Best Restaurants on Washington Avenue and in Rice Military, Houston

Washington Avenue is named for Washington County, because it was part of the original road from Houston to Brenham, the county seat. Truth BBQ made that trip in reverse: it started in a small roadside shack in Brenham in 2015 and opened on Heights Boulevard, just off Washington, in 2019. That's the kind of street this is. Things arrive here and stay.

Here's the line to send the group chat: on Washington Avenue you can eat Michelin-recognized brisket at lunch and a one-item, bacon-wrapped hot dog at 2 a.m., and both are worth the trip.

The corridor has a reputation as a bar strip, and the weekend crowds are real. But between the patios there's a run of restaurants we'd happily send you to on a Tuesday: a family pizza place that's been around since 1976, a burger counter in the First Ward, Nashville hot chicken, late-night smash burgers and a taqueria open at 6:30 in the morning. This guide picks 13, mixes cheap eats with sit-down dinners, and tells you what to order at each.

What we mean by Washington Avenue and Rice Military

The full avenue runs about 4.5 miles from Interstate 45 to Hempstead Road. For this guide, we cover the busy eastern stretch, from the edge of downtown west to Westcott Street at the doorstep of Memorial Park.

That includes:

• Rice Military, the townhome neighborhood bounded by Washington Avenue on the north, Buffalo Bayou on the south, Shepherd Drive on the east and Westcott Street on the west.
• The First Ward and Sawyer Yards blocks just north of the avenue's eastern end, where the arts campus has filled up with places to eat.
• The blocks just south of I-10, including the strip of Heights Boulevard and Harvard Street that meets Washington.

North of I-10 is the Heights, which has its own Heights restaurant guide.

Our picks at a glance

• For barbecue people plan trips around: Truth BBQ.
• For a cheap, great burger at lunch: Stanton's City Bites.
• For a burger at 2 a.m.: Burger Bodega.
• For a big night out: B&B Butchers & Restaurant.
• For breakfast tacos: Tacodeli.
• For the last stop of the night: Yoyo's Hotdog.

The best restaurants on Washington Avenue

1. Truth BBQ

110 S Heights Blvd · Texas barbecue · $$

Truth does it the hard way: 18-hour cooks on wood-burning offset smokers, with sides and desserts made from scratch daily. The restaurant lists a Michelin Bib Gourmand in Texas's first Michelin Guide in 2024, and again the following year.

What to order: brisket by the pound, then a slice of whatever cake is on the counter.

Know before you go: lunch typically runs Tuesday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, both "until sell out." Go early on weekends. It's closed Mondays. For the rest of the city's smoke, see our best BBQ in Houston.

2. Stanton's City Bites

First Ward, 1420 Edwards St · burgers · $

A family-run neighborhood burger counter that calls itself a Houston staple, and we won't argue. Patties are hand-pressed and griddled to order, and the menu runs to sandwiches and chili cheese dogs.

What to order: a hand-pressed cheeseburger. If someone in your group doesn't want a burger, the crispy pork chop sandwich.

Know before you go: typically closed Mondays, with shorter hours on Sundays.

3. Burger Bodega

4520 Washington Ave · smash burgers · $

Burger Bodega borrows from New York bodega culture: crispy-edged smash burgers, chopped cheese sandwiches on hero rolls, loaded fries and thick shakes.

What to order: the double smash burger with grilled onions, house-made pickles and Bodega sauce, plus Screwed Fries. The shakes include Vietnamese coffee and mango lassi.

Know before you go: it typically stays open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and it's closed Mondays. More smash in our best burgers in Houston.

4. B&B Butchers & Restaurant

1814 Washington Ave · steakhouse · $$$$

The east end of the avenue's big-night-out pick: a steakhouse and butcher shop under one name, listed in Sawyer Yards' East Washington buildings. Book ahead for weekends.

What to order: a steak, sized for the table. Our B&B Butchers guide has more on the menu.

5. Star Pizza

77 Harvard St, at Washington Ave · pizza · $$

Star has been local and family-owned since 1976. It makes its pizza sauce, marinara and dough in its own commissary kitchen, mixes its own cheese blend daily, and makes its gluten-free crust and sauce in-house too.

What to order: a whole pie for the table, and a gluten-free one if a friend needs it.

Insider tip: the owner's note on Star's own site asks you to be patient, because the pizzas take a little longer to make properly. Plan for it. There's also a party room you can book.

6. Tacodeli

Sawyer Yards, 1902 Washington Ave, Suite D · tacos · $

Tacodeli has served tacos since 1999 and is known for its salsas. The Washington location has a pet-friendly patio and opens at 6:30 a.m.

What to order: the Otto (organic refried black beans, double bacon, avocado and jack cheese) or a migas taco with pasture-raised eggs.

Know before you go: breakfast tacos are typically served until 11 a.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends. It's closed Mondays. See our best tacos in Houston for more.

7. Local Pho

The Shops at Sawyer Yards, 2313 Edwards St, Suite 145 · Vietnamese · $

A family-run pho shop tucked in among the Sawyer Yards studios. It's the easy, inexpensive lunch after a morning looking at art.

What to order: a bowl of pho, plus spring rolls with vermicelli, lettuce and mint.

Know before you go: typically open daily from 11 a.m.

