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Amazon Grill
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Delis Restaurants Sandwiches Latin American, Delis, Sandwiches
5114 Kirby DrHouston, TX 77098
Neighborhood: West University
(713) 522-5888
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
90 reviews for Amazon Grill
Review Highlights
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"plantain chips with chimichuri green sauce is yum too." In 33 reviews -
"You must try for desert the tres leches, or the smores." In 15 reviews -
"Great drinks and great chimichurri sauce." In 8 reviews
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90 reviews in English
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Review from AJ R.
Austin, TX
5/11/2012
The first thoughts that come to my mind when I think about Amazon Grill are: quick, delicious, and abundant.
I have now been to amazon grill twice and I have to say that both times I have been very impressed. The food has always been good (solid, but not AMAZING... go to Churrascos or Americas for that), the service has always been very fast and efficient, and the people who work there are just nice! The all you can eat plantain chips aren't a bad touch either.
Both times I have eaten at Amazon Grill I have gotten the Skinny Fish Tacos. The plate is well priced at 10.95 and comes with 3 small fish tacos with pico, cabbage, and a crema sauce for the tacos. It also comes with sides of black beans topped with queso fresco, cilantro rice, and a vegetable escabeche. The fish tacos themselves are just ok, my corn tortillas have been somewhat mushy and greasy when I have gone. The fish, however, was very flavorful and not overcooked. The beans and rice are very simple, but good. The queso fresco on the beans gives them a good pop of flavor. My favorite side is the vegetable escabeche with jicama, jalepenos, raw sweet corn, and green bell peppers. It was a very fresh and delicious surprise.
My boyfriend who has gone with me both times has gotten the Pirana and the Puntas Jalepena. He enjoyed both but seemed more impressed with the steak. Make sure to ask for it a bit more rare than you would like, they seem to overcook them a bit.
Finally, I would steer clear of the mixed drinks here. You get a whole lot of mixer and not a lot of alcohol. Go to Chuys if you want a margarita!
Overall, I have been very impressed with the food and service here. Amazon Grill has definitely made it into my rotation of solid Houston restaurants. -
Review from Melissa S.
Houston, TX
4/1/2012
Very casual place with unlimited plantain chips :D
I had the Tamarindo - grilled salmon filet with a tamarind lime glaze, served with cilantro rice, black beans, maduros, and vegetable escabeche. It was FANTASTIC.
Also ordered some mojitos but they were extremely sweet and hardly any alcohol :/ No bueno. -
Review from Michael E.
Sugar Land, TX
1/15/2012
I decided to come to Amazon Grill for their happy hour after a hard day's work. Based on the reviews, I figured this would be a nice, low-key place to come to. I was a little disappointed to find out that they didn't have any appetizers/entrees for happy hour but they did have drinks and an all-you-can-eat chip bar.
As everyone has already mentioned, you order at the counter and pick up your food when it is ready. Their menu seems to have a good selection of entree's but be prepared to pay $10 for your entree. For this occasion, I came to drink so I decided to skip out on the entrees and instead went with their happy hour caipirinhas. I also order the sweet plantain empanadas for dessert. While delicious in it's own right, I should have gone with the Tres Leches since other reviews claim it's delicious here.
Finding seating didn't present to be a problem. For a Friday, they were a little slow but they quickly picked up later in the night. The drinks came out to be a little too sour - on par with a the Warhead candies. Replacing the lime juice with some more rum would have made it an okay drink.
Amazon Grill seems to be a pretty decent place located in the Rice Village. It's not too far from work so it is convenient for me but I feel they can improve on their happy hour. The plantain chips are pretty addictive and since they're free, feel free to stuff yourself with them. If you're looking for a slightly different experience than what Tex-Mex has to offer, Amazon Grill is a good alternative, although they could use some improvements. -
Review from Brian D.
Houston, TX
4/16/2012
This place surprised me. I had the Latino Chicken Sandwich, and it was amazing. You can help yourself to the unlimited tortilla chips and plantain chips, and the food comes out pretty quickly. All around great experience.
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Review from Kassim D.
1/7/2012
Amazon Grill, while it's part of the Cordua Family of restaurants (a chain!), this place is fantastic.
