clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
More Maps

The 18 Hottest New Restaurants in Houston, December 2023

Dig Into Dim Sum at These 16 Houston Restaurants

16 Top Places for Tamales in Houston

More in Houston See more maps
Navy Blue’s spaghetti vongole dish, with clams served over spaghetti with a garnish of seaweed.
These Houston restaurants have seafood down pat.
Caroline Fontenot

20 Standout Seafood Restaurants in Houston

Havens in Houston serving up oysters, redfish on the half-shell, crabcakes, fried seafood, and so much more

by Brittany Britto Garley Updated
View as Map
These Houston restaurants have seafood down pat.
| Caroline Fontenot
by Brittany Britto Garley Updated

Thanks to its proximity to the Gulf Coast and the discerning palates of the diners who inhabit it, Houston is a true seafood destination. In addition to top-quality Gulf Coast classics like char-grilled oysters and shrimp en brochette, the city’s best seafood restaurants import freshly caught fish, crab, lobster, and more fruits of the sea from across the globe.

As such, Houston’s best seafood restaurants can satisfy pretty much any craving, and their promise of wide culinary diversity means plenty of choices — like Cajun gumbo at Brennan’s of Houston, fresh sushi at Kata Robata, the buttery crawfish at Crawfish & Noodles, and fried catfish at Lotus Seafood.

Though the options are vast, these 20 seafood establishments will definitely fit the bill.

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Gatlin's Fins & Feathers

Copy Link

An ode to the fish fries in Independence Heights, pitmaster Greg Gatlin’s newest restaurant offers fried chicken and seafood staples, including expertly fried shrimp, oyster, and catfish combinations coming in the form of platters, po’boys, and more. Start with a bowl of Everything Gumbo, char-grilled oysters, or the spicy miso shrimp — then decide whether you’re in the mood for devouring some fish piece by piece or sandwiched between two pieces of fluffy bread.

302 W Crosstimbers St, Houston, TX 77018
(346) 800-4668
(346) 800-4668
A spread of fried chicken, potato salad, wings and more at Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers.
Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers specializes in fried fish and seafood dishes.
Becca Wright

Also featured in:

Captain Tom's Seafood & Oyster

Copy Link

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. 

20525 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450
(281) 829-6407
(281) 829-6407

Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette-Memorial

Copy Link

With two locations in Houston, Liberty is a perfect place to stop in for comforting seafood dishes and plenty of plates to share, including oysters, fried buttermilk lobster bites, and steamed mussels. Get selfish with the rich lobster bisque and Liberty’s “slab” iceberg wedge-style salad, and be sure to inquire about the specials, which often feature a delicious catch of the day.

963 Bunker Hill Rd, Houston, TX 77024
(713) 468-3745
(713) 468-3745

Also featured in:

La Fisheria

Copy Link

At this Downtown Mexican 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.

213 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 802-1712
(713) 802-1712

Also featured in:

Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition

Copy Link

Sushi restaurant Izakaya has transformed into a new Midtown favorite, drawing in Houston diners for a celebration of Gulf Coast cuisine with a Southern twist. Sandwiches are a standout, with the Smashed Boudin Melt, with pepperjack cheese, melted onions, and pickled jalapenos stacked on Texas toast, plus fully dressed po’ boys stuffed with your choice of shrimp, oysters, or soft shell crab, sides like red beans and rice, gumbo, and dishes to share like shrimp and grits and etouffee cornbread. And it wouldn’t be “Gulf Coast tradition” without boiled seafood. The restaurant serves shrimp, snow crab clusters, and blue crab with a classic seasoning or dripping wet in flavorful sauce.

318 Gray St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 527-8988
(713) 527-8988
Oysters on the half shell served with cocktail sauce, mignonette, horseradish, hot sauce, and crackers.
Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition serves a wide variety of Southern seafood favorites, including po’boys, gumbo, and boiled seafood.
Ally Hardgrave

Also featured in:

Willie G's Seafood

Copy Link

A seafood splurge if there ever was one, Willie G’s is the place to ball out with an over-the-top feast. Start with Gulf or East Coast oysters, served freshly shucked or grilled with Thai chili and coconut milk (among other options), then feast on hamachi crudo, sushi rolls, and lavish seafood towers piled high with king crab, lobster, oysters, and cocktail shrimp. As far as the entrees are concerned, crawfish etouffee and West African salt prawns served with fried rice are solid options.

