The Rustic
American restaurant · Greater Hobby ·

The Rustic

American restaurant · Greater Hobby ·

Texas hot chicken sandwich, dip duo, brisket tamales, live music

The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null
The Rustic by null

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7800 Airport Blvd, Houston, TX 77061 Get directions

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7800 Airport Blvd, Houston, TX 77061 Get directions

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Nov 13, 2025

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Where to Eat At William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), May 2022 | Eater Houston

"A Texas live-music restaurant that opened an airport location near gate 44, adding a regional music-and-dining option for travelers." - Brittany Britto Garley

https://houston.eater.com/23965768/houston-william-p-hobby-airport-best-restaurants-bars-food
The Rustic

Victor B

Google
We liked the food overall with the Rustic burger great and the hot-Chicken sandwich pretty bland. Good fries. Our server, Valeria, was fast and friendly. The ambience was great as we had a live singer/guitar player serenade us during our lunch. The biggest negative was the prices were really high. Even for an airport, this is an expensive place for food and that goes for all the nice restaurants, not just this one. VictorB

Giggles Rios

Google
Good taste but too expensive for the amount of food you get. Spent over $30 for a chicken cheese sandwich with no regular drink 🥤 and on top of that they did not allow me to sit because I ordered to go. I even said I would give tip I just need to eat and they still “said no” when it was not crowded or rush hour. Almost closing time they could have allowed me to they had the space and I was willing to pay when I actually already gave a tip when ordering. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this at any restaurant it’s like if I go through the drive through and get down or need the restroom. It’s common courtesy. The chicken tasted good but was super thin for the price even chicken fil a is bigger to give you a comparison.

MasterShake

Google
The live music was nice as we sat and waited for our food. We weren't in a hurry, and it was chill. The food was good. Definitely get the texas hot chicken sandwich. Great flavors and unique. It is very big and could be shared. The burger was okay. A bit under done, and very little brisket was on it.

Chanda Mitchell

Google
I’m always impressed when I get a really good quality meal for an affordable price at an airport. The Rustic provided that in the form of a fabulous salad that was good to the last bite! Thank you for making a tired and hangry traveller happy!

Sydney Petersen

Google
Excellent & surprising find in an airport!! loved it so much, we looked up if it was a restaurant in the area! Adding to our places to eat in Texas for a future visit! Order the dip duo, for a Smokey cheese & chips table experience! Alan our server was kind and attentive! Great atmosphere & even better food!! Thank you!!

Hadi

Google
TERRIBLE customer service, the staff is highly unprofessional. I understand it’s an airport but still. The staff is not knowledgeable of their menu, they don’t want to talk, and they don’t smile. Very pushy and unprofessional. We were missing a margarita, and they didn’t want to give it to us although we paid for it and it was on the receipt! They ended up giving us one but it was the wrong thing and they didn’t bother to fix the issue. The person who was working gave it to us and left the counter. The food itself is good but I would never eat from there again nor I would recommend this place to anyone unless you want a little fuss before your flight. There are nicer places at the airport. P.S.: they gave us only one small ketchup and ranch for two burgers which is ridiculous.

Bill Hornstein

Google
The Rustic at Houston Airport earns a solid 2 star from me. We were seated quickly enough, but that’s where the service ended. Over a dozen different servers walked past our table—some of them multiple times—and not a single one stopped to greet us, take a drink order, or even acknowledge we existed. After sitting there ignored while others around us were served, we finally gave up and left. A restaurant can have all the atmosphere in the world, but if no one bothers to take your order, it’s worthless.

F L

Google
I ordered the salmon Caesar salad from this place, and it was supposed to be my main meal for a 6–7 hour flight. When I opened the box on the plane, I realized the salmon was completely raw. I couldn’t eat it at all. It’s shocking how careless they can be, serving raw fish — especially salmon, which can be extremely dangerous and cause serious food poisoning — without properly cooking it. As soon as I arrived at my destination, I filed a complaint because they don’t even have a phone number to contact the location directly (this is a newly opened branch). Unfortunately, I haven’t heard anything back yet — not even today after following up and sending another complaint. There’s no way to get in touch with anyone. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even give them one star. The food was extremely overpriced and extremely poor in quality. Serving uncooked seafood to customers is not only unacceptable but also dangerous. This place does not deserve even a single star from me.
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Ronald B.

