383 Best Restaurants in Texas, USA

Chef/author Diana Barrios Treviño—a frequent guest on TV food and talk shows—oversees the kitchen at this family-run restaurant, known for its authentic gourmet Mexican dishes since 1979. Try the enchilada dinners, beef steak ranchero, or breakfast chilaquiles.

Housed in an old East Austin tire shop, this counter-service outdoor café is a favorite of families and on-the-go locals. Local hospitality juggernauts Larry McGuire and Liz Lambert kept the Aztec iconography, walk-up service, and sparse layout of the preexisting spot, and the new back patio is ideal for lazy lunches, family outings, and weekend day-drinking. The rotisserie chicken and burgers are popular, and ice-cold draft beer keeps things cool on hot summer days.

There's been a restaurant of some sort in this building since the 1930s; the original pressed-tin ceiling is still in place. The bistro attracts diners from the neighborhood as well as a lot of folks from horse shows and other events at Will Rogers Memorial Center, just 2 mi away. Known for its pasta, wood-roasted entrées, and chicken-fried steak, and weekend prime rib, the restaurant also has seven tables on a patio with umbrellas to ward off the Southwestern sun. Breakfast is available weekends.

On the glamorous grounds of the Commodore Perry Estate, this chic garden restaurant seems far removed from the daily aesthetic of Austin. The hotel's dreamy Italianate mansion lends to the restaurant's Jazz Age vibes, with opulent, floral decor and a decadent menu of Texas heritage cuisine to match. The atmosphere of an exclusive soiree hangs over the artful presentations of signatures like barbecue scallops and Delta Blues rice with halibut and smoked trout roe.

This local institution serves a full complement of the simple breakfast/brunch foods that Austinites tend to crave at all hours. The typical selection of sandwiches, omelets, salads, and desserts is supplemented by seven enchilada options and signatures like the Love Migas (eggs scrambled with crisp tortilla chips and fresh salsa, spiked with garlic-serrano butter and served with black beans). Breakfast, including stellar Frisbee-sized pancakes—buttermilk, whole wheat, cornmeal, or luscious gingerbread—is available 24/7. Service is always friendly and the worn booths and tables host a diverse gamut of loyal patrons, from hungover UT students to old-Austin early birds.

A much-loved breakfast institution, Magnolia prides itself on dishes made from fresh and wholesome ingredients. The fluffy buttermilk pancakes are a mainstay, but for something different, try the Bodega Bay omelet or Oma's puffed apple pancake made with Granny Smith apples and Haus secret spices, served with powdered sugar and European-style whipped cream. Breakfast is served all day, but at lunchtime a diverse selection of Haus-made salads, soups, burgers, and deli "sammies" round out the menu. No reservations are allowed, so be prepared to wait at this very popular spot.

In Kerrville, Mamacita's is as much a tradition as Frito pie at high-school football games. Though billed as "authentic" Mexican food, it's more along the lines of standard Tex-Mex fare and about as straightforward as you can get.

Houston restaurateur (and cofounder of the Carrabba’s restaurant chain) Damian Mandola brought his "neighborhood grocery store" and Italian ristorante to The Triangle apartment and retail complex, just north of the UT campus, and the cafeteria-style café has become a favorite for families and hungry college students looking to carbo-load on a budget. Hearty portions of southern Italian specialties, from pizza to daily-rotating raviolis, hit the spot at the right price. Fresh artisanal bread, various antipasti, and seasonal cheeses are available for grab-and-go diners in the deli-style market. Homemade gelato in flavors like pineapple and pumpkin is popular among the dessert options.

This south Austin landmark has been slinging classic Tex-Mex cuisine since 1952, and while Austin foodie trends tend to overlook this family favorite, you'll hear few complaints from its steady crowd of happy diners. Combination dinners are many and varied, with all the usual standbys: tamales, crispy tacos, and more. Diehards swear by the chiles rellenos, enchiladas, and Bob Armstrong dip (queso with taco meat, guacamole, and sour cream). House margaritas, like the prickly pear, are pleasant palate cleansers. The expansive dining room can get noisy at peak hours, but the large outdoor patio is lovely in good weather.

