Our 2013 Best of Houston® winners have been announced, but in many cases picking the best item in any category was no easy task. In order to show off all the culinary greatness Houston has to offer, we'll be rounding up the "rest of the best" in some of our favorite categories during the next several months. Bon appétit!
It's 2:15 in the morning. The bar has just closed, and you know you're going to be in trouble tomorrow unless you find somewhere with food that will help soak up all the booze you inadvertently gladly consumed. Where do you go?
In the past, we've rounded up the best late-night restaurants in Houston, but this year, we're taking it a step further. We're compiling a list of the best restaurants that stay open even after the bars have closed. You think midnight is late? Amateur. Some of these restaurants are open until 4 a.m. or, better yet, 24 hours.
And the best thing about this list? These eateries are all over town. No matter where you find yourself hungry in the middle of the night, there's bound to be a surefire spot nearby, ready and waiting to serve up some hangover-healing grub.
10. Waffle House What is there left to say about Waffle House that hasn't already been said? It's open 24 hours, around the clock. The events that go down there after hours are the stuff of legends. People from all walks of life, all neighborhoods, all ethnicities and in varying degrees of undress make their way into WaHo (as I affectionately call it) after lesser establishments close for the evening. I've been to WaHo at 4 a.m. and found a 30-minute wait for a table; that's how popular the purveyor of mediocre waffles and awesome hash browns is in the middle of the night. Don't be fooled by the late hour. It's a tight space, and the efficient servers aim to get you in and out in as short a time as possible.
9.Whataburger/Taco Cabana My two favorite fast-food restaurants are grouped together because that is how I recall visiting them late at night in college in San Antonio. There was a Taco C on the way home from pretty much anywhere (the original Taco C, I might add), and a Whataburger down the street another mile or so in the direction of my house. Inevitably, someone in the group would want queso and someone else would want fries. And then someone would decide that he wanted fries and queso and a milkshake and a quesadilla. Trust me, it's a great combo at 3:15 a.m. I would also swear by Taco C queso and tortillas as guaranteed hangover killers.
8. Katz's Deli If you're in the mood for something a little more upscale and...um...kosher than fast food, give Katz's a try. The sign outside is true: Katz's "never kloses." So if you're hungry, you can get bagels and lox or a corned beef and cabbage sandwich any time, day or night. In addition to truly massive sandwiches, Katz's offers great comfort food like matzoh ball soup, spaghetti and meatballs and breakfast served all day and night. Oh, and if you're feeling truly adventuresome, check out the dessert case. "World's tallest 7-layer chocolate cake"? Don't mind if I do.
