
Lucille's
Experience modern Southern classics in a cozy, vintage house setting, celebrating culinary heritage with warm hospitality.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

Lucille's

Highlights
Must-see attractions
Experience modern Southern classics in a cozy, vintage house setting, celebrating culinary heritage with warm hospitality.
"One of the best brunches I've ever had, with unforgettable dishes and top-notch service!"
Reservations are a must
Secure your spot in advance, especially for weekend brunch, as reservations are required.
Consider valet parking
Valet parking is available for a fee, and public parking can be limited.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Southern
Price
$$$
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Oxtail Omelette & Croissant French Toast
Indulge in rich, flavorful oxtail omelettes and decadent, buttery croissant French toast that melt in your mouth.

Signature Southern Comfort Dishes
Experience elevated Southern classics like crispy fried green tomatoes and rich chili biscuits that have garnered acclaim.

Cozy Vintage House Ambiance
Dine in a charming, cozy vintage house setting that feels like a fancy Sunday dinner, offering a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Reservations are a must
Secure your spot in advance, especially for weekend brunch, as reservations are required.
Consider valet parking
Valet parking is available for a fee, and public parking can be limited.
Brunch is a highlight
Visit during weekend brunch hours for a delightful experience with standout dishes.
Happy Hour Deals
Enjoy discounted drinks during Happy Hour, with specials like $4 beer and $5 wine.
Tips
from all over the internet
Reservations are a must
Secure your spot in advance, especially for weekend brunch, as reservations are required.
Consider valet parking
Valet parking is available for a fee, and public parking can be limited.
Brunch is a highlight
Visit during weekend brunch hours for a delightful experience with standout dishes.
Happy Hour Deals
Enjoy discounted drinks during Happy Hour, with specials like $4 beer and $5 wine.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Lucille's offers an elevated take on Southern classics, lauded for its warm hospitality and beautifully presented, flavorful dishes like oxtail omelettes and fried green tomatoes. While many praise the food and cozy ambiance, some recent reviews point to a decline in service quality and food availability, with inconsistent preparation and higher prices noted as concerns.
"I had the pleasure of visiting Lucille’s while in Houston, Texas, and wow what an unforgettable experience! Hands down, one of the best brunches I’ve ever had. The croissant French toast was absolutely to die for; buttery, crispy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. And let me not forget the oxtail omelette so flavorful and perfectly seasoned! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the service was top-notch. I’m already counting down the days until I can visit again!
Ps. We had to valet park and reservations are required!!"
Rhoda Royal
"Tasty southern food in an upscale environment. We visited for a Friday evening.
For appetizers, we had the chili biscuits and fried green tomatoes. The fried tomatoes were lovely, with crispy cornmeal batter concealing fresh green tomatoes. For entrees, we had the pork shank, chicken breast, and blackened catfish. The catfish was well cooked with excellent but not overwhelming flavor. The pork shank was massive and while the sweet flavor was a bit different, it was still tasty. The chicken came with this tasty southern fried rice.
Service was friendly throughout our visit."
Kevin Wang
"Went for late lunch after visiting Museum district. Our server Linda was great, friendly and professional. Food was well made with extremely fresh ingredients, both the seafood and other ingredients. Prices were good for the quality of the ingredients. Highly recommended restaurant around Museum district."
Xu Ruihua Jeff
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekend brunch, to secure your dining experience.
Popular signature dishes include the oxtail omelette, croissant French toast, fried green tomatoes, and shrimp and grits.
Yes, valet parking is available for a fee. It is often recommended due to limited public parking.
The restaurant offers a cozy and welcoming atmosphere within a charming vintage house, evoking a sense of a fancy Sunday dinner.
Yes, Lucille's has a Happy Hour with specials on drinks like $4 beer and $5 wine.
Lucille's serves modern interpretations of Southern classics.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
Best Patios for Eating & Drinking Outside in Houston Right Now
Southern comfort hits the table in the form of Shrimp and Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Chili Biscuits at chef-owner Chris Williams’ classy restaurant, bar, and patio. Those Chili Biscuits (which have now reached Top Chef fame) as well as the spot’s decor pay tribute to Williams’ great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith, a African-American entrepreneur, chef, and pioneer in the food and hospitality industry. When the weather is right, enjoy a modern spin on traditional Southern goods even more out on Lucille’s tree-shaded, string light-bedecked patio.
