South American in Houston

5114 Kirby Dr. Lower Shepherd-Kirby

713-522-5888

South American, Restaurants, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

This self-service grill, part of the Cordúa empire, serves casual Latin cuisine. You're guaranteed to get in and out fast unless, of course, you can't stay away from the plantain chips and salsas that are free for the taking. Enjoy a delicious ceviche, an amazing burger or the dish that made Cordúa famous, the churrasco steak, a beef tenderloin served with that famous chimichurri sauce. Finish with one of the best tres leches cakes in town and a cafecito.

3 articles

Americas Restaurant

1800 Post Oak Blvd. Galleria

713-521-2920

Mexican, South American, Critics' Pick, Menu

Grumps carp that the Cordúa brothers' extraterrestrial rain-forest fantasia is overrated, but it's hard to argue against Chicago wonderboy Jordan Mozer's cutting-edge decor, or -- when the largely reliable kitchen is on -- the creative Pan-American menu. Captivating quail taquitos, potato-crusted squid, shrimp over corn fettuccine and voluptuous coconut ice cream show Américas at its finest, which is very fine indeed.

1 article

Artista

800 Bagby Downtown/ Midtown

713-278-4782

South American, Restaurants, Services, Critics' Pick, Best Of

This has to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in Houston, with one of the best views of downtown. The food is spectacular. Since it is on the second floor of the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, the menu has a performance art theme, divided into "acts." Standout dishes include Peruvian lobster bisque, crispy soft-shell crawfish taquitos and the signature churrasco steak. The tres leches is one of the best in town.

10 articles

Cabo, The Original Mix-Mex Grill

419 Travis St. Downtown/ Midtown

713-225-2060

Mexican, South American, Recommended, Menu

The downtown location tends to be jam-packed, full of people bent on loudly enjoying themselves and the potent margaritas. But given that Cabo is as much a scene as a restaurant, the food is surprisingly good: bright, brisk tortilla soup, a vigorous ceviche and chicken enchiladas topped with gooey, creamy cheese.

Churrascos

7877 Willow Chase Blvd. Jersey Village

South American, Restaurants, Critics' Pick

At this fabulous Cordúa brothers enterprise, it's easy to revel in the signature charcoal-grilled tenderloins, garlicky chimichurri sauce, plantains and extracurricular vegetables. Churrascos's unusual South American-inspired pork and chicken dishes, great appetizers and bargain lunch specials all provide lots of bang for the buck.

5 articles

Churrascos

2055 Westheimer Lower Shepherd-Kirby

713-527-8300

Latin American, South American, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

At this fabulous Cordúa brothers enterprise, it's easy to revel in the signature charcoal-grilled tenderloins, garlicky chimichurri sauce, plantains and extracurricular vegetables. Churrascos's unusual South American-inspired pork and chicken dishes, great appetizers and bargain lunch specials all provide lots of bang for the buck. The Montrose location features an elegant, though not too fussy, dining area.

10 articles

Churrascos

9705 Westheimer Rd. Memorial

713-952-1988

South American, Restaurants, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

At this fabulous Cordúa brothers enterprise, it's easy to revel in the signature charcoal-grilled tenderloins, garlicky chimichurri sauce, plantains and extracurricular vegetables. Unusual South American-inspired pork and chicken dishes, great appetizers and bargain lunch specials all provide lots of bang for the buck.

5 articles

Churrascos

947 Gessner Outer Loop - NW

713-231-1352

Latin American, South American, Critics' Pick, Menu, Slideshow

The Gateway Memorial City Churrascos has all the wonderful food of the earlier Churrascos restaurants in a more modern, less fancy setting. The revamped menu features more classic Nicaraguan dishes, as well as some items that pay homage to the family's history in the city of Houston. Guests can dine on delights such as ceviche verde, a whole fried fish crusted in cornmeal, cocoa and cinnamon, and the ever-popular tres leches cake. The signature churrasco steak is as tender and juicy as ever, while the chimichurri sauce that tops it is garlicky and addictive. As always, brunch is a huge undertaking, and the restaurant pulls out all the stops for the buffet.

