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Categories: American (New), Steakhouses [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Embarcadero, North Beach/Telegraph HillMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Houston's is one of the most consistent restaurants in town. Let's begin with the appetizers, shall we? The Spinach & Artichoke dip is outstanding; not too creamy, not too dry. The smoked salmon with a dill-like sauce makes you yearn for more. It is perfectly seasoned (not dousted with salt), and fresh as can be. The Tuna Tartare is delicate and super fresh (sashimi grade) and served with a nice portion of mixed greens on the side. On to the entrees: The prime rib is tender, juicy and mouthwatering. My date said that the PR is almost as good as HOPR's Prime Rib. My filet mignon was a generous portion-- 10 oz always cooked just the way I, I mean the way you like it. The baked potato is another epic story. Houston's baked potato is like eating a twice baked mashed potatoes w/o all the cream, but just as rich; it tastes so darn good. I love going to Houston's b/c I know that I'm in for a good night. The setting is warm & cozy on a cool SF night... Houston's also has a live jazz band who really sets a pleasant ambiance. Houston's will easily become one of your favorite restaurants.. =) Cheers!
P.S. Ask your waiter for some bread and olives (also comes w/almonds) and it's FREE.. I don't think ppl know about this, they'll know you're in the know! *wink* Enjoy!
I loved the atmosphere of this place! We walked in with a party of 6 because they don't take reservations for anything larger than a party of 4. We ended up waiting about 40 minutes, which isn't bad for a Saturday night.
I read on here to ask for the bread and olives...sure glad we did because it was delicious! We also ordered the spinach dip as an appetizer, also really good. For main courses, 3 people got the BBQ ribs, which are just as amazing as everyone says. So good! I ordered the fish of the day which was sea bass...excellent! Most meals came with 2 sides, which were pretty generous portions.
The service was great at the table, but really slow at the bar where we were waiting for our table. Overall a good experience and would go back again!
Maybe I was expecting too much from this place, but I was thoroughly disappointed.
If you state on your menu that you charge 18% gratuity and stand by your service, you better live up to it! Our waitress didn't seem to know what so was doing at all. She would bring us food that we did not order, and then take it away to the right table. Or she would be gone without coming back to take our orders or even bothering to check in with us.
After I read all the great things Yelpers had to say about the Hawaiian Rib-eye, I decided to give it a try. Boy, did I regret that choice! The cut was not tender and the marinate was too sweet for my taste. But the baked potato side was delish!
Surprisingly the lamb was very tender and juicy. I must add that I was not impressed with the mashed potato. The chopped up bits of green onion did not add anything to the mashed potato. Should just leave it out.
Overall, I think they need to expand on the appetizers. I still can't believe they cook lamb better than steak! I mean this is a steakhouse, right? I'll just stick to Ruth's Chris and Morton's for my steak. Most likely not coming back here for steak or the service.
I absolutely LOVED Houston's!
I went with my coworkers and ate like rockstars. Everything we tried was delicious. The Spinach & Artichoke Dip was so creamy and decadent. The guacamole was just lovely with huge chunks of avocado and bits of fresh corn. The cheese bread was also to die for. Soft bread wedges with melted cheese on top. YUM!
I had the roasted prime rib with baked potato. The plate was covered with a HUGE slab of meat that was perfectly cooked. Juicy and succulent. Wow, I never ever had meat so good. The baked potato enveloped a huge serving of butter, bacon bits, cheese, green onions, and sour cream. It was a heart attack waiting to happen but I didn't care. I tried my coworker's barbecue pork ribs...just fell off the bone...DELICIOUS!
I thoroughly enjoyed my gimlet cocktail with mint and cucumber...refreshing! We finished the lunch with the harvest cheesecake and fudge sundae. I think the cheesecake was suppose to be pumpkin flavored but all I could taste was the orange zest (or something citrusy)...a bit disappointing. The sundae was absolutely sinful! :)
All in all, the food was absolutely delicious and our waitress was extremely attentive and sweet. I will definitely go again...for sure!
**WARNING** If you have over 6 people in your party, you will be split into two tables!!
I was so sad that had to happen, but we were across from each other so we snuck each other waves occasionally :)
On with the food, I had the daily fish special, the Hallibut. taste great with lemon juice squeezed all over, and pepper every bite! It came with broccoli with some kinda garlic sauce.