Their plantain chips with chimi-churi or mango sauce (instead of bread) and their fresh offering of south american styled dishes are light and flavorful. I'd suggest you try the following:
1. Plantain Chips with mango sauce
2. Empanadas - one of each kind
3.Skirt Steak with black bean sauce (it's a bit spicy, but you can handle it)
4. Table-top smores! - they bring you a whole smore's kit with a mini-fire pit in the middle. Don't eat the blue stuff, it doesn't taste very good...frankly, it's probably toxic,
Anyways...this place is fantastic for a casual meal at reasonable prices.
Oh and they have alcohol if you need a fix as well... -
Review from Dee d.
Houston, TX
4/5/2012
Like the food a lot. They changed the recipe a little so now I have to order sauces on the side. Delivery is awesome. It's nice to not have to order sandwich, Chinese or pizza delivery all the time.
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Review from Stanford M.
Houston, TX
This place is not too bad and actually pretty healthy. The food is pretty good, and they offer a decent menu.
Their plantain chips with multiple sauces are very tasty. The food is also is very fresh and has a great taste.
The service there is good and the food is prepared pretty fast. -
Review from Andy R.
Houston, TX
5/5/2012
Interesting, different but essentially mediocre food served in fast food style surroundings.
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Review from Taylor B.
I'm actually surprised so few people seem to have heard of this place. Last week I went here with my friend Sarra for a Brinner, yes I just made up that word for the sake of this review, (Bear with me ).
The food here has always been great, but I would recommend the burger for those of you who are first timers, as it's one of the best in Houston. While you wait for your food they offer Platain chips, which look like bananas to me. With a variety of tasty dipping sauces. Everything here is very fresh and really has a great taste.
Last time I was there though there was a disgusting long black hair in my dipping sauce, it happens, but gross.
Recently they started serving funnel cakes, which I have not tried, but if they are anything like the smores then I'm sure they are fantastic! That brings me the the number one reason you need to come here. SMORES!! I'll say it again, SMORES!! They give you and open flame and everything you need and let you roast your own marshmallows in the restaurant. It's the coolest thing ever and well worth the visit.
In short this is great spot and it's great fun going with a group of friends and making a bunch of smores. So Check this place out! -
Review from Lauren K.
10/22/2011
There was a time I was eating at Amazon Grill nearly once a week to try all the things that looked tempting on their menu. The plantain chips and cilantro salsa make the short wait fly by - just make sure you don't fill up on these before your entree comes out.
Amazon Grill is one of the most reliable restaurants in Houston since almost everything we've tried has been good. All of the chicken dishes are tender with a flavorful kick, the tortas are good, and the tacos always hit the spot. The only thing lacking was the s'mores - it's just hard to replicate campfire cooking over a little pot of sterno fuel.
The brunch is also worth trying. The empanadas are flaky with delicious fillings, and the omelets are gigantic, cheesy, and worth every excessive calorie. -
Review from Pam B.
8/10/2011
Yummy yummy yummy I got South American love in my tummy! What a great little restaurant. The all you can eat plantain chips and misc dipping sauces are a welcome change from the usual chips and salsa. I also love that it's self serve plantains & sauces so if you feel like gorging yourself you don't have to beg a waiter to bring more.
Amazon is a "nice" restaurant but there aren't any waiters and I welcome the festive low ket attitude. The entrees are large, fresh and different. It's South American food but better. I've been to S. America and the food down there to me is meh so visiting a restaurant that specializes in this type of cuisine was not immediately appealing to me but I'm so glad I gave it a chance.
I mustn't forget to mention the desert! It's not South American at all...it's like carnival campfire. You can get a funnel cake with ice cream, cotton candy or smores...I mean really?!? In my book that's freakin awesome.
Yeah. I'll be back. AND I'll be bringing out of town guests. -
Review from Paula G.
7/23/2011
Me and some friends visited this place after a evening of wine tasting....and I was happily surprised! Great atmosphere, can get lond if a very large group is there, but really nice...
I had the fish tacos (grilled) tres leches, mojito and all the plantain chips I could eat (hey they are free) I was surprised at how flavorful the fish tacos were, really enjoyed them....
A very nice place, go for a visit, you will not be disappointed! -
Review from Cat N.
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I tried this while I was in Houston for a weekend and didnt like it. I had the amazon burger, fries and it came with some plantains. The burger was big and overwhelming to eat because I couldn't bite into it. It was huge! the plantains were sooo good!!! it came with some green herb sauce and it went well together. I could eat a whole plate of those plantain chips! Maybe other stuff were good but I didn't like my burger.
