Taste of Texas Ranks No. 2 in America on Yelp's 2026 Top 100

Taste of Texas, the Katy Freeway steakhouse Nina and Edd Hendee opened in 1977, has been named the No. 2 restaurant in America on Yelp's Top 100 U.S. Restaurants list for 2026. It is the highest placement of any Houston steakhouse on the list, and one of the strongest showings the city's dining scene has had on a national ranking.

Yelp's Top 100 is built from user reviews rather than critics' ballots, which makes the citation telling: reviewers singled out the fact that guests pick their own cut in the kitchen, the warm Texas hospitality, and a dining room that doubles as a museum of state history, down to interior chapel doors from the Alamo. The restaurant sits at 10505 Katy Freeway and is among the country's largest independent users of Certified Angus Beef.

Six More Houston Restaurants Made the List

Taste of Texas was not alone. Seven Houston-area restaurants landed on Yelp's 2026 Top 100 in all: Xiaolong Dumpling at No. 43, Aga's Restaurant & Catering at No. 50, Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House at No. 55, The Ginger Mule at No. 63, Shabu En at No. 69, and The Chef's Table at No. 73.

Why It Matters for Houston

Steakhouses are a point of pride across Texas, and a No. 2 finish for a family-run room that has been in the same spot since 1977 says something specific about what carries: consistency and hospitality over novelty. The spread of the other six entries — dumplings, Pakistani, two shabu houses, a bar — is a fair snapshot of how broad the city's dining has become. Our Memorial-area restaurants guide covers what else is near Taste of Texas.

What's Next

Expect reservations to get harder. National lists move demand quickly, and Taste of Texas was already a high-volume room on weekends and around graduation and holiday season. If you are planning a visit, book well ahead, and consider a weeknight.

This article is a summary of reporting by CultureMap Houston. Read the full story here.