A total of 250 restaurants. Five weeks. Tons of dining deals. Yes, it's time once again for Houston Restaurant Weeks, returning to town from August 1 through September 4, in an effort to raise a whole lot of money for the Houston Food Bank. Last year Houston Restaurant Weeks was able to raise more than $2 million, which is pretty astounding. Needless to say, it's a great cause.

If you're the type of person looking to try that splurge restaurant that's been just out of reach all year, now is the time. In fact, the deals abound so much, it can be downright difficult to decide where you want to go. The Houston Press has perused the menus of $20 lunches, $22 brunches, and $35 and $45 dinners, all of which are two or three courses (some with amuse-bouches as well), to find the best bets.

Here are the HRW seats to reserve now.

$45 Dinners

Xochi, 1777 Walker

Without a doubt, Xochi is one of the best restaurants to hit up during Houston Restaurant Weeks. It's one of the top restaurants to open in Houston this year, and chef Hugo Ortega finally took home the 2017 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest as well. On top of that, the HRW menus perfectly capture everything this new Mexican hot spot does so well. A mole-focused menu boasts both Gulf shrimp with green mole and duck confit enchiladas with mole negro. The vegetarian/vegan menu is a beauty with a squash blossom mole and compressed melon salad. Plus, Mexican wine- and mezcal-focused menus both rock the restaurant's signature queso de cincho with (or without) grasshoppers. That being said, you'll definitely want to do the suggested wine and cocktail pairings for an additional charge of $27 or $28.


B&B Butchers, 1814 Washington

Numerous options abound to build your own dinner at this stylish destination for steak, with indulgent items that include brisket ravioli, meatballs, a chicken fried pork chop, New York cheesecake, and, oh yeah, red meat.   You can go totally conventional, starting the meal off with a Caesar or wedge and moving into a ten-ounce Roquefort-crusted filet in au poivre sauce and then some chocolate cake. Or go for broke with supplements including an 18-ounce Prime bone-in NY Strip (with a $25 upcharge) that you can lather in truffle butter for $4 extra or order up "carpetbagger" style with a fried oyster and blue cheese crumbles on top for $12 more.