The Most Delicious Diners in Houston

Lankford Grocery & Market

★★★★☆ 4 (865) • $$

"Must Do!These are my kind of places!... Where the local go!Lankford is located in our Aunt's neighborhood in the heart of Houston. We found ourselves in town for a quick in and out job, and decided to stop by to have a lunch with the kin folk. Lankford is where there wanted to take us. It's been featured on the tv show Diners, Drive - Ins, and Dives. It was a late weekday lunch. It wasn't crazy busy. We ordered:Brisket Enchilada specialCheeseburgerOnion ringsI wouldn't say my burger was the "best", yet we enjoyed our experience with family at a local joint the most."

Dot Coffee Shop

★★★★☆ 3.9 (740) • $$

"Good was very good. Place was packed, but food still moving out of kitchen. We tried the club sandwich, pancakes and chopped steak breakfast plate. All were good once our order was correct. Two of the three items were wrong but they replaced them. Just watch what you get up charged for. It can add up."

District 7 Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (693) • $$

"WooowwwI can't believe this place! This was the best food we had and all of Houston. It is in a tiny, metal, unassuming little restaurant on the side of the road. It looks like nothing from the outside, but when you go inside, it is the friendliest people ever. The waiter came over and had a full conversation with us, and we did not feel imposing or anything. While he was talking to us other people helps the other tables. They all worked together and all of the diners were having a great time. It's a very friendly place and the food is absolutely outstanding. We made substitutions and asked questions and they were very accommodating and helpful. We had a crab cake, chicken and waffles, and pancakes. They don't have a liquor license but they have a bunch of different drinks so we have a peach mimosa, Bellini, Moscow mule, and some other drinks. Absolutely terrific and I hope they stay this way."

Black Bear Diner - Katy

★★★★☆ 3.8 (612) • $$

"Enjoyed a lovely meal with prompt service, large portions, and reasonably priced well seasoned entrees. I visited the medium sized Katy, TX restaurant location which is visible from the freeway with ample parking surrounding the restaurant. The country style restaurant welcomes you as you enter. There is a separate dessert case to entice you as you pay for your order.This is a keeper!"

Telwink Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (326)

"My Mom likes to keep it simple when it comes to her food choices, we was out running errands and today was my turn to treat. I knew she would really like Telwink Grill. The wait wasn't too long, while she waited in line, I was enjoying the energy of the eclipse moon.Your never to young or old to enjoy their country cooking and wonderful service.I ordered my usual, a real egg meat omelette, an omelette is not a real omelette without real eggs. Grits of course, fresh churned buttery butter hold the cheese and sugar please. Mom got fish, green beans and fries. So we're chit chatting and my nose and eyeballs keep zooming on my neighbors stack of pancakes. My nose and eyeballs all ways bully's my waistline, I fought really hard but that's a battle I choose not to fight. "Miss, can you bring me 1 pancake?" Who said that? In my Porsha William voice, I look around and Mom said "You, Niki"Our food came and all conversation ended.That's my review in 300 words are less."

Black Bear Diner - Sugar Land

★★★★☆ 3.7 (312) • $$

"BBD... aka Black Bear Diner.. such a cozy spot that reminds me of GoldiLocks and the three bears... except this bear theme is originating from Nor'Cal. Hence the theme of alll the northern trees and Nor'Cal Diner Vibes.. and yes.. some of my favorite diners are in California (my HomeState). On with the food. This spot has been tucked away within the land of Sugar since 2019.. I've been visiting since then and have always enjoyed the grub at BBD. Albeit, their are some days when the foods perfectly on par, and then on some days when its just okay. Within my most recent visit... lines were out the door, frigid air was kickin' in and groups of folks were simmering within the cozy diner. Thankfully a group of us were seated promptly and found good seats closer to the entrance. Due to the fact they were busy.. it seemed the food was just okay this time. I ordered a beef patty melt with fries and coleslaw. Fries were blonde in color, cold, and such few. Patty melt was okay. Pancakes were warm and tender as they typically are. With such a huge crowd on the weekends, food can be subpar at times. Other than that, I have always appreciated BBD's expansive menu. Their hot chocolate is sweet, warm and creamy, and their desserts are quite nice as well. Savory hot items such as their omelets and other sandwiches are typically good. Dining experience and service? Great. BBD has a nostalgic, woodsy, Nor'Cal feel that will make any nature enthusiast appreciative of their whimsical theme of all things bears and forests. They even sell a few bear plushies, socks, and all cuddlesy stuff at the front (where you pay). Service has always been warm and appreciative. Servers almost always check up on you. Though, they ought to put table numbers or order numbers on the table. At least twice during the weekend rush they brought out wrong food orders to our table. All in all, this is a spot that many cherish. Perf for families, friends and groups of folk that wanna chat over coffee, pancakes and all the sweeter things in life. Until next time!"

