Hotel restaurants have long suffered a reputation for failing to lure diners beyond their overnight guests. For years, many of Houston’s hotel dining rooms fell short of expectations, offering little more than breakfast buffets and forgettable room-service fare. Recently, however, the city’s premier hotels have raised the bar, transforming their restaurants into chef-driven destinations with stylish, energetic dining rooms and thoughtfully crafted menus. Today, Houston’s hotel restaurants appeal just as much to locals as they do to travelers.
For Houstonians planning a staycation built around a standout meal, or visitors seeking accommodations with truly top-tier dining, this list highlights Houston hotel restaurants that are well worth the trip.
Xochi at the Marriott Marquis
Chef Hugo Ortega and his wife Tracy Vaught have built a mini empire of restaurants around Houston. Xochi, the couple’s Oaxacan concept, is on the lobby level of the Marriott Marquis in Downtown, and is known for its modern approach to Mexican cuisine. Start with a dozen wood-roasted oysters or a mole tasting showcasing four different varieties, and then move on to entrees like the braised beef cheeks in mole pastilla and goat tacos. Like its sister restaurants, Hugo’s and Urbe, Xochi features a top notch Sunday brunch buffet with live music. The restaurant’s modern design serves as a pretty backdrop for dining, but on pleasant weather days, take to the covered patio, which has prime views of Discovery Green. In an effort to be inclusive, Xochi has a dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu too. 1777 Walker St., Houston, xochihouston.com
Bloom & Bee at the Post Oak Hotel
With plush seating in rich pink hues, situated under a ceiling of blown glass blooms, the floral-themed restaurant on the lobby level of the Post Oak Hotel is a feast for the eyes. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, Bloom & Bee’s dishes are just as aesthetically pleasing. Indulge in butternut squash tortellini, or roasted filet mignon, and consider adding sushi or caviar service, before digging into desserts like the Mon Chéri, a cherry cheesecake with ginger Bavarian cream. 1600 W. Loop S., Houston, thepostoakhotel.com
Toro Toro at the Four Seasons Houston
Chef Richard Sandoval opened an outpost of his lauded Pan-Latin steakhouse on the third floor of the Four Seasons Hotel in 2021, and it remains one of the liveliest places to dine Downtown for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. A central bar anchors the space, with bar seating on one side and a ‘suviche’ counter on the other, with sushi and ceviche being prepared fresh in front of guests. For a jaw-dropping feast, try the Toro Toro churrasco, a dish large enough for three to share, with Brazilian-style wagyu picanha steak, prime ribeye, chicken cusco, and Colorado lamb chops, presented with Argentinian chimichurri, house-made barbecue sauce, and grilled shishito peppers. 1300 Lamar St., Houston, fourseasons.com
Cultivated F&B at the Lancaster Hotel
The Lancaster Hotel has been a landmark of Downtown for nearly a century, welcoming celebrity guests like opera singers, politicians, and even rodeo performers throughout its rich history. Located in the Theatre District, the hotel’s Cultivated F&B restaurant is well-suited for a business lunch or pre-theatre meal, with its white tablecloths, upholstered chairs, and elegant art-filled space. Beyond the meals offered in the restaurant, the Lancaster features one of the best afternoon tea services in the city, offered on Saturday and Sunday during two seatings. 701 Texas Ave., Houston, thelancaster.com
Monarch at Hotel ZaZa Museum District
Hotel Zaza’s Museum District location oozes glitz and glam, and its onsite restaurant, Monarch, feels particularly special. Fairy lights bedeck the covered outdoor terrace, giving the space a starry glow, and views of Mecom Fountain set the mood for a romantic evening. The menu leans New American with some Asian flair. Start with the pork belly bao buns or lamb lollipops, and then try the miso-glazed salmon or the red wine-braised shortribs. Lingering around after dinner to enjoy cocktails is a popular sentiment among Monarch diners. Continue the party with an espresso martini or pomegranate lemon drop.5701 Main St., Houston, hotelzaza.com
