Best Seafood on Washington Avenue, Houston: Oysters, Sushi, Gulf Fish

The best seafood on Washington Avenue in Houston is the Gulf red snapper and seafood tower at Brenner's on the Bayou, the raw oysters at Julep, and the sashimi at Soma Sushi. For something casual, Tacodeli on Washington Avenue makes its shrimp tacos with Texas Gulf shrimp, and Miyako, Velvet Taco, El Tiempo Cantina and B&B Butchers round out eight picks, all confirmed open on their own websites in November 2026.

Here's the thing nobody tells you: Washington Avenue doesn't have a classic seafood house. The seafood here hides inside a 1936-born steakhouse, an award-winning cocktail bar, two sushi bars and a couple of taco counters. Know where to look and you can eat oysters, sashimi and Gulf shrimp without leaving the avenue.

Where does Washington Avenue start and end for this guide?

For this guide, Washington Avenue means the busy stretch of the avenue from the Old Sixth Ward at the edge of downtown west to Westcott Street, at the doorstep of Memorial Park. We also include two neighborhoods that belong to the corridor:

• The First Ward and Sawyer Yards, the blocks just north of the avenue's eastern end, covered in our Washington Avenue Arts District guide.
• Rice Military, the neighborhood between Washington Avenue and Buffalo Bayou, from Shepherd Drive to Westcott Street.

North of Interstate 10 is the Heights, which has its own Heights seafood guide. Everything below has a Washington Avenue address except Brenner's, which sits on Buffalo Bayou in Rice Military.

The quick list

• For a special-occasion seafood dinner: Brenner's on the Bayou, 1 Birdsall St (Rice Military).
• For raw oysters with a serious cocktail: Julep, 1919 Washington Ave.
• For sashimi and ceviche: Soma Sushi, 4820 Washington Ave.
• For late-night sushi: Miyako Sushi Bar, 4601 Washington Ave.
• For Texas Gulf shrimp tacos at breakfast or lunch: Tacodeli, 1902 Washington Ave.
• For a 3 a.m. shrimp taco: Velvet Taco, 4819 Washington Ave.
• For Tex-Mex ceviche: El Tiempo Cantina, 5602 Washington Ave.
• For a crab cake with your steak: B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington Ave.

How we chose

Every pick is inside the boundary above and was confirmed open on its own official website in November 2026, with a current address and seafood on its posted menu. We read each menu ourselves and only name dishes we found there. We favored places that name their seafood, like Gulf red snapper or Texas Gulf shrimp, and we mixed white-tablecloth dinners with counters where you can eat for less. Nobody paid to be included.

We couldn't verify a dedicated crawfish boil inside the corridor, so you won't find one on this list. Menus, prices and hours change often, so treat everything below as typical and check the restaurant's site before you go.

Where can you get a Gulf seafood dinner on Washington Avenue?

Brenner's on the Bayou is the corridor's sit-down seafood dinner, with Gulf red snapper, a seafood tower and oysters on the half shell.

1. Brenner's on the Bayou

Rice Military, 1 Birdsall St · steakhouse with a deep seafood menu · dinner nightly, lunch on Sundays

Brenner's on the Bayou, the Landry's-owned steakhouse on Buffalo Bayou in Rice Military, has the most complete seafood menu in the corridor. Order the Gulf Red Snapper, topped with jumbo lump crab and served with tomatoes, French green beans and roasted cauliflower in lemon butter. For the table, the Seafood Tower stacks oysters, colossal shrimp, king crab, Maine lobster and tuna poke. Smaller plays include oysters on the half shell with champagne mignonette, a jumbo lump crab cake and blackened scallops with bacon jam.

I didn't know that: Herman and Lorene Brenner opened the original Brenner's in 1936, and the Bayou location opened in 2007 in the building that once housed the Rainbow Lodge. The restaurant describes a cascading waterfall and a two-story dining room looking over the bayou.

