You’ll find perfectly seasoned roux, kicky jambalaya, and fresh seafood singing with spice at these highly rated Cajun restaurants in Houston.
The Big Easy and The Bayou City have more in common than proximity. Sure, Houston’s position on the Gulf Coast places it within a four-hour drive of Louisiana, but this city’s connection with the Creole State goes much deeper.
First, the prevalence of oil and gas industries makes both states interdependent, creating a symbiotic relationship nurtured by a southern hospitality that seems to erase state boundaries. Second, the influx of Louisianans into Houston has meant that—get ready—there are now more Cajuns living in Houston than in New Orleans!
This community, formed by descendants of the earliest French settlers in the New World, is heavily defined by its food, namely Cajun and Creole cuisine. These styles of cooking range from hearty, one-pot dishes like gumbo and jambalaya to buttery seafood and crawfish etouffee and usually contain the “Holy Trinity” of bell peppers, celery, and onions.
Houstonians are huge fans of Cajun and Creole cooking, and the number of Cajun restaurants in Houston reflects that. Here are the locals’ choices for the best Cajun restaurants in Houston.
Abe’s Cajun Market
1080 Clear Lake City Blvd., Clear Lake
Consult any online ratings and reviews platforms—Tripadvisor, Google, Reddit, Yelp—and the name that earns top stars for Cajun restaurants in Houston is none other than Abe’s Cajun Market in Clear Lake.
Louisiana natives say their seafood gumbo is as good as any you will find in the Creole State, with perfect roux (the broth that serves as the base for so many Cajun dishes) and fresh seafood.
The family-run business features recipes from their hometown in Lake Charles, LA, and you can even buy ingredients in the restaurant’s deli to recreate some of the meals at home.
A Tripadvisor review put it this way: “The gumbo has a dark roux with wonderful subtleties of flavors, servings are large, batters add a tasty but not obtrusive flavor, the temperature of food is great, service is attentive enough, and no one rushes you. You can refill your own drinks, and the décor is very reminiscent of the mysterious swamplands.”
Abe’s Cajun Market doesn’t just serve great food—it gets involved when the community is in need. After a major storm hit the Heights area, they donated gumbo to families whose homes were damaged and without power. Those families have now become regular customers singing the praises of this authentic Cajun restaurant.
Zydeco Louisiana Diner
1119 Pease St., Downtown
Imagine keeping a restaurant not just alive but thriving for 38 years. Zydeco Louisiana Diner has done just that since opening way back in 1988, and it’s still in its original location in downtown Houston.
The owners attribute their success to faithfully following the recipes of their Mama Lou and growing up in South Louisiana, where they learned all about Cajun cooking. The cuisine originates from Acadia Parish, and customers find it so delicious that many have remained loyal since the restaurant’s opening.
One TripAdvisor reviewer described her experience. “Must try this place if you are in Houston! The food is fresh and the portions are generous. The crawfish etouffee was so good! Cornbread was moist and fit in perfectly with the plate of food. Okra, corn, and mashed potatoes were a perfect complement to the entree. The chicken and sausage gumbo was Heaven in a bowl! Owner was super friendly too.”
Don’t miss Zydeco’s daily lunch specials like seafood Courtbouillon, shrimp and crab piquant, and stuffed pork chops, which customers describe as “off the charts good.”
Treebeards
Four locations at Bunker Hill, Enterprise Plaza, Pennzoil Place, and The Cloister
When a Facebook user put out a post asking for the best red beans and rice in Houston, the responses were clear: Get thee to Treebeards.
Turns out, Treebeards does many dishes right. “I go to Treebeard’s for one thing – the shrimp étouffée,” said one Facebook user. “Theirs is what I compare all the others to, and it wins every time. I hear there are other great menu items like the red beans and the fish dishes and perhaps one day I’ll try them, but for now, the étouffée is my happy meal.”
While dishes are consistent across all four locations, the experience will vary by venue. The Treebeards on Louisiana St. in Enterprise Plaza gets a lot of love for its unique vibe. Many describe it as housed in a spacious church, with cafeteria-style dining and a whole lot of (usually occupied) tables.
Walk through the courtyard, grab a tray, choose your dishes, and pile on the jalapeno cornbread. Meals here are affordable, ranging from $10 to $20, and the menu changes each day.
Schilleci’s New Orleans Kitchen
2501 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands
Be one of the first to visit the newly relocated Schilleci’s New Orleans Kitchen, a Houston favorite for 15 years.
Originally located on Market Street downtown, this popular eatery took some time off to create its newest vision for its Cajun restaurant. The new location opens this month in the Woodlands, so you really can be part of the inaugural crew to check out their new space.
Schilleci’s has a menu that serves every price point. High-end dishes like Duck St. Charles are offered right along with more casual fare like fried fresh Gulf seafood. Loyal customers have promised to follow them anywhere in Houston, and while the atmosphere of their new location is under wraps, their re-opening is sure to draw a crowd.
The Boot
1206 W. 20 St., Greater Heights/Shady Acres
It’s crawfish season in Houston, y’all, and Cajuns play a substantial role in Houstonians’ obsession with the mudbugs.
They introduced this delicacy to our fine city, then taught us how to spice them up just right. But people are picky about their pinchers, and The Boot provides platters of them so big, you’d think they’d swum across the bayou.
One Google reviewer had this to say: “It’s my second visit here, and the food is just too damn good! It always scratches my Cajun seafood itch just right. The first time I came I had the boiled shrimp, and it was delicious! For this visit I had the blackened shrimp, fried catfish, fries, potato, and corn — all cooked and seasoned to perfection.”
The Boot’s atmosphere adds to the Cajun vibe with live local music, bayou decor, and a large patio that encourages the communal dining so popular in Louisiana Cajun and Creole communities.
Note: Parking fills up quickly, so come a little early to grab your spot and enjoy some steaming hot, perfectly seasoned crawfish.
Viola and Agnes
3659 NASA Rd. 1, Seabrook
Calling itself a Neo Soul Café for its lighter version of heavier dishes, Viola and Agnes has found its niche in the Houston dining scene.
Chef Aaron Davis, who hails from Lake Charles and attended culinary school in New Orleans, pulls inspiration from his own dining experiences in those cities, as well as family cuisine originating elsewhere in Louisiana, including Opelousas and DeQuincy.
What brought him to Houston? He said, “There was one reason and one reason only that I decided to leave my career as an offshore chef to start this cafe and that was FLAVOR!!! I’d had enough of cooking just for the money. Having ties to so many wonderful places to enjoy amazing food and hospitality, I wanted to bring that small town feel to our awesome city of Houston.”
H-Town dining can be meat-heavy, but Viola and Agnes is respectful of food preferences and allergies. Most side dishes are vegetarian, and they don’t use pork in their greens or beans.
A Google reviewer was especially impressed by their attention to food sensitivities. “My wife is gluten sensitive and allergic to garlic. They suggested a catfish dish that was enormous and delicious, and she had no issues. They customized it to fit her needs. One of the best restaurant meals we have ever had. And we had plenty of leftovers for another meal.”
One caveat you need to be aware of—all Viola and Agnes dishes are cooked to order, and many customers mention slow service and staggered dishes served to parties of four or larger. As one reviewer said, “Go there when you have time to wait – it’s slow but worth it.”
There’s no disputing that Houston has become a foodie city, and we can’t underestimate the power of the Cajun influence in our dining offerings. So go get some gumbo and make your way to the best Cajun restaurants in Houston—you won’t regret it.
