Houston native Ford Fry pairs heaping platters of fried chicken with Gulf Coast gems at this lively Heights restaurant. The dining room features comfortable seating with nostalgic touches, but it’s the large square-shaped bar where solo diners often gather. The half-fried chicken touts four pieces with biscuits and pickles, and is a hearty meal for one, but if you’re still hungry, spring for the soft serve.

This 22-seat hand roll bar, reminiscent of tightly packed sushi restaurants in Japan, offers a communal dining experience where every guest gets a view of the sushi-stuffing action. Along with freshly made hand rolls, find hearty eats like beef skewers and wagyu gyoza, suitable for a single diner. While the restaurant is busy enough that even a single seat sometimes requires a wait, you can also find sustenance at the Kanpai Club, the restaurant’s equally charming bar hidden through a shared door.

In a popular barbecue town like Houston, settling in with a tray of smoked meat and indulgent sides is practically a solo sport, and Truth BBQ is a popular place to play. It’s not uncommon to find single diners hovering over trays of tender barbecue chicken, stacks of pork ribs, picture-perfect pieces of lean brisket, and oversized slices of layer cake.

With its plethora of dining choices, large communal tables, and buzzy bars, food halls are a common choice for solo diners, and among the many in Houston, the Post Market reigns supreme. From settling in at the Eastside King counter for Japanese street bites to experiencing West African cuisine at ChopnBlok, there is plenty to tickle your palate. People watch while you eat, and then head to the rooftop sky lawn for unbeatable views of the Downtown skyline.

Common Bond Brasserie is the ultra-popular coffee shop’s full-service counterpart and a solid choice for proper downtown dining. The bistro menu features dishes like steak frites and coq au vin, and with a prime location on the street level of the Bank of America Tower, it serves as a hot spot among the power-lunch crowd.

Buzzy conversation and the warm, crisp sound of vinyl records permeate through this moody establishment in the East End, where a seat at the U-shaped bar is prime real estate. Guests can talk and taste alongside other wine enthusiasts, and when hunger strikes, pay a visit to the walk-up window where Ghost Hand Pasta maintains residence. Run by a trio of hardcore horror movie fans, the shop slings fresh daily-made pasta, salad, and bread named after classic horror subject matter.

This hip midtown hangout puts a twist on the traditional dinner and a show theme, offering visitors an up-close look at rehearsal sessions from local musicians while they dine on its famed pizza. The living-room-like setting allows guests to feel a part of the jam session, so kick back with a margherita pie and enjoy good food, good company, and good vibes.

This Montrose neighborhood gem is best known for its hand-decorated shortbread cookies, but its saucy Italian plates, big salads, and weekly dinner specials aren’t too shabby either. Pasta is made in-house, and dishes like fusilli with pesto and bucatini puttanesca are available in small or large sizes, making them a perfect meal for one. As a bonus, guests can visit Camerata, the restaurant’s attached wine bar.

Helmed by native Louisianan Drake Leonards, this upscale restaurant puts a modern twist on Cajun-Creole cuisine and lets diners get their fill of gumbo, shrimp etouffee, and raw Gulf oysters on the half shell. Coveted seats around the large horseshoe-shaped bar are often occupied by solo diners — many who are seeking solace from their offices in the attached PMRG Building.