This brasserie from Berg Hospitality Group is a favorite for Houstonians looking for a romantic dinner spot. Inspired by Parisian cafés Annabelle, serves approachable French cuisine within some truly stunning digs in Autry Park. The restaurant offers picturesque bayou views, luxe furnishings, and vaulted ceilings—sometimes even overflowing with flowers—that are decorated throughout the year to mark the changing of the seasons. If you’re looking to impress your date, order from the raw bar or opt for the caviar service.

This is the tried-and-true classic for Houstonians looking for a nice date night. With lush, landscaped greenery, a stunning waterfall, and a patio overlooking the bayou, Brenner’s always puts its best foot forward when it comes to stage-managing your date. When the weather’s nice in the fall, expect to see soft lights that spotlight the intimacy of the outdoor patio.

Sunday mornings are dreamy at Brennan’s, when the restaurant hosts its renowned Big Easy–inspired Creole Jazz Brunch. Request a seat in the courtyard, where you’ll still receive the white-tablecloth treatment, only surrounded by beautiful greenery, a bubbling fountain, sunshine, and live jazz wafting through the air. Heat things up with a table-side flambé of Bananas Foster for dessert.

You can wander right into Paris by way of Etoile Cuisine et Bar, a restaurant that has delighted local Francophiles since 2012 with its decadent menu. Love is always in the air here, in large part because the restaurant, owned by chef Philippe Verpiand and his wife, Monica Bui, is the result of a love story itself. Together, they’ve fittingly curated a delicious menu perfect for two. The dimly lit dining room, the absinthe (for two, of course), and the tablescapes set with roses and carnations are just a taste of what couples can look forward to.

Nestled right up against Buffalo Bayou, upscale Mexican restaurant Flora sports floor-to-ceiling windows offering diners views of the nearby tree canopy by day. By night, the space is lit by an assortment of glittering crystal chandeliers. When it comes to the food, expect offerings like mole enchiladas, ceviches, and desserts like tres leches.

Impress your date by grabbing a reservation at modern Korean steak house Karne, created by restaurateur Jason Cho and chef Yurum “KP” Nam. This fine-dining Korean steak house has a fully loaded menu with prime smoked beef and American Wagyu, as well as dishes like rib eye noodle soup, short rib kimchi fried rice, and fresh seasonal market fish. While the food is the star of the show, the restaurant’s interior also deserves your attention. Each table is framed by tall booths clad in brown alligator–printed material, providing cozy private seating around the table-top grills. Dramatic light fixtures soar overhead, and a 7.5-foot tree lends an impressive touch of greenery to the room. It’s a perfect spot to sip on some high-end cocktails while enjoying an evening with your favorite (or at least we hope so) person.

The sister restaurant of State of Grace, known for oysters, is also a great spot for a raw dozen. Just like the neighborhood it calls home, La Lucha is classy yet hip. The well-appointed dining room, which pays homage to the long-lost San Jacinto Inn, gets dark and cozy at sundown. We recommend curling up on a cushy leather love seat to slurp Gulf oysters or indulge in the restaurant’s amazing fried chicken.

This swanky River Oaks staple oozes romance. The light-filled restaurant, which serves Vietnamese fare, sports ratan chairs, historic photographs, vintage furnishings, and hand-painted tropical murals. Order the bò lúc lắc (shaking beef) to share with your date as you both sip on the restaurant’s signature gin and tonic—one of the best in Houston.

If you can’t swing a trip to Madrid, the next best option is to secure a spot at this flashy avant-garde gem. Reserve a seat in the dining room, with its plush velvet banquettes and glowing neon accents, or grab a seat at the bar. No matter how captivating your date, you’ll be impressed by chef Luis Rogers’s feats of Spanish molecular gastronomy and the incredible interior design, complete with Picasso prints, Chihuly chandeliers, lush banquettes, and custom-made sculptures. It doesn’t get more luxe than this.

Kin Dee owner Lukkaew Srasrisuwan has a taste for the finer things, and that’s readily apparent at MaKiin, her upscale Thai restaurant. Housed on the ground level of luxury high-rise Hanover River Oaks, it serves royal Thai cuisine, originally created for Thailand’s royal family and designed to have an appearance just as appealing as its flavor. At the end of your visit, enjoy treats like the Instagrammable Dessert Wonderland, while supping up the stunning interiors by Gin Design Group.

This restaurant by Benjy Levit made its debut in 2024 in the former Eau Tour. The dimly lit, cozy space makes it the perfect spot for your next date night. Begin your visit with arancini and chargrilled oysters, then order one of the many pasta dishes or opt for the grilled hanger steak. When you’re done, head over to neighboring concept Lee’s for the ultimate cocktail experience.

Located in the Galleria, upscale Indian restaurant Musaafer is home to one of the city’s most stunning restaurant interiors. Chef Mayank Istwal offers diners raw oysters with ginger and coconut milk and baked oysters coined “palak paneer Rockefeller” to start, followed by an impressive slate of proteins from Texas Wagyu to beef vindaloo made with filet mignon.

It doesn’t get more exclusive than a speakeasy-style chophouse inside another restaurant. Patton’s is the early 1900s taproom behind the wine cellar inside Savoir. The restaurant boasts opulent chandeliers and leather seats, creating just the right ambience for an intimate evening dining on prime New York strip and Central Texas rack of lamb.

A favorite for weddings and engagements, this classic Houston log cabin offering local fish and game truly makes for a romantic meal. Dine on the deck overlooking the lush garden and the lodge’s very own stream, or inside among the cozy decor and giant fireplace. Make sure to start your meal splitting the Taste of the Wild sampling platter of wild game.

At this sleek American-European restaurant from the Goodnight Hospitality folks, ask for the single high-top table overlooking the bustling chef’s line. It feels a bit like dining in front of your own personal fireplace thanks to the large wood-fired pizza oven. Start with apps like marinated olives or a farms green salad. For your main, you’ll definitely want some pasta and perhaps one of the pizzas with a bottle from the restaurant’s expansive, well-curated wine list. And do save room for some of the restaurant’s desserts, like the famous Basque cheesecake that’s been on the menu since the beginning.