Radical Eats

I absolutely love this place. I am newly vegan and delighted that Radical Eats have so many vegan options! They even have vegan desserts! The wait staff are super nice. I would definitely come back here again.

A friend recently invited me to join him for lunch at Radical Eats in Montrose. He said I’d be a fan of their many vegetarian dishes.
(And don’t worry my meat-​lovin’ friends — There are meat options here as well. But the vegetarian choices are extensive, fresh, and creative, and they satisfied a huge void I didn’t even know was missing from my life.)
Soon after we sat down, we were greeted with crisp tortilla chips, accompanied with sides of super spicy, thick green sauce and tart, tangy salsa.
There are several fresh juices offered at Radical Eats, and both of us ordered their watermelon juice. It was sweet, light, and wonderfully refreshing. Absolute summer in a cup!
Based on past experiences, my friend enthusiastically suggested we start off with the buffalo cauliflower.
I can’t even stress to you how wonderful this appetizer was. I’ve tried my own hand at making buffalo cauliflower in the past, and it was mediocre at best. The cauliflower bites at Radical Eats, however, were anything but mediocre. Generously coated in a robust, aromatic, spicy buffalo sauce, the flavor was full and sensational. If I closed my eyes and someone had told me I was actually eating boneless chicken wings, I just might believe them.
(but that might be a mean trick, so please don’t do that to me.)
For my main entrée I ordered one of their daily specials — the bibimbap with fresh avocado.
And again, what an astounding dish.
The quinoa base was topped off with a rainbow assortment of freshly sliced tomatoes, raw cashews, sauteed mushrooms, leafy greens, tofu, kimchi, and avocado. Each ingredient was beautiful, fresh, and distinctly different in taste from one another. Regardless of the contrasting flavors, the end result was an impressively perfect blend. Furthermore, our server asked if I wanted a side of sweet chili sauce which, when added to the dish, gave it a playful sweetness that brought it to a whole new level.
It’s seriously offensive how long it took me to dine at Radical Eats. The spirited, spunky food is prepared with utmost precision and care. The options are healthy, flavorful, and beyond satisfying. Radical Eats is now absolutely a part of my regular lunch rotation!

Radical Eats has a hipster vibe with creative vegetarian options — I think this place is supposed to have Tex Mex?
I went with a friend on a Thursday. The first round of chips were stale, but the green salsa has the right level of spicyness. I ordered the tofu tacos and was really impressed — it’s easy to try and overdo the spices on the tofu, but Radical Eats didn’t fall into this trap by doing great job with incorporated veggies and sauces.
Overall, I’m skeptical of restaurants that are branded vegan or vegetarian because they frequently suffer from blandness or simplicity. Radical Eats definitely delivers.

An incredible achievement to cater to health cautious epicureans with dietary limitations.

Not really a place that I would recommend to a friend. We tried it for brunch – I had the eggs benedict, which had a waffle instead of an English muffin. The term «waffle» is not really appropriate – it was hard and soggy at the same time. And the poached eggs were cooked so well that they were almost like hard-​boiled eggs. The only item I really liked were the chips and salsa – the salsa was super fresh.
As far as the service goes, the waitress was nice, but we had to really chase her down to get her attention.

First time coming to the new location. Went to the prior location for bunch one time & had a pleasant brunch. Ive been hearing some good things about this place so I figured its been long enough. I stopped by on a Wednesday. I was the first person there for lunch, just beat the lunch crowd Success! Staff was friendly right off the bat so I went with it. I looked over the menu but already had my heart set on the bahn mi tacos. Sure enough bahn mi tacos with purple haze which there name for the slaw. I also opted for a tamale on the side. I must say everything was incredible! The tacos are so freaken flavorful that they left me wanting more & more & more…
Radical Eats I will be back for more of your goodies. Definitely a must try.

