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Calliope's Po-boy
Categories: Restaurants Cajun/Creole Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Seafood Cajun/Creole, Sandwiches, Seafood [Edit]
2130 Jefferson StHouston, TX 77003
Neighborhood: EaDo
(713) 222-8333
Announcement
JUMBO SIZED CRAWFISH, friday and saturday, we do run out so hurry up in!!!
$6.75 Lb, it's JUMBO!!!
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10 am - 10 pm
Fri 10 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
At Pappadeaux, we're all about fresh seafood! Not fresh frozen. Not flown across the country last Tuesday fresh. We're talkin' swimmin' around yesterday… read more »
125 reviews for Calliope's Po-boy
Review Highlights
"The side of sweet potato fries were top notch."
(in 37 reviews)
"Calliope brings a new meaning to Surf and Turf."
(in 27 reviews)
"The gumbo was so rich in flavor and seafood."
(in 55 reviews)
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125 reviews in English
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Review from m s.
Houston, TX
9/28/2011
I gotta give this place 5 stars just for the shrimp po boy alone. Do you know how hard it is to find an AUTHENTIC shrimp po boy in Houston? Most places put "special sauce" or even (gag) COCKTAIL sauce on their po boys. This is unacceptable. It should be mayo. I tolerate BB's special sauce but that's about it.
Calliope's po boys are NOLA authentic. Lettuce, tomatoes, pickles (I asked for mine without, no problem there) mayo and fried shrimp on crusty french bread.
It was delicious! I got a small and I had to take the rest home. The hushpuppies are BALLER. The people who work there are extremely friendly. I will def be back. I might try other sides but I don't know if I can ever veer away from the shrimp po boy. My boyfriend got red beans and rice and he was very pleased.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 9/29/2011
U just made our day!!! So cool, see u again! More » -
Review from Connie W.
OMG I love their honey glazed sweet potato fries. Who knew that adding honey to sweet potato fries would make such a great combination? I also had their cup of gumbo, which was very hearty for a cajun gumbo. It even had large oysters in it. The cup of gumbo was actually very sizable and really filling.
They have a special going on right now where they give out red envelopes with a "secret" prize. I think the waitress said they're giving away something Super Bowl related in January/February, so you're supposed to hold onto these envelopes until then. At that time, when you bring the unopened envelopes back, the staff will open them for you and you'll find out if you won.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 11/9/2011
Yay Fun!!!SOMEONE was paying attention!! So let me explain… More » -
Review from Erica S.
Houston, TX
11/4/2011
I had 2 walk out... I was drawn in by the cheaper crawfish and a referral that "Used" to be my barber. I ordered the crawfish & watched them take it out of a cooler. They gave me a lb of it for $5.49 and the crawfish was cold, mixed in with dark old black ones and small ones. No seasoning and dry, I sent it back.
I previously ordered the shrimp poboy and after realizing that they probably dont devein the shrimp, I ran out. The place is in a bad area of town so beware. The place is an absolute dump. I tried to give it a benefit of the doubt. The cooks looked nasty, scratching their hair as they whipped back and forth the shower curtain that they so professionally and tastifully installed! NOT.
To their defense, from the posted pictures, their fried food looks appetizing and professionally done, their only issue is that the food may not be fresh and is not cooked in a clean environment! Once you get passed that, you can dig in!
Go to Hanks Crawfish for real cajun cooking, all the "Nawlin"(New Orleans) people go there. Their big juicy crawfish are served in a steamed bag with a variety of seasoning you can choose from.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 11/4/2011
Wow, I think you got the wrong place, we don't sell crawfish… More » -
Review from Paul H.
10/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon. I had a shrimp and oyster poboy which was okay and my review is entirely based on the poboy I had. I'll definitely go again and try more dishes. My only complaint was that I had a regular sized poboy (8" i think) and a drink and my bill was $16.50 which I though was a bit pricey.
**UPDATE**
After my initial review, the company reached out to me asking me to check the ticket price for accuracy and also inquire about how they could have made my visit better. I was planning on going back but customer service like this gives me even more incentive to go back. I tip my hat to Calliope's Po-Boy and look forward to going back.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 10/20/2011
OOOOOoOooo... please check your ticket, the 8 inch po-boy is… More » -
Review from ReDawna J.
College Station, TX
1/24/2012
We came across Calliope's while my husband and I were looking for someplace to eat before a Rockets game. I must say I would have never found this place on my own because I don't think I would have ventured into the part of town it was in. It may be in a perfectly safe area, it just doesn't look like it. Thank goodness for the Internet! We found Calliope's on line and decided to go. The place can easily be categorized as a "hole in the wall". My husband ordered the crawfish Poboy with fries and I got the surf and turf (roast beef and shrimp) with fries. The sandwiches were awesome! The fries...not so much....they weren't cooked all the way, a couple were almost still cold. I still chose to give 5 stars though because I feel like what they were really there to cook was the Poboy and I have never had a tastier one. My suggestion: Give it a try, but get the chips.
