Best seafood in HTown that isn't cajun?
9,679 Views | 139 Replies
...
Yordaddy
12:28p, 4/25/24
I enjoyed

Josephines
Field and Tides
La Lucha
bigjag19
12:32p, 4/25/24
In reply to 12thMan9
12thMan9 said:

Not a single vote for Long John Silver's?


Goode Co. is for people with no taste buds.


I find that to be accurate for all their iterations.
DiskoTroop
1:12p, 4/25/24
In reply to Al Bula
Al Bula said:

Head Ninja In Charge said:

Hai Cang Harbor
OG Sinh Sinh
Ocean Palace
Crown Seafood

As one of the few Asian representatives on Texags, please allow me state loudly:

Don't forget about our Bellaire/Chinatown offerings. Part of what makes the Tine the Tine.
Good call. For my money, it doesn't get any better than RA Sushi.

Plus, place gets bonus points for strong bathroom selfie and stairs photo ops.

https://instagr.am/p/Cf2R5gcJ0FD

https://instagr.am/p/CtW-1X5pPS4

https://instagr.am/p/Cc1kaSksqDm




Not… sure… if… serious
DiskoTroop
1:22p, 4/25/24
I do have to agree I'm not taken with Goode Co Seafood.

There are a few places in the same category and shape of operation that do better. Eddie V's comes to mind. Or Oceanaire. But as far as chains go, you're still limited. Trulucks still beats them though.

Places like Viola & Agnes have a couple of great dishes without being a completely seafood based restaurant. Several places in Chinatown as mentioned by the HNIC above are definitely worth noting. I love Tan Tan, House of Bowls… a few others. Again, not seafood specific just that they have great food including seafood.

I think since Houston has become more of a true food city we see a lot of specialty spots that do one thing well (banh mi's, crawfish, burgers, etc) and then we have better quality places at higher quality prices that specialize in one cuisine (Indian, Viet, Japanese/sushi, etc).

The days of an average restaurant doing lots of stuff well at a low price point are gone.

So I say all that to say this… if you want seafood, A: seafood is expensive so be prepared to spend a bit, and B: pick a good quality restaurant that's not necessarily seafood focused and see what seafood they serve.

So my suggestions:

Brenners Steakhouse does some amazing fish dishes.
There are a number of Indian restaurants that do amazing things with shrimp. Look at Pondicheri or Kiran's.
Chinatown is full of good options. I like Tan Tan.
It's crawfish season so find a quality boil house and get crawfish, shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.
There are a number of amazing plates of fish and chips if you want simple. I like the one at Kenny and Ziggy's (Ziggy's mom was British…)
TarponChaser
1:29p, 4/25/24
In reply to 94chem
94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.
DiskoTroop
1:34p, 4/25/24
It's that nasty ass nori. I love sushi but absolutely despise nori.
chico
1:38p, 4/25/24
Davis Street at Herman Park - tremendous, chef knows his seafood
Josephine's is also terrific - young chef from Mississippi
others mentioned Pier 6 great view and great fun; Gilhooly one of a kind experience; Eugene's has good deals at happy hour
12thMan9
1:53p, 4/25/24
Does PetSmart qualify as a chain for sushi?
Ronnie '88
94chem
1:53p, 4/25/24
In reply to TarponChaser
TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.


No commercial sushi operations in the Gulf. The market won't support it. Have to go to CA or Japan. Many have tried. The fish are plentiful, but the Gulf Coast won't support it.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
94chem
1:54p, 4/25/24
In reply to DiskoTroop
DiskoTroop said:

It's that nasty ass nori. I love sushi but absolutely despise nori.


Vegetables. Try one.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
gif
1:56p, 4/25/24
Fish digits on the Downtown Aquarium Ferris wheel
TarponChaser
2:44p, 4/25/24
In reply to 94chem
94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.


No commercial sushi operations in the Gulf. The market won't support it. Have to go to CA or Japan. Many have tried. The fish are plentiful, but the Gulf Coast won't support it.

That's likely more because the most popular fish in sushi aren't exactly prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico. At least not on a commercial basis.