Black Bear Diner - Cypress

★★★★☆ 3.9 (268) • $$

"10.1.23 Super late lunch again. Hubby and I were in the Cypress area finishing up some chores and stopped at BBD for a quick meal before heading home.We both ordered breakfast food. I was going to redeem my birthday meal but when I went to pay it was expired. Bummer! I ordered a French toast meal with bacon and eggs. Everything was very tasty. I would order it again. Hubby ordered biscuits with sausage and gravy and it also came with grits. He said his meal was good and super filling. The gentlemen waiter was good and they were not crowded when we arrived. So it was quiet. We really like BBD - wish there was a location in Magnolia, TX! We will eat here again when we are in the area."

Kelley's Country Cookin'

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (385) • $$

"The food comes out really fast. At least the breakfast food does. It is hot fresh and ready to consume. The biscuit was hot, thick, fresh and tasty. It's huge so be careful. The hashbrowns are plentiful and the sausage is well cooked. The service is okay, nothing to jump out of your skin over but a sure plus. The ambiance is country as well as the music. The temperature is nice and comfortable."

World's Burgers

★★★★☆ 4.2 (196)

"I've been here a few times and have always had a pleasant experience. The staff is friendly & helpful. The restaurant is small but very clean and the burgers are amazing! Fresh veggies are always used and the burgers are cooked when ordered. No big restaurant frills just good burgers, fries and service."

Magnolia Diner

★★★★☆ 3.9 (221) • $$

"Magnolia Diner filled the craving I had. The BLT hit the spot and you have to get the seasoned fries which are crispy and deep fried with seasoning. Great spot and friendly servers. Shoutout to Billy for being an attentive server. Thanks Magnolia Diner!"

Frank's Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (240) • $

"This is your all in one homestyle breakfast place that will leave no man hungry. Located just off Magnum Rd south of 290, other than a few hole in the wall places there are not really any good eats in this neighborhood. Enter Frank's Grill- unassuming, honest to goodness food. We asked our waitress (Carolina) what they recommended for breakfast, and she automatically pointed out the ever popular breakfast specials - choice of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, pancakes or French toast. And she sold us on them because that's what we got. Friend of mine got sunny side eggs, I got scrambled - eggs perfectly fluffy. The bacon strips were enormous. But nothing compared to the monstrous pancake! I did think the hash browns could be crispier on the top (and they were plain). Overall, even though I'm a hefty eater, I had to slow down eating the rest of those French toast halves. You definitely won't l leave hungry!"

Hungry Like the Wolf

★★★★☆ 3.7 (236) • $$

"I can only rate it a 4 via Yelp but it's more like 4 and a half stars! I loved my experience at Hungry like the wolf! They definitely do a great job of carrying out the 80's theme! I especially loved watching all of the old 80's music videos while I ate. Let's start with the best part of the meal... y'all the boozy milkshakes are NOT TO BE MISSED! You hear me?! Order it! We had the banana Rama and the chocolate whiskey one and man..... these were so delicious! Both my husband and I made sure to not leave a drop. Dinner was good! My husband ordered the chicken fried steak and he loved it! He kept saying eating at this restaurant felt like someone's home. The food had a homemade essence to it that we really appreciated. I ordered a Ruben and I wasn't crazy about it but at that point I was tipsy off of my boozy milkshake to even care! We loved it and we will be back!"

