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The Warwick’s bowl of gumbo, topped with a fried soft shell crab. — Gumbo season is here.

Where to Get Your Gumbo Fix in Houston

Few things comfort like a loaded bowl on a cold winter day

by Brittany Britto Garley and Minh T. Truong Updated Jan 16, 2024, 10:46am CST

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Gumbo season is here.

| Brittany Britto Garley

by Brittany Britto Garley and Minh T. Truong Updated Jan 16, 2024, 10:46am CST

Ask 10 people where to find the best gumbo, and you’ll likely get 10 different answers. At the core of the hearty stew is a base made of fat, flour, and seasonings called a roux. Most will agree that a great gumbo starts with a great roux, but the ingredients that follow are often up for heated debate. There is dark roux versus light roux; thick consistency versus thin; Cajun versus Creole-style; meat or seafood, a mixture of both, or meatless altogether; rice or no rice; and the preferences go on and on. However the bowl may be built, there is no arguing that a piping hot bowl is especially comforting during the winter months.

From casual po-boy shops to fine-dining Cajun restaurants, Houston restaurants offer excellent bowls that would make New Orleans proud. Here are 21 places to get your gumbo fix.

Want to join the debate? Tell us your favorite in the comments.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Back Table

If you find yourself in The Woodlands, venture off to Back Table, where the gumbo is infused with green chili sausage, smoked chicken, and Carolina gold rice. Seal the deal with its Old Fashioned tres leches cake, for a sweet ending.

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2301 N Millbend Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380

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Esther's Cajun Café & Soul Food

Find oxtails, smothered pork chops, and fried chicken on the menu every day at chef Esther Lewis-Bernard’s soul food restaurant, but visit on Friday or Saturday when small, medium, and large bowls of gumbo are the daily special. Esther’s serves a showstopping seafood combo with shrimp and whole crab claws.

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5007 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77018

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Gatlin's Fins & Feathers

Pitmaster Greg Gatlin’s new restaurant boasts Southern comfort food with Gulf Coast flair, and the menu features a solid gumbo. The Everything Gumbo is made with dark roux and loaded with shrimp, crab, sausage, chicken, and okra. The portion sizes here are generous, and while a cup may be plenty, you won’t regret springing for a bowl.

302 W Crosstimbers St, Houston, TX 77018

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Rainbow Lodge

This restaurant, housed in a hundred-year-old log cabin along White Oak Bayou, is known for its menu of wild game, and it incorporates smoked duck and andouille sausage into its gumbo. A wild rice pilaf topping adds an extra layer of flavor. Find it on the menu during lunch and dinner, or take it to-go by the quart.

2011 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77008

Visit Website

A bowl of smoked duck gumbo topped with wild rice pilaf in a white bowl. — Smoked duck gumbo at Rainbow Lodge.

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Field & Tides

This charming bungalow in the Heights dishes out Southern fare using locally sourced meat and produce, and Gulf coast seafood. You’ll find a diverse menu that includes a roasted chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. The dark roux gumbo includes the holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers, and is served with rice and a sprinkling of green onions.

705 E 11th St, Houston, TX 77008

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Captain Tom's Seafood & Oyster

This no-frills local chain is a Houston institution. The kitschy boat shaped restaurants are often packed with diners getting their fill of fresh shucked oysters, fried seafood, and tasty micheladas. The gumbo is a requisite accompaniment to it all. The seafood and crab gumbo is made with light roux, and the crab meat melts into the soup, offering a rich, creamy bite.

Open in Google Maps

20525 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450

Treebeards

Treebeard’s has been serving Southern comfort food in Houston since 1978. The iconic Market Square location shuttered in 2020, but three Downtown locations and the Bunker Hill restaurant remain. Along with beloved dishes like red beans and rice, etouffee, and jambalaya, find two different kinds of gumbo: chicken and sausage gumbo, and seafood gumbo. The seafood gumbo is amped up with the addition of scallops and catfish.

9655 Katy Fwy Suite 3120, Houston, TX 77024

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A bowl of sausage gumbo with a spoon in it and a bottle of hot sauce. — Sausage gumbo at Treebeards.

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1929 Po-Boy Kitchen

Located in the newly opened Lyric Market in downtown, 1929 Po-Boy Kitchen offers three different gumbos on its menu. The Swamp Water is a traditional chicken and andouille sausage gumbo; the Bayou Water combines chicken and andouille sausage with shrimp and crabmeat; and the Gumbo Z’Herbes offers a meatless alternative made with leafy greens and vegetables.

