Tony’s

A wonderful experience at Tony’s! After seeing the mass of five– and one-​star reviews on Unilocal,I’m so glad to say I’m definitely in the five-​star camp!
The service was flawless. Period. From our welcome at the door to service throughout the meal, service was perfect.
I’d generally describe the food as traditional and well executed. A few of our favorites:
–Pappardelle bolognese — Perfectly cooked al dente pasta and flavorful meat sauce. Very good.
–White truffle soufflé — So unique! Light and fluffy with a delightful truffle flavor. As you’ll see from my rave about the chocolate soufflé below, Tony’s knows how to do souffles.
–Branzino — It’s covered in an olive oil and lemon sauce, and, without this sauce, it would have been a bit dry but was wonderful with.
–Chocolate soufflé — OMG. So amazing; it’s a must-​have. The small is perfect for two people to split, and they offered to make any kind of dessert chocolate we wanted, but, of course, we opted for chocolate.
An excellent experience! For the $$$$ price, it’s definitely a special occasion go-​to.

Tony’s is amazing. If you want a fine dining experience to remember this is the place. It’s also a place that if you need to check the prices you shouldn’t be there. Yes, it’s expensive. The food, ambiance and service are top notch. So the reason we go to dinner, to eat! So I will talk about that. The bread sticks and bread to start with the black salted butter is a great start! Delicious. The drinks are very very good! They are one of, if not the only place in town that always has A5 Kobe on the menu. We had 3 ounces to start. My mom had never tried it before. If you haven’t and don’t mind dropping the cash for it you must try it! We also had Fois gras, another delicacy. Both cooked perfect! For the main course we had the salt dome red fish. You should order this when you make reservations as it takes an hour to make. Worth every minute we waited! We didn’t know about that until we got there. So we waited on one to split. Words can’t describe it. It’s not fishy at all and melts in your mouth! Add the red wine butter and it’s heaven! And for dessert, soufflé. OMG. Bananas foster soufflé. Just wonderful! Best in town! Yes. It’s Huge! And there is a reason for that. They only serve you the top (the best part) of it. Then take the rest away, unless you want it. Then just tell your waiter to leave it for you. They will. So to the person who complained about it, there is reason they take the bottom part away. Just tell them you want to keep it all.
Enjoy!

This place is completely underrated on Unilocal (in my not-​so-​humble native New Yorker opinion).
I tasked my boyfriend with finding me gourmet food that was not a steakhouse in Houston for my birthday. Boy did he rise to the occasion in finding this place. When we pulled up we saw a Rolls Royce, Bentley, and 3 Mercedes, so I knew immediately the kind of crowd that would be inside. Luckily, they had told us the strict dress code when making the reservation, so we were ready to go.
We valeted the car, and walked inside and the restaurant was absolutely beautiful. Atmosphere (5) for sure. We were seated in a small table in the corner that was so far from another table that it almost felt like our own little section. I really appreciated that layout.
Onto the food/drinks…we had scoped the menu before coming, so I was already super excited:
Cracker/​bread starter (3) — This was waiting for us as we came in, and I wasn’t a huge fan of most of the crackers, but I’m a bread gal, so this didn’t come as much of a surprise. It was nice to have something right away
Cocktail list — It has no prices… Maybe it’s just me but I found that super odd. I’m not writing you a blank check for a cocktail no matter how much I have in my wallet, but my boyfriend really liked his drink and it was I believe $ 14 when the bill came, so not completely insane.
Wine list (4) — Extensive with Italian options that unfortunately I knew nothing about, so I picked a less expensive Napa Cab. They had a wide range of price options, which I appreciated, and I think most wallets can find something here for you.
For appetizers we got: tonno crudo (5) and mediterranean langoustine (5) — NOMS. Tonno crudo was a very sizable portion of tuna in a simple glaze, but it was simply delicious. My langoustines were simply broiled, but they were unreal. They came right out of the shell and were mouthwateringly good. They came 2 split open for 4 halves, and I would’ve licked the plate if that wouldn’t have been frowned upon.
Around this time they brought out the real bread, and OMG get the focaccia. I don’t care if you don’t even like focaccia (is that even possible?), but seriously you must give it a try. We may have asked for seconds…
Dinner: Center cut filet (truffled prime) (5) and mediterranean branzino (4). My boyfriend’s filet came with truffled mashed potatoes that the waiter also offered to let me try, but I just stole some of my boyfriend’s and WOW. If you like truffle, you must get this dish. the filet was as good as Pappa’s — and that’s saying something. The branzino was totally fileted, which I loved. I did wish the fish had a little more «pop» to it in order to be a 5, but I really enjoyed it, especially since it’s harder to find this dish in Houston.
Sides — creamed spinach (5) & truffled mac (5). These are both worth getting. I loved them, and I’d definitely get them again. Their mac is certainly top notch.
Dessert we tried the famous chocolate soufflé. Honestly it was a 3 for me. I just don’t think I’m a soufflé person though. It was soft and the presentation was great, but it was just very airy and doughy and I like my chocolate fudgey and dense like mousse. At $ 15 a person, this was too steep to repeat but worth trying for sure if you’re into souffles.
I can’t wait to return, so I highly suggest you save up and give this place a try.

