We’ve quite literally brunched across America (even battled between the East and the West coasts), but we hadn’t yet brunched at Pax Americana right here in Houston. We’ve fixed that.

Pax Americana is one of those places you’ve driven past a thousand times but never even thought about visiting (or at least, it was for me). Right on Montrose near 59 (4319 Montrose Blvd), it’s definitely easy to miss. I’d heard of the restaurant, but thought it was a little out of my price range. Surprisingly, it’s not! It’s just super nice — table cloths, gorgeous interior, etc. Ready to try brunch, I did a little research. I could not find anything about Pax Americana’s brunch. (I did discover that “pax americana” is a “term applied to the concept of relative peace in the Western Hemisphere” though.) I’m adventurous and went anyways.

Turns out, brunch at Pax is adorable — especially on the side patio. The menus (scroll down) are super simple, and chances are you’ll find something you’ll like. I definitely recommend getting drinks — don’t plan to go after a wild night out (we made this mistake) because you can’t miss the cocktails! Speaking of, let’s start there.

The drinks

Even though I was a little lot hungover, I opted for a boozy gin and aperol drink (Orange is the New Black). Although it was small, it lasted me the entire brunch! Other favorites were the mimosa (duh, but for $30 you can get a bottle of champagne, some juices and create it yourself) and Pax’s Super Mary (which is made with a brisket mezcal, fyi for you vegetarians!).

The food

Would 100% recommend starting with the pimento cheese and grilled bread. We were starved so we ordered this while we waited for our final friend. You’ll definitely need more bread, so tell your server!

The brisket hash is surprisingly sweet, so beware! I went back and forth between wanting to order this or the honey butter chicken biscuit, and I think I regret that decision (the biscuit looked so good!).

The only savory option for my vegetarian friends was ordering the soft scramble without the salmon, so that was a little inconvenient, but the grilled bread was delicious so no complaints there.

The atmosphere

I stepped inside for only a second to use the restroom, so I can’t speak to the inside dining area that much except to say it’s small but adorable. I can confidently say the side patio is the absolute best spot to snag during a pretty day. Half the patio is uncovered, but there is a side that is covered (just if you think it’s too hot, you can definitely find a shaded table). I think service is something you sometimes sacrifice for a patio table, and Pax isn’t any different. Just keep that in mind and know that things might come out a little slow or at different times (I was halfway through my brisket hash before the toasts came out!).

For a happy hour or date, I definitely plan on going back to enjoy the European-esque front patio too! Stay tuned for that.

The menus