Solea Café

Came here for a birthday dinner on a Wednesday night at 8pm and the place was dead, there was only one other couple, it picked up when we were heading out around 10:30. The service was good and I liked that they did separate checks even though there were 11 of us and we ordered appetizers to share.
The food on the other hand was ok. For appetizers we ordered pita and some dipping sauces that came along with it, which were good and fries, which were good as well. For my main course I ordered the burger trio (burger, chicken, petit filet) and my sister ordered the gyro plate which we both shared. The mini burgers were ok, they were kind of bland, the chicken was way too thin so it didn’t have much of a taste and the gyro was nothing special. Someone from our table ordered the stuffed chicken with mashed potatoes and asparagus, which I heard was very good and it looked very appealing as well, so I would recommend that!
Overall cute place, great service, food not so good, but definitely good if you are wanting to get a lot of people together because they seem very accommodating.

@milihenriquez: @SoleaHouston Solea always awesome, now more so with @ChefChrisThames, Chopped Champion, in the house!!!

I went back for a birthday dinner celebration. I loved it that they gave separate checks, something that many restaurants refuse to do. I still don’t understand how the European system, at least in Germany and France, hasn’t caught on in the U.S. In Europe, wait staff carry this little machine and they swipe the credit cards of all the people in the party. The little machine tells them the balance and what is still owed. Also, your card is not taken to the back of the restaurant. Anyhow, I had their usual delicious Greek salad, but at $ 12, I find it quite pricey because it doesn’t have any meat; however, you are getting free entertainment, so maybe it’s not that bad at all. They could lower the price of the wines by the glass by $ 1 as $ 9 for a glass of Vampire Pinot Noir is too much. In general, great atmosphere and entertainment. Love that they now have free valet parking. Before, you had to park by force in valet for $ 5 as it’s hard to park on the street in that area.

Sunday Funday!
I went to Solea with a group of about 12 for Sunday Brunch. They offer cheap Carafes of mixed drinks (Bloody Mary’s, Screwdrivers, etc) for $ 10. This quickly turned our Sunday Brunch into an all out party. They switched the music for us and I have heard the owner will play live music on Sundays but he did not on the Sunday I went. It was a fun and lively atmosphere.
However, I would say the drinks were the best part of the outting. My fiancé ordered French Toast and it came out soggy. The waiter was extremely nice and offered to take the French Toast back after he had served it (without our request). We appreciated that and felt comfortable with sending it back. The second batch came out and while much improved, was still a little doughy. The chef even came out to check but we did not have the heart to send the French Toast back again. I had the omelette which was pretty standard. The bacon was totally on point. I actually added an extra side. If you do bacon correctly, you get mad points!
The owner of Solea threw in some free shots for the French Toast mishap, yes we did shots at a Sunday brunch. This had us all in a great mood and it was nice that the owner took care of us and gave us a great experience. I definitely felt the effects of my Sunday Funday on Monday :(

I know that there are some people who have some mixed reviews about the service, but I really had a wonderful experience. I went last Wednesday with a friend of mine to get after dinner drinks. The décor and atmosphere is something right up my alley. More intimate, relaxed, and Tianna Hall was there last week singing jazz. It made for the perfect setting. Our waiter was fantastic-​very attentive and just the right amount too. (Unfortunately, I can’t remember his name, which is why I should have written this last week)
We had the empanadas as suggested by our waiter and they were really good. I had the Solea O’hare which had the right amount of tang for me (not really a fan of super sweet drinks), and a glass of champagne. It was the perfect way to spend a couple of hours chatting with a friend, listening to music.

Lovely tapas place to grab a glass of wine or two. Happy hour $ 5 tapas, wine, well drinks. The steak and cilantro empanadas are a must! Also offers entrees, but we just stuck to the tapas.

