The Most Flavorful Venues & Event Spaces in Houston

MKT Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (664) • $$

"We were a big group who were headed to see Christmas lights around Downtown. Live music was playing during brunch. It's too loud and you can't have a conversation. I wish they had more items on the breakfast menu. I approached the grocery store side but they weren't serving breakfast any more in the cafeteria-type setting. So I opted for an egg white spinach fritatta in the Mkt Bar. It's a big serving and I don't like to waste. But I could only eat half. So I recommend diners share the fritatta. The waiter brought Tabasco and Cholula sauces. I added a bit of cholula to give it more flavor. The egg dish doesn't have much flavor. While the ambiance is lively, I wouldn't go back since I can't have a conversation due to the loud live music played during brunch."

Avenida Brazil Churrascaria Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4.3 (537) • $$$

"The real star of the show here are the Caipirinhas. They make them to perfection here! Meat is good and the options in the salad bar are ok. Service is spectacular!"

Ouisie's Table

★★★★☆ 3.6 (695) • $$

"Romantic vibe for sure, they have jazz night & specials too! They have a wine special for $35 for 5 glasses. That's a stinkin good deal, make sure you call and ask when those specials are or check the website. Freddie was our server and super sweet! He stayed on top of service through the evening. Calamari - it's not fried, it's also not Olive Garden. Hehe. Flavorful and tasty Scallops - 10/10 would order again Valencia paella; not my vibe but feel free to order and share around the table, I would recommend to order for 1Desert, we skipped because we had so much wine!"

Flora

★★★★☆ 3.6 (328) • $$$

"Intro: I have been to Flora twice: once on a date and once for an event. Located off of Allen Parkway, Flora shares a parking lot with Buffalo Bayou Park so parking spots are at a premium. If you don't find an open spot, you're likely stuck doing valet as there isn't street parking close by. This upscale restaurant is in the same space as Kitchen at the Dunlavy used to be. Ambiance (5/5): This is one of the areas where Flora shines. The main dining room contains a lovely assortment of chandeliers. The same chandeliers that Kitchen at The Dunlavy was known for. Combine the elegance of the interior of the restaurant with the beautiful views of the Bayou that you can see through the large windows and that creates quite the ambiance. If you want to maximize the scenic views, stop by at sunset. Service (4/5): The service each time I've visited has been friendly, consistent, and efficient. The only real complaints I have here are connected to logistics. The entrance to the restaurant is on the side of the property instead of the front. If it's your first time and you haven't been told where the entrance is located, you'll likely be confused at first. Second, Flora doesn't have a bathroom inside the restaurant. You have to walk outside to reach the restrooms.Drinks (4/5): Flora has a nice list of drinks. I've had several cocktails and beer over my two visits. One of the beers I tried was a Mexican beer that I had never seen anywhere else. The name is escaping me but the bottle was impressive (the labeling was like a work of art and the beer was tasty). I've also had several cocktails and they haven't disappointed. Since Flora is a Mexican restaurant, you'll see a focus on tequila and mezcal. With that being said, they have a lot outside of that too. Food (4/5): As an upscale restaurant, the food and the drinks aren't cheap. Nor are the portion sizes large. But, the food is quite good for the most part. I've had several appetizers (octopus and chips with queso/guac/salsa), entrees (tacos al pastor and barbacoa), and dessert (tres leches). The charred octopus and the barbacoa have been my favorites. Overall: If you're looking for an upscale meal with a beautiful backdrop, Flora makes for a solid choice."

Avenida Brazil Churrascaria Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4.4 (208) • $$$

"Jesse and Jose are doing absolutely great job at this location. I noticed they were Houston restaurant week. So we decided to give them a try and I'm glad we did. Everything was good here the food, the customer service, the experience.Food : found every single cut of meat to be full of flavor and very tasty. The pichana probably my favorite. I really enjoyed the sirloin as well. All of a sudden your top-notch as well. The scallop potatoes are simply amazing. Garlic rice is top-notch as well. I really love the flavor of them. Cheese rolls. Everything was fresh, they kept the meat coming. There was never a point where we were waiting at all. Jesse and Jose.Also, I really like how they have parking. Typically parking can be an issue at the woodlands but not here. Once again the customer service is top notch and all the waiters made sure we had everything we needed. I will definitely be back soon."

Clancy's Public House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (236) • $$

The Address

★★★☆☆ 3 (383) • $$

Lemon Tree Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (204) • $$

"I took me wife to a pre Valentine's dinner at Lemon Tree and I'm glad I did it. The seafood was amazingly fresh and tasty, the staff was attentive and knowledgeable of the menu and the ambient was warm and cozy. Lemon Tree is a hidden gem, we'll be back soon with the rest of the family."

Citizens Of Montrose

★★★★☆ 4 (183) • $$

"Loved Citizens of Montrose!My hubby and I enjoyed our brunch here. We got their Barbie Bowl, blueberry pancakes, and their salmon avocado toast. For drinks we got their turmeric latte and dragon fruit mimosa. Everything we ordered was very fresh-tasting and so colorful! Our faves were their pancakes and Barbie Bowl. The pancakes were the fluffiest ever and the Barbie Bowl was very refreshing and not overly sweet. Service was very attentive and friendly. The interior lets in a lot of natural lighting. There's a small shared parking lot to the side. Will definitely return to try their espresso martini happy hour!"

