On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: American (New), Steakhouses, American (Traditional) [Edit]
12256 Rockville PikeMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Loading...
Wonderful restaurant, as are most Hillstone establishments. The Hickory Burger is one of the best burgers you'll find anywhere. Spin dip is delish. Service was very good at this location. Great restaurant, despite it's strip mall exterior.
People thought this was:
I came here based on the recommendation of a friend (Heather from Trim Salon, see Trim review). I ordered the hickory burger which interestingly was a "bacon" cheeseburger made with Canadian bacon. As Heather mentioned the burger is really just a vehicle for the delicious Hickory sauce. Side note - she's vegetarian and she said the veggie burger is the best she ever had.
I was in Rockeville for an appointment, and as I had been late for my appointment I didn't have time to eat breakfast that morning. By noon I was starving and ate that huge burger and fries in literally less than five minutes. The waitress came back to "see if everything was okay" and she looked at me like I was a freak, completely disgusted I ate that much food in that period of time. I politely asked for her to run my card asap because I was worried I might fall asleep and have to be wheeled out of the restaurant.
This review is for the veggie burger only!!
This is the best veggie burger I have ever tasted. I spent an entire weekend trying to replicate this recipe--gettin' close.
I order with sautee' onions and BBQ sauce.
The burger is big and messy!! Nice texture. Great taste (witout the mock-meat affect).
Once we got the chef to tell us a key ingredient...Beets!! Wow! Who knew. Highly recommended this to firends and family--all enjoyed it--choosing the veggie burger over Houston Ribs.
People thought this was:
Perhaps all the rave about this place really hyped up our expectations but we weren't very impressed by our meal last night. Don't get me wrong, the meal was good but it didn't WOW us. We ordered the prime rib and the filet mignon.. while the filet was good it wasn't amazing. The prime rib was just ok. Considering the money spent there last night and it was my birthday.. I was expecting an amazing wow omg awesomeness meal.. but the experience didn't blow me away.
We had reservation so we only had to wait about 5 mins. The serivce was quick and good. Our server was very attentive and the ambiance was nice. The food however, just didn't live up to our expections.. and by that, I mean we expected more for the price we are paying. It wasn't a cheap meal! Will we come back again? Probably not at this point.
Excellent!!!But a little to much for me!!!I will share with my friend next time!^-^
Always great service. Everyone is so friendly. Always great food. I love their baked potato!!! It's just so expensive and I wish that their menu had a little more variety. They have this salad with pan seared tuna and I usually get that...mmmm!
People thought this was:
Among the chain restaurants, Houston is one of the best. The food is great, the service is very good and the ambiance simple, yet elegant. I went there recently with my wife, after we received a US$50 coupon on a raffle at our building (I am just a poor scientist). We did not order dessert, we shared and appetizer and did not drink wine and the bill was still US$40 on top of the coupon. Therefore, be prepared to spent "big bucks" if you want to have a full course dinner there (maybe this is the reason why people like Maddoff were habitués at Houston's in Manhattan).
Ahhh...the grilled artichokes were delicious!
Usually a bit of a wait and the prices seem to go up slightly each time I visit... but it's worth it. Houston's has the BEST vegy burger ever and the drinks are strong. I dig this place.
People thought this was:
I remember the good ol' days when those amazing burgers were only $8 bucks. Those stick thin fries are VERY tastey. The burgers are VERY VERY VERY good. However, this restaurant is somewhat on the pricey end (burgers are now 11-13 I think?) and they don't accept reservations (which sucks). But I'm willing to drive 30-40 more minutes to get Ray's Hellburger.
Restaurant feel is definatly romantic. Dim lighting sets the mood.
People thought this was:
I was happily surprised by everything at Houston's: food, service, decor.
After a friend told me about a fabulous meal she had here, we decided to stop in for lunch on a Sunday. I had *the most amazing* tomato and shrimp salad and grilled artichokes (both specials) and my husband loved the maple-glazed carrots (even more than his burger, which was "ground fresh" that morning). The inside was cozy, dimly lit, and had the feel of a historic DC tavern--much more well-decorated than the stripmall exterior would lead you to believe--and the service was top notch.