No salmon. And I don't believe there's bluefin tuna. We do get yellowfin and blackfin but I don't believe hamachi (yellowtail) is common at all. Plenty of Gulf-caught snapper goes for sushi though. Makes sense considering Japan is in the north Pacific and the traditional sushi species are more cold-ocean species than the Gulf.
94chem
4:30p, 4/25/24
In reply to TarponChaser
TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.


No commercial sushi operations in the Gulf. The market won't support it. Have to go to CA or Japan. Many have tried. The fish are plentiful, but the Gulf Coast won't support it.

That's likely more because the most popular fish in sushi aren't exactly prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico. At least not on a commercial basis.

No salmon. And I don't believe there's bluefin tuna. We do get yellowfin and blackfin but I don't believe hamachi (yellowtail) is common at all. Plenty of Gulf-caught snapper goes for sushi though. Makes sense considering Japan is in the north Pacific and the traditional sushi species are more cold-ocean species than the Gulf.
Good point about the salmon. But the yellowfin has been tried, and there's just not the urgency at the shoreline to pay for the fresh fish. I think everything here is frozen. If it's fresh, you're paying through the teeth to get it flown in same day.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
DiskoTroop
4:38p, 4/25/24
In reply to 94chem
94chem said:

DiskoTroop said:

It's that nasty ass nori. I love sushi but absolutely despise nori.


Vegetables. Try one.


I eat a vegetarian diet one month a year as a personal challenge. I love vegetables.
TarponChaser
4:39p, 4/25/24
In reply to 94chem
94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.


No commercial sushi operations in the Gulf. The market won't support it. Have to go to CA or Japan. Many have tried. The fish are plentiful, but the Gulf Coast won't support it.

That's likely more because the most popular fish in sushi aren't exactly prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico. At least not on a commercial basis.

No salmon. And I don't believe there's bluefin tuna. We do get yellowfin and blackfin but I don't believe hamachi (yellowtail) is common at all. Plenty of Gulf-caught snapper goes for sushi though. Makes sense considering Japan is in the north Pacific and the traditional sushi species are more cold-ocean species than the Gulf.
Good point about the salmon. But the yellowfin has been tried, and there's just not the urgency at the shoreline to pay for the fresh fish. I think everything here is frozen. If it's fresh, you're paying through the teeth to get it flown in same day.

Even the tuna you get in California or Japan is flash frozen before going to sale in the markets. Something to do with freezing to a temp that kills potential parasites.
Whoop Delecto
5:54p, 4/25/24
https://www.caracol.net/ Was great on my last visit.
Psycho Bunny
5:57p, 4/25/24
In reply to DiskoTroop
Someone say vegetables
Americans new motto
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate
jja79
6:09p, 4/25/24
OP first started this thread on Aggieland and specified Houston or Bastrop so he might be looking for catfish.
jetch17
7:24a, 4/26/24
Do bluehairs still go to Christies?
94chem
7:43a, 4/26/24
In reply to jja79
jja79 said:

OP first started this thread on Aggieland and specified Houston or Bastrop so he might be looking for catfish.


Large mouth sashimi is the next big thing.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
bigjag19
7:46a, 4/26/24
In reply to jetch17
jetch17 said:

Do bluehairs still go to Christies?


**** yes they do. How else would it still exists if not for the Twood elite?
BMX Bandit
8:07a, 4/26/24
In reply to 94chem
Quote:

Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi
leader in the clubhouse for dumbest post of the 2020s across all boards on Texags, which includes the covid board in 2020.
94chem
9:33a, 4/26/24
In reply to BMX Bandit
You would know, old man.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
schmellba99
9:44a, 4/26/24
In reply to 94chem
94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.


No commercial sushi operations in the Gulf. The market won't support it. Have to go to CA or Japan. Many have tried. The fish are plentiful, but the Gulf Coast won't support it.

That's likely more because the most popular fish in sushi aren't exactly prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico. At least not on a commercial basis.