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Review from Aramis M.
Houston, TX
11/15/2011
Love this place! Not expensive either! The chimichurri sauce, endless plaintains are great but the Tres Leches is THE BEST!
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Review from Haley H.
Houston, TX
12/30/2011
Disappointed in the food, my boyfriend and I payed 30 dollars for our lunch and the food was not at all worth the money. My aunt recommended this place for a family gathering and it was a total disaster. The seating is awful and the only really good thing there were the Plaintain chips and salsa that come with the meal. My Abuelita (raised in Peru) got the Peruana chicken and said it tasted like they rinsed the food in the Amazon because there was no flavor. Everyone in my family left disappointed in their meal, except for my Aunt.
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Review from Kevin S.
The Woodlands, TX
Updated - 11/9/2011 4 photos
Great food with a nice spin. I loved the free buffet of fried plantains! Great chimichurri sauce! Wish we had one up here in the Woodlands!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/24/2011
All you can eat fried plantain chips with chimichurri sauce! They have fried yucca, empanadas, and… Read more »
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Review from Chad C.
Chicago, IL
10/13/2010
The food here is decent, I haven't eaten meals here many times but I think I'm usually pretty satisfied. One of the best parts of the meal is the plantain chips, unlimited (dangerous) with several delicious sauces to choose from.
But the real reason I give this place 5 stars, the reason this is one of the best places ever, is the tres leches cake. It's amazing. I consider myself a connoiseur of tres leches cake, and this is the best I've ever had. Super delicious and moist, it's served in a bowl that locks all that extra milk in. Covered with whipped cream, it doesn't look that impressive when you first see it. But all that changes as soon as you take the first bite. You'll devour it. The chocolate tres leches is also delicious; it tastes a bit like german chocolate cake. But nothing can beat the original. I don't like assigning perfection before experiencing everything out there, but given my reaction to it every time I have it, I have to give this one a 10/10.
Try it. Devour it. Just make sure you get your own piece.Listed in: Tres Leches
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Review from Ellen C.
Vegans beware, this is definitely not a very vegan-friendly place. Not even all that vegetarian friendly, but if you're an omnivore - hook it up!
You can surely omit the meat and cheese in the salads and whatnot, but this Latin fare doesn't cater much to you herbivores. I wasn't famished when I came here for an early dinner, so I just had the sweet potato fries. I will admit they are very distinctly sweet potato-esque. Like the sugar root flavor shone through the thinly cut slivers, despite the fried nature.
The complimentary plantain chips are quite nice, a departure from the usual tortilla chips. There's all sorts of condiments to dip them to and to adorn your entrees with.
Amazon Grill is pretty casual - you submit your order at the counter and they call out your order when it's ready for consumption. Drinks are self service. The dining area is pretty spacious so large groups can be easily accommodated.
I did notice a modest bar area. I didn't imbibe, but should you desire a little liquor to get things going - there ya go! -
Review from Kristin P.
Houston, TX
10/23/2010
My fiancé and I came here religiously every Friday night for a casual, affordable, enjoyable date. Without fail, we'd order the churrasco, the chicken enchiladas with green sauce, and a pitcher of caipirinha. It was the perfect meal.
We still like the place, but after the menu change, we've been back significantly less frequently. The churrasco is officially off the menu, and although it does appear as a special from time to time, the price has increased quite a bit. And the other steak on the menu, the punta, really does not compare to the luscious tenderness of the former.
And my chicken enchiladas. The phenomenal "green sauce" has been replaced with a less-phenomenal salsa verde, and the dish no longer tastes cohesive. The juicy, amazingly textured shredded chicken with the delightful red saucing is now minced, and mixed with flavorless spinach and artichokes. I ordinarily like all those ingredients, but for whatever reason, they don't work for me here.
It's a great dinner atmosphere and Robert, the manager, is incredibly good at his job. He's provided us with five-star class and service, even going so far as to call me personally when I voiced my displeasure with the menu change. We greatly appreciate his hospitality, and while there are other tasty items on the menu (salads, burger, fish tacos, grilled chicken, plantain chips/cilantro dip, and the seriously dynamite caipirinha), we're still, as fresh wounds go, mourning the loss of that perfect meal. -
Review from Sherrie H.
