Brunch in Upper Kirby, Houston: 7 Weekend Spots From 7am to 4pm

The best brunch in Upper Kirby, Houston, sits on three short stretches: Kirby Drive and Richmond Avenue where they cross, West Alabama Street just west of Shepherd Drive, and the blocks around Levy Park. Our top picks are Grace's on Kirby for a Southern brunch, Hearsay Levy Park for brunch beside a free park, Kiran's for an Indian brunch on Fridays and Saturdays, and Eunice for a Cajun-Creole one.

Here's the one to send the group chat: the First Watch that calls itself River Oaks isn't in River Oaks. First Watch's own site calls its 3029 Kirby Drive restaurant "First Watch River Oaks", but that address is south of Westheimer Road, in Upper Kirby, and it's the earliest brunch on this list, open from 7am every day. The latest is a few blocks away: Velvet Oak Tavern on West Alabama serves brunch until 4pm on weekends, with a $25 bottle of house Champagne and a mimosa setup.

This guide sorts seven places by part of the neighborhood. Every one was checked as open, with brunch on its menu, on its own official website in November 2026.

Where does Upper Kirby start and stop?

For this guide, Upper Kirby means the area south of Westheimer Road, west of Shepherd Drive, east of Buffalo Speedway and north of Bissonnet Street, a common definition of the neighborhood. The Upper Kirby management district uses the Southwest Freeway (US 59) as its southern edge instead, and all seven picks sit north of the freeway, so they're inside either definition.

We left out restaurants with a Westheimer Road address. Those belong to our River Oaks brunch guide. Two well-known restaurants that people often place in Upper Kirby are just over the line: Tiny Boxwoods on West Alabama is west of Buffalo Speedway, and The Marigold Club on Kuester Street is east of Shepherd. For those, see our afternoon tea guide, our Rice Village brunch guide and our Montrose brunch guide. For the wider neighborhood, start with our Upper Kirby area guide.

The quick list

• For a big Southern brunch: Grace's on Kirby.
• For the earliest start: First Watch on Kirby Drive, from 7am daily.
• For Indian brunch: Kiran's on Richmond Avenue, Fridays and Saturdays only.
• For brunch with kids and a park: Hearsay Levy Park.
• For Cajun-Creole brunch: Eunice on Buffalo Speedway.
• For keto, paleo and gluten-free options: Ruggles Black on West Alabama.
• For the latest finish and a bottle of bubbles: Velvet Oak Tavern, until 4pm.

How we chose

We looked for restaurants inside our boundaries that serve a real brunch menu on Saturday, Sunday or both, not just lunch with an egg on it. Each pick had to show current hours and brunch on its own official website as of November 2026. We aimed for range: Southern, Indian, Cajun-Creole, a diner-style breakfast chain, a park-side gastro lounge, a farm-to-table spot and a neighborhood tavern.

We dropped places we couldn't confirm. If a restaurant's own site didn't show a current brunch, or listed lunch rather than brunch, we left it out rather than guess. Brunch hours shift on holidays and menus change with the season, so treat every time and dish below as typical and check the restaurant's site before you go.

Kirby Drive and Richmond Avenue

Three picks sit within a few blocks of the Kirby Drive and Richmond Avenue intersection, so you can compare menus on foot.

Grace's on Kirby

3111 Kirby Dr · Southern and Texan · brunch Saturday and Sunday, typically 9am to 3pm

Grace's on Kirby is the classic Upper Kirby brunch: big plates, a patio and a fireplace. Restaurateur Johnny Carrabba opened it as a tribute to his grandmother, Grace Mandola, and some dishes carry family names, like Maw Maw's Pork Pot Roast and Rosie's Fried Chicken.

What to order: the Chicken Fried Chicken Biscuit, the Bananas Foster Pancakes, Shrimp and Grits, or the East End Breakfast Sandwich.

Good to know: Grace's takes reservations online, which helps on busy weekends.

First Watch (Kirby Drive)

3029 Kirby Dr · breakfast, brunch and lunch · open daily, typically 7am to 2:30pm

First Watch on Kirby Drive is the early-bird pick. First Watch names this location River Oaks, but it sits on Kirby south of Westheimer, in Upper Kirby. It serves the same breakfast-and-brunch menu every day of the week, so it also covers a weekday brunch.

What to order: Million Dollar Bacon, the Truffle Bacon and Brie Hash, or the Cinnamon Chip Pancake Breakfast. First Watch rotates seasonal dishes, so check the menu online.

Insider tip: join the waitlist online before you leave home. First Watch's location page offers it, and it beats standing on the sidewalk at 10am on a Sunday.

Kiran's

2925 Richmond Ave · Indian · brunch Friday and Saturday · closed Sundays

Kiran's serves Upper Kirby's most unusual brunch, and it's a Saturday plan, not a Sunday one: the restaurant is closed on Sundays. Kiran's calls its brunch menu a Brunch-y Lunch, and it's served alongside afternoon tea every Friday and Saturday. Chef Kiran Verma was a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas, and Kiran's says all its chicken and lamb is halal.

What to order: Kiran's posts the current Brunch-y Lunch menu on its website, so check it before you go and ask your server what's new.

Good to know: Kiran's opens at 11am on Fridays and Saturdays and doesn't print separate brunch hours, so call ahead if you're planning a late brunch. It also serves an English afternoon tea on Fridays and Saturdays, with last seating at 2pm.

Levy Park and Buffalo Speedway

Two picks sit on the western side of the neighborhood, around Levy Park and along Buffalo Speedway.

