Your guide to the 5 top spots in Houston's South Main neighborhood

Spending time in South Main? Get to know this Houston neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from an ice cream spot to a sushi bar.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in South Main, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Hank's Ice Cream Parlor

Topping the list is Hank's Ice Cream Parlor, a spot to score ice cream and frozen yogurt and more. Located at 9291 S. Main St., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 363 reviews on Yelp.

Hank's Ice Cream Parlor serves up homemade scoops in a bowl or cone. The shop has a rotating list of flavors and mix-ins available. Besides ice cream-by-the-scoop, the menu also includes sundaes, banana splits, shakes, malts and floats. 

2. Sleepy's Po-boys

Next up is Cajun/Creole spot Sleepy's Po-Boys, which offers sandwiches and fish and chips, situated at 9591 S. Main St. With four stars out of 338 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

The eatery's menu offers 17 types of hot and cold po'boys. In addition to sandwiches, Sleepy's Po-Boys serves grilled and fried platters, wings and sides like potato salad and mac & cheese.

3. Asahi Sushi

Sushi bar and Japanese spot Asahi Sushi is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 8236 Kirby Drive, Suite 200, four stars out of 330 reviews.

The restaurant offers a wide selection of Japanese favorites, from udon and fried rice to specialty and hand rolls to teriyaki. The spot's happy hour, which lasts until 9 p.m., includes discounted appetizers and sashimi sets.   

4. Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet

Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet, a Middle Eastern and buffet spot, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 270 Yelp reviews. Head over to 8236 Kirby Drive to see for yourself.

This franchise has 17 locations scattered across Texas. The restaurant has a self-service buffet as well as individual table service. In the buffet, expect to see soup, salad, hummus, rice dishes, hot veggies and meats like fish, lamb, chicken kebabs and meatballs. For dessert, look for Mediterranean favorites like baklava, namoura and rice pudding. (Explore the entire menu here.)

5. Akashi Asian Sushi Cuisine & Wine Bar

Finally, check out Akashi Asian Sushi Cuisine & Wine Bar, which has earned four stars out of 200 reviews on Yelp. You can find the sushi bar, cocktail bar and Chinese spot at 8216 Kirby Drive.

This Texas chain has several locations in the greater Houston area. The spot has a large menu with hot and cold appetizers like spicy edamame and crab puffs. Entree selections include Thai coconut curry, sesame chicken and shrimp & veggie tempura. Other popular menu items include noodles and rice dishes as well as sashimi and sushi rolls. (Find the entire menu here.)

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.