Macaroni and cheese is an authentic, heartily, soulful, Southern side dish that has recently been propelled to the forefront of many restaurants’ menus.
The side dish has now become the showstopper, no longer that simple bowl of cheesy goodness to accompany your chicken or steak.
Every restaurant in this guide to the ten places serving the best mac and cheese in Houston has its way of creating scrumptious dishes around the humble macaroni pasta base layer.
Whether topping it with salty meats like bacon or making gut-busting platters with crawfish and lobster, you can even get some truly mouthwatering vegan mac and cheese in Houston!
The Best Mac And Cheese in Houston
I have highlighted some of my favorite eateries within Houston to indulge in this rich, cheesy treat to help you plan your next forage feast.
I have noted what makes these places so fantastic and why their mac and cheese stands out from the rest. Also included is the general ambiance and style of the diners and restaurants, along with what other sumptuous offerings they have on the menu.
Finally, a note on pricing: I have included the price of the standard or lowest priced mac and cheese at each venue within the guide – additional toppings will come at an extra cost.
So, without further ado, let’s drool together over the absolute best places in Houston to enjoy mac and cheese!
1. Jus’ Mac Midtown
| Address | 106 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006 |
| Website | http://www.jusmaceatery.com |
| Opening Times | Monday - Thursday 11.30 am - 9 pm, Friday - Saturday 11.30 am - 10 pm, Sunday 11.30 am - 8 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $14.33 |
Jus’ mac is the only restaurant in Houston that is entirely dedicated to serving mac and cheese. The concept was so popular that they now have three restaurants in Houston.
My favorite is in Midtown, one in The Heights, and one in the affluent neighborhood of Tanglewood. I prefer the Midtown location because of its busier, more vibrant atmosphere. Still, the service and prices are the same at each branch.
There are twenty-four varieties of mac and cheese on the Jus’ Mac menu, each made from scratch in a cast iron skillet for extra flavor.
They have some truly wild and beautiful flavors here, from buffalo and tikka to chicken parm and a delicious, spicy hangover special topped with hash browns, fried eggs, and habanero sauce.
Aside from the mac and cheese, the rest of the menu is just as tempting, with excellent appetizers, crunchy wings (seriously, try the hot honey butter wings), sublime brioche sandwiches, huge burgers, and brunch specials like loaded biscuits, waffles, and egg platters.
Jus’ mac often has deals on their food items. Be sure to check out FriendsEat before your visit to get a discount code.
Bonus Read: The Best Brunch Spots in Houston
2. Korny Vibes (Vegan)
| Address | 403 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006 |
| Website | https://www.kornyvibeshtx.com |
| Opening Times | Monday closed, Tuesday - Sunday 10 am - 10 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | Only comes as a side to their main dishes, which start from $16.00 |
Korny Vibes is fast becoming one of the most well-loved and busiest vegan restaurants in Houston, and it’s clear why. This is where vegans and carnivores can enjoy a balanced meal, as there is so much choice. The meat substitutes are so good that it’s easy to forget they’re 100% plant-based.
Currently, they only serve vegan mac and cheese as a side dish to accompany their vegan fried chicken. Still, if you are dining in, they will make an exception to this and offer it as a side to most of their platters.
It is incredible how authentically cheesy the vegan cheese dishes are at Korny Vibes, from the creamy mac and cheese to the crispy, crunchy mozzarella sticks. They have daily deals here, often having items available from as little as $2.00.
One of the best parts about Korny Vibes is their delightful outdoor patio.
This is a lovely place to spend time with friends under the twinkling string lights against the fantastic urban artwork spray-painted on the side of the building. The patio also has some cover, which protects from the sun and light showers.
You Might Also Like: The Best Places to Enjoy Vegan Food in Houston
3. Mac & Twist
| Address | 8200 Washington Ave Suite 237, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website | https://www.macandtwist.com |
| Opening Times | Monday closed, Tuesday - Thursday 11 am - 8.45 pm, Friday - Saturday 11 am - 9.45 pm, Sunday 11 am - 8 45 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $15.77 |
Mac & Twist is a fantastic place to grab a hearty bowl of flavorsome mac and cheese when you’re in a hurry, as all dishes are served in cute little branded takeaway bowls.
This relatively new restaurant is currently being run single-handedly by owner Edwin. Edwin previously worked as a mechanical engineer, but his passion for creative food led him to take a chance and open his restaurant.
The menu only has eight items: fried mac and cheese balls and then seven signature mac and cheese dishes, including two vegetarian options and one halal option. The standout showstopper bowl has to be The Smokey, made with a creamy four-cheese blend, rich fourteen-hour smoked brisket, and crispy fried onions.
