What kind of restaurants is Houston lacking in? (inside the loop) (Humble: appointed, rent)

[Even Further]

Originally Posted by Mr. Krinkle

You need to get out more. There are plenty of good burger spots in the range of $5 -$7.

I just don't know. I each out constantly trying new places, and have never been to a place in Houston remotely close to Kopps in Milwaukee. They have the awesome simple burger, awesome ice cream combo.

[swopoe]

Originally Posted by Even Further

I just don't know. I each out constantly trying new places, and have never been to a place in Houston remotely close to Kopps in Milwaukee. They have the awesome simple burger, awesome ice cream combo.

Way outside of the loop, but what about Culver's in The Woodlands?

[ethanw]

New 2014 Alison Cook list is out. Some new places

The 100 best restaurants in Houston - Food Chronicles

[dendrotriton]

An Indian place on the north east side would be nice. I don't know of an Indian restaurant anywhere near north or east Houston. But Ill take any good food that isn't from a chain and doesn't taste like it was slopped together in 2 minutes. Such a thing is hard to find.
We could also use good Texas barbeque anywhere in the city. Gatlan's is average and marinated in salt.

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by Mr. Krinkle

You need to get out more. There are plenty of good burger spots in the range of $5 -$7.

+1, You have Sparkle's in Third Ward, you have Hubcap Grill downtown just to name a few.

[J_Treehorn]

Originally Posted by swopoe

They aren't even in the same league. Jersey diners are open 24 hrs. The 59 diner may be; I am not sure. The menu size at a Jersey diner is much larger and (usually) the food is better, especially breakfast. I can't even explain it. If you have been to a Jersey diner, you would know what I mean.

In my opinion, it's really hard to find an authentic "diner" anywhere in the Sunbelt - and that might be the demarcation line for all eternity. At its surface, diners were cheap, easily constructed, family-owned 24 hour restaurants that were "where you ate". They all evolved their own menu specialties and often reflected the demographics of their communities (and certainly of their usual Greek owners!). And in my opinion, they were often this way for a distinct lack of options to eat elsewhere. I remember less of the food and more of how they were a "local experience", although the food was often good.

What you see down here are the usual bland "50's diner" mark-ups with milkshakes and Hamburgers (or the God-forsaken Waffle Houses) - and that is probably as real as it is going to get. You probably could not force-feed good Cajun or a lazy Texas Icehouse into most places on Route 3 in New Jersey, and you can't import the Tick-tock diner here. Time and place, I guess.

In general, the food in Houston is very good and superbly diverse, and I also think people need to drop the "inside the loop" myopia if they want to experience the diversity part. Nobody is special enough to limit their food options to what exists inside a 10 mile-wide circle, especially in an un-zoned, sprawling city without mass transportation like Houston. I understand not wanting to drive to Katy, but complaining about a lack of ethnic food "X" near your Midtown apartment is silly when it exists a short drive away. It's not a meaningful boundary.

And I agree about a truly good deep-dish pizza place, but those also don't export well outside of Chicago. Hard to get that crust right.... maybe it's the local water?

[hoffdano]

Houston has just one brewpub. Shocking for the largest city in Texas.

[Spartacus713]

Houston is lacking a Greek American restaurant like Niko-Nikos over on the west side.

Oh, wait....

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

A couple of good Tibetan/Nepali places would be nice.

Don't make me ***. (Get it, ***)

It's the animal that nobody should name ( y - a - k)

[Oildog]

Originally Posted by swopoe

Way outside of the loop, but what about Culver's in The Woodlands?

Also a Culvers in Kingwood.