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411 Smith St, Houston, TX 77002

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BB's Cajun Cafe

The po-boys are a highlight here, but start your order with a cup of seafood gumbo. Thick enough to satisfy, and thin enough to leave you ready for a fried shrimp sandwich. With late night hours, it’s easy to satisfy a gumbo craving at any time.

2710 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006

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Also featured in:

Where to Get Crawfish in Houston This Season

Brennan's of Houston

Brennan’s has long been known for its snapping turtle soup, but don’t sleep on its classic Creole gumbo. The gumbo has a deep roux base, offers generous portions of crab meat, shrimp, and oysters, and is topped with Jazzmen rice.

3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006

Visit Website

A bowl of seafood gumbo topped with rice in a white bowl. — The seafood gumbo at Brennan’s combines crab, shrimp, and oysters.

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The Warwick

With various dishes fueled by chef Jabril Riddick and his mother’s recipes, the Warwick’s gumbo exudes decadence but with a touch of home. The silky broth is made with a homemade roux and is packed with shrimp, chicken, sausage, oysters, and lump crab, then topped with a deep-fried soft-shell crab and served with a side of rice. Though packed with a perfect amount of spice, don’t be afraid to add a little hot sauce.

Open in Google Maps

5888 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057

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Also featured in:

Grace's

Located next to the original Carrabba’s on Kirby, Grace’s is Johnny Carrabba’s homage to his grandmother. Here, you’ll find a Louisiana-style gumbo with dark roux that combines crab, crawfish, shrimp, and okra. Presented with rice and a side of saltines, the bowl makes a more than satisfying meal for one.

3111 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098

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Also featured in:

Eunice

Enjoy the chef’s signature cup or bowl of chicken and sausage gumbo. Made with okra and tasso, this gumbo comes decked out with a scoop of popcorn rice, and a side of potato salad topped with a chicharron.

3737 Buffalo (Richmond Avenue), Houston, TX 77098

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Also featured in:

Bayou City Seafood & Pasta

Bayou City Seafood & Pasta moved into a new building a few blocks East of its original Richmond location in 2020, but it’s still slinging its menu of Cajun eats. Both the chicken and sausage, and seafood gumbos are balanced and flavorful, with the latter packing in generous amounts of crab meat.

Open in Google Maps

4730 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77027

Visit Website

Goode Company Seafood - Westpark

At Goode Co. Seafood, you can have your seafood gumbo with shrimp or crab, or a mixture of both. The roux is light, and on the brothier side, and serves as a tasty precursor to a fried seafood platter or po-boy.

2621 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX

Visit Website

A bowl of gumbo topped with green onions with a side of bread. — Seafood gumbo at Goode Co. Seafood.

Also featured in:

Lucille's

Chef Chris Williams serves a lesser-known variation called Gumbo Z’Herbs — a traditionally meatless bowl made with greens and herbs — but he incorporates ham hock and andouille sausage. Splurge and add shrimp or oysters for a seriously loaded bowl.

5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004

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Also featured in:

Navy Blue

This seafood restaurant wouldn’t be complete without its seafood gumbo that’s plentiful with crab, shrimp, and clam, and topped with charred okra for an added crunch.

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2445 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

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A bowl of gumbo from Navy Blue, served with mussels, shrimp, rice, and a topping of charred oysters. — Navy Blue’s gumbo is a special treat on a warm day.

Also featured in:

Davis Street at Hermann Park

Chef Mark Holley has had a storied culinary career in Houston, and every kitchen he has helmed has produced a stellar gumbo. In his current post at Davis Street, he offers a gumbo called Boutte’s Southern Gumbo. The dark roux gumbo pairs duck confit and Gulf shrimp, and is served with rice and topped with plump fried oysters.

Open in Google Maps

5925 Almeda Rd Suite A, Houston, TX 77004

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Also featured in:

Houston’s Most Underrated Restaurants

Calliope's

This family-run New Orleans seafood and po-boy restaurant, with two locations in Houston, has two gumbo options to choose from. Go simple with chicken and sausage, or opt for a mixed bowl with chicken, sausage, shrimp, and okra — both are a bargain at under $8.

Open in Google Maps

7590 West Bellfort Avenue, Houston, TX 77071

Visit Website

Viola & Agnes'

This “neo-soul food” cafe prides itself on its soulful flavors. Alongside dishes like curried oxtail, fried fish sandwiches, and NOLA BBQ shrimp, diners can indulge in cups or bowls of gumbo, made with chicken, sausage, blue crab, and okra, and served with boiled egg and rice.

