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Andalucia Restaurant and Bar
Categories: Restaurants Tapas Bars Restaurants Spanish Tapas Bars, Spanish [Edit]
Houston Pavilion1204 Caroline With Polk, Ste 161
Houston, TX 77002
Neighborhood: Downtown
(832) 319-6675
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sat 5 pm - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
84 reviews for Andalucia Restaurant and Bar
Review Highlights
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"when you go, get the baked goat cheese and lamb skewers for..." In 5 reviews -
"Their patatas bravas are excellent." In 9 reviews -
"The flamenco singer and dancers were amazing." In 22 reviews
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84 reviews in English
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Review from Renee' R.
Liberty, TX
2/28/2012
Yum yum yum!!! My friends and I ate here for the first time last Saturday and I left super happy. Every single dish I tried created fireworks in my mouth. There were four of us. 3 of us ordered 3 appetizers a piece and my other friend had 1. We also had a round of wine and one friend had a second glass. Afterwards, we shared some arroz con leche and bread pudding. The tab came out to be around 110, which wasn't bad at all for 4 happily stuffed people.
Out of the bazillion plates we had on our table, the tapas I enjoyed the most were the gambas al ajillo and patatas bravas. I couldn't get enough of the sauce from my shrimp, so I tried to dip everything in it. The goat cheese balls were pretty tasty too.
The flamenco dancers added a nice touch to our dining experience and our waitress was great! I will definitely be back...probably some time next week :) -
Review from Salim G.
Richmond, TX
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Nice place with flavorful foods and unique menu. However, pricey for the portion size. 3 orders of tapas did fill me & my wife up.
The bread and sauce starter really sucked. The bread wasn't warm and the sauce wasn't tasty
The garlic shrimp was the best thing we had
Everything else was average. Don't have a reason to come back -
Review from Rachel S.
2/1/2012
I was in town with my boss for a convention, we came here with three friends. Our friends were the one who chose this restaurant, so the two of us were along for the ride. They made reservations at 7PM on a Saturday night, which was needed because there were many people from the convention that we knew, dining there as well.
We waited for about 5-10 minutes before being seated. We had a booth on the back wall, but we still heard and saw the band/flamenco dancers. I've never been to a tapas restaurant, nor do I think I've really tried Spanish inspired food. This was actually a good idea to come here, since we ordered a bunch of dishes and tasted a little bit of each.
Since there were five of us we ordered: the baked goat cheese balls with spicy honey drizzle, sauteed shrimp in garlic sauce, sauteed mushrooms with almonds, garlic and sherry wine, chicken wings, bastilla, paella valenciana, some chicken ball that was deep fried and a salad.
I tried everything except for the salad and I liked everything I had. I was full at the end of our meal and we were all sad that we couldn't save the paella because none of us had fridges in our hotel rooms. Out of everything that we tried, my favorites were: the goat cheese ball, the chicken ball and the garlic shrimp.
It is loud when the band is playing, but it's fun if you come with a group. I'd come here again, trying new things is good! -
Review from Melanie C.
Houston, TX
5/10/2012
We went here on our anniversary and we thought it was delicious and different. All of the dishes we ordered were wonderful, our waiter was informative and attentive and the entertainment was awesome. My only hesitation about this restaurant is the noise level. If you are planning to have a business dinner or intimate conversation then this would not be your venue. Otherwise this place is awesome!
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Review from Xolo B.
Houston, TX
12/18/2011
I feel I should rep for Andalucia since other Yelpers' comments might dissuade someone from trying it.
Try it.
I try to go there at least a couple of times a month. Why do I keep on going back there? Because the food is tasty, affordable, and the service has been great from the first time I visited in early January to as recently as two weeks ago when I was in the mood for some tapas.
What're my credentials? I actually spent a considerable amount of time in Andalucia (specifically Granada and Sevilla) and what would you know, the food was very similar. And I'm a food snob, too!
I've tried just about every item on the menu, and it's mostly all good (I say mostly since I really don't like goat cheese). A repeat for me is the boquerones -- anchovies cured in lime and olive oil, but lately I've been trying the ensalada Andalucia...which is healthy, filling, and TASTY AS HELL.
Go. Try it. Just go.
Thursday-Saturday nights have flamenco dancers on stage. Great entertainment and it's very good music. If you want to have a quiet dinner, get there a little bit later (nine-ish) and they'll be gone before 10.
Now, here's the thing you have to understand about tapas...they're not meant to be full meals, and you're not really meant to hog an entire one by yourself. You get 1 tapa, your buddy gets another tapa, the other person gets another, and you share. Then you eat, and move on to drink elsewhere. That is the idea behind tapas, and that's why the full on entrees are a little bit pricier. My suggestion? Have some apetizers (tapas) at home with a drink, then go to Andalucia, have some tapas there and a beer or two (or wine if you prefer), then walk a few blocks to Flying Saucer, have a few drinks there, and maybe a snack there too. You'll spend $40 at most and you'll have a great night. -
Review from Eric L.
