Restaurants in Nacogdoches, Texas
Listings checked against Texas Comptroller permit data · Updated October 2026
Local picks
Clear Springs Restaurant
$$Seafood · 211 Old Tyler Rd
Clear Springs Restaurant's Nacogdoches location, in business since 1990, serving seafood and Southern fare; it shares the Old Tyler Rd building with Auntie Pasta's.
Java Jack's Coffee House
Cafe · 1122 North St
Independent coffee house opened in 1996 serving espresso drinks made with single-origin coffees roasted by its sister company, Camino Real Coffee Roasters.
Auntie Pasta's
Italian · 211 Old Tyler Rd
Long-running Italian restaurant serving pasta dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, run by Hill Country Restaurants since 1991 and sharing the Old Tyler Rd building with Clear Springs Restaurant.
Restaurant Directory: Nacogdoches
A directory of 93 restaurants, 28 food trucks, and 22 bars & nightlife spots, built from active Texas sales-tax permits, grouped by cuisine where the name makes it clear.
Barbecue (3)
- Brendyn's BBQ ↗
Craft barbecue joint on Main Street downtown serving Central Texas-style smoked meats by the pound, with weekly specials made with local chefs, brewers and bakers.
- Mike's BBQ House
Local barbecue restaurant on South Street, carrying on the Mike's Barbecue House name that dates to 1986.
- The Barbecue House
Family-run barbecue restaurant on N Stallings Dr serving smoked meats with homemade sides like potato salad, cole slaw and Cajun rice.
Mexican & Tex-Mex (22)
- El Taco Salsa
Local Mexican restaurant on North Street serving tacos, gorditas, rice and beans, and churros.
- Fuzzy's Taco Shop ↗ chain $
Nacogdoches franchise of the Fort Worth-born Baja-style taco chain, serving tacos, burritos and nachos with a full margarita bar.
4909 North St Ste 215, Nacogdoches, TX 75965 · (936) 205-5661
- Papi's Cantina & Restaurant
Mexican restaurant and cantina in the downtown Main Street building that formerly housed the Liberty Bell and Cowboy Jack's bars.
- Sombrero's Coastal Tex-Mex & Cantina
Tex-Mex restaurant and cantina on North Street with a coastal slant, known for fajitas, steaks and seafood; opened 2017 in the former La Carreta Cafe building.
- Taco Bell ↗ chain $
Two Nacogdoches locations of the national Tex-Mex fast-food chain, on North Street and South Street.
South St · North St · permit since 1998 - Taco Bueno ↗ chain $
Nacogdoches location of the Texas-based Tex-Mex fast-food chain, on North Street.
- Taco Casa ↗ chain $
Store #88 of the Texas Taco Casa fast-food chain, on N University Dr.
1133 N University Dr, Nacogdoches, TX 75961 · (936) 305-5353
- Taco Chop Shop
Small taco shop on South Street.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill ↗ chain $
Nacogdoches location of the national fast-casual burrito and bowl chain, on North Street.
- D'Gorditas
Local Mexican restaurant specializing in gorditas and barbacoa, on SE Stallings Dr.
- D'Gorditas 2
Second D'Gorditas location, serving gorditas and Mexican plates on N University Dr in the former Baymont Seafood space.
- El Jaliscience Mexican Food
Local Mexican restaurant on North Street serving tacos, huaraches, gorditas and al pastor.
- El Lindo Mexico
Small family taqueria on SE Stallings Dr serving Mexican food, with table service.
- El Ranchero Restaurant
Family Mexican restaurant on King Street serving Tex-Mex plates with fresh tortillas and tableside guacamole.
- Guacamole's Mexican Grill and Cantina bar
Mexican grill and cantina on North Street serving Tex-Mex plates and margaritas, in the former Posados Cafe building.
- Jalapeño Tree ↗ bar $$
Family-owned East Texas Tex-Mex chain (Henderson, Nacogdoches, Jacksonville); the Nacogdoches restaurant on N. University opened June 19, 2006 and offers dine-in, to-go and private parties.