Sugar Land, TX
5/10/2011
I think Amazon Grill is a great place to have a drink and chill on Friday night. The food is not expensive and unlimited plantain chips is a plus. I usually get the Torta De Pollo, which is basically a chicken sandwich, I don't know why but I love it! Maybe it's because the chicken is always so moist.
I've also had a bite of the infamous amazon burger, which I've heard a lot about, it was quiet juicy and tasty.
Now comes the desert, DELICIOUS, how I LOVE THE TRES LECHES! I always always get it when i go there.
The only thing I thought the place could improve on is that the restaurant could be a little more clean. Maybe it was Friday night and close to closing time, but I just felt like a lot of things were not cleaned off the table.
Overall, love the food! -
Review from Loren W.
San Diego, CA
12/12/2010
Just like Churrascos and Americas but casual & less expensive.
The plantains & Chimichurri sauce are a great snack while waiting for your meal.
Really good pisco sours (and they are included in happy hour) need I say more?
Try the chicken flautas. Light, crispy & delicious.
The smores dessert is yummy & a fun adventure, great end to any meal. -
Review from Minnie T.
9/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
I heard great things about this place and was excited to come, but I was terribly let down. There is limited parking, but if you come after 6pm, you're allowed to park at Wells Fargo next door. I don't know where you would park if it's during lunch time.
I ordered the puffy tacos since I heard they were the best ever. I should not have high expectations. I ordered it with chicken. Beef is an extra 50 cents. While waiting, we munched on plantain chips and cilantro dip. That was amazing! It's self served. You greedy people, this is your spot.
Service was pretty quick considering it was a Thursday night. Presentation was amazing. It was very colorful with the guac, tomatoes, and sour cream. I was excited to take a bite of this "light and airy puffed tortilla" that they claimed it to be. As I took a bite, I was severely disappointed. The marinating sauce for the chicken was salty! My "puffy tacos" were more greasy than anything. I'm not a fan of vegetables, so I took all the lettuce off. As I did that, I realized they were stingy on chicken. It was more 70% lettuce, 28% chicken, and 2% grease. I dipped as much cilantro sauce and sour cream as I could to alleviate the saltiness, but it was worthless. I was tired of eating it after 1 taco. Because I didn't feel like wasting food, I trudged through the 2nd and picked at the 3rd taco.
I'm not a huge fan of this place. If it came with rice or black beans, I would of been sort of happy or, at least, full. Sadly, it didn't. I don't consider this $8.95 worthy. I am a fan of their plantain chips. Thumbs up for that only! -
Review from Cory O.
Houston, TX
5/6/2008
I'd been talking about doing a UYE for Peruvian ceviche for quite some time. I loved Lemon Tree (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and planned to take people out there, but after reading the review by Jax, I figured I'd take a gamble and have everyone meet up at Amazon instead.
The first thing to mention is that this is an order-at-the-counter type of place, not a waiter joint. When I called to make a reservation, I was shocked to hear that they wouldn't take my name down and she seemed kind of weirded out by the request. Once I got there (ahem, 40 minutes early to ensure our group got a table), I realized why--the place is pretty spacious and since you just order at the front, the service is prompt.
Thanks to Janelle's suggestion, we moved up the party a bit and got to enjoy the happy hour--$2 drinks! Any true Peruvian place will have Pisco Sours and they had them here (I'm still waiting for Lemon Tree to get a liquor license). Sure, they weren't fantastic and they weren't blended like I've always seen them, but they hit the spot and at $2, who is complaining? I had a sip of the mojito and the caipirinhas and they were also decent.
They had a little cart with complimentary food (maybe just for happy hour?)--I managed to gorge myself on a truckload of fried plantains and salsa. They replenished this cart pretty often and the food stayed fresh.
I, of course, went for the ceviche here. I was disappointed to see that they only had one kind and it was a combo of fish (tilapia) and shrimp. The hubby is allergic to fish and after tasting my shrimp, I didn't think it was really worth it for him to special order a ceviche with just shrimp. Don't get me wrong, the ceviche tasted fine, but the shrimp didn't taste like it was marinated with the rest of the ingredients and reminded me of cold shrimp cocktails.
