I love fine dining, but some days I just want to eat at a casual place where good food is a sure thing. When this mood strikes, I turn to Houston’s. A delicious staple in many cities, it serves up serious bistro fare at reasonable prices and has a rockin’ bar scene, too. 

More often than not, the wait for a table is on the long side. So if you’re super hungry, pull up to the bar where the full menu is served and oversized glasses of wine arrive quickly! Lest you get too comfy, a word of warning: Watch out for the spinach and artichoke dip. Talk about indulging — you’ll eat your day’s worth of calories before your main course even hits the table. For me, it’s off limits!

Don’t fear though, there’s plenty you can eat without guilt. If I’m dining with friends, we start with the peel ‘n eat shrimp or, if we’re at a location that serves sushi, the salmon and mango roll (light rice). For my entrée, I always go with the grilled chicken salad (thinly sliced chicken with mixed greens, honey-lime vinigrette and peanut sauce, which I ask for on the side), a tuna sashimi salad (quickly seared tuna, mixed greens, avocado, mango, and cucumber), or the grilled fish sandwich (a smaller serving of the catch of the day, simply grilled, and served on a bun — I take off the top half and skip the hollandaise sauce). And for good measure, my group and I throw in one or two of the market fresh vegetables and skip the sides — they’re not worth the carb and calorie counts.

Next time you’re craving something simple but high quality, take my word for it, Houston’s is calling your name. Anything goes, so wear what you want. Just don’t forget your charm, this place is crowded — you never know who you’ll meet!


Locations:
Check out hillstone.com to find the Houston’s closest to you.