If you're going for dinner, remember, the Pier still charges for meter parking after 6pm! Starting from 7pm, it's 50 cents per half hour, so remember to pay at the pay machine, or find a 2-hour parking area.
I must say, this restaurant has been nothing but consistent. I've been here several times throughout the years and the flavors are always spot on. I love love love the filet mignon. Super tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection. When you say medium rare, they give you medium rare. Much appreciated. The appetizers are also good as well. I highly recommend the smoked salmon. So yummy! Will definitely keep coming here.
Good steak and amazing dessert. I've heard their Hawaiian steak is the best, so I'll try it next time. I made the mistake to go without reservations - had to wait awhile (expected with a popular restaurant though).
Give yourself enough time to find parking - especially Thurs-Sat nights. Nice place for a date or even to watch a game on TV at the bar.
A Pleasant restaurant along the Embarcadero. Yes, it's a chain but don't let that put you off. Execution is not compromised here. This location has a nice outdoor patio area with a lovely fire that you can lounge by. The interior screams vintage SF (Think HOPR).
The food is consistent and I always leave with a happy stomach. The French Dip is easily hands down the best in town. Their burger is ground fresh daily and flavors are fresh and clean. The shoe strings fries are a perfect accompaniment to either sandwich. Service is friendly and a full bar always helps :)
You can bet I'll be back!
Great since I didn't have to pay (May or June 2009?) ! I love being treated out to restaurants like this! Thanks to my exchange-student's family for our treat to Houstons!
I've been here a second time too in Aug 2009, dining before a jaunt to Mighty SF to get SALTED (see: http://www.yelp.com/ev... ) with Househeads - Jesse and Denise (see: http://www.yelp.com/us... )
Food, Drinks, Service and Ambiance are always on par for this restaurant. Yes, prices are up there but this is a great spot no doubt for business dinners or for out-of-towners looking for a great meal, service, and ambiance.
+ Portions are generous.
+ Rib Eye = perfect
+ Prime Rib - Incroyable! Better than the House of Prime Rib, Gullivers, etc...
+ Ribs Awesome.
+ Artichoke & Spinach Dip = consistently decadent and sinful junk food
+ Crab Cakes - WOW
+ Desserts to die for!
I'll be back. I'm a fan!
Oh wow. This place is WOW! The Filet Mignon, SUPERB!! The Prime Rib, AWESOME! The baked potato side dish, REAL BACON???
This place has moved on up to one of my favorite steak houses in San Francisco Bay Area. Aside from the really good food, the atmosphere is homey. The people are friendly, and it's not stuffy (environment wise, though the air is good too). The bar serves a variety of wine, which I love. It's a good place to take out friends, a date, or just go for some delicious red meat!
However, I did not give it five stars because of parking. What was once free parking, now require meter feeding. At times, the meter doesn't even work. Given the area's windy weather, and SF being cold, running up and down the block trying to feed the meter really killed it for me.
My friends took me hear on my bday and it was good food.
I appreciated the tastey steak. Cooked perfect and juicey. Every thing was very tastey!
Nice place to go for a date or with professional folks. Service was uncomfortable since I felt they sized me and my friends up. They looked at us as if we were too young to drink even though we were there for dinner. Thats why I knocked them down one star. But I'd go there again for some more delish food.
Hawaiian Rib Eye is super delicious! : ) The environment is very cozy and busy, I like how the kitchen is open so you feel like they are cooking in front of you, well not really in front of you but you get the idea. Parking is easy just pay the meter, it is weird how the meter over there is until 11pm, so remember to pay!
Overall I will recommend people to come here and try the Hawaiian Rib Eye, you won't be disappointed. : )
This is one of the better places to have barbecue food in the bay area. I ordered the bbq pork ribs, with Louisiana-style dirty rice and sauteed spinach, and enjoyed and finished all my food. The rib meat was well cooked, tender and just the right firmness, not too overwhelmed by the bbq sauce as some bbq restaurants do.
On the flip side, the wait time during dinner hours can be quite long (we waited around 45 minutes), and all 7 of us had to squeeze around a table for 6.
