Want the dirt on Houston's most talked-about local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which eateries 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 extra cool this winter.
B.B. Lemon
Open since November, this gastropub and New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.8 percent over the past month, but B.B. Lemon saw a 79.4 percent increase, maintaining a solid four-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the New American category: Bowl & Barrel has seen a 12.5 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 1809 Washington Ave. in the Sixth Ward, B.B. Lemon offers American fare like New England clam chowder, fish & chips and Cajun chicken with mixed greens. For dessert, customers can delve into its banana pudding, brownie a la mode and more.
Rhotey Rotisserie
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Mid West's Rhotey Rotisserie, the sandwich spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 1.8 percent over the past month, Rhotey Rotisserie bagged a 24.7 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a terrific five-star rating.
Open at 9296 Westheimer, Suite 132, since August, Rhotey Rotisserie offers an array of burger-like rotisserie sandwiches. The artisan eats include the sweet and spicy feta chicken sandwich with rotisserie chicken, chipotle aioli, caramelized onions, feta cheese, crispy chicken skin, peppadew peppers and arugula served on a brioche bun; the triple pepper beef sandwich with rotisserie Angus beef, honey mustard, cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers, jalapeños, peppadew peppers and tomato on pretzel bread; and more. And this spot is versatile—any sandwich can also be served as a salad.
The Toasted Yolk Cafe
Mid West's The Toasted Yolk Cafe is also making waves. Open since September at 2711 Fountain View Drive, Suite A, the franchise breakfast and lunch spot has seen a 31.2 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.7 percent for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Over the past month, it's maintained a healthy four-star rating among Yelpers.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Houston's breakfast and brunch category: Piggy's Kitchen & Bar has seen a 10.2 percent increase in reviews, and Vibrant and Dandelion Cafe have seen 19.2 and 6.8 percent increases, respectively.
The Toasted Yolk Cafe offers all-day breakfast and lunch that's made from scratch with fresh ingredients. The menu features breakfast selections like the Double Decker omelette, a four-egg omelette with sausage, bacon, ham, jalapeños, onions, tomatoes and cheddar cheese; churro-style doughnuts covered in cinnamon and sugar and served with a caramel dipping sauce; and the Cowboy Scramble, a three-egg scramble with bacon, sausage, ham, onions and country sausage gravy.
For lunch, customers may feast on American favorites like the french dip sandwich with sliced prime rib, horseradish sauce and Swiss cheese, served on a French roll. (Take a look at the full menu here.)
Krab Kingz Seafood
Greater Inwood's Krab Kingz Seafood is the city's buzziest seafood spot by the numbers.
The seafood spot, which opened at 6600 Antoine Drive in 2016, increased its review count by 11.3 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 2.6 percent for the Yelp category "Seafood." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 3.2 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
This location of the Krab Kingz Seafood franchise offers snow crab, shrimp, chicken and fried fish boxes, alongside classics like its seafood gumbo, shrimp po'boy and blackened salmon. (View the full menu here.)
The '401
The popular The '401 is currently on the upswing in the traditional American category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 3.8 percent over the past month, this gastropub and traditional American and Mediterranean spot increased its by 21 percent—and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 300 percent on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 6700 Ferris St., Suite 150, since last May, the business offers a spacious dining area where customers can dig into tasty snacks like its Parmesan-roasted cauliflower and the baked goat cheese-toasted French baguette, which comes with candied walnuts and dried apricots or bacon jam.
For a more hearty meal, the eatery cooks up bowls like the Cardinal Cobb with chicken, egg, bacon, red onion, tomato and avocado with chunky feta jalapeño dressing, and the Bistro Chipotle Cheeseburger with applewood-smoked bacon, avocado and cheddar. (Check out this spot's full list of offerings here.)
BLKdog Coffee
Open since June, this coffee and tea spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "Coffee & Tea" saw review counts increase by a median of 3.8 percent over the past month, but BLKdog Coffee saw a 24 percent increase, maintaining a convincing 4.5-star rating throughout.
Located at 9360 Clarewood Drive, Suite A13-B, in Sharpstown, BLKdog Coffee channels barn-house chic vibes with its book-lined shelves and a deluge of plants and crystal chandeliers that hang from the ceiling.
The menu features Brooklyn-style pizza, alongside specialty dessert coffee drinks like the white chocolate frappe, matcha affogato (matcha ice cream, adzuki beans, green tea kit kat and matcha drip) and tiramisu affogato (espresso ice cream, cookies, cocoa powder, whip cream and espresso drip).
Shun Japanese Kitchen
Is Greenway / Upper Kirby Area's Shun Japanese Kitchen on your radar? According to Yelp review data, the sushi bar and Japanese spot is seeing plenty of action.
While businesses categorized as "Sushi Bars" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 3.7 percent over the past month, Shun Japanese Kitchen nabbed an 18.2 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a solid 4.5-star rating.
Located at 2802 S. Shepherd Drive, Shun Japanese Kitchen offers seasonal Japanese cuisine. The winter menu features innovative plates like the Lengua Gyoza (wagyu tongue dumplings, salsa verde and ponzu mignonette) and the Pork Katsu (koji-cured pork loin, apple butter and tonkatsu sauce).
Customers may also choose to dine the "warrior-way," in which guests can customize sushi rolls at a table-side setting. Choices include tuna, salmon, yellowtail and more.