So, I complained quite a bit yesterday about little deviations from more traditional Peruvian ceviche. One of which is that it came with chips. And pineapples. And avocados. Umm, none of these really belong, but I felt like the Mexican ceviche influence couldn't be ignored in Houston. And it wasn't a terrible mix.
The yucca fries were delicious though the lack of mayo at the counter was disturbing. I'm sure they had some in the back, but what self respecting South American restaurant serves fries without mayo?
The service was friendly and incredibly prompt. The free wi-fi seems convenient and I have a feeling that when classes start up again, I'll be here to study. I'm not really sure the place warrants a 4 star review, but since they're the main game in town for Peruvian ceviche, I have to be somewhat generous. Next time though, I may just drag the hubby out to Lemon Tree so we can enjoy our pulpo (octopus) in all its glory. -
Review from Jim L.
6/3/2009
Did you know that all tilapia is farm raised? I had no idea. Well, that was the expert advise of the manager/cashier who told me when I asked about the tilapia which seems to plague every fish dish at Amazon. I guess those tilapia that I caught off the coast of Venice Beach last year were farm raised before I caught it.
Maybe all of the tilapia on the Amazon menu is farm raised, which means it is trash. I decided to go for another option. The to go containers are really good, though, and they keep the foods in their separate compartments, so sauces don't meld together.
I liked my dish but the plantain chips were rather stale and the salsas not too tasty. I think I will go with Cafe Express in the future. At least their fast casual concept is more consistent. -
Review from Jaire Q.
5/8/2009 1 Check-in Here
Went to dinner for a friend's birthday. I had already read some Yelp reviews and was happy to read the place was pretty good. I got there at about 8:15 pm. The place looks like a typical Mexican restaurant. It has a nice fountain/waterfall looking piece in the center of the room. There is nice Mexican art all around the restaurant. There is outdoor seating ( from what I saw from inside). Parking was a little tough at first, but don't dis pair! They do have additional parking in the back.
The way the restaurant works is that you go to the counter, you look at what you want from the huge menu on top of the register and you order. They give you that little device that lights up and once your order is ready. Simple enough. They do have staff going around cleaning the tables etc. But, this is mostly a do it yourself kind of place.
My food was very good. I got an order of Churrascos (medium), which was served with rice and yuca frita. I also ordered empanadas, which to my surprise did not have any meat. My empanadas were made of spinach and cheese.. yet they were very good! I had tres leches for dessert and that was GGGGGRRRREEEEAAAAAAT! I love tres leches and now that I know they have great ones at Amazon, I like Amazon too!
Cool place. Go eat! -
Review from Gretchen P.
Houston, TX
8/25/2008
Before arriving at Amazon, I envisioned that I would receive the same level of service I got at Artista. Table linens, a host/hostess asking me if I had a reservation, piano player, wait-staff. Ha, ha, ha. No, not so much. This is fine with me, however it threw me initially and perhaps tempered my expectations on the quality of Amazon's food.
It reminds me of a fancy, overpriced Chacho's. There's a counter where you place your food order, a table to pick up plaintain chips and salsas, a small bar, and a variety of places to sit. I'm not certain how packed this place can get, but I went on a Friday evening, and there weren't many diners.
I ordered the Ceviche Caribe (ceviche atop a salad with avocado and tropical fruit). I should have stuck with just Ceviche. I envisioned (based on the description) something completely different. There were chips arranged around the perimeter of the salad (think rays of a sun). They basically just got in my way. It's a salad with lettuce for goodness sakes. Not really conducive to scooping up with chips. There wasn't much ceviche, and it was only just so-so. Also, I don't like pre-frozen or boiled shrimp, especially added to fish (tilapia) that was cooked with lime juice. Yuck! The tropical fruit was a few pieces of mango I think. It had lost all flavor. Avocado? A whole whopping two slices. The mixed greens were disgusting. They had drowned in the cilantro dressing.
The complimentary plaintain chips were the best thing I had. Definitely not enough to make me want to give the place another try. -
Review from Jason P.
6/13/2010
Highly recommend this place for a private function if you're looking for a venue.
My friend had his 30th Birthday celebration here, and we had a private room in the back of the restaurant for about 30 people. The staff and service were outstanding. The girl helping us kept the drinks coming (and we were putting her to work). She handled it all like a pro all while being super friendly. Major props to that chick.
