Treebeards – The Tunnel

I love the convenience of this place because I work upstairs in the same building. The shrimp etoufee is my favorite. You can not beat the price and you get yummy french bread with it. I also love the cornbread. One slice can be a meal all by itself. And last but not least, they have cake slices that are to die for. The red velvet, the chocolate, the yellow with chocolate icing. They are all so good. Definitely one of my favorite places to eat downtown.

Called to ask if they use MSG as an ingredient and was un willing to check if they do and the manager hung up the phone when I asked a follow up question. Not impressed…

Treebeards in the tunnel at 1100 Louisiana is a convenient place for a quick lunch if you work nearby. Even if the line appears long, they are efficient in moving people through quickly and I’ve rarely had to wait long. Great value for the price, especially for the daily regular gumbo, shrimp étouffée, jambalaya (more of a creole than a traditional jambalaya), and red beans and rice with sausage. Large chicken and sausage gumbo M to W is just $ 7.75, and seafood gumbo on Th-​F is just $ 8.75. A local favorite on Th & Fr is their chicken & dumplings. My favorite dish is one of the Friday specials, baked catfish with shrimp étouffée topping, served on a bed of dirty rice.

I decided I would treat myself to Treebeards today and I was not dissappointed. The lines are always long heck but it’s that way with every location and they move pretty quickly. I got the catfish with red beans/​rice and mashed potatoes. It was good and filling. I do prefer the location in the Park Shops though.

Had high hopes for this place after reading the reviews, but I’m pretty disappointed for the food at the price listed. Chicken fried chicken’s gravy was tasteless, cornbread was cold and hard. Line was pretty long at 11, but it moved pretty fast, so service is very good (the empty plates were taken as soon as I finished with the food too).

Best chicken and sausage gumbo ever. Like the taste of it, not too salty yet still so flavorful. The seafood one is okay… The sausage is definitely the main star of the gumbo. I like how they have so many options and they’re all pretty good.

Pleasantly surprised. This was my first visit to Treebeards in the Downtown Houston tunnels, and it was my first visit to this chain all together.
When you enter, you are greeted to a large chalkboard with the full menu including daily specials. After a minute of looking at the board, I knew I was ordering the daily special, the grilled chicken with two sides.
This cafeteria style restaurant was well lit, smelled good, and had loads of available seating. I was there for a business lunch, and it was not low quality at all. It was clean and well kept by the many employees walking around. They cleared my tray when I was done.
Let me tell you about the tea. I am not a fan of sweet tea, so I was happy to find unsweetened mango peach tea. It was amazing. Really, go there just for the tea. You won’t be disappointed.
The dish I ordered was the best cooked grilled chicken I think I have ever had. It was far better than what I whip up at home. I ordered green beans and mashed potatoes, which were delicious. I think this restaurant is famous for cajun food along with red beans and rice, so you can’t go wrong.
I highly recommend Treebeards in The Tunnel.

Lovely food.. especially the shrimp étouffée is my favorite. They have some nice side dishes. Fridays they serve special fish which is too good to miss. Hidden under the buildings, nice place to keep visiting often

Love this place, in the tunnel. The walk makes you feel less guilty about eating tis awesome cuisine. Served cafeteria style. I am not from Houston an I am still in awe of the tunnel and Treebeards. Try it you will love it!

Though I don’t live in Houston, I did grow up there. And there is one thing I miss that is impossible to get in California — damn good catfish.
I was lucky to visit Treebeards on catfish day and I had the catfish of course. And oh what a perfect slab of fish it was. I miss that clean catfish taste. And they bread it just right. Awesome seasoning and no dripping oil.
These folks know how to do catfish! Oh, and the red beans and rice were awesome too.
The cornbread was a bit dry though so if there is one thing to work on, it is the cornbread.

I frequent this place many times not only because it is just right across from where I work, but also good food. Lines can be very long, but they take no time to get through. It has a cafeteria style of ordering. You pick up your tray and drink and let the people know what you want as you go through the line. They have two lines one for dine in and one for take out which is convenient for times that you are in a rush. I have had quite a few items here that I have enjoyed. The Rookie which is a plate of rice with two entrees, I normally get the veggie beans and chili combo. They have specials different specials everyday, the ones I have enjoyed are the chicken fried chicken/​baked catfish covered with shrimp étouffée which you can only get on Fridays and today I tried the grilled chicken with a lemony vinaigrette… I thoroughly enjoyed it. They also have seasonal items like chicken and dumplings during the winter. The only downfalls that I have seen is sometimes you might feel a little rushed in choosing your order and the lady that is taking your order on carry out’s seems a bit rude at times (a lot of times). Maybe I am just catching her on very often bad days.

Solid restaurant in The Tunnel. We went on a Wednesday around 11:45 for lunch, and the line was pretty long but it went by quickly. The ordering is a bit hectic — it’s cafeteria style, and you tell the people what you want and they put it in plates/​bowls for you (unless you get a salad — those are sitting out pre-​packaged). I got a cup of the chicken/​sausage gumbo and a cup of the shrimp jambalaya. They were both pretty good — I preferred the gumbo — but nothing too spectacular. I was confused by the name — Treebeards makes it sound like a healthy vegan place, but it’s a southern cooking place?
However, there’s free bread/​butter for the table, and (and this is a big and) their desserts are AMAZING. I tried my friend’s yellow cake (I think) that had some chocolate in it. It was a huge slice, first of all, for I think $ 4, and it was probably one of the best pieces of cake I’ve ever had. Moist yet fluffy and dense but not too heavy. Yum. Can’t wait to try their cobbler or red velvet cake.