Okay. So I really really really want to like this place more than I actually do. I have been to Radical Eats maybe 10 times now. from their old crappy location to their beautiful new location on Westheimer.
The food is so so but the drinks are actually amazing. I think the drinks are what keeps me coming back. Also, I am a vegetarian and my husband is vegan.
Here is my major problem– the service is absolutely 100% terrible. Everytime I have come to eat brunch or have a nice dinner at radical eats, time and time again, the service is consistently poor. It takes at least 20 to 30 minutes to get a drink and if you sit at the bar you will not be greeted so don’t think that that will be a shorter route to your drink. Every single time we have eaten here there is either an error on our check and/​or an error with our food or both. today when we ate here, maybe for the last time, our waiter brought us the check before asking us if everything was okay, would we like to have another drink, were we done with our food, just ridiculous.
Overall — overpriced menu, excellent drinks, terrible service, so so food and a nice location. Come at your own risk.

Definitely in the «A-​Ok» category. Probably in the «I’m a Fan» category. But being a carnivore it’s hard for me to go to 4 stars. Yes, yes, I know it’s primarily a vegan/​gluten free place but you can still make those meatless dishes pop. Herbs, spices and salt aren’t vegan no no’s. I just wanted more… pop.
The jalapeño dipping sauce that came with the complimentary chips was addicting. I would put that green goodness on EVERYTHING. In fact the wife almost did. Beer selections are limited but decent, Mexican Cokes (!!) and an interesting cocktail menu that I am kinda glad I didn’t go for after reading some reviews complaining about them.
Food:
Pork belly wraps — 6. Oddly greasy and tiny little bites. You get 4 on the app tray. The spicy Aioli was the best thing about them. Texture-​wise they were a little dance in my mouth. But the grease factor was off putting.
Brussel Sprout Risotto — 6. Came with quinoa in it. A very strange texture issue between the creamy risotto and the hard little seedy quinoa. The 4 little sprouts were grilled perfect. I want just a plate of those next time. Add salt and ask for some limes to squeeze in it and it really came to life. It was like they forgot to season this dish.
Banh Mi Tacos — 8. I liked these more than the wife. Made with nicely grilled tofu. I didn’t miss the meat in the little tortilla. But I will admit if you could add some shredded pork or chicken, these things would be an 11 on my yum scale. It came with some average Mexican rice and pretty bland refried beans. The wife finished neither side dish. So an 8 instead of a 9.
Service was spot on… water constantly refilled, checked on pleasantly but not too much. I will admit the dishes are small for the price… average $ 13-​$ 15. But you can tell they put love into creating and preparing them.
Lovely interior. Comfy spaced tables. Poor parking but it’s the Montrose and on Upper Westheimer so you get what you can. Plenty of large tables for groups and a covered patio.
I just wish they had put some seasoning in them while all that TLC was going on the in the kitchen. But I have a vegan friend I will bring to her hear for her opinion later.

Radical eats is one of my favorite places in this city to eat!
As a vegetarian, I used to go to the original location off of Fulton and feel right at home with its completely vegan Mexican food menu. Once I found out they were moving to montrose, I was so excited to see how they would change and blossom. I was not disappointed! While they changed their menu to include vegetarian and meat options, they still have a wealth of delicious vegan options to satisfy any customer!
I always get the stuffed jalepanoes with vegan cream cheese and a delicious smoky chipotle dipping sauce, and this past time my sister and I split the buffalo cauliflower which was out of this world! My go to dish is the mushroom enchiladas with cashew vegan sour cream, and the nachos are to die for as well and can be made completely vegan! They also have a delicious veggie burger here too!
Every time I go here, the staff service is impeccable. I always feel so welcomed and have never had a bad experience. If you are looking for a place with great vibes and delicious food in the Montrose area, this place is for you!

Let me start off by saying that most vegetarian/​vegan restaurants are usually expensive. I had the fried avocado tacos and they cost $ 13 for two little tacos. The tacos taste fine but for $ 13 I would’ve expected four of the tacos since there are small, or offered them at a cheaper price. I left hungry after paying. The bill was $ 18.40 and I paid with a $ 20 bill, when the waiter came back he just brought my coworkers credit card for his bill and did not bring me any change. I would have tipped him more than the change from my 20 but I guess that was all he thought he deserved. Who am I to argue? I don’t know if I will ever come back to this place but I might give it one more shot at happy hour.

