If you’re someone that enjoys bringing your bottle of wine to restaurants when dining out, then finding a great BYOB restaurant in Houston is vital.
In this guide, you can find some of the best and most incredible BYOB restaurants in Houston, TX, that allow you to bring your own bottle by only paying a corkage fee. Meaning you can dig out that bottle you’ve been saving.
Where are The Best BYOB Restaurants in Houston, TX?
We have taken a look at a mixture of cuisines across the Houston area to bring your own bottle; and whatever drink you have, you can enjoy it with the perfect dish to complement it.
From brunch to pizza and Chinese to American grill, you will be sure to find the perfect match for your favorite bottle.
So let us take a look at 7 of the most incredible and awesome BYOB restaurants to enjoy your own booze in Houston, TX.
1. District 7 Grill Midtown
| Address | 501 Pierce St, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | www.district7grill.com |
| Food | Turkey meatloaf, paella, shrimp and grits, wagyu beef, pork chops |
| Our Recommendation | Braised Beef Mac and Cheese |
District 7 Grill is an eclectic American diner that is open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. It is also available for late-night snacks on the weekends.
Operating since 2006, they offer fantastic skyline views, which adds to the ambiance of your meal.
The braised beef mac and cheese is an excellent choice and popular with the locals. Like many other dishes on their menu, it was rich, creamy, and full of flavor. We found this went perfectly with a sweet glass of red wine. So if you’ve been saving a special bottle of merlot or Californian red, we recommended pairing it with this dish.
The menu is plentiful, and there is a lot of options suiting all diets, be it vegetarian or whether you’re on the lookout for a healthier light dish; the plate of greens section of the menu has some great offerings, such as the Arugula and Beets with Grilled Chicken and the Warm Kale and Spinach Bruschetta.
The prices here are average, and you can expect to spend between $13.00 and 18.00 dollars on the main course. The corkage fee here is only $6.00. Which is great compared to some other venues we visited.
2. Mein
| Address | 9630 Clarewood Dr. Ste A13, Houston, TX 77036 |
| Website | www.eatmein.com |
| Food | Cantonese, braised duck, seafood, dumplings |
| Our Recommendation | FireCracker Chicken |
Mein restaurant prides itself on offering food that genuinely reflects the immigrant Cantonese experience and what the Cantonese consider to be humble and authentic food.
Their menu is extensive, and there will be something for everyone. You will have to pay this place a few visits to try more of the dishes as it is hard to select a favorite. The FireCracker Chicken sure packs a punch, so if you’re looking for something with a bit of heat. We recommend starting with this one.
There is plenty of variety when it comes to vegan and vegetarian alternatives, such as the Braised Tofu and the Smashed Cucumber.
Cantonese dishes pair excellently with Champagne, but if, like us, you don’t have it lying around the house, a nice bottle of sparkling white wine will work just as well.
The prices here are expected for a traditional Cantonese restaurant. The appetizers are averagely priced at around $4.00, while the main courses are between $7.50 and $15.00. The corkage fee here is just $10.00 per person.
Take A Look At: 7 Best Places To Have Vietnamese Food in Houston, TX
3. Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana
| Address | 1000 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019 |
| Website | www.pizarospizza.com |
| Food | Pizza, salad, flatbreads, cannolis |
| Our Recommendation | Calabrese Napoletana Pizza |
Home to Houston’s original Napoletana pizzeria, Pizaro’s offers authentic pizzas and Detroit and New York-style pizzas.
All of their dough is homemade, and they make all their cheeses and sauces in-house daily, which adds to the dining experience.
The Calabrese pizza that’s classically topped with: tomato sauce, spicy soppressata, pepperoni, homemade mozzarella, and basil was exquisite. The pizza base was perfectly cooked with a crisp bottom and soft center, and the homemade tomato sauce gave it that extra tang.
There is also the option to customize your pizza. Whatever base and toppings you desire can be produced in either the style of Napoletana, New York, or Detroit. So even those with a favorite pizza in mind can create a personalized experience.
Moreover, they offer pizza-making classes here to book for special occasions. So a great idea if you’re celebrating a birthday or any other group party.
The prices may seem relatively high at a glance if you’re comparing it to your usual pizza place, but when it comes to food like this, you can see where your money is being spent. The average price for a 12-inch pizza is around $20.
The corkage fee here is $10.00, and no matter what bottle you’re planning on bringing, you’ll be sure to find a pizza that pairs well with your drink.
4. Jenni’s Noodle House
| Address | 602 E 20th St, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website | www.noodlesrule.com |
| Food | Vermicelli, dumplings, udon noodles, ramen, wontons |
| Our Recommendation | Pho Combo |
Jennis is a famous noodle house serving up delicious vermicelli dishes along with tasty dumplings and noodle bowls.
The restaurant itself is fun, casual, and the perfect place to bring the family lunch or dinner. With fun artwork surrounding the dining area, it has a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. The dishes also have fun names, such as “U-don Know Me” for the udon noodles and “Stir Me Crazy Shrimp.”
