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Where to eat on Valentine's Day

More than 20 Houston restaurants serving romantic Valentine's Day meals

Holly Beretto
Jan 31, 2025 | 12:05 pm

Love is in the air across the city. Whether couples are looking for romance and fun, or gal pals are seeking a spot for a Galentine's bash, restaurants all over Houston have something for everyone celebrating this day dedicated to love.

Leo's River Oaks Valentine's Day

Photo by Andrew Hemingway

Enjoy a decadent, five-course meal at Leo's River Oaks.

Artisans
Give Valentine’s Day a French flair at this Galleria-area spot. The restaurant’s French Kiss Menu includes dishes like foie gras torchon au cognac, beef Wellington, fromage chaud et sa micro-pousses salade, and un gâteau Napolitain glace à la pistache. The cost is $189 per person, and the menu is available from 5 to 10 p.m. Seating is limited. Book on Open Table or by calling 713-529-9111.

Aya Sushi
Celebrating Valentine's Day with the West University restaurant’s True Love Omakase experience. Chef Yoshi’s menu includes 20 different bite plates for two. Bottles of wine or sake are 50 percent off. The cost for dinner is $298.00 for two or $149 per person. A $50 deposit per person to secure reservations. Refunds can be made only if the reservation is cancelled 24 hours to the reservation time. Reserve online.

Chez Nous
Head to the intimate Humble restaurant for “A Culinary Poem,” a three-course dinner with a trio of choices for each course. Selections include shrimp and lobster chowder, a berry salad, steamed flounder, roasted Berkshire pork loin, and triple chocolate cheesecake. The cost is $95 per person, and dinner is available on Friday, February 14 and Saturday,February 15. The full menu and reservation details are on the restaurant’s website.

Doves
The Midtown spot offers Valentine’s Day deals from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. The dinner package is $175 and includes a rose and a bottle of wine, along with two entrees and a dessert. Diners can select from options like Asian smokehouse double-cut pork chop, Szechuan salmon with stir-fry vegetables, Opelousas pasta, and other Asian-inspired fare. Reserve online.

Guard and Grace
From Thursday, February 13 to Saturday, February 15, enjoy a thoughtfully curated special menu designed for two to share. Selections include crispy Gulf oysters, duck nuggets with a trio of dipping sauces, and a Wagyu Filet Flight of three four-ounce filets in a variety of preparations. A la carte selections are also available. Reserve online at Open Table.

Haywire
Head to this Shadow Oaks-area restaurant along I-10 and share a 32-ounce Porterhouse steak for two. It’s accompanied by creamy crab mac and cheese, grilled broccolini, and a zesty chimichurri with roasted garlic. The cost is $125 and the special is available from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Reserve online.

Hidden Omakase
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an intimate candlelight dinner inspired by the classic Disney Lady & The Tramp. A special shareable 15-course menu crafted by chef Marcos Juarez will be available on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14. Dinner highlights include four specialty oysters per couple, a shareable house made pasta, a sweet takeaway dessert, and complimentary wine. The cost is $225 per couple. Two seatings are available at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Book reservations through resy.com.

Hugo’s
The iconic Montrose Mexican spot helmed by chef Hugo Ortega has a special four-course couples menu available from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Share pan-fried potato tacos, then select from items such as sliced yellowtail; braised short rib; pan-seared scallops; and grilled lamb chops. The cost is $120 per couple. See the menu and make reservations online.

JŪN
For Valentine's Day, the Heights restaurant is serving a four-course prix fixe menu that's yet to be revealed. The cost is $110 per person, with the option to add a $55 wine pairing. Reservations can be made at Open Table.

Late August
Chris Williams' Michelin-recommended Midtown restaurant will serve a three-course, $85 prix fixe menu. Selections include Gulf oysters, tomato salad, gumbo, strip loin, roasted fish, chile relleno, and a dessert for two. Add a champagne ($35), wine ($45), or cocktail pairing ($45). Available from Thursday, February 13 until Saturday, February 15, reservations are available online.

Le Jardinier
Dinner at the Michelin-starred French restaurant is already sold out, but diners still have the options of a four-course lunch menu. Priced at $120 per person, the choices include chestnut ricotta agnolotti, poached Maine lobster, and choice of dessert. Make reservations online.

Leo’s River Oaks
The neighborhood’s newest restaurant offers an exclusive five-course chef’s tasting menu, featuring indulgent dishes such as an East Coast oyster trio, lobster ravioli, and a chocolate tart. The cost is $199 per person or $375 per couple, and is available Thursday, February 13 through Monday, February 17. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online.