Magnolia Diner - Montgomery

★★★★☆ 4 (194)

"We stayed at margaritaville for New Years and wanted some good yummy breakfast. Of course with the help of YELP! I found a yummy diner. It was alittle packed but we waited only about 20 minutes. Service 10/10- Plenty of refill coffees and water. Kept communicating with us! Food 10/10 Breakfast was awesome- we got the works there was 7 of us. Pork chops and eggs 10/10 French toast 10/10 Pancakes 10/10 It's a really good place, i think also if you have a kid you get popcorn i thought that was neat at as well. The price wasn't bad at all either. If i ever go down that way again. I will be eating there for sure!"

Midtown Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (236) • $$

"I came to Midtown Bar & Grill with my Sunday Brunch friends. I love about this place because of patio seating, parking lot, convenience to major thoroughfare, split check and most importantly, it's located in the Gayborhood. Food was good. I studied the menu before arriving. I ordered Gyro Sandwich. The pita was fresh and soft. The meat was tender and juicy. The cucumber sauce was thick. The overall food experience was excellent. I just wish there were more options to substitute the fries. Service was also great. There were 2 servers at our table of 12-ish. I would return to try other dishes."

City Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (145) • $

"Baby, Baby, Baby!! This place ain't no joke! If I tell you that this is a great spot to dine...whew! It's my first of many visits because I am a fan now. We came during breakfast time. The food was very delicious, and the service was really great. Our server Amanda was nice, knowledgeable, and quick. She smiled and had a great attitude. I had a vegetable omelette with grits that will blow your mind. Those grits were on point!! My daughter had the three meat omelette with hash browns, and we both had a pancake. If Yelp had sound, y'all would really feel my thoughts. Y'all don't let the building fool you either. It's pretty spacious but quant. Looks like your old school dinner. I will definitely be coming back to my new found jewel. If you're ever on this side, you might want to pop in. It's the real deal!!"

Kelley's Country Cookin'

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (256)

"Kelley's gets five stars for just being a big family restaurant with a big family menu and big family food! There isn't much that you can't find on their menu and the fact that the meals come with three sides AND you get your choice of rolls or cornbread, before your meal are big bonuses! Be careful, the food portions can be pretty overwhelming. Don't let your eyes write a check that your stomach can't cash! The restaurant is usually cleand and the staff is always friendly and willing to make your visit enjoyable! This will always be my go to spot for a home cooked meal (when my sister is busy...lol)."

The Nash

★★★★☆ 4.1 (163) • $$

"Came for houston restaurant weeks 2022. Place was pretty empty. I made a resy prior to. I found street parking, it's metored parking during the day, there's also a parking lot up the street. I didn't see valet. Cassie I believe was our server she was attentive. Drink- I had the sunrise or sunset drink. It was good, not too sweet, it had mango brandy in it, which I never had before.Food- first course I had the mushroom toast. I liked the ingredients of it, but toast ended up soggy, should have gotten the yellowtail crudo. 2nd course I got the short rib paperadelle pasta, it was large portion. I wanted more cheese on it. Flavors were subtle, I think it needed more herbs. It had real potential. Last course I had the lemon basil cheesecake. I love cheesecake, it was a bit salty. Couldn't tell if it was salty because of the crust, the cake, or the Carmel sauce?Anyway, overall nice service, spacious place, nice decor. Would have to come back to say and see if the food is good. It was alright this visit."

White Elm Brasserie

★★★★☆ 4 (139) • $$

"Looking for a new place to Brunch?Saturday to Sundays 8 to 3pm you can find some delicious appetizers such as overnight rolled oats with Greek yogurt and cacao nibs or even tartine with avocadoe cilantro pumpkin seed pesto and pepitas.They even have delicious The Breakfast hand tossed pizza's with goat cheese and spinach and 3 sunny eggs."

Black Bear Diner - Pasadena

★★★★☆ 3.8 (144) • $$

"Picked up my dad from the airport and then head out to explore Johnson Space Center. We passed Black Bear Diner on the way and stopped for breakfast. The service was really great. Coffee hit the spot. Portion sizes were gigantic. Flavors were actually good. Can't complain at all!! I had the Southern Scramble which was a split biscuit covered with 2 sausage patties, scrambled eggs & country gravy.... Side of red potatoes... It kept my full till dinner"

Clementine's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (141)

"Gone are the days when you walk into a place and smell the food greatness you're about to indulge as you expect great breakfast and brunch at a regular price. These guys have got you covered!Let me also mention that each and every server in the place is as hospitable as all servers used to be back in my day! hahaAlways wanted to say that....no, I'm not old - i just play a geezer in real life. Give them a try guys - because the breakfast platter is amazing, and don't forget the pancakes!!!"