3659 NASA Road 1 suite A, Seabrook, TX 77586

Visit Website

Also featured in:

11 Restaurants With the Most Comforting Soul Food in Houston

Pier 6

If you find yourself by the water in San Leon this fall, it’s all the more important to stay warm. Score a $10 bowl of chef Joe Cervantez’s gumbo, which is loaded with Gulf shrimp, oysters, and crab meat. Opt to make it even more feeling with a heap of creamy potato salad or hot rice.

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Back Table

2301 N Millbend Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380

If you find yourself in The Woodlands, venture off to Back Table, where the gumbo is infused with green chili sausage, smoked chicken, and Carolina gold rice. Seal the deal with its Old Fashioned tres leches cake, for a sweet ending.

Open in Google Maps

2301 N Millbend Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380

Visit Website

Esther's Cajun Café & Soul Food

5007 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77018

Find oxtails, smothered pork chops, and fried chicken on the menu every day at chef Esther Lewis-Bernard’s soul food restaurant, but visit on Friday or Saturday when small, medium, and large bowls of gumbo are the daily special. Esther’s serves a showstopping seafood combo with shrimp and whole crab claws.

Open in Google Maps

5007 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77018

Visit Website

Gatlin's Fins & Feathers

302 W Crosstimbers St, Houston, TX 77018

Pitmaster Greg Gatlin’s new restaurant boasts Southern comfort food with Gulf Coast flair, and the menu features a solid gumbo. The Everything Gumbo is made with dark roux and loaded with shrimp, crab, sausage, chicken, and okra. The portion sizes here are generous, and while a cup may be plenty, you won’t regret springing for a bowl.

302 W Crosstimbers St, Houston, TX 77018

Visit Website

Rainbow Lodge

2011 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77008

This restaurant, housed in a hundred-year-old log cabin along White Oak Bayou, is known for its menu of wild game, and it incorporates smoked duck and andouille sausage into its gumbo. A wild rice pilaf topping adds an extra layer of flavor. Find it on the menu during lunch and dinner, or take it to-go by the quart.

2011 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77008

Visit Website

A bowl of smoked duck gumbo topped with wild rice pilaf in a white bowl. — Smoked duck gumbo at Rainbow Lodge.

Field & Tides

705 E 11th St, Houston, TX 77008

This charming bungalow in the Heights dishes out Southern fare using locally sourced meat and produce, and Gulf coast seafood. You’ll find a diverse menu that includes a roasted chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. The dark roux gumbo includes the holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers, and is served with rice and a sprinkling of green onions.

705 E 11th St, Houston, TX 77008

Visit Website

Captain Tom's Seafood & Oyster

20525 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450

This no-frills local chain is a Houston institution. The kitschy boat shaped restaurants are often packed with diners getting their fill of fresh shucked oysters, fried seafood, and tasty micheladas. The gumbo is a requisite accompaniment to it all. The seafood and crab gumbo is made with light roux, and the crab meat melts into the soup, offering a rich, creamy bite.

Open in Google Maps

20525 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450

Treebeards

9655 Katy Fwy Suite 3120, Houston, TX 77024

Treebeard’s has been serving Southern comfort food in Houston since 1978. The iconic Market Square location shuttered in 2020, but three Downtown locations and the Bunker Hill restaurant remain. Along with beloved dishes like red beans and rice, etouffee, and jambalaya, find two different kinds of gumbo: chicken and sausage gumbo, and seafood gumbo. The seafood gumbo is amped up with the addition of scallops and catfish.

9655 Katy Fwy Suite 3120, Houston, TX 77024

Visit Website

A bowl of sausage gumbo with a spoon in it and a bottle of hot sauce. — Sausage gumbo at Treebeards.

1929 Po-Boy Kitchen

411 Smith St, Houston, TX 77002

Located in the newly opened Lyric Market in downtown, 1929 Po-Boy Kitchen offers three different gumbos on its menu. The Swamp Water is a traditional chicken and andouille sausage gumbo; the Bayou Water combines chicken and andouille sausage with shrimp and crabmeat; and the Gumbo Z’Herbes offers a meatless alternative made with leafy greens and vegetables.

Open in Google Maps

411 Smith St, Houston, TX 77002

Visit Website

BB's Cajun Cafe

2710 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006

The po-boys are a highlight here, but start your order with a cup of seafood gumbo. Thick enough to satisfy, and thin enough to leave you ready for a fried shrimp sandwich. With late night hours, it’s easy to satisfy a gumbo craving at any time.

2710 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006

Visit Website

Brennan's of Houston

3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006

Brennan’s has long been known for its snapping turtle soup, but don’t sleep on its classic Creole gumbo. The gumbo has a deep roux base, offers generous portions of crab meat, shrimp, and oysters, and is topped with Jazzmen rice.

