Best Brunch in Timbergrove, Houston: 6 Weekend Spots

Our pick for the best brunch in Timbergrove is Sunday brunch at Rainbow Lodge, a 100-plus-year-old log cabin on White Oak Bayou at 2011 Ella Boulevard. For an early, casual start, go to the Long Weekend cafe on East TC Jester Boulevard, which opens at 8 a.m. on weekends. For a seafood brunch that also runs on Fridays, book Little Bird on Durham Drive.

Timbergrove brunch has one strange quirk: the neighborhood's most famous dining room doesn't do Saturday mornings at all. Rainbow Lodge serves dinner only on Saturday, so its brunch is a Sunday thing, and that's the day to book it.

This guide covers six places in and right around Timbergrove and Lazybrook. Every one sits inside the boundary below, serves a weekend brunch or breakfast menu, and was confirmed on its own official website.

Which Timbergrove brunch fits your weekend?

Match the place to the plan: Rainbow Lodge for occasions, Long Weekend for early starts, Little Bird for Fridays.

• For a special-occasion Sunday: Rainbow Lodge, in a log cabin on White Oak Bayou.
• For an early start with kids: the Long Weekend cafe, open from 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
• For a three-day brunch weekend: Little Bird, which serves brunch Friday through Sunday.
• For a Saturday Tex-Mex brunch: Tony's Mexican Restaurant on Ella Boulevard.
• For kids and dogs on a big patio: Preslee's Southern Eatery.
• For brunch plus pizza: CRISP, which serves its wood-fired pizzas at brunch too.

Where is Timbergrove?

Timbergrove is a residential neighborhood inside the 610 Loop, northwest of downtown Houston and just west of the Heights. For this guide we used the same map as our other Timbergrove guides: Loop 610 on the north and west, Durham Drive on the east, and the blocks around West 11th Street on the south. White Oak Bayou and TC Jester Boulevard run through the middle.

Timbergrove Manor sits mostly south of West 18th Street, and Lazybrook sits north of it. The blocks between Ella Boulevard and Durham Drive north of West 18th are often called Shady Acres. Two of our picks are there, and a third, Little Bird, sits right on Durham Drive, the eastern edge. We've labelled them.

How did we choose these brunch spots?

Every pick had to be inside the boundary above, serve a weekend brunch or breakfast menu, and be currently operating. We confirmed all six on their own websites in November 2026. A spot whose hours or brunch menu we couldn't confirm on its official site didn't make the cut, however popular it is.

We named dishes only when they appear on the restaurant's own menu. Brunch hours and menus change, so treat every time below as "typically" and check the official site before you go. Places that only serve breakfast on weekdays, places without a working website, and places south of the boundary, such as the stretch of Durham Drive near I-10, didn't make the list.

The sit-down brunches

1. Rainbow Lodge

Timbergrove, 2011 Ella Blvd at East TC Jester · lodge cuisine · Sunday brunch only

Rainbow Lodge is the brunch you book for a birthday, an anniversary or visiting parents. The lodge describes itself as a 100-plus-year-old log cabin on the banks of White Oak Bayou, with two kitchen gardens on site. Its bar, the Tied Fly Bar, is what the lodge calls a hand-carved rainbow trout stream. Have a drink there before you sit down.

Order: the warm pecan sticky buns, served pull-apart style in cast iron, for the table. Then pick something only a game lodge would serve, like the wild game mixed grill and eggs (game sausage, Texas quail and chili-rubbed venison) or the braised bison short rib Benedict with jalapeño hollandaise. If you want something gentler, the lump blue crab omelette or the buttermilk pancakes are on the same menu.

Good to know: Rainbow Lodge typically opens at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Saturday is dinner only, so there's no Saturday brunch. See the Sunday brunch menu.

2. Little Bird

On Durham Drive (eastern edge), 1815 N Durham Dr · Gulf Coast seafood · brunch Friday to Sunday

Little Bird is a Gulf Coast seafood restaurant that serves what it calls comforting classics and cocktails. Brunch typically runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The insider move: brunch runs on Fridays, too, and goes until 4 p.m., so this is the place for a long, late Friday off or a brunch that turns into the afternoon. It also has a kids' menu.

Order: seafood, since that's what the kitchen is built around. Check the current lunch and brunch menu on the official site before you go.

3. Tony's Mexican Restaurant

Lazybrook, 2222 Ella Blvd · family Tex-Mex · brunch Saturday

Tony's is Timbergrove's family Tex-Mex table. Tony Vega came from Zacatecas, Mexico, and the family opened the restaurant in 1992. It's still family owned and operated.

Order: chilaquiles or breakfast tacos, two dishes Tony's names for its brunch, plus a basket of chips. Brunch typically runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the restaurant takes reservations. For more family-run Tex-Mex, see our best Tex-Mex in Houston guide.

Patios, kids and casual mornings

4. Long Weekend

Timbergrove, 2044 E TC Jester Blvd · ranch-style cafe and restaurant · cafe open daily

Long Weekend calls its location "Heights/Timbergrove," and it's the earliest weekend option on this list. The cafe side typically opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and serves until 3 p.m. The restaurant side opens at 11 a.m. on Sunday and is closed Mondays.

