Foodie News

Houston Chef's Table: Mockingbird Bistro's John Sheely treasures homemadeMexican & cool Connie's Seafood

No one knows Houston restaurants better than the people who run them, own them, and work in the kitchens. In this continuing series, CultureMap is asking our favorite foodie personalities around town where they go for great eats when they're not working.

If the Texas way of doing things is big, loud and bombastic, John Sheely has been working from a decidedly different playbook since opening Mockingbird Bistro back in 2002. With classic, subtle flavors, a spectacular wine list and an overwhelming sense of quiet excellence, he's won the loyalty of his River Oaks-area neighbors.

Sheely tells CultureMap how a meal at home is often his special occasion, the casual spot he hits for fish and why he doesn't travel for desserts.

Restaurant for a special occasion: My wife cooks awesome Mexican food. After so many years in the business it's nice to stay in and eat, and we have a 2-year-old so we have a lot of meals at home.

Restaurant to take out-of-towners to: I would take them to Da Marco or Mark's American Cuisine. Da Marco has some of the best Italian food in the city and Mark's is always great food, great service, beautiful room and great atmosphere.

For something casual I'd go to Connie's Seafood on Airline. It's Mexican, the kind of place where you pick your fish and they cook it up for you, and they have Chinese items too, fried rice and everything — it's really cool.

Favorite meal: I like the smoked salmon at Houston's. They smoke it in-house and it's a nice half-piece of salmon and not traditional, they do it in the oven with a great little remoulade.

Breakfast/Brunch favorite: I like Daily Review, he's got a great brunch. And Hugo's and Backstreet Cafe are always good.

Dessert: I can't think of anything ... I'm kinda partial to my own desserts, actually.

Other articles in the Houston Chef's Table series:

Lee Ellis loves Les Givral

Sugar hooker Rebecca Masson can't get enough of Catalan's Cake

Beachy L.J. Wiley digs the special occasion simple flavors at Dos Brisas

David Grossman goes for Vic & Anthony's crab cake, Yelapa late nights & some Bootsie

Jeramie Robison appreciates Kata Robata's sushi, Beaver's bangin' meatloaf & foodie chicks

Tony Mandola finds breakfast magic at Sunrise Taquitos

Philippe Schmit craves a Picnic romance & Stella Sola's French toast

Benjy Levit is torn between Indika's salads and Hank's Ice Cream

Flora & Muse's David Luna likes to hang with his fishing buddy and hit the Blue Nile

Asian Bistro's Gigi Huang seeks out spicy fried chicken at a Dive

Hugo Ortega believes in a Goode tradition

Soma Sushi's Jason Hauck is anti-brunch, pro-Feast

Jenni Tran-Weaver can't get enough hot pot

Bistro Alex's Juan Carlos Gonzalez finds a great $1.50 meal & giant key lime pie

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LRW 2025

Two week dining event celebrates Houston's Latin-owned restaurants

Photo by Dylan McEwan

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A two-week celebration of Latin food and culture has begun in Houston. Latin Restaurant Weeks has returned for its seventh year.

Held from Friday, July 11 until July 25, Latin Restaurant Weeks has more than 40 participants that showcase the diversity of Latin American cuisine. It includes everything from all four of James Beard Award winner Hugo Ortega’s restaurants — Mexican staple Hugo’s, seafood restaurant Caracol, Oaxacan restaurant Xochi, and street food favorite Urbe — as well as Brazilian steakhouses, casual taquerias, and bakeries.

Unlike Houston Restaurant Weeks where restaurant serve prix fixe menus at set prices, each participating restaurant in Late Restaurant Weeks determines its own offer. For example, at The Lymbar, David Cordua’s Latin-Mediterranean fusion restaurant in Midtown, diners have the option of a two-course, $25 lunch or a three-course, $39 dinner. Next door at Late August, chef Chris Williams and Sergio Hidalgo’s Michelin-recommended restaurant, the options consist of a two-course lunch and a three-course dinner (pricing information wasn’t available at press time). In contrast, Urbe’s sole offering is a three crispy pork belly taco plate for $17.

Those looking for more of a bar experience should consider Botónica, the recently-opened, Latin-inspired cocktail bar near River Oaks District. Aye Candy, a speakeasy-style bar in Spring Branch, is serving a $35 margarita flight with four variations on the popular cocktail.

Married couple Karinn Chavarria-Luckett and Warren Luckett founded Latin Restaurant Weeks in 2019 to increase awareness of Latin-owned restaurants. Since then, the event has expanded from Houston to Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

“Latin Restaurant Weeks was created to spotlight the cultural richness woven into each dish and story,” said Karinn Chavarria-Luckett, co-founder of Latin Restaurant Weeks. “It’s a celebration of identity, of creativity, and of the people behind the flavors who make our communities vibrant and strong.”

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