Chef/owner Bryan Caswell and business partner Bill Floyd, who both honed their skills at Bank under celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, have created quite a buzz with their contemporary seafood eatery, Reef, which opened in Midtown in 2007. The pearl and turquoise colored space is ultra-modern, as high ceilings, concrete beams and huge windows (offering a view of the downtown skyline) betray the fact that this was once a car dealership. Reef’s seafood choices go well beyond shrimp cocktails and salmon, though, as Caswell specializes in dressing up the bounty of the Gulf — he prides himself on preparing more than a dozen rarely served species — with creative flair in dishes such as mussels steamed in Shiner Bock, Thai-style whole fish and, when in season, the wildly popular soft shell crab with a "taqueria-style" pickled vegetable vinaigrette. A notable wine list emphasizes white wines to accompany the aquatic offerings.
Full bar. Serving lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat. Closed Sun.
James Beard Foundation: Bryan Caswell, Best Chef: Southwest finalist, 2010-2011
Houston Press: Best Milk Shake, 2010 critics' poll
"Depending on the season, you’ll find anything from tripletail to amberjack on the menu. Start with a crab or shrimp shooter before trying the steamed mussels, made with Shiner Bock and toasted ancho chilies. Caswell's sliders with caramelized onions have generated a cult following. But the stars are still the fish dishes."
— Gayot
Chef/owner Bryan Caswell and business partner Bill Floyd, who both honed their skills at Bank under celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, have created quite a buzz with their contemporary seafood eatery, Reef, which opened in Midtown in 2007. The pearl and turquoise colored space is ultra-modern, as high ceilings, concrete beams and huge windows (offering a view of the downtown skyline) betray the fact that this was once a car dealership. Reef’s seafood choices go well beyond shrimp cocktails and salmon, though, as Caswell specializes in dressing up the bounty of the Gulf — he prides himself on preparing more than a dozen rarely served species — with creative flair in dishes such as mussels steamed in Shiner Bock, Thai-style whole fish and, when in season, the wildly popular soft shell crab with a "taqueria-style" pickled vegetable vinaigrette. A notable wine list emphasizes white wines to accompany the aquatic offerings.
Full bar. Serving lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat. Closed Sun.
James Beard Foundation: Bryan Caswell, Best Chef: Southwest finalist, 2010-2011
Houston Press: Best Milk Shake, 2010 critics' poll
"Depending on the season, you’ll find anything from tripletail to amberjack on the menu. Start with a crab or shrimp shooter before trying the steamed mussels, made with Shiner Bock and toasted ancho chilies. Caswell's sliders with caramelized onions have generated a cult following. But the stars are still the fish dishes."
— Gayot