Houston’s Restaurants

Went to Houston’s about a week ago and it turned out to be their last night of operation. They were slammed, there was about a 45 minute wait, and it probably had affected the level of service. I ordered a water and when it arrived after a really long time it was about the size of a shot glass (ok I’m exaggerating). There was no ice, c’mon man, hook me up with some ice! I ordered the cheeseburger and realized when it arrived it had mayo. I personally don’t like mayo and I know a lot of people do but it would have been nice to state that on the menu. Aside from the mayo, the cheeseburger was delicious (medium-​rare) and the fries were really good. While it wasn’t the best experience and I was sorry to hear that it was closing, I’ll return to another location someday.

Last night was my first time at Houston’s, and I was really pleased. It’s a great atmosphere and the food here are really well prepared. I would definitely recommend making a reservation. I had a 25 minute wait despite having a reserved a table for 7:30. Those who came unprepared had a 1.5 hr wait. The restaurant was clean, there’s great atmosphere and I dig the fact that the bathroom smelled like orange rhine.
Service was fantastic and the food was pretty darn tasty. Here’s a recap of what I ordered:
Spinach dip– nothing amazing and too pricey at $ 14
Veggie burger– they are pretty famous for their veggie burger and it was pretty damn tasty
Kale slaw– it was light and refreshing, definitely a must order
Skillet bean– a heavy side dish that has a nice hint of BBQ sauce and slowed cook pork bits throughout. I’m Switzerland on this item.
From my understanding, all Houston’s location have valet service– which I’m not a fan. It’s a nice complimentary service but can be quite a bother. It took me 30 minutes to get my car last night and a heart attack seeing how those guys were driving customer’s cars.
**THIS LOCATION WILL BE CLOSED AFTER JAN. 31

We love this Houston’s! It’s convenient to us and a bit more spacious than the other two in Atlanta. The bar staff in particular are always friendly and service-​oriented.
I would give one more star if they updated their menu a bit more frequently. We do love the consistency and quality of the menu items, though, especially the Chicago style dip, the burgers and salads.

Houston’s might be a chain, but it is a shockingly good chain. Especially at this location.
The Pros:
They take reservations and you don’t even have to talk to a real person! You can make them online! Hooray!
The servers are awesome. They are all super friendly and check on you the appropriate amount of times and always seem to get the food correct.
The food is consistent. Everything is always totally acceptable, the right temperature, and just good!
Nice-​ish restaurant is nice enough to take a client who likes to be wined and dined for lunch, but not so pricey it won’t be approved on an expense report.
Chicken. Tortilla. Soup.
The Cons:
You HAVE to valet. The parking lot is a nightmare and although the valet is free, if you don’t tip, you’re a jerk.
Even if you make a reservation, sometimes you end up waiting 15 minutes to be seated because the hostess station is a mess 50% of the time and no one knows what’s going on during the lunch rush.
They refill your water too much. Weird concern, I know, but it really is kind of annoying. Last time I went a man came by, filled out glasses up within an inch of the rim. LITERALLY 2 minutes later after no one had even taken a sip, a woman came by and filled them UP! There IS such a thing as too much service. Back off my glass, lady.
I’ve never had it, but I heard the chicken salad sandwich isn’t that good. Go on Tuesday or Thursday and get the chicken tortilla soup instead, it is THE BOMB. Has too much cheese, but it’s amazing.
Overall, this is a great spot. Plan to make a reservation if you’re going during the lunch hour because this place is more packed than Dorsia on a Friday night, if you know what I mean.

This Houston’s is always a work lunchtime contender. For me, it’s one of those places where I’ve never really been disappointed with my meal. I generally go with one of the seafood options here, not sure why, but that always seems to be the case. Also, they have excellent clam chowder (I have a serious weakness for good clam chowder).
The service at this location is consistently stellar and they are always very good about getting you in and out at lunch.
Beware — this place can get quite busy at lunch. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation.