15 articles

Churrascos

1520 Lake Pointe Parkway, Sugar Land Outside Houston

832-532-5300

Latin American, South American, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

At this fabulous Cordúa brothers enterprise, it's easy to revel in the signature charcoal-grilled tenderloins, garlicky chimichurri sauce, plantains and extracurricular vegetables. Churrascos's unusual South American-inspired pork and chicken dishes, great appetizers and bargain lunch specials all provide lots of bang for the buck.

15 articles

El Pueblito Place

1423 Richmond Ave. Montrose

713-520-6635

Mexican, South American, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

In this modest, pink-walled Greenway restaurant, owners Eduardo and Monica Lopez specialize in the dishes of Guatemala and Mexico: succulent fish tacos, grilled chicken and scrumptious fried plantains. El Pueblito's cilantro-spiked salsa, which manages to be hot and cooling simultaneously, is in a class by itself.

6 articles

El Pupusodromo No. 1

6817 Bissonnet Outer Loop - SW

713-270-5030

Central American, Mexican, South American, Recommended, Best Of

Don't judge this book by its cover. Join the Salvadoran family crowd for spectacular grilled masa disks stuffed with white cheese that deserve to be the next great American street food. Some of their more interesting fare includes a strangely unfamiliar seafood soup and tender little corn-studded tamalitos in thinned sour cream.

2 articles

El Tiempo Cantina

3130 Richmond Ave. Lower Shepherd-Kirby

713-807-1600

Mexican, South American, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

The Laurenzo clan of Ninfa's fame delivers the Tex-Mex (and the margaritas) you expect -- and then some. Crabmeat quesadillas are spectacular; fajitas, more than respectable. But food isn't this cantina's main draw; it's the generous, friendly service and an atmosphere designed to make diners relaxed and comfortable.

7 articles

Emporio Brazilian Café

12288 Westheimer Memorial

281-293-7442

South American, Recommended, Best Of

This little spot is where Houston's Brazilian community gathers to eat comida caseira, old-fashioned home cooking. By the cash register, there are a couple of shelves full of imported candies, condiments and other hard-to-find items treasured by Brazilians in exile. The mixed grill, called churrasco gaucho, is available all the time.

1 article

Eric's Restaurant

4800 Calhoun Rd. Third Ward

713-743-2512

Fusion, Italian, South American, Recommended

This hands-on laboratory for hotel and restaurant-management students is a casual counterpart to the upscale Barron's Restaurant. Their breakfast and lunch menus offer traditional American cuisine. The dinners are heavier, with pan-seared salmon, seared ahi-tuna,filet mignon, grilled rib eye, pasta and burgers.

Fernando's

14135 SW, Sugar Land Outside Houston

281-494-9087

Italian, South American, Recommended, Menu

This is an upscale, sophisticated, beautifully decorated, romantic spot. The food is an amalgam of the cuisines of Spain, Italy, Mexico and South America. Traditional dishes like ceviche and empanadas sit next to yuca crab cakes on the menu. The tropical chicken with coconut milk and cilantro, the filet of corvina in a lemon white-wine sauce and the lamb chops in sherry sauce are all standouts. Weekends bring live music and dancing.

1 article

Fogo De Chao Churrascaria

8250 Westheimer Rd. Outer Loop - SW

713-978-6500

Brazilian, South American, Steakhouse, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

It would be difficult for even the most refined carnivore to refrain from licking his chops when first laying eyes on this South Brazilian restaurant. Scurrying from table to table are seemingly dozens of waiters in gaucho garb with flashing knives and long skewers of meat. Lunch and dinner are on a flat-rate-per-person basis, which includes all the meat you can eat, and a colorful, panoramic salad bar. All the meat is first-rate. Waiters advise you to pace yourself. "Relax," they say. But how can anyone relax when everything about this place says "dive in"?

