Say what you will about Yelp but the community-driven app sure has good things to say about Houston. Throughout the year, Yelp regularly publishes various listicles highlighting the best restaurants in the country – from sandwich shops to taco joints, and more.
Most recently, Yelp published its Top 100 U.S. Restaurants 2026 article. Dominating this year’s list is Houston, taking up seven spots on the list, including one ranked the second best restaurant in the country.
As described in the article, Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants 2026 is a showcase of the highest Yelp-community-reviewed restaurants, cafes, food halls, and fast-casual spots in the nation. The article also points out numerous food trends emerging from this past year. Such include cozy dining experiences or “grandma-core” as put by the article, as well as diners opting for elevated comfort foods.
With the highest amount of restaurants on the list, Houston restaurants secured seven spots on Yelp’s top 100 list. The highest-ranking Houston restaurant is Taste of Texas. Ranked as the second best restaurant in the U.S. per Yelp, Taste of Texas is a family-run restaurant that’s been in operation for nearly half a century.
At the forefront of the Houston institution are its hand-selected Certified Angus Beef steaks, highly tuned to trim and aging specifications. Featured dishes, as noted by the Yelp write-up, are the 6-oz filet with bearnaise sauce (bacon-wrapped at request) and 16-oz ribeye with garlic butter.
The restaurant also houses a fascinating showcase of historic Texas artifacts – its crown jewel being chapel doors from the Alamo. The restaurant also regularly hosts school field trips.
The six other Houston restaurants featured on Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants 2026 list are as follows:
- Xiaolong Dumpling (43)
- Aga’s Restaurant & Catering (50)
- Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House (55)
- The Ginger Mule (63)
- Shabu En (69)
- The Chef’s Table (73)
Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio’s Comfort Cafe scored a No. 5 spot on the list. Other Texas restaurants featured include:
- Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar, Fort Worth (36)
- Gold Spoon, Carrollton (37)
- Taqueria De Diez, Austin (47)
- Hutchins BBQ, Frisco (49)
- Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy, San Antonio (51)
- Sushi Yume, Round Rock (57)
- Edmond’s Burgers & More, Plano (59)
- Whip My Soul, Austin (62)
- Bird Bird Biscuit, Austin (66)
The best restaurant in the U.S. according to Yelp is Ci Siamo in New York, New York. See the full article here.