Houston’s is one of those few places that provide a consistent experience regardless of location, city, or state. You know what you will get regardless.
For those of you who have seen your Houston’s turn into a Hillstones, the reason is that using the company parent name allows the local restaurant to experiment with the Menu so if your near one try it out. I got that information thanks to the great GM at this Windy Hill location. Thanks Natalia!
Some of my favorite must have’s at Houston’s are the Hawain Rib Eye, the Sahimi Tuna Salad, and of course the fabulous burger. While you can get those entrees anywhere, what sets this Houston’s apart are the two best bartenders in town. Mari and Tess. They make the experience unique.
Keep up the great work here.

Met an old college roommate for dinner there. We each ordered a cocktail at the bar; both were generous pours. I ordered the crab cakes and my friend ordered the salmon. I am a crab cake snob and these were perhaps some of the best I’ve had at any restaurant. The Pommery mustard sauce complimented the sauteed cakes beautifully. The accompanying coleslaw and tomatoes were also good. My friend’s salmon was perfectly cooked as was the sauteed spinach. The waiter was good and non-​intrusive; my friend and I had not seen each other in many years so the conversation lasted for several hours… there were plenty of open tables so we didn’t feel badly about keeping our table for awhile. All-​in-​all the experience was very good. I’m only awarding three stars for one reason and that’s the price. It takes a lot for me to be bothered by price but at $ 32 for the cakes and $ 26 for the salmon there should have been another side or some bread or a lesser up-​charge than $ 6 for a salad. An older menu found on another ratings site shows that prices have been raised by as much as $ 8 an entrée putting Houston’s in a league in which it’s not ready to play and I’m not willing to pay.

This Houston’s has the best bar atmosphere to eat alone in. Eating alone has its perks but also its downfalls. Sure, that gorgeous 50 something guy is looking at you like you’re an entrée but do not dismiss the flake of a wife next to him that wants you dead. Hey, Caravan, I want your husband up against my car in the parking lot!
I tend to wander in here after late night work meetings considering my stomach can’t handle the golden arches past 4pm. I find the best conversation is at the bar. I get to eat amongst strangers; listening to how their days were, funny stories and of course office complaints. Who needs a therapist when you have a bar full of people to cheers to another glass of wine with or share an appetizer. I can never finish Houstons famed spinach dip alone or even their yummy sushi roll but I bet *insert name here* can help!
Do you have one of those restaraunts where you can go alone or with a group of people and have one of the best times no matter what? At any Houstons location, this is what I always experience. Yes, the filet is $ 28.00 but it melts in your mouth. Yes, that glass of wine you just ordered a 2^nd glass of is $ 12.00 and yes, the spinach dip is now $ 3.00 more than it used to be but COME ON! You go in to Houstons for the experience, superb service, decadent food and great people. You get what you pay for and Houston’s never disappoints!
If only they could do something about the evil stares…

The food here is amazing and so is the service.
The reason for this review is about one of the managers. I saw her screaming at one of the servers in the restaurant which I thought was VERY unprofessional to do when people are eating in your restaurant.

My co-​workers took me out to eat at Houston’s. We went during a busy lunch hour. Even though we made reservations, we weren’t seated right away but it didn’t take long.
The waitress was really knowledgeable and catered to our needs every time. The food took longer than expected but we did come during a busy time. I ordered a chicken sandwich and it was yummy! One of the appetizers that was order was the Spinach dip, it was really good.

Delicious — def recommend Houston’s. BEST veggie burger I have EVER had! Salmon was also perfectly cooked and the wilted spinach was the best I’ve ever had. I’d probably go back just for the spinach alone, but luckily everything else is great as well! Will def be back and would recommend Houston’s — definitely the best chain restaurant out there!

