Best Seafood Restaurants

Towers of delight: Houston restaurants serve up spectacular mountains of seafood, artfully displayed

Consider the lobster. It's just one of many items typically found on an iced seafood tower. Yes, that staple of '90s dining has always been a fixture at steakhouses, but the collection of oysters, shrimp, crab and more is having a bit of a resurrgence at some of 2014's hottest new bars and restaurants.

Liberty Kitchen and Oysterette executive chef Travis Lenig, who serves both $65 and $140 iced seafood platters, has a theory about why the dish has become so popular recently. "(It) offers a variety of seafood and a great way for guests to interact with their group and a way to splurge on a visually exciting menu item while enjoying the fruits of the sea," he writes in an email.

Looking for something more decadent? Chef/owner Mark Holley's three-tier "Holleywood" tower includes two ounces of Royal Siberian caviar and two bottles of Delamonte Brut champagne.

Whatever one's price point, Houston restaurants have options. At only $49, Midtown seafood restaurant Reef wins the award for best value.

"We don't make a lot of money on it," chef/owner Bryan Caswell explains. "In order for something like that to be successful, it's got to move."

Looking for something a little more decadent? Over at Holley's, chef/owner Mark Holley's three-tier "Holleywood" tower includes two ounces of Royal Siberian caviar and two bottles of Delamonte Brut champagne for an eye-popping $400. Of course, someone could put together a tower-style tasting from Holley's selection of oysters, ceviches, crudos and raw items, but that wouldn't be as much fun.

Find even more options below with recommended beverage pairings. Happy eating and drinking.

Caracol: Ceviche Acapulqueno, 1/2 dozen roasted oysters with chipotle butter, 1/2 dozen raw oysters, 2 bay scallop shells filled with scallop ceviche, 1 stone crab claw. 2 pieces King Crab, 1 long and 1 small, 2 shrimp, small Brazilian lobster tail, Salsa Bruja and cocktail sauce, Chocolata clams (as available), $80.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse: 2 jumbo stone crab claws, 4 jumbo shrimp, 4 oysters on the half shell, 1/2 lbs of Alaskian king crab legs, $77 or double for $148. Recommend pairings, Pighin pinot grigio, $11/glass; Cakebread chardonnay 2012, $109/bottle; Veuve Clicquot, $93/bottle.

Eleven Eleven: 12 East Coast oysters, 5 Gulf shrimp cocktail, 1 whole chilled lobster, 1 king crab leg, $80. Or, 18 East Coast oysters, 10 Gulf shrimp cocktail, 2 whole chilled lobster, 2 king crab leg, $150. Recommended pairing: Delamotte NV Blanc de Blancs or French 75 cocktail.

Holley's: 2 oz. Royal Siberian caviar and crabmeat & corn blinis, 18 Blue Point oysters with spicy ponzu sauce and escabeche mignonette, 2, 3.75 bottles Delamonte Brut Champagne, 12 Creole boiled Gulf shrimp with horseradish cocktail sauce, 12 baked clams casino, 12 Florida stone crab claws, 4 oz. seafood campechana, $400.

Julep: 1 1/2 lb lobster, half Dungeness crab (seasonal), 6 snow crab claws, 1/2 lb cold boiled shrimp, 6 oysters, marinated bay scallops, marinated fluke with meyer lemon and sea salt, serrano and garlic aioli, cocktail sauce, fresh grated horseradish, champagne vinegar mignonette and lemons, 1 bottle “La Guita” manzanilla sherry, $120.

Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette: 6 oysters, 4 jumbo shrimp, 6 clams, 1/2 lobster, Lulu's seafood salad, $65. Or 12 oysters, 8 jumbo shrimp, 12 clams, 1/2 lobster, tuna poke, daily sushi, king crab legs, Lulu's seafood salad, $140. Recommend drink pairing, Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut, $18.

Prohibition: 12 Gulf oysters, variety of East coast oysters, smoked oysters, lobster and green mango salad, tuna poke, shrimp cocktail, mignonette, pickled horseradish, cocktail sauce, Half order, $65; Full, $110. Recommended beverage pairing: Shrub Collins cocktail.

Reef: 6 oysters, 6 shrimp shooters, blue crab claws, kinilaw ceviche, seaweed salad, chili mango shrimp salad, migionette, cocktail sauce and mustard sauce, $49. Recommend beverage pairing: Delamotte by Salon.

Vallone's: 4 East Coast oysters, 4 jumbo Gulf shrimp, Maine baby lobster, colossal lump crabmeat, housemade remoulade, mignonette, and cocktail sauces, $95. Recommended pairings: Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut and Unibroue La Fin Du Monde.

Vic & Anthony's: 8 oz. Alaskan king crab, 4 U12 shrimp, 4 oysters on the half shell, shrimp and crab martini (3 U12 shrimp, 3 snow crab claws in kimchi slaw), 1 poached chick lobster tail, fried plaintain strips, cocktail sauce, MP (currently $92).

The seafood tower at Julep comes with a bottle of sherry.

Photo by Julie Soefer

The seafood tower at Julep comes with a bottle of sherry.

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say hey to Hypsi

Houston chef's hip new Italian restaurant now open in Heights hotel

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

A new Italian restaurant is now open in the Heights. Located within the newly opened Hotel Daphne, Hypsi marks chef Terrence Gallivan’s return to professional cooking in Houston.

Known for his time as the co-execuive chef of The Pass and Provisions and owner of ElRo Pizza and Crudo, Gallivan brings strong culinary credentials to Hypsi. Although he isn’t known explicitly for Italian fare, he has significant experience making pizza, pasts, and other Italian-inspired dishes. After closing ElRo last year, the chef says that working for Bunkhouse Hotels, the Austin-based company that operates the Daphne, had a lot of appeal.

“My wife and I always made it a point to stop at their places whenever we’re in Austin. They know how to make cool stuff,” Gallivan says.

Hypsi’s menu includes updated takes on Italian fare begins with starters such as lamb meatballs, black truffle arancini, and Caesar salad. A selection of house-made pastas include squid ink radiatori with rock shrimp, butternut squash tortellini, and lumache with vodka sauce that gets a little heat from nduja. Entree choices include a roast chicken, pork Milanese, and roasted snapper with salsa verde.

The restaurant is also open for breakfast during the week and brunch on the weekends with items such as a panatone waffle, frittata, and breakfast sandwich. Lunch will follow in January.

“We took inspiration from tradition without being traditional,” Gallivan says. Later, he adds, “For me, it’s about balance. You try to please everybody. I want my mom to enjoy herself as much as a 25-year-old foodie. It’s important to hit as many marks as you can.”

One of the restaurant’s signatures will be the mozzarella cart that rolls through its dining room. Gallivan says he’s sourcing a mix of both American and imported Italian cheeses that will rotate every week or two. The cheese is served with a range of pickled fruit and vegetables, olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, focaccia, and more. Of course, seeing a cart immediately grabs diners’ attention, making them want whatever is on offer.

“That’s the beauty of carts,” Gallivan says. “It’s a fun thing to do. I think sometimes we get a little too serious in restaurants. It’s supposed to be fun. People are here to enjoy themselves.”

All that eating and drinking takes place in a dining room that’s inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasies, according to press materials. Details include blueberry lava stone on the bar, vintage velvet chairs, and custom Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti. An outdoor patio features brick pavers, mosaic tables, and sculptures.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

news-you-can-eat openings the-heights hotels