We had a buffet type set up so I got to try several items. The cilantro rice is exactly how my grandma's arroz con pollo is. I don't know if it's a Peruvian recipe, but that's how we eat our rice. And it's AWESOME! Just imagine cilantro infused, moist greenish rice. Give me a bottle of hot sauce and I can seriously just eat a big bowl of it.
The enchiladas I had were also outstanding, as where the skewers with chicken,beef, and shrimp.
I was VERY impressed with the quality of food and service here. -
Review from Bill C.
Houston, TX
8/23/2008
Meh indeed.
The free plantain chips are great, and the empanadas were decent. If everything else was like they were, it would be a great place.
The yuca fries were really awful. They over-boiled the yuca to a mashed-potato consistency, and then battered it and fried it, so it was like limp-battered mashed potato sticks.
I had "puffy" tacos that were not actually puffed-then-stuffed tortillas as advertised, but instead were battered and fried, again with this pale, almost mushy batter. The filling needed a lot of salt and pepper to taste like anything at all.
The ceviche was acceptable, but nothing special.
Perhaps the dishes we had were the worst of the lot, or it was a bad day in the kitchen, although I'm not sure if battered tortillas and yuca is ever a good idea. -
Review from David N.
5/5/2010
2 Words: Plantain Chips!!!
This place is part of the Cordua family of restaurants, Churrascos, America's, and Artista. So if you like them, Amazon grill doesn't let you down. Unlike the Pappas family of restaurants, Cordua seems to stay pretty consistent across the board. This place is order at the counter but still has an upscale feel. I enjoy a Latin restaurant that doesn't feel like a hole in the wall, just something about cleanliness that makes me feel more comfortable.Listed in: Best Tex-Mex
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Review from Brandie D.
Midland Township, MI
5/3/2009
If I had a last snack on earth (see my profile for the actual final meal), it would be plantains. I want them all the time...sweet, fried, used for coating meat....I'm a full supporter of the tropical banana!
So perhaps I'm partial to Amazon Grill for their all-you-can eat plantain chips...but they are yummy yummy! The salsa is pretty good too. The first time I went to AG, I went with the ceviche....and I love it so much that I have never tried anything else. Whoops!! But seriously, the ceviche is divine and could possibly be my last lunch on earth. It's so fresh and perfectly seasoned with citrus and cilantro. I crave it!
Next time I'll go and try some caprininahs (sp?)...and maybe those table top smores! -
Review from Jordan N.
8/11/2005
This place is good for a casual meal. The setting is casual, it actually has become popular because of the decor, food presentation and quality, and interesting meals that is inspired by Latin spices (such as cilantro rice which is good).
People here can have free salad and plantain chips in addition to the meal they order at the front.
Children also have interesting food choices, including delicious popcorn chicken that is interestingly mixed with pieces of cotton candy and popcorn. They also can order S'mores and roast them on their own.
Prices are reasonable and affordable. The portions is okay, not big..
The owner of this place also owns Churrasco's, Artista and America's.
Sunday through Thursday, 11 am - 10 pm
Friday & Saturday, 11 am - 11 pm -
Review from Steve C.
12/7/2008
We probably should've skipped the place when they told us they were out of beef. Out of beef, that's like half the menu. It was 6:30 on Sunday but still, poor planning on their part.
But we pressed on. I got the corn-encrusted chicken which was pretty good. My companion got chicken covered with some tropical fruit and a sauce. His piece of chicken was quite small, extremely thin, and he said overcooked to boot. He compared it unfavorably to chicken from Chick-Fil-A. We both thought they were quite stingy with the cilantro rice. The remainder of the plate is covered with a sort of vegetable relish which was boring.
The free plantain chips were good and the salsas great, especially the green one. Not sure we'll be back though. -
Review from Lauren D.
Houston, TX
1/3/2011
Overall 3 stars, but would give the green sauce (the cold one) 5 stars on its own ;-)
I didn't eat much of the food because I ate prior to going to this place for a friend's bday dinner. BUT the little bites that I did have were so good that it has left me craving the garlicky green sauce that they serve...for free!!!
Word of mouth claims the burger is legit...but I have yet to encounter the burger in my mouth yet. Will update soon...
Check this place out...even if you just want to eat some of the plantains and green sauce, Im sure they will be cool with it ;-) but be sure to order some of the empanada's and table side DIY smores so they wont give you crap for free loading ;-) -
Review from Jackson M.
