Downtown/Theater District Restaurants

We’ve compiled the best of the best in Downtown/Theater District - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.

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  • 1. Bistro Lancaster

    $$$$ | Downtown

    Breakfast—make that power breakfast—and lunch are popular with the business set at this small, classy restaurant in the Lancaster Hotel downtown, but dinner is the ticket, especially for the pre-theater crowd. Chef Jamie Zelko offers a changing seasonal menu based on fresh local ingredients. Try the crab cakes and bread pudding. Brunch is available on weekends. The adjacent Bistro Bar has a terrific wine list and a cozy, intimate setting.

    701 Texas Ave., Houston, Texas, 77002, USA
    713-228--9500

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
  • 2. Brennan's

    $$$$ | Downtown

    A cousin of New Orleans's Commander's Palace, Brennan's puts a Texas spin on Creole cuisine. This is one of the few restaurants in Houston where people still dress up. Not that it's in any way formal: the landmark building's interiors are as charming as the hospitality is Southern-gracious. Chef Randy Evans's specialties, like turtle soup with sherry and pecan-crusted fish, repeatedly impress. Brunch in the peaceful courtyard is a memorable experience. For an extra-special night, book the Kitchen Table, a private dining room that seats 10 and offers a ringside view of all the cooking action.

    3300 Smith St., Houston, Texas, 77006, USA
    713-522--9711

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
  • 3. Damian's Cucina Italiana

    $$$ | Downtown

    "Timeless" is the word for this sophisticated, authentic Tuscan restaurant located where downtown becomes midtown. It's been a business luncheon favorite for more than 20 years, and at night couples and families come to enjoy the cozy, old-world interior; extensive menu offerings; comprehensive wine list; and leisurely pace. The menu is huge; if you're having trouble deciding, try the deftly grilled veal chops or the ravioli del giorno (of the day). Chef Napoleon Palacios creates weekly specials, too, so there's always something new to try.

    3011 Smith St., Houston, Texas, 77006, USA
    713-522--0439

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 4. Irma's Original

    $$ | Downtown

    Irma and her family dish out home-style Mexican specialties to a wait-in-line breakfast and lunch crowd (weekdays only) of lawyers, judges, cube-dwellers, and sports fans. The surroundings may be homey, but this place is not cheap—still, the food has made Irma's a local landmark. There's no menu: your server will tell you what is available. Opt for the chicken-and-spinach enchiladas with green chili sauce, and wash it all down with the famous lemonade. Irma opens on weekends when the Astros are in town—and stays open until 6 pm during the week on home-game days.

    22 N. Chenevert St., Houston, Texas, 77002, USA
    713-222--0767

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 5. Ninfa's

    $$ | East End

    The original—and still the best—of the chain, Ninfas on Navigation holds a special place in the hearts of generations of Houstonians. Always busy, and filled with everyone from politicians to young families to the gay mafia to savvy tourists, this East End landmark serves up warm, fresh tortillas made on-site, killer margaritas in all their forms, and a trademark green salsa made with avocados and tomatillos. Don't miss the Tacos a la Ninfa or the "chilpanzingas"—corn empanadas stuffed with smoked ham, cheese, and chilies, and topped with queso fresco (mild, crumbly white cheese). The Ninfa's shuttle runs to downtown sporting venues; call ahead for information.

    2704 Navigation Blvd., Houston, Texas, 77003, USA
    713-228--1175

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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  • 6. Quattro

    $$$$ | Downtown

    Though the Four Seasons Hotel is sort of fussy and dated, its in-house restaurant is a sleek, lively set of smartly designed dining rooms with inspiring food. Quattro—its name representing the four "faces" of the restaurant—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the antipasto bar—focuses on popular American-Italian dining that's fresh, simple and seasonal. The wine list includes 25 wines by the glass, 250 bottle selections, and a private cellar selection of reserve and boutique wines. It's frequented by lots of political types, pampered travelers, birthday boys and girls, and theater-goers. From maitre d' to server, attention to your enjoyment is given unobtrusively and plentifully.

    1300 Lamar St., Houston, Texas, 77010, USA
    713-650--1300

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 7. The Grove

    $$$ | Downtown

    In downtown Houston's thoughtfully designed city park, you'll find The Grove, an airy, modern eco-friendly restaurant from the people who gave the Bayou City the famed Cafe Annie. Though the space might look contemporary, the food is decidedly hearty and homespun, with locally-sourced organic ingredients and "why-didn't-I-think-of-that" combinations like a deviled egg appetizer made with Spanish chorizo and tapenade, or mesquite-smoked Texas quail with baby turnips and local peaches. For a more casual vibe, head upstairs to the Tree House indoor/outdoor lounge and patio (open Thursday through Saturday) for cocktails and appetizers with a great view of Houston's skyline.

    1611 Lamar St., Houston, Texas, 77010, USA
    713-337--7321

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted

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