The location of this Houston's make it perfect for a (pricey) meal before/after an Alcatraz trip, especially since everything's been tried and true on Pier39. We stopped by for a quick lunch and had amazingly delicious and huge burgers. The boyfriend had the cheeseburger with couscous and I had the canadian bacon burger with bbq sauce and shoestring fries. Though everything was scrumptious, I was a bit disappointed that the burgers weren't cooked perfectly as ordered.
Definitely a must if tired of all the seafood options on Pier39 and actually within walking distance!
My BFF's hubby picked Houston's to celebrate his BD. He wanted "MEAT" but not necessarily steak. We started off with the Chicago spinach dip ($13) which came piping hot in a ramekin, creamy and neither too salty nor ingenious. Served along side with (I swear that's what it exactly tasted like) Pace Picante' salsa and 2 sm. scoops of sour cream and thin, crispy tortilla chips. (the chips were good!) We had the cheese toast ($6) which was 4 triangular wedges of French toast type bread, covered with melted cheese. It was OK.
We shared 2 orders of the sashimi salad ($18 each) which was really, really good. Sashimi -grade Ahi seared on the outside and dusted with some blk sesame seeds and a mixed baby salad with a delish dressing. BFF & I had the prime rib, a thick 1 in cut slab with bone. It was so large that I ended up taking home 1/2 of it. It was tender and cooked just right. Some Yelpers have commented that it's better than HOPR, I'd have to disagree. They do serve it with a large bowl of au jus and a large baked potato ($28) and "everything" comes with sour cream, cheese & real bacon.
Hubs and BFF's hubs had the BBQ pork ribs. Heavily darkened with a nice rub and both would comment "The meat falls off the bone, must've been cooking for hours!" I had a bite, it was OK. Came with a cole slaw (good) and DELICIOUS shoestring French fries ($27). BFF's hub gave her a few and told me he didn't want to do that becuz he knew she'll be back for more. True to form, she helped herself to his fries continuously. We finished with coffee ($3) or ice tea ($3.50) and hubs had the apple walnut cobbler which was overpoweringly sweet ($8). It reminded me of a loosely formed apple oatmeal dish with ample walnut halves over it and topped with a maple ice cream. Our friend had the ice cream sundae ($8) which was a large bowl of vanilla ice cream accompanied by a gravy bowl of chocolate sauce (too sweet) to add accordingly.
What's cool about the take-home packaging is that they even boxed the horseradish and au jus from my plate in separate containers! I loved that au jus, it was good enough to be soup!
Our waitress, Aleksi, was friendly and very fast in clearing our tables. The place was loaded with people by the time we finished dinner and there were many souls at the bar. An open kitchen affords you the view of the frentic rhythmic pace of the staff who all appear to know exactly what they're doing without colliding into each other in the milieu. The restaurant has booths and tables for 2-4 in a pleasant atmosphere. They do add 2% health tax to your bill. Parking can be challenging but there is a nearby garage with $10 self-parking.
I just don't know....I've given myself two weeks to think it through and I still don't know. There's just nothing that makes me want to say "Yay, I'm a Fan".
I liked it. Truly, I did. I couldn't figure it out after one dinner so I went back for another. After two experiences and two weeks, I can't say that it's a great experience. A good one, yes. Again, I liked it.
Well coached, well rehearsed, well managed. It was like listening to a choir- college level, maybe one above. Everyone hit their notes. All their robes were properly pressed and hanging just right. Robotic.
But, I prefer gestures, character, feeling, when I go to a performance this highly advertised. Throw your hair around when you solo, look at me when you sing and maybe even laugh between notes- god forbid. Sunday brunch Gospel? Not that much soul at Houston's. Not that I went to Houston's looking for a soul moving experience. My expectations were not that high. I just didn't expect all the starch on the robes.
Great pork chop, cured, double-cut, very nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. As were the brussell sprouts and bed of mashed potatoes. I liked the Oakville Cab. It worked well. I had it again on my second visit.
I tried the center-cut filet for this late afternoon lunch/dinner. Ok, slightly overcooked. But again, nicely seasoned and I liked it. It was a beautiful day and I chose a table outside. Good stuff. Good location. Good scenery and a level of activity that can enhance anyone's outdoor dining experience.
Just don't expect to sit and sip. They'll send out the enforcer to warn you that this is a dining only area, regardless of the fact that you might be occupying only one of eight or so tables. Sorry tourists.
But I liked it. I really did just like it.