You will find Edwin running his Mac & Twist pop-up kitchen at many of Houston’s farmer’s markets and festivals; he also offers a catering service for parties and events.
Keep Reading: The Best Farmers Markets in Houston
4. Houston Sauce Pit (Vegan Food Truck)
| Address | 4906 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX 77004 |
| Website | https://houstonsaucepit.com |
| Opening Times | Monday closed, Tuesday - Saturday 12 pm - 8 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 6 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $5.00 |
Houston Sauce Pit was the city’s first-ever 100% plant-based food truck, a journey that began in 2017 when the team behind Sauce Pit created a phenomenal BBQ sauce line and needed to promote it.
Houston Sauce Pit’s concept is to provide the tastiest vegan barbeque in town and allow their customers to try a healthier version of their favorite BBQ food, with everything from brisket mac and cheese, to their stacked pit mac burgers.
The only off-putting thing about Houston Sauce Pit to those who have converted to veganism for environmental reasons is that they use plastic and styrofoam packaging, which cannot be sustainably recycled.
See Also: The Best Places Serving Halal Food in Houston
5. ReMo’s Cafe BBQ & Soulfood
| Address | 8420 S Sam Houston Pkwy W #260, Houston, TX 77085 |
| Website | https://www.remoscafe.com/ |
| Opening Times | Sunday - Monday closed, Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 8 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $3.95 |
ReMo’s is the place to go if you want to chow down on traditional, authentic, homemade soul food in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.
This is a real casual cafe; they accommodate kids well, with an excellent choice for children and epic desserts to complete the treat.
You will find some enticing daily deals at ReMo’s cafe, with main plates for as little as $11.00 and sandwiches from $7.00.
You Might Also Like: The Best Korean BBQ Restaurants in Houston
6. Lucille’s Houston
| Address | 5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004 |
| Website | https://www.lucilleshouston.com |
| Opening Times | Monday closed, Tuesday - Thursday 11 am - 9 pm (closed 3-4pm), Friday 11 am - 10 pm (closed 3 pm - 5 pm), Sunday 10 am - 3 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $10.00 |
Lucille’s is a black-owned, nationally acclaimed restaurant in Houston’s museum district. This quirky little restaurant has a charming, classically vintage ambiance, perfectly complementing it’s authentically Southern menu.
The menu is traditional, with delicate modern twists and cultural fusions to intrigue all palates.
At Lucille’s, you can enjoy brunch, lunch, or dinner with their famous house favorite, baked mac, and cheese, featured on each menu.
The mac and cheese here is one-of-a-kind; it has a bubbling grilled cheese topping that oozes gorgeously when gently pierced with a fork.
If you head to Lucille’s during their Happy Hour (Tuesdays to Thursdays from 4 pm – 6 pm), you can enjoy their mac and cheese for just $7.00.
Other reduced-price Happy Hour special bites include catfish nuggets, chili bites, fried green tomatoes, and truffled brussels sprouts.
See Also: Amazing Black-Owned Brunch Spots in Houston
7. Turkey Leg Hut
| Address | 4830 Almeda Rd suite A/B, Houston, TX 77004 |
| Website | https://www.theturkeyleghut.com |
| Opening Times | Monday closed, Tuesday - Thursday 11 am - 10 pm, Friday - Saturday 11 am - 12 am, Sunday 11 am - 10 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $6.19 |
Turkey Leg Hut is not surprisingly known best for their outstanding, generously stuffed giant turkey legs; however, their sides refuse to be overshadowed, none more so than their creamy, cajun spiced crawfish mac and cheese.
This dish instantly transports your tastebuds to another level, with so many flavors and textures hitting your tongue in perfect synchronization.
This cozy diner doesn’t look much from the outside and is located on Almeda road, which is teaming with excellent restaurants, so it is often overlooked. There is stiff competition in this area for good American soul food.
Restaurants like Alfredas Soul Food and Supreme Gumbo have similar offerings to Turkey Leg hut, so the food has to be consistently excellent to keep up.
Turkey Leg Hut is another of Houston’s fabulous black-owned establishments, created by husband and wife power couple Lynn and Nakia. Alongside their successful restaurant, they also have four food trucks which can be found located around the city.
In addition, Lynn and Nakia frequently attend many local festivals and farmer’s markets.
