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The colorful outdoor seating area at Saigon Hustle.
Saigon Hustle in Garden Oaks is an attractive alternative to traditional fast food restaurants.
Saigon Hustle

15 Essential Drive-Thru Restaurants in Houston

From doughnut and kolache shops to chef-led hot spots, get your hands on good eats without leaving the comfort of your car

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Saigon Hustle in Garden Oaks is an attractive alternative to traditional fast food restaurants.
| Saigon Hustle

Let’s face it, Houston is a car-focused city. Thankfully there are plenty of fast-casual restaurants to score sustenance in between those longs, traffic-laden treks. While there are no shortage of big burger and taco chains to frequent for a quick bite on the go, H-Town boasts a number of homegrown and small business drive-thru restaurants that offer far more choices. From hot doughnuts and meat-stuffed kolaches with coffee to loaded vermicelli bowls and fried chicken meals, Houstonians can get their hands on plenty of tasty eats, without ever leaving their cars.

Whether its a giant caffeinated beverage and a handheld breakfast you need during an early morning school drop off, or a hot dinner prepared by a James Beard Award-nominated chef after a manic Monday at work, check out this impressive list of local drive-thru destinations sure to satisfy any thirst or craving.

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MytiBurger

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Discover a bit of nostalgia and a lot of good eats at this iconic burger joint in Oak Forest. Open all day beginning at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, Mytiburger’s menu includes burgers and steak sandwich combos with fries and a drink for under $8. There’s also a hefty list of fast food staples a la carte, including chili dogs, stuffed jalapeños, house-made onion rings, and old fashioned milkshakes and malts.

Saigon Hustle

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Housed in a former gas station, Saigon Hustle has a drive-thru for visitors to conveniently take food to go, but also a covered patio where they can stay and dine. The menu features a hefty list of Vietnamese eats, including banh mi with a slew of customizable options, salads, and noodle and rice bowls. In lieu of a soda, pair your meal with a traditional ca phe sua da — iced coffee with condensed milk.

Saigon Hustle’s rib-eye banh mi topped with a fried egg, carrots, jalapeno, and cilantro.
Rib-eye banh mi topped with a fried egg at Saigon Hustle.
Saigon Hustle

Sunday Press

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Just down the road from Saigon Hustle in Garden Oaks — and operated by the same owners — Sunday Press is an all-day cafe and coffee bar with a drive-thru window. Along with all of the coffee house staples, find cold-pressed juices, teas and lemonade, plus a hefty menu of eats, including sweet and savory toasts, açaí bowls, and Japanese egg salad sandwiches.

Common Bond On-The-Go Garden Oaks

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Local bakery Common Bond opened a drive-thru window in the middle of 2020, and the concept proved so successful that there are several scattered throughout Houston. Coined Common Bond On-The-Go, the outposts allow guests to score coffee and breakfast pastries, plus lunch sandwiches and salads, and colorful patisserie, all from the convenience of their cars.

Layne's Chicken Fingers

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This popular Texas chicken finger chain that launched in College Station back in the ‘90s has two locations in Houston, with its new Heights location being the first to feature drive-thru and walk-up service. Find chicken tender meals, chicken tender sandwiches, plus sides like potato salad and crinkle cut crispy fries.

Kolache Shoppe

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Breakfast expectations are far exceeded at the Kolache Shoppe window, where hearty kolaches come in flavors like savory smokehouse venison and pork sausage or sweet lemon cream. The one-stop-shop serves Boomtown Coffee to round out its breakfast service, even offering Vietnamese cold brew. 

A brisket, egg, and cheese kolache split in half with a cup of coffee.
Brisket, egg, and cheese kolache at Kolache Shoppe.
Becca Wright

El Rey Taqueria

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Score individually wrapped tacos to-go and platters at this taqueria, which features a sizable menu of Cuban and Mexican eats available into the wee hours on the weekends. Try the Havana plate, with slow-cooked pork and mojo sauce, plantains, and black beans, and don’t sleep on the tortas menu, which includes a vegan option.