Tribute at the Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa
The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa is one of the most exclusive properties in Houston, and its onsite restaurant, Tribute, feels like an oasis in the heart of the city. Floor to ceiling windows inside the dining room offer ample views of the property’s picturesque grounds, and a spacious open-air front patio allow guests to dine al-fresco. For those looking to raise the bar on date night, the climate-controlled wine room is secluded and private, and comes with blankets to keep warm with while you dine. Tribute’s menu celebrates the regional influences on Houston’s culinary scene, focusing on the flavors of Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico. Highlights include smoked blue crab claws, Boudreaux’s wood-fired oysters, and entrees like boudin-stuffed quail. 111 N. Post Oak Ln., Houston, houstoniantribute.com
Sorriso at the Westin at the Woodlands Waterway
This modern Italian restaurant, located on the lobby level of the Westin at the Woodlands Waterway, features a light-filled space in which to dine and take in the area’s lush surroundings. Chef Jonathan Lestingi draws inspiration from his Italian heritage with dishes like Nonna’s meatballs served atop a bed of polenta, stracciatella bruschetta with a kiss of 25-year-old balsamic vinegar, and an indulgent 30-layer lasagna built with handmade pasta. Artisan pizzas are hard to resist, as they emerge from the restaurant’s wood-burning oven, visible to diners from the open-hearth display kitchen. The restaurant’s wine list, made up of premium vintages as well as easy-drinking varietals, has been often recognized by Wine Spectator. 2 Waterway Square Pl., The Woodlands, sorrisoitaliankitchen.com
Perseid at Hotel Saint Augustine
The latest concept from renowned chef and restaurateur, Aaron Bludorn, and director of operations, Cherif Mbodji, Perseid is open for all-day dining and weekend brunch at Hotel Saint Augustine in Montrose. The bistro’s interior has a mid-century modern aesthetic with abstract murals and stylish wood furnishings, while the patio offers views of the hotel’s serene grounds. Starters such as duck and foie gras terrine and escargot bathed in garlic butter nod to classic French influence, while dishes like crawfish sausage with Creole sauce highlight the flavors of the Gulf Coast. 4110 Loretto Dr., Houston, bunkhousehotels.com
Hypsi at Hotel Daphne
Now open in the Heights, Hypsi is the Italian-inspired all-day restaurant and lounge anchoring Bunkhouse Hotels’ newly debuted Hotel Daphne. Led by two-time James Beard nominee Terrence Gallivan, whose résumé spans Houston favorites the Pass & Provisions and Elro, the restaurant blends Italian aperitivo culture with Gulf Coast ingredients. Nods to the neighborhood’s Prohibition-era supper clubs shape the menu and the mood, from housemade pastas and a roaming tableside mozzarella cart to spritz-forward cocktails and playful signatures like a Tiramisu Milk Punch. The art-filled room, with velvet seating, an antique-mantel fireplace, and a vine-wrapped courtyard, feels like a welcoming third space for hotel guests and visitors alike. 347 W. 20th St., Houston, hypsirestaurant.com
Bar Madonna at the Marlene
More of a bar than a restaurant, Bar Madonna earns a spot on the list for its charm offering a distinctly French-leaning wine and cocktail experience that feels transportive. Located inside The Marlene in Montrose, Bar Madonna’s allure extends outdoors with its Wine Garden, a leafy courtyard designed for lingering beneath the oaks. The open-air space centers on an all-French wine list, paired with simple bites like rosemary almonds and Castelvetrano olives. Inside, the bar feels intimate and inviting, reminiscent of a friend’s living room, with all eyes drawn to a striking ten-foot Virgin Mary painting. With weekly programming like Jazz Sundays and rotating Monday drink specials, Bar Madonna gives Houstonians plenty of reason to drop in, hotel reservation or not. 109 Stratford St., Houston, themarlene.com/bar-madonna