12/28/2011
I must admit, the atmosphere in Andalucia is something you don't see in Houston very often. The flamenco dancers, music transorm this place and make you feel as if you're in South America. We were sat in the end corner, with a party of 20 on a Saturday night, so the atmosphere was lively and very loud. It is very hard to hear your party, but I assume most people are here to watch the flamenco dancers!
By no means, am I a seasoned tapas critic, but I do know good food. I have had tapas in several of the larger cities in the US as comparisons. Before we ordered, we asked the waitress if we could pay our portion since we had other plans. She told our group of 20 people, 3 tables, that we could only use 1 credit card per table. It wasn't very hard to seperate the checks, but she obliged after much pleading.. We ordered a mix drink, beer, shrimp mixed with garlic, and the veal tapas. The shrimp mixed with garlic was disappointing. 5 pieces of shrimp, drenched butter and garlic, for $9 is overpriced in my book. The veal was sweet and definitely much better than the shrimp.
Overall, the two of us spent close to $50 for two tapas and two drinks, so be prepared to spend a lot and go away hungry and this was after eating dinner before hand. I would recommend eating before hand. The food/service receive 2 stars, but the atmosphere gets a 4. -
Review from Bryce K.
12/9/2011
Stopped by here with a group after going bowling. The atmosphere was fun and lively, with tons of people and live flamenco (or other kind of Spanish music).
I was disappointed by a few things:
1. Sangria was pricey and appeared to have very little wine in it.
2. I ordered the lamb meatballs, and they were tough and inedible. Serious bummer.
3. It took three requests and a long wait before we got water.
The patatas bravas were tasty, the music was great, and I liked the calamari. But, overall rating is definitely "meh." -
Review from Jonathan P.
Houston, TX
3/15/2012
Excellent food. The only reason for not giving this place 5 stars is because it is crowded, meaning the tables and chairs are so packed in there once they get full, it's like everyone is on top of you. And once it's full with people or the music starts playing, it gets loud too! The sound echos off the concrete walls. No matter though, you're coming here for the food and I haven't had anything bad. The veggie paella was very tasty. Not what one would expect from something that is veggie but it was down right flavorful!
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Review from Phill K.
Houston, TX
8/26/2011
this place is located right next door to Mia bella on the other side of the centerwalkway across from the house of blues. Walking in, you are presented with red tile blocks below, high reaching ceilings with tall windows. to the left entering in is a stage which they've setup tables all over. perfect for a stage with flamenco dancing and toque playing. there are a few booths to the back but the rest is moreso 4 seater tables.
I opted their chicken wing Alitas de Pollo and their seafood paella. the wings were a little under cooked.. a little red on the bone but the meat was tasty. Their Alitas sauce was a little on the tangy and goopy side but still tasty. the paella was well cooked. rice was soft and thankfully no kitty litter crunchiness against the pan. mussels, clams tilapia, and calamari were a little chewy but still tasty. it was good enough to get again...esp for 12 bux the chicken wings are not a repeat.
Funny enough, our service was a bit slow but somewhat expected. My take? .. its a latin place.. expect it to operate on latin time. -
Review from VictoR G.
7/11/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Ah man this place now sucks balls ... Just weeks ago this place was my secret sometimes hang out when not at Royal Oak (I don't want to over stay my welcome there) Anyway this place was just bought by a new owner/manager. This dude sucks! So I get it, you got a new toy and you want to do it your way but shut man.
I was meeting some friends for HH at the bar early on a Friday. The place was pretty empty, the staff was still getting organized. My problem is that this fat duffas was a complete dick wad to the staff barking orders and "managing" That's cool you want to make those changes in attitude and what not but can you not doing it right in front of customers? Plus you are wearing some ugly ass burnt mustard shirt, who wears that? Suit mart 2 for 1 sale! So as expected the staff is changing over, Phil is now gone and soon will be the other guy.
Here is my other problem, so dirt bag wanted to have a larger 'restaurant' section and decrease the 'bar' section, so now the high top tables that are bar tables are considered part of the restaurant, so if more then 4 people are at the bar, the bar is full! Yes, so when the hostess comes up to tell you that you are too close to the 'restaurant' section, you must then levitate somehow into the 'bar' section, get it? cool .... wont be back -
Review from Jessie B.
Houston, TX
7/14/2011
The food and atmosphere here definitely deserve more than 1 star, however, the service deserves zero. This place has great drinks and delicious options for both hot and cold tapas but their terrible waitstaff leaves something to be desired. We were seated (in time for HH) only to be told that happy hour was only offered at the bar. This didn't mean the 5+ tables in the bar area, but the 3 stools at the actual bar that were, of course, taken.
