Want the intel on Houston's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which local businesses have been in the limelight 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 have the momentum heading into springtime.
Elliot's Table
Open since November, this New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw new reviews increase by a median of 2.7 percent over the past month, but Elliot's Table saw an 81.8 percent increase, maintaining a superior 4.5-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the New American category: B.B. Lemon has seen a 29 percent increase in reviews, and The Classic has seen a 15.3 percent bump.
Located at 465 T C Jester Blvd., Suite B, in Memorial Park, Elliot's Table offers tacos, sandwiches, steak and desserts. On the menu, look for strip steak and fries, served with horseradish aioli. (Here's the rest of the menu.)
Flying Fish
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about the Heights's Flying Fish, the traditional American and Cajun/Creole spot, which offers seafood and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.8 percent over the past month, Flying Fish bagged a 75 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Houston's seafood scene: BB’s Tex-Orleans has seen a 38.7 percent increase in reviews, and Padna's Cajun Eatery has seen a 15.2 percent bump.
Open at 1815 N. Durham Drive since December, Flying Fish has locations across Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas. The spot offers seafood, salads, tacos and more. On the menu, look for the combo baskets so you can sample catfish, chicken, shrimp and oysters, along with fries and hushpuppies. (See the full menu here.)
Rhotey Rotisserie
Mid West's Rhotey Rotisserie is also making waves. Open since August at 9296 Westheimer, Suite 132, the sandwich spot has seen a 20.9 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.6 percent for all businesses tagged "Sandwiches" on Yelp.
Rhotey Rotisserie claims its sandwiches "eat like a burger." The spot serves rotisserie sandwiches and salads. On the menu, try the sweet & spicy feta chicken, made with chipoltle aioli, caramelized onions, feta cheese, crispy chicken skin, peppadew peppers, arugula on Brioche bread. (Here's the full menu.)
Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating tick down from five stars to 4.5 stars.
Superica
The Heights's Superica is the city's buzziest Mexican spot by the numbers.
The Mexican spot, which opened at 1801 N. Shepherd Drive in September, increased its review count by 16.9 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 2.5 percent for the Yelp category "Mexican."
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw a median 1.2 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, while Meet the Moon saw a 3.1 percent increase. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Meet the Moon’s review count increased by more than 370 percent.
Superica offers soups, salads, tacos, fajitas and more. On the menu, look for the vegetable enchiladas, made with potato, corn, cheese, roasted poblano, salsa verde and sour cream, as well as the shrimp tacos, with cabbage slaw, morita chile mayo and Diablo sauce. (Check out the full menu here.)
The Toasted Yolk Cafe
Mid West's The Toasted Yolk Cafe is currently on the upswing in the breakfast and brunch category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 3.1 percent over the past month, this breakfast and brunch spot increased its by 27.1 percent—and kept its rating consistent at four stars.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw a median 1.2 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, while Meet the Moon saw a 3.1 percent increase. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Meet the Moon’s review count increased by more than 370 percent.
The Toasted Yolk Cafe has franchises throughout Houston, and the location at 2711 Fountain View Drive, Suite A, has been open since September. The eatery offers omelettes, pancakes, sandwiches, salads and soups.
From the breakfast menu, look for the Cowboy Scramble, which includes two buttermilk biscuits, bacon, sausage, ham, onions and three scrambled eggs, all topped with country sausage gravy. (Here's the entire menu.)
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