1640 W Loop S, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 840-7190
(713) 840-7190

Also featured in:

Balboa Surf Club

Copy Link

Dive into the Pacific at this newer addition to Uptown’s Post Oak Plaza. With decor inspired by a 1970s surf bungalow, Balboa serves a number of seafood dishes, including King crab hand rolls and Thai shrimp rolls layered with papaya made freshly in its open-air sushi kitchen, plus crab cakes, a crispy grouper sandwich, miso salmon, and so much more.

1753 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 405-1260
(713) 405-1260

Also featured in:

Eugene's Gulf Coast Cuisine

Copy Link

With seafood classics like shrimp en brochette, tasso and garlic butter-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.

1985 Welch St, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 807-8883
(713) 807-8883

Also featured in:

Caracol Restaurant

Copy Link

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 with roasted cauliflower, red chard, and a lemon chipotle cream sauce.

2200 Post Oak Blvd #160, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 622-9996
(713) 622-9996

Also featured in:

Brennan's of Houston

Copy Link

An offshoot of New Orleans legend Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s has been open in Houston for more than 40 years and is the definition of a local icon. Try the famed snapping turtle soup, shrimp remoulade, and classic gumbo. And go big or go home with the Gulf Fish Pontchartrain, a combination of jumbo lump crab, shrimp, and Louisiana oysters, served with Parmesan mushroom rice and Brennan’s Creole butter.

3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 522-9711
(713) 522-9711
Brennan’s Gulf Fish Borgne, with crab, shrimp, and oysters, topped in a Creole butter.
Brennan’s is a perfect place to experience Seafood with a Louisiana flair.
Sabrina Miskelly

Also featured in:

Truluck's

Copy Link

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.

5350 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 783-7270
(713) 783-7270

Also featured in:

Little’s Oyster Bar

Copy Link

With California chef Jason Ryczek at the helm, the newest Pappas restaurant delivers a top-tier service with stellar caviar service served with pillowy fried potato dumplings, a tender grilled octopus that might be the best in Houston, a 10-seat raw bar stocked with all the seafood favorites, and entrees like chicken-fried snapper and Yellow Edge grouper cooked to perfection and bathed in a brown butter sauce. Those who miss Little Pappas Seafood House should try the crab croquettes, a meaty appetizer filled with jumbo lump crab, scallops, and shrimp — an ode to the original restaurant’s crab cake. And don’t forget to dabble in the cheeky cocktails and rich desserts for a true treat.

3001 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-4595
(713) 522-4595
Little’s Oyster Bar’s oysters topped with spinach and garlic soubise gruyere, with two glasses of absinthe and a side of lemon.
Oysters are just the tipping point at Little’s Oyster Bar.
Arturo Olmos

Also featured in:

Kata Robata

Copy Link

Thanks to top-quality proteins ranging from miso-marinated black cod to uni imported from Hokkaido, Kata Robata reigns as one of the city’s top sushi restaurants. Order the octopus crudo and super-fresh sashimi options like seared bluefin toro and madai garnished with Kaluga caviar. And if you can’t get enough of shellfish, order the lobster and crab ramen or the comforting miso lobster mac and cheese.

3600 Kirby Dr suite h, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 526-8858
(713) 526-8858

Also featured in:

Goode Company Seafood

Copy Link

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 redfish 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.

2621 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 523-7154
(713) 523-7154

Also featured in:

Navy Blue

Copy Link

James Beard Award-nominated chef Aaron Bludorn, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and Cherif Mbodji team up to deliver a premier dining experience with a menu that’s a hit from top to bottom. Hailing from New York, chef Jerrod Zifchak crafts a variety of New England-style classics with a Texas Gulf Coast flair, including flavor-packed baked clams casino and dreamy clam chowder, plus a selection of succulent fish, including blackened red snapper, swordfish au poivre, a buttery Dover sole, and the Wild Mushroom Vol au Vent that shines as a side order. Diners can also join Navy for chef Zifchak’s newly added paella, a classic recipe made for up to three people, on Mondays and Tuesdays for $65.

2445 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005
(713) 347-7727
(713) 347-7727
Branzino plated over a puree and topped with cucumber and dill.
Navy Blue’s many dishes offer a lovely spin on Texas Gulf Coast cuisine.
Caroline Fontenot

Also featured in:

More in Maps

Hai Cang Harbor

Copy Link

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 clams in sate sauce, deep-fried oysters, or yee mein with crab meat, and keep an eye out for seasonal favorites like geoduck sashimi and curry-sauced crabs.

