Good Restaurants In Galveston: Local Food Guide
Planning a cruise through Galveston and want to know the good restaurants to try out? We’ve compiled a list of some of our top choices.
By Mary Luz Mejia | Published on October 9, 2025
When it comes to the best restaurants in Galveston, it should be noted that some of the city and state's iconic favorites actually originated elsewhere. Some recipes, tweaked to suit Texan tastes, came to Galveston and beyond about 200 years ago!
First, some background to set the food scene. Galveston was founded in the early 1800s and named for Bernardo de Galvez, a Spanish military and political leader. The city became an important landing point for new immigrants from Europe. Admittedly, the initial European migrants were brought there in part by a French pirate to help Mexico fight for independence from Spain. After independence, Galveston became the capital of the Republic of Texas and grew to be one of the biggest ports in the United States.
Today, Galveston is the prime port for cruises out of Texas and the perfect place to launch adventures into the western Caribbean. Plus, thanks to its colorful history and rich cultural and culinary fabric, Galveston also boasts a culinary scene you can sink your teeth into!
In this blog, we’ll cover some of the top restaurants to try when you travel to Galveston, whether you’re looking for casual eateries or fine dining experiences.
Key Takeaways: Best Restaurants in Galveston by Category
Top BBQ Joints
- ● Leon’s World Finest Bar-B-Que.
- ● Queen’s Bar-B-Que.
- ● Texas Pit Stop.
Seafood Favorites
- ● Miller's Seawall Grill.
- ● Saltwater Grill.
- ● Gaido's.
- ● BLVD Seafood.
Iconic Gumbo & Southern Eats
- ● Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar.
- ● Gumbo Diner.
Fine Dining
- ● Number 13 Prime Steak and Seafood.
- ● Rudy & Paco Restaurant and Bar.
Craft Brews & Cocktails
- ● Galveston Island Brewing.
- ● Beerfoot Brewery.
- ● Texas Tail Distillery.
Stop by one of these local favorites before or after you sail from Galveston.
Best BBQ Restaurants in Galveston
Texas and barbecue are synonymous, and Galveston is no exception to the rule, so any BBQ restaurant will be a great addition to your travels.
One of the best restaurants in Galveston is Leon's World Finest Bar-B-Que, voted by Texas Monthly as one of the greatest barbecue joints in the world. The mandatory brisket is on offer, as are ribs and sausages, all oak-smoked and served up with an order of "stepped-up rice," which is speckled throughout with celery and jalapeños. Queen's Bar-B-Que and the Texas Pit Stop are two additional local favorites worthy of a visit.
History of Galveston BBQ
Being a port city, Galveston was no stranger to immigrants, and the influx of Czech and German newcomers had a noticeable impact on this Texan favorite. With many of these migrants coming from a Jewish background, they brought with them their love of brisket and their traditional cooking methods. Thanks to the state's large beef cattle industry, it was a match made in (barbecue) heaven, resulting in the now-famous Texas smoked brisket, which obtains much of its flavor from the smoking process without the need for large amounts of seasoning.
There's more to beef than barbecue, and in Texas, that can only mean one thing: chicken-fried steak. Essentially, this is a breaded beefsteak that's deep-fried or pan-fried and smothered in a creamy gravy. While the origins of this Texan classic are a little unclear, one theory mentions a local adaptation of the famous Wiener Schnitzel by German immigrants in the mid-1800s. Regardless of its origins — or whether it's even a Texas original — there's little doubt of the impact this dish has made across the Lone Star State. Galveston is no exception, and the no-frills Miller's Seawall Grill is a particular favorite with locals.
Best Seafood Restaurants In Galveston For Gumbo
There are numerous fine gumbo eating options here, but if you're looking for some of the best restaurants in Galveston Island to dig into a bowl, locals swear by the Saltwater Grill. It serves up all things seafood in the art gallery district, as well as the nearby Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar, which offers a kitchen sink version called "Mumbo Gumbo" that includes pretty much everything you could think to add to a gumbo.
Galveston's oldest seafood restaurant, Gaido's — which is considered amongst the best food in Galveston, Texas — is another gumbo hot spot. It also serves up some of the best seafood in town and is worth a visit to try other Galveston favorites, including crab cakes, Seawall scallops and char-grilled oysters. Fans of crab cakes with a twist would be remiss not to try their jumbo Gulf shrimp stuffed with crab cake, baked and served with a tangy lemon butter sauce.