I left feeling like this was right up there with some of the best meals I've had in Rockville (Il Pizzico, Cava, Mykonos, Sushi Damo...) My only regret was that I didn't order a martini.
The food and service here is very good, the only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is for the prices. I understand this is a more upscale dining experience than most of the restaurants around it but the prices seem a bit much for American food. Other than that, the menu is great and I would suggest Houston's to anyone
Been here twice for dinner- once for a friend's bday and once on Father's Day. I gotta say, this place is top-notch in terms of service. The substitutions of sides, asking for stuff on the side, and requesting for condiments/napkins/etc while they are running from table to table does not trip them up.
Their starter salads are HUGE. I thought they had brought out an entree salad by mistake. It had lots of toppings inside- more than the usual tomatoes and onions. My grandmother got their cheeseburger and fries. It was good... not sure if it was $13-14 good but she got 1/2 of it to go. My rib-eye was cooked well and I had no complaints.
With non-alcoholic drinks, 4 starter salads, and 4 entrees, it came out to be about $140 including tip. Not bad for a special occasion.
Gonna have to give Houston's a "Pretty Damn Good" on the eater meter.
A group from work and I popped in on Inauguration night and the place was a buzz with post inaugural bliss. I don't typically Yelp chain restaurants, but this was good enough to warrant the review.
We started with the smoked salmon appetizer and Spinach dip. The smoked salmon was a show stopper. A generous slab of house smoked salmon which was moist and flaky and simply delicious when smathered with the accompanying sauce.
I had a house salad, which I shared. One other diner had the Caesar. Entrees for the group...
1. Crab Cakes.... twin cakes, panko crusted and fried. Served over a rich mustard sauce. They were really good.
2. Petite Filet - properly seasoned but a little overdone. It was ordered medium but I would say it came out medium well. (I would have ordered it medium rare)
3. Grilled Halibut in butter crab sauce - Very good. Perfectly cooked.
4. BBQ Ribs - Tasty, but not a great value for my money. The ribs were not as meaty as I would have liked.
Sides are very good here. I love the shoestring fried potatoes and their housemade coleslaw with fresh chopped parsley (really fresh and delicious)
For dessert we shared the lemon zest cheesecake. It was cheesecake perfection.
Service was a real standout. Our server could not have been better. Causual and unaffected while remaining totally on top of her game. What more could you ask for.
People thought this was:
I have been a patron of Houston's for years- and the Rockville location...well...not the nicest Houston's I have been too. The food remains good, the prices are still high, but the service just isn;t the same anymore. It used to be great, but now.....
Here are my two pet peeves with Houston's
1. It is not necesary to put a suggessted tipping menu of the bill. I find it tacky. I somehow am able to figure out the tip at other resteraunts....
2. I went ot eat there last week with my husband and another couple. Our friend ordered steak..and when it came with a baked potato, which he did not order..the waitress took it off of his plate at the table..WITH HER BARE HANDS. I do want to know how my food is handled in the kitchen, I want to remain oblivious...but at the table, right in front of all of us?? Needless to say, my friend could not eat his steak that was left on the plate. No manhandling my food please. gross. just gross.
I went to Houston's for the cheeseburger. Call it a waste of time and money, but I've heard rave reviews about this dish. Want to know how it went? Read on, fellow Yelper, read on.
What I like about the burger is that it's not overdone. And I mean in terms of bells and whistles (the burger itself was slightly overcooked). It's not some patty hiding beneath some fancy sauce or exotic vegetable. It's a simple, greasy, American burger. Topped with cheddar cheese, diced raw onion, lettuce and tomato. The "house-made" bun was very good. Overall not extraordinary, but a very solid burger.
Fries are the standard Houston's shoestring variety. At first I didn't like such dainty spuds meandering with my manly burger. Honestly I had trouble grasping the little suckers after handling such a hefty sandwich. But the fries were salted perfectly. And they had the right balance of crispiness to softness.
