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Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean your dining experience should be any less eventful.
Handies Douzo

16 Essential Dining Destinations Open on Mondays

Find juicy steaks, tender dumplings, spiraling bowls of noodles, and more on any given Monday

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Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean your dining experience should be any less eventful.
| Handies Douzo

Houstonians are not lacking in options when dining out. From Tex-Mex to Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese, there are restaurants open to fulfill any craving every day of the week. Although Mondays are commonly industry nights off, many of Houston’s most sought after restaurants are open and ready to elevate the beginning of the week.

Whether seeking solace at a casual neighborhood eatery, an escape from cooking at home, a Champagne-fueled evening after an epic workday, or a memorable date night locale, here are 16 restaurants you can count on for a superb Monday dining experience.

Is your favorite dining destination that’s open on a Monday missing from this map? Shout it out in the comments.

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Open daily, this family-friendly Garden Oaks gem is a reliable place to hang for lunch, dinner, and everything in between. The dog-friendly patio, complete with group seating around a fire pit and a playground, stretches the entire length of the building, and on nice weather days, is prime real estate for diners. The menu of handmade pastas and wood-fired pizzas is complimented by clean eats like blackened salmon and roasted cauliflower, making it a solid choice for a Monday meal out.

La Lucha

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Chicken dinners should be synonymous with Monday nights. La Lucha provides the Heights with some of the best Southern comfort in the city. Briny oysters and a frozen margarita provide a much needed reprieve from the Texas heat, while the shrimp and pork dumplings bring you back up to temp. The cajeta soft serve ice cream with 12 topping options offer a special twist on a nostalgic classic.

Kin Dee Thai Cuisine

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It’s not a bad idea to have a good Thai restaurant on speed dial should you come down with a bad case of the Monday blues. Kin Dee’s 30-dish menu is reflective of Thailand’s various regions, and includes comfort eats like pad Thai wrapped in a Thai omelet casing, creamy tom kha soup, and spicy panang curry. With its dreamy Thai decor and robust cocktail list, dining in is a fun alternative to spending a Monday at home.

Field & Tides

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As the name suggests, both land and sea cravings can be satisfied on Mondays at Field & Tides in the Heights. Chef Travis Lenig helms the kitchen, incorporating local seafood, meat, and produce in dishes like cracklin’ crusted redfish, crab and brie fondue, and Low country fried chicken. For a taste of pure decadence, save room for the chocolate Alabama stack cake with bourbon ganache.

Handies Douzo

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The U-shaped bar at this cozy hand roll restaurant creates a cozy, intimate atmosphere that’s sure to brighten anyone’s post-workday spirits. If sake in a juice box is not the vibe, the restaurant is BYOB. With limited dining space, seats at Handies Douzo can be hard to come by, but a new location open in Montrose has helped ease the burden.

Jonathan's The Rub

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Diverse, bold flavors fill the menu at the upscale-yet-cozy Memorial staple. Rounding out the day with a steak seasoned in the restaurant’s namesake rub or the blackened shrimp and grits is sure to bring anyone back to life after a day on the work grind. The bar menu boasts a long list of cocktails as well as a wine list that will be sure to take the edge off.

Xin Chào

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Xin Chào, or “hello” in Vietnamese, greets you with delightful smells and flavors that chef Christine Ha is known for. The all-day Monday happy hour featuring $5 to $6 bar bites, $5 canned and bottled beers, and $7 select cocktails is a surefire way to end your day on a high note. Start with Viet-Cajun oysters, and then spring for hearty mains like like the smoked beef rib flat rice noodles and braised pork with crispy rice.

Bludorn

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Let the dreamy lobster chicken pot pie at Bludorn be your Monday motivation. The indulgent dish, topped with seasonal charred corn, roasted poblano crawfish, and lime creme fraiche, is the ultimate way to “treat yo’ self” after a long day. Plus, the restaurant’s bar, buzzy dining room, and neatly appointed patio serve as a welcome solace from the stress of the office.

Oporto Fooding House & Wine

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The fusion menu of Portuguese and Indian eats at Oporto has kept Midtown residents well fed since 2006. The warm atmosphere and the smell of patatas bravas, crispy potatoes with spicy piri piri and garlic aioli, will welcome any weary worker after a long day at the office. Looking to switch out your usual sandwich lunch for something different? Check out the 2-course Portuguese power lunch, available on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $25.