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 1/24/2012
Cool. Thanks for the stars!!! We are definitely here to make… More » -
Review from Fran W.
Houston, TX
1/24/2012
We have been to Calliope's twice and both times we were not disappointed! The shrimp po-boy is awesome! My granddaughter is rather picky and both times got the hamburger ..... she keeps asking to go back! I do feel it is a bit pricy but that doesn't stop us from going, The restaurant is a bit outdated but I think that's what gives it its charm. We did have the opportunity to use our red envelopes and got free cheesecake - it was awesome as well. The staff is very attentive. This is one of our fav restaurants! I recently noticed another Calliope's on W. Bellfort and will certainly give them a try.
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 1/24/2012
Wooohoooo..... And hole in the wall scores!!!! We look… More » -
Review from Asha B.
Houston, TX
1/13/2012
Hands down my favorite place to go for Cajun food in Houston and I ALWAYS get a Po-boy! I take everyone here and they always love it. I started coming here when they first opened and the food has been consistently great.
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 1/13/2012
You are so cool, you must come back on Jan 23 to get your… More » -
Review from Edward W.
Houston, TX
10/12/2011
Well worth the drive to this place even if it is a ghetto neighborhood. Calliope's is located behind Kim Son downtown.
What makes the fried seafood delicious is the damn fingerlicking good homemade tarter sauce!!! You gotta try this! This is the most amazing creamy tarter sauce! And yes.....I licked it all up in their little plastic cups!
The batter mix is made of cornbread mixture that wasn't greasy at all. It is something different instead of the flour batter. My shrimp platter was served with homemade fries. I am still remembering the fresh tasting shrimp with each bite that lingers in my mouth.
This place is small with maybe 15 tables and with one waiter and cashier, at least it was like that on a Sunday.
Every day they have lunch specials, so it's a great place to stop by for lunch if you work in downtown.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 10/12/2011
Awesome glad u took the drive to come visit! Have a great… More » -
Review from Ed. J.
Dallas, TX
1/23/2012
When you find better west of the Sabine, tell Eric. His NOLA orientation is not Bourbon St. touristy, more like Gentilly or Bucktown. For those of you who've experienced less than Lisa's excellence, with all due respect, I suggest you let her know and give it another shot.. What's hard to know is whether folks coming for 'get down' NOLA fare really know what that is in the first place, but Calliope is where you can learn without the trip.
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 1/24/2012
Hehe.... That's just sweet! More » -
Review from Gary Y.
Houston, TX
8/29/2011
Cheap and tasty. The bread they use on the sandwiches is simply amazing.
I had the surf n' turf po boy and the honey glazed sweet potato fries. Was a little curious about why they'd put honey on something that's already sweet but it worked out.
Thing to note is that the location is kind of obscure and the place is BYOB if you want to have a beer to go with the sandwich.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 8/29/2011
YAY, don't forget our TV's are up and should be functioning… More » -
Review from Mark J.
8/22/2011
I have eaten at Calliope's about three or four times and while the food is OK the thing that bothers me is the cleanliness or lack thereof of the place.
The location is not exactly prime and the building is dingy - now while I love a dive as much as the next person and I have eaten in some places abroad that most people would not - I can't shed the feeling that this place is not very clean.
I have tried the shrimp poboy, the soft shell crab poboy and the fried shrimp - everything was all right as good as many other places in Houston, but not as good as a New Orleans.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 8/22/2011
well I'm glad you somewhat like the food and yes this… More » -
Review from Nigel M.
Houston, TX
4/24/2011
We came here after 8:30 on a Saturday night. I have to admit, it's a bit scary at night. We were the only car in the plaza, and we were the only customers there.
Mind you, it's only a bit scary outside. The establishment itself, once you're inside, is a bit on the shabby side. As in they don't have the newest of chairs, tables, etc. HOWEVER, everything was very neat and clean and well taken care of, even the soda machines and stuff were spotless.
The food:
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
The mixed gumbo was great. Fellow Yelper even said that this gumbo might top menudo as her fave soup of all time.
The po-boys we had were spectacular. Everything was made to perfection, with none of the tastes overwhelming any of the others and blending together for awesome goodness for your tastebuds.
We spent close to $40 on 2 poboys, 2 cups of gumbo, and 2 drinks. While that sounds a bit steep, the quality and quantity of the food served is well worth it. Much recommended and we will definitely make the trip out to eat here again.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 4/24/2011
yay, a bit of beat up chairs and tables, you just got your… More » -
Review from Jin C.