The misses ordered the Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich. Delicious. I think I liked it more than the cheeseburger. Jack cheese, arugula, red onion, and tomato compliment the herb-y rotisserie chicken well. It's comfort food on a bun. (And yes, I waited until she said she was full before I devoured her sandwich.)
Service was excellent. The waitress didn't mind that we ordered 2 of the cheapest entrees on the menu. She was attentive, friendly, and proactive. Just what I have come to expect at Houston's.
Just a note: I haven't been to Houston's in a while and last time the Hawaiian Ribeye was off the menu. I was happy to see the Hawaiian Rib-eye is back on the menu.
A solid three stars for the cheeseburger. Bump up to 4 for the service and previous dining experiences. Happy eating and happy new year.
People thought this was:
A wonderful touch to a wonderful Valentine's day. I'm daydreaming about my meal here as I finish up my leftovers..
We arrived at 1015pm for our 1045pm reservation. We were told me would be seated at our reservation time. My boyfriend and I didn't mind since the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest was on TV in the bar while we waited. Someone must have finished sooner than expected because we were called at 1030pm.
Our server was not friendly at all. I felt like he had this thing against me.. As we were ordering our starter, he grabbed my menu but not my boyfriend's while we were still trying to decide.. like I'm not allowed to have a choice on what we get? lol. Not only that, but after I asked for a suggestion on what glass of cabrenet I should get, he took my ID and stated, "I have to go and scan this, I'll be right back." Wow, I know I look young, but still. He didn't take my boyfriend's ID to scan..
As for the food, absolutely fantastic. I originally ordered the Prime Rib and he ordered the Hawaiian Ribeye, but we ended up trading since the Prime Rib was enough to feed a small country. Cooked exactly how we liked it, no need for any extra condiments or sauces. I subbed my fries for a baked potato which was a wise decision. Loaded with everything: cheese, sour cream, butter and chives. *drools*
Loved it, much better than the meal we had at Ruth's Chris last year. However, their service doesn't touch RC. Will we ever come again? Probably not. I'm anxious to try all the other steakhouses around town.
People thought this was:
How time flies.
Hubs asked if I wanted to check out Houston's and I had to smile. In my old life, I enjoyed their good eats, often, during the mid-late 90's. So away we went.
Since Houston's always has foot traffic, I like that the waiting area is large enough to do just that. Our wait, surprisingly, wasn't that long. Weekday.
Same good service and my belly was pleased as always like back in the days. Still a popular local spot and it was getting quite busy... gradually felt like a weekend dining night.
My usual Center-Cut Filet (butterfly cut - medium rare) and subbed the seasonal veg for the couscous. Hubs had the Roasted Prime Rib w/French Fries. I kept stealing the fries from him hehe. The couscous was okay. It would have complimented a meat that had a variety of flavor like the Rotisserie Chicken... should've stayed w/the menu's suggestion. But their red meats were melting in our mouths. I was satisfied then and still am now.
Their menu has many familiar goodies from burgers and pork ribs to pan fried fish and jumbo lump crab cakes. Something for everyone. Great casual place for couples and friends.
Located at Towne Plaza. If driving north on 355 (Rockville Pike), it's on the left and vice versa.
People thought this was:
OMG! its so BIG!!!
i swear i can never finish it (depsite me being such a small girl :p) it cuts like butter. smells so incredible. and sauce is NOT necessary. what is it? a houston STEAK!
now im not a big medium rare-rare fan. little bit of pink freaks me out sometimes (ive been watching wayy too much discovery channel ~.~) so when i asked for well done, i thought it would be chewy, hard and not moist, with lacking flavor. but i was so wrong. so SO wrong :p
my only issue is some of their sides taste like crap. like the couscous, its so dry and like eating pebbles in your mouth. and ive been here a couple times but this was a first. my baked potatoe was HARD! the flip!! i had the hardest time putting my fork into it -.- but whatever the steak made me too full to even touch the nasty sides.
aside from the steak, i would recommend the special fish they sometimes have. the halibut, its so light and doesnt leave that nasty fish flavor afterwards!
People thought this was:
THE WAIT...was long, but expected, it was a weekend night and I was a party of 4.