A local favorite, famous for delicious coffee and pastries—sweets and savories attract a crowd camped out at their laptops in this two-room coffeehouse, or outside on the adorable patio. Try a fruit-studded scone or croissant sandwich for breakfast, spicy vegan chickpea sandwich for lunch, and stay as long as you like.

Even if the food here wasn't so good, McAdoo's would be worth a visit for the beautiful interior alone. Set inside a converted post office from 1915, the restaurant features upscale Creole and Cajun-style dishes, with a focus on seafood and cocktails. Sunday brunch specials include a seafood fondue omelet, shrimp and grits, seafood gumbo, and bananas Foster French toast—plus a Bloody Mary bar with more than 30 items to add to your drink.

Medici Roasting's downtown location offers convenient walk-up window service just a few blocks south of the State Capitol amidst the city's bustling shops and businesses. There is also a beautiful outdoor seating area that is ideal for lunch breaks and midmorning socializing. 

If you're lucky enough to find a parking space in Mia's tiny lot, consider it a sign that you were destined to dine in this colorfully decorated restaurant with legendary status. Diehard fans have been scarfing down brisket tacos and cheese enchiladas here for more than two decades. Other favorites include pinto-bean soup, tamales, and beef chile rellenos. There's nothing relaxing about the experience—the walls are filled with a crazy mix of Christmas lights, roosters, piñatas, paper flags, and other treasures, and the waitstaff hustles to keep the crowds moving.

This Hyde Park seafood market and raw bar is a great date night destination with a reputation for some of the freshest and best seafood in a town that doesn't necessarily have a coastal reputation. There's a focus on Gulf Coast offerings like the popular red snapper and fish tacos with chipotle crema, plus classics like fish-and-chips and lobster rolls.

Near the Alamo, the River Walk, and the Menger Hotel, this branch of the Morton's steak-house chain is appropriately elegant and contemporary. Fabulous steaks range from prime rib eye to prime New York strip, and are matched with exquisite wines and service. Other options include cold-water lobster tail. Signature sides are lobster mac 'n' cheese, smoked Gouda and bacon au gratin potatoes, and truffled ream corn.

This popular eatery in Galveston's historic East End serves fresh, contemporary food—including some vegetarian dishes—in a hip, high-ceilinged dining room and on an outdoor patio. Wake up with cinnamon French toast or a crab omelette, or try an oversized sandwich or large gourmet salad for lunch. The juicy burgers or Asian shrimp skewer are hits in the evening.

You'll know this drive-through spot by its lime-green structure that practically glows in the distance, guiding you to what some are saying is quite possibly the best burger they've ever had. The menu is wonderfully simple: burgers, fries, and shakes, but it does it all very well. Don't be put off by the "wet" sauce option on the burgers—it's just au poivre, or peppery French steak sauce, for $1.50 extra. The fries are hand-cut and perfect, and the shakes are thick and cold. The place gets very, very busy.

A unique restaurant concept owned and operated by the San Antonio satellite location of the Culinary Institute of America, NAO features a rotation of resident chefs under Executive Chef Geronimo Lopez covering a whole perspective of Latin-American flavors. You'll find a fusion of Latin-inspired dishes with flavors from Peruvian causa potato purée, to Argentine roasted cheese with tomato and oregano, and Corbullon, a Caribbean-style cioppino. The beautiful South American-inspired architecture of the spacious dining room couple with excellent service make this a top destination at The Pearl.

If you're looking for Austin's best sushi, you might just find it here. The tatami-lined interiors are sleek and sophisticated, and chefs achieve unparalleled quality in every dish, whether it's nigiri or hand rolls, Wagyu short ribs or snow crab. Omakase is available for connoisseurs, and don't sleep on their sake pairings and delicious desserts like lychee jellies and milk chocolate semifreddo.

Tucked away in a little historic house off Washington street, The Nest is a nice option for a special occasion. It's probably the best value for fine dining in town. The seasonal menu might include a perfectly prepared Black Angus fillet with a rich bordelaise sauce or plump pan-seared sea scallops served with a citrusy chipotle-lime hollandaise. Enjoy a taste of the Hill Country with a scoop of homemade lavender ice cream.