Rosalie Italian Soul

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Located within the trendy C. Balwin Hotel in downtown, Rosalie’s old-school Italian fare pairs beautifully with the playfully designed space. The restaurant’s freshly made pasta, meatballs, and wood-fired pizzas are available for lunch and dinner service daily. Looking for something sweet? Don’t miss out on soft serve options like pecan, Negroni, and chocolate with olive oil and Maldon salt.

Theodore Rex

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Justin Yu is one of Houston’s culinary heavy hitters, and his Warehouse District restaurant, Theodore Rex, is consistently one of the most sought after reservations in town. Luckily, it’s open on Mondays when tables are a bit easier to come by. Shareable plates include tomato toast, boiled beef dumplings, and roasted chicken in French curry. Whether you share or indulge all on your own, save room for warm blueberry butter cake, which pairs well with Cheerwine, a cherry soda favorite from the Southeast states.

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

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Today, this iconic Tex-Mex restaurant has two locations — the original on Navigation and its counterpart at BLVD Place in Uptown — and both are open on Mondays. Score Mama Ninfa’s famed tacos al carbon, handmade pork, chicken or beef tamales, and sizzling fajita platters with all the fix-ins for lunch or dinner. Add a Ninfarita, the restaurant’s signature Tex-Mex margarita made with 100% agave tequila blanco.

Brasserie 19

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If steak frites on the patio isn’t on your Monday to-do list, maybe it should be. Known as “B19” to frequent flyers, this River Oaks hotspot serves up French classics with a side of excellent people watching. Have a little work waiting after dinner? Try a St. George martini, the restaurant’s take on an espresso martini, to get you through those last few emails.

The newest Hai Hospitality restaurant to come to Houston, Uchiko brings sophisticated Japanese fare to Post Oak Boulevard. Smoke and char are the key signifiers of the restaurant’s dishes, from nigiri to hot offerings. Like its sister restaurant Uchi, it touts a killer happy hour with discounted hand rolls and maki every day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Seeking adventure on a Monday? Give the 10-course tasting menu a shot.

Musaafer

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For those looking to ball out on a Monday, Musaafer is the place. The grandiose dining room serves as an appropriate backdrop to explore the menu which reflects the many distinct regions of India. The pani puri, malvani fish and lobster curry, and the beef vindaloo will take you on a flavorful journey, making for quite a memorable Monday. Fusion cocktails like the teekha peru — an Indian spin on a pisco sour with chaat masala and guava puree — give a surprising twist to classic libations.

Street to Kitchen

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This modest, East End gem is one of the city’s lauded restaurants, and it’s open for dine-in and delivery on Mondays. Helmed by rising star Benchawan Jabthong Painter, a native of Thailand, the menu boasts traditional Thai comfort eats like drunken noodles, whole fried fish and made-from-scratch curries, but weekend specials like green curry steak and durian custard and sticky rice keep things interesting.

d'Alba

Open daily, this family-friendly Garden Oaks gem is a reliable place to hang for lunch, dinner, and everything in between. The dog-friendly patio, complete with group seating around a fire pit and a playground, stretches the entire length of the building, and on nice weather days, is prime real estate for diners. The menu of handmade pastas and wood-fired pizzas is complimented by clean eats like blackened salmon and roasted cauliflower, making it a solid choice for a Monday meal out.

La Lucha

Chicken dinners should be synonymous with Monday nights. La Lucha provides the Heights with some of the best Southern comfort in the city. Briny oysters and a frozen margarita provide a much needed reprieve from the Texas heat, while the shrimp and pork dumplings bring you back up to temp. The cajeta soft serve ice cream with 12 topping options offer a special twist on a nostalgic classic.

Kin Dee Thai Cuisine

It’s not a bad idea to have a good Thai restaurant on speed dial should you come down with a bad case of the Monday blues. Kin Dee’s 30-dish menu is reflective of Thailand’s various regions, and includes comfort eats like pad Thai wrapped in a Thai omelet casing, creamy tom kha soup, and spicy panang curry. With its dreamy Thai decor and robust cocktail list, dining in is a fun alternative to spending a Monday at home.

Field & Tides

As the name suggests, both land and sea cravings can be satisfied on Mondays at Field & Tides in the Heights. Chef Travis Lenig helms the kitchen, incorporating local seafood, meat, and produce in dishes like cracklin’ crusted redfish, crab and brie fondue, and Low country fried chicken. For a taste of pure decadence, save room for the chocolate Alabama stack cake with bourbon ganache.

Handies Douzo

The U-shaped bar at this cozy hand roll restaurant creates a cozy, intimate atmosphere that’s sure to brighten anyone’s post-workday spirits. If sake in a juice box is not the vibe, the restaurant is BYOB. With limited dining space, seats at Handies Douzo can be hard to come by, but a new location open in Montrose has helped ease the burden.