- Jalisco Tacos $
Small taqueria on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd serving street tacos, tortas and birria.
- Mi Fondita Mexican Food $
Small Mexican food spot on South Street serving tacos and plates.
- Pepper Jack's North St · permit since 2008
- Street Tacos $
Taco counter at the North Food Mart on North Street.
- Taqueria El 21 bar $
Taqueria on Douglass Road serving al pastor tacos and Mexican plates; added a second permitted unit next door in 2026.
Douglass Rd · permit since 2026 - Los 3 Potros Mexican Restaurant $
Mexican restaurant on South Street serving tacos, barbacoa and Mexican plates.
Burgers & American (12)
- Bottlecap Alley Icehouse Grill ↗ bar
Icehouse-style bar and grill on North Street with burgers, wings and a large beer selection; part of a small Grapevine-based Bottlecap Alley group, open here since 2018.
- Burger King ↗ chain $
Flame-grilled burger chain with two Nacogdoches stores, on North Street and South Street.
South St · North St · permit since 2024 - Cotton Patch Cafe ↗ $$
Texas comfort-food chain serving chicken-fried steak, fried catfish and scratch-made sides; this North Street location has operated since 1989.
- Flashback Cafe ↗ bar
Downtown bar and restaurant on Wettermark Street serving specialty pizzas, burgers, wings and barbecue-fusion plates; operated as the Flashback Club before 2015.
- Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers ↗ $
Fast-casual chain serving cooked-to-order steakburgers, all-beef hot dogs, shoestring fries and frozen custard; the Nacogdoches store opened Oct. 3, 2023.
- Chili's Grill & Bar ↗ chain $$
Casual-dining chain with Tex-Mex-leaning American fare, burgers, ribs and fajitas plus a full bar.
- Maklemore's Ale House & Bistro ↗ bar
Ale house and bistro on North Street with a pub-food menu and a deep beer list; open since 2014.
- McDonald's ↗ chain $
Fast-food burger chain with three Nacogdoches stores on North Street and N. University Drive.
N University Dr · North St · permit since 2013 - NacBurger ↗ $
Family-owned burger joint grinding fresh 100% beef patties for 40+ years, with specialties like donut-bun burgers; also caters events.
3205 N University Dr Ste O, Nacogdoches, TX 75965 · (936) 205-9835
- Sonic Drive-In ↗ chain $
Drive-in fast-food chain with carhop service, burgers, tots and slushes; two Nacogdoches stores.
North St · permit since 2024 - The Lunch Box Takeout
- Whataburger ↗ chain
Store #429 of the Texas burger chain on North St (Business 59), serving made-to-order burgers, fries and shakes.
Chicken & Wings (6)
- Buffalo Wild Wings ↗ bar chain
Sports bar and grill from the national chain, serving wings with a range of sauces and dry rubs, burgers and a full bar with many TVs.
- Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers ↗ chain
Store #49 of the chicken-finger chain, serving tenders, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and Cane's sauce.
- Wingstop ↗
Store #362 of the wing chain, serving classic and boneless wings in a range of flavors plus seasoned fries.
- Chick-fil-A ↗ chain
Free-standing store of the chicken-sandwich chain on North St, serving chicken sandwiches, nuggets and waffle fries, with drive-thru.
- KFC ↗ chain
Location of the fried-chicken chain on North St, serving bone-in fried chicken, tenders, sandwiches and biscuits, with drive-thru.
- Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen ↗ chain
Store #2956 of the Louisiana-style fried-chicken chain on N University Dr, serving spicy and mild fried chicken, chicken sandwiches and biscuits.
Seafood & Cajun (6)
- Baymont Seafood Restaurant
Local seafood restaurant serving fried catfish, fish tacos and Tex-Mex plates; moved from N University Dr to North Street in 2023.
- Clawdaddy's Boil N Go Market
Cajun seafood boil market on Center Rd serving boiled crawfish and seafood to go.
- Obie's Seafood And More
Seafood restaurant on North Street serving fried and Cajun-style seafood.