Amazing experience. Get the course menu with wine pairing. The soufflé is a must! Be prepared to spend $ 200 a person. This place is for foodies and people who are planning to splurge. Every bite was memorable. Their menu has some really interesting stuff you would have a hard time finding elsewhere. Presentation is beautiful. Very romantic place.

Wow. Just… Wow!
If I could give 10 stars, I would! Every single bite made my eyebrows raise from awe — and there’s some Botox in there!
I’m just going to keep this simple and say this has become one of my new favorite restaurants in Houston. It’s like the American/​Italian version of Uchi. It ain’t cheap, but there’s a reason why. Their course menus (5,7,9 available) include such delectable items such as caviar in sturgeon broth and risotto with black AND white truffles — the seasons overlap sometimes! The soufflé is an absolute MUST. You can get any flavor, but the chocolate is a favorite. Presentation is gorgeous. Service is impeccable. Ambiance is very romantic. Definitely a gem in Houston!

Tony’s is one of my favorite restaurants. I had not tried it before this year, but now I’ve been back several times, and it consistently delivers delicious food that is so different from anywhere else! My favorite starter is the white truffle soufflé because how could I not love a dish that combines two of my absolute favorites: truffles and shuffle?! For my entrée, I either share the roasted duck for two or get one of the fabulous handmade pastas. Don’t miss the side dishes, which are listed in tiny print at the bottom of the menu! The truffled mac and cheese and brussels sprouts are both fantastic! The soufflé options are incredible, and the Bananas Fosters soufflé is so good that it’s hard not to make myself sick off of it! Tony’s definitely gets 5 stars and an A+ rating from me!

The food was outstanding but the service was not so great.
I really enjoyed every dish my girlfriend and I ordered. My girlfriend said the Foie Gras was better than what she had in France.
My issue was with the service. We went on a Tuesday. My only thought was maybe we had the B team waiting on us. However we had one outstanding waiter… the others, meh.
I mentioned I really liked a particular bread in the bread basket and asked for more. The waiter reached over and grabbed a basket off of the table next to us. I asked if there was anything special the chef had for the evening and the waiter said oh, well, the same stuff really and seemed flustered by the question. The server dropped some of my food on the table and just left it there.
I have dined, waited, and worked at nice restaurants and I am fully aware of the expectations of fine dining wait staff. I was a little shocked by the service (except for the one waiter, he was outstanding). Maybe my expectations are to high? Maybe it was because it was a Tuesday?

My wife and I plus another couple had dinner here New Years Eve… this was the first visit for my wife and I… when the reservations were made we were told it was a set menu, the cost is 95.00 per person… I ask what was on the set menu (she didn’t know) so I asked if it was posted online, she said no… I asked how we could find out, she said only the chef knew… I could tell by her tone she didn’t want to find out or continue the conversation. So, I thought well, I guess we will have to be surprised… So here comes New Years Eve and we arrive at the restaurant… we are seated, are given the menus… nothing surprising,…pretty regular stuff… now for the surprise part…(keep in mind we were told, set menu, 95.00 per person), there were several items on that were an additional 15.00 — 25.00 and if you wanted a side dish, it was an additional 10.00…what happened to the 95.00 per person… please don’t get me wrong, it’s not the money… I just don’t like being misled… that’s why the one star… and that’s why we probably won’t return.