The 13 Best Black-Owned Restaurants In Houston - Houston
When you need a place to have a meal with your family (born or chosen), there’s Lucille’s, a restaurant serving Southern comfort food in the Museum District with a multi-story dining room that feels like the inside of someone’s home. A meal at Lucille’s is like a fancy Sunday dinner, with smothered hanger steak with green beans, and yardbird topping fluffy mashed potatoes and briny collard greens. Come by for dinner when you have an issue that only fried green tomatoes can fix, or swing by for brunch on the weekends.
The Best Brunch Spots in Houston for 2025
If you’re in the mood for simple yet upscale Southern fare like fried green tomatoes, chicken fried steak or country benedict, Lucille’s is a perfect choice. The down-home, unpretentious, Southern-style spot in the heart of the Museum District is one of our fave places to fuel up before a big day out on the town, and for tourists hoping to pack it in, consider these your calories to burn for the day. Been there, done that?
10 Essential Houston Restaurants Every Visitor Should Try
Award-winning restaurant Lucille’s is known for its elevated Southern comfort food. Photos by Jenn Duncan. For more than a decade, Lucille’s has been serving up seriously tasty and comforting elevated Southern cuisine in Houston’s Museum District.
A Guide to Houston's Best Restaurants
From left: Chris Williams, the chef-owner of Lucille’s, harvesting mustard flowers in his garden; a spread of oxtail and grits, chili biscuits, and yardbird at Lucille’s, in Houston’s Museum District.
A Guide to the Best of Houston’s Museum District
Lucille’s, located in a beautiful cozy house, serves Southern food and is named after the owner’s beloved great-grandmother Lucille B. Smith, herself a celebrated culinary innovator, entrepreneur, and educator. Enjoy classics like braised oxtails and shrimp or catfish and grits (try them with a side of the fried green tomatoes) or more contemporary, uniquely Houstonian fare like the oxtail tamales or grilled octopus with coconut curry and peanuts. Lucille’s has mastered the art of balancing the tried-and-true with the emerging and new.
Houston's 100 best restaurants of 2023: Our food critics' top picks
Restaurateur and chef Chris Williams brings a refined and focused take on Southern cuisine to this Museum District destination that’s named after his great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith. The menu reads like a who’s who of comfort food favorites, from a classic shrimp and grits to a take on pork and beans that features a mighty pork shank paired with a three-bean ragu sauce. Make sure to order a side (or two), like the braised collard greens that embody the essence of Southern culinary traditions.
28 Best Houston Restaurants To Try Now
Located in Houston’s Museum District, Lucille’s serves impeccable southern-style cuisine. Helmed by two-time James Beard nominee Chris Williams, the restaurant is a tribute to Williams’ great-grandmother, who invented the first instant hot roll mix in the U.S. and whose recipe box, Lucille’s Treasure Chest of Fine Foods, was reprinted multiple times and treasured by homecooks throughout the South and the rest of the counry. Her recipes (including her signature rolls) are on the menu.
6 outstanding places for brunch in Houston
There’s so much more to Lucille’s than simply a menu of Southern food—it’s a homage to chef Chris Williams’s great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith, who was a culinary innovator and entrepreneur. The restaurant takes his family recipes and blends them with his classical training: chicken and waffles, grits served with shrimp or catfish, croissant French toast with fried chicken and oxtail tamales all get a boost. Croissant French toast with fried chicken from Lucille's.
Top 15 Good Weather Patios in Houston
In the middle of the Museum District, Executive Chef Chris Williams and Chef de Cuisine Khang Hoang combine to deliver one of the city’s best dining experiences in Southern cuisine. For more than a decade now, the restaurant that pays tribute to Williams’ grandmother, Lucille B. Smith, has been serving up some of her most famous recipes and refined Southern classics throughout the cozy, vintage house and a patch of patio that makes for a gorgeous good weather meal.
The 6 Best Sunday Brunch Buffet in Houston [2025 ]
An established Sunday brunch buffet in Houston, Lucille’s has been in the industry for years – and for a good reason, too!. Their good food and even better atmosphere really left a mark on us, though their prices are on the more expensive side. Lucille’s brunch menu is exceptional, and the clear standout for us would have to go to their Croissant French Toast if you’re in the mood for something light and their Oxtail Omelette if you want something heavy.
