Best of 2026

4 Austin-area restaurants make Yelp's top 100 list for 2026

Whip My Soul has perfected a simple Southern comfort food menu centered around fried fish and chicken.

When it comes to Yelp's top restaurants, people have the power: the online reviews platform has compiled user opinions to find out which restaurants across the country have the best reputations. Four Austin-area restaurants made the Top 100 US Restaurants 2026 list, out of a total of 17 in Texas.

Yelp compiled its list mostly by weighing the total volume and sentiment of reviews, plus some other factors it doesn't disclose. The platform is popular enough for casual dining that it shows up all over the list, but there are a few upscale restaurants that broke through.

In Austin, the restaurants to watch are the somewhat hidden yet inviting Taqueria De Diez (No. 47), the Southern comfort haven Whip My Soul (No. 62), and the indulgent and deep-fried sandwich spot Bird Bird Biscuit (No. 66). One restaurant in Round Rock, Sushi Yume (No. 57) — known for high-quality sushi at good prices — also made the list.

Yelp used its data to identify several trends influencing dining over the next year: "grandma-core" dining, sandwiches for dinner, breakfast all day, Japanese flavors, and places to dress up.

Thanks to Bird Bird Biscuit's one location that's open for dinner, Austin doesn't escape trendiness. Neither does Round Rock's increasingly lauded sushi restaurant — not that Japanese food is new or going anywhere.

Elsewhere in Texas, two impressive eateries made the top 5 of the overall list. First place went to New York Italian restaurant Ci Siamo, in Manhattan. It was followed by Taste of Texas in Houston (No. 2), which has been around since 1977 and is known for its Certified Angus Beef steaks. Texas artifacts on display help teach diners about the state's history. Then in San Antonio, Comfort Cafe comes in at No. 5, praised not just for the generous diner food but for its mission to support workers in addiction recovery.

All the Texas restaurants on the list are as follows:

2. Taste of Texas, Houston
5. Comfort Cafe – San Antonio, San Antonio
36. Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar, Fort Worth
37. Gold Spoon, Carrollton
43. Xiaolong Dumpling, Houston
47. Taqueria De Diez, Austin
49. Hutchins BBQ, Frisco
50. Aga’s Restaurant & Catering, Houston
51. Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy, San Antonio
55. Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, Houston
57. Sushi Yume, Round Rock
59. Edmond’s Burgers & More, Plano
62. Whip My Soul, Austin
63. The Ginger Mule, Houston
66. Bird Bird Biscuit, Austin
69. Shabu En, Houston
73. The Chef’s Table, Houston

bests lists awards yelp tacos japanese cuisine sushi sandwiches

TRUCK REFRESH

Austin taco trailer Con Madre Cocina returns with new setup

ConMadre Cocina/Instagram

A breakfast taco filled with seasoned eggs, held in front of the Con Madre Cocina food truck.

The Travis Heights Mexican food truck Con Madre Cocina is reopening this Friday, January 23, after spending the past month operating out of a North Austin ghost kitchen.

The family-owned operation temporarily relocated while replacing its longtime setup with a new 24-foot food trailer, which has now been delivered and inspected. In a statement provided to CultureMap Austin, CEO Alfredo Bustinza said Con Madre will resume on-site service at 628 East Oltorf St. this Friday at 7 am.

Con Madre Cocina has served customers at its East Oltorf location since 2009, becoming a familiar neighborhood stop, particularly for breakfast. The menu includes breakfast tacos and burritos, but also extends beyond morning fare.

Lunch and dinner options range from Madre’s Mole Plate — chicken in a signature mole sauce served with rice and refried beans — to enchiladas suizas and gorditas stuffed with beans and choice of meat. The menu has vegetarian taco options, birria and street tacos, as well as chicken flautas estilo a la Madre. Pozole rojo and other traditional Mexican soups also are on the menu.

Birria tacos folded in corn tortillas and topped with chopped white onion and fresh cilantro, served with lime wedges.Con Madre Cocina/Instagram

These cooking traditions are rooted in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, with recipes passed down across three generations of the same family.

The Travis Heights site, located along East Oltorf next to a Valero gas station, has anchored Con Madre's growth. During the last 16 years, Con Madre Cocina expanded beyond its original food truck setup to include a ghost kitchen operation, locations in Dallas and, more recently, catering, all while remaining under family ownership.

During the relocation period, Con Madre Cocina continued operating out of its ghost kitchen at 5610 N. Interstate 35, allowing the business to remain open while the new trailer was completed. The business notes it remains open most holidays. When service resumes, Con Madre Cocina plans to return to regular operations in Travis Heights while continuing its ghost kitchen and catering offerings.

Hours at the Oltorf location, as published on the business' website, are 7 am to 2 pm Mondays and Tuesdays, 7 am to 8 pm Wednesdays through Fridays, and 8 am to 8 pm Saturdays and Sundays.

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