First off...shout out to Ben, our wonderful server (I promised you would be included in my review). I gotta love a man who will bring me a freshly frozen glass for my warming martini.
I need to thank those Yelpers out there who shared the free bread and olive secret with the rest of us...just ask and you will receive a tasty treat.
Now, on to the review...the spinach artichoke dip was yummy, the ribs (baby back pork ribs) are to friggen die for, the crab cakes were tasty and crabby, the prime rib was cooked to perfection (but not better than House of Prime Rib, so don't use this as a substitute), and the french dip was meh (nothing to write home about). Finally, we shared two desserts among 6 of us - hot fudge sundae was amazing and the apple walnut cobbler was....oh...my...god...good.
If you get there early, like we did, they will allow you to put your name in for a table, but you cannot make reservation (which sucks). So, if you are hungry and it is before 6 PM on a Friday, you will eat promptly...if you want to eat later, bring a snack, 'cause you'll be waiting for a while. But, make sure to ask for Ben's table, and he seemed to love it when I asked for the free olives.
Oh, I almost forgot...easy street parking which is a plus in the city, and the loaded potato contains green onions, not chives (in case you care, like my husband does).
I can't believe I haven't reviewed Houston's considering i've already been here twice since i've started my love affair with yelping. Honestly, both times I"ve been here, Houston's has just been mediocre. I really don't remember the first time at all so I'll review the second time. I ordered the roasted chicken with mashed potatoes as did my boyfriend. The chicken was really dry and you really had to smother it in the juice in order for it to get any flavor. But there wasn't enough juice. The potatoes were mediocre and weren't great tasting or anything.
We did order thsi brownie dessert that was actually pretty good. Not overly sweet. Oh and we also ordered the cheese toast. Now the cheese toast is good. If you go, you have to order that. I think it's pretty unique and i haven't tasted anything like it anywhere else before. These were the only highlights of the night though.
Service isn't exceptional or anything, nothing to rave about. Not bad not good.
Not worth the wait, time or money.
Before coming here, I had not had ribs in awhile & wow - this place reminded me of what I was missing! The ribs were cooked perfectly - they were soooo tender! Service was great & the setting is perfect!
I definitely want to come back & be seated outside.
Tip - Make a reservation or be prepared to sit at the bar for a while because this place gets packed!
Had heard many great things about Houston's from Ryry's friends and finally got to enjoy a meal with them and had them show us the ropes. Here's how it went...
We started with the spinach artichoke dip which I thought was like regular restaurant fare. The salsa that accompanied it, I believe, tasted a lot like Tostito's Medium Salsa. I personally like and buy that brand and heat-level of salsa but I was expecting more from a fancy schmancy joint like Houston's. Oh well. Onto the next course...
The house veggie burger was highly recommended so I chose it with an open mind as I am not a veggie burger connoisseur... but I was interested. And when it came... wow! It was huge! A huge mound of skinny fries came with it, too! I took my first bite and... thought it was okay. The burger was falling apart which was a little annoying but I still ate it. The burger itself was sweet, bean-y and rice-y. I'm glad I tried it but it didn't really appeal too much to my taste buds. I ate almost all the fries (as I usually do) and ate almost all of Ryry's garlicky brussel sprouts that came with his meat burger. MMMMMM! SOOO GOOD. Perfectly cooked - I could have made a meal out of those and the fries. Awesome.
3 stars for the brussel sprouts, the great service (the waiter accommodated my pickiness very nicely) and the fact that they don't charge you when you bring your own bottle of wine (thanks to Ryry's friends for the wine!). Minus two because I wasn't really wowed by my burger and because the bill came out to $50 for the two of us with tax and tip. Kinda pricey for 2 burgers, fries, veggies and a splitting of dip and chips. But hey, they've got to pay for the rent in the Embarcadero some how.
Houston's menu is very simple, with not too many items on there. But every item on there is top notch.
Some favorites: French Dip, House Salad, Hawaiian Rib-eye, Spinach Dip, and any of their Fish Specials.
Even though there are countless other places to try in SF, we keep coming back to Houston's ever so often because food and service is consistently excellent.
A big plus is that they welcome bringing in your own wine by not charging a corkage fee. Also there is plenty of street parking.
Outdoor patio is perfect for weekend Lunches with small groups and couples.
The indoor dining room is ideal for dinner with your significant other or a small group of friends.
