384 Best Restaurants in Texas, USA

It's a Korean restaurant, and yet Kitok's been mentioned in The New York Times as home of one of the best burgers in Texas. The Liplocker (double cheeseburger) and Oriental fries (a battered, deep-fried nest of thinly sliced vegetables) comprise what is arguably the best meal for the money in Waco. Korean cuisine fills out the remainder of the menu. Chicken and beef bulgogi receive rave reviews, as does the kimchee, a side dish of spicy, fermented (in a good way) cabbage.

This North Austin sushi joint is the best place to find superior sashimi, sushi rolls, and Japanese cuisine without daunting prices. The izakaya-style menu (an homage to Japan’s casual pub-style eateries) offers a wide range of cold, fried, grilled, and rice dishes. Sit at the sushi bar to watch the experts at work, creating specialties like the crunchy dynamite roll (tuna, avocado, and crunchy tempura flakes), or grab a table to enjoy Japanese comfort food like yakitori skewers (beef tenderloin, chicken thigh, and chicken and taro croquettes), gyoza (pork dumplings), and ikayaki (grilled squid).

At Krause's, you can even have schnitzel for breakfast: the Bauern schnitzel comes topped with two eggs and hollandaise sauce plus home fries, hash browns, and grits. Texas-German mash-ups can be found throughout the rest of the menu, too. Order Kartoffel (potato) poppers with apple sauce and sauerkraut, or elevate your sausage game with the wild-game plate, which comes with wild boar, venison, and “jackalope” (rabbit and antelope) sausages, plus bier mustard, cheese, pickles, and crackers. Plus, there's a weekly German dessert special. Outside, in the Munich-inspired beer hall, live music lights up the stage every weekend.

The ever-expanding Mueller development continues to welcome several eateries, and this top-notch neighborhood Italian restaurant, which means "the Golden Goose," is one of its most delicious additions. Whether it's date night or a quick happy hour with friends, dishes like Texas Wagyu tartare and from-scratch cavatelli al pomodoro will dazzle.

This favorite east-side spot, which started as a humble trailer before moving into this expanded Cesar Chavez location, remains another top spot for Texas barbecue. Portions of their prizewinning offerings are Texas-size, including their popular El Sancho Loco sandwich with sausage, pulled pork, and chopped brisket topped with pickled red onions. Lines are to be expected, but service is friendly and swift.

If you've had your fill of German food in Fredericksburg, opt for a beautiful cheese and charcuterie board from La Bergerie, an adorable European-style wine bar and market located just off the town's main strip. Relax on the patio or choose from the well-curated selection of meats, cheeses, and small-production wines to-go if you prefer to picnic somewhere in the Hill Country.

The most mouthwatering mariscos (seafood) in Dallas, particularly the fish soup, keeps local customers coming back to this relatively undiscovered restaurant in the little blue house in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. The daily lunch specials are a bargain.

After an award-winning debut in 2013, this sophisticated spot for modern Mexican cuisine has remained a staple of downtown's Second Street District. Diners can expect reliable mainstays, such as crispy carnitas tacos, carne asada with mole, and cochinita pibil, a traditional Yucatec Mayan slow-roasted pork dish. The popular weekend brunch service doesn’t disappoint.

Like a culinary tour of Latin America, La Duni's showcases vibrant flavors from Mexico, Central America, and South America, with occasional side trips to Cuba. Citrus-sparked specialty drinks set the mood for roasted chicken napped with a sauce of Champagne and tart oranges or carne asada—beef marinated in lime juice and grilled, all accompanied by caramelized plantains, black beans, and rice. Desserts include the muy rico (very rich) cuatro leches (four milks) cake or chocolate-hazelnut Nutella cake.

La Fogata's rambling, hacienda-style indoor dining areas plus its lush, tropical outdoor patio put you in the mood for the authentic Mexican dishes to come. A top-shelf margarita helps you relax and enjoy an enormous selection ranging from spicy shrimp enchiladas to a rich, flavorful calabacita con carne de puerco (pork stew with squash and corn). The expected Mexican cornucopia of tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas is kicked up a notch with fresh ingredients and attentive service. Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend dinner.