Sorry this will be a quick review… not a bad place! Great service. Food ok. Will I go back again? Probably not… not that it was bad in any way just very… whatever.
To eat: Caeser salad, the sliders (ask for all 3 to be beef that’s the best one), the empanadas, all excellent!
Don’t bother: The ceviche, the spanish tortilla, the non-​beef sliders. Very forgettable.
My friend had a cocktail which I can’t remember the name of but it was made with Bourbon and lemon (or lime) and it was fantastic! Very good and I don’t even like Bourbon.
Cute place but I just don’t see it lasting very long unless they step up the décor /​ambiance or the food

Hmmmmm. Got there at 6:15 on a Friday night. Sat outside and placed our orders. Service was fine at first. Then I ordered a second glass of wine at 6:50. At 7:21 it arrived but only after asking several other waiters. Barely saw the waitress for the first hour. Went to use the rest room and saw waitress talking and laughing with another customer. Watched and she spent quite a lot of time with him. She must have really liked him cause we barely saw her at our table. Service went downhill as she spent more time with him. Finally had to ask another waiter to get her attention.
Calamari was cool, not warm. Gyros and margarita pizza was good. But the service killed the experience.
She got more involved when it was time to pay the bill.
Food was good, but service will stop us from going back

Recently went to Solea for drinks/​dinner on a Friday night. The food was good, the band and drinks were GREAT! Try the grilled mozzarella stacks (basically fire grilled caprese) and the Mediterranean Mojito!

This is a place to come for drinks because their food is just mediocre. I like that they have live music (which is played at a good decibel) and a patio option for nice weather.
As for the parking, I’ve been here twice during the week and never had to pay. Maybe they only charge on the weekends.

Came for HRW. Details are a blur, but I remember the empanadas were overcooked and there was a soup appetizer that was delicious, sorry I forgot what the heck it was, but. it was so good, I wanted to finish it, but wanted to save room for the main course. BIG MISTAKE. The main course was so bad, okay not that bad, but I couldn’t finish it and I usually finish my food! Even the dessert was blah. It took FOREVER and the presentation was seriously lacking. My husband got pissed at me for spending so much on a very bad dinner. 100% not worth it. The entertainment was cool, a guy playing a guitar, but the food needs major work.

First visit. Evidently we were early diners on a Saturday night — first there at 7 PM. However, by the time we were leaving (~ 9 PM) and the music was about to start — the place was getting packed.
Very friendly and prompt service. Decent and inexpensive wine list (although for some reason we started w/​margaritas).
We (party of 4) had meatballs, hummus trio, cheese plate, meat sampler, Mexican calamari, and chicken kabobs — all good and on the small side (a taste for each). We finished w/​2 desserts.
If you like tapas and a slow evening of conversation, this might be a place to try.

WOW-​what a great 1^st impression. Stopped in on a Thursday night and found a great Trio performing live, a very friendly and knowledgable bartender, delicious and reasonably priced Tapas, and a terrific setting (indoor and out). EVERYONE was welcoming and attentive. They told us about Steak Night, Sunday Brunch, Flamenco night, and more. We can’t wait to go back for more.

I REALLY wanted to love this restaurant. First impressions were great: free parking, a greeting by the hostess opening the door and smiling, music that added to the laid-​back but upscale vibe, a beautiful ambiance, and an interesting menu. Our table of 4 came for HRW and liberally shared tastes and opinions of our food. Unfortunately, the group consensus was that the food was sorely lacking.
Appetizers:
empanadas– so overcooked as to be inedible
shrimp and grits– probably the best dish of the night with HUGE flavorful shrimp
scallops– ok, not memorable
2^nd course:
salads (Caesar and Greek) — poorly chopped lettuce added to the challenge of eating. Flavors ok, not memorable
soup (baked potato) — Inedible with a strange, overpowering smokiness
3^rd course:
Meatloaf– In a word, «bizarre». Salzbury steak texture with the entire plate bathed in a deep brown gravy exhibiting a cornstarch sheen, all topped by a giant serving of flavorless frozen spinach
Tenderloin kabobs– What we passed around and ate so we didn’t leave on empty stomachs from the other entrees
Salmon– Enjoyed by a fellow dinner but appeared way too overcooked for me.
Desert:
Lava cake– Chocolate bliss and the best desert by a mile
Bread pudding– tough chewy texture, fresh out of the microwave
Crème Brulee– watery and flavorless
Tiramisu– strange, just strange
The drinks were divine (mojitos) and the bar scene lively. Wait staff made the effort but couldn’t overcome the disappointing food. Summary: I would return to enjoy the bar and music but pass on the food.