Where to Eat Great Fried Chicken in Houston — 10 Spots That More Than Satisfy
Playing beautifully off of his southern heritage and embracing the recipes of his naturally talented grandmother, Chris Williams, owner and executive chef at Lucille’s, offers up a hefty plate of fried chicken that merits a visit even after National Fried Chicken Day, Lucille’s in the Museum District is well worth the visit. Order the Yardbird: Brined & Slow-Fried Chicken (white or dark meat), Smoked Mash, Braised Collard Greens, and Honey Spiced Gravy.
The 20 Most Interesting Restaurants in Houston Right Now
The gist: Going into its 10th year, and amid a pandemic, chef Chris Williams has turned his modern soul-food spot into an essential — and transformative — local institution. The hook: Williams swung into overdrive when the pandemic hit, forming the Lucille’s 1913 nonprofit that served more than 300,000 meals to Houstonians in need — and kept his entire staff employed. He ran a pop-up series that raised over $40,000 for out-of-work bartenders.
7 Famous Restaurants in Houston For Memorable Dining
Lucille’s is where Southern Hospitality can be experienced at its peak. Situated in Houston’s Museum District, this restaurant has been serving a contemporary flair since 2012. Brothers Chris and Ben Williams established this restaurant in honour of their great-grandmother, Lucille B. On the menu, you will find classics like fried green tomatoes and oxtail tamales along with Southern favourites like yardbird and shrimp and grits.
30 Best Things to Do in Houston, Texas
Located in the heart of the museum district, Lucille’s is your go-to spot in Houston for hearty Southern staples. Brothers Chris and Ben Williams opened Lucille’s in 2012, naming the restaurant after their culinary inspiration and great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith. Over a decade later, this nationally acclaimed restaurant has fed millions of hungry souls searching for some of the finest Southern food in Houston.
Houston’s Best Brunch Spots
Southern food is given a modern twist in the museum district at this popular neighborhood brunch spot. Chef Chris Williams and co-founding brother Ben pay tribute to their grandmother, for whom the restaurant is named, through traditionally rendered Southern favorites. Weekend brunch menu selections range from Chilli Biscuits to Oxtail Omelettes to the more extravagant Lobster Benedict and Croissant French Toast.
10 Must-Try Soul Food Stops in Houston
With a menu packed with Southern classics, Lucille's brings plates full of comfort to the table in a darling little spot in the Museum District. If you prefer to enjoy your meal al fresco, you're in luck at Lucille's as they have a charming patio where you can also find live music during Sunday brunch. Enjoy all of the above while chowing down on shrimp and grits and braised oxtail.
Upscale Black-Owned Restaurants In Houston
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (713) 568-2505. Founders Chris and Ben Wills named this acclaimed Southern cuisine restaurant in Houston’s here’s nothing quite like a taste of the Caribbean out here in the desert!. Phoenix is blessed with the island vibes of Ms. Martha’s Kitchen, whose eponymous owner grew up in St. John’s, one of the U.S.
7 Black-Owned Soul Food Restaurants In Houston, Texas
Chris Williams’s nationally celebrated restaurant, Lucille’s, first opened as a tribute to his great-grandmother, culinary pioneer Lucille B. Smith. Smith was an educator, culinary innovator, and successful entrepreneur who founded her own food corporation. She’s widely known for Lucille’s All Purpose Hot Roll Mix, the first hot roll mix marketed in the United States.
27 Best Fried Chicken Spots in Houston, Texas
Lucille’s Fine Southern Foods boasts a location inside Houston’s museum district and lays tribute to Lucille B. Smith’s legacy of culinary tradition and refined Southern cuisine in Texas. Featured on the lunch menus is their famous hot chicken sandwich that’s hard to miss, with bourbon pickles, slaw, and an onion challah bun that will leave you more than satisfied.
11 Dog-Friendly Restaurants In Houston
Lucille's epitomizes Southern charm with its cozy ambiance and menu of down home favorites like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes. Pups love dining at Lucille's for its pet-friendly outdoor patio with occasional live music. Once you've satisfied your taste buds, take Fido on a walk through McGovern Centennial Gardens just blocks away.
11 Best Houston Patios For Al Fresco Dining -
This locally-owned museum-district treasure has a semi-covered patio equipped with picnic tables and high-tops. They are well equipped with heaters and fans so you can comfortably enjoy the patio all year round. You can also enjoy the occasional live jazz alongside an array of fine Southern eats which adds to the cozy, welcoming environment.
