Raja Sweets is one of those Houston institutions that feels both legendary and deeply local. Tucked…read moreinto Hillcroft's Mahatma Gandhi District, it's been around since the mid-1980s and has built a reputation for fresh sweets, savory snacks, and fast, efficient service for good reason. They just celebrated their 40th anniversary which I had the honor of attending! What I love about Raja is that it doesn't feel overly curated or trendy--it feels real. The kind of place people actually return to again and again because the food delivers. Their sweets are what put them on the map, but the savory side deserves love too. If you know, you know. The whole experience feels like a little slice of Houston history with serious community roots. Whether you're stopping in for mithai, chai, samosas, or a full meal, Raja Sweets has that rare combination of longevity, consistency, and cultural significance that makes a place memorable. There's a reason it's been featured by outlets like the New York Times, Eater, and the Travel Channel.

Raja is one of those places that has spot in Houston history. I've heard about it for years and was…read moreexcited to finally get a chance to try some sweets. I got 4 different sweets and they were all so sweet that they were virtually inedible. The milk cake was crumbly and grainy. I guess I thought it would be more soft and moist but it completely fell apart when I cut into it. I got a mango ball and a carrot cake square and both were dry and so sweet that it any other flavor became quite mute. You kinda got the hint of flavor in each but it was very slight. There was a moist coconut ball that was on the brink of good but once again, was overpowered by this blast of sugar in your mouth. It was creamy and bouncy but alas went unfinished. I am giving a 3 because to be fair, nothing was inherently wrong. I just could not enjoy the desserts at all.

I've tried several items here, including the Aloo Tikki plate, Aloo Amritsari Kulcha, and Pani…read morePuri, and these have quickly become my go-to favorites. The flavors are delicious, the portions are satisfying, and every dish feels thoughtfully prepared. The Pani Puri is definitely a must-try -- the perfect balance of flavors, freshness, and tanginess makes it stand out and keeps me coming back for more. The Aloo Tikki is comforting and flavorful, while the Amritsari Kulcha is packed with taste and has that satisfying North Indian touch. As a vegetarian, I truly appreciate having a place where I can explore so many flavorful options. The consistency in taste and quality is what keeps me returning. Highly recommend trying these dishes if you're looking for a delicious and authentic Indian street-food experience!

Bombay sweets. Still solid, after all these years. Latest trip include a Bhel puri, Papri chaat…read moreand dahi puri. Service is counter top. You find an open table and wait for your order to be called out. The chaats were pretty good. Nice hefty portion and vibrant. Ended with a cup of tea which was the icing on the cake. There is a gassy selection of mithai also available for purchase and other Indian snacks I don't know what happened to the 2 ladies that were always at the front counter? Did Bombay sweet have a management change?

My mom is fond of dosas so we took her here while in Houston. Everything on the menu is vegetarian…read moreand they have a lengthy menu of dosas, their namesake idlis, and other carby, fried delights like samosas, uttapam, and vada doughnuts. My family is Burmese, and our cuisine shares a lot in common. Still, there were no descriptions on the menu so I needed help from the staff getting descriptions of each item. Fortunately we were the only customers there on the Thursday morning we visited the the staff was plenty helpful, patiently explaining each item to us. We got uttapam, idlis, vada doughnuts, and different kinds of dosa. Everything tasted fresh but exceedingly plain. I found a lot of items lacking depth of flavor and required a healthy dousing of the tamarind sauce some of the dishes came with. Everything started to taste the same and we would've left a lot of food untouched were it not for the fact that we hate to waste food. So we reluctantly ate it all. Reading the reviews now I see this is a commonly held opinion of the food here, which is unfortunate as it was the only dosa place I could find in Houston that was actually open for breakfast, which is when many people eat dosas.

Solid South Indian restaurant in a strip mall - had breakfast here this morning with a colleague…read more We both ordered madras coffees and dosa's - masala for him and spicy paneer for me. My dosa was delicious and flaky and the coffee hit the spot, and he enjoyed his meal as well. Happy to return.

The coffee and tea both are really good! I think it's the best coffee in Houston…read more I used to live close by, so I used to go there a lot. I went back on Christmas day and they were open. This is why I like Houston being multicultural.