Expect a cozy and sexy vibe in this Uptown steak house. A grand piano sits in the dining room, providing background music nightly beginning at 7. Specialties include Chateaubriand for two, served with forest mushrooms, carmelized onion, and foie gras; the center-cut beef is carved tableside. The steak options are plentiful—10-ounce filet mignon, prime bone-in 16-ounce fillet, prime 22-ounce Cowboy cut (a French-cut bone-in rib eye). Lighter appetites can opt for seafood specialties such as sesame-crusted ahi tuna, diver scallops, or tortilla-crusted Atlantic salmon.

Don't let the strip-center location or the dreary brown-and-grey interior fool you: this may be the best Thai restaurant in Houston. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted warmly and served attentively. Menu standouts include pad Thai in all its rich peanuty goodness, along with a top-of-its-class chicken satay served with a zesty cucumber relish. Warning: if the server asks you if you'd like your dish "Thai hot," you might as well bring along a fire extinguisher. The wine list is kind of disappointing, but you're here for the food.

The original—and still the best—of the chain, Ninfas on Navigation holds a special place in the hearts of generations of Houstonians. Always busy, and filled with everyone from politicians to young families to the gay mafia to savvy tourists, this East End landmark serves up warm, fresh tortillas made on-site, killer margaritas in all their forms, and a trademark green salsa made with avocados and tomatillos. Don't miss the Tacos a la Ninfa or the "chilpanzingas"—corn empanadas stuffed with smoked ham, cheese, and chilies, and topped with queso fresco (mild, crumbly white cheese). The Ninfa's shuttle runs to downtown sporting venues; call ahead for information.

This granddaddy of Houston restaurants was one of the first to bring fine, reasonably priced Italian cooking to the city. Nino's appetizers and entrées can go head to head with those at trendier and tonier places in town. Owner Vincent Mandola continually updates the menu but retains the classics that put him on the map. Start with antipasto misto (mixed) of marinated and roasted vegetables, then enjoy wood-fired rotisserie lemon-garlic chicken with mashed potatoes for inspired comfort food.

Not every taqueria has a James Beard pedigree, but this eastside hot spot created by award-winning chef and owner Edgar Rico delivers a distinctly different experience for discerning foodies. Sure, there’s no-frills counter service and traditional street tacos, but there’s also a succulent duck confit on the menu as well as homemade masa and heirloom corn tortillas, not to mention a stellar wine list. No reservations accepted, except for the masa omakase service, featuring a set multi-course menu of chef specialties, offered every Thursday through Saturday.

Sandwich lovers once had to trek out to 620 and Anderson Mill Road to experience the blissful creations of chefs John Bates and Brandon Martinez. But the modest sandwich shop (formerly known as Noble Pig) recently expanded their renowned finger-lickin’ empire with a Burnet Road location that draws big crowds, especially during peak lunch hours, when the line can stretch out the door. Choose from a menu of flavor-packed sammies such as duck pastrami with Russian dressing and the Noble Pig, with ham, pulled pork, and bacon. Homemade sides, like the spicy jalapeno slaw, pack a punch. Breakfast hours have also been added, with knockouts like biscuits and gravy and a braised oxtail with potato and leek waffles.

This modern curry shop is serving some of the tastiest Indian food in the Hill Country, along with 24 rotating beers on tap, and a good range of craft cans and bottles. On a quiet side street, with picnic tables in front for outdoor dining, there are classic dishes like saag paneer and butter chicken with coconut rice and papadam. They also feature Indian Tex-Mex mashups in the form of curry tacos like the curry queso, stuffed with toppings and folded into paratha tortillas. The staff will give you a warm welcome and walk you through the extensive beer list.

This is John Wayne country, and the patrons of The O.S.T. (Old Spanish Trail) don't let you forget it, thanks to an entire wall covered with photos and memorabilia of the Duke. Authentic Tex-Mex and hearty American plates are served (and have been since 1921), including a Texas-sized chicken-fried steak that covers the entire plate.

There are sunsets, and then there are sunsets at the Oasis. Here you can sit on one of the many wooden decks that scale the hillside of this Lake Travis hot spot with a frozen margarita and bid farewell to the day with one of the most spectacular sunsets in the state. The menu offers fairly standard American and Mexican fare, from burgers to enchiladas. Be sure to get there early; you won't be the only one with the bright idea to swing by.