Humble Grounds Coffeehouse

★★★★☆ 4.2 (131) • $

"I had time to kill before the shopping stores nearby open up but I'm so glad this was the case! Stopped in for a cup of coffee to go but I decided to sit down and enjoy breakfast instead. What a cute coffee shop. I would truly come here to just relax on a daily basis now. The food is on point and I got to try a new featured drink that is in a competition for "Battle of the Baristas". The baristas were so sweet and helpful too. Highly recommend! I got the brunch bagel sandwich and it was delicious and fresh!"

Elm & Magnolia

★★★★★ 4.6 (107) • $$

"My friend and I came for brunch on Saturday. We had such a pleasant experience. The weather was a perfect spring day with a really nice fresh breeze! We ordered the island juice mimosas- suggested by Sabrina who we absolutely loved! For the food we ordered the Duck plate, Chicken & waffles, and a salad. Both were tasty!! We moved to a rosé which Sabrina ended bagging for us to take home. We also had a nice conversation with Zay. The entire staff here is awesome! I would recommend this place. Beautiful outdoor setting. It will be nice to catch the live music sometime!"

Esteban's Cafe y Cantina

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (139) • $$

"Food was delicious with excellent service. Great atmosphere for business lunch. Could carry on a conversation with ease with just the right amount of service level, not too much and not too little. Hope to return again and share more details."

Momma's at Sengelmann Hall

★★★★☆ 4 (83) • $$

"Love the ambiance the food and the history. We love the chicken fried steak and schnitzel and catfish!!"

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."

Teague’s Bar-B-Que

★★★★☆ 4.2 (59)

"Really enjoy coming to this place. The food here is really tasty and fresh. Belinda is such a wonderful hostess and friendly person. I've had several items on the menu which all tastes good to me, but my go-to item is the pulled pork sandwich. Juicy and flavorful. Side items including beans, yams, and cobbler also tasty! Definitely will return. Parking lot is huge and shared with the shopping strip."

Bean Here Coffee Lab & Studios

★★★★★ 4.7 (36)

"Oh my god! It felt like a discovery- this is such a cool coffee place. They roast their own coffee beans in the very big machine on display right at the entrance. They have some really unique options and the super knowledgeable friendly guy makes some insightful suggestions too.I am half inclined not to give a review so I can keep this place to myself.... but here I am...They run a painting studio for kids aged about 7 and also a little library. Coincidentally we had a bunch of books we were going to donate in the car, we offloaded all here ..... u can keep the books if u wish or recycle.... wonder how many more years will u see people actually holding a book but while it lasts ... this place is one of the options to find random written treasures.They have limited indoor seating due to the studio and the coffee machine, but it is extended upstairs. Also there is plenty seating outside but wonder who would choose that in the heat wave going on in the country currently. Plenty of parking too. We got a 'Been here' version of the Flat White and something called Moo Cha Cho latte for myself. The Moo Cha Cho is like chai chocolate and milk combination and does not need any sweetener added to it. They have small bites too which, I believe is sourced from a local bakery.The music, its very mild and they play the old classics, I never thought I'd hear a , ' Walk like an Egyptian', or 'Papa don't preach', in any cafe in this day and age. It was really cool.Love it."

The Veranda Steak and Seafood

★★★★☆ 4 (40) • $$$

"Normally, The Veranda is closed on Monday. However, for private events, they will open on Monday. We held a private dinner for 23 guests. Honestly, I thought the filet was pretty good (see my picture). It was topped with a mushroom dijon cream sauce. It had a really good taste and was cooked to perfection. For the appetizer I had the lobster bisque which was more cream than lobster. It tasted good but was light on the lobster. The Executive Chef is the daughter of the owners and did a good job preparing the food. If this review was based only on the food, it would get 4 stars. However...Let's talk about the physical restaurant. It is old and dusty. Several of my guest complained about the dust when the HVAC system kicked on. They kept noticing dust falling from the vents in the dining room. I even had one person end up with a clump of dust in his hair. That is really unacceptable. The other major problem I had was the lack of staff. I understand that they opened up for us on an off night. However, the chef had an assistant helping in the kitchen but no help waiting tables. The chef was also the waitstaff which made it very difficult. Glasses remained empty for a long time. It took a while to get everyone served. I feel that I really needed to leave this blunt and honest review for them. I really appreciate the fact that they opened for us on an off night, but they desperately needed more staff there. More importantly, they need to have the HVAC system thoroughly cleaned. Oh, they also need to get rid of the raccoon in the attic. Yes, you read that right. Thankfully, when it got dark, he left the attic and scurried around outside instead of inside where my guest could have heard them."

Scotty's Saloon at OTP

★★☆☆☆ 2.2 (70)

"I'm super city, so this isn't a place I'd normally go to, but it's down the street from my job and it was pretty cool. It's on a country road, sitting on a pretty large piece of property, and the bartenders are very friendly and attentive. Food and drinks aren't cheap, and they have entry fees on nights they have events or concerts. Wouldn't call it a neighborhood bar, but more like a bar/grill that can look like a club sometimes lol. Try it out, you'll see!"

Crazy Frogs Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (25) • $$

"After or charity bowling tournament down the street, some friends recommended we come here for burgers and a drink. They serve up a solid bacon cheeseburger with average tots that are a bit too crispy, but for less than $10 pretty good deal. This place is that dark quiet neighborhood bar what are you just imagine regulars coming after work. The servers are friendly, and accommodating to requests. I forgot that there still places where you can smoke in a bar, and this is one of those places. If you're looking for a decent burger and good drink prices, check this place out."