Best Seafood in Midtown Houston: Gulf Oysters, Crawfish, Crab

The best seafood in Midtown Houston starts at Brennan's of Houston on Smith Street, which shucks Gulf oysters and serves Gulf fish in a Texas Creole dining room that opened in 1967. For something cheaper or later, Mai's Restaurant on Milam Street serves salt-and-pepper soft-shell crab until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and The Breakfast Klub on Travis Street does catfish and grits every morning. This guide covers eight verified Midtown spots for Gulf seafood, oysters, crawfish and raw fish.

Here's the line worth stealing: in Midtown you can eat seafood from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. without leaving the grid. Catfish and grits for breakfast, a 25-cent martini with lunch, oysters at happy hour and crab after midnight.

What counts as Midtown in this guide?

Midtown is the street grid between downtown and the Museum District. We use the Pierce Elevated (I-45) as the northern edge, I-69 (US 59) as the eastern and southern edge, and Spur 527 as the western edge, where Montrose begins. Main Street and the METRORail Red Line run down the middle.

That western line means the first blocks of West Gray just past Bagby Street count. Both West Gray restaurants on this list describe themselves as Midtown. Seafood spots west of Spur 527 are in our Montrose seafood guide, and spots north of the Pierce Elevated are in our downtown seafood guide.

How we chose

We kept restaurants inside those lines where seafood is a real reason to go: Gulf oysters, Gulf fish, shrimp, crab, crawfish or raw fish, not one shrimp dish on a long menu. Every pick had to show a current address, hours and a seafood menu on its own official website when we checked in November 2026.

We left out places whose official websites were offline, parked or no longer belonged to the restaurant, even well-known ones. Hours and menus change, so treat every schedule below as typical and check the restaurant's site before you go.

The quick list

• For a Gulf oyster tower and a celebration: Brennan's of Houston.
• For seafood after midnight: Mai's Restaurant, open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
• For seafood at breakfast: The Breakfast Klub's catfish and grits.
• For octopus, sardines and red snapper ceviche: Ōporto Fooding House & Wine.
• For oysters on a patio by the rail line: Winnie's.
• For sashimi and an omakase counter: Kanau Sushi.
• For ceviche before salsa night: Gloria's Latin Cuisine.
• For crawfish dip and a late Friday: Lost & Found Midtown.

The 8 best seafood spots in Midtown

1. Brennan's of Houston

Midtown, 3300 Smith Street · Texas Creole · typically open daily

Brennan's of Houston opened in 1967 as a sister restaurant to Commander's Palace in New Orleans, and in our view it still has the most complete seafood menu in Midtown. The raw bar pours Gulf and East Coast oysters by the half dozen, with boiled shrimp, crab fingers and crab ravigote on its seafood towers. Look for snapping turtle soup splashed with sherry, and at lunch and brunch, seafood gumbo and Gulf Fish Borgne, which comes with jumbo lump crab, shrimp and crispy Gulf oysters.

Insider tip: Brennan's runs a 25-cent martini lunch Monday through Friday, typically 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the purchase of an entrée, according to its website. In the Courtyard Bar, the house bar special pairs half a pound of Gulf shrimp with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and the bar menu lists single Gulf oysters on the half shell, also offered on the weekday happy hour menu, typically 2 to 6 p.m.

Order: Gulf oysters, turtle soup, then Gulf Fish Borgne.

2. Mai's Restaurant

Midtown, 3403 Milam Street · Vietnamese · closed Sundays

Mai's Restaurant was founded in 1978 by Phin and Phac Nguyen, and a third generation of the family now runs it. The menu runs to hundreds of dishes, and the seafood section is the reason to come: deep-fried soft-shell crab with garlic butter or spicy salt and pepper, salt-and-pepper squid and scallops, catfish simmered in caramelized fish sauce, and canh chua, a Vietnamese hot and sour soup you can order with catfish or shrimp.

Why it matters: Mai's is typically open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, which makes it the late-night seafood stop in Midtown. It's also a short walk from the bars on our Midtown bar guide.

Order: Cua Lot Rang Muoi, the salt-and-pepper soft-shell crab.

3. The Breakfast Klub

Midtown, 3711 Travis Street at Alabama · breakfast and lunch · typically open daily until 2 p.m.

The Breakfast Klub is famous for wings and waffles, but its menu marks Katfish & Grits as a signature dish too: a seasoned catfish fillet over grits, with potatoes or eggs and toast or a biscuit. Weekday hours typically start at 7 a.m., and weekend hours at 8 a.m. Expect a line on weekends; more Midtown morning options are in our Midtown brunch guide.

Order: Katfish & Grits with a biscuit.

4. Ōporto Fooding House & Wine

Midtown (West Gray), 125 West Gray, Suite 500 · Portuguese · reservations online

Ōporto grew out of Ōporto Wine Cafe, a food and wine bar chef Rick Di Virgilio founded in Houston in 2006. Its menu leans hard on seafood, and it's our favorite non-raw-bar seafood dinner in Midtown. There's ceviche of Gulf red snapper with chilled octopus, grilled Portuguese octopus, grilled sardines, piri piri Gulf shrimp, cataplana mussels and bacalhau à brás, a salt-cod and egg hash. For a group, the Arroz de Mar seafood rice comes with shrimp, scallops, cod, mussels, clams and grilled red prawns.

Order: Ceviche do Mar and the grilled octopus, with a glass from the Old World wine list.