3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006

Visit Website

A bowl of seafood gumbo topped with rice in a white bowl. — The seafood gumbo at Brennan’s combines crab, shrimp, and oysters.

The Warwick

5888 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057

With various dishes fueled by chef Jabril Riddick and his mother’s recipes, the Warwick’s gumbo exudes decadence but with a touch of home. The silky broth is made with a homemade roux and is packed with shrimp, chicken, sausage, oysters, and lump crab, then topped with a deep-fried soft-shell crab and served with a side of rice. Though packed with a perfect amount of spice, don’t be afraid to add a little hot sauce.

Open in Google Maps

5888 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057

Visit Website

Grace's

3111 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098

Located next to the original Carrabba’s on Kirby, Grace’s is Johnny Carrabba’s homage to his grandmother. Here, you’ll find a Louisiana-style gumbo with dark roux that combines crab, crawfish, shrimp, and okra. Presented with rice and a side of saltines, the bowl makes a more than satisfying meal for one.

3111 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098

Visit Website

Eunice

3737 Buffalo (Richmond Avenue), Houston, TX 77098

Enjoy the chef’s signature cup or bowl of chicken and sausage gumbo. Made with okra and tasso, this gumbo comes decked out with a scoop of popcorn rice, and a side of potato salad topped with a chicharron.

3737 Buffalo (Richmond Avenue), Houston, TX 77098

Visit Website

Bayou City Seafood & Pasta

4730 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77027

Bayou City Seafood & Pasta moved into a new building a few blocks East of its original Richmond location in 2020, but it’s still slinging its menu of Cajun eats. Both the chicken and sausage, and seafood gumbos are balanced and flavorful, with the latter packing in generous amounts of crab meat.

Open in Google Maps

4730 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77027

Visit Website

Goode Company Seafood - Westpark

2621 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX

At Goode Co. Seafood, you can have your seafood gumbo with shrimp or crab, or a mixture of both. The roux is light, and on the brothier side, and serves as a tasty precursor to a fried seafood platter or po-boy.

2621 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX

Visit Website

A bowl of gumbo topped with green onions with a side of bread. — Seafood gumbo at Goode Co. Seafood.

Related Maps

Lucille's

5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004

Chef Chris Williams serves a lesser-known variation called Gumbo Z’Herbs — a traditionally meatless bowl made with greens and herbs — but he incorporates ham hock and andouille sausage. Splurge and add shrimp or oysters for a seriously loaded bowl.

5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004

Visit Website

Navy Blue

2445 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

This seafood restaurant wouldn’t be complete without its seafood gumbo that’s plentiful with crab, shrimp, and clam, and topped with charred okra for an added crunch.

Open in Google Maps

2445 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

Visit Website

A bowl of gumbo from Navy Blue, served with mussels, shrimp, rice, and a topping of charred oysters. — Navy Blue’s gumbo is a special treat on a warm day.

Davis Street at Hermann Park

5925 Almeda Rd Suite A, Houston, TX 77004

Chef Mark Holley has had a storied culinary career in Houston, and every kitchen he has helmed has produced a stellar gumbo. In his current post at Davis Street, he offers a gumbo called Boutte’s Southern Gumbo. The dark roux gumbo pairs duck confit and Gulf shrimp, and is served with rice and topped with plump fried oysters.

Open in Google Maps

5925 Almeda Rd Suite A, Houston, TX 77004

Visit Website

Calliope's

7590 West Bellfort Avenue, Houston, TX 77071

This family-run New Orleans seafood and po-boy restaurant, with two locations in Houston, has two gumbo options to choose from. Go simple with chicken and sausage, or opt for a mixed bowl with chicken, sausage, shrimp, and okra — both are a bargain at under $8.

Open in Google Maps

7590 West Bellfort Avenue, Houston, TX 77071

Visit Website

Viola & Agnes'

3659 NASA Road 1 suite A, Seabrook, TX 77586

This “neo-soul food” cafe prides itself on its soulful flavors. Alongside dishes like curried oxtail, fried fish sandwiches, and NOLA BBQ shrimp, diners can indulge in cups or bowls of gumbo, made with chicken, sausage, blue crab, and okra, and served with boiled egg and rice.

3659 NASA Road 1 suite A, Seabrook, TX 77586

Visit Website

Pier 6

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539

If you find yourself by the water in San Leon this fall, it’s all the more important to stay warm. Score a $10 bowl of chef Joe Cervantez’s gumbo, which is loaded with Gulf shrimp, oysters, and crab meat. Opt to make it even more feeling with a heap of creamy potato salad or hot rice.

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539

Visit Website

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