Houston, TX
7/4/2011
This is a five star rating relative to other Louisiana food options in Houston. When I first moved here to Houston I was excited, thinking there would be a lot of great Cajun food here given it's proximity to Louisiana. However, as I tried multiple restaurants (mostly near the Galleria area), I grew more and more disappointed. I pretty much gave up, but during my visit to the Colorado mountains for some skiing, I decided to try this little NOLA restaurant up in Frisco and was SHOCKED at how good/fresh his gumbo and fried catfish was! I decided that if NOLA food can be this good way up here, there had to be something great in Houston too. Finding Calliope's has proved me right!
I've tried both their chicken and sausage gumbo, and the mixed gumbo and they are both delicious. Perfectly spiced with lots of kick, and they usually top it with plenty of meat and rice. I have tried the catfish, shrimp, oyster, and crab po boy. The catfish, crab and oyster po boys are good, but are served up pretty thin, resulting in the bread overpowering the taste of the seafood. The shrimp is the much better option. I wish they weren't popcorn shrimp and was skeptical at first, but they really are fried and seasoned well and makes a perfect poboy with the toasty french bread. Their sweet tea and sweet potato fries are also great.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 7/5/2011
super cool!!! More » -
Review from Ko N.
3/3/2011
Light, slightly crispy bread. Well seasoned (or fried) meats. Lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo. Happiness.
It really is that simple. It's one of the only places that I get a specific craving for.
The first trip, I tried the roast beef sub...it was drenched in gravy. Pretty good, but it wasn't really for me. Since then, I've tried the fried catfish/chicken/soft shell crab po boys, which were all delicious. But my favorite is the grilled chicken po boy. The chicken is very well seasoned (perfect saltiness) and tender juicy...I was pleasantly surprised, because most times chicken is either seasoned and dry or bland and tender.
I also love gumbo and the sweet potato fries that come with honey. Mmm.
Be sure to look at the sandwich sizes they have posted on the wall. Their smallest sandwich is quite large.
The service is very friendly, even when it's busy. This place does get quite busy during lunch, so it may take an hour to get in and out. -
Review from Wendy T.
Houston, TX
2/23/2011
Maybe I set my expectations too high, but I left a bit dissapointed with Calliope's (I have this problem quite often). After reading the reviews on yelp, I was preparing myself for a long line, but there wasn't any... lunch time on a weekday is the time to go I guess.
The bread on the poboy WAS delicious (no tough or chewy problem here) we experienced nothing but fresh, crispy french bread. The reason for the 3 stars was the lack of taste from my softshell crab. Lots of batter, not very much crab, and no flavor, does not make for a happy camper. Also, look on the right wall (facing the counter) for the size of your sandwich.... a S is plenty big, and regular would be perfect for sharing. Why share? Because you DO have to get the gumbo. Thankfully I did read up on all the reviews and split the seafood gumbo. I like Captain Tom's gumbo, but I think that's just a personal preference difference.
Also, $35 before tip for 2 po boys, one order of fries & gumbo also seemed a bit steep to me. -
Review from Alice T.
2/13/2011
We ordered take out as I was headed to the airport, so I stuffed my face in the car on the way there. I think the restaurant is family owned, and the service was extremely friendly.
I can't tell if I enjoyed my meal because I really didn't want to eat airport food or because it was just that good. The gumbo was so rich in flavor and seafood. It's not creamy gumbo- it's more of the translucent brown color. I don't know what that means in taste, but just an observation. The sweet potato fries were good, and I really liked the idea of putting honey on it, even if it's unnecessary since sweet potato is already sweet.
You can mix-and-match po-boy ingredients, so we ordered a regular po-boy, half oyster, half shrimp. I don't really like oyster, but the shrimp was good. I think the shrimp was a little heavy on the batter, but the marinara sauce made up for it. The only sad thing was that I had to catch my flight and leave my leftovers behind. -
Review from Wendy L.
My boyfriend has been searching for some good gumbo and po-boys in Houston and our yelp search led us here. Seemed a little shady at first, but the shadier, the better, right?
Came during lunch time and they had a small po-boy and chicken, vegetable and sausage gumbo combo. I ordered the fried oyster po-boy while my bf ordered the fried shrimp po-boy w/ a side of the honey drizzled sweet potato fries.
First to come out were our cups of gumbo. The gumbo here is a soup based gumbo rather than a thick gumbo. However one bite and I felt like fireworks exploded in my mouth! Amazing seasoning and spice where it gave your mouth that great kick! Only downside was there wasn't much stuff in the gumbo.
Next came the po-boys and the fries. I think this place gets their fries right! Who would think to put honey on sweet potato fries! Just delicious and even still half way through out meal the fries were still crispy. They definitely know what they're doing here.
As for the po-boys, a small was definitely enough for me! The bf and I both split ours so we could get half and half. First ate the oyster half, and the bread was delicious! No toughness or chewiness here! Definitely some crispy french bread like it should be! I thought the sandwich itself was a little dry but the oysters were pretty juicy! As for the shrimp po-boy, I was a little disappointed that they used popcorn shrimp, but overall the fried popcorn shrimp was delicious! Still gave you the shrimp taste and I think I'm leaning more towards liking the fried shrimp po-boy rather than the oyster.
