Named as the number one seafood restaurant in the United States by Bon Appetit Magazine and praised as having one of the top ten new chefs by Food & Wine Magazine in 2009, Reef is one of the best restaurants in the Midtown area of Houston.

Delicious Menu Items

Reef has taken the liberty to recommend a few of its personal favorites to diners, including the Jumbo Crab Cake with taqueria style pickled vinaigrette; the Crispy Skin Snapper with sweet and sour chard and tomato brown butter; the Smoked Pork Chop with Napa cabbage, purple hull peas, and cherry mustard; and the Red Fish on the Half-Shell served accompanied with fried macaroni and cheese. The menu is constantly changing though to keep in line with what’s in season. As such, just order whatever’s fresh and you probably won’t be disappointed.

Well-Priced Vino

If you drink wine and consider yourself to be a bit of a connoisseur, then you know very well that a great glass or bottle of wine can cost you upwards of $50. The fact that wine good wine is often expensive will actually delight you when you dine at Reef, as the majority of their wine is sold at retail prices, meaning that it’s not uncommon to be able to find a $65 dollar bottle of wine for a mere $39—a huge price difference. Not only this, but all the wine at Reef is stored in a temperature-controlled cellar that’s packed with a plethora of choices. However, they don’t keep a sommelier on staff, so if you have specific wine questions or are looking for a very exact pairing, you might be out of luck.

Casual and Classy

It’s rare to fine a restaurant where you’d feel comfortable in either your Sunday best or a nice t-shirt and jeans. While most diners here are in something slightly nicer, the waiters serve in blue jeans, and you can even order a hamburger at Reef, not to mention a milk shake (although it’ll cost you $8). With outdoor seating, nice background music, and a noise level that’s loud but not intolerable, Reef is a good place for a variety of occasions, ranging from a nice and romantic date to a more carefree night with friends.

Choose Fish

This restaurant specializes in seafood, and while a lot of the other dishes are great, such as the BBQ pulled pork sandwich, the fish definitely takes the cake at Reef. The pizza, for example, isn’t mind blowing, but the mixed seafood grill with sugar cane and harissa cous cous is absolutely mouthwatering.

Offering a pretty big variety of food at prices that are decent (not too expensive, but not cheap, either), an atmosphere that is both elegant and laid back, and a wait staff this is friendly and pleasant, Reef is definitely worth checking out if you like seafood, wine, and want to try something new.