I’ve been to Solea several times since its opening. Having worked in the restaurant industry I can say that it can take a while for places to really settle in, I think Solea is finding its niche. The décor is really nice, upscale. Its as much bar as restaurant and the patio is well designed. Another thing is the spacious parking lot which is a rarity anywhere along Washington.
First thing I tried were the empanadas which had a nice texture and taste. I also ordered a Sangria which lacked a little in the fruit department. I’ve been back since and ordered Sangria and they’ve obviously corrected that. I’ve also tried the Margherita Flat-​bread pizza, this thing was awesome and the presentation was wonderful. Then there’s the Solea burger, this thing is tasty! Well seasoned, nice size, large bun, could barely put a dent into the Parmesan fries after that filling burger. If you’re looking for a tasty alcoholic beverage, ask for Travis to make a Mediterranean Mojito. It has small bits of cucumber and mint mixed into the drink, these things are refreshing!
As far as the music is concerned, Amin puts on a great performance. The place really gets vibrant for his fusion flamenco nights. I like the variety of live music, its the only place on Washington to catch live acts! Judging by other reviews there is some confusion about Solea. What is it? What’s the theme? I think people need to know that Solea is about internationalism, which means take away from it whatever you want to take away from the night. You can have the upscale experience with tapas and nice wine. You can kick it with friends while trying some local Texas beer. You can go simply to catch some great live music! Maybe a set in stone theme is what people expect, but personally, I like choices and new dining experiences.

Update as of 10.14.12 — still charging valet to park in their DEDICATED lot. So funny to me. Evrn Benjy’s has a valet or self-​park option.
My husband and I just drove up to Solea to have a night cap. We had visited before on a Sunday afternoon and weren’t too impressed with the price vs. food quality. This was our second try to make a decision on whether it was worth the $. Much like Lady F’s review, we arrived at 1030 pm to a semi full lot. We were going to park in a spot without an orange cone dedicated to valet. However! Valet guy explained that it was $ 5 for him to park my car in the dedicated lot. My husband laughed and we drove off too. They can not really expect to charge a MANDATORY $ 5. They just opened to BAD reviews. Make a name for yourselves then you can charge. I wonder how many people drive off like we did.

Finally opened! Anxious to try! Unfortunately, ‘Meh. I’ve experienced better’ perfectly describes our experience. I understand a starting out business and all but it just feels like they didn’t even try.
The silverware felt like really heavy, fancy-​looking plasti-​ware. We shared a bottle of moscato (2.5 glasses). We tried to toast: *clunk* We both immediately stared at our wine glasses thinking something went wrong. So we tried again. *clunk*. Then we laughed. Not very good quality wine glasses.
If you are looking for ‘carb-​light’ fare, try somewhere else. Everything on the menu, and I do mean everything, was some form of carb. Only real option was sub asparagus for potato. When the expediter brought our food, he made the comment «i see someone else doesn’t like carbs.» Need more sub options.
My meatloaf was dry. Needed all the sauce I could lick off the plate to moisten it up. Her crusted chicen was nice. But with both our sides being steamed spinach (yuck) and grilled asparagus, the overall pallet was quite lacking flavor.
Didn’t order desert. + tip = $ 60. We wanted to leave before the live music started blaring in our ears. Someone needs to turn down the CD player as well.