Yelp
Following a red eye from Seattle to Houston Hobby airport that arrived a little early - 0445 to be precise, I was getting a little hungry. Wendy's or McDonald's wasn't gonna cut it so we searched for a while before discovering The Rustic. Unfortunately it didn't open until 0600 so we had a while to wait after deplaning our Southwest flight. Once it opened we were seated and got menus. I ordered coffee and ice water for me and the wife. The waitress brought back our waters and my coffee and took our order for food. The wife ordered an American breakfast - two scrambled eggs, two slices of thick bacon, some outrageously good breakfast potatoes and a slice of toast. Typical fare but those potatoes.... man, were the good! Perfectly seasoned, perfectly crispy on the outside yet soft and pillowy on the inside. The eggs were ... well, eggs, she ate half of them. The bacon wasn't crisp (she forgot to order it crisp in all fairness) so she didn't eat it and gave it to me. The toast was good and she loved the strawberry jam they brought in a little cup. She was satisfied with her meal. I ordered the Smoked Brisket Breakfast Tacos which were stuffed with scrambled eggs and some decent brisket. It wasn't competition quality brisket or even average brisket considering we were in Texas, but it was passable and there was plenty of it in each taco. I ordered their version of salsa verde which was nice and spicy, just like I like it! On the side were those outrageously good potatoes too. I couldn't finish the two tacos, they were that stuffed with eggs and brisket, but I made sure to eat every delicious morsel of those potatoes. Service was great, food was great and prices weren't half bad considering we were eating in an airport. I'd definitely consider eating here again on our future trips through Hobby Airport.
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Courtney L.

Yelp
This location is in the Houston Hobby Airport. We had a layover and decided to eat at The Rustic. My boyfriend had the pancake breakfast and I had the Texas Hot Chicken , Fried egg and cheese. My boyfriend enjoyed his meal. He even got hashbrowns on the side. For me, the chicken was dry and I needed to ask for barbecue sauce or ketchup. I also didn't like the cheese as it wasn't melted so I just peeled it off. Overall, the food was OK. I think I might choose something else versus the hot chicken next time. The establishment is a decent size. It's right near the airline gates. The staff were super friendly and attentive. It was very clean and organized with ample seating. If you're hungry in between your flight, this is a good option for breakfast.
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Rodney T.

Yelp
Not a lot of good food options in Hobby airport but this place turned out not to be so bad. The customer service was fabulous everyone there made you feel like you were special. The food on the menu looked great but was just kinda okay. I tried the texas hot chicken sandwich, it wasn't really hot but did have good flavor. It is very big and could be shared. Overall with limited choices this is probably the best option if you find yourself at Hobby Airport, be ready though, the prices will give you some sticker shock.
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Sadiya A.

Yelp
This airport restaurant/bar was right next to my gate and decided to try it out for breakfast since it was early enough. Service was quick as well as receiving my food. I ordered the pancake and egg platter and it was portioned right but the pancakes were a little too dry so I ended up adding butter, it was just ok. It's a nice space and the bar area was nicely lit and looked spacious.
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Henry B.

Yelp
Came in on a Saturday before our flight out after our flight got delayed. Seated immediately and they had live music which was a big plus Food 4/5: ordered the hot chicken and cheese, the tamales and the broccolini. Highly recommend the tamales. Broccolini were as expected. Chicken and cheese was really good but the cheese had solidified again by the time we got it Service 4/5: good service, friendly, and helpful with recommendations but food was slow coming out. Did seemed a bit swamped as the place was packed. Ambiance 4.5/5: live music at the airport is fantastic. Made the experience much more enjoyable. Value 4/5: value seems like fair value in general, bumping up to 4 because I feel the live music adds value when you're bored waiting at an airport Overall 4.2/5: if the live music is a common occurrence here I suspect I'll be back fairly often. Good food at an ok price.
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Frankie M.

Yelp
Place is trendy and busy at Houston's airport! Had to reserved in order to get a table. If by yourself, you can just walk to the bar and find an empty seat. I had the portobello burger and it was good. Tasted just like any other burger. It was well cooked and fries were fresh and toasty. Served was attentive to our needs (6 of us). Overall, a very good experience and food was great.
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Anna S.

