As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right this minute?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which restaurants have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Houston businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are on a hot streak this winter.
Kingwood Taco Shop
Open since May, this breakfast and brunch spot, which offers tacos and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.6 percent over the past month, but Kingwood Taco Shop saw a 22 percent increase, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 180 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Vibrant has seen a 19 percent increase in reviews, and Dandelion Cafe and Piggy's Kitchen & Bar have seen 6.3 and 9 percent increases, respectively.
Located at 2510 Mills Branch Drive, Suite 120, in Kingwood Area, Kingwood Taco Shop offers all tacos, all the time. Breakfast options include potato and eggs, squash and corn, pork skins and more. For lunch, the eatery offers grilled chicken, red pork, beef fajita or, if you get there at just the right time, "whatever is leftover from breakfast." (Here's the full menu.)
Bowl & Barrel
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Memorial's Bowl & Barrel, the bar and bowling and New American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.6 percent over the past month, Bowl & Barrel bagged an 11.4 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 3.0 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on Houston's New American scene: BCK Kitchen & Cocktail Adventures has seen a 10.5 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 797 Sorella Court, Suite 118, since 2016, Bowl & Barrel offers small bites, meats, pizza and dessert. Not that hungry? Grab the tomato caprese skewers, stacked with fresh mozzarella, Italian ham, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze and fresh basil. Bowling with a crowd? Try the Butch Shop, which includes four cured hams, sliced baguettes, house mustard and fruit chutney. Don't forget dessert—the cotton candy is made in house. (Check out the entire menu here.)
Izakaya Hi
Eldridge / West Oaks's Izakaya Hi is also making waves. Open since July at 12637 Westheimer Road, Suite 140, the sushi bar, izakaya and karaoke spot has seen a 13.8 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 3.9 percent for all businesses tagged "Sushi Bars" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 320 percent.
Izakaya Hi has a large menu offering appetizers, sushi, noodles and sandwiches. The sharables include edamame, fried Brussels sprouts, pork cutlets and more. On the main menu, the specialty rolls include the Angry Bird, with fried avocado and jalapeño, topped with spicy tuna and tempura flakes, or the Houstonian, a deep fried roll with baked assorted fish topped with layers of avocado. The spot also has a full service catering and events menu. (Here's the entire menu.)
Over the past month, it's maintained a strong 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Shell Shack
Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park's Shell Shack is the city's buzziest seafood spot by the numbers.
The sports bar and traditional American spot, which offers seafood and more and opened at 2412 Washington Ave. in August, increased its review count by 13.3 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 2.4 percent for the Yelp category "Seafood."
This is the seventh Shell Shack location in Texas. The spot offers sides, salads, oysters, shrimp and crabs.
The signature boil lets diners pick a flavor, a spice level and sides, all served in Shell Shack’s signature infused wet marinade. Platters with names like the Boss, the VIP, Date Night and Heavyweight include various combinations of crab, shrimp and sides. (Take a gander at the menu here.)
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken
Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park's well-established Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken is currently on the upswing in the Southern category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Southern" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 3.6 percent over the past month, this chicken shop and Southern spot, which offers comfort food and more, increased its by 10.2 percent—and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Review counts increased by more than 170 percent on a month-to-month basis.
This franchise has locations all over the country, but the restaurant at 1815 Washington Ave. has only been open for business since last May.
This spot serves fresh, hormone-free chicken—your choice of breast, thigh, tender, leg or wing—that's fried in peanut oil. In addition to chicken, the menu includes starters like fried green tomatoes, and sides such as seasoned fries or mac and cheese. (See the full menu here.)