5. Winnie's

Midtown, 3622 Main Street · sandwiches, oysters and cocktails · happy hour weekdays

Winnie's describes itself as a home for craft cocktails, creative sandwiches and raw oysters, and its dog-friendly patio looks out on the METRORail line on Main Street. Happy hour typically runs Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., and weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you're driving, the restaurant points guests to the Mid Main Parking Garage at 3550 Main Street, with entrances on Travis and Holman.

Order: raw oysters at happy hour, then a sandwich.

6. Kanau Sushi

Midtown, 2850 Fannin Street · Japanese · closed Tuesdays

Kanau Sushi sits in a Fannin Street high-rise and serves nigiri, sashimi, rolls and Japanese dishes. Its menu includes a Lake Charles Roll alongside fried calamari and poke rolls. The restaurant runs a chef's omakase by reservation only, with a deposit, when it's on the calendar, so check the site before you plan around it. Happy hour typically runs Wednesday to Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. and all day Sunday.

Order: assorted sashimi, or book the omakase.

7. Gloria's Latin Cuisine (Midtown)

Midtown, 2616 Louisiana Street · Latin American · open daily

Gloria's is a Texas Latin American chain, and its raw bar of ceviches makes it a seafood pick in Midtown. The ceviche uses raw fish cured in lime juice with Gulf Coast shrimp, mango, avocado and leche de tigre. There's also an aguachile of shrimp in red chile and lime, ceviche tostadas, and a Ceviche Trio sampler with a shrimp cocktail. Happy hour typically runs Monday to Friday from 2 to 6:30 p.m.

Insider tip: the Midtown location holds Salsa Night on Saturdays from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., so an early dinner can turn into a long night.

Order: the Ceviche Trio to share.

8. Lost & Found Midtown

Midtown (West Gray), 160 West Gray Street · Southern and Cajun-leaning · open late

Lost & Found Midtown is a restaurant and cocktail lounge with a Gulf Coast streak on its menu. There's a shrimp and crawfish cheese dip, Cajun pasta with shrimp and crawfish, seafood gumbo, Southern fried shrimp and fried lobster bites. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. adds a seafood omelet with shrimp and crawfish under crab sauce, plus Cajun curry shrimp and grits. It typically stays open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Insider tip: Monday happy hour runs 4 to 10 p.m., with food specials until 7 p.m., and the menu lets you add shrimp or crawfish to the loaded fries.

Order: the shrimp and crawfish dip, then the Cajun pasta.

Save this: a Midtown seafood day

You can eat your way through Midtown seafood in a single day. Check hours the morning you go, and use METRORail or a rideshare if you're drinking. Our METRO guide explains the Red Line.

1. Breakfast: Katfish & Grits at The Breakfast Klub on Travis at Alabama, any day before 2 p.m.
2. Weekday lunch: Gulf oysters and a 25-cent martini lunch at Brennan's of Houston on Smith Street.
3. Happy hour: raw oysters on Winnie's patio on Main Street, weekdays from 4 p.m.
4. Dinner: red snapper ceviche and grilled octopus at Ōporto on West Gray.
5. After midnight (Friday or Saturday): salt-and-pepper soft-shell crab at Mai's on Milam Street.

Before you go: a quick checklist

• Mai's is closed Sundays and Kanau Sushi is closed Tuesdays.
• The Breakfast Klub closes at 2 p.m., so it's a morning and lunch stop only.
• Want oysters cheap? Go at happy hour: Brennan's bar happy hour typically runs weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., and Winnie's from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Crawfish is seasonal in Houston. For the season and where to go, see our Houston crawfish guide. Lost & Found keeps crawfish tails on its menu.
• Planning a celebration? Brennan's posts a dress code and valet details on its website.

More seafood and Midtown eating

For oysters across the city, start with our best oysters in Houston. For the full citywide list, see the best seafood restaurants in Houston. Staying in the neighborhood? Our best restaurants in Midtown and Midtown neighborhood guide have the rest.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best seafood restaurant in Midtown Houston?

Brennan's of Houston at 3300 Smith Street is our top pick, with Gulf oysters, seafood towers, turtle soup and Gulf fish. It opened in 1967 as a sister restaurant to Commander's Palace in New Orleans.

Where can I get oysters in Midtown Houston?

Brennan's of Houston serves Gulf and East Coast oysters at its raw bar and single Gulf oysters on its Courtyard Bar menu. Winnie's on Main Street also serves raw oysters, with weekday happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m.

Where can I eat seafood late at night in Midtown?

Mai's Restaurant at 3403 Milam Street is typically open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and serves salt-and-pepper soft-shell crab, squid and catfish. Lost & Found Midtown on West Gray typically stays open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Where can I get crawfish in Midtown Houston?

Lost & Found Midtown on West Gray Street keeps crawfish on its menu, including a shrimp and crawfish dip and Cajun pasta with shrimp and crawfish. Boiled crawfish is seasonal, so check our Houston crawfish guide for the season.

Is there seafood for breakfast in Midtown?

Yes. The Breakfast Klub at 3711 Travis Street serves Katfish & Grits, a seasoned catfish fillet over grits, typically from 7 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. on weekends.

What are the boundaries of Midtown Houston?

For this guide, Midtown runs from the Pierce Elevated (I-45) on the north to I-69 (US 59) on the east and south, with Spur 527 as the western edge before Montrose. Main Street and the METRORail Red Line run through the middle.