11768 Bellaire Blvd #2452, Houston, TX 77072
(281) 564-4288
(281) 564-4288

Also featured in:

Crawfish & Noodles

Copy Link

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, salt and pepper shrimp, and Vietnamese classics like pho, fried rice, and hotpot.

11360 Bellaire Blvd #990, Houston, TX 77072
(281) 988-8098
(281) 988-8098

Also featured in:

Lotus Seafood

Copy Link

With now five locations across the Houston area, Lotus Seafood is always around when a seafood craving strikes. Head to the largest and newest location in Stafford to experience its outdoor patio, hookah lounge, and full bar. It’s impossible to go wrong with the fried shrimp, oysters, or catfish, and the market-priced snow crab and crawfish are solid. Add a couple of sides of Louisiana fried rice for a true Houston experience, and don’t forget the “crack sauce,” a buttery, spice-filled dipping sauce great for all bites.

2903 S Main St Ste A, Stafford, TX 77477
(346) 787-4888
(346) 787-4888
A person pours “crack sauce” on Lotus Seafood’s seasoned shrimp over rice.
Lotus Seafood is big on flavor.
Lotus Seafood

Tookie's Seafood

Copy Link

Seafood lovers flock to this Seabrook restaurant for its expansive menu of flavorful combinations straight from the sea (The dinner menu alone is three pages). Choose between one of seven styles of oysters to start, including the Rocky’s, which are grilled with shrimp, bacon, and cheese, and consider the gooey shrimp and crawfish fondue or alligator bites for an appetizer. The fried seafood platters are bountiful, with the diner’s choice of crispy crawfish tails, catfish, shrimp, and more, but the Mesquite grilled mains, including mahi mahi and redfish, don’t disappoint either.

1106 Bayport Blvd, Seabrook, TX 77586
(281) 942-9445
(281) 942-9445

Pier 6

Copy Link

Overlooking the Gulf, Pier 6 offers fresh catches with a remarkable view. Guests can munch on lobster benedict or seafood-laden croissants at brunch, and enjoy wood-grilled filets, Mediterranean shrimp salad, gumbo, fried po’ boys, and more for lunch. Dinner offers an even greater selection, with starters like crawfish empanadas and the Hot-Blooded grilled oysters, made with a zesty garlic, Sriracha, and habanero butter. Standout main courses include the chimichurri redfish, the chili-marinated grilled shrimp with turmeric rice, and its classic Tide-to-Fried platter consisting of potato-crusted snapper, crispy Gulf Shrimp, grilled oysters stuffed with crab gratin, fries, and shaved coleslaw. 

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539
(281) 339-1515
(281) 339-1515
A pan of Street of New Orleans oysters in shrimp sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers, sherry and bread crumbs, pictured with a bottle of hot sauce. Behind it a view of the water.
Pier 6 knows its seafood.
Isabel Protomartir

Also featured in:

More in Maps

© 2023 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Link copied to the clipboard.

Gatlin's Fins & Feathers

302 W Crosstimbers St, Houston, TX 77018

An ode to the fish fries in Independence Heights, pitmaster Greg Gatlin’s newest restaurant offers fried chicken and seafood staples, including expertly fried shrimp, oyster, and catfish combinations coming in the form of platters, po’boys, and more. Start with a bowl of Everything Gumbo, char-grilled oysters, or the spicy miso shrimp — then decide whether you’re in the mood for devouring some fish piece by piece or sandwiched between two pieces of fluffy bread.

302 W Crosstimbers St, Houston, TX 77018
(346) 800-4668
(346) 800-4668
A spread of fried chicken, potato salad, wings and more at Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers.
Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers specializes in fried fish and seafood dishes.
Becca Wright

Captain Tom's Seafood & Oyster

20525 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450

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. 

20525 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450
(281) 829-6407
(281) 829-6407

Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette-Memorial

963 Bunker Hill Rd, Houston, TX 77024

With two locations in Houston, Liberty is a perfect place to stop in for comforting seafood dishes and plenty of plates to share, including oysters, fried buttermilk lobster bites, and steamed mussels. Get selfish with the rich lobster bisque and Liberty’s “slab” iceberg wedge-style salad, and be sure to inquire about the specials, which often feature a delicious catch of the day.

963 Bunker Hill Rd, Houston, TX 77024
(713) 468-3745
(713) 468-3745

La Fisheria

213 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002

At this Downtown Mexican 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.