Met a friend at Solea the other day for happy hour. Neither of us had ever been before and were anxious to try it out.
First thing I noticed was lots of parking available — not accustomed to that in this area, and it was a perk! Secondly, the inside is really cool — round bar, couches in a lounge area, very modern and clean. Liked it.
Our waiter was extremely friendly and for some reason reminded me of Tobias from Arrested Development («well, excuuuuuse me!»). Heh. He was very accommodating and helped us select a couple of appteizers ($ 5 at happy hour price, 4−7pm). Food was tasty and the wine specials were also good. We each had a glass of the Riff Pinot Grigio, and then I switched to the $ 5 house wine, the Tisdale Merlot. Pretty good deal. My friend ordered another glass of Riff and since she finished their last bottle and it was BARELY short of a full glass, it was comped. Nice!
All in all, a great experience and I will be returning.

I’ve watched this restaurant being built for the past 7 months and waited patiently (ok, maybe not so patiently) to see what it would be. I was excited to see a tapas place added to the neighborhood– I LOVE me some tapas and I love sangria just as much. Win-​win situation right? The restaurant has only been open for like a week, so it seems like they are still working out quite a few of the kinks.
We arrived on Thursday evening and were able to take advantage of some of the happy hour pricing. There was a list of several appetizers and house wines that were all $ 5 and pitches of sangria were $ 8. We ordered 4 of the appetizers, my friend got a glass of wine, and I ordered the pitcher of sangria.
The wine came out first– my friend’s house wine was a Merlot and she said it was actually really good. My sangria on the other hand– really bad. I was so disappointed! It was extremely dry and lacked that sweet kick that makes sangrias so drinkable. I had barely made my way thru half my glass when the waitress asked how it was and I was honest told her the problem and told her I didn’t want the sangria. She took the pitcher and a few minutes later, the manager came over and said the batch had infact been made wrong and they corrected it, and had brought me out a new pitcher of it and voila! It was good! I slurped away happily on the rest of the pitcher thru out the meal.
The food was the most disappointing part– none of it «wowed» us. My friend even made the comment that it all seemed like stuff that we could make at home and make it taste better. It all lacked seasoning and was slightly bland– where were the exciting mix of spices that exist in Spanish cooking? Here’s the breakdown:
Crostini– came w/​a trio of toppings: goat cheese and tomato, sauteed onions and tapenade, and a tiny sliver of beef w/​some other topping I can’t remember.
Empandas– there were 2 on the plate w/​a green sauce that was the best thing out of all the dishes we ordered– it was really good. The empanadas were dry and lacked flavor.
Black bean hummus– it was two different dips on this plate– the black bean hummus reminded me of refried black beans and the other one reminded me of baba ganoush, but it had a soft boiled egg yolk or something on it and was room temp– made me nervous to eat it since it wasn’t warm.
Calamari– probably the best dish out of the 4– the breading was light and didn’t fall off– the dip that came w/​it was a little too mayo-​ish and I wish it had came w/​a marina of sorts instead.
I would def come back– hopefully they can work out the kinks in the future. The restaurant is really lovely– there was live music while were there, and the patio was spacious and well designed.

We stopped by hoping they would be open for late dinner– had looked on their website. On Shepherd/​Washington area. Mostly late 20s and up. The musician owner present.
Pluses
1). plenty of FREE parking
2). nice outdoor patio
3) great looking circular bar, high ceilings
4) friendly service
5) live music — accordian & violin tonite
6) tasty seared scallops
7) nice sized ahi tuna on salad — light dressing
8) saw happy hour $ 5 from 5p-​7p — maybe next time.
Areas of improvement
1) lighting — the lights in the booth kept on twitching —? dimmer switch to be fixed?
2) artisan cheese plate — more of a party platter with walnuts pistacio white raisins craisins — 3 average cheeses — for 4 people
3) flatbread pizza — arugula almost a salad on top — wish the flatbread was flatter and crunchier
Overall @ $ 80 for two with drinks. Comfortable atmosphere. I think a great place for 1^st dates or get togethers with friends. There’s a section which would be great for parties @ 20 people on the side. I’m hoping they’ll have live salsa band because it looks like it would be fun to dance there!