Houston restaurants

I’ll be in Houston early November and am looking for fun, creative restaurants within a 20 minute cab ride from the convention center. Recommendations appreciated.

Houston has a lot of great restaurants within a 20 minute Uber/Taxi ride of the Brown Convention Center. One of our favorite Mexican (real) is Hugo’s. http://www.hugosrestaurant.net/. The same restaurant group has several restaurants of varying themes. Another one of their restaurants we like is Backstreet Cafe. Yet another is Xochi also owned by the same group. It is within walking distance of the convention center https://www.xochihouston.com/. I expect some of the Houstonians to chime in with their recommendations.

One Fifth - Gulf Coast. It’s Chris Sheppard’s latest effort, he changes the theme every year, just switched from Mediterranean to Gulf Coast. Try it, and you’re welcome!

Thanks, guys. I had One Fifth, MAD Houston, Ouzo Bay, Indigo, Tris, Nobu, Xochi and Youatcha on my first list.

Xochi. It’s across the street from the convention center, one of the best restaurants in town, and certainly unique and interesting (with a nice atmosphere and great service). You have about a million other options within 20 mins and the other suggestions you’ve received are very good.

On your list, One Fifth and MAD are the best. Another to add close to downtown is Nancy’s Hustle — for my money perhaps the best food in Houston these days.

Thanks, Ryan.

Lots of good options here. I’d add Theodore Rex, which is probably my favorite spot in Houston. And it also happens to be pretty near the convention center.

Thanks. :slight_smile:

Had a great time in Houston. Had 5 nights to dine:

  1. Nobu- awesome omakase course. Great sake selection. Very creative (not cheap). My favorite meal
  2. MAD. A Madrid Spanish restaurant. Bohemian interior, good food, fair wine list.
  3. One Fifth. Small venue. I sat at the back at the bar counter. Had nice conversation with the prep cooks as they worked. They were having fun. This restaurant has a 5-year lease. They change the theme every year and this year (year 4) is Gulf coast seafood. Creative menu, good food. Fun wine list. I had an Ezio Poggio Timorasso “Archetipo”. This was a near-extinct white varietal in Italy which was resurrected and made the life’s work of the vintner. A fun wine.
  4. Yauatcha. A Chinese restaurant with awesome dim sum. My second favorite meal. The food was exquisite and had a nice 2016 Guigal Condrieu.
  5. Last night was Theodore Rex, a small venue restaurant in a marginal area (Uber driver warned me not to walk in neighborhood at night). Another bohemian place, creative menu, had a 2017 Meinklang “H17” Harslevelu, a funky white wine I described as an undulating battle between sweet and sour with a hint of cloves popping up.
    Overall, a fun food experience in Houston, Thanks for all the recommendations.

I tried to get into Xochi at the Marriott Marquis where I was staying but it was closed for private dinner (pharma company). Next time.