Yelp
So I know airport food is overpriced and mid. This place doesn't beat the overpriced stereotype but the food was fantastic. I had the spicy salmon Caesar, fries, and Diet Coke. On the nice side they have free refills for water and soft drinks and live music which was fun. What they lost stars on was the fact that it is not my fault that my dining time happened at their shift change. I made sure to pay my bill to tip my waitress that had done all the work for my meal service and then planned on tipping nicely to the new staff that got me in the shift change (I get how camping eats into tips.) However it was made abundantly clear that if I didn't order new food I'd have to leave or move to the bar. So I still tipped her ($20 for maybe 30 minutes I might add bc I had planned on tipping $20 for the hour I was trying to kill) and left. So note for the future - eat and get out if you want to try The Rustic. (Was there from 1:40-3:00pm on a Thursday. Trust me when I say they were not busy).
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Courtney R.

Yelp
This look of this place caused me to stop by and the food was your typical OVERPRICED airport food. I ordered the cheese dip duo & Texas hot chicken and cheese unfortunately, I did not finish but half of it. I asked for cheddar cheese instead of American on my sandwich and while they said okay, they did not follow. Then I was told that they do not serve bacon past 10a, I wanted to add bacon to my sandwich! The most enjoyable thing was the live musician they had there. I was there from about 1:15p-2p on 5/12.
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Vivian M.

Yelp
I'm impressed!!!! We had 3 hours lay-over from Costa Rica to San Diego that's why we were able to sit-down and have a decent meal. But guess what? I was surprised with The Rustic! The food is really good especially the beef tamales that si ordered. The tamales itself is soft and tasty, with shes des beef and melt ed cheese on top with a kick of jalapeños. My friend ordered meat balls and was all praised too! Our waiter was superb! He always checks on us. I will surely try other meals in the menu when I get to spend more time in Houston, Tx.
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Allison L.

Yelp
The Rustic is a great addition to Houston Hobby Airport! The friendly hosts welcomed us to our table. We were sitting right by the live singer who was getting ready to perform at about 11am on a Friday. The menu is nice and has staples from the regular locations. Breakfast menu available until 10am. They also have a ToGo area for quick pickups.
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Roxy H.

Yelp
I mean it's an airport vibe... not much to expect but it wasn't a bad experience at all. I had a Cesar salad which was decent, very mid. An order of fries that were DELICIOUS. Nice and crispy, hot and seasoned well. I had some broccolini that was just ok. I ordered a drink for the gate and it was super small and was $16! Yikes. We got a shake and that was awful. lol . I would say check them out if you're near the SW gates but don't expect a 5 star meal.
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Hannah N.

Yelp
Airport drinks are always necessary when traveling! This spot is newer to the Houston Hobby airport and they did a great job with it. I grabbed a seat at the large bar they have to have a quick drink before my flight. I was quickly served with my drink and then never really talked to again - I was contemplating ordering an appetizer or something but ended up not doing so since no one ever came in to check on me. I understand the airport bar is a fast moving place but was odd to never have someone check in again. The Rustic is a popular spot in Houston so it was nice to see it in the airport compared to a bunch of chain spots.
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Sam M.

Yelp
We really appreciate how accommodative this restaurant is to kids and love the creative comfort food offerings. We would say the food was a 4/5. However, the service was a 2/5 as we were double charged for one of our dishes and the waitress we had vanished for 20 minutes or so as we were looking to get our check so we could get to our flight on time. If you are a restaurant at an airport, you should be attentive to patrons, given boarding timelines. Also, when you overcharge patrons, it makes patrons question the eye for detail. I recognize this might have been one off though!
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First Name L.

Yelp
Airport chow... yay. I ordered the Texas Tamales and was blown away. The brisket was SO good, I pulled server aside and mentioned it. That's when I found out The Rustic is an actual restaurant in Houston (a live in St. Louis). Wow. Just wow. a-mazing tamales. I was so impressed that I ordered the Texas Hot Chicken and Cheese. O M G I had to write a review. Whether you are a local heading out or a road warrior headed through, consider this place if you have a 2 1/2 hour layover. You deserve it.
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Tetyana B.