THE WAITER...our particular waiter was rude...and sort of an ass. Whatever..maybe it was just OUR waiter. I was on a double date and he never looked at our dates in the face...he only spoke directly to me and my best friend (a female aka. the other dater)...it was weird. When it came to taking our guys' orders, he looked at his notepad the whole time...I didn't get it at all, it's not like they were ugly! LOL!
THE RULES...don't get the cell phone rule. We saw the sign (regarding cell phone use) so we all decided to turn our cellphones to vibrate - we did this all at the same time just as our waiter was coming over to take our drink order. He looked shocked and advised us to turn our cellphones off...umm yeah right. I guess he thought we were texting each other or something. I left mines ON...vibrate.
THE FOOD...I am absolutely in LOVE with their chicken tenders! It's like CRACK wrapped around meat! LOL!
THE PRICES...high, but the food is good.
----
CONCLUSION...If the food weren't good - I wouldn't return, b/c I didn't like the service.
People thought this was:
I lost a bet a few months ago and finally had to pay up tonight by taking a couple of my friends out to Houston's for dinner. Of course since I was paying I wanted to go to Sizzler but my boys weren't buying that. You can imagine I was quite distraught when they chose Houston's because, like most good steak houses, it is a little on the pricey side.
The restaurant is in a weird location and is quite easy to miss as you go by it on Rockville Pike. It's much bigger on the inside then it appears on the outside and sports plenty of tables in a dimly lit atmosphere.
The three of us all left from work and arrived at slightly different times. I was kind of pissed that they wouldn't seat me and my other guest while we waited for our third. I thought that it was quite rude that they made us sit in the lobby when there were plenty of empty tables. When we were finally sat we were put at a large six top and had to request to be placed at a smaller, more conversation friendly table which I thought was rather odd.
It was smooth sailing after that.
I ordered a caramelized onion soup along with the ribeye, medium rare, and a cold pint of Sierra Nevada. The soup was served with bread and melted cheese and was pretty good. The steak came about ten minutes after the appetizer and was cooked to perfection. It was incredibly tender for a ribeye and was marinated in an incredibly delicious marinade. It also had a slight charcoal taste that was rather delightful.
My buds both ordered the prime rib with the bone in and were very very pleased with what they got. They also ordered side salads as appetizers (which were $11!) and a beer and diet coke.
Overall this was a fantastic meal at a fantastic steak house. This was my second great experience at this Houston's. It was pricey ($120 for three of us) but it's always worth it when your with good friends. I'm still bitter Memphis lost that game and it was me buying as opposed to being treated. But hey, at least I still have both of my thumbs..... For now.
People thought this was:
Lets face it, steak in DC is inconsistent. Morton's, Ruth Chris, Sam & Harry's, PrimeRib, your back yard, where ever it might be, these places, while they make amazing steak, are often a box of chocolates.
You are assured a great steak when you come to Houston's and great everything else. The service is almost always good, unless you get someone horrible, which can happen. The atmosphere is also cool and the tables large and roomy.
"Get to the food!" you say. Fine, here it is. The steak is wonderful. Everytime. It will not be the best steak you ever have, but it will be up there, and it wont cost you $50. The spinach dip is the best appetizer and its so delicious. I've been here at least 6 times and it has never disappointed. The salads are always amazing, and full of wonderfulness. If you want to go to a nice place to eat, but not spend $100, this should be in your top 3. In fact, if you go, gimme a call.
People thought this was:
I was mildly horrified when a high schooler I came here with asked for A1 sauce for his steak. I have vowed not to bring high schoolers to $$+ restaurants forevereverevermore.
I really like Houston's in general because it's great in many ways but the price is still reasonable. Believe the hype about Houston's - There's a 60-minute wait for a reason.
FOOD. The food is amazing. I go for the ribs which are phenomenal. They're seasoned just right and cooked so that the meet is falling off the bone. The sashimi tuna salad is also probably one of the best salads I've ever had. It's got a generous portion of avocado, a deliciously sweet sauce and tuna that's actually rare when you order it rare (which is the ONLY way to prepare this tuna). The spinach and artichoke dip knocks the socks off of any other restaurant who attempts this appetizer. The chips are juuust crispy enough and the dip is just so creamy and cheesy and really perfect. Get a baked potato with everything with your entree - It's the only way to go. I've also heard that the traditional side salad is one of the best salads ever.