You know you've come to a dining hot spot when you're greeted by the cement handprints of local notables outside the front doors of the ebullient La Griglia. Even after all these years (it opened in 1991), no other Houston restaurant can match its buzzy social energy. Dramatic decor, an open kitchen, imaginative and dependable food, and fair prices make this River Oaks favorite a touchstone among those in the know (and in the gossip columns). This place fills by 7 pm, so arrive early or prepare to enjoy the scenery for a while. Try the seafood cheesecake, maybe the richest appetizer in town and worth every calorie or smooth, silky shrimp bisque. Soft-shell crabs and fillet of red snapper are excellent entrées. La Griglia has open-air dining on a covered side patio.

It may feel like you're walking into a centuries-old hacienda at this enormous outpost just outside Texas Loop 1604, but the tacos, nachos, and enchiladas have a modern twist. Try the enchilada assortment—five delectable takes served with guacamole salad. Entrées include El Mofofo Grill, a specialty combination of marinated beef and pork and served on a grill for two or more diners.

In the heart of Market Square, you can sample Mexican fare or oysters or both while surrounded by Spanish tile and lively ambience. Try the fajitas, enchiladas, or puffy tacos, seated inside or on the patio under colorful umbrellas with a great view of the square. If you want to try a bit of everything, go for the Fiesta San Antonio appetizer plate for yourself or to share with friends over a fantastic array of margaritas—it's what the restaurant is named for, and the moniker is justified. There's plenty of live entertainment, and mariachis will serenade your table upon request (and please do tip).

This is a popular old-school neighborhood Mexican bakery. Their pastry-laden cases contain Mexican pan dulce staples like conchas, empanadas, and campechanas, plus cupcakes, cookies, donuts, apple fritters, pink cake, and fresh bread. They also take orders for weddings, quinceneras, and other celebrations. They open at 6 am, and if you have favorites it's best to get there early, especially on weekends. Call with any questions, as they have no website or social media.

Lamberts draws a broad range of downtown business crowds, local foodies, and Second Street tourists for its stylish take on Texas barbecue. You know this isn't your father's barbecue joint when you hear Belle & Sebastian coming from the speakers instead of Willie or Waylon. For further evidence, there's Chimay beer on tap and an Ahi tuna ceviche on the menu. Appetizers range from crispy wild boar ribs to broiled Gulf oysters with apple-smoked bacon. The restaurant, housed in a two-story 1873 brick building, features a lovely whitewashed brick interior, leather booths, and an upstairs bar with more dining space and a stage for live music.

At this restaurant focused on Texas heritage and place—primarily sourcing its ingredients locally and regionally—an evolving menu, naturally, changes with the seasons. As sleek, comfortable, and contemporary as the Thompson Hotel it's housed in, the restaurant has River Walk access where guests can stroll up directly from the river level without having to go through the hotel. When making reservations, ask for seating at the K-Bar for a close-up look at the Grillworks wood-fired grill and a chance to watch the chef at work.

Located in the thick of things right on the San Antonio River, this upscale national seafood chain is a pleasurable oasis from the area's hustle-and-bustle. A variety of fresh fish prepared in a number of ways include Chilean sea bass and almond-crusted mahimahi; top steak cuts appease those who prefer turf to surf. Or you can have both with Reef & Beef, a lobster tail with ribeye. The atmosphere is classy yet relaxed. There's a large wine list, a capable bar, and a prompt and knowledgeable waitstaff.

You could forget you're in the city at the grand hacienda of Las Alamedas, which overlooks a peaceful wooded ravine in Memorial. The menu is upscale Mexican (not Tex-Mex!) cuisine, and the kitchen is sometimes uneven, but generally very good. Two splendid entrées are tacos de cochinita pibil (chunks of pork simmered in achiote sauce) and huachinango à la azteca (red snapper stuffed with corn mushrooms in poblano sauce). There's a kids' menu.

River Walk dining at its most elegant and romantic, this three-level restaurant is known for its sophistication and romance and has one of the most relaxing and beautiful outdoor dining areas on the River Walk, with graceful palm trees and soothing views. The menu is a celebration of refined American cuisine that combines locally sourced ingredients in chef-inspired dishes. Creative, flavorful dishes of note use products from local farmers and artisans, such as Lockhart quail and veal tenderloin. The finest handmade margaritas on the River Walk can be found here. 