There’s a party in my mouth, and it’s those Banh mi tacos! They are addicting! I just wish that I would gotten more than one for $ 13. Radical Eats, based on food alone, is worthy of five stars. Personally, I’ve found everything they cook to be delicious. However, I also think that they overprice their food and give you really small portions for that price*.
*Note: almost every organic/​vegan/​healthy food restaurant is guilty of this but some seem to go more overboard than others. I expect to pay a little more for «real food,» but how much is too much? I guess that’s a debate for another day.
The Banh mi tacos are the best thing on the menu. The white sauce + tofu + spouts + soft taco makes this item a fan favorite of me and many others as well. In fact, they would make the cut of some of the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life. Oh, why did they give me just one?!
It’s hard to nail the vibe here… I feel like like it tries to be slightly upscale/​classy while remaining hipster/​somewhat edgy at the same time. Although heck, I’ve just described 60% of the other restaurants in Montrose.
Another negative is that their bar has no beer on tap. This is a huge «no-​no» for me, as I hate drinking beer from a bottle at a restaurant, especially when I’m being charged double the price what another restaurant would charge. $ 5 for a bottled Bombshell Blonde seems slightly excessive but I wouldn’t have a problem paying it if it were draft.
Having said all that, I’m a fan of this place. Despite the two things I don’t like about them, cost + no draught booze, I think their food is great. And to me, at the end of the day, that’s what counts. I’m willing to put up with a lot if the food is good. It’s been a little over an hour since I left Radical Eats and I can still can still taste the spices & seasoning they used on the Banh mi tacos in the back of my throat. If they weren’t closed right now, I’d probably go back for more as I’m writing this (they should give me free food b/​c I think I’m selling their best menu item well).

Just stopped in for lunch. This place has a unique modern hippy feel to it. All of the food is homemade even the tortillas. They’ve got a complete vegetarian menu and a meat menu. Practically everything on the menu is gluten free too. Farm to table…
I had the chicken enchiladas suizas. The chicken was so tender and fresh.
I’m sure this place has a great vibe in the evening.

I went to Radical Eats to attend a tamale making class. I was greeted right away upon entering. It was suggested that I grab a drink at the bar before taking a seat which sounded like a great idea. The bartender was very inattentive. No greeting, can I help you, or anything. There was only one other couple at the bar so he wasn’t swamped. Just seemed pre-​occupied with setting up the area. Anyway, after looking at the menu wanted to try a Watermelon margarita, was told no because it’s not in season. Ok I get that, but why is it on the menu or at least put seasonal next to it. Instead tried a cucumber jalapeño margarita. It was so bitter and tasted of neither cucumber, nor jalapeño. Asked the bartender for something else, he suggested the tamarindo margarita that was award winning. It was definitely better, but not the best I have ever had.
On to the class! The area set up for the class was a bit cramped and due to restaurant noise and lighting, hard to see and hear. We made three different kinds of tamales and took home recipes for many more. The instructor went over the basics of making the masa, filling, and steaming. I have never had tamales that included pureed veggies in the masa so that was interesting. The class was billed as a Tamapacalypse and that we would take home a boat load of tamales. It ended up being more like 3 cooked tamales and 1 that we had cook ourselves. The biggest problem with the class is that since the tamales were all steamed in one pot, you don’t necessarily get to take home the ones that you made, which lends itself to some quality and sanitation issues.
I did end up ordering some items off the menu since it was late and I was starving. The buffalo cauliflower was wonderful! Kind of crazy to take something healthy, batter it, fry it, and dip it in buffalo sauce, but it worked. I also ordered the pork tamales, which were a bit pricey at $ 15. I was really surprised that they were dry and lacked flavor considering the instructor boasted that producing a moist and flavorful tamale were her top priorities. Radical Eats is definitely a unique venue, maybe I’m just too much of a carnivore to appreciate it.

If I were to nickname this place, it would be «Food that falls apart»
Banh mi taco: so-​so. Nothing out of this world. Pretty flimsy tortilla that easily falls apart after first bite. Kind of bland. Avoid. Probably should’ve tried avocado taco.
Portobello burger: Also somewhat bland. Don’t expect a big mushroom because they won’t give it to you! You end-​up with mini portobellas in your burger, which have a tendency to fall out.
Nothing here was great; just so-​so. Definitely not worth the price. Nobody was here on a weeknight, and it took ages to get the check. They ought to provide some sauces or some sort of dips for some of their more bland menu items.

