When it comes to Yelp's top restaurants, people have the power: the online reviews platform has compiled user opinions to find out which restaurants across the country have the best reputations. Seven Houston-area restaurants made the Top 100 US Restaurants 2026 list, out of a total of 17 in Texas.
Yelp compiled its list mostly by weighing the total volume and sentiment of reviews, plus some other factors it doesn't disclose. The platform is popular enough for casual dining that it shows up all over the list, but there are a few upscale restaurants that broke through.
Leading the way is Houston steakhouse Taste of Texas, which ranked No. 2 in the country. Yelp users enjoy the ability to pick their steak in the kitchen, its "warm Texas hospitality," and artifacts from Texas history — including interior chapel doors from the Alamo. Other Houston restaurants include Xiaolong Dumpling (No. 43), a Chinese restaurant in Montrose, destination worthy Indo-Pak restaurant Aga’s Restaurant & Catering (No. 50), all-you-can-eat concept Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House (No. 55), Heights vegetarian restaurant The Ginger Mule (No, 63), hot pot restaurant Shabu En (No. 69), and The Chef’s Table (No. 73), an upscale South African restaurant in Vintage Park.
Yelp used its data to identify several trends influencing dining over the next year: "grandma-core" dining, sandwiches for dinner, breakfast all day, Japanese flavors, and places to dress up.
In Houston, diners embraced Japanese flavors at both Mikiya Wagyu and Shabu En, and they dressed up at both Taste of Texas and The Chef's Table.
Elsewhere in Texas, another impressive eateries joined Taste of Texas in the top 5. First place went to New York Italian restaurant Ci Siamo, in Manhattan. In San Antonio, Comfort Cafe comes in at No. 5, praised not just for the generous diner food but for its mission to support workers in addiction recovery.
All the Texas restaurants on the list are as follows:
- 2. Taste of Texas, Houston
- 5. Comfort Cafe – San Antonio, San Antonio
- 36. Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar, Fort Worth
- 37. Gold Spoon, Carrollton
- 43. Xiaolong Dumpling, Houston
- 47. Taqueria De Diez, Austin
- 49. Hutchins BBQ, Frisco
- 50. Aga’s Restaurant & Catering, Houston
- 51. Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy, San Antonio
- 55. Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, Houston
- 57. Sushi Yume, Round Rock
- 59. Edmond’s Burgers & More, Plano
- 62. Whip My Soul, Austin
- 63. The Ginger Mule, Houston
- 66. Bird Bird Biscuit, Austin
- 69. Shabu En, Houston
- 73. The Chef’s Table, Houston
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Eric Sandler contributed to this article.
