HOUGuide
6 Great Places To Get Oxtail In Houston
photo credit: Richard Casteel
The unsung hero of the beef family, a good plate of oxtails will run you a pretty penny, so quality matters. Oxtails should be tender, have a little bit of smokiness, and come swimming in a gravy that has a few bits of meat in it. No matter if they’re proudly sitting on top of a mountain of mashed potatoes, served over grits for breakfast, or next to a heap of couscous, here are some of our favorite oxtail dishes in Houston, and where to find them.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Liz Silva
The Westchase restaurant Dakar Street Food seamlessly combines Senegalese and Caribbean cuisine, and our favorite dish on the Caribbean portion of the menu is the braised oxtails, which come loaded in a dark gravy and carmelized onions. While we normally recommend getting with white rice, the couscous at Dakar Street Food absorbs plenty of flavor from the oxtails and does a fabulous job playing the supporting role. And with a side of sweet plantain added to the party, this oxtail dish feels familiar, but with a little twist.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
A Third Ward staple for Caribbean food, Reggae Hut has been serving killer oxtail for over 25 years. Tender and sweet, both the oxtail and the gravy here have a spicy kick from scotch bonnet peppers. While some places are notorious for skimping out on the gravy, the oxtail at Reggae Hut comes smothered in hearty gravy, which often has a few bits of the oxtail in each spoonful. Take a load off at one of the well-loved tables, dig into the oxtail with rice and peas, and maybe get a side of cocoa bread for soaking up any leftover gravy.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
At the soul-food spot Houston This Is It, oxtails are only served on Thursdays and Sundays, and it’s definitely worth setting a reminder for yourself in your calendar. Tender enough to fall off the bone with only a little bit of assistance from a plastic utensil, the oxtails come with your choice of three sides. Alongside the classic mac ‘n cheese and candied yam dynamic duo, you should get some rice to help soak up the oxtail gravy that will inevitably be spilling out of the tray.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
While the Bourbon Sizzler, a Caribbean restaurant in the Medical Center, is modest, it’s also home to some of the most impressive braised oxtails we’ve ever had. The smoked, tender pieces of oxtails are good enough to stand on their own, but we love that they come with a mountain of rice and peas, and of course a pool of gravy. Hovel them to your heart’s content while you rest assured that there’ll be enough oxtails left over for at least another meal.
Oxtails are a versatile dish and the folks at Kamp, a clubstaurant in the Galleria neighborhood, understand this perfectly. Sure, you can get them with a side of rice at dinner, but during brunch, the smoked oxtails (and their gravy runoff) come served on top of a bowl of buttery cheese grits, giving the standard shrimp and grits a run for their money. The oxtails and the smooth grits go together like peanut butter and jelly, and we would happily fight for a brunch reservation at Kamp to have a bowl every weekend.
photo credit: Gianni Greene
We would gladly make any excuse to have the oxtail dinner at Kiss, a self-described “vibe dining” restaurant in Washington Corridor. The southern-style braised oxtails at this clubstaurant come with vinegary collard greens, a few steamed carrots, and a heap of buttery mashed potatoes. The gravy coating the oxtails is slightly sweet and somehow enhances the tenderness of the meat. Add in a slab of cornbread and you have yourself a proper country-style oxtail meal.