I’m from Middle East so naturally I love truffle. Well, I spent $ 95 on white truffle shaved on top of pasta, the pasta was horrible, but the truffle was alright. But the white truffle wasn’t worth it, here is why: Like I said I’m from the Middle East. After the rain in my country the truffles literally fills the ground. So, why is the white truffle wasn’t worth it? Well, you can buy white truffle in my country for $ 500-​$ 1000 sounds like a lot right? Nope, you get like 4 – 6 pounds worth of white truffles for that amount. I tasted both, Italy’s and my country’s truffles and I can honestly say ours is way way better.
Copy these words and put in Google to see our white truffle:

Tony’s is one of my favorite Houston restaurants! Its a great place to celebrate special occasions. I’ve been there a couple times and all have been memorable dinning experiences. The service and food are superb!

Wife and I went here for Houston restaurant week. Here’s the breakdown.
Tldr; Mediocre at best and overpriced at worst. Worth it to impress but too many other interesting restaurants out there.
Good: Fantastic service. Wonderful bread (harder to do than it sounds!) and a great selection of interesting dishes.
Bad: Perhaps it was the HRW menu, but I was incredibly disappointed in a few of the dishes. The Veal Marsala was plate of dry, lukewarm, and over fried meat. For shame! The grapefruit salmon was impeccable which only contrasted how much of a setback the veal really was.
In the same way, the chocolate soufflé was exceptional. Light, smooth, and fluffy. A true soufflé experience for those of you who have never had one. However, both the truffle soufflé and grand mariner were chewy over cooked pieces of dough compared to the soft and delicate chocolate soufflé.
In the end, I expected a higher level of cuisine for $ 150+ meal (minus alcohol). I understand this is an institution. It’s part of the history of Houston fine dining. However, the consistency will need to improve in order to compete with the all the up and coming options Houston has to offer.

My boyfriend took me here on a fancy date this past Saturday for restaurant week and we both had a great time. I’ve also been here a few years ago for a work lunch during the week and remember having a delicious meal with excellent service. This is an upscale restaurant so you need to dress up, especially on the weekend that means jackets, gentlemen!
Our food was amazing and they even have two reasonably priced bottles of wine on the HRW menu. They provide you with breads at your table but someone also comes along and offers two different styles of fresh, warm bread– get the brown piece, I promise you won’t go wrong it’s delicious. For the main course, I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly and he had the chicken francese. My blackberry crostata for dessert was divine!
On our way out the hostess gave myself and another lady in front of me a small bag of biscottis «for our coffees in the morning» which was a great touch!
I’d recommend this place for a special occasion. It really is great food and service.

Heyyyyyy! YO, TONY!
This place is legit. It’s classy and tasty, which happen to be two of my most flavor-​rous things ;)
Mostly Everything is five star here, especially the service. Erick.Eric.Erik…not sure on the spelling, was the captain of our table and he ran that ship right into fun-​time deliciousness!
To start: cocktail of Aperol and prosecco (my apologies for not recalling the actual name). Aperol is bitter, so if that’s not your thing, please take note. For me, this cocktail was delightful.
Commence HRW menu.
Pansoti– Say what? Stop! You are too much! It’s pillows of squash ravioli covered with a creamy sage blanket of love… NOT KIDDING! For real. Menu items like this are why people dine out.
Salmon-​it was ok. No mental cartwheels on this one (sorry, Tony!)
Chocolate tuxedo cake– Oy. Rich… how a restaurant likes it’s patrons.
Things I bargained with my friends to let me taste:
Tonno crudo– This should be enjoyed on the deck of a yacht. Thank you, tuna, for being caught!
Italian summer truffles (the risotto) — Truffles smell like old feet. It’s the truth. I still took a bite and I’m glad I did! Truffle shuffle all day long!
Chocolate AND grand marnier soufflé-​the chocolate is great if you are dehydrated because one bite and you’ll be thirsty! Chug a lug on that H2O! GM soufflé. I LOVE YOU! Light and perfect :)
Tony’s, the skinny: The food is appetizing, but what I loved (even from the start of my 3 hour tenure here) was the service. It’s an event place. Life is an event, so it should be celebrated, and Tony’s gets that.
PS– They have a gigantic salted fish that they light ON FIRE! Definitely something to see as is the server chiseling away on it before plating.