I choose this Houston's over the Bethesda location because it seems to be bigger, parking is more convenient and I feel like it's more down-to-earth - I don't know why :)
People thought this was:
I always take my mother here for holidays/celebrations. I make sure to try new entrees everytime we go. We also get appetizers and desserts because we know that the food will be amazing. I have been overly satisfied with the portions, quality, creativity, presentation, and flavor of everything I've tried there. The ambiance is intimate and high class and the service is always great! I don't like to splurge, but when I do I love going to Houston's. You definitely get what you pay for at this place.
Nothing says upward social mobility like your visit to Houston's...that or "OMG! I signed a credit card form just to get a free t-shirt and later they actually gave me free money! Huh?! What's an APR?" Growing up, eating out meant going to McD's/Roy Rogers/Burger King or for special occasions going to TGIFriday's. A lot of older folks I knew kept talking about this place Houston's and how awesome the food was, so much so that Houston's became almost mythical in my mind. I still remember when a close friend of mine started working, and by working, I probably mean hustling, either that or he made a lot of money playing Tonk or Spades...it was PG county after all...and for my birthday, he wanted to take me out to Houston's, which may as well have been called Jefferson's b/c I felt like singing
Movin' on Up! To the east side!
Movin' on Up! We've finally got a piece of the pie!
The experience was glorious and the food is still etched on my tongue. Spinach dip, filet ordered medium (I was still in high school and didn't fully appreciate rare meats), which came w/ my first ever salad with real bacon rather than those bacon pebbles, Couscous, which I ordered b/c it sounded expensive, which were like bacon pebbles made of rice, and a brownie a la mode. A fat angel in foodie heaven got his or her wings that day.
About 10 years later and numerous trips to Houston's for birthday's, attempting to impress girls on a first date only to let them down when date #2 was at McD's, special occasions, and random trips to Rockville, Houston's has remained an enjoyable dining destination. The food, service, not to mention wait times, have remained consistent over the years.
Food - if you go to Houston's, you absolutely must start with the Chicago-Style Spinach Dip ($11). Cheese + chopped spinach + heavy whipping cream, served with sour cream/salsa and hips. Grab a chip, layer on 2 parts dip, 1 parts sour cream and salsa, put into mouth, enjoy, and repeat. The chips can be rather oily at times, but the dip is so amazing! For entrees, the Hawaiian Ribeye ($29) is like a giant piece of tender, tender galbi, the Center-Cut Filet ($30) used to be a favorite until I discovered the goodness that is fatty meats, the prime rib ($27) isn't too shabby, and the barbecue ribs ($27) are fall-off-the-bone tender with excellent flavor. All of these entrees are good, but I think Ray's or Ruth's easily trump the steaks, the Hawaiian used to be massive but it must've spent too much time in the pool b/c there's some major shrinkage, and any BBQ joint will provide 2 racks of ribs for the price of barely one here. The entrees are served with a recommended side, but I always opt out of the couscous. They used to provide a traditional or Caesar salad with the entree a long time ago, but they now charge $5. I don't usually enjoy salads but the traditional salad--mixed greens, crunchy croutons, chopped egg and smokehouse bacon--is really good. A dining companion once ordered the crabcakes and we weren't impressed as there was quite a bit of filler.
The brownie a la mode is an excellent end to a decadent meal.
Location - in it's heydey, you could expect a Cheesecake Factory-esque hour long wait on any night, except that the wait here made sense since the food was actually good. I mean really, is the cajun jambalaya so good that you'd wait more than an hour for it? Anywho, today, Houston's still gets steady traffic but most weeknights, you should be seated promptly. If you have to wait, the waiting area is very large and has plenty of seats so it's not too bad. They can accommodate groups, but I believe they can seat a maximum of 7 at each table. The interior is dimly lit with plenty of comfortable booths. If you're coming from the Beltway on Rockville Pike, you have to make a U-turn at the light for Federal Plaza.
