Where To Eat Right Now

Where to eat right now: 10 hot, must-try restaurants for April

April is here! Need a lunch or dinner recommendation? Here’s where you should eat right now in Houston.

Batanga
With live music, sharable Latin American dishes, and a patio that’s already earning praise, Batanga has opened just in time to capitalize on Houston’s best weather months of the year. Stop by to revel in a festive atmosphere and fun food.

The menu features plenty of things that “oink, moo, fly, or swim,” but we especially love the long list of veggie dishes — like the marinated beets, Swiss chard and eggplant fries.

Goro & Gun
While there’s not much Houston lacks in the way of ethnic cuisine, we’ve been noticeably light on ramen. Good thing the new Goro & Gun downtown has arrived to fill that niche.

This small restaurant features two ramens (go with the veggie!), though the menu’s other options are just as worthy — like the roasted Brussels sprouts with pickled raisins and pine nuts and the 72-hour tempura short ribs.

Saint Arnold
It’s onward and upward for our beloved brewery Saint Arnold, which is now serving lunch five days a week (two courses for $17.55). Be sure to check the menu before you go …

Chef Ryan Savoie creates his lineup far in advance, and there are no substitutions, so you’ll want to find the daily offering that appeals most to you. Don’t worry, beer tastings are available as well.

MuSuBi
My adoration of Asian food trucks continues with the Vietnamese MuSuBi. The roast duck and garlic beef banh mi was a dream with its tender meats, generous toppings and killer bread. But my favorite part was the actual musubi, a gourmet’d up Japanese/Hawaiian treat. Mine featured shrimp and crab in a spicy sauce.

Follow @MuSuBiHOUSTON on Twitter for a schedule and location.

Killen’s BBQ
Good news for those who can’t wait for Ronnie Killen’s new BBB (BBQ, burgers and beer) restaurant to open this summer: The new concept is operating as a weekend pop-up until then. Stop by Killen’s Steakhouse in Pearland, on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 11 a.m., to sample the smoked meats and sides that won raves at the recent Houston BBQ Festival.

Mighty Sweet Mini Pies
This new family-run mini-pie shop in the Heights has already developed a loyal following, thanks to homemade crusts and old-fashioned ingredients. The owners make hundreds of mini-pies a day in five fresh flavors that rotate.

We’re always too slow to catch the Key Lime and Peanut Butter Chocolate, but heartily recommend the Tangerine Chess.

Michiru Sushi
The best sushi places are often the most expensive (with reason), but the new Michiru Sushi in Greenway Plaza offers a solid sushi lineup at reasonable prices. While I wasn’t able to try these tuna-on-tuna dumplings, the fish and hot dishes offered a nice take on your favorite Japanese favorites.

It may not blow you away, but the portions are fresh and large, and the atmosphere is upbeat and fun.

The Good Life – Midtown Bar & Kitchen
Midtown’s got a new go-to spot in The Good Life, a neighborhood bar and patio that opened in March. In addition to a nice selection of craft beers and cocktails, the Good Life offers what it calls edible cocktails — gussied up Jello shots basically.

There’s also a nice menu (designed by Roost’s Kevin Naderi) featuring things like brats in a blanket, brisket sliders and nachos.

Oxheart
The unique Oxheart has captured all kinds of accolades in its one-year existence. Most recently chef Justin Yu was a semifinalist for a James Beard award, while pastry chef Karen Man was nominated for Food & Wine’s Best New Pastry Chef.

Reservations for the tiny restaurant are hard to come by, but you can often snag a spot on a Sunday or Monday night.

Underbelly
While Underbelly could probably sit atop this list every month, we try to spread the love. After all, you already know about Underbelly, and you’ve probably eaten there.

But chef Chris Shepherd was just named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine, which is kind of a big deal — for him, for his restaurant and for Houston. So for those of you who haven’t made it over there yet, by all means go now.

Need more recs? Try our where to eat right now lists from previous months:

October – November – December – January – February – March

The inventive Oxheart is worth the trouble it takes to get in.

Oxheart, beets from Emile Street Garden with savory granola, wheatberries and bitter almond

Oxheart Facebook

The inventive Oxheart is worth the trouble it takes to get in.

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bring on barnaby's

Favorite Houston comfort food spot picks Garden Oaks for 10th location

Courtesy of Barnaby's Cafe

Barnaby's Cafe is coming to the Stomping Grounds this fall.

Earlier this week, real estate developer Bryan Danna promised “big news…very soon” about a new tenant for the former LuLoo’s Day & Night space at his Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks. That news is that Houston favorite Barnaby’s Cafe has claimed the space for a new location that will open later this year.

When a Barnaby’s decal appear on the restaurant’s door a couple of days ago, news of the restaurant’s imminent arrival spread quickly on social media. It will be Barnaby’s tenth location, joining outposts in Montrose, River Oaks, the Heights, and more.

The restaurant will occupy a 2,250-square-foot space at the Stomping Grounds. It will offer a to-go window for people hanging out in the development’s green space as well as a gated, dog-friendly patio. Houston artist Roberto Cervantes will contribute works to the restaurant’s interior.

Founded in 1992 by restaurateur Jeff Gale, Barnaby’s is known for its wide-ranging and affordable menu of classic American fare, including salads, sandwiches, breakfast items, and dinner entrees. Customer favorites include the Lebanese chicken fattoush salad, chipotle black bean burger, baby back ribs, and green eggs, which are scrambled with spinach and artichoke hearts. Dogs can snack on a special “puppy menu” of ground beef, sliced chicken breast, or scrambled eggs over brown rice.

Stomping Grounds green space A to-go window will expedite orders for people in the Stomping Grounds' green space.Courtesy of Stomping Grounds

“Bringing Barnaby’s to Garden Oaks and Oak Forest has been on my wish list for more than a decade, so I’m incredibly grateful that Jeff Gale and his team saw Stomping Grounds as the right fit,” Danna said in a statement. “Jeff and I go back to his first Heights location, which was one of Barnaby’s first big moves north of Montrose, and I have always respected what he and his longtime team have built. Thirty years in the restaurant business is a serious accomplishment. You do not make it that long unless you know how to take care of people, build loyalty, and become part of the neighborhood.”

When it opens this fall, Barnaby’s will be open daily from 11 am to 9 pm. It will join other restaurants at the Stomping Grounds, including Fat Cat Creamery, Tex-Mex restaurant La Mex, Bollo Woodfired Pizza, casual sushi restaurant Himari, Little Sister Cake Shop, and High Five Mini Bar. Earlier this week, casual Vietnamese restaurant Pho Prime announced that it had claimed the space formerly occupied by The Pho Fix for a new location that will also open this fall.

news-you-can-eat openings stomping grounds barnaby's cafe