I had some pre concieved notions about this place but i was pleasantly surprised.
Food: we started off with a spinach dip for the table. it was tasty but not the best i ever had.
I ordered the double cut pork chop. It was HUGE!!! lol I ordered it medium and although it had little pink inside it was SOOOO juicy. It came with braised red cabbage which was great. I had to take the rest home. My peers seemed to have enjoyed their meals as well but they mostly got standard sanwhiches.
Service: It was great. The wait staff was VERY VERY attentive maybe a bit too much… the menu was also kinda small so thats why they got 4 stars in stead of 5 but all in all great for a chain restaurant

I have eaten at all the locations and at this particualr location 3 times and it’s always been good. I started out with 5 stars but have gone down to four because to be fair I’ve only had 3 things on the menu and two of them contain the chicken fingers.
And let me tell ya– I L-​O-​V-​E those chicken tenders! Super tender, juicy chicken tenders encapsulated in a light airy crispy batter fried coating. Yummmmmm. I measure all chicken fingers I eat to this and I have never found a finger I like more anywhere. The chicken finger plate is not listed on the menu but just ask for it. I had it for lunch today– The portion was HUGE! I can’t remember how many there were– really good sized tenders. I can remember there being 4 left and I was so full but I kept trucking. They serve my favorite fries too– shoestring style and this nice and different coleslaw. I was too focused on the fingers to try and decipher the ingredients but I did notice green onions in it.
I have tried to Hawaiian ribeye before (but not at this location) and it was totally delish! I haven’t had it in a while because the tenders always win out– but I still crave this steak.. .Other than that I know my husband loves the burgers but I’ve never tried them.
Service was nice and friendly. The lunch service was really quick. There was hardly a wait for anything. You can make reservsations– I suggest doing so for lunch. Lots of business lunchers (I have not been to this particular one during dinner hours) The only thing I don’t like is I think valet parking is the only option because of tight quarters and busy lunch hours.

I was so excited to visit this Houston’s because I hadn’t been in years, BUT boy was I let down. When I say my experience was all but great. I was borderline upset the entire time I was there.
So here’s how the story goes, I went with my coworker who used to work there. And even though it had been almost a year, a lot of the people she worked with were still there. We sat at the bar and of course she happened to know our server. When I say this sever (or bartender, whatever you want to call her), only spoke to my coworker the entire time. I mean this girl probably only looked over at me once (not including when she took my order), it was like I was invisible. I understand she probably hadn’t seen my coworker in a long time and wanted to catch up but if you’re going to sit there and talk the ENTIRE time, at least acknowledge my existence and say a few things to me, I mean you are my server ALSO.
When it was time for us to go she took my coworker’s food and put it in a to-​go box and in a bag for her. She even folded the little paper bag all nice for her in front of her and said «here you go» with a big ol smile on her face. So I sat there with half of this big ol burger clearly on my plate, waiting for her to do the same for me or at least ask if I wanted to take it with me. Yeah, well she left, came back and still never asked so my coworker eventually asked for me. And do you think I got a bag? Ha yeah right.
The burger and fries were good… I only had water to drink but do you think I got a straw? No, but my coworker did and she made both of our drinks at the same time. I had to ask another server for one. If she wasn’t my coworker’s friend I would definitely blast her name on here because I really don’t care. I left her a 15% tip, I shouldn’t have even left that.
Hopefully the next time I’ll have a better experience, whenever that will be. Oh yeah the valet attendants were really nice :).