Service - most of the times I've been here, the service has been great. On a few occasions, a hostess or server were snooty, but by and large, the service was on point. For parties of 5 or more, they'll automatically add 18% gratuity.
The food at Houston's is still very good and it still remains a fantastic restaurant in my mind, but it has certainly lost its mythical status.
Finally, an amusing personal anecdote. On one special occasion where I wanted to celebrate my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, for something or other, I wanted to surprise her and said, "We're going to go to one of your favorite places tonight." When we showed up at Houston's, she said, "Honey. Houston's is YOUR favorite restaurant." ^_^
People thought this was:
I've heard the rest of the menu is fantastic, but one of the very few things I find making it worth being in Rockville, MD is Houston's grilled artichokes. Unbelievable. They almost taste like a buttered steak, with the perfect amount of salt. A long forgotten classic in todays health regime.
The attentiveness of the staff could be better during lunch, but again, the grilled artichokes alone make this place worth a visit.
Personally I like the "No Cell Phones" postings on the menu, etc.
People thought this was:
Not impressed, especially considering there's a Clyde's nearby - the prices are comparable, the quality of the food is not. My advice? Stick with the basics - burgers, sandwiches, salads etc. If it sounds at all complicated (seared ahi tuna, anyone?), you will be disappointed.
The service was speedy and attentive - no complaints there.
Tip: try the Chicago-style spinach dip appetizer - pretty tasty.
People thought this was:
I love this place! Delicious and consistent! My family has been coming here for the past 20 years and quality and service are still top notch. The hawaiian ribeye is so perfectly cooked that even the fat is delicious. My boyfriend always gets the knife and fork ribs. I usually add the house salad to my entree for about 5 bucks and you can't go wrong with their vinaigrette dressing. It comes with the best cheese bread. I have never had a problem with their service..it is always reliable and friendly. The prices are very affordable for the quality, portion, and service. It's definitely one of my local favorites. Only downside is that their wait time can easily run over 45 minutes on a weekend.
People thought this was:
I visited Houston's again on Sunday night and was again impressed by their food and service. In regards to the menu, their steaks like the filet, NY strip (occasionally listed as a daily special), and Hawaiian ribeye were all very good, and the kitchen has never screwed up the doneness of the steaks (always medium rare for me!) While not as to-die-for as my favorite steak (the wonderfully marbled Cowboy Cut from Ray's), all of the dishes listed above were tender and flavorful. Another menu highlight also mentioned by some of the other reviewers are the ribs. The ribs have a beautiful sweet and smoky glaze that is slightly crunchy on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside. They slide right off the bone. Perhaps my only gripe with this dish is serving of fries it comes with; they are usually just too salty for me, but the crunchiness and texture are spot-on.
Service has always been solid, with drink refills coming in regularly and waiters/waitresses checking up on you occasionally. Ambiance is also nice and comfortable, with warm, dim lighting and piano jazz music, along with seating that is nicely spaced apart for a bit of privacy. Ultimately, Houston's is a sure bet of a restaurant. It's been very consistent over my past few visits and is world's better than most other restaurant chains in the area. It can cost a bit more than other joints, but hey, you sure get what you pay for.
People thought this was:
This place is one of the best in Rockville...they are so great at customer service it's almost unreal. They don't upcharge for additional vegetables --- who does that anymore??? :-O (look of surprise) They actually come to the table and ask you important questions like "how is everything?" Who knew there were still places like this in existence...expecially in suburbia?
Everything is good here! Food & Service...now I am not sure about the crowd that shows up there...but you didn't hear it from me.
People thought this was:
Although other people often rave about this restaurant, I think it's pretty average, especially when compared to other steakhouses in the DC area. I've had all sorts of dishes here -- NY strip, filet mignon, grilled fish, etc., so I'm not just talking about the steak. There isn't much variety in the steak preparations -- they always seem to be hickory-smoked! -- and the appetizers are not very original or exciting -- I mean how many dressing-drenched chicken Caesar salads can a person stand before wanting to tear their hair out?!!!!!