- Clawdaddy's Market General Store
Second Clawdaddy's location on NE Stallings Dr, a market and general store serving Cajun seafood boils.
- Clear Springs Restaurant ↗ bar $$
Clear Springs Restaurant's Nacogdoches location, in business since 1990, serving seafood and Southern fare; it shares the Old Tyler Rd building with Auntie Pasta's.
- Fish Tales
Fried-catfish and seafood spot on South Street, the Nacogdoches outpost of a small Deep East Texas Fish Tales group (Central/Pollok, Corrigan).
Pizza & Italian (8)
- Auntie Pasta's
Long-running Italian restaurant serving pasta dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, run by Hill Country Restaurants since 1991 and sharing the Old Tyler Rd building with Clear Springs Restaurant.
- CiCi's Pizza ↗ chain $
Nacogdoches location of the CiCi's pizza buffet chain.
- Napoli's Italian Restaurant $
Locally owned Italian restaurant on North St serving pizza (including an 18-inch XL pie), pasta and garlic bread; open since 2012.
- Pizza Hut ↗ chain $
Pizza Hut dine-in/carryout store on South St, one of two Pizza Hut locations in Nacogdoches (the other a delivery unit at 3102 N University Dr).
- Little Caesars ↗ chain
Nacogdoches location of the Little Caesars carryout pizza chain.
- Roma's Italian Kitchen bar
Downtown Italian restaurant on East Main Street with a full bar; the Nacogdoches location of a Longview-based Roma's Italian Kitchen.
- Papa John's ↗ chain $
Papa John's pizza delivery and carryout store on North Street, open since 1996.
- Domino's ↗ $
Domino's pizza delivery and carryout store on North Street, run by franchisee Ta-Dah! QSR.
Asian (9)
- Barkeep's Eatery & Taps ↗ bar
Asian-fusion gastropub on North Street pairing curry, pad thai and bar bites with a craft tap wall and brunch menu; opened in 2017.
- Zheng's Ocean Buffet
All-you-can-eat Chinese buffet on North St with sushi and seafood alongside hot Chinese-American dishes.
- Salma's Pizza and Indian Restaurant $
Counter restaurant inside the North St Walmart Supercenter serving pizza and wings alongside Indian dishes such as chicken pakora, keema, curries and naan.
- Asian City $
Longtime Asian-fusion restaurant on North St serving Chinese dishes and sushi rolls.
- Panda Express ↗ chain
Store #2820 of the Chinese-American fast-food chain, serving orange chicken, chow mein and other wok-cooked entrees.
- Peking Chinese Restaurant
Chinese restaurant on Creekbend Blvd serving dishes such as General Tso's chicken, garlic chicken and hot pepper chicken with fried rice.
- Super Yummy Mongolian Stir Fry & Sushi $
Build-your-own Mongolian stir-fry grill with sushi in the North St shopping center.
- Diya Nacogdoches Texas
- Nijiya Japanese Restaurant
Japanese restaurant in the N University Dr shopping center.
Breakfast & Diner (4)
- Stone House Kitchen ↗
Café in a historic building on E Main St in downtown Nacogdoches serving breakfast and brunch plates, quiche and sandwiches such as chicken salad.
- Denny's ↗ chain
Location of the diner chain at the TA Express travel center on NW Stallings Dr, serving breakfast all day plus burgers and diner plates.
2615 NW Stallings Dr, Nacogdoches, TX 75964 · (936) 371-6267
- IHOP ↗ chain
Store #1909 of the pancake-house chain on North St, serving breakfast all day plus burgers and diner plates.
- Kinfolks Restaurant
Country-cooking restaurant on NW Stallings Dr, open since 2003, serving hearty breakfasts and home-style lunch plates.
Sandwiches & Delis (2)
- Newk's Eatery ↗
Location of the Mississippi-based fast-casual chain on North St, serving made-to-order sandwiches, salads, pizzas and soups.
- Subway ↗ chain
Sandwich chain with three Nacogdoches stores run by one franchisee: North St, South St and N University Dr.