The Marigold Club
Revel in romance with the Mayfair-inspired restaurant’s selection of special menu items for Valentine's Day. Options include caviar service, Duck Wellington, a raw bar, and an expertly curated wine collection. Make reservations on Open Table.

Musaafer
The Indian restaurant has a Kama Sutra-inspired, six-course Valentine’s Day dinner. Each course is named for a different hormone, and diners will scratch off a scratch-and-sniff sticker that reveals the sexual position which releases that hormone. Dinner selections include beetroot with Faggotini cream cheese; sea bass or trumpet mushroom tikka; and a lotus dessert of Opalys 33 percent dark chocolate. The cost is $165 per person, and reservations can be made on Open Table.

Mutiny Wine Room
Those looking for something elegant and approachable, whether spending the holiday with friends or lovers, will appreciate Mutiny’s three-course dinner, available from Friday, February 14 through Sunday, February 16. Choose from dishes like fresh East Coast oysters with a Thai twist, house-smoked Peking duck breast served with ginger fried rice, and a decadent chocolate and red wine pot de crème. The cost is $75 per person and reservations are available between 4-9 pm. The full menu and reservation details are online.

Októ
The Mediterranean restaurant in the Montrose Collective has two specials for Valentine’s Day. Diners can opt for squid ink pasta topped with fresh crab meat and Israeli caviar for $60, or surf and turf with a 10-ounce steak and four-ounce lobster tail for $130 that’s perfect for sharing. Beluga vodka shots with caviar are also on the main menu for the holiday, along with a couple of specialty cocktails. All prices are a la carte. Reservations can be made online.

Perry’s
All locations of the popular steakhouse are offering a Valentine’s Candlelight Dinner for Two. Love is in the air with this menu. Tables will be decorated with rose petals and illuminated by candlelight. Dinner begins with a choice of individual salad, followed by filet mignon, lobster tails, and sides for two. It finishes with a half-dozen chocolate-dipped strawberry kisses. The menu is available from Tuesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16 and the cost is $185 per couple, Reserve online.

Picos
On Valentine’s Day, Picos has a mariachi band serenading couples, photographers from 6-9 pm, and backdrops for photo ops. There’s also a specialty menu with dishes including charbroiled oysters, lambchops, tomahawk for two, and concha bread pudding, and a shaker margarita to share. All prices are a la carte. The Valentine’s menu is available from February 13 through the 16. Make reservations online.

Roma
The cozy Rice Village Italian spot offers a three-course dinner on Friday, February 14 that includes a choice of appetizer, entree, dessert. Options include Caesar salad, caprese salad, spaghetti with fresh vegetables, chicken breast with lemon and capers, a limoncello tart, and tiramisu. The cost is $59 per person. Reservations are available between 4-10 pm and can be made online.

Rosie Cannonball
The restaurant’s Abba-inspired Mama Mia Valentine’s Day dinner for two is a pre-fixe including a shared Caesar salad, choice of a heart-shaped pizza or Focaccia di Recco, chicken parmesan or truffled white lasagna, and a choice of dessert. Expect red-and-white checkered tablecloths and a real red sauce vibe. The cost is $85 per person and the menu is available on February 13 and 14. Make reservations via Open Table.

Sixty Vines
Grab gal pals and head to any of the wine bar’s locations on February 13 for the Galentine’s Day party. The event includes a featured rosé flight, a specialty No Strings Spritz cocktail, and a Carajillo Tasting Station. Additional pop-ups may include vendors such as a jewelry bar, build-your-own bouquet station, and a friendship bracelet kit. Make reservations online.

State of Grace
Enjoy a four-course dinner including selections such as beef tartare, redfish on the half shell, lasagnette with black winter truffle, and more. The cost is for $145 per person, and wine pairings are available for an additional $65 or $125. Reserve online.

Tony’s
Go with old-school elegance on Valentine’s Day with the restaurant’s three-course dinner. Select from items such as long-stem Roman artichoke; burrata Pugliese; butternut squash-filled pasta; fettuccine with jumbo lump crab; branzino; and beef filet with black truffle butter. The first seating is from 5-7 pm and costs $120 per person. The second seating is from 7:45-11 pm and is $155 per person. Reservations are a must. See the full menu and reserve online.

Urbe
The Mexican street food kitchen has a special Valentine’s Day three-course menu, available every evening from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Selections include corn soup, chipotle adobo shrimp, Yucatan-style slow-cooked pork, and heart-shaped churros. The cost is $85 per couple. An optional beverage pairing is an additional $33. See the full menu and reserve online.

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Top restaurant stories of 2025

Major closures, celeb sightings, more top Houston restaurant news 2025

Eric Sandler
Dec 26, 2025 | 1:15 pm
Austin Simmons Charolais restaurant headshot
Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.