GM contacted me and sent me a gift card to be used there as reparation for my previous critique so naturally I went back the same day I got the gift card. This time I lived it up a bit more and got the filet mignon, which was excellent. The place was jam packed so their business isn't suffering. I also noticed the chefs were wearing chef hats, so maybe this will help with the minor problem I noted in my original review.
I appreciate their concern and it shows they know how to run their business and keep customers coming back.
I've been here twice now. I think it's good. Food is very good, service is good, atmosphere is… Read more »
I'm a regular here, or I was. It had been a good year since I ate here until last night, I'll never wait that long again. Wow, I forgot what I was missing. I had the buttered Sea Bass special with corn side. It was amazing & I'm a super picky fish eater. My friend ordered the chunky crab cakes entree ( never thought of crab cakes as an entree 'till now) that was great too! Table of 4 and everyone was in a food coma by the end of the night, no room for dessert (love the brownie) just couldn't do it... Maybe cuz we had so many apps; here they are in order of likeness,
1. grilled artichoke (yummy)
2. house salad heirloom beets n feta~ very good
3. artichoke dip / cheese bread was a tie
I had a few of the BBQ pork ribs that were so soft the meat was falling off the bone ( I don't care for pork) damn good
only thing I didn't try was the Prime rib my other friend had but he said it was way better than House of Prime Ribs ever was. So there you have it. I would have given 5 stars but the service was a little slow & the bartender charged me for a Johnny Walker on accident, when brought to his attention he promptly removed it and comped the beer that he rung up wrong, so that more than made up for it.
Houston's is like a pair of your favorite sweatpants: Comfortable, dependable, even bliss-inspiring, to be sure. But you aren't exactly going to shout your love from the rooftops... Alright, so I like my sweatpants, and I like Houston's. A lot. Damn it.
Food: Consistently good for basic American fare, and I mean consistently good. If you liked your meal once, you will like it the next time, and the time after, etc., and so on, yadda-yadda, you get the idea. Meat's the focus here, and they got it down--prime rib, ribeye, pork chops, rotisserie chicken, smoked salmon (appetizer). Veggies are good, too (grilled artichoke is a standout). This is not about daring or avant garde cuisine; this is about well executed standards. Never had a bad meal here.
Service: Efficient, cordial, again, consistently so. My advice is to hold off on ordering your entree if you want to savor your appetizer, since the entree is likely to arrive fairly soon after you place your order. We counteract this issue simply by waiting until we are halfway through our appetizer to order our entree. The servers are so well-drilled, you can expect them to return to your table to ask if you are ready to order with alarmingly clockwork precision. That is not a complaint, just a testament to how well-managed this joint is.
Atmosphere: This is a nice, comfortable place, lighting not too bright, not to dim, nice comfortable booths available, nice bar area, nice live jazz music...nice...nice...nice
Does this sound a little bland and corporate to you? May I remind you of my sweatpants? Couldn't you use a nice pair?
Try Houston's on for size.
Overall, the food here is just decent. The prime rib and rib-eye is tasty and moist. It didn't seem as if they had the better cuts of meat. If you're looking for steak, there are plenty of other non-chain restaurants to choose from.
The service and ambiance is good.
What's with their "no reservations of parties greater than 4" rule anyway?
Get the artichoke dip! The food is great.
One irritating tidbit - they made my dad take off his hat, and was adamate (sp?) about it, and he was really not wanting to take it off. I thought for casual CA, whats the big deal? Its not 5 star dining?
The broad next to us had her tits hanging out of her top, and they didnt tell her to tuck them in.
Spinach Dip
Artichokes
Veggie Burger
All 3 the best I've ever had.
Great service, and many, many great memories at this restaurant.
Love it, Houston's never lets me down
I love Houston's. They're solid in pretty much every respect.
Consistently great food, and consistently fantastic service.
How attentive is the service?
A gentleman at the table next to ours was drinking a martini. Out of nowhere comes one of the servers to swap the contents of his half-empty glass with a fresh, icy-frosty glass.
When I asked about how the two zinfandels they offer by the glass differed, I was brought a very generous taste of both to help me decide.
And then there's the fact that Houston's remains one of the only restaurants in the city to waive any charges for corkage.