Also, the food is often overcooked: I've had this experience enough times at this restaurant to make me believe it's not just an unusual occurence. On my last visit, I got a very well-done steak when I'd asked for medium-rare (or as close to medium-rare as they were allowed to make it by USDA regulations). Needless to say, I was disappointed with my steak, despite my efforts to ensure otherwise.
Now it's usual conventional wisdom to stick to what a specialty restaurant does best. It's not usually advisable to eat chicken at steak restaurant or steak at a fish restaurant. This is generally the wisest course of action. However, on a previous visit, I took a chance and veered from conventional wisdom and tried the salmon, after being repeatedly assured by the waiter that the grilled salmon was superb and cooked to perfection. Needless to say, it was -- sigh -- overcooked! Looking back on the experience, I think the waiter's advocacy of the salmon was more of a sales ploy to "move" more fish out of the kitchen -- or perhaps it was due to his severely off-center & possibly wilting tastebuds(!) -- than a genuine attempt to give an honest opinion.
If unexciting, conventional American fair is what you're looking for, well then, look no further. I personally expect a little more pizazz and excitement from DC area restaurants. Why have the ordinary, when you can be pleasantly surprised by something new and unexpected? I believe in not settling for "just average," and also in the importance of expanding your food horizons by taking some risks in your culinary adventures. After all, life is too short to consume bad food & wine. Why play it safe & eat less-than-thrilling food? If you try something you've never tried before, what's the worst that can happen? You don't like it?! Well, now you know. So what, take it home & feed it to your dog; maybe he'll like it! I'd still rather keep an open mind and discover what's out there.
My general philosophy is that there's no reason or excuse for going someplace truly awful (like Hamburger Hamlet and its ilk) or even average (like Houston's), when you can pay the same amount of money or less and get good quality food elsewhere. Or better yet, spend the evening at home with your loved ones and cook up a feast! Cooking (and not just eating!) is truly one of the great pleasures of life -- It's one of the few rare activities in life that uses all 5 of your senses. Yes, cooking is a beautiful thing -- lively, often communal, frequently memorable, sometimes awe-inspiring -- even earth-shaking at times, but rarely dull. You can't go through the experience unchanged or unmoved. I'd go as far as saying that if the experience of cooking doesn't make you feel more alive, then there's got to be something wrong with you!
But alas, I digress. Back to eating & some final thoughts on Houston's:
To be fair, it's not that the food is always horrible; it's just that it's average. For all of its hype, it fails to meet my expectations of what a good steakhouse of its pupported caliber should really be. For what Houston's offers, I frankly think the food is overpriced and over-touted. For a fraction of what it costs to eat a steak at Houston's, you could eat a much better steak at Red Rock Canyon Grill. So save your money & head over to Red Rock.
People thought this was:
A great place for a business lunch! A nice selection of items from burgers to salads to steaks to crabcakes. I've been to this location twice. Once for lunch, once for dinner.
I suggest this place at lunch as I wasn't much impressed with the dinner selections at my last visit.
Service is average, prices are what you'd expect for a decent restaurant in Rockville.
People thought this was:
Okay, Houston's is packed. And generally speaking, overpriced. And a chain. But guess what? Their food is outstanding! The atmosphere sucks but I'll deal if I can eat those ribs. I think those ribs are pretty hard to beat, honestly.
People thought this was:
Went to Houston's for my 22nd birthday with my boyfriend. At first, we were planning on going to Ruth's Chris Steak House, but we've heard that their steak is inconsistent and it's overpriced for what it is. So, at the last minute, we decided to go to Houston's instead.
So anyway, We got there around 8:15pm on a Saturday. We were told that the wait was about 30-35 minutes long, but we ended up waiting for about 50 minutes. But I gotta say... the food made up for the long wait.
Our server was great, he kept checking with us to see if we needed anything, refilled the drinks before we ran out, etc.
We had the spinach dip for appetizer, and it was one of the best spinach dip I've had. It was cheesy, but yet not greasy. I also had the Hawaiian Rib-eye and I loved it. It was juicy, full of flavor, and perfectly cooked. My boyfriend had the ribs (I forgot what it's exactly called) and he loved it. The meat was falling off the meat so easily and tasted great.