W Grill

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This small kiosk located amidst the bars and restaurants on Washington Ave. features a large menu of frozen margaritas, available to-go. Traditional picks include the original and strawberry, along with tropical varieties like passion fruit and pomegranate.  

Voodoo Doughnut - Washington & Waugh

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This Portland export landed in Houston in 2020, complete with its own drive-thru so folks can pick up a dozen doughnuts without leaving the car. The bakery is open 24 hours, making it a reliable option for when those late night cravings hit.

River Oaks Donuts

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This beloved Houston doughnut shop is conveniently located on Westheimer in River Oaks, and has a drive-thru making it easy to score a sweet dozen on the go. Choose between glazed, iced, cake, and filled doughnuts, plus larger pastries like cinnamon rolls and apple fritters.

Becks Prime

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Burgers, fries, and milkshakes seem to be synonymous with drive-thrus. At Becks Prime, try 100% Angus beef burgers like the hickory cheeseburger or the prime sauce-topped Bubba burger, all cooked to order and presented on fluffy, freshly-baked egg buns. Becks Prime goes even further, offering fajita plates with tenderloin meat, loaded baked potatoes, steak dinners with a salad and sides — all from the comfort of a drive-thru window.

Bambolino's

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Give your dialing finger a rest and pay a visit to the drive-thru window at Bambolino’s. At this Montrose haunt, choose from traditional pizzas like meat lovers, margarita, and Greek. Order by the slice, or buy a full pie, and finish with a slice of cheesecake or tiramisu.

Oui Banh Mi

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In a city where Vietnamese eats reign supreme, it is only fitting that Houstonians are able to stock up on summer rolls and banh mi sandwiches by way of a drive-thru window. At Oui Banh Mi, order heaping vermicelli bowls topped with fragrant herbs, piping hot pho noodle soup, or rice with chargrilled beef and fish sauce.

Street to Kitchen

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Tables at this lauded Thai restaurant, helmed by James Beard Award Best Chef semifinalist Benchawan Jabthong Painter, are highly sought after. With limited seating inside, snagging a table can get tricky, especially on weekends, but those aching for a taste of dishes like saucy pad Thai and meaty green curry, can place an online order and score their food to-go by way of the restaurant’s drive-thru window.

Frenchy's Chicken

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Frenchy’s is a Houston institution, known for its signature seasoned fried chicken and classic Creole sides, served up in a jiffy. There are 11 outposts around town, including a new flagship location in Third Ward, where guests have the choice to order at a walk-up window or conveniently at the drive-thru.

MytiBurger

Discover a bit of nostalgia and a lot of good eats at this iconic burger joint in Oak Forest. Open all day beginning at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, Mytiburger’s menu includes burgers and steak sandwich combos with fries and a drink for under $8. There’s also a hefty list of fast food staples a la carte, including chili dogs, stuffed jalapeños, house-made onion rings, and old fashioned milkshakes and malts.

Saigon Hustle

Housed in a former gas station, Saigon Hustle has a drive-thru for visitors to conveniently take food to go, but also a covered patio where they can stay and dine. The menu features a hefty list of Vietnamese eats, including banh mi with a slew of customizable options, salads, and noodle and rice bowls. In lieu of a soda, pair your meal with a traditional ca phe sua da — iced coffee with condensed milk.

Saigon Hustle’s rib-eye banh mi topped with a fried egg, carrots, jalapeno, and cilantro.
Rib-eye banh mi topped with a fried egg at Saigon Hustle.
Saigon Hustle

Sunday Press

Just down the road from Saigon Hustle in Garden Oaks — and operated by the same owners — Sunday Press is an all-day cafe and coffee bar with a drive-thru window. Along with all of the coffee house staples, find cold-pressed juices, teas and lemonade, plus a hefty menu of eats, including sweet and savory toasts, açaí bowls, and Japanese egg salad sandwiches.