Related: The Best Crawfish Restaurants in Houston
8. Liberty Kitchen and Oysterette Houston Memorial
| Address | 963 Bunker Hill Rd, Houston, TX 77024 |
| Website | https://libertykitchenoysterette.com |
| Opening Times | Monday - Thursday 11 am - 9 pm, Friday 11 am - 11 pm, Saturday 10 am - 11 pm, Sunday 10 am - 9 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $11.00 |
Liberty Kitchen and Oysterette Houston Memorial are one of Houston’s high-class, upmarket restaurants, which is the perfect choice for a special occasion or treat.
There are two Liberty Kitchens in Houston, one in San Felipe and a second restaurant on the outskirts of Memorial Village.
I prefer the Memorial City location as it has a more vibrant atmosphere. They have live music here every Friday and Saturday, along with one of the most stunning patios in the city to gaze across the Houston skyline.
There are also two private dining rooms that can be hired for any occasion.
Liberty Kitchen serves brunch (Hamptons style), lunch, and dinner, each with a unique touch of elegance alongside hearty southern dishes.
The standard mac and cheese side is delicious enough, and you can add marine lobster claws and chunks for an additional $14.00 or shrimp and colossal lump crab for $12.00. They also have mac and cheese on their kid’s menu as a main dish.
All the side dishes served at Liberty Kitchen are suitable for sharing; if you are looking for a second comfortingly delicious side for the table, I can’t recommend the Boursin mashed potatoes enough!
This is another gloriously cheesy dish that can again be topped with lobster or shrimp for a more substantial accompaniment to your entree.
Bonus Read: The Best Spots to Have Oysters in Houston
9. Urban Eats
| Address | 3414 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website | http://feasturbaneats.com |
| Opening Times | Monday - Saturday 9 am - 9 pm, Sunday 10 am - 3 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $14.00 |
Urban Eats is one of my favorite spots in Houston when I don’t know what I want to eat. There are so many food options, all of which can be eaten in or taken out.
The whole concept of the restaurant is truly unique and has been created in such a beautiful way that a trip here feels quite extraordinary.
The first floor is a casual, market-style eatery where you can grab a coffee and a freshly baked cookie to enjoy on the patio or fill a basket to enjoy at home.
The upper level is more of a contemporary, upscale artisan bistro with incredible gourmet comfort food and hand-crafted cocktails, which can be appreciated on the urban rooftop terrace.
Urban eats bistro is open all day, with an exciting menu for each sitting. The breakfast menu includes sausage pies, scrambled egg naan’s, and duck fat hash.
The brunch choices include everything from the breakfast menu to signature sliders and fantastic sides – including the house blend of three pig truffled mac and cheese.
You can indulge in the Mac and Meat three-pig truffled mac and cheese as a full plate on the Urban Eats lunchtime menu between 11 am to 3 pm.
The dish is paired with prosciutto, sun-dried tomato meatloaf, mixed greens with balsamic, and topped with a dusting of parmesan.
If you are heading to Urban Eats for dinner but are craving their award-winning mac and cheese, it comes as a side dish on their Meatloaf Dinner Platter.
The platter comes with everything that the lunchtime Mac and Meat include, as well as mouthwatering bacon and onion braised brussels sprouts.
10. Houston, This is Soul Food
| Address | 2712 Blodgett St, Houston, TX 77004 |
| Website | https://houstonthisisit.com |
| Opening Times | Monday closed, Tuesday 11 am - 6 pm, Wednesday - Sunday 11 am - 8 pm |
| Mac and Cheese Price | $4.25 |
Opening in 1959, Houston This is Soul Food, one of Houston’s oldest soul food restaurants. They have won multiple awards for their distinctively flavorsome dishes, including the 2018 and 2019 Best Mac and Cheese Awards.
Houston girl born and raised Beyonce Knowles even stated in an interview with Texas Monthly that This is Soul Food is one of her favorite hometown restaurants.
The two standout dishes here are, of course, the mac and cheese along with their gloriously slow-cooked five-hour oxtails.
Beef and cheese are an undeniably excellent pairing as a standard. Still, the rich tanginess of this mac and cheese with the succulent, juicy beef flaked on top is just incredible.
The beef short ribs are also noteworthy and pair wonderfully well with the mac and cheese.
More Like This: The Best Soul & Southern Food in Downtown Houston
To Sum Up
So, where will you decide to try for your next macaroni cheese hit?
I hope this guide has helped you to create a shortlist of some of the best restaurants, cafes, and food trucks to consider the best mac and cheese Houston.
Suppose you want to see the other superb comfort food offered by Houston. In that case, you might want to check out our guides to The Best Pasta in Houston and The Best Pizza in Houston for inspiration.