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Your 12 Favorite Guilty Pleasures, Mapped

by Eric Sandler
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by Eric Sandler

On Friday, Eater readers supplied their favorite guilty pleasures. You'll find the results below. They range from local comfort food institutions to the largest restaurant chain in the world. None of them are places to get a healthy meal, which is sort of the point. Frankly, given some of the choices, some of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Oh well, we're not here to judge, much.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Casa Ole

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12350 Gulf Freeway
Houston, Texas 77034
(713) 943-8511
(713) 943-8511
Visit Website
For many Texans, classic Tex-Mex is as much a comfort food as meatloaf or hamburgers. When people crave something familiar, a restaurant like Casa Ole that refuses to change with the times fits the bill perfectly.

2. Frenchy's

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3919 Scott St.
Houston, TX 77004
(713) 748-2233
(713) 748-2233
Visit Website
Fried chicken may not be great for one's health, so, if someone is going to satisfy a craving, it might as well be with the best Creole-style fried chicken in Houston, where the long lines ensure that every piece of chicken is hot and fresh.

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3. Ponzo's Italian Food

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2515 Bagby St
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 526-2426
(713) 526-2426
Visit Website
There is a sad lack of Italian-American pizza and sub shops in Houston, but Ponzo's fills the role admirably. A meatball sub and an order of pepperoni rolls are the perfect companions to a night on the couch.

4. Waffle House

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1720 College Ave
Houston, TX 77017
(713) 946-2715
(713) 946-2715
Visit Website
It's late, and everybody needs to get a little food to soak up the night's poor decisions. A waffle and hash browns, smothered and covered of course, will help ease tomorrow's regrets.

5. Calliope's Po-Boys

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2130 Jefferson St
Houston, TX 77003
713-222-8333
713-222-8333
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Unlike some of other places on this list, the food here is excellent. This restaurant is a guilty pleasure because of the inflated calorie counts from the excellent fried seafood and carb-heavy dishes.

6. House Of Fries

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5322 Antoine Dr
Houston, TX 77091
(713) 682-4111
(713) 682-4111
Visit Website
An Eater commenter praises this restaurant for a mushroom Swiss burger, hand cut fries and homemade ranch dressing. Yup, those are all ingredients for a guilty pleasure.

7. Lopez Mexican Restaurant

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11606 Wilcrest Dr.
Houston, TX 77099-4755
(281) 495-2436
(281) 495-2436
Visit Website
A southwest Houston institution that delivers excellent Tex-Mex, potent margaritas and reasonable prices. In other words, the perfect spot to satisfy an enchilada craving.

8. Super H Mart

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1302 Blalock Rd
Houston, TX 77055
(713) 468-0606
(713) 468-0606
Visit Website
The H-Mart food court solid bulgogi from Bibijo Express and excellent fried chicken from Toreore, but good luck convincing a skeptical significant other to have dinner in a supermarket's food court. Oh well, eating alone can sometimes be refreshing.

9. Blue Water Seafood

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6107 Fm 1960 Rd W
Houston, TX 77069
(281) 895-9222
(281) 895-9222
Visit Website
An emailer explains: "It’s a dump, the people are loud, and my wife refuses to go there. Get a cold beer, a dozen grilled oysters and five pounds of crawfish, get the spices all the way up to your elbows while you sit outside and sweat. You’ve never had so much fun."

10. McDonald's

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1405 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 963-0647
(713) 963-0647
Visit Website
Really? Yes, the french fries are excellent, and one must satisfy that craving, but everything else here is pretty gross. At least promise never to eat the McNuggets, ok?

11. Romano's Pizza

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1528 W Gray St
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 526-1182
(713) 526-1182
Visit Website
Houston may be seeing a rise in elevated pizza, but Romano's remains a delightful throwback. Oversized New York style slices with questionable ingredients (canned mushrooms, anyone?) satisfying an elemental needs for certain Bayou City transplants.

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12. Red Lobster

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13232 Northwest Fwy
Houston, TX 77040
(713) 462-6659
(713) 462-6659
Visit Website
Because Cheddar Bay Biscuits make life better.