HOWEVER. Being raised in the bay area during the 70s and 80s has made me particularly sensitive to certain ridiculous PC extremes. This one in particular has always grated me raw, and is broadcast in all its frosted glory above Houston's womEn's restroom door (photo courtesy of Cat C.).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I still love you, Houston's, but really??!!
We hit this place on a triple date before taking my then-boyfriend for his first strip club… Read more »
Went there for dinner tonight after a nice, freezing SFO day sailing in choppy waters..
Service was choppy - our server kept disappearing. But the other waxy blondes responded when we called them. Meats were fresh, but there was a wire (yes, a wire!!) in my husband's burger.
The manager immediately switched out his burger and took it off our charge.
My roast chicken sandwich was exquisite and the brownie desert was fantastic.
It turned out the wire was from the grill baster
The only reason I'm giving this place 3-stars is because depending on who you are, their service varies. They took care of us because, of course it was a potential liability issue.
However, the meats were really good, and I guess worth the $16 per person prices.
Cassie at Houston's is the dream-server!
I go to Houston's often with a great friend of mine to eat reliable tasty comfort food and get caught up on our lives. The service is never bad, the food is always delicious. But.......the other night Cassie was our server and she was so attentive, so engaging, helpful, and made honest and complete suggestions. She offered additional pertinent information and she did it all with a million-dollar smile.
My friend swears by the veggie-burger and it is really good - even from a red meat eater such as myself. I love their cheeseburger, their center-cut filet, and jumbo lump crab cakes. Oh and the Biltmore Chicken Sandwich. Their special fish selection has been excellent everytime I have selected it. Extensive wine list - good, solid local options. I love coming here. This Thursday looks good for a trip.
I pretty much always get the ribs and a few lemon drops. They make the best lemon drops and I surmise its because they put in an orange twist instead of lemon peel.
A full slab of fall off the bone ribs come with french fries and coleslaw, but I recommend swapping out the fries for the colcannon mashed potatoes which are heavenly! They are basically rough smashed potatoes (no skins) with cabbage mixed in. Texture is awesome! These tots drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil on top and you've got yourself a perfect accompaniment to your BBQ!
Finish off with a fat wedge of key lime pie or a Ghirdelli sundae. Yum
Service is always on top of its game and the food is consistently great. A perfect place for after work drinks and real food. A++
Stopped by bar at Houston's yesterday in an effort to wait out the crazy Embaracadero traffic caused by Fleet Week. Apparently the cocktail waitresses at Houston's don't understand what their job entails. We sat down and asked for menus and that was about the only time the waitress attended to us despite walking by us about a dozen times. After 10 minutes I decided even if she did approach us I wasn't going to order anything as the idea of supporting this establishment wasn't appealing. This didn't end up being an issue as we ended up staying for 30 minutes and the waitress didn't approach us once.
Popped in with a friend to celebrate his becoming an American citizen and was rather taken with this place. The bar staff are wonderful, there's a smoking area and it's not a tourist joint.
The drinks are very, very good. At my friend's suggestion I had the gimlet (gin, lime, syrup and some other stuff) and it was sublime - but lethal. Two of those and I was three sheets to the wind. I was so drunk I ate a McDonalds on the way home and liked it.
Which brings me to the food. It's good, but massively overpriced and undersized. Three and a half stars, reduced from a four and a half just for getting screwed on the food.
This is turning into one stellar week. The opening of Rickhouse, and now dinner at Houston's.
-----
This is my kind of place.
From the one on one service, to the large plates, and the soothing dim ambiance of the venue, Houston's is an oasis among the conquering FiDi trunks.
After organizing a successful volunteer symposium ( OakTown MeetUP ), a friend and I decided to celebrate by grabbing dinner at Houston's.
Situated on Embarcadero, Houston's rests as a modern day Sinatra hangout. Perfect for that late evening dinner, with a straight up menu, and a bustling vibe cloaked within the mild lighting.
We sat at the bar, situated perfectly by the patio windows and a clear view of the flat panels for nightly highlights.
As a burger guy, I was repeatedly told that the veggie burger here was something to experience, and while there was a regular cheeseburger on the page, the look from our server pushed me into trying their specialty.
I don't have the widest spectrum on grading a veggie burger, as I've probably only had a few in my life, but this one was spectacular. The chopped onions, the warm jack cheese and a crisp bed of shredded lettuce and tomatoes made this burger evaporate.