Jonathan's The Rub

Diverse, bold flavors fill the menu at the upscale-yet-cozy Memorial staple. Rounding out the day with a steak seasoned in the restaurant’s namesake rub or the blackened shrimp and grits is sure to bring anyone back to life after a day on the work grind. The bar menu boasts a long list of cocktails as well as a wine list that will be sure to take the edge off.

Xin Chào

Xin Chào, or “hello” in Vietnamese, greets you with delightful smells and flavors that chef Christine Ha is known for. The all-day Monday happy hour featuring $5 to $6 bar bites, $5 canned and bottled beers, and $7 select cocktails is a surefire way to end your day on a high note. Start with Viet-Cajun oysters, and then spring for hearty mains like like the smoked beef rib flat rice noodles and braised pork with crispy rice.

Bludorn

Let the dreamy lobster chicken pot pie at Bludorn be your Monday motivation. The indulgent dish, topped with seasonal charred corn, roasted poblano crawfish, and lime creme fraiche, is the ultimate way to “treat yo’ self” after a long day. Plus, the restaurant’s bar, buzzy dining room, and neatly appointed patio serve as a welcome solace from the stress of the office.

Oporto Fooding House & Wine

The fusion menu of Portuguese and Indian eats at Oporto has kept Midtown residents well fed since 2006. The warm atmosphere and the smell of patatas bravas, crispy potatoes with spicy piri piri and garlic aioli, will welcome any weary worker after a long day at the office. Looking to switch out your usual sandwich lunch for something different? Check out the 2-course Portuguese power lunch, available on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $25.

Rosalie Italian Soul

Located within the trendy C. Balwin Hotel in downtown, Rosalie’s old-school Italian fare pairs beautifully with the playfully designed space. The restaurant’s freshly made pasta, meatballs, and wood-fired pizzas are available for lunch and dinner service daily. Looking for something sweet? Don’t miss out on soft serve options like pecan, Negroni, and chocolate with olive oil and Maldon salt.

Theodore Rex

Justin Yu is one of Houston’s culinary heavy hitters, and his Warehouse District restaurant, Theodore Rex, is consistently one of the most sought after reservations in town. Luckily, it’s open on Mondays when tables are a bit easier to come by. Shareable plates include tomato toast, boiled beef dumplings, and roasted chicken in French curry. Whether you share or indulge all on your own, save room for warm blueberry butter cake, which pairs well with Cheerwine, a cherry soda favorite from the Southeast states.

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

Today, this iconic Tex-Mex restaurant has two locations — the original on Navigation and its counterpart at BLVD Place in Uptown — and both are open on Mondays. Score Mama Ninfa’s famed tacos al carbon, handmade pork, chicken or beef tamales, and sizzling fajita platters with all the fix-ins for lunch or dinner. Add a Ninfarita, the restaurant’s signature Tex-Mex margarita made with 100% agave tequila blanco.

Brasserie 19

If steak frites on the patio isn’t on your Monday to-do list, maybe it should be. Known as “B19” to frequent flyers, this River Oaks hotspot serves up French classics with a side of excellent people watching. Have a little work waiting after dinner? Try a St. George martini, the restaurant’s take on an espresso martini, to get you through those last few emails.

Uchiko

The newest Hai Hospitality restaurant to come to Houston, Uchiko brings sophisticated Japanese fare to Post Oak Boulevard. Smoke and char are the key signifiers of the restaurant’s dishes, from nigiri to hot offerings. Like its sister restaurant Uchi, it touts a killer happy hour with discounted hand rolls and maki every day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Seeking adventure on a Monday? Give the 10-course tasting menu a shot.

Musaafer

For those looking to ball out on a Monday, Musaafer is the place. The grandiose dining room serves as an appropriate backdrop to explore the menu which reflects the many distinct regions of India. The pani puri, malvani fish and lobster curry, and the beef vindaloo will take you on a flavorful journey, making for quite a memorable Monday. Fusion cocktails like the teekha peru — an Indian spin on a pisco sour with chaat masala and guava puree — give a surprising twist to classic libations.

Related Maps

Street to Kitchen

This modest, East End gem is one of the city’s lauded restaurants, and it’s open for dine-in and delivery on Mondays. Helmed by rising star Benchawan Jabthong Painter, a native of Thailand, the menu boasts traditional Thai comfort eats like drunken noodles, whole fried fish and made-from-scratch curries, but weekend specials like green curry steak and durian custard and sticky rice keep things interesting.

Related Maps