Yelp
Who knew an airport layover could turn into a mini Texas vacation? We stumbled into Rustic at the Houston airport expecting just to kill time, but left raving about crab cakes and country tunes. The crab cakes were so good I briefly forgot I wasn't actually on the Gulf Coast, the meatballs were comfort food at its finest, and the salmon salad convinced me healthy can taste like a cheat meal. Big shoutout to Eulise, our server extraordinaire--charming, attentive, and faster than a jackrabbit on espresso. And then there was Joey O'Leary, whose live music made us feel like we were front row at a Texas Hill Country show, not gate B-something. Talented, personable, and had the whole crowd toe-tapping between bites. Rustic proves that great food, warm service, and live music don't stop at the terminal gate. 10/10 would "accidentally miss our flight" just to stay a bit longer.
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Queenie W.

Yelp
Flavorful food, large portion fast and great service, excellent ambience. There was a live singer playing a guitar n the middle of the afternoon. Excellent way to kill time at the airport if you have a lay over, over an hour. Tina was our server.
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Karen H.

Yelp
Excellent recommendation by our hotel, great ambience and service. Food was excellent and all the recommendations by our waiter Nick hit the spot. Highly recommend the cactus fries with jalepeno ranch (Nick brought us extra!) and the rustic burger with the legendary mango frozen marg.
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Exp Dining E.

Yelp
Sat at the bar. Server was affable, prompt and attentive. Experienced other wait staff that was pleasant. Well-done temp burger came quickly and was leaner than the average burger and the ingredients were high quality. The fries were amazing. Nice ambiance for the type of food they serve and would definitely return. Cheers
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Camille N.

Yelp
Dined here while on a layover in Houston's airport. As big as the airport is, I really didn't find many appealing spots to choose from when eating. The decor in The Rustic was nice with lots of lights, U.S. flag made from cans, plenty of seating- bar, hightop, and tables for two. Country music playing which really set the tone. We had two servers, Ariana and then Chris who were both friendly and attentive. I would say the prices were a little pricy but we are in the airport. I had a top shelf classic margarita, which was really good and smoked dip duo which consisted of brisket, spinach and cheddar fondue, cold pimento dip and smoked potato chips. The meal was okay, not something I would probably get again. Way too many potato chips but that's just me. My husband had The Rustic Burger which he said was just okay, nothing spectacular. He had a Twisted Tea to drink but was not given a glass or a straw. This isn't a deal breaker from dining here again, just an observation. I would recommend the restaurant to other travelers but not sure if I would dine here again.
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Brian O.

Yelp
While waiting for our connecting flight, we had lunch at The Rustic. My wife had a chicken and avocado salad and I had the wild boar meatballs with shells and cheese. Everything was very good, but mine was on the spicy side, chipotle cheese and jalapeño jelly on the meatballs. Service was good. Very busy airport atmosphere.
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Antoine B.

Yelp
You never expect greatness in an airport terminal. Especially not at Hobby, where the air smells faintly of ozone, industrial cleaning agents, and dashed hopes. I showed up early--too early--because Houston was throwing one of its classic tantrums: thunder, sideways rain, lightning doing its best Zeus impression over the tarmac. Flight delayed. Spirits sinking. The day had all the makings of a travel horror story. Then I found The Rustic. A big Bloody Mary arrived like it had just crawled out of Galveston Bay. We're talking a full-on aquatic ecosystem in a glass the size of a small fishbowl--rimmed, spiced, garnished within an inch of its life. Celery, olives, a rogue pickle spear, maybe a shrimp or a boiled quail egg in there somewhere--I blacked out for a second so I can't be sure. It was more meal than drink. Bold, briny, unapologetic. Exactly the kind of over-the-top thing you want when you're stuck in a terminal trying to ignore the guy in Crocs eating a gas station sandwich across from you. Then came the brisket breakfast tacos. You never trust brisket in airports--it's usually dry, tired, meat in name only. But these had some soul. Smoky, tender, just greasy enough to remind you it's Texas, dammit. The eggs were fluffy, the tortillas warm, the salsa had a little snap. It wasn't Franklin's, but it wasn't trying to be. It was holding its own in a culinary wasteland and doing it with style. Service? Sharp. The bartender had that seasoned, seen-it-all calm. Efficient with a dash of sass, like they'd just gotten off a double shift somewhere better but weren't above making your day suck less. I came in expecting to stare out the window and question my life choices. Instead, I walked out a little buzzed, a little full, and a lot less bitter about the delay. Final Verdict: If you're trapped in Hobby with time to kill and a storm trying to make your life hell, The Rustic is your parachute. Grab the Bloody. Grab the tacos. Watch the chaos with a smile. This place is doing God's work behind Gate 44.
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Emily W.