After being seated at a real table, we were served by an awful waitress who was rude and never brought us water despite asking 3 times (and serving every other table around us with plenty of it). When we asked for a slight variation of one of the cocktails on the drink menu, we were simply told "no". Our waitress never stopped by to ask us if we needed anything or how we were doing. The restaurant manager seemed to visit every other table around us to ask them how their experience was except for ours.
In addition to the terrible service, the prices are on the high end for tapas. If I'm going to pay $35 for a meal, I expect it to be a lot better than this. I won't be back. -
Review from Lor A.
8/11/2011
My coworker and I came here midweek for some tapas and some sangria. The restaurant has a fun feel to it and it was maybe about 30% full when we arrived. We were immediately seated and served warm bread with some sassy dipping oil.
We ordered the Tapas Sampler, which allowed us to select 6 tapas (hot and cold) for $55. We also ordered a pitcher of sangria ($30). Their sangria has an interesting taste...they add a good amount of cinnamon to it. If you are not a cinnamon fan, then you might want to opt for something else. My coworker and I liked it, though.
Our waiter was very attentive without hovering. He replenished our bread and refilled our drinks for us from our pitcher a few times. It sounds like some people had major service issues at this restaurant. We might have lucked out because it wasn't that busy.
All in all, we ate, we drank, and we were merry. The food was fresh and all made-to-order. It took a little while for it to arrive, but it was well worth it.
This is probably one of the better tapas places I've ever been to. I recommend giving it a shot. -
Review from Nina E.
Houston, TX
1/1/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Derailed here on a Friday evening as we were heading to Guadalajara for happy hr and I'm definitely glad we stopped! The service, food, and drinks were very delish! The bartender made great recommendations on food. For my drink I started off with a sangria margarita which was delish along with the patatas bravas (absolutely amazing) and the gambas al ajillo for our appetizer. For entree I had the paella de marIscos which was amazing! All the staff was very friendly and attentive!! Will definitely be back!! Keep in mind this is Spanish inspired cuisine and is not Mexican food!!
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Review from Alan V.
Fontana, CA
12/14/2011
Looking for something different while in downtown Houston with a colleague we ran across Andalucia. Gave it try and enjoyed it. We had about 8 different items and shared.
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Review from Larae M.
2/1/2011 10 photos
If you come to this restaurant and you're confused by the one million and one tapas in their menu just remember this phrase...juicy lucy!!! It's one of their specialty cocktails that I truly savored alongside the tapas.
We had a 5pm Saturday early dinner reservation here for a mini-college room mate reunion. We ordered 12 tapas both hot & cold and it was just enough (along with the bread basket) to fill up all six of our bellies.
Everyone had their favorite and for me, the most memorable was the mussels in tomato/wine sauce. The mussels themselves were a bit tiny and unimpressive but the sauce...the SAUCE!!! The entire group ended up dipping all the bread in that sauce completely neglecting the normal olive oil-garlic mixture set out on the table. Honorable mention should go to the empanada, ceviche, oxtail, tongue, shrimp in garlic sauce, Moroccan meatballs, and lamb carpaccio. Wasn't too impressed with the chicken or the lamb skewers as they tasted a bit dry and bland.
For six people with one round of cocktails our tab came to $187 which was pretty reasonable. If you're comparing Mi Luna & Andalucia price wise, Andalucia is slightly more expensive. However, the quality of the food and ambiance (and drink menu) makes up for the dollar (or three) difference. -
Review from Robert D.
Houston, TX
6/16/2011
I definitely enjoyed my visit to Andalucia and I will be back. All the dishes we tried were good to outstanding. On the waiter's recommendation, the pulpa was surprisingly one of the tastiest and one of my favorite dishes of the evening. My dinner companion suggested the empanadillas de res and I went with bastilla, a favorite tapas dish of mine. Neither of us was disappointed. The one dish that was not as good as the rest was pork in fig sauce with almonds, primarily because the meat was a little dry. With those four dishes and a couple of drinks each we left feeling happy and satisfied.
Despite other reviews that complained about the noise the level, the place was pretty quiet on week night. There was a stage set up, presumably for flamenco dancers and a band on the weekends, but I could see how that could be fun if you go with the right mindset and group of friends. -
Review from Kevin Z.
Hollywood, FL
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Spent a moment in Houston and found this place. I am a huge fan of Tapas, and Spanish food, but just got into it. My girl and I ran in for a quick snack around the end of lunch rush. It is a very nice restaurant that is open and inviting. The staff was very nice and on top of things.
We ordered a few things including the Jamón and Manchego, Pimenton Escalivado, a mussels app and Paella de mariscos. I was disappointed by the Jamón, which tasted rubbery. It was not as thinly sliced as I have become accustomed. The Pimenton was good, and same with the Mussels. I wish I could remember the name, because the sauce is a must for dipping bread. The Paella was so-so and really lacked much excitement. They gave us a single shrimp, a single (tiny) clam, a single mussel, a little bit of fish and some squid. Not really much for the price.
