how it's done.  Both the grilled and tempura varieties come out fast, with crunchy cabbage and a generous dollop of Baja-style sauce on top. On... More >>
• Best French Fries
  Goode's Armadillo ­Palace
  Armadillo Palace serves up some great Texas bistro fries. Thin cut with skins on and ­sprinkled with just enough seasoned salt, these fries are perfectly paired with a side of Goode Company's famous BBQ sauce. The ­secret here is frying them twice, so they're crispy on the outside and... More >>
• Best Margarita
  Pico's Mex-Mex
  Few things can bring you sheer joy like a ­margarita the size of your head — just as ­nothing can bring about sheer agony like two margaritas the size of your head. Pico's momentous 48-ounce margarita is a good balance of sweet and tart and an excellent deal. If you're in the mood... More >>
• Best Korean Pancake
  Tofu Village
  As the name promises, Tofu Village has all kinds of tofu (most of which are not vegetarian) and a village of two-dimensional Korean glitterati whose eyes follow your every move. It also has all kinds of pancakes, and they are quite delicious. What sets Tofu Village apart is that its pancakes... More >>
• Best Milkshake
  Sparkles Hamburger Spot
  For burger aficionados and inhabitants of the Third Ward, Sparkles Hamburger Spot is a true haven. If you don't mind waiting, the gals at Sparkles will mix you up one tasty shake. They're the best because they use full-flavor ice cream and milk, mixing it the old-fashioned way, by hand. No... More >>
• Best Mojito
  3rd Bar
  Mash a bunch of mint in the bottom of a glass, pour rum over it and you have a mojito; do it right and you have magic. Reef's 3rd Bar is doing it right. Making it the traditional way, the bartenders at 3rd Bar muddle the freshest mint with just enough sugar to make the Bacardi rum's flavors come... More >>
• Best Pancakes
  Buffalo Grille
  If you want to avoid the hyper-corporate flopcakes at places like International House of Crap or the House of Guys, head on over to one of these home-style grills. Buffalo Grille has good old-fashioned hotcakes the size of your head. There is no short-stack, or even a half-stack. Stacking... More >>
• Best Fried Chicken (1 Comment)
  Frenchy's
  Just across from the University of Houston, Frenchy's is the perfect place to avoid cafeteria food and even make those freshman 15 worth gaining. Get in line at the drive-thru, or get in your exercise by walking up to the stand to order fresh fried chicken with just enough grease to make it... More >>
• Best Sushi
  Sushi Jin
  It's obvious after one bite that Sushi Jin has raised the bar for Houston's raw fish lovers. Flown in from Japan, the mouthwatering pieces of salmon, tuna and yellow tail are sure to impress even the snobbiest connoisseurs. Wanna walk on the wild side? Jellyfish, sea cucumber and other exotics... More >>
• Best Vegetarian Dish
  Quan Yin Vegetarian's Chicken and Onions
  For those who want to live meat-free but still can't shake that craving for the forbidden, Quan Yin Vegetarian is the place. The soy substitutes come in just about every shape, color and type of animal that you'll find on a farm, and are as close to the real thing as you can get without drawing... More >>
• Best Onion Rings
  Raven Grill
  When you try the onion rings at Raven grill, you suddenly realize that the prefab stuff you've been eating at Wendy's isn't so good. People actually still hand-make these things to order? Turns out there are still restaurants that create food with heart and soul, like they actually care what... More >>
• Best Fish and Chips
  Soma Sushi
  This is not your British Auntie's fish & chips. At Soma, chef Robert Gadsby, formerly of Noe at the Omni Hotel, offers a Japanese-inspired twist on this traditional dish, serving up a whole fried bass, bones, skin, tail and all. The only thing not on the plate is the head, making this a far... More >>
• Best Pork Chop
  Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
  There should be a prize for eating Perry's entire seven-finger pork chop by yourself in one sitting. Really, this is one big cut of meat. Stacked seven fingers thick (hence its name), this pork chop is carved tableside into three large pieces. Served with garlic butter on top and applesauce on... More >>
• Best Martini
  Timpano Martini Bar and Chop House
  Anybody can make a martini: Shake the booze and ice till it's so cold you can't taste it or feel it going down your throat, making it easy to drink three in an hour and get so shit-canned you're wearing your necktie like a headband and telling your boss at happy hour what you "really think about... More >>
• Best Beer Selection
  The Stag's Head
  If the downtown sausage-fest or the jock-stock in the village are not your cup of tea, the Stag's Head and their quality-over-quantity beer selection can be a haven for hopheads. Rather than trying to carry as many beers as possible or using gimmicks, they put some thought into the beers they... More >>
• Best Sangria
  Open City
  The best part about Open City's wine-and-fruit concoction is that they make their sangria with bourbon. Before you scream, "Spanish booze sacrilege," taste it! Better yet, have a pitcher on the rooftop with its view of the city skyline while you're surrounded by scores of hot women and quick... More >>