Overall definitely a delicious place and a gem that I'm glad my boyfriend read about! Hopefully I can contain myself from coming here too much or I will definitely need to work out a 100x more than I do now!Listed in: Nom Nom Nom Houston!
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 3/13/2011
where's the "like" button on here? More » -
Review from Ryan L.
Updated - 2/14/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Hunger, craving, and perfect execution made for the best meal I have had this short year at Calliope's.
Split the medium catfish po'boy with the wife. Fantastic balance of catfish, mayo, veg, with perfectly cornmeal fried catfish wrapped in excellently crunchy and soft French bread. Bread makes the sandwich. Will work my way through the whole sandwich menu, even if it takes me 5 years.
Seafood gumbo was even better than last time, if that's even possible. Perhaps because this time it was at 8:30 pm and it got to slow cook even longer?
Fries and gravy with cheese was insane. Fries got soggy, but were definitely hot enough to melt the solid slices of cheese. That gravy was made for that bread.
Glad I split all that stuff.
Service was friendly, and food came out very quickly.Listed in: 5* Holes in the wall, food…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/2/2010
Great, nondescript hole in the wall in Houston's old Chinatown.
The seafood gumbo was almost perfect.… Read more »
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Review from Steve S.
Spring, TX
Updated - 8/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Here's the letter (below) I wrote the owner which really gives you an idea of how bad the service/food we received was (this was from 7/29/11 @ approx. 8p (I also want it noted that the email was never responded to since I sent it early Saturday morning on her website (my contact info was provided, so I'm just hoping this awesome restaurant has not fallen to the 'I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS' attitude. We drove from Spring (45 & Louetta) to go eat at this restaurant.
Here's my letter:
Lisa, I hope you get this. I wanted to tell you how dissatisfied myself and my wife Robin where tonight (actually Friday night) when we dined at your restaurant. It started by walking in and it was pretty much dead with the exception of one other table of 4 people. It started with drinks, I had asked for ice tea and my wife wanted a glass of water (actually she asked if the water was filtered and the waitress said yes). So we get our drinks and I take a sip of the tea and it tasted like rotten eggs and my wife said she didn't even want to try hers. So we decided to have a can of diet DP and a bottle of water. Now the thing that irritated me most was the waitress admitted to knowing there was a problem earlier and still offered us the tea anyway. Why would she do that? The other table also had the tea and she asked if they wanted anything else, again already knowing there was a problem why would she even sell it. So next we order the food, a large order of fries, gravy, and cheese, a bowl of your regular gumbo, and a cup of your special gumbo. So we are already sitting for 10 minutes and no food and we realize after checking the Internet that the airplane we where going to meet was coming in earlier than expected and we needed to hurry. So we told the waitress this. But honestly Lisa, 2 orders of gumbo, 1 order of fries should take no time, but she made a comment to us that she would rush the order that honestly we should've already had especially with only 1 other table and one small to-go order (we asked). So we get the fries which where fine, then the gumbo. Wow where we disappointed. It was truly the bottom of the pot (with burned bits and bone pieces included). Man where we disappointed. It was over seasoned, over spiced which I'm sure was because it was the bottom of the pot. But honestly, if it would've been me serving I wouldn't have served that and told the customer I was out, but that was never told to us and it was served. In the end I paid 21$ and it was a terrible disappointment of a meal and you should be aware. We've been to your restaurant 6 times and this was absolutely the worse experience we've had. My suggestion to you is check in on your staff to make sure they believe in the same excellence of service and excellence of food you do and what we experienced 5 other times. Thank you Lisa for taking the time to read this and hope you fix the problems because in my opinion as of Friday you went from a 10 to a 2
Lisa, if you can contact me regarding this to discuss, I would be willing to either remove my comments or change my rating. I understand everybody has a bad day, just want to find out if that's what it was, or your quality of food and service is going downward (which I'm hoping it isn't).
Thank you again and you should have my email address to get back to me1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/22/2010
Food was AWESOME. But even like they say, prepare to wait, but you wait for some seriously good (no… Read more »
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 8/3/2011
Howdy. Yes we do care, I definitely did not get your email… More » -
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Review from Alexander W.
Houston, TX
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Come here for good poo-boys! Wait, did I misspell that? Nope. Consistent 4 and 5 stars? I expected more from my yelp-tourage. My two experiences here have been very underwhelming. The first time, the roast beef was cut so thick that I had trouble chewing it. The cow that it came from must've been dehydrated because it was also so dry. Even the gravy couldn't mask the aridity. My second experience didn't fare much better. However, the honey glazed sweet potato fries were beeeee-licious. For my po-boy fix, I'll be shooting myself over to BB's.