Our first HRW of this year and we’ve always wanted to try the Houston staple, Tony’s. The décor was elegant, the service was impeccable from the moment you set foot through the glass doors, and the food selection was both unique and near perfection.
Highlights:
–impeccable service
–no rush from wait staff
–entrée presentation
–summer truffle soufflé
–made to order chocolate soufflé
–anything soufflé!
Areas for improvement:
-$ 68 for 55 day dry aged ribeye… good not great especially at the price. I would’ve appreciated a little more char to the edges and a warmer temperature. Favorite cut still goes to Killens steakhouse in pearland
–built in 20% gratuity for two. maybe this is a HRW thing?
Tips:
–order your soufflé ahead of time
–dress code is enforced (coat gentlemen)
–did I say order the soufflé??
Otherwise, get ready to pay top dollar but know that you’re truly getting a dining experience. This place has been around for a reason ;)

We went here for Houston restaurant weeks.
This is one of the best deals during HRW. I opted for the short rib ravioli (which I could have eaten for all three courses), follow-​ed by the steak, and then the blueberry dessert. Everything was awesome, Service was on point.
Wine list is extensive in selection and price. You can surprisingly get a reasonably priced bottle of wine. They do also have a nice liquor selection with bourbon and vodka.
Service is not rushed. You are seated and after a while they ask you if you are ready to take a look at the menu. A nice touch as long you not the type of person who is super impatient. Food came out at a nice pace.
They also brought out a giant heap of cotton candy for my birthday.

Kate McLean, Tony’s chef de cuisine is the first woman to hold the position at Vallone’s flagship restaurant. She is an excellent chef that will not disappoint you. I was in the mood for seafood, but not in the mood for fish. So she prepared a Mediterranean Octopus with a grilled scallop. This was started with risotto flavored with Lobster Roe. What a wonderful dinner. Never a disappointment. There are very few restaurants that can maintain consistency in their performance and provide off the menu dishes anytime. This is a reflection of Kate’s leadership.

I have to update the review. After a weak start this was my original post «Terrible service. Terrible. Wait staff ignores you, been here 20 minutes and still no menus. Whatever this place thinks of itself it does not deliver on service.»
However I asked the hostess to be reseated and the evening turned around. Great service and food after that. I got the 7 course tasting menu and it was terrific. We will be back again. They acquitted themselves.

The service at Tony’s is remarkable and unlike any other place I have ever been. You get treated like royalty by everyone involved (or mostly everyone — see below). The set up at the restaurant is great and definitely looks fancy so dress up (jacket required)! The food is good but not great. You would expect a lot more from a place that has fantastic service.
Also, one of the things that kind of turned me off about this place is the sommelier. He was rude and kind of snobby about the questions that we were asking. He was unlike any of the other places where they are actually helpful and not make you feel dumb. Maybe he was having a bad day.
It’s a good place to experience but definitely not one where you go back consistently.

Let me start by saying Tony’s is everything it’s cracked up to be. The food and service are both amazing. The only thing preventing it from being 5 stars is the fact that I’ve been other places that I enjoy more for a fraction of the price.
If you’re going, you would be foolish not to try the tonno crudo (ribbons and squares of ahi tuna with avocado and soy lime vinagrette) and any of the fresh made pastas.
It’s hard to recommend specific things as everyone’s tastes are different, but Tony’s certainly provides a romantic dining spot with top notch service. Be prepeared so spend a pretty penny though. If looking to experience the high life while being a little more reasonable to your checkbook, consider going during HRW.

Good food, great service.
Tony’s is definitely my go to place for work dinners. You can’t do wrong with their excellent menu and their superb service. We did the 7 course wine pairing menu, and it was yummy, but quite expensive… like 3000 for 6 people expensive.
Is it worth it, only if you want to impress your customers.