Oporto Fooding House & Wine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (1508) • $$

"Amazing tapas place that's mainly Portuguese style dishes but with Spanish influences and a little bit of Indian fusion in some dishes. We did the scallops, bread basket, octopus, grilled sardines, paella, shrimp and potato's bravas. It was all pretty good and was pleasantly surprised by how tender the steak was in the paella. Nice ambience and would say it's great for groups and for more intimate dates as well"

Izakaya Wa

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1003) • $$

"I came here for a staff meeting. I have seen Izakaya Wa 和 on newspaper ad before but just didn't know it's located in the busy Memorial and Beltway area. The building is kind of quaint. I just don't understand how the parking lot was formed. There is a small fenced parking lot in front of the entrance. In front of that, there are several takeout only spots.Certain days, the big old beer truck parked on the side of building which causing difficulties to maneuver for parking. GPS still shows 2 entrances on Boheme Drive, but there is only one.Food was really delicious. I ordered Salmon Teriyaki Teishoku. It came with a generous amount of fresh spring salad with miso dressing, a mound of steamed rice, 4 slices of salmon and a side of cucumber salad. Presentation was appealing. However, everything on a serving tray took up space on a small square table for four of us.Besides the entrees, we ordered some edamame and karaage chicken pieces to share. There should be salt shaker to season those appetizers. We only found Shichimi Togarashi (a spicy powdered assortment of dried chili peppers and other seasonings). The bottle looked old and greasy. But the spices were still fresh.Overall, I don't mind to come back to try other dishes. I heard the menu changes often. I know dinner and weekends are the busiest. I would come back during lunch for sure."

Grotto Downtown

★★★★☆ 3.9 (552) • $$

"Very good small bites pasta and tenderloin skewers. Plenty of food in the small plates for the two of us who don't eat much. Service was a bit slow not because it was busy, but our server was not efficient in coming to table for refills or checking on us. Took a long time to get through service."

Julep

★★★★☆ 3.9 (459) • $$$

"Julep is all dressed up for the holidays, and she's still perfect! Love the holiday cocktails and craftiness as expected. Same great custom service as usual! Another 5-star experience, with great (holiday) vibes! Pro Tip: Make a reservation or Join the waitlist on Open Table. Cheers!"

Mezzanotte Ristorante

★★★★☆ 3.9 (172) • $$

"Love Mezzanotte! Perfect date night! Beautiful inside and out. Quiet enough to have a conversation. Outstanding food and service! Katie did a great job taking care of us.We started with the pumpkin ravioli which is amazing! Savory with a cream sauce, great with the bread. MrM wanted the Hampton, grilled lamb chops, pistachio mint jelly with a wedge salad as usual! I decided on the chicken piccata. The chicken was pounded thin, pan seared, topped with a mouthwatering white wine lemon butter sauce with a dash of capers. Just the right balance. So Good! Although my dish came with spaghetti parmigiana, we always share an order of risotto. Creamy, delicious, haven't found any better in the area. Served with fresh shaved parmigiana cheese that melts in your mouth. And who can pass up fresh brewed cappuccino and crème brûlée? TIP: They do not allow you to bring your own bottle of wine. They do have a nice bar selection if you prefer."

Taza Food Style

★★★★★ 4.6 (80)

"In many languages such as Arabic, Persian and Urdu, the word "taza" means "fresh." Finding "taza" food in Cypress can be hard, especially when it comes to halal food. Thankfully, Taza is truly a breath of fresh air. Located on Cypress Rosehill and Huffmeister, Taza is a small grocery store that also houses a tiny restaurant inside. The restaurant might be small but the flavor is big. After ordering the food from Taza from Uber the first time last week, I was on a search to figure out where this place was and I am so glad I found it because I kept going back for more. Initially I had ordered the Taza Mixed Grill, tawook with rice, hummus, tabbouleh, an extra garlic sauce, and a pita bread. This was my first time where I have ever liked yellow rice that comes with Mediterranean food. I was instantly hooked. The second time I went back I got the baba ganoush, the platter again, hummus, and grape leaves. When I say I ate almost all the baba ganoush myself, I am not kidding. It is probably one of the best baba ganoush I have ever had in my life. Normally people don't know the nuanced flavor and can get carried away making this dip which can result in a goopy substance but this one had a perfect viscosity coupled with a smoky flavor and textural superiority. I also really liked their stuffed grape leaves and hummus.I can't wait to go back when I am in the Cypress area again. Pro tip: Get your food to go."

The Bar at Friends Uncorked

★★★★☆ 4 (73) • $$

"I came here right before everything went to hell with Covid this year. I really really enjoyed this cute tucked away bar. The bartender was super sweet and informative. He let us try a sample of some beer and we loved it. Well I stuck to wine, but my friend enjoyed the beer. If I wouldn't have been invested in wine that night, I would have drank the beer though, just so we're clear. This was a nice place to sit and talk or sip and talk. They had a band playing in the main room. We were in the cozy back room scaring ourselves with a door that kept opening on its own. No... we weren't drunk. Outside was really nice and homezy (ya I'm gonna make up that word). It felt like you were at your friends backyard get together. We ended up staying inside, because there was no one out there, and it was cold. But Covid was already starting to keep a lot of people away at this point, so I can imagine there being more people once things settle down. It's really a cute hangout spot. It reminded me a lot of something you would see in the heights area. Definitely a nice spot to hang."

Adair Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (57)

"Beautiful space with plenty of indoor & outdoor seating, affordable and delicious food, and great service. This will definitely be one of my go-to breakfast/brunch spots in Houston. - Food: Ordered a Breakfast Bowl and it was a generous portion. Great & unique flavors with a good balance of veggies, protein and carbs. We also ordered a pitcher of mimosas for the table.- Parking: Humongous lot with not many small businesses around it, you won't fight for street parking and it was refreshing to have so much room to park for once. - Service: You order at the front counter with menus on the side table. Waters were self serve. Sit anywhere you'd like. We sat in a more secluded part of the space & were asked to move tables to fit a birthday lunch after we finished eating, but the manager offered us another round of mimosas for the inconvenience which I thought was a nice touch."

Big Axe Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (13)

"I tried this place tonight and it was awesome! The service was great, the food was super tasty, and the atmosphere is perfect for watching an Astro's game. I got the Big Axe Philly and it was awesome! I never would have thought of putting queso on a Philly cheesesteak, but it totally works! I can't wait to go back!Also, the axe throwing is supposed to open tomorrow and they recommended making reservations to make sure to get a lane"