The dishes are all presented nicely, with a no-frills approach but an appealing look that makes them enticing.
The broth that the noodles are served in was rich and delicious. The combo Pho dish was served with brisket of beef, which melted in your mouth, as well as meatballs, jalapenos, lime, hoisin, and beansprouts.
If you are looking for a vegetarian alternative to the noodle in broth, then give the Angry Udon a try. This is served with tofu, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, and cilantro in a flavorsome tamarind broth.
Again, the prices here are as you’d typically expect for this style of diner averaging around $15.00 for a good-sized main course.
We recommend bringing a nice, unoaked red or white wine to pair with any of the noodle dishes here, but this, of course, depends on your meal choice. The corkage fee is $4 per bottle and free for less than a six-pack of beer.
See Also: 8 Best Places For Eating Pho in Houston, TX
5. Pepper Twins
| Address | 3915 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098 |
| Website | www.txpeppertwins.com |
| Food | Seafood, fried rice, beef broth, lamb, Mongolian beef |
| Our Recommendation | Beef Slides in Broth With Pickles |
Pepper Twins now serves from three different locations across Houston. Two of these locations, Kirby and Post Oak, are Halal only. The third location is The River Oaks.
Focusing on locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, they serve some of the best Sichuan dishes in town. As recommended above, the Beef Slides with pickles was exceptional. It was served in a rich and spicy broth soup, with slow-braised beef; seasoned with cilantro, scallions, garlic, ginger mushrooms, crystal rice noodles, and sautéed Sichuan pickles.
The mixture of the salty meat, the heat from the Sichuan and ginger, and the tang of the pickles, combined with the fresh herbs, was a spectacular combination and created an overall mouth-watering dish.
There are many options for all kinds of dietary requirements, whether it be a pescetarian, vegetarian or vegan, and also gluten-free dishes are available.
There are all kinds of alcohol that you can pair with the wide variety of flavors available on this menu. So check out the dishes before you bring your bottle to make sure you bring just the right pairing.
Regarding the prices here, most of the main courses are under $20.00, and the corkage fee is just $5.00 for wine and only $1.00 for a lager.
6. Street To Kitchen
| Address | 6501 Harrisburg Blvd, Houston, TX 77011 |
| Website | www.streettokitchen.com |
| Food | Thai, massaman, green curry, pad thai, pork belly, tom yum |
| Our Recommendation | Stir-Fried Thai Basil with Beef |
Street To Kitchen is a down-to-earth, authentic Thai cuisine that serves homemade noodles and sauces without hidden additives.
Their menu is refined and simple, consisting of classical and beautifully cooked dishes, such as the stir-fried Thai basil. This dish comes with a choice of beef, chicken, pork, or tofu and is served with fresh jasmine rice.
Although the menu is only small, there is still plenty of choice for anyone looking for vegetarian options. The Tom Yum fried rice with mushroom, for just one example, was excellent and packed full of fresh Thai flavors and spices.
The ambiance in the restaurant is completely casual, and the staff and owners do their best to give you an authentic Thai experience.
The prices, yet again, are similar in line with some of our other recommendations, averaging around $15.00 for the main courses, and the corkage fee is just $5.00, which includes liquor.
For most of the rich, spicy dishes on the menu, we would recommend a bottle of sweet white wine, so why not pick up a bottle of Reisling on your way.
Why Not Also Check Out: 7 Best Places To Have Thai Food in Houston, TX
7. Lucio’s BYOB
| Address | 905 Taft St, Houston, TX 77019 |
| Website | www.luciosbyob.com |
| Food | Filet Mignon, soups, salads, clams, scallops, hanger steak |
| Our Recommendation | Smoked Duck Breast |
Lucio’s BYOB is a relaxed restaurant that serves a refined menu. The food here is classic American, made using the finest and freshest ingredients, and you can tell that every dish is made to a very high standard.
The staff is very attentive and extremely helpful in helping pair the perfect dish to whatever bottle of wine you choose to bring to your meal.
The smoked duck breast, which was served with apple celery root puree, sauteed spinach, and rich duck jus, was outstanding. The duck was cooked perfectly, and the accompaniments all complimented the dish very well.
There were no vegetarian dishes on the main course menu. Still, there were some attractive options with the soups and salads, such as the Heirloom Tomato Salad. This came with ripe Heirloom tomatoes, creamy Burrata cheese, and organic baby arugula tossed with olive oil.
As you may have guessed from the menu description so far, the prices are pretty high here, but bear in mind you are paying for high quality. The main course here will cost you between $32.00 and $49.00, although the corkage charge here is $5.00.
Summary
So there we have it? Which bottle have you been saving, and which of our top picks are going to match your drink? We hope that we have helped you navigate which place to take that special beverage that you’ve been saving.
If you have enjoyed reading this guide, how about you have a read of some of our other helpful guides of things to do in Houston, such as 7 Finest South American Restaurants in Houston, TX and 8 Best Wine Stores in Houston, TX