Editor’s note: Readers turn to CultureMap to stay informed on all the latest Houston restaurant news, but some stories grab more people’s attention than others. As always, closings rank highly, taking seven of the 10 places on this list. What’s notable is that the closings included both restaurants open for more than 25 years as well as a steakhouse that closed in less than two years. While the results are mostly doom-and-gloom, we found joy in one of America’s most famous former athletes surprising the diners at popular Houston restaurant — and leaving one lucky waiter a tip worth celebrating.

Here are the 10 most-read CultureMap restaurant and bar stories of 2025.

1. Houston chef breaks his silence on sudden exit from Woodlands restaurant. Speaking exclusively to CultureMap, chef Austin Simmons explained the reasons for his surprising departure from Tris, including a dispute with the restaurant’s owner over interior renovations. After taking some time to focus on his Chef & Rancher beef company, Simmons announced in September that he’ll open Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons in the Hughes Landing district. Scheduled to open in April, the restaurant will also have a companion butcher shop that sells meat from Chef & Rancher.

2. Pioneering Houston Mexican restaurant will shutter after 44 years. Chef Arnaldo Richards announced his intention to close his Mexican restaurant Picos. He cited a number of factors, including a decline in business and the death of his brother Alex. Due to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from Houstonians, Picos extended its closing until early 2026.

3. Houston restaurant served Beyoncé a Southern feast for her first meal in H-Town. When Beyoncé Knowles-Carter returned to Houston for two sold-out shows at NRG Stadium, she and her family turned to downtown restaurant Taste Kitchen + Bar for a Southern feast. The epic spread included jerk lamb chops with deep-fried lobster, smothered chicken with collard greens, and the restaurant’s signature chicken and waffles. Later that weekend, Taste chef-owner Don Bowie shared a photo with Jay-Z.

4. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. The NBA Hall-of-Famer, media personality, and restaurateur dined at Ninfa’s Uptown in July. Sitting in the main dining room, he posed for pictures with both fans and the restaurant’s staff. After dining on crispy tacos, he left his server a very generous tip.

5. James Harden's Houston restaurant locked out over $2.2 million in unpaid rent. The former Houston Rocket’s tenure as a restaurant owner came to an abrupt end in September, when the building’s landlord locked out Thirteen for non-payment of rent. Harden opened Thirteen in 2021, shortly after he left the Rockets for the Brooklyn Nets. In July, he signed a two-year, $81.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.

6. Award-winning Houston steakhouse will close after only 2 years. Although it has achieved success and spots in the Michelin Guide with both Candente and The Pit Room, Sambrooks Hospitality couldn’t find an audience for Andiron, its live fire steakhouse in Montrose. Even after pivoting to a more affordable menu, Andiron wasn’t financially viable. New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre claimed the space for Casa Kenji, a new seafood restaurant that blends Japanese and Latin influences.

7. Surprise chef resignation shutters The Woodlands' best restaurant. Chef Austin Simmons took two spots in this year’s top 10. The sudden closure of Tris, a fine dining steakhouse that drew celebrities such as Joe Rogan, shocked the Houston community. Bari Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in River Oaks District, will open its second location in the space in early 2026.

8. Top-rated Houston restaurant will close after 8 years in Montrose. Chef Ryan Lachaine cited the increased costs of operating a restaurant when he announced he would close Riel at the end of August. Food enthusiasts and hospitality workers flooded the restaurant for one final meal of caviar tots, pierogies, and other fan favorites. Lachaine found a new position as the executive chef of River Oaks restaurants State of Grace.

9. Beloved Houston Italian restaurant will close after 27 years in Montrose. Surely one of this year’s saddest closures is Paulie’s, the Italian restaurant in Montrose, and its companion wine bar Camerata. Owner Paul Petronella said he was unable to agree on lease terms with the building’s landlord. Since the announcement, fans have lined up for one last meal of pastas, salads, and decorated shortbread cookies.

10. Meet the men behind Houston's most under-the-radar Italian restaurant. In this episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Mimo owners Mike Sammons and chef Fernando Rios share how working together at Da Marco became the basis of a friendship and business partnership. In addition to discussing their decision to open Mimo and how it has achieved success, the episode also includes insights from both men on Marco Wiles, the pioneering Houston chef and restaurateur behind Da Marco, Vinoteca Poscol, and the late, lamented Dolce Vita pizzeria.

Austin Simmons Charolais restaurant headshot
Courtesy of Chef Austin Simmons
Austin Simmons is opening Charolais by Chef Austin Simmons.
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