Order: the Trail Ride Tacos (brisket, egg, potato and barbecue sauce is the one to try) or the trailride pancakes, which the cafe calls a family heirloom recipe, made in small batches with cultured butter and Vermont maple. The Elk-Pass scramble comes with elk chorizo.

The drink people will ask about: the Dr. Pepper latte, made with espresso, almond honey butter and Dr. Pepper spices. There's also a huckleberry latte and a campfire latte with dark chocolate and graham cracker.

With kids: the cafe has a kids' section with pancakes, eggs and bacon, and a mini hot chocolate with marshmallows. For more ideas, see our kid-friendly restaurants in Houston.

5. Preslee's Southern Eatery

Shady Acres, 1430 W 19th St · Southern comfort food · brunch Saturday and Sunday

Preslee's is a family-owned Southern restaurant built for a crowd: a big patio where kids and dogs are welcome, and a full bar for the adults. Brunch typically runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Insider tip: Preslee's only takes reservations for patio seating. Inside tables are first come, first served, so arrive early if you're coming without a booking.

Order: the classic Southern brunch plates on the weekend brunch menu. If you're there into lunch, the smoked turkey leg on the main menu can be stuffed with mac and cheese, but it's made in limited quantities. Bringing the dog? See our dog-friendly patios guide for more.

6. CRISP

Shady Acres, 2220 Bevis St · Italian and wood-fired pizza · brunch Saturday and Sunday

CRISP is a wood-fired pizza and Italian restaurant with a large patio and plenty of parking, which matters on these narrow streets. Brunch typically runs Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Order: the Bayou Benedict, beer-battered green tomatoes, lump crab and poached eggs with a Cajun sundried tomato béarnaise on an English muffin. The Bruncheon Pizza is a wood-fired pie with prosciutto, potato and a sunny-side egg. The French toast is made with challah and a stout batter.

Why it works for groups: CRISP serves its wood-fired pizzas and calzones during brunch hours too, so the one person who doesn't want eggs is covered.

Save this: a Timbergrove brunch weekend

1. Friday, 10:30 a.m.: take a long Friday off and start brunch at Little Bird on Durham Drive.
2. Saturday, 8 a.m.: coffee and Trail Ride Tacos at the Long Weekend cafe on East TC Jester.
3. Saturday, 9 a.m.: walk it off on the White Oak Bayou trail, which runs along TC Jester through the neighborhood.
4. Saturday, 11 a.m.: Bayou Benedict and a pizza for the table at CRISP, or chilaquiles at Tony's before 2 p.m.
5. Sunday, 10:30 a.m.: sticky buns and wild game at Rainbow Lodge, the moment the doors open. Have a drink at the Tied Fly Bar first.

What should you know before you go?

Book ahead for Rainbow Lodge and the Preslee's patio, and check which days each place serves brunch.

• Book Rainbow Lodge for Sunday. It's the only day it serves brunch.
• Book the patio at Preslee's if you're bringing a group. Inside seating is first come, first served.
• Go early on Saturday for Tony's. Brunch typically ends at 2 p.m.
• Want an early start? The Long Weekend cafe is the earliest weekend opening on this list, at 8 a.m.
• Check the day. Little Bird does brunch Friday to Sunday, Tony's only on Saturday, and Rainbow Lodge only on Sunday.
• Park legally. Most of these restaurants have their own lots. On residential streets, don't block driveways.

More brunch nearby

Timbergrove sits between several good brunch neighborhoods, so you have options if your first pick has a wait.

• Best brunch in the Heights, minutes east across Durham Drive.
• Best brunch in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest, just north of the Loop.
• Best brunch on Washington Avenue, a short drive south.
• Best brunch in Houston, our citywide list.
• Things to do in the Heights for the rest of the day.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best brunch in Timbergrove, Houston?

Rainbow Lodge, at 2011 Ella Blvd in Timbergrove, is the neighborhood's special-occasion brunch, served on Sundays in a 100-plus-year-old log cabin on White Oak Bayou. For something casual, the Long Weekend cafe on East TC Jester Boulevard and CRISP on Bevis Street are easy weekend picks.

Does Rainbow Lodge serve brunch on Saturday?

No. Rainbow Lodge in Timbergrove serves dinner only on Saturday and brunch on Sunday, typically from 10:30 a.m.

Which Timbergrove brunch spot opens earliest on weekends?

The Long Weekend cafe at 2044 E TC Jester Blvd typically opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tony's Mexican Restaurant on Ella Boulevard starts its Saturday brunch at 9 a.m.

Is there a Friday brunch near Timbergrove?

Yes. Little Bird, at 1815 N Durham Dr on the eastern edge of Timbergrove, typically serves brunch Friday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where can I brunch with kids and dogs in Timbergrove?

Preslee's Southern Eatery, at 1430 W 19th St in Shady Acres, has a big patio where kids and dogs are welcome, and it serves brunch Saturday and Sunday. Preslee's takes reservations only for patio seating.