I am fortunate enough to have no dietary restrictions, but I definitely appreciate that places like this are particularly accommodating to those who do. That said, from a strictly taste perspective, Radical Eats is good but not great, and the prices are a little high for the level of enjoyment I had.
I came here on a very empty weekday for lunch. The service was prompt. I was pleasantly surprised at how orderly and neat the décor was for a place with «radical» in its name.
Frat boy queso: Mediocre. It was a little too liquidy and not as cheesy or as flavorful as I had hoped.
Jalapeño poppers: Pretty good. This is a pretty simple appetizer, but it tasted obviously fresh.
Fried avocado taco: Pretty good. I expected to be wowed by this popular dish, but I wasn’t. The tacos overall tasted a little bland. However, the breading on the avocado was crispy and not too greasy. I liked the crispy red cabbage slaw on top as well. Two very filling tacos come with rice, pico de gallo, and refried beans, all of which tasted good, but were nothing particularly special.

The queso blanco is phenomenal! Simple, delicious white queso with hints of green chile. $ 8 is a slightly steep price, but it was worth the investment, especially since the rest of my meal was disappointing.
In short, the service was a struggle, and it seemed like the kitchen was not prepared to serve tamales. This seems silly, since a lot of the menu is focused on tamales.
My friend and I attempted to order the pork and green chile tamales, but the waiter informed us they were out, so we switched to pork and red chile. The waiter came back out 5 minutes later and said the pork tamales would still take 15 minutes. We decided to wait.
Unfortunately, the kitchen severely underestimated the delivery time so we ended up waiting 30 minutes for our pork tamales, which were far from radical. Between the high prices and mediocre quality of the tamales, I am reluctant to return but might give Radical Eats a second chance for happy hour.

This isn’t an all around vegetarian place! They have some meats on the menu, for those who were questioning this restaurant. ;) They also have vegan, gluten free, organic, and everything else.
The restaurant has limited parking, but I found one easily Tuesday night. As soon as I walked in, I couldn’t help but notice the wall of books behind the bar. Pretty neat, actually.
We got seated immediately. Our waiter brought us chips and warned us about the spicy verde sauce. Let me just say, I love their chips and verde sauce. I couldn’t stop eating them; it was just the way I like my chips and sauce! The red sauce had a lot of lime juice in it, different than Mexican restaurants.
My friend and I ordered the Tuesday Taco special! You get any two tacos + 1 side for $ 12. I ended up getting the Bahn Mi and Ancho Crusted Fish tacos with the Grilled Avocado side. When our food came out, our waiter told us the cooks accidentally added the rice and beans but didn’t remove it. We ended up having more food than we ordered… Of course, we didn’t complain. :)
Bahn Mi Taco (⁴⁄₅): I expected something better because Bahn Mi sandwiches are good. I really liked the Lemongrass Tofu though.
Ancho Crusted Fish Taco (⁵⁄₅): Yum! Flavorful too. I actually got some of the verde sauce (the one given with chips) and ate them together. Try it!
Grilled Avocado side (³⁄₅): I was actually eating my friend’s sweet potato fries. It’s just marinara sauce poured over grilled avocado.
By the way… The rice here was different than typical Mexican restaurants. It was stickier than what you usually see, but I ate it all! Pretty good.
Tres Leches (²⁄₅): I just ate a third of the cake. Did not like the cream on it at all. My friend enjoyed it though.
Would I come again? Absolutely. Best believe I’ll try their jalapeño cucumber margarita next time!