Another Louisiana Cajun favorite to make its way to Texas is the classic shrimp and grits. Miller's Seawall Grill is consistently voted as one of the best restaurants in Galveston, with its shrimp and grits as a standout menu item. Their prize-winning version includes the robustness of nutty Gouda cheese. Nearby, the Gumbo Diner also offers another popular version made with stone-ground cheese grits and green onion, in addition to its namesake gumbo and other New Orleans staples such as pillowy beignets.
History of Galveston Gumbo
Officially from Louisiana, gumbo is a hearty soup made from a flavorful stock with a combination of meat, various shellfish, a roux and the Creole sofrito of celery, bell peppers and onions. Gumbo isn't originally from Texas, but with Texas' hot coastal weather, proximity to the sea's bounty and geographical positioning in the south, it should come as no surprise that locals love a good gumbo.
Best Fancy Restaurants In Galveston, TX
With an abundance of the freshest seafood available on a daily — even hourly — basis, a visit to Galveston requires a night of fine dining on a fresh seafood feast. Great Galveston waterfront restaurants dot Seawall Boulevard. The almost 10-mile strip offers protection from incoming storms and provides a magnificent promenade fit for fine dining in Galveston.
Fancy a crab cake made with luscious jumbo lump blue crab and accompanied by a honey-lemon tartar? Check. How about some Seawall scallops, contrasting with a sweet potato purée and roasted garlic and bleu cheese vinaigrette? Check. Char-grilled Gulf oysters with a pop of heat from some cayenne butter? Gotcha. Located just off Seawall Boulevard, BLVD Seafood is one of the best seafood restaurants in Galveston. Its menu includes elevated local bites while also offering traditional must-haves such as gumbo and shrimp and grits. Non-traditionalists can also help themselves to salmon or tuna Poke bowls here, while brunchers can dig into a crab cake and eggs Benny to start their day.
Galveston is blessed with an epic boardwalk and miles of sea views. Located in Pelican Rest Marina amongst the dense foliage on Offatts Bayou, Number 13 Prime Steak and Seafood is one of the best places to eat in Galveston. This restaurant offers a selection of grilled meats, line-caught Gulf seafood, a wine locker program and magnificent sea views from its welcoming terrace.
Not all views need to be sea-facing to be spectacular, especially if it's a romantic ambience you're after. Rudy & Paco Restaurant and Bar, located next to the Grand 1894 Opera House, serves up refined seafood and steak dishes with Central and South American flair. It's the perfect spot for people-watching and a pre-theater dinner date or post-show drinks and snacks in the city's beautiful historic center.
Best Places To Eat In Galveston for Adult Drinks and Desserts
Texas heat, sunny beaches and sea spray make for the perfect excuse to try Galveston's countless breweries. A local favorite is Galveston Island Brewing, with each of its beer cans proudly displaying "BOI" (Brewed on Island). It has a 13-tap wall featuring on-site brewed beers, usually including the official beer of the island: Tiki Wheat, an American-style wheat beer with German hops and a hint of refreshing coriander.
Nearby, Beerfoot Brewery offers impressive Gulf views and allows other island brewers to share their creations with the public, even permitting home brewers to use their top-of-the-line equipment to brew their best batch. If you're looking for a tipple with a little more kick or want to enjoy a cocktail, then head to the Texas Tail Distillery, which uses locally grown corn and wheat to make whiskey and vodka. Take a distillery tour or grab a bottle or two for home.
Before you sail out of Texas on your cruise, you must sample the state's favorite, pecan pie. While its origins are somewhat lost in the mists of time, there's no doubt that pecan pie recipes were widespread in Texan cookbooks as of the 1870s, with the first published account submitted by a Texan woman. Look out for pecan pies on most dessert menus, with Gaido's Southern Pecan Pie — featuring Rio Grande organic pecans, dark chocolate ganache, warm caramel and refreshing vanilla ice cream — touted as THE place to grab a slice of sticky, gooey, delicious history.
Find the Best Grub in Galveston
Whether you’re looking for 5-star restaurants in Galveston or simply want to try out Texas BBQ, there are countless places to eat that you won’t want to miss. From Leon’s World Finest Bar-B-Que and the Saltwater Grill to the oldest seafood restaurant in Galveston, Gaido’s, your cruise will be marked by delicious meals and an even better time spent with your loved ones around the table.
Explore Galveston cruises through Royal Caribbean to set sail toward amazing dining experiences.