Escape the nearby strip malls and traffic and spend some down time in this French-styled bistro in Far North Dallas, where folks come as they are. The dining room is decorated with Provençal blues and yellows and floral prints. Try the cassoulet, roasted chicken or duck, or one of many seafood specialties. Leave room for dessert; the menu is almost as extensive as the entrée choices.

The vibe is just right at Lea Lou Co-Op, whether you're taking in the beautiful exposed-stone wall interior or kicking back with friends in the spacious yard of the classic 1800s hardware store and lumber yard. The braided-crust pizza is famous here, but the juicy steaks and seafood platters shouldn't be overlooked either. In the back, you'll find live music on some nights at the Cow Palace, a venue with a dance floor, and there's even an adjacent boutique hotel with seven rooms if you wish to stay the night.

What started as a quaint farm-to-table restaurant inside an old house has become an institution in Wimberley. Though the look is much more farmhouse-modern these days, the menu still features the same delicious food they've been known for, like their farm-fresh soups, salads, sandwiches and shareable appetizers. Heartier offerings, like wood-fired pizza, and an expanded menu of entrées, such as the crab cake or chicken and grits, make for even better dinner options. Sunday brunch, serving "Pear Classics" and seasonal specials, is memorable, too.

South First Street's best date-night destination might have limited dining space, but the seasonal prix-fixe selections, expertly prepared culinary creations, and fanciful decor are worth the hype. In addition to the nightly à la carte menu offerings, diners can indulge in a chef's choice menu ($72) with five courses that could be creations like striped-bass crudo and bowfin caviar, green curry fumé, seared antelope heart, or jerk quail with pecan butter and watermelon radish. The shady backyard wine garden has expanded with additional seating for weekly happy hours and dinner service. Walk-ins are accommodated.

This "new school barbecue" joint debuted its brick-and-mortar location in south Austin in 2024 after years of slinging its choice cuts of smoked meats at a nearby food truck lot. Die-hard fans were ecstatic to see their beloved barbecue pitmasters expand their menu into exciting new territory, with inventive takes on tacos, burgers, and mouthwatering extras like hog fat cornbread and kale Caesar slaw.

Formerly a convent, this historic pink building now offers an eclectic, something-for-everybody menu that includes sourdough pizzas, homemade fettuccini, hearty pot roast, grilled salmon and late-night bites. The bar has seasonal cocktails, wines, and draft beer in bottles and cans. Reservations are recommended for weekend brunch.

Staying true to their name, this company states they use as many organic ingredients as possible, making every single batch of ice cream by hand in Austin. Their everyday flavors are heavenly—caramel salt lick, coffee with cream, dark chocolate with olive oil and sea salt, and more. Their homemade waffle cones use local cage-free eggs, butter, cane sugar, vanilla extract, and wheat flour. Lick is sensitive to special diets and will gladly answer questions about their ingredients.

At this cozy café tucked in a historic home near Cibolo Creek, chef-owner Denise Mazal specializes in central European cuisine, with selections from Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic and a particular focus on German fare. Try the kasseler rippchen, a smoked-in-house center-cut pork chop served with fresh horseradish sauce and toasted almonds, or the Bavarian meat loaf (half lamb, half beef) with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce. And don’t even consider leaving without ordering a side of German potato pancakes, griddled to order and topped with braised red cabbage. You’ll also want to save room for the namesake Gretel’s apple strudel with Chantilly cream or the Hansel’s Kisses, meringue filled with coffee cream and rolled in roasted almonds.

Housed in a limestone structure built in 1847, this rustic restaurant was originally the residence and store of German immigrant Otto Bombach, and now it's a spot to enjoy traditional German fare and a variety of live music in a historic River Walk setting. Starters include deviled eggs, Prost jumbo chicken wings, Kraut balls and more. Handhelds (sandwiches) include a classic Reuben, a brat dog, a chicken schnitzel club, and burgers (beef or veggie). One house specialty is the Jaeger Schnitzel, a handbreaded pork cutlet with bacon cabbage and buttermilk smashed potatoes. The terrace dining reminiscent of a biergarten gives diners scenic views of the San Antonio River.

This is a pleasant hangout with excellent products and a good vibe. They have a great selection of coffees and teas and a small healthy food menu with selected pastries made daily from Full Goods diner. They are committed to sourcing locally as much as possible.