Nate's Diner

★★★★★ 4.7 (87)

"One of my new favorite mom and pop spots, food was delicious and their drinks are huge, this is one of those spots where you grab a menu and seat yourself. Our server was very friendly and helpful with food recommendations and the history of the diner. I will be honest , when I first arrived in the parking lot the restaurant looked a little creepy at first lol remodeling is definitely a must but other than that it's all good, especially for our entire meal with beverages only being $30 bucks, can't beat that!"

Avalon Diner- Stafford

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (164)

"Not to be confused with the songs Avalon by Roxy Music or Tom's Diner by Suzanne Viva-Las-Vega.It's a pretty standard diner located at the massive plaza where we like to go shopping in Stafford which is called The Fountains, just off the south end of the main shopping area, and it doesn't get too busy.It's not rocket science so to speak, but they do pretty good food, chicken fried steaks and such, and it's a lot better than Denny's or IHOP, and the prices are comparable, so I can't really give them less than a four star - especially considering they're a local place. I upped it to 5 because the only time we've been here in the last 2 years, the service was wonderful."

Hot Biscuit

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (171)

"New to the area for work, I was in search of a breakfast nook that's open 24hrs. This well lit cafe off I45/JFK was just what I needed. Other than the security of having two officers enjoying their respective breakfasts when I entered, Ms Carol was a lil ray of sunshine. After I ordered, I realized I was still 20 minutes from the job, so I had it packed Togo. Ms Carol took the time to make I had everything needed and a coffee Togo. When I was able to sit down to enjoy my breakfast, everything was great. The ribeye was a perfect mid rare, the eggs were poached just right and she added tomato/bacon to my grits as requested."

Pat's Donuts

★★★★☆ 4.1 (83)

"Small kolache store off of 59. Donuts are cooked well and taste like Shipleys. The jalapeño sausage kolaches are solid. The Boudain kolache is a bit bland and heavy, I forgot to consider it was rice wrapped in bread..."

Lercy's Diner

★★★★☆ 4.3 (69)

"This place was very good! My coworker and I stopped here for lunch on a Thursday while headed to East Texas. The parking lot was packed, which is always a good sign. The interior is very country, clean, and cute. The ceiling has a fabulous lamp made out of a mattress box spring, which caught my eye. Seatings is family style, at long picnic tables. It's cafeteria style, but there's also a board with none cafeteria items that can be ordered. My coworker got the chicken fried steak with corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cornbread from the "buffet," and I ordered the California Monkey (a ham sandwich on a croissant) with fries from the kitchen. The food was delicious and the portions were large enough to share. My sandwich was piled high with ham and other toppings."

El Bosque

★★★★☆ 3.5 (90)

"Every time I'm in Montgomery, I head to El Bosque. The service is so excellent, the atmosphere is welcoming and the food just melts my heart! The shrimp tacos are a particular with plump juicy shrimp. I love their Charo beans, and I always ask for green sauce, which is outstanding. My sister loves their taco salad with fajita meat. I wish there was an El Bosque in Philly; I tell them that every time I go."