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1. Casa Ole

12350 Gulf Freeway, Houston, Texas 77034
For many Texans, classic Tex-Mex is as much a comfort food as meatloaf or hamburgers. When people crave something familiar, a restaurant like Casa Ole that refuses to change with the times fits the bill perfectly.
12350 Gulf Freeway
Houston, Texas 77034
(713) 943-8511
Visit Website

2. Frenchy's

3919 Scott St., Houston, TX 77004
Fried chicken may not be great for one's health, so, if someone is going to satisfy a craving, it might as well be with the best Creole-style fried chicken in Houston, where the long lines ensure that every piece of chicken is hot and fresh.
3919 Scott St.
Houston, TX 77004
(713) 748-2233
Visit Website

3. Ponzo's Italian Food

2515 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77006
There is a sad lack of Italian-American pizza and sub shops in Houston, but Ponzo's fills the role admirably. A meatball sub and an order of pepperoni rolls are the perfect companions to a night on the couch.
2515 Bagby St
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 526-2426
Visit Website

4. Waffle House

1720 College Ave, Houston, TX 77017
It's late, and everybody needs to get a little food to soak up the night's poor decisions. A waffle and hash browns, smothered and covered of course, will help ease tomorrow's regrets.
1720 College Ave
Houston, TX 77017
(713) 946-2715
Visit Website

5. Calliope's Po-Boys

2130 Jefferson St, Houston, TX 77003
Unlike some of other places on this list, the food here is excellent. This restaurant is a guilty pleasure because of the inflated calorie counts from the excellent fried seafood and carb-heavy dishes.
2130 Jefferson St
Houston, TX 77003
713-222-8333
Visit Website

6. House Of Fries

5322 Antoine Dr, Houston, TX 77091
An Eater commenter praises this restaurant for a mushroom Swiss burger, hand cut fries and homemade ranch dressing. Yup, those are all ingredients for a guilty pleasure.
5322 Antoine Dr
Houston, TX 77091
(713) 682-4111
Visit Website

7. Lopez Mexican Restaurant

11606 Wilcrest Dr., Houston, TX 77099-4755
A southwest Houston institution that delivers excellent Tex-Mex, potent margaritas and reasonable prices. In other words, the perfect spot to satisfy an enchilada craving.
11606 Wilcrest Dr.
Houston, TX 77099-4755
(281) 495-2436
Visit Website

8. Super H Mart

1302 Blalock Rd, Houston, TX 77055
The H-Mart food court solid bulgogi from Bibijo Express and excellent fried chicken from Toreore, but good luck convincing a skeptical significant other to have dinner in a supermarket's food court. Oh well, eating alone can sometimes be refreshing.
1302 Blalock Rd
Houston, TX 77055
(713) 468-0606
Visit Website

9. Blue Water Seafood

6107 Fm 1960 Rd W, Houston, TX 77069
An emailer explains: "It’s a dump, the people are loud, and my wife refuses to go there. Get a cold beer, a dozen grilled oysters and five pounds of crawfish, get the spices all the way up to your elbows while you sit outside and sweat. You’ve never had so much fun."
6107 Fm 1960 Rd W
Houston, TX 77069
(281) 895-9222
Visit Website

10. McDonald's

1405 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
Really? Yes, the french fries are excellent, and one must satisfy that craving, but everything else here is pretty gross. At least promise never to eat the McNuggets, ok?
1405 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 963-0647
Visit Website

11. Romano's Pizza

1528 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019
Houston may be seeing a rise in elevated pizza, but Romano's remains a delightful throwback. Oversized New York style slices with questionable ingredients (canned mushrooms, anyone?) satisfying an elemental needs for certain Bayou City transplants.
1528 W Gray St
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 526-1182
Visit Website

12. Red Lobster

13232 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77040
Because Cheddar Bay Biscuits make life better.
13232 Northwest Fwy
Houston, TX 77040
(713) 462-6659
Visit Website

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