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Review from Lauren T.
11/28/2010
Pretty good, but it is overpriced and over-hyped for the food quality and atmosphere. I have been a lot of times and each time there has been something a little off from my expectation of what it should have been.
The worst offense to me was that my last visit, they did not de-vein their shrimp, which is fine for smaller pink ones, but these were large enough that I felt I was eating fried shrimp poop. Not an appetizing presentation. I have been on other occasions where I think they were using old fryer oil or had an odd seasoning in their batter as all their fried items had a bitter after taste that lingered in the back of my throat for a while after the meal was done.
They could be amazing, but are not quite there yet. I know they are a new business and hope they get even better.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 11/28/2010
Hey that's strange, I know I've been out for a week or so… More » -
Review from Brian P.
Houston, TX
4/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Houston doesn't have many places to get an authentic po boy so Caliope's definitely serves a purpose. However, I find a few disappointing things about it.
One of the things I love about po boys is giant, fresh Gulf shrimp. Caliope's fries them well but they use popcorn shrimp. That's a big disappointment. Usually restaurants try to trick you with popcorn shrimp but they actually put it right on the (back of) the menu here. Using bigger and fresher shrimp would go a LONG way to improve the experience.
I am also a huge fan of true New Orleans roast beef po boys and, while the grave here is good, they slice their beef instead of cooking it so long that it falls apart, debris style. People rave about the gumbo as well but I wish the roux was a little darker.
I know I'm nitpicking on a lot of things but, unfortunately, it was those things that I have remembered from my couple of trips here. I think BB's does them a little better but if I'm in downtown then I would probably head over here for a po boy again. -
Review from Tom W.
Houston, TX
Genuine food served with genuine smiles that you genuinely enjoy. Sense a trend? Calliope's Po-Boys makes me feel like I am right in the heart of the 9th Ward (the desolated buildings of old Chinatown add to that feeling). However the smiles of everyone in the building are so infectious that you really just relax and enjoy the surreal transportation to NOLA.
Roast Beef Po-Boy on a crusty French baguette, with brown gravy and lettuce and tomatoes. Live if up if you wish and get the roast beef and fried shirimp po-boy. Finger licking good. Onion Rings and French Fries are standard fare, alas.
Other specialities include platters of fried fish, bowls of gumbo, fried chicken.
I have not worked my way through the entire menu. Yet. Rest assured, I will.
Interestingly, on the back of the menu, they tell you that you can pronounce the name CAL-ee-ope, like a New Orleanean, or cal-LIE-oh-pee, like anyone else. What they don't tell you is that the word CALLIPYGIOUS is derived from the Goddess Caliope, who was famed for her beautiful ass; thus Callipygious means someone possessed of beautifully shaped buttocks. I can promise that if I eat here all the time, I will no longer be callipygious.....
This may be my new "go to" spot when I have an itch that I don't know how to scratch.Listed in: My Go To List, Best Meals Under $15.00
Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 9/13/2010
Lol, nice review! I like your new word More » -
Review from Tiffany W.
Austin, TX
2/2/2011
My coworkers and I decided to order delivery from Calliope's after our healthier alternative (who will remain unnamed) fell through. (Who charges $26 in misc. fees for the delivery of a $70 order?)
ANYWAY.
I ordered the fried crawfish po-boy with a side of the sweet potato fries. When our food arrived approx. an hour after placing the order (the delivery guy's GPS led him astray) my fries and po-boy were already soggy, hence the 3-star rating. However, I must admit the sweet potato fries drizzled with honey were quite tasty (even if slightly soggy.) I can only imagine what they would taste like fresh from the fryer! The "small" po-boy was much larger than expected and just half of my sandwich filled me up.
I'd be willing to give Calliope's another try ...but dine-in next time. -
Review from Robyn P.
Houston, TX
1/25/2011
Hands down, best po' boy in Houston. Shrimp was fried to perfection in a cornmeal batter that wasn't too thick and wasn't too thin. Crispy french bread toasted perfectly to hold up to the mayo, light lettuce, tomato, and plentiful shrimp. Cocktail sauce served on the side, as I prefer. Sweet potato fries drizzled with honey were on the thicker cut side, but still delicious. I had plenty of leftovers, even with ordering the small po' boy. Would be plenty for two to share. The gumbo looked amazing and will definitely be on my menu next time.
It's unassuming exterior belies the truly savory food that is inside. (It's pretty much a hole in the wall.) Only one server for all tables, but she ran around and kept drinks full and dinners comin'. She was kind and called everyone honey. Best news? It's BYOB.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 1/25/2011
:O) Thanks for the awesome review! We'll see you again… More » -
Review from Vinh N.
3/25/2011
I've been going here on a non-regular basis over two years mostly on Saturday or weeknights since I don't work downtown. Everytime I come here the restaurant has always been dead so it always makes wonder if their lunch crowd is slamming.