N University Dr · South St · North St · permit since 2009
Coffee, Sweets & Bakery (19)
- Bris Brew
Small coffee and drinks shop on South St that opened in April 2026.
- Chilly Fillmore's
Locally owned snack and treat shop on North St, operating at this suite since 2011 (current owner since October 2023).
- Donut Palace $
Family-run donut and kolache shops; Nacogdoches has several independently owned Donut Palace locations (North St, N University Dr and South St).
North St · Us Highway 259 · N University Dr · permit since 2023 - Dutch Bros Coffee ↗ $
Drive-thru location of the Dutch Bros coffee chain on North St, opened in 2023.
- El Monkey Loko
Mexican-style frozen treats shop on South St known for paletas (popsicles) such as coconut, successor to El Coco Loko at the same address.
- HTeaO ↗ $
Franchise of the Texas iced-tea chain, serving 20+ flavors of fresh-brewed sweet and unsweet tea near SFA on E Austin St.
- Insomnia Cookies ↗ $
Late-night cookie bakery near SFA, part of the Insomnia Cookies chain known for warm cookie delivery.
- Java Jacks Coffee House ↗
Independent coffee house opened in 1996 serving espresso drinks made with single-origin coffees roasted by its sister company, Camino Real Coffee Roasters.
- La Fresa De Michoacan
Mexican snack and dessert shop on North St, opened in August 2024.
- Life Nutrition
Walk-in nutrition club on North St serving protein shakes and energy teas.
- Smoothie King ↗ chain $
Smoothie King franchise on North St serving blended fruit and protein smoothies.
- Starbucks ↗ chain $$
Starbucks café on North St (store #10846), open since 2006.
- Total Energy Nutrition
Walk-in nutrition club on South St serving protein shakes and energy teas, opened in 2024.
- Yummy Water Ice
Water ice (Italian ice) shop on Mitchell St near the SFA campus, opened in April 2026.
- Aperitivo Café & Gelato ↗ bar
Italian-inspired downtown café serving espresso drinks, small-batch gelato, pastries, breakfast and lunch, plus wine and cocktails from a full bar.
- Dilly Dally ↗
Downtown café on N Church St that also rents out its space for events; listed in the Nacogdoches County Chamber restaurant directory.
- La Bonita Michoacana
Michoacana-style Mexican shop on South St, at this address since 2017.
- Nini's Fresh Donuts $
Independent donut shop on South Street; a second Nini's store operates at 1302 North St.
- Shipley Do-Nuts ↗ $
Donut and kolache shop on North Street; the store permit is held by Shreveport franchise operator Primeaux Restaurant Group.
Other (2)
- KT's Cafe
Small cafe on North St in Nacogdoches.
- Austin State Unversity Catering E College St · permit since 2012
Food Trucks & Trailers (28)
- Aljo's Food County Road 816 · permit since 2023
- Avila Venezuelan Food N Us Highway 59 · permit since 2025
- Be Blessed BBQ E State Highway 7 · permit since 2019
- Big Fella's BBQ Southern Oak St · permit since 2019
- Botanas Cami Talito Rd · permit since 2024
- Brendyn's BBQ Fm 1275 · permit since 2017
- Crawpaw's Nw Stallings Dr · permit since 2020
- Fantastic Freeze Katy Dr · permit since 2024
- Grumps Shave Ice And Concessions County Road 140 · permit since 2023
- Homegrown Coffee Company County Road 2471 · permit since 2025
- Jdrlabs Inwood Ln · permit since 2023
- Juniors Backyard BBQ Appleby Sand Rd · permit since 2026
- Just Chillin Shaved Ice Fm 226 · permit since 2026
- Lazy Haze Bull Appleby Sand Rd · permit since 2026
- Lucas Wings Fm 3228 · permit since 2019
- Mercis Worldly Cuisine County Road 256 · permit since 2010
- Mommy And Me Eats Logan Cir Apt 601 · permit since 2026
- Owl Country N Fm 95 · permit since 2016
- Reed's Fish & More W State Highway 7 · permit since 2021
- Revolution Road Fm 698 · permit since 2021
- Shali's Indian Kitchen On Wheels County Road 2153 · permit since 2018
- Smash And Pass Burgers County Road 111 · permit since 2025
- Something About Gulley's Tara Ln · permit since 2023
- Takeria El Kekas George St · permit since 2024
- Taqueria Carlos North St · permit since 2019
- The Swig Rig County Road 4191 · permit since 2025
- Two Broke Joes' Us Highway 259 · permit since 2021
- Waffle With A Twist E McCrainie St · permit since 2024
Bars, Pubs & Nightlife (22)
- Cantina 1779 Cantina
Bar-cantina on West Main Street holding a mixed-beverage permit since December 2024.