I would stop by here, if I was in the area, to give it another shot. My first visit seems to do an injustice to España... -
Review from kelly m.
Houston, TX
3/21/2011
I came here with some coworkers for drinks and dinner after a long day of work. With their rave reviews, and the fact that half my team lives in New York City, I was expecting equally exceptional food. What I got was just okay.
I started with "El Lion Conquistador", a cocktail made with gentleman's jack, sour mix, and something with a kick to it. I didn't get much of the spice, but I'm a fan of whiskey sours, so I enjoyed it. It was a strong cocktail, which doesn't hurt either.
The menu is extensive, and certain items were outstanding. There was some kind of goat cheese fritter which words cannot describe, other than yes, please! The sardines were out of this world, grilled in olive oil and not salty tasting at all. We fought over the garlic shrimp and the lamb carpaccio.
However, other things that we ordered were just mediocre - the deep fried beef empenadas, for example, tasted like they could have been on the menu at Chilli's (which, please note, is only an assumption, since I've only been to a Chilli's once, and that was an accident). I was really looking forward to the lamb meatballs, but they tasted kind of like they were reheated out of the freezer. There was a lot of fried food in this meal, in general, which is not the lightest choice when you're washing it all down with cocktails.
For four people, I think we had a total of 12 plates. The food is similar to Mi Luna, and I still prefer Oportos for casual tapas, or Ibiza for a splurge. I would come back for the convenience, and I would order selectively. -
Review from Alvin J.
Updated - 6/6/2011
It has been a long time since I went to Andalucia. We had a http://Restaurant.com certificate so we decided to head over on a Saturday night around 10 PM. The place was about half full and the flamenco dancers/group was wrapping up their performance. No issues getting a table at such a late hour. Unfortunately the food just felt so mediocre as opposed to the deliciousness I've experienced on previous visits.
The patatas bravas are still delicious and we ordered a roasted pork loin with fig and almond glaze that was also superb. But every thing else tanked. We ordered chicken croquettes that tasted like flour and not much else. Our steamed mussels were lukewarm and a couple of them were not all the way open (and when the dish only comes out with 7 of 'em, that's a problem). The beef empanadillas were ok but way too soggy and doughy.
I would still go back but it seems the quality of the meals is slipping.Listed in: Houston Tapas
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/15/2010
Our group of four wandered into Andalucia after the Rockets game this past Saturday. It was pretty… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer L.
Houston, TX
11/17/2010
I have never visited a place that holds themselves out to be a restaurant that is as inconsistent as this one.
I have been here probably a total of 5 times. The first time, the food was excellent. This was around the time the restaurant first opened for business. The next couple of times, the food was mediocre but the location is really convenient to where I usually hang around so I would stop by here and there.
Now, for the experience that made me never want to go back. My friend and I walk in around 4 pm. I am very well aware that this is an "in between" time frame for restaurants. BUT, it felt weird walking in as if we were intruding on something important. The hostess continued being on the phone for a good 5 minutes after we walked in. After she got off the phone, she handed us a menu.
Then, the food. Every single tapa item that I ordered was overcooked. The eggplant tosta was burnt, the chicken was dry, the beef was overly charred. It was all dry!
The only decent thing I ordered was a glass of wine (which is virtually impossible to mess up).
15 minutes into our meal, the manager (?) came over and told us that we had to move because the table that we were sitting at was reserved for a private party. That is completely unacceptable when the manager was sitting right next to us when we sat down. I must be missing something. If the manager is sitting right next to you and she knows that the table is reserved for a private party, why would she allow you to sit. Normally, this would be okay if we had nothing to move but we brought in a bunch of work items. We had to move about 6 heavy bags in total. COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY and could have easily been avoided.
All in all, I would never return. Bad management and extremely inconsistent! -
Review from Stefanie P.
Nashville, TN
1/1/2011
This is a great place to grab a drink and small plate before dinner.
I recommend the "Juicy Lucy" for your drink (it had lime and grapefruit and some sort of booze) ..it was great. Thank goodness I only had 1. Phew. My boyfriend enjoyed his specialty drink "El Lion Conquistador" with alot of booze and flavor.
We got the Pinchos Morunos- Lamb Skewers (only two) with couscous. It was just alright.
It was a little higher priced for my liking, and the service was a little slow. Its located in the pavilions so if you're a tourist staying in a nearby hotel (like we were) its a good place to try downtown. -
Review from Christina N.
Houston, TX
Updated - 12/23/2010 3 photos
Had a sister date here for dinner! I used my groupon/living social coupon before it expired. Hmm, overall it was pretty good, not super duper amazing. So I'm going to keep it simple and tell you whats good and what I could've gone without. Hmm, I'm still trying to figure out if I really like this place but I'm leaning towards a "probably won't come back." Not a bad experience though. Good to try at least once.
+Baked goat cheese. do get this! the tomatoes and the peachy flavor mixed with the cheese worked really well together. Yum.
+Oxtail
+Complimentary patatas during happy hour
- Complimentary bread was eh. tasted stale and it was hard.
- Croquetas de patatas. Mi lunas makes it better. Can't beat it.
- Meatballs, I didn't like the spices in it. not that great for what you pay for.
- Paella. This was my first time trying it. A friend told me it was delicious. I wasn't impressed. It tasted like jambalaya? Too much rice and they threw a few things on top. Sausage, clam, shrimp, chicken...? Eh. I wouldn't get that again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2010
Andalucia wasn't bad at all. I went for Happy Hour before a concert, at House of Blues, and yes! I… Read more »
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Review from Alex S.
Houston, TX
10/23/2011
We went to Andalucia yesterday to watch Antonio Hidalgo, a very well known flamenco dancer. We ordered some tapas. My boyfriend is Spanish and we travel a lot to Spain, and let me tell you something: this is by no means 'traditional' Spanish cuisine. Seriously, a dish as simple as the tortilla de patatas was completely messed up: it was dry and tasteless... The other things we ordered did not taste bad, but for the price, we were not impressed.
Regarding the show: the singer and guitarist were waaaay TOO LOUD, and they overpowered the dancer. The tablao (floor) is obviously poorly built, as you cannot hear the footwork. If the people of Andalucia have any interest in flamenco, they should know that this is a percussion based dance and it kind of makes no sense if you cannot hear what the dancer is doing. They should fix/change the floor.
Other than that, the decoration is beautiful and I think it is a great place to go and have a drink and eat what I would call a 'Vietnamese-TexMex-Spanish' fusion meal. -
Review from Lindsay D.
North Babylon, NY
4/12/2011
I came here for a team dinner last night. It was selected because it was convenient to the Convention Center and hotels, had vegetarian options available, and my boss loves tapas.
I've got to say, it wasn't bad. The service was fine - definitely nothing to write home about - and some of the food was overly salty but, overall, it was pretty tasty. As a vegetarian with a table full of meat eaters I didn't starve, something I was a bit trepidatious about going in.
My only real complaint was that the restaurant called me two times within the span of 10 minutes to confirm my reservation and the beverage service was horrible. It took 20 minutes for my drink to arrive and, once it did, it was the wrong one. Another 20 minutes later and my mojito finally showed up... warm because all the ice had already melted. 40 minutes for lukewarm drink? Not acceptable. -
Review from Melissa M.
Weehawken, NJ
12/8/2010
We had just arrived in Houston and were starving after our journey from NJ. We saw this place and were like ooh, tapas, I love tapas! HA! It definately was the worst tapas I have ever had.
We had the potato croquetes, serrano and manchego plate, alitas de pollo, and albondigas marroquis, as well as another dish removed from my check due to the hair in it. Our server had no problem removing it from the check.
The serrano and manchego plate was exactly what it says, you can't really screw that up. The potato croquetes were ok. Not so much flavor, drizzled with a bit of cheese sauce. The chicken wings were gross. It was deep fried chicken wings drizzled with the same cheese sauce as the potato croquets. The meatball dish was ok, it had the most flavor.
The whole meal did not sit well in either my stomach or my boyfriends. It was cheap, $25 for the 3 plates and no booze, but I wouldn't go back. -
Review from Julia S.
9/23/2010
Food was just ok, some dishes were better than others. My favorites were the chicken livers and spinach empanadas. Both were nicely done and full of flavor. We also ordered a salad that turned out really bland and the bastilla was way overcooked. The bastilla was the real disappointment. I was really looking forward to this dish since it's my favorite appetizer at their sister restaurant, Saffron. But here, it was really dry and flavorless.
Coming here and reading up on the reviews, I was very skeptical about the service. But our experience was a pleasant one. Our server was prompt and friendly, and our food came out in a timely manner. We had a http://restaurant.com coupon that they honor, no questions asked.
They did a great job in decorating the restaurant with Spanish touches and providing diners with live entertainment. We enjoyed watching the flamenco dancers perform while savoring our meal.
Beware these dishes are not your standard Spanish tapas size. It's definitely been Texanized! -
Review from Cameron B.
Houston, TX
10/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here with a large group for a friend's birthday.
The waiter was very attentive and accommodating to all 18 of us. Without even asking, he had all diners on separate tickets and we were so appreciative!
The group wasn't really being interactive with the food as I'd like a tapas meal to be - meaning I was stuck eating octopus and a salad, when I would have rather passed my octopus around and tried other items. It was great octopus with a great texture and mixed with olives.
I wanted to order ceviche - however they were OUT!? I was super disappointed and had to pick another option ASAP, so I ordered a salad, which was just ok.
The most exciting thing about this place is the live music and flamenco dancers. It was so beautiful and fun to watch! -
Review from Ada L.