Because it should be since they make the best po-boys in Houston for my taste-buds. Everything is made/fried on the spot and the oil (never old) just gushes out and burns the mouth if I make the mistake of diving in too quickly. Fresh ingredients and great bread makes the po-boy stand out compared to their competitors. Good fries and I also like their chicken gumbo even though it is thinner than I normally like.
The thing that confuses me is the staff over the years. One night I would see a black couple manning store, another day a hispanic couple, and then of course the Vietnamese owners. The only reason I know they are the owners is because of previous published reviews.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 3/26/2011
Owners are Vietnamese. it's just we kinda get tired of being… More » -
Review from Schuyler W.
Suitland, MD
2/15/2011
Meat has not had a good run for me this week.
Had the roast beef po boy and it was unremarkable. The bread was sort of tough yet chewy (but I heard the water in the H isn't the best for bread making). There was little roast beef and more gravy than I would have like. Pickles added a nice punch to it though. The jalapeno hushpuppies were boring and lacked flavor.
::kanye shrug:: maybe I should get the sweet potato fries like Alice T. suggested. -
Review from william m.
Havertown, PA
2/4/2011
Went here before ball games and concerts in the minute maid area. It is tucked neatly in to a very small corner strip. It's not a [place that stands out on a main drag - I'm sure a easier access location would help them out quite a bit. Keeping the feel small and laid back is a huge advantage though, as the true fans will go any where to get their goodies.
I've had some po-boys, and them finally had some po-boys. The place in New Orleans made me rethink what a true Po'boy sandwich is supposed to be. Calliope's captures that essence for the Houston crowd.
Sandwich was simple and delicious, it was the bread! I could not find good bread down south, but the french bread style of NoLA is very good. I asked the people at Calliope's where they get the bread from, the would not share the secret. (I think I found it anyway!)
If you are in the neighborhood, or jonesing for a good po'boy in a casual shop, check out Calliope's. -
Review from Ed K.
Houston, TX
This place was great when it first opened, my girl friend and I were regular patrons every Sunday. It fell pretty fast.
It started great gumbo was good, I liked how she had a scoop of rice in the middle of the bowl and the taste was such you could tell attention was paid in its preparation. Now its all mixed together in a big mess and I found no less then four pieces of chicken cartilage looked like the ends from drumsticks, this happen on more then one occasion. If its not the cartilage then you have to contend with the "ham no burger" kitchen.
Every time and I mean every time we go here something is out in the kitchen, and we go on Sundays in the noon time so not late in the day. We have been told no gumbo, or no shrimp for the gumbo, no red beans, no oysters, wrong shrimp for po boy. the worst was the lunch special where my trio friend was to get small po boy and gumbo, and after taking order the lady comes back to say what... you guessed it we are out of gumbo. So simple right ask for a substitute, red beans. Waitress goes to manager comes back and tells us no substitutions on lunch we were charged for something we did not receive. This amazed me as one we were regulars, and asked for nothing crazy to substitute.
This past weekend we went back after a long pause as I couldn't deal with it anymore. I skipped the gumbo. Went for seafood platter, ham no burger strikes again with no oysters. But this time they made up for it with extra shrimp. And the platter was good too had 2 large fillets and lots of shrimp. She needs a grilled option for fish and shrimp. she has added grilled shrimp alone? Why no fish with it I don't know. I could see this place making a great grilled meal with dirty rice on the side. But so far the menu has not grown.
Don't know when we will be back as it was my girl that would drag me out there in the weekends. And she was not happy this time although I was ok. If we are in the area and want to play "what don't they have today" we may go back. The manager asked me what happened to us as she knows us well from past visits every sunday, I should've told her but my girl says that's rude. I have dealt with the hour wait time only once, never had it take that long twice. I will give them three stars the food ain't bad when you can get it. And servers and management are nice people. -
Review from David V.
Houston, TX
Updated - 2/28/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I was here again during Chinese New Year for lunch. I'm not sure when that was... The exciting part about this visit was that in the middle of our lunch, the owner came out and gave me and my friend a Chinese New Year's gift. We were given "Red Packets" with Chinese art on them. Inside came a good luck two dollar bill. Nothing makes a lunch better than getting money out of it!
Calliope's has become my new place for Gumbo and PoBoys, since my last entry. I don't know what happened... I loved BB's, but something keeps me coming back to Calliope's. The restaurant is usually busier than BB's, but I make time for my PoBoy's at Calliope's. Service is still phenomenal and in numerous visits I've had no upsets. The price is right on the money, and won't leave you feeling like you didn't get a quality meal.
As a Cajun food and Crawfish enthusiast, I'm picky about my PoBoys and Gumbo. With that been said, this is a MUST TRY if you love Cajun food.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/31/2010
Well I finally made my way over to this place with my girlfriend. I absolutely loved it! My good… Read more »
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Review from Gabby R.
