Houston This Is It Soul Food

At Houston This Is It, you’ll see longtime-regulars chatting with staff who are preparing their usual order in styrofoam trays like it’s muscle memory (because it probably is). This place has been around since 1959, and it’s had an undeniable footprint in the Third Ward. When the appeal of fancy pants restaurants have worn thin, and you want something straightforward and satisfying, turn to Houston This Is It, a soul food spot that delivers comfort food in a setting that feels like home.

A meal here feels easy—the only thing difficult about eating here is narrowing down your meal to just three options. It functions a bit like an elementary school cafeteria, but instead of square-cut slices of pizza and a fruit cup, trays are loaded with stewed oxtail, glazed candied yams, and smooth, buttery mashed potatoes. A standard dinner tray here comes with one entree and three slides, and once you’ve decided on a main, it’s best to pick sides that will maximize the flavor. For fried fish or chicken, a standard macaroni and cheese-candied yam-cabbage trio will do the trick. But if you’re getting something that comes with a little sauce—like the smothered turkey wings—it’s imperative that you get some rice to ensure that no sauce is left behind. 

The interior is pretty modest, mostly consisting of a few tables dotted around the room, only separated by a fish tank. Along the walls are various plaques, certificates, and trophies that this place has accumulated over the years. You’ll see just about everyone, from construction workers having fried fish on their lunch break, to college students making the most of their budget and hoveling down discounted food trays. The dining room is often pretty buzzy, but there’s still room to quietly enjoy your meal, with staff occasionally passing by your table to see if you’re enjoying the side they recommended, or offering to bring you a few extra napkins.

Whether you need a comfort meal that can help you recover from a long day at the office, or want to show your friends from out of town what it means to have soul food in H-Town, Houston This Is It Soul Food is a classic. It has kept Houstonians fed for decades, and it’s become a watering hole of the Third Ward, bringing the community to the same place, where we can always convene over stuffed styrofoam trays and cups full of sweet tea. 

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Food Rundown

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Oxtails

If you happen to swing by on a Thursday or Sunday, prioritize getting the oxtails at all costs. They’re tender enough to fall off the bone with the slightest of help from a plastic fork. Cleaning up the excess gravy that spills out of the tray is one of life’s greatest honors.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Mac & Cheese

It’s layered in cheese, it’s decadent, the noodles are perfectly cooked, and it’s some of the best mac & cheese the city has to offer. Get some.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Candied Yams

Two big spoonfuls of candied yams give us the same joy as seeing a cute baby animal. They’re glazed in molasses, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and will always be a mainstay on our dinner tray.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Cabbage

The braised cabbage is always tender, has a dash of vinegar, and is good enough to be an entree on its own. But we’ll settle with it being the number one VOC (Vegetable Of Choice) with every meal.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Cornbread

Cornbread comes with every tray at Houston This Is It (as it should be). And while the two golden corn muffins aren’t the highlight of eating here, they’re a necessary player in any meal here.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Lemonade

You’ll want to grab a lemonade that’s set to standard soul food restaurant sweetness (80% sugar), and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Get a large styrofoam cup, and have something to remember this place by on your car ride home.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Tea Cakes

Our favorite dessert to order here, the teacakes are subtly-sweet with a hint of cinnamon. There are usually four or five crammed in a plastic bag.