17 Best Restaurants With Outdoor Seating in Houston
5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004Phone: 713-568-2505 Visit Website. A post shared by Lucille’s (@lucilleshouston). Opened by Houston natives and James Beard Award semifinalists chef and restauranteurs Chris and Ben Williams, Lucille’s is an homage to their grandmother Lucille whose Southern recipes comprise a hefty portion of the menu.
7 Unique Restaurants in Houston You Need to Visit
While the city of Houston is home to a number of great restaurants serving delicious Southern comfort food, Lucille’s often stands out from the rest. Co-founded in 2012 by two brothers, Lucille’s honors the legacy of their beloved great-grandmother, Lucille. Many of the restaurant’s dishes are inspired by Lucille’s most popular recipes.
The Best Restaurant Patios in Houston
Lucille’s, 5512 La Branch, (713) 568-2505: In the backyard of this reimagined soul-food eatery, you can enjoy Gumbo Z’Herbes, a hard-to-find gumbo style with mixed greens. Chef Chris Williams makes his rendition with ham hock andouille and serves it with potato salad. Braised Oxtails come with serrano-cheddar grits and rich oxtail jus.
The Best Happy Hours In Houston
If you had the type of day that only a mountain of cheese can fix, spend Happy Hour at Lucille’s, a family-owned Southern comfort spot in the Museum District. Here, you can relax, have a $7 old-fashioned, and leave the day behind with $8 catfish nuggets, $7 baked mac and cheese, or a $10 burger (or, all three).
Black Owned Houston Nightlife
Lucille’s is my go to restaurant in Houston especially for brunch, but they also have live music on the weekends and some Thursdays. It is still very much a restaurant, but changes the vibe a bit if you are looking for live music. They have also added an intimate happy hour upstairs during the week.
20+ Must-Try Houston Restaurants for 2025: Best Dinner Spots
Cuisine: Southern / Soul FoodLocation: 5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004. Lucille’s offers Southern comfort food with a refined twist. Known for their famous Chili Biscuits, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Braised Oxtails, this spot blends history with bold flavors.
Top Restaurants & Bars to Eat & Drink in Houston, Texas, USA [HOUSTON TRAVEL SERIES]
Lucille’s is a popular place especially for brunch that I highly recommend you to make a reservation or else it will be a long wait time. Lucille’s is a modern takes on Southern classics being served in a cozy, vintage house that is fill with history and roots.
#BuyBlack: Here are 9 black-owned spots that are perfect for breakfast and brunch in Houston
You know the deal — brunching until 3 pm … Live music by @vanguard_entertainment_group starts at 11:30 am. A post shared by Lucille's (@lucilleshouston) on Jan 5, 2020 at 8:05am PST. Menu items: Lobster benedict, croissant French toast and oxtail omelette
15 Best Places For Breakfast In Houston TX You Shouldn't Miss
Located in Museum District, Lucille’s is one of the best places for breakfast in Houston. It is a black-owned breakfast spot in Houston and is quite popular in the country. In fact, it is so famous that even president Joe Biden knows about this place.
Best Breakfast in Houston, TX (2025) — 30 Top Places!
5512 La Branch StHouston, TX 77004(713) 568-2505 Visit Website See Menu Open in Google Maps. Lucille’s, which opened in 2012, delivers a modern take on Southern classics prepared by a classically trained chef and served in a charming, vintage mansion.
Must-Try Fried Chicken in Houston
Lucille’s definitely knows how to do this southern favorite right!. Their “Yardbird” is slow fried with a side of collard greens and honey-spiced gravy. If you haven’t had fried chicken from Lucielle’s, you are absolutely missing out!
The best breakfast in Houston: 18 places you need to try!
Next on our list for the best breakfast in Houston, it’s Lucille’s. Now, Lucille’s has been known to serve the best breakfast in Houston for years. Now, this isn’t the place to visit if you’re looking for greasy, fried food.
Restaurants in Houston | Top 23 in 2025
Located in the city’s museum district, this family-run Houston restaurant features a number of classic Southern dishes created with international culinary techniques and flavors.
Omni Houston Hotel
Another option is Lucille’s, also located in the Museum District. Expect Southern classics like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes at this cozy eatery.
Breakfast & Weekend Brunch Spots in Houston
Fuel Up on Southern Flavor at Lucille’s - Upscale soul food with a heritage twist—think oxtail tamales, fried green tomatoes, and biscuits worth remembering.
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit