The East Downtown neighborhood bistro takes its name from Mad Max’s Fat Nancy’s Café and Houston’s “Hustle Town” nickname. Those pop-culture bona fides are woven right into its DNA. Nancy’s Hustle is cool and unpretentious with a menu unafraid of a little experimentation. As a winner of Eater Houston’s Restaurant of the Year in 2018, this place has proven its staying power — home to one of the entire Lone Star state’s most essential dishes.
Dim lighting, mid-century wood paneled walls, and the kind of playlist that jumps from Solange to David Bowie without breaking a sweat.
This summer, the restaurant expanded to daily dinner service, making its elusive reservations just a little easier to score. With an ever-changing menu and homey vibe, the sweet spot for a reservation is a party of four. That’s enough to crowd the table with plates and try as many things as possible, but also a party size that’s easy to accommodate in what’s kind of a small space.