Houston, TX
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
First I want to thank Yelp for giving me the chance to find this place! It was DELICIOUS! I found it browsing one day at work and we all decided to try it... and no one was dissappointed at all! We had the jalapeno hush puppies which were perfect! The gumbo had a kick to it, and the flavor was awesome! I had the shrimp po-boy as did two of my coworkers, it was so yummy... my tastebuds were happy! One of my coworkers had the Surf and Turf, and he only had great things to say about it! Definitely will not be the last time I will be eating there. Oh and to top it off, all of this was still fabulous after sitting in the car on my ride back to work for about 20 minutes! I can only imagine the wonderfulness of it when freshly made!
If you like seafood you HAVE to try this place!Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 3/11/2011
OOooOoOoo We like you!!! See you soon!!! More » -
Review from Harold B.
Houston, TX
8/9/2010
As a born n raised N'Awlinian I finally hit up tha Calliope (pronounced Cally-Oh); so let me get to it...Damn good !!
I had the cup of gumbo..was very tasty with nice lil kick!!!
Shrimp po-boy with just butter n hot sauce (N'Awlins traditional way)-very very good!! lightly fried nice sized shrimp with crispy light po-boy bread!!!! oh yea!!!
Roast Beef po-boy dressed - very good!!! once again the bread is the key!!! though I rather real pot roast style I'll let the deli sliced pass!!! lol
oh yea and the sweet potato fries were damn good too !!!!
def something I'll go back for soon !!! gave a brotha a lil taste of home and I appreciated it...
and the service was very good and very friendly!!! -
Review from Gretchen P.
Houston, TX
7/1/2010
Onion Rings. Onion Rings and PoBoys. Onion Rings and PoBoys from a lady from NOLA, who had the typical NOLA dry sense of humor, who told my friend that she couldn't use her gift certificate because although there was no date on it, the thing expired yesterday, then moved on to the next person at our table before cracking a smile and saying, "Just kidding." (How's that for a run-on sentence.) Ha! Typical NOLA sense of humor, this owner.
I got a half oyster/half roast beef PoBoy with onion rings. I forgot to mention that I didn't want it COMPLETELY dressed. There's never any need for mayonnaise. For future reference, if you get the roast beef PoBoy (which comes with gravy), 86 the mayonnaise, it's going to cause problems. I went through half of a roll of paper towels for just half a sandwich. There was gravy and mayonnaise in my hair after it was all over. Good, but messy for sloppy eaters who happen to also be princess and the pea types.
The onion rings were great. Not the best I've ever had, but then I'm something of a french fry hater, so I always order rings. I know my rings. The batter was slightly sweet, a bit too crisp, and not greasy at all. I'd order them again. Often.
The shrimp chips were great, as well. I'd never had them before, other than those pink and white circus food looking bags of Shrimp Flavored Chips. These were fresh and warm and tasty.
The PoBoy was good. I didn't particularly like the Oysters, but there were plenty of them. The roast beef was excellent, but there was too much gravy. It covered up the peppery beef. The bread was perfect. Perfect. This was the best PoBoy I've had in this city, and that's saying something. -
Review from dean d.
Dallas, TX
10/16/2010 2 photos
Oh yeah, this is the place for a great po-boy near downtown in Houston.
I truly enjoyed the Catfish po-boy: I ordered a 'regular' and two large 6" sandwiches showed up. Perfect light crumbly french bread, nicely stuffed sandwich.
I also ventured out and went for the Fries with Cheese and Gravy: there is so much gravy and melted cheese it is served in a bowl. Good, but I will not be doing that again LOL
The place is BYOB for you locals reading this.
It is on the way to Hobby Airport from downtown and near the correct exit if, like me, you need to know that. Enjoy.Comment from Lisa C. of Calliope's Po-boy 10/16/2010
Cool Beans! Glad you enjoyed it! More » -
Review from Taylor O.
Houston, TX
9/22/2010
This place was surprisingly good. Went a few weeks ago with one of my sisters, and she and i both enjoyed it. Next time i go back, i will try a po-boy, but my platter was equally great. Though i'm rating it at four stars, at times i felt it deserved 1. The gumbo (which i sampled from my sister) was different. I didn't care too much for it. I also had oysters on my platter, and there were also some in the gumbo. Something is going wrong with the taste. They almost appear unseasoned, and taste very much like they have no flavor except the gulf flavor. I love oysters, and often consume them raw. i know they already taste a lil fishy; etc, but never like this. If you do frequent this place, be alarmed for the oysters are suspect.
Another qualm i had was with them (Calliope) was that they were out of fish. We went by on a Sunday, and they were out of both fish and roast beef (i assume for a roast beef po-boy). They (management) said they wouldn't get more of each in until Monday when their truck came. So, i actually would've had fish and shrimp, vs fish and oysters. Next time i swing by, maybe it'll just be on a Monday. I did notice that them being out of fish/or something was pretty normal.