We will definately come back again.
People thought this was:
I've been going to Houston's at the Rockville location for over 15 years. In the 15 years the service has always been top notch, the food even better. For lunch you can never go wrong with the French Dip au jous, the meat is a perfect medium rare every time. If you are a fan of ribs, they have ribs that fall off the bone, no need to pick them up with your hands what so ever. Every single item on the menu is a win here. My favorite spot in the DC area bar none. Also for starters try the spinach artichoke dip, no where else compares. If you come for dinner be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes some times up to an hour, but well worth the wait. Very professional wait staff at all times.
People thought this was:
First time eating at Houston's in Rockville. Selection of entrees was good. We had smoked salmon for an apetizer and it was very good. I ordered the Prime Rib, medium. It was sooooooo gooooooodddd..... I will definetly go back to this place. The food is excellent.
People thought this was:
This is my second favorite Houstons location, after the one in Century City (Los Angeles). It's a bit out of the way in a nondescript strip mall on the Rockville Pike, but completely worth tracking down (and trying to find parking)
The waits are usually shorter than the Bethesda location, and this location usually doesn't have the double cut pork chop, which is a bit of a crime.
Otherwise, though, this is basically my favorite suburban Maryland dining destination.
People thought this was:
The food is always "solid" here. The issue is how poorly they manage the wait times, and seating. It's always been a super popular, therefore crowded place. That's life. But recently they started taking reservations. Unfortunately they do NOT have their system down. We were there on Saturday night and were told we'd have a ~35 minute wait. 65 minutes later we were at our table. While we waited a woman came up who had yet to be seated, despite a reservation time 30 minutes prior to the time on the wall. They have to work this stuff out.
People thought this was:
This is one of the better steakhouses I have been to in the area. The prime rib and filet mignon are delicious and cooked just right. The atmosphere at this place is also good and I would definitely recommend this place. This is a restaurant I want to go back to in the near future.
People thought this was:
Excellent food, nice atmosphere. I don't particularly like the "attitude" everyone seems to have there, at various visits we've been treated rudely by hostesses and waiters, and they have a few "rules" listed on the menu (no cell phone in the dining room, 18% tip is 'customary') which is off-putting, even if I would never carry on a loud cell phone conversation or tip less than 20%! They seem to always be out of Shiraz, our favorite wine, but the rest of the options are good. However we keep going back because the food is fantastic.
Definitely make reservations if your group is more than two. If it's just two, you can usually get a booth at the bar within 15 minutes. Otherwise, you'll have a good hour of a wait (and get a "look" for not making a reservation!).
Some of our favorite items on the menu are the spinach-artichoke dip, the grilled chicken salad (probably my favorite salad anywhere - delicious asian lime dressing), the french dip/beef au jous sandwich, the new england clam chowder, and the various steaks. They will cook the steak any way you want it, and usually get it right. Probably the best steak in Rockville. Also a very nice lunch if you don't mind paying the $$.
People thought this was:
everything we ordered was great! (i had a bite from everybody's plate, hehe) the steak in the thai steak salad came in big juicy chunks. the halibut topped with crab was sooo tasty (even though it could have been a teeny bit bigger...). there were a couple other dishes i tried that were good as well. our waitress was really personable and sharp as a tack!
the 2 drawbacks are 1) they don't take reservations for parties of 6, which i found strange for any sit down restaurant of their caliber. and 2) they don't do take out (we wanted to order for people we were meeting later).
but, our waitress accommodated us by bringing the additional entrees out on their plates, and then transferring them to boxes at our table like they were "leftovers."
overall really pleasant dining experience.
People thought this was:
Bethesda, MD
Category: American (New)
Rockville, MD
Category: Specialty Food
Rockville, MD
Category: Bars
Rockville, MD
Category: Latin American
Rockville, MD
Category: Greek
There don't seem to be very many rocks in…
My favorite places to dine on bovine, which I…
I think the burger may be the perfect food. Beef…