- Daiquiri Island To Go Daiquiri Bar $
To-go frozen daiquiri shop on North University Drive, opened May 2026.
- Fuzzys Taco Shop Bar
- Headliners Sports Bar Sports Bar
Longtime sports bar on North St, open since 1999, with a full bar.
- Island Breeze Daiquiris Daiquiri Bar $
To-go frozen daiquiri shop with two Nacogdoches stores, on North Street and North University Drive.
North St · N University Dr · permit since 2022 - Noonies Event Center Bar
- Pueblo Viejo Mexican Restaurant Bar
- Red House Winery Wine Bar
Winery tasting room and wine bar in downtown Nacogdoches pouring Texas wines, with porch seating and a wine club.
- Aperitivo Café & Gelato Cafe + full bar
Italian-inspired downtown café serving espresso drinks, small-batch gelato, pastries, breakfast and lunch, plus wine and cocktails from a full bar.
- Banita Creek Hall Bars & Nightlife + full bar
Live country music dance hall on W Main St with a full bar; operating at 401 W Main since 2007.
- Barkeep's Eatery & Taps Asian + full bar
Asian-fusion gastropub on North Street pairing curry, pad thai and bar bites with a craft tap wall and brunch menu; opened in 2017.
- Bottlecap Alley Icehouse Grill American + full bar
Icehouse-style bar and grill on North Street with burgers, wings and a large beer selection; part of a small Grapevine-based Bottlecap Alley group, open here since 2018.
- Buffalo Wild Wings Chicken + full bar chain
Sports bar and grill from the national chain, serving wings with a range of sauces and dry rubs, burgers and a full bar with many TVs.
- Clear Springs Restaurant Seafood + full bar $$
Clear Springs Restaurant's Nacogdoches location, in business since 1990, serving seafood and Southern fare; it shares the Old Tyler Rd building with Auntie Pasta's.
- Flashback Cafe American + full bar
Downtown bar and restaurant on Wettermark Street serving specialty pizzas, burgers, wings and barbecue-fusion plates; operated as the Flashback Club before 2015.
- Guacamole's Mexican Grill and Cantina Tex-Mex + full bar
Mexican grill and cantina on North Street serving Tex-Mex plates and margaritas, in the former Posados Cafe building.
- Jalapeño Tree Tex-Mex + full bar $$
Family-owned East Texas Tex-Mex chain (Henderson, Nacogdoches, Jacksonville); the Nacogdoches restaurant on N. University opened June 19, 2006 and offers dine-in, to-go and private parties.
- Maklemore's Ale House & Bistro American + full bar
Ale house and bistro on North Street with a pub-food menu and a deep beer list; open since 2014.
- Roma's Italian Kitchen Italian + full bar
Downtown Italian restaurant on East Main Street with a full bar; the Nacogdoches location of a Longview-based Roma's Italian Kitchen.
- Sports Shack Bar & Grill Bars & Nightlife + full bar
Long-running sports bar and grill on North Street near SFA with TVs, a full bar and a pub-food kitchen; one of the highest-volume bars in Nacogdoches.
- Taqueria El 21 Tex-Mex + full bar $
Taqueria on Douglass Road serving al pastor tacos and Mexican plates; added a second permitted unit next door in 2026.