My wife ordereed a freezy which is described as an iced blended drink, she got the freezy coffee,…read moreshe gave it 2 stars, it was barely cold and very liquidy, she was expecting something like a frappe. I loved my hot kumbakonam degree coffee. They have a bunch of snacks, samosas, dal puri, spring rolls, etc. They also have stuff like chicken tenders, spanakopita which is a spinach and cheese pastry, and lots of Indian pastries like gulab jamon, jalebi, we'd just eaten elsewhere so I didn't try any other items....they looked tasty though.

Best chai and samosa in Houston!! Wow! Fresh and clean! I would highly recommend this placeread more

Samosa chaat - 8/10 - A little too saucy but so flavorful…read more Chicken kabob - 9/10 - So good, juicy and delicious Beef seekh kabob - 8.5/10 - Tasty and cooked well, just a bit salty Butter chicken - 9.5/10 - One of the best ive had, creamy and flavorful Chicken bun kabob - 9/10 - Loved this Chicken biryani - 8.5/10 - Good standard biryani Lahori fish - 8/10 - Tasty but could be a bit crispier Sugar cane juice - 7/10 - Fresh but I personally wasnt a fan of the flavor Mango lassi - 8/10 - Refreshing and sweet but pretty thick Gagar halwa - 7.5/10 - Light sweet and melted in my mouth but a bit greasy Maahol is one of the newest spots in Sugar Land with some of the best desi food ive had in town. Their items are very flavorful and tasty. They have pool tables, games, and hookah for a fun night time vibe! Definitely check them out

Very friendly and interesting selection. My daughter ordered for me a Aloo Paratha. They have a…read morelarge selection of Indian bakery goods, Samosa, check out their menu.

The food is excellent, I recommend the bread pakora or grilled fish. They have an impressive…read moreselection of homemade sweets. It's small and cozy with great service.

DEFINITELY A PRECIOUS GEM FOR VEGETARIAN FOOD!…read more First of all, I fall in love with the poetic name of the restaurant. Speaking of the name has already delivered calmness, stillness and clarity. In Houston, it's not easy to find an authentic vegetarian restaurant. So my friend and I decided to drive from Cypress to Water Drop Teahouse. Water Drop Teahouse is much like a small, quiet canteen located in a temple. You can park outside and walk in slowly. And enjoy the serenity of the garden. We came by lunch. The tables were almost occupied yet the ambiance was calm and quiet. The food we ordered was great, fresh. They tasted so good. Our favorite was the 6-item appetizer and we ended up ordered 2 big plates. Jadeite Fried Rice was very impressive to me. The tea was served in a very nice, inviting pot. We finished our lunch with 2 petite mochi desserts, filled with red bean and taro. The outer skin layer was soft and the fill-in was on point. ( The red bean was sweeter than the taro one, to my palate.) The service here was warm-welcoming. Helping us and serving the food were volunteers and they helped us with kindness and patience. My memory is still lingered with the arts of gentleness, not only in food but also the human connection I experienced here with the volunteers/helpers. I fall in love with Water Drop Teahouse. Best, Chloe

Really unique spot! Found it from some reel in Instagram of 'unique Houston spots'. It's definitely…read moreoutside of the usual stomping grounds for me (outside of the loop) but worth the drive. It's in a Buddhist temple, and it is extremely calming inside. There were people doing tai chi inside of the building, and the gardens were lovely. The food was great! We got the pot stickers. I got a berry drink and my husband got hibiscus tea. Great spot!

Unique and flavorful biryani that's different from your standard. It was very moist and flavorful…read morewithout being greasy at all. They put delicious potatoes in their biryanis. The portions were hefty and the service was fast and friendly. We tried both the chicken biryani and the beef biryani. I am glad we stopped by! They're open till midnight and closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Can't go wrong with Biryani the ultimate South Asian comfort food. Got the chance to try…read more@karachibiryanicenter_kbc recently, this place comes highly recommended. this is a food truck in the gas station parking lot, with a few other food trucks and a few benches to sit and eat outside. We went with the Shahi Beef Biryani, and loved it, the beef was perfectly seasoned and tender, overall the biryani had a kick to it just how I like it. Definitely enjoyed th experience and will be back for the other items on the menu, especially want to try the kabob rolls.