1/9/2011 4 photos
Various tapas served in small portions allow you to try more without getting too full! i went in with my boyfriend last night at around 10:30PM while the restaurant was still sorta busy. the only thing that made this dining experience not too decent was that parking was difficult on weekends unless you would pay to park in the garage.
opening up the menu, presented were lots of cold and hot tapas in addition to a few entree options. we ordered several tapas and also the paella valenciana. service was super quick. our first tapas, Mussels in Sherry wine sauce, came out in less than 5 mins once order was taken by the server. the mussels were very tiny but the sauce made the tapas delicious! Baked goat cheese in pear chutney was just okay. the goat cheese was already cooled when brought to our table so it was not melting at all *tsk tsk* but the pear chutney was so yummy!! we also had the veal tongue which was my boyfriend's fave!
last but not least, the paella valenciana was decent and had one chunk of fish, one medium shrimp, one clam, one mussel, three squid/ calamari, two pieces of chicken and several slices of Chorizo over moist, flavorful rice...generous amount of ingredients for only $14.99 which was pretty reasonable!
overall, foods were better than mediocre at reasonable prices. the many different tapas choices made it fun to read the menu and then to sample the small dishes! interior of the restaurant looked pretty nice as well. i would have given it a 4-star rating if we had a better server. our server was not attentive and didnt even serve us bread until i actually had to ask for it! anyway, that sourdough bread was stale and just sucked. -
Review from Debra F.
Land O' Lakes, FL
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Enjoyed the food and service. Tapas bar...
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Review from Robert M.
Barstow, CA
1/6/2011
I came to the Andalicia in the later afternoon with my son because I have tried the Tapas restaurants and bars in Las Vegas and I thought this restaurant would be a good comparision with them.
We found the atmoshere to great and the food was excellent.
We sampled the Patatas Bravas, spicey potatoes with aioli and indeed they were spicey.
One of my favorites to order are the Albondigas, and we tried the Marraquis version which come with a spicey pepper sauce.
In addition we ate the Calamari and it was accompanied by a supurb spicey piparrada sauce.
Andalucia has a bit of everyhing for everybody. They have three forms of Paela and all can be served family style for larger groups of people.
They have a happy hour on most days from 4 -7 PM.
My son likes to go and eat and drink at the bar when the live entertainment takes place. Spanish guitar and Flamenco dancers perform friday and saturday evenings.
A bonus, you might end up eating at the table next to Luis Scola, a forward for the Houston Rockets. He makes Andalucia a regular visit.
The food and drinks are super, tha atmosphere takes you out of downtown Houston for a while and the entertainment adds an exclamation point to a great evening.
Enjoy a refreshing change ....... -
Review from Alexandra V.
Houston, TX
As I stared at the directory, I realized the importance of telling Google directions the suite number of my destination. The directory revealed I was on the wrong side of The Houston Pavillion. I jay-walked across the street, made a right at Caroline, and I found Andalucia, next to Mia Bella Trattoria.
My waiter, Michael is just the kind of waiter I like the most --- f.a.k.e. ---friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, and efficient. He let me have my way. I choose where I wanted to be seated, way in the back of the restaurant, beneath the giant mural of the matador. When I asked Michael what his favorite dish was; he pointed out several dishes. He was also able to answer lots of my questions.
After much consideration, I ordered the oxtail tapas reluctantly. It was out of my comfort zone to try ox meat.
Complimentary bread was brought to my table. It smelled great, the taste not so much; I believe it was sour dough bread. I asked for butter. I received unsalted butter. Yuck!
Doubts about whether I had ordered the right thing filled my mind as I waited for it to arrive. When the oxtail arrived, I cringed, there it was. It looked good at first impression, like a pot roast. Carrots and chick peas peaked out of the orange brown sauce. I tasted the sauce, that surrounded the oxtail; it was delicious and it had a spicy after taste. I tried the oxtail; to my relief, it tasted like beef. All doubts about whether I had chosen the right tapa vanished, I was very pleased with what I ordered.
I had a very good experience. I intend to update this review after Friday. I am hosting an event here this upcoming Friday, as part of the Spanish Language Meetup. Let's see how the staff handles a group of 20.Listed in: Beyond Mexican, Latin Cuisine, Slices of Spain
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Review from Federica P.
Houston, TX
2/15/2012
I went yesterday for Valentine's Day ... I found a good menu, nice atmosphere and lovely music! For sure I would like to go again in a week-end and watch the flamenco show .... I love Flamengo! Good appetite and have so much fun! Federica
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Review from lucrece b.
Houston, TX
3/4/2010
Just as I was tempted to add another star for the friendly waiter, the flamenco, decor and sound tapas, I remembered the flat screen t.v. and the desserts. This is really too bad for a place with such potential and the obvious financial backing to be a real rock star.
Oh Mia Bella, why could you not invest in a consultant?
