Tourist Dining Mistakes

1. Pappasitos
While there's nothing wrong with the food and the generous portions at this landmark Tex-Mex joint, there are so many other, better Tex-Mex places that you can't find in any other city. El Tiempo, for one, and probably a lot more that you should suggest in the comments.

2. Galleria Area Traps
While there are redeeming Galleria-area restaurants to spare, the majority are not frequented by out of town guests, who usually stick to any number of chain restaurants clustered around the shopping metropolis. An unwillingness to brave 610 traffic and/or a lack of culinary knowledge keep tourists trapped in restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory or California Pizza Kitchen.

3. Not Venturing To Long Point (and other similar areas)
Some of the city's treasured gems lie in ethnic neighborhoods; off the highways and nestled in obscurity. Failure to research - for true connoisseurs - is inadmissible when traveling to our fair city, because we know our own lovely Katherine Shilcutt has already compiled a handy-dandy list to start your trek. Whether it's authentic Mexican, Korean or Thai, it all comes together on this one expanse.

4. Only Eating Tex-Mex
While tortilla chips and salsa are fare for the gods, choosing restaurants by way of pre-dining snacks limits one's options unnecessarily. True, Houston is known for some killer beans, enchiladas, tacos, and other Texas-infiltrated versions of Mexican food, but we also have one hell of a global dining scene.

5. Kim Son
It's got name recognition and a novel of a menu, but there are better places to eat Vietnamese in Houston. Never more than a stone's throw away from just about any major area of the city, a good Vietnamese restaurant is a luxury Houstonians have learned to appreciate.