8. The Cookshack

4015 Washington Ave · Nashville hot chicken · $

The heat ladder runs Not Hot, Mild, Medium, Texas Hot and AMF. You're on your own with that last one.

What to order: tenders at Medium the first time. If you're very hungry, the Sleezy Chicken: mac and cheese topped with two tenders, coleslaw and Shack Sauce.

Know before you go: typically open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

9. Miyako

4601 Washington Ave, Suite 150 · sushi · $$

An unfussy sushi bar for rolls and a beer, with hours that suit a night out: typically until 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

What to order: a round of rolls for the table.

10. Velvet Taco

4819 Washington Ave · tacos · $

A chain, but this location is a genuine after-bar move, typically open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The menu leans creative, and there's a rotating weekly special it calls the WTF ("weekly taco feature").

What to order: the WTF, whatever it is that week.

11. Tejas Brewery

Sawyer Yards, 2101 Summer St · brewery and kitchen · $$

Three stories of food, beer, cocktails and coffee, with a view of downtown and a full dining menu alongside its own Tejas beer. The first-floor patio is dog-friendly.

What to order: a Tejas beer and something from the kitchen while the skyline lights up.

Know before you go: typically open from 11 a.m. daily, until midnight Thursday to Saturday.

12. Bayou Heights Bier Garten

3905 Washington Ave · beer garden · $$

An all-day beer garden with 74 craft beers and 16 wines on tap, and a menu that goes well beyond bar snacks.

What to order: a house-made pretzel and the brisket grilled cheese. On a weekend morning, breakfast tacos.

Know before you go: typically opens at 3 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, at noon Thursday and Friday, and at 11 a.m. on weekends.

13. Yoyo's Hotdog

5602 Washington Ave · hot dog stand · $

Yoyo's has served exactly one menu item since 2010: a bacon-wrapped hot dog with grilled onions and sauce. That's the whole menu, and that's the point.

What to order: the hot dog. There's nothing else to order.

Know before you go: typically open 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., Friday and Saturday only. Our late-night food in Houston guide has more after-midnight options.

Before dinner: a drink at Julep

Julep, at 1919 Washington Avenue, isn't a restaurant, but it belongs on your night. It's a classic cocktail bar telling the story of drinking in the South, and it lists a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program and a place on North America's 50 Best Bars in 2022. Bar snacks are on the menu. It's a five-minute walk from B&B Butchers. For more, see our best cocktail bars in Houston.

Save this: eat your way down Washington Avenue

Screenshot it. One long Saturday, east to west, ending near Memorial Park.

1. 8 a.m., Tacodeli: an Otto and a coffee on the patio.
2. 11 a.m., Truth BBQ: get in line early for brisket.
3. 2 p.m., Local Pho: a light bowl, then wander the Sawyer Yards studios.
4. 5 p.m., Tejas Brewery: a beer with the downtown view.
5. 6:30 p.m., Julep: one cocktail.
6. 7:30 p.m., B&B Butchers or Star Pizza: your call, big night or family night.
7. 10 p.m., Miyako: a round of sushi rolls. It's typically open until midnight on Saturdays.
8. Midnight, Voodoo Doughnut at 3715 Washington Ave: a Bacon Maple Bar. It's typically open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
9. 1 a.m., Yoyo's Hotdog: the last stop. Get a rideshare home.

Nobody should do all nine. Pick three and come back.

Tips for eating on Washington Avenue

• Watch out for Mondays. Truth, Stanton's, Burger Bodega and Tacodeli are all typically closed.
• Book weekend dinners. The corridor fills up on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Leave the car. Rice Military's streets are residential and tightly packed. Read the parking signs, don't block driveways, and take a rideshare if you're drinking.
• Check hours on the day. Everything here comes from each restaurant's own site, and hours change.

How we chose

We looked for restaurants inside the boundaries above that are open now, verified each one on its own official site in October 2026, and mixed price points so there's a cheap lunch and a big dinner on the same street. We left out places we couldn't confirm were open. We weren't paid to include anyone.

Want more nearby? Head east for downtown restaurants, or browse every neighborhood on our food and dining hub.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best restaurants on Washington Avenue in Houston?

Our top picks are Truth BBQ for brisket, Stanton's City Bites for burgers, B&B Butchers for a steak dinner, Star Pizza for family pizza and Tacodeli for breakfast tacos.

Where is Rice Military?

Rice Military is the neighborhood south of Washington Avenue, bounded by Buffalo Bayou on the south, Shepherd Drive on the east and Westcott Street on the west.

Where can I eat late at night on Washington Avenue?

Burger Bodega and Velvet Taco typically stay open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, Miyako typically serves until midnight on weekends, and Yoyo's Hotdog runs 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Check each official site before you go.

Are there cheap eats on Washington Avenue?

Yes. Stanton's City Bites, Burger Bodega, Tacodeli, Local Pho, The Cookshack and Yoyo's Hotdog are all counter-service spots where a meal is inexpensive.

Which Washington Avenue restaurants are closed on Mondays?

Truth BBQ, Stanton's City Bites, Burger Bodega and Tacodeli are typically closed on Mondays. Hours change, so check each restaurant's site.

Why is Washington Avenue called Washington Avenue?

It is named for Washington County, because the road was part of the original route from Houston to Brenham, the Washington County seat.