Decent food, but nothing special. Maybe the tunnel location is not as good as the original, or maybe living in New Orleans made me a Cajun food snob, but either way I don’t get the hype. Yes it is decent food, there is a big selection, it’s good to try if you work downtown… but I’ll try new places before I come back here to eat.

Have been coming here for years. Food is always excellent. Only negative is that the line is sometimes a bit long. Recommended!

Everyone tends to love this place, and I guess I just don’t get it.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s good. I’ve never been UNhappy with what I’ve gotten. But I just don’t see the hype. The waits are too long, the prices are just meh for tunnel food, and I guess nothing on the menu excited me enough to ever actually suggest going there.
Having said that, if someone else suggests it, or if we are having it catered in the office, I will, of course, partake in the festivities. And I’ll enjoy it.
Here are some of the things I’ve tried, and have enjoyed:
The red beans are rice with and without sausage. Gumbo. Ettoufee. The greens (can’t remember what kind they are, but they’re in a seafood broth, and they’re tasty).
That’s kind of all I can think to say.
Again, it’s a solid choice for lunch, just not one that I’d ever crave.

I never really understood the name of this place, but it is really rather good cajun food. I finally went today, not for the red beans and rice which I have heard raves about though. A friend of mine told me of an off-​menu item, «The Rookie», it gets you two half portions of whatever for the price of a full portion! so I had the chicken and sausage Gumbo and shrimp étouffée, both were really good so I might have to keep ordering both!
Also, get here early! When we left at 11:58 there was a line well out the door.

Treebeards’ Red Beans and Rice is one of my favorite dishes. When you order it, specify «all the way» to get cheese and onions on top. A little hot sauce sprinkled on top takes it to perfection.
I like to order a rookie plate… half of the plate is always red beans and rice, the other half another Cajun dish. The Jambalaya with shrimp and sausage is delicious. I also recommend the seafood gumbo and shrimp étouffée. For dessert, you will be in heaven with the butter cake.
This location always has a line going in, but the lines moves quickly. Decide what you want while you are in line… the menu is on a giant chalkboard. I believe the jambalaya and gumbo dishes alternate between seafood or chicken every day.
The line will guide you past the drinks. Grab one, make the corner, and don’t forget to grab silverware. Once you get past the salads, the servers are waiting to spoon-​up your order. Grab a slice of French bread and maybe a piece of butter cake in the cash register line, and you are set.
You may have to wait a minute or two during the lunch hour rush, but the tables are cleaned quickly.
Great regional food at reasonable prices. You can’t go wrong with Treebeards.

Recommended by a friend who works in the area for some quick and easy Cajun. Took some navigating throughout the tunnels.
Buffet style ordered:
— meatloaf with tomato sauce was good… nice texture and portion.
— red beans and rice with cheese and onions on top had delicious flavor.
— fresh fruit cup with wide variety and very fresh indeed.
— free bread and butter.
Overall, simple concept with simple ingredients makes tree beards a great choice for a warm lunch.

I’ve only had one entrée dish at Treebeards and have yet to be tempted away from my new love. Their red beans and rice with andouille sausage have a perfect marriage of fatty sausage and spicy slow-​cooked red beans. They even offer to top it off with cheese. I first thought to myself, cheese? Seriously? Now that I’ve had it, I can never go without. After all, everything is better with a little bit of cheese, right? Oh, Treebeards, you’ve ruined me for life for other Red Beans & Rice.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try one of the huge slices of cake at the register. Their chocolate cake and the yellow cake with chocolate frosting are delish. Get extra forks to share with your friends b/​c the slice is huge. Just make sure someone grabs some milk.
Treebeards is definitely one of my go to places when I’m searching for comfort food downtown! I’ve heard rumors that a portion of their proceeds go to charity. This gives me another reason to head over to Treebeards and stand in their long lines and have their oh-​so comforting food.

In order to appreciate the sarcasm and attitude in this review it would help if you are familiar with Glozell. This is Glozell:
Okay. So Treebeards. I love you in Market Square. I like you like a friend in the Cloister. And I hate your face in the tunnels. What’s even worse, on the day that Chicken Etcetera has the jambalaya offering (Thursday) when I am picking a place for lunch between them and this location, it is like trying to predict who will win a UFC fight between a two year old child and Tito Ortiz. Which is disappointing that Treebeards is full of win elsewhere, and full of fail here.
Limited menu. Who does you think you is? (like I said, familiarity with Glozell is key in this review, this is not a typo nor was I recently hit in the head repeatedly with an Orcish Warhammer.) Apparently going to the closer, presumably quicker (no it is NOT) location means you can’t get certain items. And some items you can get just taste worse than you remember them tasting in Market Square.
Workers all happy and smiley face in Market Square, a little less so at the Cloister, but they are downright Liz Lemon trademarked frowny-​faces here. What gives? Does working a food service job in the tunnels really turn the Snow Elves into the Falmer? Apparently so.
This is like the red headed stepchild of the franchise. I don’t get how it could be so sorely neglected when the others are flourishing with tasty food and decent workers — so that is why I am applying the Dwemer enslavement of the Snow Elves theory. The vile twisted Falmer are not so good with preparing the creole food apparently, and they are even worse at customer service.
In the tunnels I say find something else — or just bite the bullet and walk over to Market Square. Your stomach will thank you later.
Meh gusta = meh. I can’t give the franchise a one-​star simply because of the name. I don’t wish to be crushed by an Ent in Fangorn Forest.