Good to know: hours are typically 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, until 9:30 p.m. Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, with happy hour 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. The dress code is business or dressy casual. More towers are in our seafood towers guide.

Where can you get oysters on Washington Avenue?

Julep, at 1919 Washington Ave, is the place to eat raw oysters on the avenue, and its menu notes a Monday oyster deal.

2. Julep

Near Sawyer Yards, 1919 Washington Ave · cocktail bar with seafood small plates · opens in the afternoon daily

Julep, the Southern cocktail bar on Washington Avenue, serves raw Murder Point oysters, typically $4 each, and its menu flags a special price on them all day Monday. Add the lobster dip (lobster, parsley, cheese and hot sauce with toast) and you have a light seafood dinner at the bar.

I didn't know that: Julep won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program, according to the bar, and owner Alba Huerta's cocktail book explores the drinking culture of the South, including the coastal South that the bar calls the Saltwater South.

Good to know: the bar typically opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The kitchen keeps shorter hours, typically 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday. For more raw bars citywide, see our oyster guide.

Where is the best sushi on Washington Avenue?

Soma Sushi is the pick for sashimi and ceviche, and Miyako Sushi Bar is the pick when it's late.

3. Soma Sushi

Rice Military, 4820 Washington Ave · upscale casual Japanese · lunch on weekdays, dinner daily

Soma Sushi on Washington Avenue is an upscale casual Japanese restaurant led by Chef Omi Higa, who combines traditional Japanese cooking with modern techniques and local influences, in the restaurant's own words. The showpiece is the Soma Sashimi Bowl: nine different sashimi chosen by the chef and served over an ice bowl, typically $78. Smaller orders include the kingfish ceviche with grapefruit and yuzu, the Sashimi Trio (tuna, salmon and yellowtail), Hokkaido octopus with yuzu and black sea salt, and a tuna tower you can upgrade with king crab.

Insider tip: the nigiri omakase is ordered one piece at a time, so it's an easy way to taste the chef's best cut of the day without committing to a full meal.

Good to know: lunch is typically 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays. Dinner typically starts at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and at noon on weekends.

4. Miyako Sushi Bar

4601 Washington Ave, Suite 150 · sushi and Japanese kitchen · open late daily

Miyako Sushi Bar on Washington Avenue is the newest location of a Houston Japanese restaurant and sushi bar that dates to 1978, according to its website. The menu covers nigiri and sashimi, classic and special rolls, a chef's special raw section and bento boxes.

Why go: it's the late-night sit-down sushi pick. Miyako typically stays open until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, opening at 11:30 a.m. on weekdays and noon on weekends. Its website says prices and selections can vary by location, so check the Washington menu before you go. More picks are in our Houston sushi guide.

Where can you get cheap seafood on Washington Avenue?

For shrimp on a budget, go to Tacodeli for Texas Gulf shrimp tacos or Velvet Taco for shrimp tacos late at night.

5. Tacodeli

Near Sawyer Yards, 1902 Washington Ave, Suite D · taqueria · open daily from 6:30 a.m.

Tacodeli on Washington Avenue lists its seafood as responsibly sourced and names Texas Gulf shrimp on its menu. Order the Shrimposito (grilled Texas Gulf shrimp, chipotle-sesame adobo, queso fresco and avocado) or the Sunset Shrimp (crispy Texas Gulf shrimp with purple cabbage slaw, jícama, creamy salsa de árbol and lime). There's also a mojo salmon taco.

Good to know: Tacodeli has been making tacos since 1999, according to its website. The Washington Avenue location is typically open 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, with lunch and dinner tacos from 11 a.m. It lists a pet-friendly patio. More taco stops are in our Washington Avenue taco guide.

6. Velvet Taco

4819 Washington Ave · creative tacos · open until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Velvet Taco on Washington Avenue has a whole fish section on its taco menu. The Mexi-Cali shrimp is blackened shrimp with napa slaw, sriracha aioli, avocado and corn pico on a flour tortilla. The sweet chile shrimp is crispy, and the fish n' chips taco uses beer-battered Alaskan pollock with curry aioli and fries tucked inside.