Just a disclaimer: I am a very happy carnivore!
With that being said, Radical Eats is out of this world good! I was a little weary by some of the low reviews, but reading through them it seems as though these are your typical complaint reviews that add no substance, just conjecture. My friend insisted we try it out, so we did. Not only did we try it out once, but we went back the next night because it was just that great.
The first time we ordered the Queso Blanco, Jalapeño Poppers & the Bacon Poppers. My favorite was the Jalapeño Poppers & the queso blanco. The queso blanco didn’t have a kick to it, but it was incredibly smooth and rich. The Jalapeño poppers were lightly breaded and the sauce was so good. The jalapenos were cleaned properly so they added the right flavor without the crazy heat. For dinner, I had the Fried Avocado Tacos. They were so frickin’ amazing. Aside from being fried, they were fresh and light. The tortillas were very obviously homemade and very light. The Creamy Rooster (which was sriracha & vegenaise, not ground up chicken like I first though ;D) was the perfect amount of heat.
The second night I got the Buffalo Cauliflower, and I will never be able to eat another Hot Wing without craving cauliflower ever again. That appetizer was so amazing and easily one of my favorite things I’ve ever put in my mouth (and as a Unilocaler you know I put a lot of things in my mouth!). I ordered the Falafel Burger with sweet potato fries, my friend got the Shrimp & Pepper Grits. We didn’t even talk during dinner because we were too busy stuffing our faces. The bread on my burger was good enough to eat on its own. I really enjoyed the falafel itself, it wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be. My friend said the shrimp was cooked perfectly and he had never had grits that tasted so good.
The service itself was great. Both nights we had Omar who you could tell was a hard worker and very knowledgeable of all the items on the menu. The manager came around and asked to make sure everything was okay, which we really appreciated. He also told us about their concept of «farm to table» which means that they will run out of popular items relatively early in the night because they receive their shipments from local suppliers. Even though the patio and the restaurant was packed on a Saturday night, our food came out in a timely manner and Omar made sure our beverages never hit empty without asking if we’d like another.
Speaking of beverages, the Watermelon margarita was to die for. It was fresh and masked the tequila perfectly. I ordered so many, I may have drank them out of house and home.
I also have to agree that the music was a lot of fun and perfect for the atmosphere of Radical Eats! I can’t wait to go back during my next visit to Houston!

First off, I have to say that they have the best music playlist I have heard in a Houston restaurant in a long time. In fact, they have better music than over 90% of the bars I’ve been too.
On to the food, their Verde Enchiladas were well worth the price. Their beans and rice complemented them well. Their chips with salsa and garlic guacamole were so good that I had a hard time putting them down when the Verde Enchiladas came out.
From the feel to the convenient location to the service to the music to the food they’re above average on everything. If I didn’t have one vegan restaurant as the standard, I would give this place a five star rating.

Wow. It’s not often that I try a new place and feel like I absolutely must come back the next day, but this place has the most delicious food I think I’ve ever tasted! Everything is organic and made fresh. They make a point to be vegetarian and vegan friendly here too! We came in, chose our seats, and were greeted by the friendly wait staff.
I started with a guac and salsa combination. Sounds average, but they serve you that, an extra side of salsa, and a jalapeño sauce that is truly spicy. Great combination!
I then moved onto a lamb burger made with tzaziki sauce and pickled veggies. OMG! Was this the show stopper. Every bite was a tiny piece of heavenly medium rare perfection. Were talking mouth wateringly good here :). You’ve got to try this place out. Don’t let the vegan part scare you. It adds to the greatness!

We had a Pussy Riot, a Unicorn and arancini kimchi balls. Does life get any better than this?!
The restaurant is decked out with punk rock concert posters and most of the drinks are named after punk bands. The base of the menu is vegan and vegetarian but they recently started catering to the carnivores. But seriously, give some of their amazing looking vegan and vegetarian dishes a try.
We happened upon Radical Eats on our search for a post birthday dinner drink. Their street signage boasted «jalapeño margarita». We sat at the bar next to a bronze carrot who was stuck in chaturanga. They recently got their liquor license and were definitely having fun with their drinks. Jesse ordered the Pussy Riot which was a twist on a white Russian and I had a unicorn. The unicorn was a freshly pureed green juice with jalapeño infused tequila with a cucumber speer horn. Neither of us tasted any alcohol but was assured their was, perhaps I should take all my drinks with a dose of green goodness?
We were full but couldn’t resist trying one of their vegan menu options, the arancini kimchi balls. The crispy balls were chock full of veggies and on top of a creamy thick cashew sauce. I missed any flavors from kimchi but they were still delicious.
We thoroughly enjoyed the music and atmosphere and stuck around for another round. We ended on a jammy pinotage (one of my favorite wines when I am looking for something funky) and a happy camper (IPA).
For Sunday brunch they do a prefix multi plate serving that runs about $ 22 – 24 a person. You tell them your dietary restrictions and the start sending out the plates.
An extra star for having a dog friendly patio!