Want the inside word on Houston's buzziest local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries 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 increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are sizzling hot, right now.
The Juicy Crab
Open since June, this Cajun/Creole spot, which offers seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Cajun/Creole" on Yelp.
Citywide, Cajun/Creole spots saw a median 4.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, but The Juicy Crab saw a staggering 325% increase, with a slight upward trend from a three-star rating a month ago to 3.5 stars today.
The Juicy Crab has 11 locations scattered across the South, with more on the way. The Houston outpost, located at 17278 Tomball Parkway in Willowbrook, offers fried and boiled seafood, as well as sausage, veggies, fries and cake. On the menu, look for seafood combos featuring crab, shrimp, crawfish, clams, mussels or lobster, all served with corn and potato with a choice of Cajun, garlic butter, lemon pepper or juicy special seasoning. (Check out the full menu here.)
Fat Ni BBQ
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Sharpstown's Fat Ni BBQ, the Chinese spot, which offers barbecue and noodles, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Barbeque" on Yelp saw a median 3.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, Fat Ni BBQ bagged a formidable 450% increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
Fat Ni BBQ started in New York City with four food trucks. The Houston location, open at 9393 Bellaire Blvd., Suite A1, since June, offers Chinese street food, including barbecued meats on a stick and noodles. Look for lamb, chicken, shrimp, bacon, potato, beef, squid and veggie skewers dipped the restaurant's special reserve barbecue sauce, as well as chicken and beef noodle soup. (See the entire menu here.)
Slowpokes
Greenway / Upper Kirby Area's Slowpokes is also making waves. Open since February at 2925 Richmond Ave., Suite 120, the wine bar, which offers coffee and tea and more, has seen a 25% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 3.9% for all businesses tagged "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Slowpokes's review count increased by more than 280%.
Slowpokes is a local chain with one other location (and one opening this fall) that offers coffee, beer, wine and small bites. Try the vanilla latte from the drink board and the molletes (biscuits, pico, beans andcheese) and the churro doughnuts from the food menu. Over the past month, it's maintained a healthy 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Dandelion Cafe
Dandelion Cafe is the city's buzziest breakfast and brunch spot by the numbers.
The popular breakfast and brunch spot, which offers coffee and tea and juices and smoothies and opened at 5405 Bellaire Blvd. in 2016, increased its new review count by 3.1% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 3.1% for the Yelp category "Breakfast & Brunch."
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Tropicales has seen a 32.9% increase in reviews.
Dandelion Cafe offers omelets, breakfast tacos, pancakes and house-made pastries for the breakfast crowd. Lunchtime patrons can expect sandwiches, paninis and salads too. (Explore the menu here.)
BurgerIM
Mid West's BurgerIM is currently on the upswing in the burger category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Burgers" on Yelp saw a median 4.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, this burger spot increased its new reviews by 35.9% — and kept its rating consistent at four stars.
This burger franchise has locations across 15 states. Open for business at 5887 Westheimer Road, Suite K, since April, the business offers burgers, chicken wings and milkshakes. Burger options include 1/3-pound and 1/4-pound patties (beef, chicken, salmon, falafel or lamb), as well as 3-ounce mini burgers. Try the 1/3-pound dry-aged beef burger with barbecue sauce, onion rings, bacon and cheddar cheese or customize your own. (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.
