With three locations in the Houston area, this beloved seafood spot is a favorite among seafood obsessives who want to dig into well-priced and perfectly shucked Gulf oysters, stuffed crab, and deep-fried shrimp. The micheladas, served in massive mugs and made with the beer of your choice, are essential. 

This chic seafood spot in the Heights serves a wide-ranging menu that includes East Coast oysters, Gulf fish, and Spanish octopus. Start with a selection of crab, crudos, and oysters from the raw bar or salt and pepper lobster in Indonesian sweet soy sauce. Then, dig into the grilled or crispy skin red snapper — both served with a grilled lemon and beurre monte.

At this Downtown Houston seafood stalwart, ceviche, pan-seared pompano in butter-lime sauce, and sweet corn tamales with bacon and shrimp await, along with top-notch margaritas and plenty of cold beer.

With seafood classics like shrimp en brochette, tasso-topped oysters, and redfish stuffed with blue crab, this restaurant formerly known as Danton’s Gulf Coast Seafood is better than ever. Kick off the evening with oyster shooters, laced with Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce or lime and cilantro.

A seafood feast packed with coastal Mexican flavors awaits at chef Hugo Ortega’s seafood-focused restaurant. Start dinner with red snapper ceviche served with pineapple, coconut, and habanero, then dig into heartier offerings like fire-roasted lobster served with beans and rice, and pan-seared scallops, served in a creamy chipotle tomatillo with wild mushrooms and roasted cauliflower.

One of the city’s finest spots to slurp oysters, State of Grace is a haven for seafood lovers. In addition to the stellar selection of bivalves and starters like the blue crab hushpuppies, consider hearth-roasted octopus in Thai curry vinaigrette, redfish on the half-shell, or diver scallops served with lobster veloute, okra, and eggplant.

Known for its meaty, pre-cracked crab claws, Truluck’s flagship captures the elegance of seafood. Start with a cold course, like the claws or the shrimp cocktail at its bar with the musings of a live piano performance before moving to the dining area for dishes like the rich, soul-warming lobster bisque or jumbo lump crab cake. You can’t go wrong with entrees like the miso-glazed seabass, served with crab fried rice, or the sesame seared tuna. Be sure to cement the night with a slice of its moist carrot cake.

Open for more than 100 years, Christie’s is a legendary name in Houston’s seafood scene. The menu is extensive, with everything from oysters Thermidor to boiled Gulf shrimp and blackened catch-of-the-day. The oyster stew, a creamy bowl full of tender oysters that was reportedly President George H.W, Bush’s favorite, is a must on the starters menu.

An ode to the bounty of the Gulf Coast, Goode Company’s seafood dishes span a wide range of culinary influences. From creamy smoked redfish dip and red fish beignets to Mexican-style shrimp cocktail, Mesquite-grilled oysters, and catfish po’ boys, there’s something on the menu here that will satisfy any seafood craving.

With a truly extensive menu of Vietnamese-inflected seafood dishes that change with the seasons, Hai Cang is the definition of a seafood destination. Try surf clams in XO sauce, tamarind king lobster, or kung pao squid, and keep an eye out for seasonal favorites like geoduck sashimi and curry-sauced crabs.

Arguably the most iconic establishment in Houston’s thriving Viet-Cajun crawfish scene, the mudbugs are always buttery and spicy at this James Beard Award-nominated seafood spot off of Bellaire Boulevard. The crawfish is stellar, of course, but look deeper into the menu for stunners like tamarind crab, Cajun-style clams, and Vietnamese classics like pho, fried rice, and hotpot.

Overlooking the Gulf, Pier 6 offers fresh catches with a remarkable view. Guests can munch on lobster rolls or fried oyster tacos at brunch, and enjoy wood-grilled filets, lobster cob salad, gumbo, fried po’ boys, and more for lunch. Dinner offers an even greater selection, with starters like crawfish empanadas, and main courses like chili-marinated shrimp with turmeric rice and crispy red snapper served with etouffee.