No salmon. And I don't believe there's bluefin tuna. We do get yellowfin and blackfin but I don't believe hamachi (yellowtail) is common at all. Plenty of Gulf-caught snapper goes for sushi though. Makes sense considering Japan is in the north Pacific and the traditional sushi species are more cold-ocean species than the Gulf.
Good point about the salmon. But the yellowfin has been tried, and there's just not the urgency at the shoreline to pay for the fresh fish. I think everything here is frozen. If it's fresh, you're paying through the teeth to get it flown in same day.
Houston (and most of the upper Texas gulf coast for that matter) doesn't have much of an industry for a fresh off the boat seafood market like you'll find in San Diego or Seattle. There ar a handful of places, but nothing that is kind of the central point, so most things get commercialized and sent to wholesalers.

Freeport did everything they could to shut down their wharfs and shrimping industry, now you have to go down to Matagorda and further south. to get anything fresh off the boat. A couple of places in Keemah, but none are major hubs. There was Boyd's in Texas City, but not sure if they really do a lot of off the boat business or if they are more of a wholesale market.

Galveston has a couple, but not many. One of the problems here is that the commercial fishing industry has done everything possible to control every aspect of the market, so places like Katie's Seafood won't ever get my business personally.
TarponChaser
10:00a, 4/26/24
In reply to schmellba99
schmellba99 said:

94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

TarponChaser said:

94chem said:

Ag_07 said:

With our proximity to the coast I think we're severely lacking on quality mid-high end range seafood options.

If you wanna slum it Gillhooley's in San Leon but if dirty nasty dive bars with bad as food isn't you're deal Pier 6 in San Leon is a good option.
Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi, which affects the fresh fish industry on the Gulf Coast.

Say what?

Given the number of great sushi places you're going to have to provide proof to back up your assertion.


No commercial sushi operations in the Gulf. The market won't support it. Have to go to CA or Japan. Many have tried. The fish are plentiful, but the Gulf Coast won't support it.

That's likely more because the most popular fish in sushi aren't exactly prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico. At least not on a commercial basis.

No salmon. And I don't believe there's bluefin tuna. We do get yellowfin and blackfin but I don't believe hamachi (yellowtail) is common at all. Plenty of Gulf-caught snapper goes for sushi though. Makes sense considering Japan is in the north Pacific and the traditional sushi species are more cold-ocean species than the Gulf.
Good point about the salmon. But the yellowfin has been tried, and there's just not the urgency at the shoreline to pay for the fresh fish. I think everything here is frozen. If it's fresh, you're paying through the teeth to get it flown in same day.
Houston (and most of the upper Texas gulf coast for that matter) doesn't have much of an industry for a fresh off the boat seafood market like you'll find in San Diego or Seattle. There ar a handful of places, but nothing that is kind of the central point, so most things get commercialized and sent to wholesalers.

Freeport did everything they could to shut down their wharfs and shrimping industry, now you have to go down to Matagorda and further south. to get anything fresh off the boat. A couple of places in Keemah, but none are major hubs. There was Boyd's in Texas City, but not sure if they really do a lot of off the boat business or if they are more of a wholesale market.

Galveston has a couple, but not many. One of the problems here is that the commercial fishing industry has done everything possible to control every aspect of the market, so places like Katie's Seafood won't ever get my business personally.

Excellent points.

I know some folks who frequently do snapper trips with Guindon's outfit. The folks at Circle H Outfitters work with Katie's too. I forget all the ins & outs but it's not a typical guide trip under state & federal regulations because these operations are purely commercial. So these folks go out and hammer the snapper. You might have 5 people fishing and they're bringing back 100 snapper. I think the hook is that they say you don't pay anything for the trip but you have to buy a certain amount of the catch from Katie's at whatever their price might be.

It's a completely BS end-around of the spirit of the regulations and fcks recreational fishermen while Guindon and his cronies lobby against recreational fishermen being able to do more than 2 snapper per day for a very short season.

Anyway, my overall objection was about the idea that "Houstonians are scared of sushi" when there's clearly a massive demand based on the restaurants.
schmellba99
10:07a, 4/26/24
Yeah, you can't throw a rock without hitting a sushi joint it seems.