Houston, TX
12/1/2007
I was going to go to Churrasco's tonight and check out the ceviche - since it's listed as Peruvian ceviche on the menu I saw online, and I have been searching for a good inner loop Peruvian ceviche for a while. But when I looked again at the menu, the price kind of scared me away. Then I noticed that here is a place owned by the same people called "Amazon Grill", and it was even closer to me, and it had Peruvian ceviche on the menu, and it was cheaper (under $10). So I decided to check it out.
I was actually pretty impressed. The fact that it wasn't a tomato based sauce with shrimp in it was a good start. The fish wasn't quite as good as what you get at Lemon Tree, but still it was quite satisfying. The ceviche was made in the classic Peruvian style with red onions and lime juice, but with some chunks of tomatoes and pineapple as well. The pineapple was kind of unexpected but it wasn't too bad (although my Peruvian company stayed away from it). The tortilla chips that garnished the ceviche tasted like they came out of a a bag, and slightly stale, but it didn't matter too much because I went for the ceviche not the chips. Next time I'll ask for them to hold the chips.
In summary, the ceviche was satisfying, and I am happy to know I don't have to drive an hour just to get my favorite Peruvian delicacy. I know I'll be going back, especially since it's so close.Listed in: Best places to get PERUVIAN…
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Review from Christine M.
Houston, TX
4/20/2010
Self serve plantain chips...YOU'RE ALL MINE!!! Would it be bad to just go here for some water and an unhealthy dose of plantain chips and dips? Probably so I decided to take a look at the menu and order a meal as well.
Upon walking in, it was a lot different than I thought it would be. I thought it would be more of a sit down type restaurant with waiter service, but instead I walked into an order at the counter, here's your buzzer, self serve kind of place. This was good to know just in case I wanted to stop by on an ultra casual (sweats and what not) type of night, although I did see various people dress to impress (probably a dinner stop before hitting up the bars and clubs). Everything on the menu looked really good, but I decided to try the flank steak with chimichurri sauce and a mojito.
I think while I waited for my food, I must have snacked on about 3 or 4 bags of plantain chips that I had to stop myself because i wouldn't have room for my actual meal. My buzzer buzzed and the food was waiting on the counter. I looked over my plate and it didn't look too bad. It may not be Americas or Churrascos but hey I'm not complaining for the quick service and the price, I was content and ready to eat.
The steak was good and I added more chimichurri sauce as I ate just cause I love that stuff. My friends helped finish my plate so no leftovers for me. The mojito wasn't all that great. I was a bit disappointed so maybe next time no on the mojito and maybe I'll try their Caipirinha or Sangria.
It was a great place for a quick dinner. Looks like a good place for groups and the food is good and the service seems to be pretty quick. Definitely bookmarked as a place to go to again! -
Review from Marie A.
West Palm Beach, FL
2/4/2012
This is a great place for a lunch or just a few friends meeting for a light meal. The food is good, service is fast and above average for the venue it offers.
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Review from Anna W.
4/5/2011
I feel as though Amazon Grill is somewhat familiar, given its proximity to Rice--shouldn't I have gone there for Saturday dinner (when the servery didn't serve food) at least once (when I hadn't hoarded a bunch of cookies or cheesetastic tacos)? I don't think I have, and, though it's close to where I work, I've never checked it out, as I've outgrown a mild preference for over-the-counter food, and traffic on Kirby is horrendous come lunch hour (assholes like to block my turn onto a side street, which is why I now start turning before they can block me--haha! take that, you dick). However, the recent tres leches thread pushed my tush into motion.
The parking situation is okay on Amazon Grill, in that I didn't have difficulty parking both times, but the lot is like a moat around the restaurant (or donut, pick your analogy). The first time I picked up my to go order, I'd stepped up, not sure which cashier to go to, as both guys didn't make eye contact. I stepped to the left, and realized that the person on the left had was--and probably had been for the past minute--jabbing his index finger at the guy on the right. Um, okay, if you're not a many of many words, you could at least spare "He can help you," or, hey, non-jabber could say, "I can get you here." I stepped to my right, and told the guy I was picking up an order. Jabber the Hut said, "Oh," and stepped into motion (as I learned on my second trip, only one cashier handles your order), giving me my order and ringing me up. Since he had to deal with me, Jabber the Hut put on his friendly face. In fact, as I was hunting by the plantain chips area for lids to the mini-sauce containers (there's a slightly spicy chunky red one, a whitish green one with hints of yogurt, and an oily one with shreds of green stuff on the bottom), he volunteered that they keep the lids behind the container.