10 articles

H2O Sports Bar & Lounge

9277 Richmond Ave Galleria

832-548-1991

Bars and Clubs, American, Appetizers, Fast Casual, Fast Food, South American, Wings

Sports bar with upscale patio

2 events

Latin Bites

5709 Woodway Dr. Galleria

713-229-8369

Latin American, Peruvian, South American, Recommended, Best Of, Slideshow

Latin Bites represents the best of Peruvian food and culture, with its ancient ingredients like choclo corn and ají peppers. They mix it up with modern plating and European and Asian fusion at this hip restaurant in Uptown, just outside the Loop. From the classic Peruvian ceviche and tiraditos to the Chinese-inspired lomo saltado, every dish on the menu is well thought out in terms of both flavor combinations and presentation. The synthesis of the traditional and the modern makes for a unique dining experience, different from any other South American food and a far reach from the familiar Mexican cuisine. Don't leave without trying dessert.

57 articles

Lemon Tree

12591 Whittington Dr. Memorial

281-556-0690

South American, Best Of, Menu

Lemon Tree specializes in Peruvian food, a seafood-heavy Latin American subgenre. Popular items at this Westchase restaurant include ceviche and Lomo Saltad, a sort of Asian-fusion marinated beef. The atmosphere here can be jumping, with live bands and dancing often part of the experience. And the staff is not going to try to hurry you out the door if you choose to linger with some friends over South American wine or pisco, the clear national liquor of Peru.

1 article

Marine's Empanadas

3227 Hillcroft Galleria

713-789-2950

South American, Dessert, Recommended, Best Of

Marine's hot fried South American pies are stuffed with your choice of 47 ingredients, including steak, chicken and salami or more than a dozen fresh fruits. And the traditional Colombian dishes at this cozy cafe are also outstanding.

1 article

Mi Pueblito

9425 Richmond Galleria

713-334-4594

South American, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

This authentic South American restaurant caters to a mainly Colombian clientele, but the churrasco, served on a sizzling platter, may be the best under-$20 steak in town. Unique breakfasts include poached eggs in a milky soup. Don't miss the excellent Colombian coffee served with heated milk.

1 article

Nelore Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse

4412 Montrose Blvd. Montrose

713-395-1050

South American, Steakhouse, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

With waiters in gaucho outfits parading around the restaurant with 11 varieties of hot, freshly grilled meats on swords, this outstanding Brazilian steakhouse on Montrose Boulevard has plenty of flair. It’s the fare, though, that’s divine. Start at the elaborate salad bar, where copious amounts of smoked salmon, enormous asparagus stalks and addicting Brazilian cheese puffs whet the appetite. Just don’t fill up too much, because, to borrow a line from a popular TV show, “Meat Is Coming.” Favorite cuts include filet mignon, beef tenderloin doused with garlic sauce, tender lamb, chicken hearts and linguiça, a pork sausage that diners should definitely get acquainted with.

2 articles

The Original Marini's Empanada House

3522 S. Mason Katy

281-391-4273

South American, Restaurants, Recommended, Best Of

Marini's serves fresh, flaky dough with authentic, traditional fillings. There's also not-so-traditional fillings. Other offerings include ground beef with olives and onions and, for dessert, sweet bananas with nuts and raisins.

2 articles

Peli Peli

9090 Katy Freeway Memorial

281-257-9500

South American, Menu, Readers' Choice

1 article

Peska Seafood Culture

1700 Post Oak Boulevard #1-190 Galleria

713-961-9229

Seafood, South American, Critics' Pick, Best Of

Peska Seafood Culture is ideal for aficionados willing to open their wallets for some of the finest fresh and raw seafood in the world. They’ll be like kids in a candy store gazing through the wide glass case at the rare delicacies laid upon crystalline ice. Items like whole redfish can soar to $70 and above. On the other hand, there are smaller delicacies that aren’t as expensive but are still a huge treat, like clams and precious uni extracted straight from fresh sea urchin. The chef here, Omar Pereney, was a young prodigy but proves he has skill with composed dishes, like ceviches with amazing balance between fish, tang and peppery heat. There are vegetable dishes here that are anything but boring. The best way to enjoy Peska, try lots of different things and absorb the cost at dinnertime is to bring friends. Alternately, try stopping by at happy hour between 3 and 6 p.m. or visit for the $25 prix fixe menu at lunchtime.