I took my boyfriend to Andalucia for dinner as a surprise when I learned of the weekend night flamenco. We are both flamenco aficionados and love Spanish cuisine. We were enamored with the place upon entry; with the dark woods in dim light and photos of Andalucia. A mural of a bullfighter covers the entire back wall. Then, it jumped out: the t.v. It glared at me, taunting me with garish smirks at destroying the ambiance of my chosen date spot. I can almost hear Nafaa installing it as an afterthought - "hmm, but Texans must have t.v." Please give us some credit.
The menu features all of the staples of a classic Andalucian taverna. Given the reviews, we decided to forgo the sangria and ordered a nice, reasonably priced Monastrell that was a pleasant surprise in it its full body. We begin with a round of tapas: croquetas de pollo, gambas al ajillo y albondigas. These are the three dishes that must be tested at every Spanish taverna. The croquetas, gambas and albondigas provide a foundation upon which all Spanish cuisine must be built.
Here, Andalucia did not disappoint. Each dish was traditional, delicious and with generous portions. I also enjoyed the Moroccan influence in the albondigas. The portions were surprisingly so generous that we did not end up ordering paella as intended.
Our waiter never pressured us to order more. He was amiable, swift and apologetic when a particularly large table of obnoxious women monopolized his affections. When we asked for bread to properly soak up the sauces of our dishes, he was happy to oblige. In fact, he seemed to understand that this was essential to fully enjoying gambas al ajillo!
As the flamenco was wrapping up, we decided to head out but still entertained the dessert menu. As a former pastry cook, I *always* hear out the dessert menu. Our options were flan, crème brûlée and ... wait for it...cheesecake? We just laughed. "You need to get a Spanish grandma back there," I told the waiter. Such atrocities are the very reason Americans do not acknowledge the glories of Spanish pastry. Could they not at least call it 'crema catalana' instead of crème brûlée?
A word of advice to Andalucia: give me a call. I'll create a Spanish dessert menu for you and gladly teach all of your line cooks to make them. They are simple, classic and heavenly. Trust me, your cooks will like me and your customers will thank you. Until then, I will prefer to stay at home for Spanish food, even though I have to settle for recorded flamenco, just so that I can conclude my meal with a proper crema catalana.
In a nutshell, if you have never been to Spain you will love this place and if you actually like Mi Luna, please, God help you, come here instead. -
Review from Chris S.
Houston, TX
2/25/2010
Even in Yelp Land there may be 5 star places but none of them are perfect. For the first time a perfect 4 star restuarant, Andalucia, has earned this fitted merit.
We were introduced with the savory sounds of a live spanish band. After being promply seated--in a good location, may i add--our server displayed great service skills from beginning to end. It was like he was server stalking us. When i was drinking my blackberry tea, i spilled one drop & he reached over and caught it right before it hit the table. OK if you believe that...no comment.
I ordered the Pinchos de Pollo which was almost over cooked but not too crispy. My girl had the Entracot a la Brasa, except the chef was generous enough to replace the steak w/ grilled salmon. We enjoyed their fried calimari while the band serenaded all ears who lust for a lavish melody. Dont expect a dessert menu, expect for your server to tell you by sheer memory about it. By the way, their apple custard would have been their fifth star only if it were served hot. So close.
On our next visit we're prepared to try the wine menu, would have then but i had to work later & that's not the best idea known to man, although fun in a reprimanding way. I was glad to have visited and so was she, which should save me from my next visit to the dog house. Like i said, nothing's perfect.Listed in: Where to Take Your Date
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Review from danielle g.
Houston, TX
5/23/2011
Four long hours of heaven and hell, all in one in night. Holy heck, this was the most insane dichotomy of good and evil in one long-winded evening... geez! Loud, loud, suffocatingly hot, more loud, lots of wine, slowwwwwww service, and some amazingly yummy food in between. Was the food good enough to trump all of the other major flaws? Hmmmm
We arrived at 7pm, left there around 11pm.. long night but I'll try and start from the beginning - We had a reservation for the 6 of us last Friday night for 7:30. There was some confusion about that when we arrived, never a good sign, but no biggie as we were early.
Then there was the noise... deafeningly loud "instrumental jazz" music that many people thought sounded like just irritating noise. I don't mind live music with food, but it was so loud I couldn't even register the way the food tasted on my palette. Yes, it was that loud.
Then there was the service.. or lack thereof. Our poor waitress really didn't know much except for what wine she liked, which is jolly great and all but we wanted food! And she didn't seem like she was interested in serving food or taking orders for it, but was mad-keen on bringing us bottle after bottle of wine. When we tried to order food, she played def or ran away. Finally we got some food orders in... and then waited again. And drank. And waited. And drank. Thankfully the copius amounts of wine were making us more patient, but then along with the wine-buzz came the realization of the fact that the A/C was not ON in our area and we were all literally melting from heat and dehydration... and because of the loud noise, nobody could hear our pathetic screams of overheated, drunken, starved helplessness. Agghhhh!
