Little’s Oyster Bar

"Eater Houston’s Best New Restaurant of 2023 is also a great spot in Montrose for a date night. Chef Jason Ryczek’s love letter to seafood is communicated through colorful, elegant plates highlighting fresh catches from the Gulf Coast. The celebratory environment also encourages indulgence, so don’t be afraid to go all out. Lobster gnocchi, tender grilled octopus with marbled potatoes and zhug, and crab croquettes served with tomato gazpacho have become calling cards; the oyster bar’s crustacean offerings are plentiful. Consider the caviar by the ounce: Little’s White Sturgeon Golden Imperial from California and Golden Imperial Osetra from China are served with pillowy soft potato dumplings, hush puppies, radish butter, onion jam, and chives." - Brittany Britto Garley, Nadia Gire

"Eater Houston’s Best New Restaurant of 2023 has quickly become a staple of the Montrose community. Chef Jason Ryczek’s love letter to the ocean is communicated through colorful, elegant plates highlighting the Gulf Coast. The celebratory environment means that a visit here is meant for indulgence, so don’t be afraid to go all out. Lobster gnocchi, tender grilled octopus with marbled potatoes and Shug,  and crab croquettes served with tomato gazpacho have become calling cards, and the oyster bar’s crustacean offerings are plentiful. Looking to truly splurge? Consider the caviar by the ounce: Little’s White Sturgeon Golden Imperial from California and Golden Imperial Osetra from China are served with pillowy soft potato dumplings, hush puppies, radish butter, onion jam, and chives." - Brittany Britto Garley

"Eater Houston’s Best New Restaurant of 2023 will ring in another year with a special prix-fix menu. For $175 per person, diners will start with a Matagorda pearl oyster adorned with Champagne seafoam and white sturgeon caviar before savoring entrees like roast filet of beef or grouper with black-eyed peas. Reservations are available from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m." - Marcy de Luna

"Along with excellent trays of ice-cold, briny oysters, Little’s Oyster Bar also constructs artful seafood platters, sears off Gulf seafood filets, and fries up excellent crab croquettes. If you want to eat (and spend) like an underwater king, hit up this glamorous seafood restaurant in Midtown to have your fill of mollusks, crustaceans, and tender whitefish galore. Follow up each bite with one of Little’s opulent $18 cocktails to feel even fancier. Go here for a special occasion or date night or if you have a few hundred bucks burning a hole in your pocket." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene

"Housed in the former space of the iconic Little Pappas Seafood House, the first chef-driven Pappas restaurant has left a big impression on the Houston food scene since opening in 2023. Along with an impressive raw bar and caviar service that features eggs from harvested White Sturgeon, chef Jason Ryczek further spotlights Gulf Coast cuisine and seafood in thoughtful dishes like crab croquettes, wild mussel escabeche, Texas redfish in heirloom tomato sauce vierge, and a delicate Yellowedge grouper in radish beurre blanc and caper brown butter." - Brittany Britto Garley