213 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 802-1712
(713) 802-1712

Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition

318 Gray St, Houston, TX 77002

Sushi restaurant Izakaya has transformed into a new Midtown favorite, drawing in Houston diners for a celebration of Gulf Coast cuisine with a Southern twist. Sandwiches are a standout, with the Smashed Boudin Melt, with pepperjack cheese, melted onions, and pickled jalapenos stacked on Texas toast, plus fully dressed po’ boys stuffed with your choice of shrimp, oysters, or soft shell crab, sides like red beans and rice, gumbo, and dishes to share like shrimp and grits and etouffee cornbread. And it wouldn’t be “Gulf Coast tradition” without boiled seafood. The restaurant serves shrimp, snow crab clusters, and blue crab with a classic seasoning or dripping wet in flavorful sauce.

318 Gray St, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 527-8988
(713) 527-8988
Oysters on the half shell served with cocktail sauce, mignonette, horseradish, hot sauce, and crackers.
Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition serves a wide variety of Southern seafood favorites, including po’boys, gumbo, and boiled seafood.
Ally Hardgrave

Willie G's Seafood

1640 W Loop S, Houston, TX 77027

A seafood splurge if there ever was one, Willie G’s is the place to ball out with an over-the-top feast. Start with Gulf or East Coast oysters, served freshly shucked or grilled with Thai chili and coconut milk (among other options), then feast on hamachi crudo, sushi rolls, and lavish seafood towers piled high with king crab, lobster, oysters, and cocktail shrimp. As far as the entrees are concerned, crawfish etouffee and West African salt prawns served with fried rice are solid options.

1640 W Loop S, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 840-7190
(713) 840-7190

Balboa Surf Club

1753 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056

Dive into the Pacific at this newer addition to Uptown’s Post Oak Plaza. With decor inspired by a 1970s surf bungalow, Balboa serves a number of seafood dishes, including King crab hand rolls and Thai shrimp rolls layered with papaya made freshly in its open-air sushi kitchen, plus crab cakes, a crispy grouper sandwich, miso salmon, and so much more.

1753 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 405-1260
(713) 405-1260

Eugene's Gulf Coast Cuisine

1985 Welch St, Houston, TX 77019

With seafood classics like shrimp en brochette, tasso and garlic butter-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.

1985 Welch St, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 807-8883
(713) 807-8883

Caracol Restaurant

2200 Post Oak Blvd #160, Houston, TX 77056

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 with roasted cauliflower, red chard, and a lemon chipotle cream sauce.

2200 Post Oak Blvd #160, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 622-9996
(713) 622-9996

Brennan's of Houston

3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006

An offshoot of New Orleans legend Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s has been open in Houston for more than 40 years and is the definition of a local icon. Try the famed snapping turtle soup, shrimp remoulade, and classic gumbo. And go big or go home with the Gulf Fish Pontchartrain, a combination of jumbo lump crab, shrimp, and Louisiana oysters, served with Parmesan mushroom rice and Brennan’s Creole butter.

3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 522-9711
(713) 522-9711
Brennan’s Gulf Fish Borgne, with crab, shrimp, and oysters, topped in a Creole butter.
Brennan’s is a perfect place to experience Seafood with a Louisiana flair.
Sabrina Miskelly

Truluck's

5350 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056

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.

5350 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 783-7270
(713) 783-7270

Little’s Oyster Bar

3001 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77098

With California chef Jason Ryczek at the helm, the newest Pappas restaurant delivers a top-tier service with stellar caviar service served with pillowy fried potato dumplings, a tender grilled octopus that might be the best in Houston, a 10-seat raw bar stocked with all the seafood favorites, and entrees like chicken-fried snapper and Yellow Edge grouper cooked to perfection and bathed in a brown butter sauce. Those who miss Little Pappas Seafood House should try the crab croquettes, a meaty appetizer filled with jumbo lump crab, scallops, and shrimp — an ode to the original restaurant’s crab cake. And don’t forget to dabble in the cheeky cocktails and rich desserts for a true treat.

3001 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-4595
(713) 522-4595
Little’s Oyster Bar’s oysters topped with spinach and garlic soubise gruyere, with two glasses of absinthe and a side of lemon.
Oysters are just the tipping point at Little’s Oyster Bar.
Arturo Olmos

Kata Robata

3600 Kirby Dr suite h, Houston, TX 77098

Thanks to top-quality proteins ranging from miso-marinated black cod to uni imported from Hokkaido, Kata Robata reigns as one of the city’s top sushi restaurants. Order the octopus crudo and super-fresh sashimi options like seared bluefin toro and madai garnished with Kaluga caviar. And if you can’t get enough of shellfish, order the lobster and crab ramen or the comforting miso lobster mac and cheese.