Yelp
Found this authentic European deli in Cape Coral for lunch and was warmly welcomed by the father/son owners. The menu has a great German twist, I had a sandwich and espresso, both amazing. The coleslaw was hands-down the best I've ever had. Can't wait to come back and try more!
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Patty B.

Yelp
Great food, just as good as a nice restaraunt outside of the airport. Yes prices are costly but the 2 dishes we had were excellent and well worth it. Had the filled mignon dish and the spicy salmon Caesar salad. Great service as well.

Lindsey L.

Yelp
I am obsessed with the spicy cesar salad here! It's my go to whenever I fly through Houston. Our server, Esmeralda was so sweet and attentive. We especially enjoyed the live music by Chris Lively.
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Lynne T.

Yelp
Bad service, bad management. Their menu doesn't explain their food well! Pick anywhere else to eat when you're at the HOU Airport! Their rustic burger is explains as brisket - there's a tablespoon of brisket on the whole sandwich! I'm very sorry to have eaten here - I hope the service, food and attitude isn't representative of Houston overall!
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Dominic D.

Yelp
I wanted a light salad so I choose the shrimp/avacado salad with vinaigrette and subbed the protein for chicken. Chicken was fine but the salad was disgusting. The vegetables were frozen. Like eating ice. I couldn't go back to get my money back cause I hopped on a flight.
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Bhavana S.

Yelp
The Rustic resturant is a blessing inside the DCA airport. I had a salad, & corn bread. My husband ordered a sandwich. Service was great. Food came on time .
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Cindy R.

Yelp
We ate here when we had several hours to pass between flights. Things started off well- the host was very nice and even accommodated our table change request with a smile. Our server offered water right away and we placed an order to split a meal and we had a beer. The beer service was not speedy but it did come, we were cordial and were enjoying our time. The food was served, but we did not have any napkins or silverware. We eventually flagged down the host who got us the needed items with a smile. As we waited, the server, Alexandria, stopped at the tables on each side of us, but did not acknowledge us in any way. We ate our meal and were ready for another beer and some dessert. Alexandria (Alex) again stopped at the tables on either side of us, picked up the plates but never asked if we enjoyed the food (it as delicious) or asked if we wanted anything. Then we did not see her for a long while. We decided that we would try another location for drinks and dessert. Finally we asked a bartender for our tab. A few minutes later she comes to the table, holding a slip of paper in my face and stated "You requested your tab?" She did not bother with any pleasantries or apologies just stood and looked at me while I stammered that we were ready and eventually gave her my card. She just walked away, I have no idea what we did, but she was beyond rude. She came back and held out my card- still no words. We started to walk out, but I could not without addressing this treatment to a manager, he apologized. She was perfectly pleasant to those around us, they even got their bill in a folder, with a pen and niceties. She turned a nice visit in Houston into an aggravating night that completely overshadowed the nice host and good food. We took our money and spent it where we were appreciated.

John R.

Yelp
Thieves will not return earbuds. They say they had them now they're employee has stole them have done nothing to resolve the issue. Also sent numerous emails to the head office. They said they would do something about it. Never have the manager. Nathan is a complete liar.

Don W.

Yelp
I use to eat here weekly. Not anymore. Food and staff are exceptional. But the Manager is a moron.

Ella Z.

Yelp
Would've loved to order some food during a 4 hour flight delay. I typically love The Rustic's other locations. The menu didn't state they only served breakfast in the mornings, and the morning menu unfortunately didn't accommodate my dietary restriction. When the server came by to take our order, we tried to order something for lunch, but couldn't since it was still breakfast hours. She took our menus after we said we wouldn't be able to order anything, and asked if we were still going to stay seated. We said yes, as we have 4 hours until our delayed flight departs. We were thanked by the server with a rude face and eye roll.