It came with a side of grilled corn and white beans which coupled with the burger perfectly. I was celebrating the 4th again.
The guy next to me ordered the ribs, and I can guarantee you I will be coming in soon for those...
Houston's is a place I could put my name on. Our server was a gem, she was one of the multiple highlights of the evening, and was a pleasure to get to know and meet.
Save me that seat, I've found my in-city vacation landing spot.
I've been going to this joint since i was 17..umm that was like last year..hee hee..maybe a bit more than that. Anyways...
Very consistent and never disappointing. The Spinach and Artichoke dip is very tasty but not for the dieter that's watching calories.
I just cant seem to deviate from the Thai steak and noodle salad. they practically throw in an order of filet in it!! no joke! for $19, i'm a fan.
I've had the cheeseburger and the chicken sandwich as well and they are both excellent and very filling, enough for two for sure.
The service has always been positive with fun and enthusiastic servers. I need to go here more :)
So, I struggled with the star value of this place. Let's take a no-holds-barred look at the ups and downs, shall we?
Ups first, 'cause the glass is always half full!:
-by far, the funniest/best server I have had in recent memory. Extremely attentive, kept using delightful little catch phrases like 'cheers' and 'just a tidbit more?' - very entertaining
-the roasted artichokes appetizer. for $12, probably the most expensive I've ever seen this app, albeit at a nice restaurant, but completely worth it. I would order 2 and call it a meal
-ambience - bustling, boisterous, but not too loud. a hearty crackling fireplace behind us warmed the chilly SF night and made our table glow!
Downs :(
-the food, besides the delicious artichokes, were completely lackluster and overpriced. Roasted chicken? yawn. Their signature cous cous? Served chilled, and with far too much greenery. French dip sandwich? Meh. All in all, not the great food that should come out next to such high prices.
-also, a pet peeve of mine is when you make a reservation at a restaurant but then have to sit and wait at the bar for 20+ minutes anyway. just ticks me off!
This is the place I take all my Japanese friends. Why? Because it has one of the few things you can not get in Japan, real BBQ. Yes, Houstons has among the best pork ribs I've ever eaten. They are slow cooked for 8 hours and the meat is so tender it comes off with just a fork, no knife needed.
Basically after I had ribs at Houstons I couldn't eat them anywhere else. Ribs at places like Tony Roma's, Outback Steakhouse, Hard Rock Cafe, etc are all just unacceptable now.
Of course their other foods are not bad. The spinach artichoke dip is a must try. The steaks, the prime rib is all good as well but it's the ribs that make it special for me.
Ahhhh, Houston's. They have the most amazing spinach & artichoke dip here. And, the house made veggie burger is the best veggie burger I have ever had. The service is always great with friendly and attentive servers. The restaurant is warm and cozy with a fireplace and baby grand piano. You do have to pay the meter a lot for parking here but it is worth it.
I could go on and on about the food that I had at Houston's. The meat is fantastic. Really. It's amazing. I don't even like steak that much. I'll only order it if I know it's going to be worth it, and man, was this worth it. Everything just fell from the bone and was juicy and tender. And because there is no corkage fee, you can bring a fantastic bottle of wine to go with your meal and now pay a ridiculous amount of money for it.
I went here with a friend and my boyfriend. Amongst us we orders the Baby Back Ribs, Ribeye Steak and a Skirt Steak. They were all mouth watering. I think that the most tender piece of the Ribeye was the best part of all. It just dissolved when it hit my tongue. But it was all fantastic and I can't wait to go back.
A packed restaurant = good food
We had reservations so we skipped the long wait and got seated within 5 minutes. The place is loud and the waitress had a hard time hearing me but her service was impeccable.
For starters, we had the Mexican style chicken soup. Very tasty and all the vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, avocado and beans) were all fresh and added later so it was still crunchy.
For my entree, i got the Roasted Prime Rib Bone-In. The thing was massive! Much bigger than House of Prime Rib and i'm not sure if they offer with the bone-in but it was succulent, juicy and cooked just right! They also give you a whole cup of the au jues sauce to be added to your own liking. It comes with a loaded baked potato compliments the prime rib.
Aftermath: Too full for dessert and wobbled home a happy camper.
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
Category: Spanish
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
Category: Convenience Stores
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