3600 Kirby Dr suite h, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 526-8858
(713) 526-8858

Goode Company Seafood

2621 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77098

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 redfish 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.

2621 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 523-7154
(713) 523-7154

Navy Blue

2445 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

James Beard Award-nominated chef Aaron Bludorn, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and Cherif Mbodji team up to deliver a premier dining experience with a menu that’s a hit from top to bottom. Hailing from New York, chef Jerrod Zifchak crafts a variety of New England-style classics with a Texas Gulf Coast flair, including flavor-packed baked clams casino and dreamy clam chowder, plus a selection of succulent fish, including blackened red snapper, swordfish au poivre, a buttery Dover sole, and the Wild Mushroom Vol au Vent that shines as a side order. Diners can also join Navy for chef Zifchak’s newly added paella, a classic recipe made for up to three people, on Mondays and Tuesdays for $65.

2445 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005
(713) 347-7727
(713) 347-7727
Branzino plated over a puree and topped with cucumber and dill.
Navy Blue’s many dishes offer a lovely spin on Texas Gulf Coast cuisine.
Caroline Fontenot

Related Maps

Hai Cang Harbor

11768 Bellaire Blvd #2452, Houston, TX 77072

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 clams in sate sauce, deep-fried oysters, or yee mein with crab meat, and keep an eye out for seasonal favorites like geoduck sashimi and curry-sauced crabs.

11768 Bellaire Blvd #2452, Houston, TX 77072
(281) 564-4288
(281) 564-4288

Crawfish & Noodles

11360 Bellaire Blvd #990, Houston, TX 77072

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, salt and pepper shrimp, and Vietnamese classics like pho, fried rice, and hotpot.

11360 Bellaire Blvd #990, Houston, TX 77072
(281) 988-8098
(281) 988-8098

Lotus Seafood

2903 S Main St Ste A, Stafford, TX 77477

With now five locations across the Houston area, Lotus Seafood is always around when a seafood craving strikes. Head to the largest and newest location in Stafford to experience its outdoor patio, hookah lounge, and full bar. It’s impossible to go wrong with the fried shrimp, oysters, or catfish, and the market-priced snow crab and crawfish are solid. Add a couple of sides of Louisiana fried rice for a true Houston experience, and don’t forget the “crack sauce,” a buttery, spice-filled dipping sauce great for all bites.

2903 S Main St Ste A, Stafford, TX 77477
(346) 787-4888
(346) 787-4888
A person pours “crack sauce” on Lotus Seafood’s seasoned shrimp over rice.
Lotus Seafood is big on flavor.
Lotus Seafood

Tookie's Seafood

1106 Bayport Blvd, Seabrook, TX 77586

Seafood lovers flock to this Seabrook restaurant for its expansive menu of flavorful combinations straight from the sea (The dinner menu alone is three pages). Choose between one of seven styles of oysters to start, including the Rocky’s, which are grilled with shrimp, bacon, and cheese, and consider the gooey shrimp and crawfish fondue or alligator bites for an appetizer. The fried seafood platters are bountiful, with the diner’s choice of crispy crawfish tails, catfish, shrimp, and more, but the Mesquite grilled mains, including mahi mahi and redfish, don’t disappoint either.

1106 Bayport Blvd, Seabrook, TX 77586
(281) 942-9445
(281) 942-9445

Pier 6

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539

Overlooking the Gulf, Pier 6 offers fresh catches with a remarkable view. Guests can munch on lobster benedict or seafood-laden croissants at brunch, and enjoy wood-grilled filets, Mediterranean shrimp salad, gumbo, fried po’ boys, and more for lunch. Dinner offers an even greater selection, with starters like crawfish empanadas and the Hot-Blooded grilled oysters, made with a zesty garlic, Sriracha, and habanero butter. Standout main courses include the chimichurri redfish, the chili-marinated grilled shrimp with turmeric rice, and its classic Tide-to-Fried platter consisting of potato-crusted snapper, crispy Gulf Shrimp, grilled oysters stuffed with crab gratin, fries, and shaved coleslaw. 

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539
(281) 339-1515
(281) 339-1515
A pan of Street of New Orleans oysters in shrimp sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers, sherry and bread crumbs, pictured with a bottle of hot sauce. Behind it a view of the water.
Pier 6 knows its seafood.
Isabel Protomartir

Related Maps