Hearsay Levy Park

3728 Wakeforest St · American gastro lounge · weekend brunch, typically Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3pm

Hearsay Levy Park is the brunch to pick when kids are coming. Hearsay describes this location as family-friendly, and it sits on Levy Park, so you can walk off brunch at the free park's playground and lawn. Our Levy Park guide covers the playground and dog park.

What to order: Hearsay lists weekend brunch with brunch cocktails across its restaurants. The Levy Park menu online also lists the Morning Sandwich, served all day.

Good to know: Hearsay opened in 2009 inside the W.L. Foley Building, an 1889 landmark, before expanding to locations like Levy Park. The Levy Park location opens at 10am on Saturdays and Sundays, and you can reserve through the restaurant's site.

Eunice

3737 Buffalo Speedway · Cajun-Creole restaurant and raw bar · opens 11am daily

Eunice brings a Louisiana brunch to the edge of Greenway Plaza. Chef and owner Drake Leonards opened it in 2018 and named it after his hometown, Eunice, Louisiana. He trained at Café Boulud in Manhattan, and Eunice says it works with local farmers, fishermen and ranchers.

What to order: the brunch menu on Eunice's site includes Blue Crab Florentine, Mimi's Pancakes, Shrimp and Grits and a House Smoked Salmon Tartine.

Good to know: Eunice's site carries a brunch menu but doesn't print separate brunch hours, so reserve or call before you go.

West Alabama, just west of Shepherd

The last two picks are neighbors on West Alabama Street, between Shepherd Drive and Kirby Drive.

Ruggles Black

2245 W Alabama St · organic, Indian-meets-French-American · brunch Saturday and Sunday

Ruggles Black is the brunch for a table with dietary rules. The restaurant describes its food as organic and farm-to-table, mixing Indian flavors with French-American cooking, with keto, paleo and gluten-free options throughout. It says its chicken and lamb are halal and its interior design was curated by chef Bruce Molzan. There's a patio.

What to order: the online menu doesn't list brunch dishes separately, so ask for the brunch menu when you sit down.

Good to know: Ruggles Black offers Saturday and Sunday brunch seatings and recommends reserving ahead.

Velvet Oak Tavern

2221 W Alabama St · neighborhood tavern · brunch Saturday and Sunday, typically 11am to 4pm

Velvet Oak Tavern is the relaxed, late-start option, with the latest brunch finish on this list. It's a bar first, with trivia and karaoke on other nights, and its weekend brunch keeps the prices friendly.

What to order: Chicken and Waffles, The Smothered Waffle, the Philly Omelet, or French Toast topped with bacon, spiced pecans and banana.

Insider tip: for a group, the bottle deals beat ordering by the glass. The tavern lists a $25 bottle of house Champagne with a mimosa setup, or a $45 bottle of Mumm. For more brunch cocktails, see our Bloody Mary guide.

Save this: the Upper Kirby brunch checklist

Screenshot this before your next weekend:

• Earliest table: First Watch on Kirby Drive, from 7am daily. Join the online waitlist first.
• Indian brunch: Kiran's, Fridays and Saturdays only. It's closed Sundays.
• With kids: Hearsay Levy Park, then the playground next door.
• Cajun-Creole: Eunice. Call to confirm brunch hours.
• Keto, paleo or gluten-free: Ruggles Black. Ask for the brunch menu.
• Latest finish: Velvet Oak Tavern, until 4pm on weekends.
• Bubbles for the table: Velvet Oak Tavern's $25 house Champagne bottle with a mimosa setup.
• Book ahead: Grace's on Kirby, Hearsay Levy Park and Ruggles Black all take reservations.

A Saturday route: brunch at Hearsay Levy Park at 10am, an hour in Levy Park, then a walk east to browse Kirby Drive. Or take the Indian route: Kiran's on Richmond Avenue when it opens at 11am, then afternoon tea there on another Friday or Saturday.

More near Upper Kirby

Upper Kirby is a short drive from River Oaks, Montrose and Rice Village, so you have plenty of brunch options nearby. For dinner and lunch in the neighborhood, see our Upper Kirby restaurant guide. For what to do after you eat, try things to do in Upper Kirby. For brunch across the city, see our Houston brunch guide.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best brunch in Upper Kirby, Houston?

Grace's on Kirby at 3111 Kirby Drive is the classic Upper Kirby brunch, with Southern dishes on Saturdays and Sundays, typically 9am to 3pm. For something different, Kiran's at 2925 Richmond Avenue serves an Indian brunch on Fridays and Saturdays.

Which Upper Kirby brunch opens earliest?

First Watch at 3029 Kirby Drive opens earliest, typically at 7am every day. First Watch calls this location River Oaks, but it sits in Upper Kirby, south of Westheimer Road.

Is there a kid-friendly brunch in Upper Kirby?

Hearsay Levy Park at 3728 Wakeforest Street describes itself as family-friendly and serves brunch on weekends, typically 10am to 3pm. It sits on Levy Park, a free park with a playground.

Is Kiran's open for brunch on Sunday?

No. Kiran's on Richmond Avenue in Upper Kirby is closed on Sundays. It serves its brunch menu on Fridays and Saturdays, opening at 11am.

Where can I get brunch late in the afternoon in Upper Kirby?

Velvet Oak Tavern at 2221 West Alabama Street serves brunch until 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, typically starting at 11am. That's the latest finish of the brunch spots we verified in Upper Kirby.

What area counts as Upper Kirby?

Upper Kirby is commonly defined as the area south of Westheimer Road, west of Shepherd Drive, east of Buffalo Speedway and north of Bissonnet Street. The Upper Kirby management district uses the Southwest Freeway as its southern edge instead.