Grabbing more plantain chips was unnecessary, as they'd included it in the bag. The plantain chips aren't fresh (you can see the bags behind the counter), but, though not delicious, they were passable/munchable. I'd imagined my three fluffy tacos behind a haze of something like cotton candy (it's fluffy!). Well, the fluffy part is the actual taco, like slightly puffed up tacos, and there were a few bits of chicken and lettuce on the tacos. Bah! The tres leches was soaked to the brim, but the actual leche had a slightly weird waxy consistency, thus making it less milky. It gave me a headache. My second trip, I got the torta de pollo, which came on a garlic french roll. I'm not sure what was garlic about it. The roll was white, and garlic is white, as is tissue, snow, and various drugs. Tissue crack snow roll (though, that is redundant, as snow can be code for crack)? A decent sandwich, but I'm not sure where the Brazilian part came in. You might have to add some Brazilian flare of your own by sticking some plantain chips on your sandwiches and salads. -
Review from Katharine S.
Houston, TX
4/26/2008
Amazon Grill is an especially good choice for workdays lunches or happy hours with friends. During lunch, the service is quick (as long as the initial ordering line isn't too long) and the plantain and salad bar will keep you happily munching away while you wait the five to ten minutes it takes for your entrees to come out. During happy hour (which only runs during the week), you can't beat the $2 mojitos or margaritas.
Particular favorites include the Amazon, the Peru and the Latino. This says a lot to me, since all are chicken dishes and I notoriously avoid ordering the chicken in most restaurants in an attempt to avoid eating dried-out chicken pucks. But these three dishes are consistently wonderful, especially with the jicama-tomato salad and thick, juicy plantains that are served on the side.
I've not been impressed with the Puntas or the Churrascos steak that they've recently started serving. The beef always seems to be overdone and slightly chewy. However, the fish (such as the fantastic salmon Tamarindo and the pecan-crusted tilapia) more than make up for the strikes against the beef.
You can't leave Amazon Grill without trying a dish of Tres Leches; the Cordua boys really do make the best Tres Leches in town. If you're not a Tres Leches fan, though, that's okay: they also have tabletop "make your own" s'mores. Parking gets a little crazy during lunch, and occasionally during happy hour, so be prepared to perch for a spot. The Gessner location definitely has more parking, though, which makes your trip that much more enjoyable. -
Review from Erica H.
Anaheim, CA
1/3/2011
Great affordable option. Great 4 to 4.5 star place. Warning: I love cilantro and corn in general, and this a good option in place of Americas or Churrascos. The food is just as tasty. The churrasco was so yummy-- soft and tender!! --but, the chicken flautas and Amazon are delectable as well. The Amazon uses a little bit too much crema and they might have overcooked the corn a bit, but it's a great medley of flavors. Can't go wrong with the cilantro rice, plaintain chips and sauces in general. Portions of sweet potato fries awesome for the price.
On a whim, we ordered the funnel cake. Hands down the best funnel cake I've had anywhere - a top 5 desserts of all time. Texture was perfect, fluffy and crisp without being overly greasy. They serve it with a HUGE portion of Haagen Daaz vanilla ice cream, very lightly dusted with sugar. Considering the amount they give you, it's actually a great deal! Can feed a group of 5 easily. EASILY.
The "service" staff, despite being mainly self-serve, were really nice. Fantastic casual option. -
Review from May N.
10/2/2007
Nice cheap Latin food in a casual setting. Place your order at the counter, then grab a table to wait for your food to be brought to you. There is a free iceberg lettuce salad bar and the yummy plantain chips. I've been happy with most of the meals I've had here. The make-your-own s'mores dessert is fun! Good place for groups, especially since you pay for your food when you order so you don't have to worry about coming up short on the bill at the end of the evening.
Updated 5/6/08: who knew they had happy hour? $2 drinks including sangria, pisco sours, and caipirinhas and of course, their free plaintain chips. There were a couple of new free appetizers (more fried goodies?) I forgot to try.
