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The best Southern food, soul food and burgers in Houston

Twenty American and Southern spots: soul food since 1959, fried chicken, smashburgers, Gulf Coast bistros and a Creole grande dame.

Updated · 3 min read

Houston comfort food

Soul food lines in the Third Ward, Creole in a Midtown mansion and smashburgers worth a detour: Houston's American cooking leans South and toward the Gulf.

8 of the 20

  1. Houston This Is It Soul Food

    Third WardSoul food$

    A Third Ward soul food institution since 1959, where staff build regulars' usual trays from memory. Straightforward, satisfying comfort food.

  2. Frenchy's Chicken

    Third WardFried chicken$

    The Third Ward original near TSU, frying since the '60s: crackling golden chicken, boudin links and gris gris sauce, busy day and night.

  3. The Breakfast Klub

    MidtownSouthern breakfast$

    The weekend line wraps around this Midtown counter for Southern breakfast: fluffy eggs, krispy katfish, and hot syrup on tap next to the coffee.

  4. Trill Burgers

    MontroseSmashburgers$

    Possibly Houston's best burger: the OG double smash with American cheese, crinkle pickles and grilled onions on a Martin's potato roll, with spicy fries.

  5. Stanton's City Bites

    First WardBurgers & sandwiches$

    An old First Ward building full of memorabilia and a diner counter, cooking half-pound burgers to order on butter-soft buns, plus loaded sandwiches and fries.

  6. Nancy's Hustle

    EaDoNeighborhood bistro$$$

    A dark, sexy EaDo bistro where T-shirts are fine and everyone's splitting the burger and coconut-apricot martinis.

  7. Brennan's of Houston

    MidtownCreole fine dining$$$$

    A brick Midtown mansion under live oaks doing classic Creole: white tablecloths, tableside flambés, turtle soup with sherry and Gulf fish Pontchartrain.

  8. Backstreet Cafe

    River OaksAmerican bistro$$$

    A River Oaks bistro with a big fountain patio under striped awnings: banana brioche French toast at brunch, cioppino mussels and wine later.

The other 12

The 20 are spread across 13 neighborhoods. Midtown (4), Montrose (4) and Third Ward (2) have the most; EaDo, First Ward, Galleria, Independence Heights, Memorial, Museum District, Northside, River Oaks, the Heights and West University have one each.

Houston American & Southern · 20 places

+12 more in the app

Bison burgers from a shack under a freeway overpass, a West U cafeteria where families have slid trays since the '40s, smothered turkey wings on a Northside cafeteria line, a polished Memorial tavern where the fried chicken is the order, and more.

Add all 20 to your Whosly map

Every one lands on your own map in a tap — save them, rate them, plan around them. City Packs are included with Planner Pro.

Or search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store

Add all 20 to your iPhonePoint your iPhone camera here — the Houston American & Southern pack opens in Whosly, ready for your map.

For barbecue, see the best BBQ in Houston.

Common questions

Where is the best soul food in Houston?
Houston This Is It Soul Food, a Third Ward institution since 1959 where staff build regulars' usual trays from memory, and Frenchy's Chicken, the Third Ward original near TSU, frying since the '60s: crackling golden chicken, boudin links and gris gris sauce.
Where is the best burger in Houston?
Trill Burgers in Montrose, for the OG double smash with American cheese, crinkle pickles and grilled onions on a Martin's potato roll; Stanton's City Bites in the First Ward, for half-pound burgers cooked to order on butter-soft buns; and Nancy's Hustle in EaDo, where everyone splits the burger.
Where should I go for breakfast in Houston?
The Breakfast Klub in Midtown, where the weekend line wraps around the building for fluffy eggs, krispy katfish and hot syrup on tap, or Backstreet Cafe in River Oaks, for banana brioche French toast at brunch on a big fountain patio.
Which Houston neighborhood is best for Southern restaurants?
On our list, Midtown and Montrose tie for the most, with 4 of the 20 each. The rest are spread across 11 other neighborhoods, so there is a good one in most parts of the city.
Where can I see all 20?
Whosly's Houston American & Southern pack has all 20, mapped, with our notes. Add it in the app and every one lands on your own map, ready to save, rate and plan around. The pack is included with Planner Pro.
City Packs in the Whosly app
City Packs in the app — add one and every place lands on your map.

All 20, on your own map

This page is 8 of them. The Houston American & Southern pack in Whosly has all 20 — add it and every one drops onto your map, ready to save, rate and turn into a plan your friends RSVP to from a text, no app needed to answer. The pack is included with Planner Pro.

Get Whosly — free on iPhone

Or search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store

Get it on your iPhonePoint your iPhone camera here — or open the App Store and search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs”.
About Whosly. Whosly is an iPhone app for group plans, saved places and RSVPs. Anyone you invite can RSVP from a link on any phone, with no app and no account — that part is free for everyone, always. On the free tier you host three plans at a time and RSVP to as many as you like; multi-stop nights, Surprise mode and City Packs are Planner Pro. whosly.app

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