I didn't know that: Velvet Taco (4819) and Soma Sushi (4820) sit on opposite sides of the same block of Washington Avenue, so you can choose between a $78 sashimi bowl and a late-night shrimp taco without moving your car.

Good to know: typically open 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, until midnight Thursday and until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Tex-Mex and steakhouse seafood

Two Washington Avenue favorites known for other things have seafood worth ordering: ceviche at El Tiempo Cantina and a crab cake at B&B Butchers.

7. El Tiempo Cantina

Washington Ave, 5602 Washington Ave · Tex-Mex cantina · weekend brunch

El Tiempo Cantina on Washington Avenue is a Tex-Mex cantina best known for fajitas, but its menu has a ceviche of blanched bay scallops, shrimp and calamari that makes a good start to a seafood night. Hours are typically 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, with weekend brunch until 2 p.m. More Tex-Mex is in our Washington Avenue Mexican guide.

8. B&B Butchers & Restaurant

Near Sawyer Yards, 1814 Washington Ave · steakhouse and butcher shop · open daily from 11 a.m.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant on Washington Avenue is an upscale steakhouse with a traditional butcher shop attached, so steak is the point. The seafood order is the jumbo lump crab cake with whole grain mustard cream sauce, typically $36 on the dinner menu. The steakhouse typically opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. Sunday.

What about crawfish on Washington Avenue?

We couldn't confirm a crawfish boil inside the Washington Avenue corridor, so for crawfish, head north of I-10 to the Heights. Our Heights seafood guide lists boil spots a short drive away, and our Houston crawfish guide explains the season and the Viet-Cajun style. For the full citywide picture, start with our best seafood restaurants in Houston.

Save this: a Washington Avenue seafood evening

This route runs east to west in one evening, with a short drive between each stop.

1. Julep, from 4 p.m.: raw Murder Point oysters and a cocktail. Go on a Monday for the oyster deal.
2. Soma Sushi or Brenner's on the Bayou for dinner: Soma for the sashimi bowl, Brenner's for Gulf red snapper and a seafood tower. Book ahead for both.
3. Velvet Taco for the nightcap: a Mexi-Cali shrimp taco across the street from Soma, served until 3 a.m. on weekends.

The checklist before you go:

• Check each restaurant's site for today's hours and menu.
• Dress up for Brenner's (business or dressy casual).
• Ask at Julep what the Monday oyster price is that day.
• For crawfish season, plan a Heights stop instead.
• Make it a date with our Washington Avenue date night guide, or keep going with our Washington Avenue bars guide.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best seafood restaurant on Washington Avenue in Houston?

Brenner's on the Bayou, at 1 Birdsall St in Rice Military, has the most complete seafood menu in the Washington Avenue corridor, including Gulf red snapper with jumbo lump crab and a seafood tower. For sashimi, go to Soma Sushi at 4820 Washington Ave.

Where can I get oysters on Washington Avenue?

Julep, the cocktail bar at 1919 Washington Ave, serves raw Murder Point oysters, and its menu notes a special price on them all day Monday. Brenner's on the Bayou also serves oysters on the half shell and a seafood tower.

Is there crawfish on Washington Avenue in Houston?

We couldn't confirm a dedicated crawfish boil inside the Washington Avenue corridor. The closest crawfish spots are in the Heights, just north of I-10.

Where can I get seafood late at night on Washington Avenue?

Velvet Taco at 4819 Washington Ave serves shrimp and fish tacos until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Miyako Sushi Bar at 4601 Washington Ave typically stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Where can I get Gulf shrimp cheaply on Washington Avenue?

Tacodeli at 1902 Washington Ave makes its Shrimposito and Sunset Shrimp tacos with Texas Gulf shrimp. It typically opens at 6:30 a.m. daily, with lunch tacos from 11 a.m.