I"m assuming the poster thinks a real sushi joint must be something like you'll find in Tokyo and anything else really doesn't count or something like that.

We are also Houston - almost all seafood in this region is either heavily influenced by Cajun, Creole, Tampico Mexican or old South style of cooking. I'm sure there are a handful of places that do northwest salmon on a crappy ass cedar plank crap or boiled walleye or whatever they eat up in the Great Lakes region, but by in large the cuisine around here is what it is because of the culture, location and the type of seafood we have locally versus what you'll find in other areas of the world. I mean, you don't go to the Pacific NW and find cajun or mexican style food either. At least not good cajun or mexican style food anyway.
schmellba99
10:10a, 4/26/24
Dammit, I'm hungry now and could absolutely crush some crab cakes and some blackened shrimp.
TarponChaser
10:16a, 4/26/24
In reply to schmellba99
schmellba99 said:

Yeah, you can't throw a rock without hitting a sushi joint it seems.

I"m assuming the poster thinks a real sushi joint must be something like you'll find in Tokyo and anything else really doesn't count or something like that.

We are also Houston - almost all seafood in this region is either heavily influenced by Cajun, Creole, Tampico Mexican or old South style of cooking. I'm sure there are a handful of places that do northwest salmon on a crappy ass cedar plank crap or boiled walleye or whatever they eat up in the Great Lakes region, but by in large the cuisine around here is what it is because of the culture, location and the type of seafood we have locally versus what you'll find in other areas of the world. I mean, you don't go to the Pacific NW and find cajun or mexican style food either. At least not good cajun or mexican style food anyway.

Walleye is the most overrated fish ever.

It's solid but no better than crappie. And fishing for walleye is about the most boring thing ever. You generally slow-troll baits bumping off the bottom. They don't fight worth a damn. It's about like pulling up a branch. Just dead weight on the line- no runs, no jumps, and almost no pull.

On ultra-light tackle or fly gear crappie can be fun as hell. They'll hit violently and fight. It's only when your gear is too heavy that they're boring.
Panama Red
10:20a, 4/26/24
I was at Katami laat week. While the food and service were outstanding, it was very uncomfortable as everyone was so terrified of the sushi.

Hard to enjoy a meal with yet sheer look of panic on everyone's face and the feelings of anxiety being near fish that was not at the Tsujiki fish market a few hours earlier.
TarponChaser
10:22a, 4/26/24
In reply to Panama Red
Panama Red said:

I was at Katami laat week. While the food and service were outstanding, it was very uncomfortable as everyone was so terrified of the sushi.

Hard to enjoy a meal with yet sheer look of panic on everyone's face and the feelings of anxiety being near fish that was not at the Tsujiki fish market a few hours earlier.

Glad you made out alive amigo. That had to be a really harrowing, near-death experience.
DiskoTroop
10:47a, 4/26/24
There is an awful lot of terrible sushi out there though. Maybe people are snake bit.
94chem
11:31a, 4/26/24
In reply to schmellba99
I've got some blue crabs from Bolivar that I had to freeze a few weeks ago. Just enough to make a 1 person meal if I can get everybody to leave for a few hours.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
94chem
11:38a, 4/26/24
In reply to BMX Bandit
Meh, you know what I mean. World class restaurant scene, but really new. Places like Fort Shiloh were the gold standard not too long ago. I bet some entrepreneurial foodies could start a good all-inclusive "eat your way through Houston" destination trips, maybe around rodeo time when the weather is great. Airbnb, rental car, all reservations set, plus rodeo tickets, a day in Galveston, etc. Houston is a craptacular place to visit without the food.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
94chem
11:39a, 4/26/24
In reply to BMX Bandit
BMX Bandit said:

Quote:

Houstonians are mostly afraid of sushi
leader in the clubhouse for dumbest post of the 2020s across all boards on Texags, which includes the covid board in 2020.


Coming from a guy who's made 6.5 posts per day on F16 for 25 years, I take that as a great honor. Thank you.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
htxag09
11:46a, 4/26/24
WTH are you talking about?

I'm just kind of surprised you haven't *****ed about the weather yet....
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