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Traveling with a special someone or planning a date night full of Southern charm? These romantic restaurants in Houston are just what you need to send sparks flying.
On this list, we’re giving you an inside look at 17 of the most romantic restaurants in Houston, including all those need-to-know details like price range, popular dishes, and the unique atmosphere that sets these dining destinations apart.
Texas’ biggest city is overflowing with award-winning restaurants that dish up everything from elevated American cuisine to French delicacies. So slip into something fancy and pick your perfect spot for a Houston date night!
17 Most Romantic Restaurants in Houston, TX
There are lots of things to do in Houston, but if you’re traveling as a couple, you have to spend at least one night out at one of the ultimate romantic restaurants in Houston. Keep reading to see alllll the options!
Brenner’s on the Bayou
$$$ | Website | (713) 868-4444
A visit to Brenner’s on the Bayou will make you forget you’re in the midst of a major city.
Leave the urban bustle behind and step into sprawling landscapes that feature lush greenery, a tumbling waterfall, and a chic, intimate outdoor patio.
With a two-story dining room full of windows looking out on the surrounding nature, there’s not a bad view in the house.
For your perfect meal, select from a decadent menu of steaks and seafood dishes, then finish the evening with one of their house soufflés.
The filet mignon and lobster bisque come highly recommended, and Brenner’s eclectic wine list has something for every palate.
Mastro’s
$$$$ | Website | (713) 993-2500
If you’re searching for classic luxury and an electric atmosphere, look no further than Mastro’s, a real show-stopping restaurant.
This award-winning Houston steakhouse is known for its excellent service, hand-crafted cocktails, and live entertainment at the bar.
The dining room is decked out in carefully laid tables, chandeliers, and a stunning water feature, but you’ll have trouble focusing on anything other than the exquisite food.
Start things off with an appetizer of fresh oysters or crab cakes, choose from steaks, seafood, sushi, soups, and salads for the main course, then wrap up the night with their beloved warm cinnamon pecan butter cake.
This is a fancy restaurant, so a strict upscale dress code is enforced—leave the athleisure and tank tops at home.
Z on 23
$S | Website | (346) 330-3446
What better place to catch a stunning Houston sunset than at one of the city’s trendiest rooftop bars? Z on 23 serves up craft cocktails and light bites against the backdrop of downtown.
Come for the beautiful views of the skyline and photo ops galore, but stay for the delicious food.
You’ll find an elevated American menu featuring everything from charcuterie boards to brisket sliders.
This is a great spot to score slightly lower prices without skimping on service or atmosphere.
Read next: Best Rooftop Restaurants in Houston
Rainbow Lodge
$$$ | Website | (713) 861-8666
With a name like that and a tagline of “Sophisticated, not stuffy,” it’s hard not to fall in love with Rainbow Lounge.
This “comfortable-yet-refined” restaurant truly embraces its Texan roots, set inside a century-old log cabin and boasting a menu of steaks, seafood, like the classic rainbow trout with lump crab, and wild game such as elk, bison, pheasant, antelope, and quail.
Order the wild game plate to share if you want to sample some of the more unique meats on offer and don’t forget to finish the night with a classic bread pudding.
The rustic, cozy interiors of this personality-packed spot make Rainbow Lodge the gold standard for a romantic dinner in Houston.
Etoile Cuisine et Bar
$$$ | Website | (832) 668-5808
Taking a turn from the Southern comforts of the previous spot, we head now to the go-to destination for Francophiles and food lovers of all kinds.
Etoile Cuisine et Bar blends farmhouse-inspired interiors with a modern menu filled with French meals to create a fresh but unpretentious upscale dining experience.
As you step into the dining room, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d wandered straight into Paris.
Once seated in this French restaurant, indulge in the highly-recommended escargot, ravioli, or lobster bisque and definitely save room for dessert! They dish up a range of decadent cakes, tarts, and other classic dishes.
Vic and Anthony’s Steakhouse
$$$$ | Website | (713) 228-1111
Clearly, there is no shortage of steakhouses in Houston. Yet Vic and Anthony’s might just come out on top, voted as Best Steakhouse in Houston by the Houston Press Readers’ Choice 2021.
You can’t really go wrong with anything you order, but the lobster mac and cheese, crab cakes, filet mignon, and bread pudding are crowd favorites.
For drinks, choose from an extensive wine list sourced from all over the world, from France to Argentina to New Zealand.
They enforce a business casual dress code, so no shorts are allowed.
Uchi
$$$$ | Website | (713) 522-4808
A list of romantic restaurants in Houston wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Uchi, a long-running favorite of the foodie world and a staple for fine dining in Texas.
With locations all across the state and more opening up around the country, Uchi has a list of notable awards and achievements that runs for pages.
Their highly-acclaimed modern Japanese menu features a variety of seafood and sushi dishes.
Although you’re welcome to order for yourself, a popular option is “omakase,” a Japanese phrase that translates to “I leave it up to you.”
You’ll likely have to book in advance to enjoy this curated chef’s tasting menu, but we hear it’s worth every penny.
Boheme
$$ | Website | (713) 529-1099
Want to skip the prim and proper dining rooms in favor of a much more relaxed night out?
Bar Boheme is a buzzy downtown spot that injects some serious flavor into your dinner for two (both with the food and the atmosphere).
The globe-trotting menu showcases dishes inspired by cuisines all around the world, from their famous Vietnamese fries to delicious, handcrafted Korean Barbacoa pizza.
Their happy hour runs weekdays 4-7 PM and features great deals on wine, beer, and frozen cocktails.
Before or after your meal, you can wander through the surrounding 6,000 square foot garden and admire Shona stone sculptures shipped in from Zimbabwe.