22 articles

Pollo Bravo

6015 Hillcroft Outer Loop - SW

713-541-0069

Mexican, Peruvian, South American, Recommended, Menu

Head to Pollo Bravo for lunch, when you can indulge in a lunchtime-only chilaquiles platter that marries the best of Mexico and Peru on one plate: soft, salsa verde-covered chilaquiles next to a quarter of Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, served with a plentiful portion of super-spicy aji amarillo sauce. At dinner, slow down with a plate of ceviche and a glass of sangria while you catch up with friends; the homey, welcoming dining room almost demands it. Don't forget dessert, either: the homemade lúcuma ice cream is one of the best sweets in town.

3 articles

Red Onion Seafood y Mas

12041 NW Freeway Outer Loop - NW

713-957-2232

Asian, Nuevo Latino, Seafood, South American, Recommended, Menu

This Latin fusion restaurant combines Asian and Caribbean influences in its fanciful fish cookery. Peruvian-Japanese tiradito, sort of a cross between sushi and ceviche, is one of the top attractions.

Sal y Pimienta South American Kitchen

818 Town & Country Blvd. Outer Loop - NW

832-849-0097

South American, Restaurants, Best Of, Menu

17 articles

Salento Cafe

2407 Rice Blvd. Kirby-West U

713-528-7478

Cafe, Coffeehouse, South American, Wine Bar, Coffee Shops, Recommended, Menu

This is a place to sip, surf, linger and graze popular with the Rice U crowd. The coffee is handpicked, single-origin and shade-grown. Wednesday night is tango night, but every day you can experience the crust-less sandwiches typical of Argentina, the birthplace of the tango, as well as some terrific wines from the region. Other food choices include empanadas, cheese and nut plates and homemade pastries.

1 article

Samba Grille

530 Texas Ave. Downtown/ Midtown

713-343-1180

Brazilian, South American, Steakhouse, Recommended, Menu, Slideshow

Samba Grille is a steakhouse, yes, but not like any other steakhouse in town. The South American-tinged dishes here feature a range of flavors, from Peruvian ceviches to Argentinean-style beef hearts served alongside plantains. Steaks here are always top-notch and seafood receives the same thoughtful treatment in dishes like a tamarind-glazed salmon or lobster bisque with giant choclo corn pieces throughout. The wine list is excellent, with a Winemaker system giving lots of by-the-glass options that would normally be cost-prohibitive.

26 articles

Taco Milagro

2555 Kirby River Oaks

713-522-1999

Mexican, South American, Recommended, Menu

This upscale Mexican joint, the latest outpost in the empire of celebrity chef Robert Del Grande, adopts the strategy of his Cafe Express: fast food for grown-ups. Sit on the pleasant patio if the weather permits, and dine happily on his unorthodox tamales. The menu includes such Southwestern-sounding items as sweet-potato-and-Swiss-chard enchiladas with guajillo sauce.

2 articles

Tango & Malbec

2800 Sage Galleria

713-629-8646

Argentine, South American, Recommended, Slideshow

This large, well-appointed Galleria-area restaurant features the cuisine and wines of Argentina, which means lots of meats grilled on a wood-burning fire. Tango & Malbec's extensive menu has some Italian influences - items like the carpaccio, provoleta (grilled provolone) and various pizzas and pasta dishes are all expertly prepared. Meat lovers will adore the bife de lomo (filet steak) and the bife de chorizo (rib eye) as well as the Kobe beef short ribs. Whatever you do, leave room for the magnificent desserts, such as the torta rogel (dulce de leche cake with meringue), the chocolate soufflé and the profiteroles.

10 articles

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South American in Houston