Then finally after 1.5 hours, food started to arrive. And it was ALL good. I t think we ordered everything off the menu, and yes everything was delicious. Had it not been for the amazing food, we would have left after the first dish.
Food highlights: Lamb carpaccio, Escargout, Octopus, Lamb Shank, Chicken Croquettes, Shrimp in Garlic Butter, Potatoes, Monk fish, and all of the little vegetables and cheese dishes... The Key Lime Pie was amazing, and better than the Apple dessert by far.
Overall the food was insanely divine but the service, atmosphere, and everything else was not. Sadly, the great food didn't make up for the other parts, and I would only return on a week day night when there is not music and less chaos. All I can say is when you are in a restaurant with a group for an eating experience and you are placing bets between you on how much longer you can last, or celebrating more when you are leaving just to leave, these are just not good signs. We were all happy in the end, but it was because were were finally done. Hopefully after the trauma has passed we will reflect on the happy food moments. -
Review from Greg F.
5/29/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Had lunch here with 4 of my co-workers -- it was only a block from work, so why not try it?
Okay, so the place is decorated in some kind of odd Moroccan theme, with really heavy wood tables, tin ceilings and darker paint schemes. Kind of felt "heavy", but it was nice.
The menu, at least for lunch, was rather expansive, given its a lunch menu. Watch out for the "Tapas and Salads" section -- the Tapas are small plates, the Salads are HUGE!
I guess you can't rush a tapas experience. I would have guessed that the tapas would come out quickly, like appetizers. I was wrong. It had to have been a good 15-20 mins before any food started to arrive. Was it crowded and overloaded in there? Nope, just 3 tables worth of customers. All I can say is be patient, the food will come.
I ordered the Moroccan sausage -- it was served on ciabatta bread or something very close to that. You could get soup, french fries, or couscous. I chose the soup. I chose wisely! It was a pureed soup of spicy bean and served with apparently the same sausage I had on the sandwich. The meal was wonderful -- tasty and a lot of food for the price.
Overall, a nice meal and while the food came out slowly, the service was good too. I'd come here again. -
Review from Nicholas R.
Houston, TX
3/17/2010
Might be the best tapas in town. Waaaay better than Mi Luna in the village. Location might be only downfall, right next to House of Blues, downtown, so parking is always an issue, I valet'd it.
The tapas are amazing though. Had the beef empinadas, roasted lamb skewers, baked goat cheese and chutney, calimari, escargot in herbs and butter and the bread pudding for dessert. to drink, me and my date split a pitcher of the sangria, a very savory sangria, tasted like pumpkin sangria. the lamb skewers had a mint demi on it, which popped. The baked goat cheese was redonkculous, my date and I's favorite, would almost prefer that as the dessert because the bread pudding, while good, did not stand out and you can find better in houston(block7)
only downside was the service, our waiter could have done a better job. asked for 2 coffee cocktails with our dessert and he brought one, then the other 5 min later.
when you go, get the baked goat cheese and lamb skewers for sure. -
Review from Dee L.
Pearland, TX
2/14/2011
I love this place! The atmosphere was romantic, the live guitarist duo played everything from Gypsy Kings to Michael Buble and they were awesome.
Now, the food was melt in your mouth delicious. Started off with a pitcher of Sangria (not bad) and then had the Calamari, Lamb skewers and stuffed Chicken w mushroom & Spinach, and bread pudding for dessert. All yummy!! Much better than Mi Luna. The service was friendly and fast. -
Review from Cody V.
Houston, TX
9/19/2010
We visited Andalucia on a Saturday night. The restaurant was busy, noisy, and bustling with activity. We ordered the paella and other dishes, all of which were delicious, although a bit greasy. The drinks, too, were good.
The Andalucia's ultimate sell is its atmosphere. Dark with a live band, Andalucia was a great place to be with friends, drink, and enjoy the food. -
Review from Stephen Y.
Houston, TX
3/10/2010
I organized a birthday dinner with 18 people for my GF, and I can say I was pretty happy with our visit. The flamingo dancing provided good entertainment when I wasn't socializing. The restaurant was a bit loud because of this though. The waiter was very professional ,and I was a bit suprised that we was able to handle our huge party without any major mistakes! He even split the bill effortlessly!
As for the food, I can say all of them were delicious, although a bit pricey. My GF and I split about 4 tapas and shared some paella. The tapas we had, and I would recommend are the potato croquettes, beef empanadas, mushrooms, and shrimp. We also ordered some sangria (not on the menu), but a few people did not like the taste. There was some cinnamon flavor that turned some people off and it did taste watered down.
There was a small incident in where a server accidently dropped a whole plate of paella on the table with some getting on a friend's clothes. They did send out another order (not sure if it was comped) and a chef came out to personally apologize.
They did bring out a complimentary dessert for my GF. I chose the chocolate mousse cake. It was nothing out of the ordinary, but I did appreciate the good service they provided.
I'll be sure to be back when I'm in the mood for tapas!