Common Bond On-The-Go Garden Oaks

Local bakery Common Bond opened a drive-thru window in the middle of 2020, and the concept proved so successful that there are several scattered throughout Houston. Coined Common Bond On-The-Go, the outposts allow guests to score coffee and breakfast pastries, plus lunch sandwiches and salads, and colorful patisserie, all from the convenience of their cars.

Layne's Chicken Fingers

This popular Texas chicken finger chain that launched in College Station back in the ‘90s has two locations in Houston, with its new Heights location being the first to feature drive-thru and walk-up service. Find chicken tender meals, chicken tender sandwiches, plus sides like potato salad and crinkle cut crispy fries.

Kolache Shoppe

Breakfast expectations are far exceeded at the Kolache Shoppe window, where hearty kolaches come in flavors like savory smokehouse venison and pork sausage or sweet lemon cream. The one-stop-shop serves Boomtown Coffee to round out its breakfast service, even offering Vietnamese cold brew. 

A brisket, egg, and cheese kolache split in half with a cup of coffee.
Brisket, egg, and cheese kolache at Kolache Shoppe.
Becca Wright

El Rey Taqueria

Score individually wrapped tacos to-go and platters at this taqueria, which features a sizable menu of Cuban and Mexican eats available into the wee hours on the weekends. Try the Havana plate, with slow-cooked pork and mojo sauce, plantains, and black beans, and don’t sleep on the tortas menu, which includes a vegan option.

W Grill

This small kiosk located amidst the bars and restaurants on Washington Ave. features a large menu of frozen margaritas, available to-go. Traditional picks include the original and strawberry, along with tropical varieties like passion fruit and pomegranate.  

Voodoo Doughnut - Washington & Waugh

This Portland export landed in Houston in 2020, complete with its own drive-thru so folks can pick up a dozen doughnuts without leaving the car. The bakery is open 24 hours, making it a reliable option for when those late night cravings hit.

River Oaks Donuts

This beloved Houston doughnut shop is conveniently located on Westheimer in River Oaks, and has a drive-thru making it easy to score a sweet dozen on the go. Choose between glazed, iced, cake, and filled doughnuts, plus larger pastries like cinnamon rolls and apple fritters.

Becks Prime

Burgers, fries, and milkshakes seem to be synonymous with drive-thrus. At Becks Prime, try 100% Angus beef burgers like the hickory cheeseburger or the prime sauce-topped Bubba burger, all cooked to order and presented on fluffy, freshly-baked egg buns. Becks Prime goes even further, offering fajita plates with tenderloin meat, loaded baked potatoes, steak dinners with a salad and sides — all from the comfort of a drive-thru window.

Bambolino's

Give your dialing finger a rest and pay a visit to the drive-thru window at Bambolino’s. At this Montrose haunt, choose from traditional pizzas like meat lovers, margarita, and Greek. Order by the slice, or buy a full pie, and finish with a slice of cheesecake or tiramisu.

Oui Banh Mi

In a city where Vietnamese eats reign supreme, it is only fitting that Houstonians are able to stock up on summer rolls and banh mi sandwiches by way of a drive-thru window. At Oui Banh Mi, order heaping vermicelli bowls topped with fragrant herbs, piping hot pho noodle soup, or rice with chargrilled beef and fish sauce.

Street to Kitchen

Tables at this lauded Thai restaurant, helmed by James Beard Award Best Chef semifinalist Benchawan Jabthong Painter, are highly sought after. With limited seating inside, snagging a table can get tricky, especially on weekends, but those aching for a taste of dishes like saucy pad Thai and meaty green curry, can place an online order and score their food to-go by way of the restaurant’s drive-thru window.

Frenchy's Chicken

Frenchy’s is a Houston institution, known for its signature seasoned fried chicken and classic Creole sides, served up in a jiffy. There are 11 outposts around town, including a new flagship location in Third Ward, where guests have the choice to order at a walk-up window or conveniently at the drive-thru.

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