Why is Houston so cheaper than Dallas (San Antonio, Austin: homes, luxury)

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

Houston seems to have more soul food restaurants than DFW. DFW restaurants are more spread out too across the metroplex which probably makes it feel like it's actually more in Houston MSA. So I'll give the edge in soul food and Black cuisine in general to Houston. Not every Black owned restaurant is soul food. But I'll say this, the best soul food spot I had was in Dallas.

Sweet Georgia Brown is one of my favorite soul food spots in the country. Also Aunt Irene's Kitchen in Dallas can go toe to toe w/ some of the best cajun/creole restaurants in Houston.

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Given Houston and Dallas are such huge got spots for black migration, I would think both Houston and Dallas would excel in Soul Food. I loved going to Sweet Georgia Brown when I lived in Dallas. Buttons was a lot of fun too.

Add:

* Southside steaks and Cakes
* South Dallas Cafe'
* Lisa's Soul food
* Mothers and Daughters
* Ellen's
* Soul 2Soul soulfood Kitchen
* Sabrina's

[DabOnEm]

Another food option Dallas does better is Ethiopian food, and the West African offerings have gone up significantly. So yeah DFW is definitely underrated as in the past 10 years it has gotten much better. Whereas Houston has gotten better too, I'm starting to see more national chains enter the market that were already in DFW. It's like a reverse almost lol.

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

Another food option Dallas does better is Ethiopian food, and the West African offerings have gone up significantly. So yeah DFW is definitely underrated as in the past 10 years it has gotten much better. Whereas Houston has gotten better too, I'm starting to see more national chains enter the market that were already in DFW. It's like a reverse almost lol.

Dallas has a bigger Ethiopian population so that's to be expected. Where I think Dallas still lacks compared to Houston is Cajun/Creole restaurants. Can't seem to find too many decent ones in DFW. Which is understandable. Houston has stronger ties to Louisiana.

[LocalPlanner]

There's been sort of an explosion of West African restaurants in the outer Westheimer corridor / West Oaks area. Not sure how all that compares to what's in DFW.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

Dallas has a bigger Ethiopian population so that's to be expected. Where I think Dallas still lacks compared to Houston is Cajun/Creole restaurants. Can't seem to find too many decent ones in DFW. Which is understandable. Houston has stronger ties to Louisiana.

Yes the Ethiopian community is quite a bit larger in DFW. I agree DFW still lacks there. It makes up for it slightly by having a Terry Blacks location. I wish Houston could get one because they have the best BBQ in the state imo.

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

There's been sort of an explosion of West African restaurants in the outer Westheimer corridor / West Oaks area. Not sure how all that compares to what's in DFW.

They've always been there really (and further south into Alief/SW-H) but I guess just the number has increased. In Houston where they are new and sprouting up at is in the Northwest Cypress/North Katy side. I'd say in DFW the growth in West African food spots/markets is more scattered and popping up in places like Arlington/Grand Prairie, far North Dallas, and Richardson/Garland.

[Rydealong]

Even though I agree DFW is underrated and perhaps tied with Houston in terms of food, Cajun is not the only one where it’s a big difference. DFW’s Cajun food is getting a lot better as of late. Caribbean cuisine (both Latin and Jamaican, etc) is far better in Houston and so is general South American and Central American. Ethiopian food in Houston is relatively good, just not as good as in DFW. The difference in Caribbean, Central And South American is much bigger than that of Ethiopian between the two. Where DFW actually significantly exceeds Houston in culinary wise is Korean (although Houston’s is improving in this regard). West African cuisine is great in both.

Also, Fertitta needs to hurry and plant a Mastro’s in Dallas. As the most luxurious steakhouse chain in America, they’re the next market they needs one. Even the Woodlands is about to get a second Houston location.

This is why you’re splitting hairs with cuisine. Very few are significantly superior to the other. Same goes for nightlife. Shopping I just have to give to Houston because of the abundance of stores there as opposed to Dallas. With all respect given to Neiman Marcus, one aging department store chain doesn’t have much of an impact as opposed to the stores of River Oaks/Post Oak etc.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by Rydealong

Even though I agree DFW is underrated and perhaps tied with Houston in terms of food, Cajun is not the only one where it’s a big difference. DFW’s Cajun food is getting a lot better as of late. Caribbean cuisine (both Latin and Jamaican, etc) is far better in Houston and so is general South American and Central American. Ethiopian food in Houston is relatively good, just not as good as in DFW. The difference in Caribbean, Central And South American is much bigger than that of Ethiopian between the two. Where DFW actually significantly exceeds Houston in culinary wise is Korean (although Houston’s is improving in this regard). West African cuisine is great in both.

Also, Fertitta needs to hurry and plant a Mastro’s in Dallas. As the most luxurious steakhouse chain in America, they’re the next market they needs one. Even the Woodlands is about to get a second Houston location.

This is why you’re splitting hairs with cuisine. Very few are significantly superior to the other. Same goes for nightlife. Shopping I just have to give to Houston because of the abundance of stores there as opposed to Dallas. With all respect given to Neiman Marcus, one aging department store chain doesn’t have much of an impact as opposed to the stores of River Oaks/Post Oak etc.

Im sorry but this is soooooo not true......it's just not.


Saying that is equal to saying Dallas is the better food city of the two..........It's just not.

[AcresHomes44]

Dallas beats Houston in shopping, hands down. Dallas’ shopping is geared towards the upscale crowd; Houston’s shopping is for everyone. If you want upscale shopping in Houston, River Oaks/Galleria is your spot. Just your regular working class malls: Willowbrook Mall, Katy Mills, and other malls in/around Houston. Suburban DFW has shopping for all income levels, but Dallas city limits…negative.

[As Above So Below...]

I know it’s controversial but I still say:

Dallas for shopping

Houston for food

But they are both very good in both areas.

[LocalPlanner]

Getting back to the OP's original question, I have to think that the divergence in housing prices that's occurred in the last few years has a lot to do with the economy. Back during the oil boom 2011-2014, Houston's home prices starting shooting upward in a manner that had never really happened before. This was tied to the rapid growth in high-paying jobs related to the oil industry, combined with the resurgence in urban living plus the homebuilding industry having been knocked to the floor in 2009 and not prepared for the boom. However, the home price appreciation (as well as rent appreciation) flattened quickly after 2014 and didn't really restart until the COVID home buying craziness (and rents have stayed mostly flat).

In contrast, DFW started booming again a bit after Houston, maybe by 2013, but never stopped - and the relocations and expansions are producing large numbers of high-paying jobs, especially on the north side of the metro, which has to help drive home prices up.