My brother is fully obsessed with Houston’s. As in, it’s his favorite restaurant. For me, it’s a solid choice but one I rarely seek out or really crave. The food is decent, service quick, and atmosphere basic: nothing really wrong, but nothing really right, either.
I came here last night with my brother and dad after a totally exhausting weekend where I just wanted to slump in to a booth, rehydrate, and eat something I’d be guilty about the next day. I got what I wanted at Houston’s.
When we sat down, a complimentary serving of spinach dip was brought to our table. There was no explanation why, but we didn’t complain. It’s honestly still a mystery, but whatever, it was delicious. I ordered some water and was a little miffed that it came ice-​less in a little glass rather than a pint glass, but it was refilled regularly so I was thankful for that. I decided to do it up right with a cheeseburger and it was appropriately gigantic. They didn’t bring any ketchup out which just seems silly: when you’ve got a burger and fries, you’re going to want ketchup. With the great service here, I would have thought they’d automatically bring it out. No worries, though, a ramekin was delivered swiftly once I asked.
And yeah, that’s what gets Houston’s the extra star: the service. You won’t have a single server throughout the night: everyone pitches in to get your table what it needs. So whenever a waiter/​waitress walks by, they make sure you’re refilled on your beverage, the check is picked up, etc. It makes things seem a little more harried and less intimate, but it sure is efficient.

Houston’s is a solid chain restaurant that delivers good service and tasty food in a setting suitable for both business lunches and dinner with friends. I’ve dined often at the Windy Hill location, and I usually enjoy my experience.
My favorite three menu items are the chicken tortilla soup, the smoked salmon appetizer, and the grilled chicken salad. Houston’s has a soup schedule, so you can only enjoy the chicken tortilla soup on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Portion sizes are extremely generous, so go hungry!
There are two things I don’t enjoy about Houston’s at Windy Hill. Mandatory valet parking and the fact that you cannot be seated until your entire party arrives. While I understand the need for both policies during the crazy lunch rush, what about easing up on the restrictions during off-​peak times? The lack of flexibility here is sufficient for me to only rate Houston’s three stars.

For what it was, it was good.
Had to meet a potential client here and it was relatively secluded and good for that — my real beef was the fact that there was really no place to escape the piped in music. Kind of ruined the vibe of our meeting.
I would come back, but probably not for business.

I’m often skeptical of chain restaurants but I had a good experience when I ate here recently. The prime rib was excellent. Desserts were tasty and huge. Dim lighting creates a subdued ambiance that’s suitable for a business dinner or a date.
This particular Houston’s has mandatory valet parking. I don’t know if that’s a brand standard or a consequence of a small parking lot at this location.

I used to go here with some friends before heading off to watch the AYSO perform and the menu hasn’t changed one bit since the first time I’ve been here 6 years ago.
The Houston’s at this location has established itself as a local hotspot for business, and it’s even better that the restaurant is located right outside major company local headquarters (GE, BlueLinx, etc).
The interior is very clean and dark, perfect for business partners to reconvene.
The food quality is high but tastes average for me, nothing stands out except their seared ahi tuna which was melt-​in-​your mouth. The filet mignon was also quite nice, but it’s a HUGE hunk of meat with a potato on the side so get your running shoes ready and drive down the street to the Hoochee River once you’re done here!
I really love Houston’s service– it’s very polite, friendly, the discreet kind you expect from a higher culinary institution.
I’ve also had their artichoke dip and there was definitely enough to share between 5 people! Their seared ahi tuna salad, I believe I got 6 pieces plus some salad and some slices of avocado dispersed in it. Not worth 16, but I can say that though Houston’s doesn’t offer much variety, their quality and service do not deviate at all either. So if you come here, expect the same quality and freshness (I live in Wild Wood so I see their truck that delivers fresh food very often)

I’ve since visited Houston’s several more times– the place gets packed for lunch during the week so if you go, try to make a reservation. Service is just as attentive each time I visit, (and the valets recognize me now!) so that is a plus. I’ve ordered something different each time I’ve been so here’s the dish:
— Veggie burger & shoestring fries: it is tasty and sweet, with a miso sauce marinade going on. It’s messy though– not recommended for a business lunch.
— I got wiser the next time and ordered a neater dish. Got the seared ahi tuna with mango and mixed greens salad– tuna was not bad and the dressing was great.
— Spinach and artichoke dip– great for sharing with the table, but I could hear myself getting fatter from all the cream and butter in this dip. Not for the healthy eater.