I'm partial to El Cerrito Taqueria on 249 during the day because they only serve breakfast and lunch. Any other time (literally, it's 24 hours a day) is Taqueria Ruby. There's a dim sum joint in Chinatown called Golden Dumpling that's pretty dope. It's cash only. Thien Thanh is pretty great if you're into Vietnamese food, also cash only. I think every decent barbecue joint has been covered by a hundred TV shows. Xochi downtown if you're looking for upscale Oaxacan food. You can't really go wrong downtown because they're all fighting for your business. There's a dude that sells tamales at the bars in Spring and between 6 and Cypress on the northwest side of town. There's a little too much masa for my particular taste but he's a great guy, they're delicious, and he sells homemade red sauce and green sauce by the jar. Tony's New York Pizza is really good and the only place I'll go for real New York style pizza. I lived up there for a while and this scratches the itch.

If you want a little more well known, Pinkerton's Barbecue is good. Texas de Brazil is spendy but if I died there I'd die happy. Burns BBQ is really good. Truth is really good. Don't go to Papas or Spring Creek. They're fine, but they're only one step better than going to an Applebee's.

I know there are others but it's 6am and I was out until almost 3 drinking. Good luck!