The ambiance is cool for the most part. It's in a very old area of Downtown, so if you're looking for beauty inside and outside, you won't find it here. The outside reeks of old buildings, etc. The inside is relatively clean, but they do have their deep freezer out in the open (but on the side) by a few tables. This of course didn't seem too sterile, but i noticed it much later after i ate (as we waited on the bill). Not sure how i would've felt had i noticed it sooner. One last thing, there was a little boy running in and out of the kitchen. Not really sure how i felt about this, other than whatever he was doing back there, i hope he wasn't doing it in my food.
The waitresses/waiters seemed to take a while to resurface and check on you; maybe because they were such short staffed, i don't know, but for the most part, they did finally make their rounds.
All-in-all, i totally give this place 4 stars. It's somewhere everyone should frequent at least. Hope i didn't ream Calliope too hard. I'm just saying. -
Review from Jan G.
7/19/2010
After reading Justine's H., early summer review of this place, then seeing three other friends who have posted reviews over the last year, I deemed Calliope's as "sponge worthy". Note to self, one shouldnt try cajun restaurants on Monday if one has anything else to do for the rest of the afternoon. Unassuming is an overstatement for the location and decor, but come to think of it, glitzy cajun places have never stuck with me anyway.
I was greeted at the door with a server that said I could sit down if I was dining in. Although I wanted to take a look at the whole menu, I zeroed in on the Very Special lunch specials menu and decided on the po-boy special that included a small boy and a cup of sausage and chicken gumbo. ($10). You could add a drink for $1.89 or a drink and fries for $2.89.
Their sign hanging over the kitchen said to be patient but I just wasnt in the mood. Thankfully, my late arrival facilitated a quick turnaround. The gumbo was really outstanding. Generous portions of tradiional sausage and chicken with one of the best rouxs around. The shrimp poboy 8 inches and cut in half while spilling out with small but perfectly ffried shimp, lettuce, tomatoe and sauce. The bread was outstanding as this should be a given but visits to other locales says otherwise. Fries were crisp, salty but not over cooked.
This place has it all going on, and is an absolute treasure in the EadDo. My NOLA colleagues will be the next true test. Can't wait to get them here if they have never been.
You know I dont give out 5 stars willy nilly and truthfully would have given 4.5 here for a slight stickiness deduction, but thats just being persnickety. Highly recommmended. -
Review from George L.
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tried out their mixed, fried seafood plate like a boss. Came with shrimp, oysters, catfish, and french fries, with a salad starter. Light and crispy, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of a greasy film, though the batter did fall of the fish towards the end. Definitely a step up from Long John Silver, which I guess is reflective in the price. It will run you about $12. My friends didn't really have much good to say about the po'boys here, so I'll count myself fortunate on this day.
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Review from Christina T.
Spring, TX
8/1/2011 9 Check-ins Here
I love love their po-boys! I always order the po-boy b/c it is hands down the best po-boys in Houston. I love the oyster po-boy b/c of the flavor of the oysters nestled inside the crunchy and crisp french bread - it's the bread that makes this po-boy a hit! Their tarter sauce has a great flavor and I love their sweet potato fries drizzled in honey. It's a no frills restaurant but so worth it.
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Review from Emily W.
7/13/2010
After being touting so positively on Yelp, I finally checked this place out.
+ big, succulent, and plump shrimp and oysters in PoBoys
+ good bread: crispy, toasty, and with a hint of sour dough
- fries with gravy and cheese: YUCK! tasted like someone took two slices of kraft sandwich cheese and microwaved them on top of the fries.
- employees were indifferent if we were there - as we walked into the restaurant, they just stood there staring, but not directing us to seat ourselves.
- the girl who haphazardly flung our bill down on our table was dressed sloppily [big t-shirt, leggings, and major bedhair]. Did she even work there?
Mehh....probably won't be back.Listed in: Suck 'em! Crawfish Heads, That…
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Review from Joey J.
Houston, TX
5/12/2010 ROTD 1/30/2011
Best po-boy I've ever had. Ok I mean i'm no Boudreaux Boudin Boy or anything, in fact closet to NOLA I've ever been was Lake Charles so I don't know how far you can take my opinion on the sandwich, but Maaaaan they are good.
I ordered the regular size half catfish/shrimp with sweet potato fries and an iced cold coca cola.They have a great homemade tartar sauce that I liked also. Squeezed some lemon over them and BAM!! Just like that, awesome taste bud explosion.
Food was very fresh and filling. Nice spot perfect for a bite while adventuring downtown.
On Sundays like right next door under the freeway they have a temporary church set up with mic and speakers and alot of the local homeless kickin it there. Big up's to whoever is reaching out to them like that. Thought it was cool. Believe it!