Waffle House

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (107) • $

"If you dug yourself a hole, you probably went to SHOVEL HOUSEIf you want to apologize, get on your knees and GROVEL HOUSEIf you're Tom Hanks, then you're probably at APOLLO HOUSEBut if you want hash browns, come right now to WAFFLE HOUSEIf it's Xmas time then they will decorate, it's BAUBLE HOUSEIn 1985 Chicago it's the Superbowl SHUFFLE HOUSEIf they hire really old baristas then it's FOSSIL HOUSEBut if you want the best Patty Melt, you come to WAFFLE HOUSEIf they try Lebanese-Taiwanese Fusion it's FALAFEL HOUSEIf they do double-size dishes it's F**king COLOSSAL HOUSEAnd if they serve straight liquor to pre-teens then it's UNLAWFUL HOUSEBut if you want the best late night food, then you go to WAFFLE HOUSEIf you're speeding like a motherf**ker then it's THROTTLE HOUSEAnd if you have to stop for gas then please replace the NOZZLE HOUSEAnd if you crash and break your leg, still come here, you can HOBBLE HOUSEBecause there's nothing better than the hash browns here at WAFFLE HOUSEIf you're religious, go to ST JOHN THE APOSTLE HOUSEIf you want a crappy meal, go instead to AWFUL HOUSEIf Barbi and me take you to our workplace then it's BROTHEL HOUSEBut if you want the best patty melt, go to WAFFLE HOUSEIf you're a dictator then we're all going to TOPPLE HOUSEIf you wanna f*** an ugly person try BEER GOGGLE HOUSEAnd if you're drunk and you can't get it up then just give ORAL HOUSEBut if you want the best late night food, go to WAFFLE HOUSE!WHAT!So if you walk like a duck and talk like a duck, then you should go to Waddle House instead.This is an absolutely wonderful Waffle House on every level. They had some of the best service imaginable and were open during the storm. However, they were not very nice to us on the second night when we came back here hoping for some more food, and wouldn't let anybody in even though our part of the city had no power or food, and they did here in Stafford. But I can understand considering the circumstances. Based on that experience I would have given and one star because it was a nightmare. But if I focus just on the first night and how well they treated us, I will give them five stars. However, the third trip will be the Tell-Tale. When the storm hit there was nobody as welcoming and wonderful as these guys honestly. That's why I choose only to review them based on the first night.In any case, I have always been in love with Waffle House Hash Browns. I get them with everything on them - even the Jalapenos, although sometimes not the cheese. Especially the chunks of ham and the chili, so good. They often make me run to the bathroom though. This place makes them as well as any... absolutely spectacular Hash Browns all the way... especially with the onions, ham, chili. And their patty melt, and chicken patty melt - sensational. And don't get me started on that awesome sausage breakfast sandwich.My reviews are full of waffle, and so is Waffle House. Match made in heaven, am I right."

Waffle House - Houston

★★★★☆ 3.6 (75) • $

"Fast and friendly service. Good food. I would come here again. Been here many times and never have I been disappointed"

Denny's

★★★★☆ 3.5 (76) • $

"Great atmosphere- clean and tidy!Amazing services! Delicious food!The pancakes were a surprise- so yummy!Good Covid protocols."

Sweet T's Diner

★★★★☆ 3.9 (61) • $

"Awesome food and service. Grits, sausage, biscuits, and hash browns all hot and delicious."

Denny's

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (83) • $

"Yum , very impressed the food came out better looking than the pictures !! Super fresh and tasty ! The stuffed French toast wasn't too sweet it was perfect ! The service was fast friendly ! Restaurant was beyond clean ! Camilo the server was super on it with keeping my drinks refilled ! Will be back tomorrow !"

Denny's

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (116) • $

"Please pick Josh Joshua was great as our server. Food was good too. We were seated immediately. Just all around a great experience."

Waffle House - Cypress

★★★★☆ 3.5 (64) • $

"So... I actually went into a Waffle House before 2am recently. Was weird being sober in there. But maybe that is why I am able to finally review this fine establishment.I must admit I'm a fan of the Waffle House, my boyfriend, not so much. But I was able to convince him to go here one evening for breakfast for dinner.Waffle House is Waffle House, you can't expect fine dinning here, it is what it is. I ordered eggs/over easy, hashbrowns/well done, sausage patty's, toast and a pecan waffle. Yes, it was a lot of food, but when in Waffle House, you Waffle.All of it was your basic breakfast food, I mean, you really can't go wrong. But I do have a weird complaint, which really shouldn't even be a complaint. My waffle had too many pecans. I mean, it was still good, I would have just liked less pecans. So, next time I plan to order a plain waffle. This location was your typical Waffle House. Wasn't super clean, but wasn't super dirty either."

D & M Diner

★★★★☆ 3.6 (59)

"Mop the floor. Brew more coffee. Don't overcook the hockey puck sausage patties. Eggs were good. Pancake was too. Good prices."

Denny's

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (70) • $

"An extremely clean restaurant. Friendly service and of course, great prices. My only issue was that I requested no cheese in my veggie omelette and my request was ignored."