Douglass Rd · permit since 2026 - The Fredonia Hotel & Convention Center Hotel Bar
Sourced from the Texas Comptroller's active permit records. A spot that recently closed or changed hands may occasionally still appear — let us know and we'll fix it.
Source: Texas Comptroller — Active Sales Tax Permit Holders (NAICS 722)
Nacogdoches is home to Stephen F. Austin State University, and the college town supports more variety than most East Texas towns its size. The historic downtown on Main St has barbecue, brunch, Mexican and Italian. North Street, toward campus, adds Tex-Mex, pizza, an ale house and the town's longtime coffee house.
Here's where to eat in the self-styled oldest town in Texas.
Barbecue, Catfish and Steaks
Brendyn's BBQ at 601 E Main St downtown serves Central Texas-style smoked meats by the pound. Its weekly specials are made with local chefs, brewers and bakers.
Clear Springs Restaurant on Old Tyler Rd has served seafood and Southern fare in Nacogdoches since 1990. For a steak dinner, The Republic Steakhouse is inside The Fredonia Hotel at 200 N Fredonia St downtown. It's open Thursday through Saturday evenings and takes reservations.
Downtown on Main Street
Stone House Kitchen at 312 E Main does breakfast and brunch in a historic building. Papi's Cantina & Restaurant at 422 E Main serves Mexican food in the building that once housed the Liberty Bell and Cowboy Jack's bars. Roma's Italian Kitchen at 124 E Main has a full bar. Around the corner on N Church St, Aperitivo Café & Gelato serves espresso, small-batch gelato, breakfast and lunch, plus wine and cocktails.
North Street: Tex-Mex, Italian and Coffee
Sombrero's Coastal Tex-Mex & Cantina opened in 2017 in the old La Carreta building and leans coastal, with fajitas, steaks and seafood. Napoli's Italian Restaurant, open since 2012, serves pasta and pizza, including an 18-inch XL pie. Maklemore's Ale House & Bistro, open since 2014, pairs pub food with a deep beer list. The Jalapeño Tree, part of a family-owned East Texas Tex-Mex group, is on N University Dr.
Java Jacks Coffee House at 1122 North St opened in 1996. It roasts single-origin coffee through its sister company, Camino Real Coffee Roasters.
FAQ: Dining in Nacogdoches
Brendyn's BBQ at 601 E Main St serves Central Texas-style barbecue by the pound in downtown Nacogdoches.
Downtown options include Brendyn's BBQ, Stone House Kitchen, Papi's Cantina and Roma's Italian Kitchen on E Main St, Aperitivo on N Church St, and The Republic Steakhouse in The Fredonia Hotel (Thursday through Saturday evenings).
Sombrero's Coastal Tex-Mex & Cantina is on North St, the Jalapeño Tree is on N University Dr, and Papi's Cantina is downtown on E Main St.
Java Jacks Coffee House at 1122 North St has been open since 1996 and roasts single-origin coffee through its sister company. Downtown, Aperitivo Café & Gelato serves espresso and gelato.
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Nacogdoches in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Best Restaurants in East Texas
Where to eat in East Texas, with sourced facts: Stanley's Famous Pit Bar-B-Q and Rick's on the Square in Tyler, Athens and the hamburger, Tyler-born Mercados and Posados, First Monday in Canton, and Moore's Store in Ben Wheeler.
Read Guide →East Texas BBQ: The Best Smokehouses and Pits
East Texas BBQ explained: chopped, sauced, pork as often as beef — how it differs from Central Texas style, plus Tyler's Stanley's and Pat Gee's.
Read Guide →East Texas Farmers Markets and Local Produce
East Texas farmers markets and u-pick farms, with sources: Tyler's Rose City Farmers Market, the Whitehouse market, Jacksonville's Tomato Fest, and the berry farms on KLTV's 2025 u-pick list.
Read Guide →East Texas Festivals and Annual Events
Season-by-season guide to East Texas festivals and events — Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas Rose Festival, the Yamboree, Wonderland of Lights and more, checked against each host's own site.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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