Brennan’s of Houston
$$$ | Website | (713) 522-9711
Ready to really wow your date? Brennan’s of Houston delivers, with a gorgeous New Orleans-style dining room and a mastery of mouth-watering Creole flavors.
This iconic spot opened in 1967 and has been widely recognized as one of the best restaurants in both the state and the country ever since.
The staff’s Southern hospitality will make you feel instantly at home, while the award-winning menu will keep you coming back for course after course.
Standouts include the turtle soup, shrimp and grits, and bananas foster. In true New Orleans fashion, you have to end your romantic meal with a plate of beignets.
They enforce a business casual dress code, and the gentlemen are encouraged to wear jackets.
Sorrento Ristorante
$$$ | Website | (713) 527-0609
This is a tried-and-true classic when it comes to romantic restaurants in Houston, especially for those who love Italian food.
Sorrento is quaint and quintessentially romantic, with candlelit tables, muraled walls, white tablecloths, and live piano providing the perfect backdrop for an intimate night out.
Before you even get started on your main course, the extensive bread basket will have you drooling. But make sure to save room in your stomach!
Among the highlights of their incredible menu with Italian dishes are filet mignon, wild mushroom ravioli, and butternut squash soup. For dessert, try their panna cotta, gelato, or tiramisu.
Backstreet Café
$$ | Website | (713) 521-2239
Plenty of romantic restaurants in Houston boast fabulous atmospheres, but the city’s first al fresco restaurant ups the ante and makes the most of the area’s balmy weather.
The sun-soaked balcony is ultra charming with its carefully pruned greenery and bubbling fountain.
If you prefer to eat indoors, choose from several dining rooms tucked inside Backstreet’s cozy 1930s-era house.
And that’s before you even get to the food! Their impressive menu brings together Southern, Cajun, Creole, Hispanic, and Asian influences to create an award-winning menu with star dishes like crab cakes, shrimp and grits, and plenty of vegetarian options (try the pan-seared cauliflower steak).
Meanwhile, the wine list is extensive to say the least, with a wide variety of both homegrown and international bottles of wine.
Musaafer
$$$$ | Website | (713) 242-8087
Lots of romantic restaurants in Houston serve more traditional options like Italian cuisine and fine steaks, but opt for something different (and arguably more delicious) with a reservation at this eclectic eatery.
Musaafer’s features high-concept Indian dishes and excellent wine pairings, plus some of the most stunning interiors in the city.
The butter chicken and lamb chops come highly recommended, and you can’t go wrong with unique appetizers like sensory chaat and squash cheela.
From the stylish plating to the high ceilings and scalloped arches, you’ll have a hard time tearing your eyes away from all the beauty this place has to offer.
BCN Taste & Tradition
$$$ | Website | (832) 834-3411
Step inside a 1920s-era Victorian home and see instantly why BCN Taste & Tradition is one of the best date night restaurants in Houston.
Updated, all-white interiors and museum-worthy paintings set the mood, while dishes drawing on a mix of traditional and modern Spanish cuisine keep the evening interesting.
In true Spanish style, you should definitely order several appetizers to split. The poached quail eggs, Spanish Ibérico ham, and crispy baby artichokes are all crowd favorites. They even offer a seasonal vegan menu!
La Lucha
$$ | Website | (713) 955-4765
Wondering just how romantic La Lucha gets? Well, it has cushy leather love seats, amber lights, and food is superb!
Lu Lucha is located in the former San Jacinto Inn, founded in 1917 as a small family-operated restaurant.
In 2017, after being closed for 30 years, the restaurant was opened again with its original recipes, but with a few tweaks, and today it offers Gulf gems and chicken dinners.
La Lucha is the sister restaurant of beloved River Oaks oyster bar State of Grace. It is located in the Heights, and it’s classy but hip just like its neighborhood.
Savoir
$$ | Website | (346) 802-2842
Whatever time of year you visit Houston, Savoir is always at the top of its game.
With chef-driven menus, from-scratch cooking, and local, seasonal ingredients, you don’t just get a meal here–you get an experience.
The industrial-chic interiors will make you feel like true Southern belles and gentlemen, complete with exposed brick walls, leafy chandeliers, and food as photo-worthy as the venue.
The bevy of New American dishes includes can’t-go-wrong selections of soup, salad, pizzas, pastas, and more.
For date night drinks, make the impossible choice between craft cocktails, top-shelf spirits, or a glass from one of the city’s most exceptional wine lists.
Potente
$$$ | Website | (713) 237-1515
Potente and romance? These two go together like bread and butter. Modern, swanky, and committed to the highest standards of taste, this Italian spot is a master of fine dining.
Every dish is made from locally sourced ingredients and tended to by award-winning chefs, from their wild-caught seafood selections to USDA steaks to produce hand-picked at the Houston Farmers Markets.
The black truffle pasta is a must-try (it was even voted “One of the Best Pastas in the Country” by the Food Network in 2020).
You should also snag at least one glass from the restaurant’s boutique wine list, or show up early for happy hour, weekdays from 5-7 PM.
Nobie’s
$$$ | Website | (346) 319-5919
Calling all cool kids! We wrap up our list of romantic restaurants in Houston with Nobie’s, a lively downtown spot with an outdoor patio and a classic vinyl soundtrack.
Try the Texas tartare or ricotta-stuffed dates to kick things off, then settle into your main course with a mouth-watering homemade pasta or a vegetarian dish like brown butter cauliflower or cacio e pepe.
New American dishes, cocktails, and a long list of exceptional wine bottles, whiskies, and craft beers are all waiting to be enjoyed, but it’s the romantic atmosphere that really takes the cake.
Nobie’s itself says it best: “We like to think of the dining room as a house party and we are super excited for you to join us in our living room!”
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